cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Near normoglycaemia improved nerve conduction and vibration sensation in diabetic neuropathy

Twelve C-peptide deficient Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients with abnormal peripheral nerve function were randomly assigned to continuation of conventional insulin therapy (CIT) or to continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII). There were no statistically significant differences at entry to the study between the two treatment groups in nerve function assessed by neurologic disability score, computer assisted sensation examination and measurements of amplitudes, distal latencies, F-wave latencies and somatosensory evoked potential latencies over the spine and conduction velocities of motor and sensory fibers of ulnar, median, peroneal, tibial, plantar and sural nerves. In addition, mean plasma glucose from 24 h profiles (12.5 vs 10.6 mmol/l, respectively) and HbA1 (11.0 vs 11.6%, respectively) did not differ significantly between the two treatment groups at entry. Despite improved glycaemia from CSII in 5 patients (one dropped out of the study after 2 months) contrasted to CIT in 6 patients (5.3 vs 9.9 mmol/l, respectively, p=0.002) and HbA1 (8.5 vs 10.7%, respectively, p=0.002), there were no significant differences in measurements of peripheral nerve function after 4 months. After 8 months of improved glycaemia (4.4 vs 10.2 mmol/l, p=0.004) and improved HbA1, (8.3 vs 10.5%, p=0.002), nerve conduction (p=0.03) and vibratory sensation threshold (p=0.002) were significantly better in patients treated with CSII than those who received CIT. The improvements in nerve function, although small, provide further evidence that some clinical endpoints of neuropathy are favorably influenced by improved control of glycaemia.
Relations Between Electron-Molecule Scattering and Swarm Experiments and Analysis

The purposes of this paper are to review the basic relations between electron-molecule collision cross-sections and electron transport and reaction coefficients and to summarize the current state of research in the area of the determination of cross-sections from swarm data.
Pathophysiology of Acute Renal Failure

Acute renal failure is a clinical syndrome of diverse etiology characterized by a marked and rapid reduction in glomerular filtration rate (GFR), which impairs the ability of the kidneys to maintain the composition of body fluids. GFR falls from the normal values of 100–140 ml/min to 1–10 ml/min. Classically, the decrement in renal function is associated with a marked reduction in GFR to less than 5 ml/min and a fall in urine output to less than 500 ml/24 hr (oliguria). It is being increasingly recognized, however, that acute renal failure may occur without such severe reductions in GFR (usually to levels of 5–10 ml/min) and under these conditions urine output may be greater than 500 ml/day giving rise to the term nonoliguric acute renal failure. The definition of oliguria (<500 ml/24 hr) arises from the fact that this approximates the minimum volume of urine required to excrete the 600 mOsm of solute generated from normal diet and metabolism under conditions of maximal urine osmolality which seldom exceeds 1200 mOsm/kg water in man. The term anuria, which literally means “no urine output,” is often applied to urine volumes of less than 100 ml/24 hr.
Francis of Assisi, Christology, and mission:

In recent years, global theologians of mission have emphasized a posture of mission from below—missional engagement from a place of weakness and vulnerability. In part a reaction to the mistakes of...
Magnetic Anisotropy and Switching Behavior of Fe 3 O 4 /CoFe 2 O 4 Core/Shell Nanoparticles

A uniform core/shell nanoparticle system composed of a soft magnetic core (Fe3O4) and a hard magnetic shell (CoFe2O4) was synthesized and characterized to understand how the shell influences the magnetism and exchange coupling of the system. In the case of Fe3O4(8 nm)/CoFe2O4(2 nm) core/shell nanoparticles, DC and AC susceptibility measurements revealed three features associated with the blocking temperatures of the core/shell system (TB-cs ∼ 300 K), the CoFe2O4 shell (TB-s ∼ 200 K), and the Fe3O4 core (TB-c ∼ 50 K). Radio-frequency transverse susceptibility gave a direct probe of the effective magnetic anisotropy field (HK) and switching field (HS), as well as their temperature evolutions. Interestingly, we found that HK of the core/shell structure increased with decreasing temperature. HS was observed only below TB-s, which first decreased drastically with lowering temperature and then increased sharply below TB-c. This is attributed to the effect of a coercive field of CoFe2O4 on the spin flipping of Fe3O4 in the superparamagnetic state (TB-c < T < TB-s) and the blocked state (T < TB-c), respectively. Our study sheds light on the magnetic exchange coupling mechanism in core/shell nanoparticle systems and demonstrates the possibility of controlling the nanomagnetism of a soft magnetic core to which the hard magnetic shell is coupled in such systems.
Acquired Hemolytic Anemias

Acquired hemolytic anemias are defined by decreased erythrocyte survival, inducing a compensatory effort by the bone marrow that is demonstrated typically by increased reticulocytosis. In contrast to hereditary hemolytic anemias, the decreased erythrocyte survival due to increased red blood cell destruction is caused typically by extrinsic factors including immune-mediated mechanisms (autoimmune or alloimmune causes), mechanical injury to erythrocytes from altered microvascular conditions (microangiopathy), hypersplenism, or exposure to drugs, toxins, or infectious agents. As an exception to this rule of extrinsic etiology, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a form of acquired hemolytic anemia due to an acquired clonal genetic mutation, which allows overactivation of complement damaging the RBC membrane. A systematic approach is outlined here for evaluation of the clinical characteristics and laboratory tests to reach diagnosis, determine the underlying causes, and proceed to treatments to avoid the often significant mortality and morbidity risks of acquired hemolytic anemias.
Influence of magnetism on Dirac semimetallic behavior in nonstoichiometric Sr 1 -y Mn 1 -z Sb 2 (y ̃0.07 ,z ̃0.02 )

Nonstoichiometric ${\mathrm{Sr}}_{1\ensuremath{-}y}{\mathrm{Mn}}_{1\ensuremath{-}z}{\mathrm{Sb}}_{2}\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}(y,zl0.1)$ is known to exhibit a coexistence of magnetic order and the nontrivial semimetallic behavior. In this paper, we report the magnetism and its strong coupling to the semimetallic behavior, by a combined use of inelastic neutron scattering (INS) and density functional theory (DFT). A phase separation consisting of a majority antiferromagentic phase and a minority ferromagnetic phase is proposed. We found a relatively large spin excitation gap $\ensuremath{\approx}8.5\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{meV}$ at 5 K, and the interlayer magnetic exchange constant only 2.8% of the dominant intralayer magnetic interaction, evidencing a quasi-2D magnetism in ${\mathrm{Sr}}_{1\ensuremath{-}y}{\mathrm{Mn}}_{1\ensuremath{-}z}{\mathrm{Sb}}_{2}$. Using DFT, we find a strong influence of magnetic orders on the electronic band structure and the Dirac dispersions near the Fermi level along the Y-S direction in the presence of a ferromagnetic order. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the size of the ferromagnetic ordered moment is an effective strategy to tune Dirac/Weyl dispersions near the Fermi level. Our study unveils novel interplay between the magnetic order, ordered moment, and electronic band topology in ${\mathrm{Sr}}_{1\ensuremath{-}y}{\mathrm{Mn}}_{1\ensuremath{-}z}{\mathrm{Sb}}_{2}$ and opens pathways to control the relativistic band structure.
The relationship between payer type and lipid outcomes in response to clinical lifestyle interventions in youth with dyslipidemia.

Payer-type (government-sponsored health coverage versus private health insurance) has been shown to influence a variety of cardiovascular disease outcomes in adults. However, it is unclear if the payer-type impacts the response to a lifestyle intervention in children with dyslipidemia. We analyzed data prospectively collected from patients under the age of 25 years who were referred to a large regional preventive cardiology clinic from 2010 to 2016 in Massachusetts. We compared baseline high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), non-HDL-C, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) by payer-type. Further, we analyzed the change in lipid values in response to a clinic-based multidisciplinary intervention over a nearly six-year period by payer-type with multi-variable adjusted linear regression models. We also tested for effect modifications by age, sex, race, and body mass index (BMI) category. Of the 1739 eligible patients (mean age 13 years, 52% female, 60% overweight and obese, 59% White), we found that patients with government-sponsored coverage (n = 354, 20%) presented to referral lipid clinic with lower HDL-C (− 3.5 mg/dL [1.0], p < 0.001) and higher natural log-transformed TG (+ 0.14 [0.04], p < 0.001) as compared to those with private insurance; however, the association was attenuated to the null after additionally adjusting for BMI category (− 1.1 [0.9], p = 0.13, and + 0.05 [0.04], p = 0.2 for HDL-C and natural log-transformed TG, respectively). We found no difference in baseline LDL-C between payer-types (+ 3.4 mg/dL [3.0], p = 0.3). However, longitudinally, we found patients with private insurance and a self-reported race of White to have a clinically meaningful additional improvement in LDL-C, decreasing 12.8 (5.5) mg/dL (p = 0.02) between baseline and first follow-up, as compared to White patients with government-sponsored health coverage, after adjusting for age, sex, time between visits, and baseline LDL-C. Our results suggest that youth with government-sponsored coverage are referred with poorer lipid profiles than those with private insurance, although this is largely explained by higher rates of overweight and obesity in the government-sponsored health coverage group. White patients with private insurance had substantially better improvement in LDL-C longitudinally, suggesting that higher socioeconomic status facilitates improvement in LDL-C, but is less beneficial for HDL-C and triglyceride levels.
Opioid Prescribing Safety Measures in Medicaid Enrollees With and Without Cancer

Introduction Opioid prescribing safety among individuals with cancer is poorly understood. This study estimates the prevalence of Pharmacy Quality Alliance opioid measures among individuals with cancer undergoing or not undergoing active treatment versus those without cancer. Methods Pennsylvania Medicaid data (2016) were analyzed in 2018 to identify adults aged 18–64 years with and without cancer diagnoses who had 2 or more opioid prescriptions. Active cancer treatment, defined as having chemotherapy, radiotherapy, cancer surgery, or hospitalization with a primary diagnosis of cancer, was evaluated from October 2015 to December 2016 allowing a ≥3-month look-back period for cancer diagnoses observed in the first quarter of 2016. Opioid dosages (>120 morphine milligram equivalents for ≥90 consecutive days), multiple providers (4 or more prescribers and 4 or more pharmacies), and opioid and benzodiazepines overlapping ≥30 days were evaluated. Results The sample with opioid prescriptions included 111,491 enrollees without cancer diagnoses and 12,819 with cancer, 58.8% of whom were not in active cancer treatment. Among enrollees undergoing cancer treatment, with cancer but not in active treatment, and without cancer, the prevalence of high morphine milligram equivalents was 7.1%, 6.0%, and 4.7% (p Conclusions Individuals with cancer, regardless of treatment status, had higher-risk opioid use based on Pharmacy Quality Alliance measures versus those without cancer. Their systematic exclusion from opioid quality surveillance could create missed opportunities to identify patients at high risk of adverse opioid-related outcomes.
Impact of detector simulation in particle physics collider experiments - highlights

Detector simulation has become fundamental to the success of modern high-energy physics (HEP) experiments. For example, the Geant4-based simulation applications developed by the ATLAS and CMS experiments played a major role for them to produce physics measurements of unprecedented quality and precision with faster turnaround, from data taking to journal submission, than any previous hadron collider experiment. The material presented here contains highlights of a recent review on the impact of detector simulation in particle physics collider experiments published in Ref. [1]. It includes examples of applications to detector design and optimization, software development and testing of computing infrastructure, and modeling of physics objects and their kinematics. The cost and economic impact of simulation in the CMS experiment is also presented. A discussion on future detector simulation needs, challenges and potential solutions to address them is included at the end.
Agenator: An open source computer-controlled dry aging system for beef

Abstract Dry aging of beef is a process where beef is exposed to a controlled environment with the ultimate goal of drying the beef to improve its quality and value. Comprehensive investigations into the effects of various environmental conditions on dry aging are crucial for understanding and optimizing the process, but the lack of affordable equipment focused on data collection makes it difficult to do so. The Agenator was thus developed as an open source system with a suite of features for investigating dry aging such as: measuring and recording relative humidity, temperature, mass, air velocity, and fan rotational speed; precise control within 1% for relative humidity and 50 rpm for fan rotational speed; robust signal integrity preservation and data recovery features; modular design for easy addition and removal of individual chamber units; and non-permanent fixtures to allow easy adaptation of the system for other applications such as investigating dehydration of food products. The open source system comes with user-friendly computer software for interfacing with the system and creating sophisticated environmental control programs. The Agenator is available to the public at https://osf.io/87nck/ .
Evaluation of meningococcal vaccination policies among colleges and universities — United States, 2017

Objective: Quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccines (MenACWY) have been recommended routinely for adolescents since 2005; in 2015, serogroup B meningococcal (MenB) vaccines were recommended fo...
What About Mom? Health Literacy and Maternal Mortality

This study examined health literacy of postpartum education materials assessing readability, understandability and cultural sensitivity using common health literacy measures. Materials examined rated poorly on measures of health literacy and cultural sensitivity using evidence-based measures including the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT), Fry-based Readability and National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS). Findings suggested a need for health literate and culturally sensitive postpartum education. Materials and an App were developed for new moms to help them identify postpartum warning-signs and appropriate action moms should take to address symptoms or seek emergent care.
Training of the Aesthetic Being: Connecting Sri Aurobindo’s Ideas of the Visual in Education Across Cultures

This paper grows out of the collaboration between an English Educator and an Art Educator who both work with pre service and in-service teachers as they prepare for teacher licensure. Through ongoing conversations about shared interests, the collaboration now has connected the East and West. More specifically, this paper connects Sri Aurobindo’s ideas about education and self-education, ones that privilege the visual and aesthetic, to theories and practices in US Education. Aesthetic Education is at the center of this work. We believe that engaging with artwork, artifacts, and visual culture, provides learners with opportunities to explore the unfamiliar as a way to understand the familiar, enhancing a greater worldview. Ideas from theorists in the West, such as John Dewey and Maxine Greene, along with strategies for visual analysis based on Feldman and Yenawine, align with and are enhanced by Sri Aurobindo’s ideas about education. Through the about power of Intercultural Education, the interconnections and connections begin to knit together East and West, opening a broader worldview in the service of improving education.
Spirituality and satisfaction with physicians among hospitalized patients

We examined the relationship between a patient’s spirituality and satisfaction with physicians during hospitalization. Data were collected using the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES), the Too...
Linear Borders, Partition and Identity in Postcolonial South Asia

This paper critiques the legitimisation of linear borders in mainstream international relations (IR) through a focus on postcolonial South Asia. It brings insights from political geography in conve...
Toeing the Line: Erick Hawkins in Cold War America

While many dance artists pushed against the normative culture of the Cold War, Erick Hawkins, a modern dance choreographer, rarely did. Through the creation of the Hawkins technique and his choreographic aesthetic, Hawkins upheld the normalcy policies of the Cold War using his ideals of beauty and “natural,” kinesthetically correct, dance. Because Hawkins was falling in line with Cold War policies, he failed to receive the recognition and renown of fellow choreographers. He was unwilling to stay within the artistic parameters that critics and the U.S. Department of State created for modern dance. By upholding normalcy policies but also rejecting dance elements the accepted canon required, Hawkins’ falls between the lines of mainstream and the vanguard of modern dance. This has caused Hawkins’ work to be rejected in concert dance because he disregarded the values of fellow artists, critics, and the State Department’s accepted views on dance. Not having the recognition from any of these sources has caused Hawkins to have been omitted from conversations of dance modernism. While Hawkins has been minimized in the canon, his influence and impact are significant to understanding that modern dance is not solely restricted to historical definitions of the canon or the vanguard.
The essence of Bluespec: a core language for rule-based hardware design

The Bluespec hardware-description language presents a significantly higher-level view than hardware engineers are used to, exposing a simpler concurrency model that promotes formal proof, without compromising on performance of compiled circuits. Unfortunately, the cost model of Bluespec has been unclear, with performance details depending on a mix of user hints and opaque static analysis of potential concurrency conflicts within a design. In this paper we present Koika, a derivative of Bluespec that preserves its desirable properties and yet gives direct control over the scheduling decisions that determine performance. Koika has a novel and deterministic operational semantics that uses dynamic analysis to avoid concurrency anomalies. Our implementation includes Coq definitions of syntax, semantics, key metatheorems, and a verified compiler to circuits. We argue that most of the extra circuitry required for dynamic analysis can be eliminated by compile-time BSV-style static analysis.
Survey of patients with cystic fibrosis and caregivers decisions regarding CFTR modulators.

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulators are a novel approach to CF management that has become more readily available chronic CF therapies for certain populations of patients with CF. A cross-sectional survey of adults with CF and caregivers of pediatric patients with CF was done in two CF Centers to better understand the decision-making process including the potential influence of social media, CF care-teams, and family members on their decision whether to begin a CFTR modulator. For the 90 participants, the most common influences in the decision to start modulator therapy were the CF providers/care teams (n = 63), parents (n = 49), and individuals with CF (n = 27). The most impactful influence in the decision-making process were providers/care team (n = 47) and parents (n = 18). Social media was an influence for only 12 respondents, with an overall positive impact. Information from the CF Foundation was an influence for 12 participants and the main influence for six participants. The most common reasons for stopping lumacaftor-ivacaftor were having tezacaftor-ivacaftor as an option (n = 25) and side-effects (n = 15). Family and CF clinicians were the two main influences on the decision to initiate modulator therapy. CF clinicians were seen to be the most influential source. Social media had less influence on the decision-making process than expected despite the wide presence of the CF community online.
P80 The Effect of Attendance on Anthropometric Outcomes of Children Completing a Pediatric Weight Management Program for Latino Families

Background Latinos have some of the highest rates of pediatric obesity compared to other ethnic minorities. Treatment efforts should include a multidisciplinary and culturally adapted approach. Program attendance has been shown to influence health outcomes, yet has not been explored with pediatric programs targeting low-income and ethnic minority populations. Objective To evaluate whether attendance improves anthropometric outcomes among Latino children who are overweight/obese and participating in a family based pediatric weight management program. Study Design, Setting, Participants Latino children participated in Vidas Activas y Familias Saludables (VALE), a multidisciplinary group-based program which focuses on diet, exercise, behavior modification, and adaptation to the Latino community. Latino children aged 5 to 9 years with BMI-for-age ≥85th percentile (overweight/obese category) were recruited through clinics and schools between 2017 and 2019. Participants and their families met approximately 90 minutes per week over the 10-week intervention. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Family attendance at each session was recorded. Anthropometric measurements including waist circumference, body fat (using bioelectrical impedance), height and weight for the assessment of BMI-for-age Z scores (compared to CDC growth charts) were measured pre-, and immediately-post the intervention. As data were non-normally distributed the relationship between attendance and anthropometric outcomes were analyzed via SPSS using Spearman correlation and Kruskal Wallis H test. Results A total of 57 participants completed both pre and post assessments with 7 who attended 0-40% of sessions, 12 attended 50-60%, 16 attended 70-80%, and 22 attended ≥90%. Although the median change in BMI, BMI Z, and waist circumference improved with higher attendance, no significant associations were observed between number of sessions attended and anthropometric outcomes. Conclusions Higher program attendance did not affect anthropometric outcomes of children participating in pediatric weight management program targeting low-income Latino families. The limited sample size available may have affected these results.
Circadian timing-dependent myoblast differentiation and muscle regeneration

Circadian rhythms regulate cell proliferation and differentiation but circadian control of tissue regeneration remains elusive at the molecular level. Here, we show that the circadian master regulators Per1 and Per2 are integral components defining the efficiency of myoblast differentiation and muscle regeneration. We found that the depletion of Per1 or Per2 suppressed myoblast differentiation in vitro and muscle regeneration in vivo, demonstrating their non-redundant functions. Both Per1 and Per2 directly activated Igf2, an autocrine promoter of myoblast differentiation, accompanied by Per-dependent recruitment of RNA polymerase II, dynamic histone modifications at the Igf2 promoter and enhancer, and the promoter-enhancer interaction. This circadian epigenetic oscillation created a preferred time window for initiating myoblast differentiation. Consistently, muscle regeneration was faster if initiated at night when Per1, Per2, and Igf2 were highly expressed compared with morning. This study reveals the circadian timing as a significant factor for effective muscle cell differentiation and regeneration.
Alignment of Multi-Order Diffractive Engineered (MODE) lens segments using the Kinematically-Engaged Yoke System

With the continued development of multi-order diffractive engineered (MODE) lenses that consist of both multi-order diffractive surfaces and a diffractive Fresnel lens surface, it is becoming more realistic that these components may be used as an ultralight large aperture primary for space telescopes. As conceptual designs for these large primaries push the size limits of optics manufactured by compression molding, it becomes necessary to make a segmented MODE lens primary rather than a monolithic one. We use the Kinematically-Engaged Yoke System (KEYS) to align the segments of a 0.24-m, PMMA, monochromatic, MODE-like lens (having no diffractive Fresnel lens features). The KEYS alignment system consists of modified ultra-fine alignment screws with ball bearings on the end that kinematically engage with the step-like features of the MODE lens surface (similar to a Fresnel lens) to constrain the segments in 5 degrees of freedom, leaving rotation about the optical axis unconstrained. The alignment of the segments is verified using multiple methods including a scanning white light interferometer and deflectometry. Such an alignment system has the capability of fixing the segments together in order to bond them with adhesive while aligned. These tests offer a proof of concept for a system that can be used for an eventual 0.24- m, compression molded, glass, segmented MODE lens.
Boundaries, bridges, analogies and bubbles: Structuring the past in Israeli mnemonic culture

This article examines mnemonic practices and discursive strategies that structure the past and its relation to the present, drawing on examples from Israeli Jewish culture. The discussion explores ...
Copyright, compensation, and commons in the music AI industry

Since 2015 a number of startups has emerged seeking to commercialise music AI. Two types of firm stand out. One markets services directly to consumers, in the form of adaptive music that responds t...
Trends Related to the Treatment of Superior Labral Tears at a Single Institution.

Background: As preferred treatment options for superior labral tears continue to evolve, this study aims to describethe recent longitudinal trends in the treatment of SLAP tears in a sub-specialized practice at a single institution. Wehypothesized that there was a trend toward biceps tenodesis over repair for Type II SLAP lesions.Methods: A retrospective review was performed using an institutional billing database to identify all patients with aSLAP tear who underwent surgical intervention between January 2002 and January 2016. Procedural codes associatedwith the surgery were analyzed to determine type of treatment each patient received.Results: Of the 6,055 patients who underwent surgery for a SLAP tear during the study period, 39.1% (2,370)underwent labral repair, 15.4% (930) underwent tenodesis without repair, and 45.5% (2,755) underwent arthroscopywithout tenodesis or repair. Labral repair made up a significantly higher proportion of surgical interventions in 2002(82.2%) compared to in 2015 (21.8%; p <0.001). Surgeon experience did not impact trends. Over the study period,the mean age of patients receiving labral repair decreased from 40.4 years (range: 16.2 – 63.9) to 32.6 years (range:14.0 – 64.7; p <0.001).Conclusion: This study demonstrates that over the 14-year study period the rate of labral repairs for SLAP tears hasdecreased significantly and that these repairs have been directed towards a younger patient population.Level of evidence: III
Nondestructive Sampling for Spotted Lanternfly (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) Egg Masses in Woodlands Based on Fixed-Radius Plots

A nondestructive sampling method was developed for Lycorma delicatula egg masses based on fixed-radius plot (100 m2) in 2020. All trees >1.0 cm DBH (diameter at breast height, 1.37 m in height) on each plot were visually inspected from the ground 4 m from the tree with binoculars. Egg masses found on trees were separated into six within-tree positions (lower trunk, middle trunk, upper trunk, first branch, second branch, above second branch) and recorded by cardinal directions, whereas those laid on shrubs/vines and stones were recorded without such separation. In total, 146 trees were inventoried at 28 plots over seven study sites (four plots per site). Egg masses were found on 19 tree species plus summer grape (Vitis aestivalis) and stone. Of the 421 total egg masses recorded, 31.1% were on Norway maple (Acer platanoides), followed by tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima; 14.7%), black birch (Betula lenta; 12.6%), tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera; 11.9%), and American beech (Fagus grandifolia; 10.2%). Egg mass density per tree was positively correlated with tree diameter, and egg mass density per plot was positively correlated with plot basal area. Egg mass density after conversion ranged from 600 to 3,930 eggs masses/ha with no significant difference among study sites. Cardinal direction had no effect; however, significantly more egg masses were found on the first branches and upper trunks than other within-tree positions. Overall, branches were better than trunks in predicting egg mass number for the tree. The role of distance and late season adult aggregation on oviposition substrate selection are discussed.
ATP-responsive biomolecular condensates tune bacterial kinase signaling

Abstract Biomolecular condensates formed via phase separation enable spatial and temporal organization of enzyme activity. The emergent properties of many condensates have been shown to be responsive to intracellular Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels, although the consequences of such mechanisms on enzyme activity are unknown. Here, we show that ATP depletion promotes phase separation in condensates composed of a disordered protein, thereby enhancing the activity of a client kinase enabling robust signaling and maintenance of viability under the stress posed by nutrient scarcity. We propose that a diverse repertoire of condensates can serve as control knobs to tune multivalency and reactivity in response to the metabolic state of bacterial cells. One Sentence Summary Bacterial condensates boost kinase activity under ATP depletion
Neuroprotective effects of yoga practice: age-, experience-, and frequency-dependent plasticity.

Yoga combines postures, breathing, and meditation. Despite reported health benefits, yoga’s effects on the brain has received little study. We used magnetic resonance imaging to compare age-related gray matter (GM) decline in yogis and controls. We also examined the effect of increasing yoga experience and weekly practice on GM volume and assessed which aspects of weekly practice contributed most to brain size. Controls displayed the well documented age-related global brain GM decline while yogis did not, suggesting that yoga contributes to protect the brain against age-related decline. Years of yoga experience correlated mostly with GM volume differences in the left hemisphere (insula, frontal operculum and orbitofrontal cortex) suggesting that yoga tunes the brain towards a parasympatically-driven mode and positive states. The number of hours of weekly practice correlated with GM volume in the primary somatosensory cortex/superior parietal lobule (S1/SPL), precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), hippocampus, and primary visual cortex (V1). Commonality analyses indicated that the combination of postures and meditation contributed the most to the size of the hippocampus, precuneus/PCC, and S1/SPL while the combination of meditation and breathing exercises contributed the most to V1 volume. Yoga’s potential neuroprotective effects may provide a neural basis for some of its beneficial effects.
Towards a better understanding of riparian zone water table response to precipitation: surface water infiltration, hillslope contribution or pressure wave processes?

Determining how riparian zone hydrological conditions may change in response to precipitation in various geomorphic settings is critical to determine the occurrence of hot moments of biogeochemical transformations for phosphorus, nitrogen, sulfate, mercury and greenhouse gases in these systems. The author investigate water table response to precipitation at a high temporal resolution (15 min) in a riparian zone located in a deeply incised glacial till valley (20 m) with approximately 2 m of alluvium over a confining layer, in Indiana, USA. During storms, larger water table fluctuations (approximately 100 cm) occurred near the stream than near the toe slope (10–25 cm). A quick rise in water table near the stream occurred for all storms, with partial flow reversals occurring for three of seven storms. The quick rise of the water table near the stream was associated with a decrease in hillslope water contributions to the stream during storms and the development of a water table down valley gradient for most storms. Water table fluctuations, groundwater flow velocities and electrical conductivity data indicated that riparian zone water table response to precipitation was primarily regulated by pressure wave processes. Regardless of the storm, high water tables persisted for at least 2 days after the cessation of precipitation. Although this suggests that high-resolution precipitation data may be useful to quantify hot moments of biogeochemical transformation associated with high water tables in riparian zones, precipitation data alone are not sufficient to correctly estimate the magnitude of riparian water table level changes during storms. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sources and turnover rates of taurine in nursing and weaned rat pups.

The quantitative importance of the mother as a source of taurine for neonatal rats has been examined by maintaining female rats on a diet contain ing 3H-taurine until they were uniformly labeled, and then mating them. Rats were kept on the 3H-taurine diet throughout pregnancy and lactation. The trans fer of taurine from the mother to the pup both in utero and during nursing could thus be followed, and the quantity of taurine biosynthesized by the pup cal culated. Pups were weaned at 21 days of age onto either a taurine-free diet or a diet containing 0.4% of non-radioactive taurine. The loss of 3H-taurine from various organs was followed. Whole body half-life of 3H-taurine was 11.4 days from rats fed the taurine-enriched diet and 15.0 days for rats on the taurine-free diet. Regardless of the diet, internal organs and the brain had faster rates of turn over than turnover from the muscle or from the whole animal. Both groups showed the same increase in total body taurine in the 4 weeks after weaning, indicating that young rats can biosynthesize considerable quantities of taurine. J. Nutr. Ill: 1275-1286, 1981.
Laser-assisted biosynthesis for noble nanoparticles production

Extracellular Biosynthesis technique (EBS) for nanoparticles production has attracted a lot of attention as an environmentally friendly and an inexpensive methodology. Our recent research was focused on the rapid approach of the green synthesis method and the reduction of the homogeneous size distribution of nanoparticles using pulse laser application. Noble nanoparticles (NNPs) were produced using various ethanol and water plant extracts. The plants were chosen based on their biomedical applications. The plants we used were Magnolia grandiflora, Geranium, Aloe ‘tingtinkie’, Aloe barbadensis (Aloe Vera), Eucalyptus angophoroides, Sansevieria trifasciata, Impatiens scapiflora. Water and ethanol extract, were used as reducing agents to produce the nanoparticles. The reaction process was monitored using a UV-Visible spectroscopy. NNPs were characterized by Fourier Transfer Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and the Dynamic Light Scattering technique (DLS). During the pulse laser Nd-YAG illumination (λ=1064nm, 532nm, PE= 450mJ, 200mJ, 10 min) the blue shift of the surface plasmon resonance absorption peak was observed from ~424nm to 403nm for silver NP; and from ~530nm to 520 nm for gold NPs. In addition, NNPs solution after Nd-YAG illumination was characterized by the narrowing of the surface plasmon absorption resonance band, which corresponds to monodispersed NNPS distribution. FTIR, TEM, DLS, Zeta potential results demonstrated that NNPs were surrounded by biological molecules, which naturally stabilized nanosolutions for months. Cytotoxicity investigation of biosynthesized NNPs is in progress.
Allard's argument versus Baker's contention for the adaptive significance of selfing in a hermaphroditic fish

Fertilization assurance (Baker's contention) and multilocus coadaptation (Allard's argument) are two distinct hypotheses for the adaptive significance of self-fertilization in hermaphroditic taxa, and both scenarios have been invoked to rationalize isogenicity via incest in various plants and invertebrate animals with predominant selfing. Here we contrast Allard's argument and Baker's contention as applied to the world's only known vertebrate that routinely self-fertilizes. We pay special attention to frequencies of locally most common multilocus genotypes in Floridian populations of the Mangrove Rivulus (Kryptolebias marmoratus). Isogenicity patterns in this fish appear inconsistent with Allard's argument, thus leaving Baker’s contention as the more plausible scenario (a result also supported by natural history information for this species). These results contrast with the isogenicity patterns and conclusions previously drawn from several self-fertilizing plants and invertebrate animal species. Thus, the adaptive significance of selfing apparently varies across hermaphroditic taxa.
Fusion of self-organizing network and response analysis in object recognition with the hybrid evolutionary algorithm

The paper introduces the approach to the 2D automated content-based object recognition utilizing the hybrid evolutionary algorithm (HEA), self-organizing network (SON), and response analysis. When the object is distorted and spatially misregistered, the recognition system has to solve a nonlinear global search problem, i.e. find simultaneously the global positioning of the object and the parameters of its local distortion. The task is accomplished with the HEA using the operators of selection and recombination for the global search, and the accelerated Downhill simplex method for the local search. The algorithm minimizes the fitness formulated as the normalized least squared difference between the images of the scene and the object, and utilizes image local response. The response adequately captures the dynamics of the image transformation, which makes it particularly well suited for the evolutionary search. The response matrix of the object is evaluated and presented to a SON. The weights are computed during the iterative learning process. The resulting adaptive response map serves as the footprint of the object. The evolutionary procedure identifies potential matches for the object based on the response matrix. The local refining procedure uses the response map to accelerate local search in the vicinity of the potential optimal solution.
Bilateral Coordination and Gait Symmetry After Body-Weight Supported Treadmill Training for Persons with Chronic Stroke

Abstract Background Locomotor interventions are commonly assessed using functional outcomes, but these outcomes provide limited information about changes toward recovery or compensatory mechanisms. The study purposes were to examine changes in gait symmetry and bilateral coordination following body-weight supported treadmill training in individuals with chronic hemiparesis due to stroke and to compare findings to participants without disability. Methods Nineteen participants with stroke (> 6 months) who ambulated between 0.4 and 0.8 m/s and 22 participants without disability were enrolled in this repeated-measures study. The stroke group completed 24 intervention sessions over 8 weeks with 20 minutes of walking/session. The non-disabled group served as a comparison for describing changes in symmetry and coordination. Bilateral 3-dimensional motion analysis and gait speed were assessed across 3 time points (pre-test, immediate post-test, and 6-month retention). Continuous relative phase was used to evaluate bilateral coordination (thigh–thigh, shank–shank, foot–foot) and gait symmetry was assessed with spatiotemporal ratios (step length, swing time, stance time). Findings Significant improvements in continuous relative phase (shank–shank and foot–foot couplings) were found at post-test and retention for the stroke group. Significant differences in spatiotemporal symmetry ratios were not found over time. Compared to the non-disabled group, changes in bilateral coordination moved in the direction of normal recovery. Most measures of continuous relative phase were more responsive to change after training than the spatiotemporal ratios. Interpretations After body-weight supported treadmill training, the stroke group made improvements toward recovery of normal bilateral coordination. Bilateral coordination and gait symmetry measures may assess different aspects of gait.
Non-invasive detection of high gamma band activity during motor imagery.

High gamma oscillations (70-150 Hz; HG) are rapidly evolving, spatially localized neurophysiological signals that are believed to be the best representative signature of engaged neural populations. The HG band has been best characterized from invasive electrophysiological approaches such as electrocorticography (ECoG) because of the increased signal-to-noise ratio that results when by-passing the scalp and skull. Despite the recent observation that HG activity can be detected non-invasively by electroencephalography (EEG), it is unclear to what extent EEG can accurately resolve the spatial distribution of HG signals during active task engagement. We have overcome some of the limitations inherent to acquiring HG signals across the scalp by utilizing individual head anatomy in combination with an inverse modeling method. We applied a linearly constrained minimum variance beamformer (LCMV) method on EEG data during a motor imagery paradigm to extract a time-frequency spectrogram at every voxel location on the cortex. To confirm spatially distributed patterns of HG responses, we contrasted overlapping maps of the EEG HG signal with BOLD fMRI data acquired from the same set of neurologically normal subjects during a separate session. We show that scalp-based HG band activity detected by EEG during motor imagery spatially co-localizes with BOLD fMRI data. Taken together, these results suggest that EEG can accurately resolve spatially specific estimates of local cortical high frequency signals, potentially opening an avenue for non-invasive measurement of HG potentials from diverse sets of neurologically impaired populations for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes
Modeling of Network Level System-Optimal Real-Time Dynamic Traffic Routing Problem Using Nonlinear H∞Feedback Control Theoretic Approach

A new method for performing network-wide real-time Dynamic Traffic Assignment/Dynamic Traffic Routing (DTA/DTR) using feedback control approach is presented. This method employs the design methodology for nonlinear H∞ feedback control systems, which is robust to certain class of uncertainties in the traffic system. The proposed real-time routing approach aims at achieving system optimum defined as the determination of the time-dependent flows that minimizes the total travel time on the network over a finite period of time. The modeling paradigm of nonlinear H∞ approach is an exact match with the requirements of a network-wide DTA/DTR problem applicable to advanced traffic management/information systems, mainly because it is computationally very efficient. The numerical evaluation of the designed feedback controller requires very simple algebraic operations that can be easily done in real-time. Moreover, the feedback control theory provides an efficient way of incorporating the information on the current n...
Derivative cyclic voltabsorptometry of cytochrome c.

Abstract The recently reported method of derivative cyclic voltabsorptometry has been applied to horse heart cytochrome c at fluoride doped tin oxide optically transparent electrodes. The advantages of the derivative cyclic voltabsorptometric method compared to voltammetric methods in analytical, kinetic and mechanistic studies are discussed.
Optimization of Laser Hardening Processes for Industrial Parts With Complex Geometry via Predictive Modeling

A predictive laser hardening model for industrial parts with complex geometric features has been developed and used for optimization of hardening processes. A transient three-dimensional thermal model is combined with a three-dimensional kinetic model for steel phase transformation and solved in order to predict the temperature history and solid phase history of the workpiece while considering latent heat of phase transformation. Further, back-tempering is also added to the model to determine the phase transformation during multitrack laser hardening. The integrated model is designed to accurately predict temperature, phase distributions and hardness inside complex geometric domains. The laser hardening parameters for two industrial workpieces are optimized for two different industrial laser systems using this model. Experimental results confirm the validity of predicted results.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Robust Nanoscale Patterns for Thin Film Solar Cells Using Inverse Optimization of Nonuniformly Sampled Absorption Spectrum

This paper outlines several techniques for systematic and efficient optimization as well as sensitivity assessment to fabrication tolerances of surface texturing patterns in thin film amorphous silicon (a-Si) solar cells. The aim is to achieve maximum absorption enhancement. We report the joint optimization of several geometrical parameters of a three dimensional lattice of periodic square silver nanoparticles, and an absorbing thin layer of a-Si, using constraint optimization tools and numerical FDTD simulations. Global and local optimization methods, such as the Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno Quasi-Newton (BFGS-QN) and Simulated Annealing (SA) are employed concurrently for solving the inverse near field radiation problem. The design of the silver patterned solar panel is optimized to yield maximum average enhancement in photon absorption over the solar spectrum. The optimization techniques are expedited and improved by using a novel nonuniform adaptive spectral sampling technique. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the optimally designed parameters of the solar structure is analyzed by postulating a probabilistic model for the errors introduced in the fabrication process. Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and Unscented Transform (UT) techniques are used for this purpose.Copyright © 2011 by ASME