cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Advanced Biofuels of the Future: Atom-Economical or Energy-Economical?

Professor Maravelias obtained his Diploma in Chemical Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens, an MSc from the London School of Economics (London, UK), and a PhD from Carnegie Mellon University. He joined the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2004, where he is currently the Paul A. Elfers and Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor. His research interests lie in the general area of process systems engineering and optimization. Specifically, he is studying production planning and scheduling, supply chain optimization, and chemical process synthesis with emphasis on renewable energy technologies. Download : Download high-res image (209KB) Download : Download full-size image Peyman Fasahati obtained his BSc and MSc from Sharif University of Technology in Iran, and a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Pukyong National University in 2015 in South Korea. He worked on process design, technoeconomic, and life cycle analysis of biofuels and biochemicals production from seaweed biomass. He was a postdoctoral associate at Michigan State University and Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) from 2016 to 2017. Currently, he is a postdoctoral associate at University of Wisconsin-Madison and GLBRC working on process synthesis and analysis of biomass-to-biofuel processes. Download : Download high-res image (261KB) Download : Download full-size image
Lombard effect in restaurant setting: How much would you spend to eat at this restaurant?

The objective of this study is to determine the minimum level of noise in a restaurant that starts the Lombard effect, and how it relates to the perceived communication disturbance and the willingness to spend time and money for a meal. Twenty-eight participants were instructed to read a passage in the presence of restaurant noise from 35 dB(A) to 85 dB(A). As the noise level increased, participants began to be disturbed by the noise at 52 dB(A) and began to raise their voice at 57 dB(A). The willingness to spend time and money decreased starting at 52 dB(A).
Blood Collection within the Maxillary Sinus following Orbital Fracture Repair: The Impact of Mesh Implants and Drains.

This article aimed to assess the effects of (1) mesh (e.g., uncoated anatomic titanium plates) versus non-mesh (e.g., porous polyethylene-coated titanium sheets) implant materials and (2) drain pla...
A family of inverse demand systems and choice of functional form

Barten's (1992) analysis of choice of functional form for quantity-dependent demand systems is extended to price-dependent or inverse demand systems. Alternative inverse demand systems combining the features of the Rotterdam inverse demand and almost ideal inverse demand systems are examined. Choice of functional form is made through a synthetic model which under appropriate restrictions yields the different inverse demand systems. The synthetic model itself can also be considered a more flexible specification.
PROPELLER BLADE PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION DUE TO LOADING AND THICKNESS EFFECTS

Abstract : A theoretical approach is developed and a computational procedure adaptable to a high speed digital computer is established for the evaluation of the blade pressure distribution of a marine propeller due to thickness and loading effects. The dual role of the blade thickness is considered. The contribution of the nonplanar thickness to the propeller loading and pressure distribution and the effect of the flow distortion thickness are studied by means of the thin body approximation. The surface integral equation which relates the unknown loading to the known velocity distribution on the blades is solved by the mode approach in conjunction with the lift operator technique. The analysis treats both design and off-design conditions in steady-state and unsteady flows, and the proper chordwise modes are selected for each condition. The numerical solution yields the blade loading and resulting hydrodynamic forces and moments and blade bending moments, and, in addition, the blade pressure distributions on each blade face due to both loading and thickness effects, thus providing information necessary for the prediction of cavitation inception. Calculations have been performed for a set of three 3-bladed propellers of different EAR operating in a screen-generated wake, for comparison with experimental data.
Dental variation in a collection of Lemmiscus curtatus from the northern plains of southern Saskatchewan: implications for morphological evolution

We provide the first documentation of morphological variation in the lower first molar (m1) of Lemmiscus curtatus from southern Canada. A total of 370 specimens were obtained from owl pellets taken from 4 localities in southern Saskatchewan. The 4 most common morphotypes are, in order of descending relative abundance, molars with 5 closed triangles and a well-developed but widely open sixth triangle, molars with 5 closed triangles and a sixth triangle that is pinched at the confluence of the anterior cap, molars with 5 closed triangles and incipient closure of the sixth triangle from the anterior cap, and specimens with 6 closed triangles. As is true of other modern populations of L. curtatus, the samples from Saskatchewan include no morphotypes with only 4 closed triangles. This collection is notable for the relatively high proportion of specimens with pinched, incipient, or full closure of a sixth triangle on the m1, and it also highlights the complex dynamics of dental evolution in arvicoline rodents.
Change or continuity? Coping with the US in the era of Trump

This commentary addresses the challenges posed by the “new world disorder” that Trump’s election of 2016 brought on and assesses options open to Canada to cope with it. First, however, it questions...
Foreword on Salience

Salience and the Goldilocks Principle My book, Everything in its Right Place: Analyzing Radiohead (Oxford UP, 2016) came out a few months before the May 2017 symposium that spawned this collection. One of the book’s guiding tenets is the concept of “salience”. Defined most concisely, the salience that I hear so often in Radiohead’s music occurs in passages that (if you would forgive the self-plagiarism) “maximize the balance between banal predictability and sheer surprise”. Unbeknown to me (...
EFFECT OF SEX AND RACE ON OUTCOMES AFTER LEFT ATRIAL APPENDAGE OCCLUSION: A REPORT FROM NATIONAL INPATIENT SAMPLE

Left atrial appendage occlusion device implantation (LAOD) is an option to prevent stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Though sex and race have implications on stroke risk in AF patients, this is not well studied in patients undergoing LAOD. We studied the sex and racial differences in
The Eyes of God

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay's first paragraph. "It has been my belief that one’s faith should always be the center of his or her life; I know this has not always been the case with me, but more often than not, I feel that I do a decent job. Having been raised in the Christian tradition, I have come to see the world through a distinctly Christian lens regarding moral issues. Someone told me once that a prophet is nothing more than a person who sees the world through the eyes of God. I do not, under any circumstance, claim to be a prophet, and I feel that the above statement does do something to undermine the prophet’s status. I do feel that this to see the world through the eyes of God is an achievable goal." This the world seen through the eyes of faith is available in Verbum: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/verbum/vol5/iss1/17
The impact of SBIRT and dedicated alcohol and drug counseling for domiciled and homeless patients in the emergency department

Evaluate the impact of a new program of SBIRT by a dedicated certified alcohol and drug abuse counselor (CADC) for emergency department (ED) patients. A year-long prospective, longitudinal study of...
Laparoscopic Ventral Hernia Repair in the Geriatric Population : An Assessment of Long-Term Outcomes and Quality of Life.

ObjectivesLaparoscopic ventral hernia repair (LVHR) has been shown to decrease wound complications and length of stay (LOS) but results in more postoperative discomfort. The benefits of LVHR for th...
Jay Gould and the Union Pacific from the Panic of 1873 to 1880

No one in United States financial and business history is as misunderstood, and under-appreciated, as Jay Gould. This article assesses Gould’s skills as a corporate executive following his distressed investment in, and subsequent managerial control of, the Union Pacific Railroad (UP). The UP was in financial distress due to volatility emanating from the infamous Panic of 1873. Significantly, Gould executed his turnaround in an economy devoid of monetary stimulus, without a governmental bailout, and under pressure from the government to pay back the firm’s public loans. Gould employed many modern techniques in his turnaround that are relevant to 21st century historians and executives. His example also serves as an important reminder that successful executives across history neither need, nor plead for, governmental bailouts during periods of financial distress.
SARS-CoV-2 Infection Induces Beta Cell Transdifferentiation

Recent clinical data have suggested a correlation between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and diabetes. Here, we describe the detection of SARS-CoV-2 viral antigen in pancreatic beta cells in autopsy samples from individuals with COVID-19. Single-cell RNA sequencing and immunostaining from ex vivo infections confirmed that multiple types of pancreatic islet cells were susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, eliciting a cellular stress response and the induction of chemokines. Upon SARS-CoV-2 infection, beta cells showed a lower expression of insulin and a higher expression of alpha and acinar cell markers, including glucagon and trypsin1, respectively, suggesting cellular transdifferentiation. Trajectory analysis indicated that SARS-CoV-2 induced eIF2-pathway-mediated beta cell transdifferentiation, a phenotype that could be reversed with trans-integrated stress response inhibitor (trans-ISRIB). Altogether, this study demonstrates an example of SARS-CoV-2 infection causing cell fate change, which provides further insight into the pathomechanisms of COVID-19.
An Initiative to Decrease Laboratory Testing in a NICU.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Laboratory testing is performed frequently in the NICU. Unnecessary tests can result in increased costs, blood loss, and pain, which can increase the risk of long-term growth and neurodevelopmental impairment. Our aim was to decrease routine screening laboratory testing in all infants admitted to our NICU by 20% over a 24-month period. METHODS We designed and implemented a multifaceted quality improvement project using the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Model for Improvement. Baseline data were reviewed and analyzed to prioritize order of interventions. The primary outcome measure was number of laboratory tests performed per 1000 patient days. Secondary outcome measures included number of blood glucose and serum bilirubin tests per 1000 patient days, blood volume removed per 1000 patient days, and cost. Extreme laboratory values were tracked and reviewed as balancing measures. Statistical process control charts were used to track measures over time. RESULTS Over a 24-month period, we achieved a 26.8% decrease in laboratory tests performed per 1000 patient days (∽51 000 fewer tests). We observed significant decreases in all secondary measures, including a decrease of almost 8 L of blood drawn and a savings of $258 000. No extreme laboratory values were deemed attributable to the interventions. Improvement was sustained for an additional 7 months. CONCLUSIONS Targeted interventions, including guideline development, dashboard creation and distribution, electronic medical record optimization, and expansion of noninvasive and point-of-care testing resulted in a significant and sustained reduction in laboratory testing without notable adverse effects.
Machine Learning-Based Modeling of Spatio-Temporally Varying Responses of Rainfed Corn Yield to Climate, Soil, and Management in the U.S. Corn Belt.

Better understanding the variabilities in crop yield and production is critical to assessing the vulnerability and resilience of food production systems. Both environmental (climatic and edaphic) conditions and management factors affect the variabilities of crop yield. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive data-driven analysis in the U.S. Corn Belt to understand and model how rainfed corn yield is affected by climate variability and extremes, soil properties (soil available water capacity, soil organic matter), and management practices (planting date and fertilizer applications). Exploratory data analyses revealed that corn yield responds non-linearly to temperature, while the negative vapor pressure deficit (VPD) effect on corn yield is monotonic and more prominent. Higher mean yield and inter-annual yield variability are found associated with high soil available water capacity, while lower inter-annual yield variability is associated with high soil organic matter (SOM). We also identified region-dependent relationships between planting date and yield and a strong correlation between planting date and the April weather condition (temperature and rainfall). Next, we built machine learning models using the random forest and LASSO algorithms, respectively, to predict corn yield with all climatic, soil properties, and management factors. The random forest model achieved a high prediction accuracy for annual yield at county level as early as in July (R2 = 0.781) and outperformed LASSO. The gained insights from this study lead to improved understanding of how corn yield responds to climate variability and projected change in the U.S. Corn Belt and globally.
Cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality risk prediction from abdominal CT using deep learning

ABSTRACT Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of mortality worldwide. Risk prediction can help incentivize lifestyle changes and inform targeted preventative treatment. In this work we explore utilizing a convolutional neural network (CNN) to predict cardiovascular disease risk from abdominal CT scans taken for routine CT colonography in otherwise healthy patients aged 50-65. We find that adding a variational autoencoder (VAE) to the CNN classifier improves its accuracy for five year survival prediction (AUC 0.787 vs. 0.768). In four-fold cross validation we obtain an average AUC of 0.787 for predicting five year survival and an AUC of 0.767 for predicting cardiovascular disease. For five year survival prediction our model is significantly better than the Framingham Risk Score (AUC 0.688) and of nearly equivalent performance to method demonstrated in Pickhardt et al. (AUC 0.789) which utilized a combination of five CT derived biomarkers.
Association between perceived transportation disadvantages and opportunity inaccessibility: A social equity study

Abstract This study gathered empirical evidence of the associations between perceived transportation disadvantages and travel time-based opportunity inaccessibility. Based on an online survey with a representative sample in South Carolina, we identified three latent factors of perceived transportation disadvantages: high travel costs and efforts (e.g., money and time spent for travel), limited travel ability, and safety concerns. We also constructed the factor of perceived inaccessibility of various essential opportunities based on preferred travel times. By estimating a structural equation model, we found that travel time-based opportunity inaccessibility perception was positively associated with perceived transportation disadvantages such as high travel costs/efforts and limited travel ability. The factor of safety concerns did not directly affect the time-based inaccessibility perception but had positive covariance with the factors of high costs/efforts and limited ability. Perceived inaccessibility was distributed inequitably across population groups (e.g., race and age) and associated with the built environment. The paper provides insights into the multidimensional interrelationships between the perception-based factors of disadvantages and inaccessibility from a new perspective and discusses the policy implications for improving transportation equity.
Exploring the Optimal Factor Structure of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire: Associations Between Mindfulness Facets and Dimensions of Psychopathology.

Recent studies of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and its condensed version (FFMQ-SF) fail to replicate the initially proposed five-factor structure in clinical samples. Failure to adequately understand the dimensionality of common mindfulness measures within clinical samples, therefore, represents an important gap in the current literature. The increasing popularity of mindfulness-based interventions warrants further investigation of differential associations between facets of mindfulness and different forms of psychopathology. We examined (a) the underlying structure of the FFMQ and FFMQ-SF, and (b) associations between FFMQ and FFMQ-SF facets and dimensions of psychopathology (i.e., internalizing and substance use disorders) in two large clinical samples (N = 2,779). Results from bass-ackwards analyses suggested similarly defensible five- and six-factor model solutions in terms of fit. The five-factor model was optimal when factoring in parsimony. Exploratory structural equation modeling revealed that all FFMQ facets with the exception of observe were negatively associated with the internalizing factor. Associations with substance use disorders were more complex. In both samples, five-factor FFMQ and FFMQ-SF models were determined to best represent these data. Whereas deficits in all FFMQ facets with the exception of observe correspond with lower internalizing psychopathology, a more nuanced association was observed with substance use disorders.
Hungry Herbivores Seek a Warmer World

A popular view among ecologists is that the warmer the climate, the greater the diversity of plants and animals and thus the greater the opportunities for plant-animal interactions. In her Perspective, [Coley][1] describes a fascinating study (by [Wilf and Labandeira][2]) that provides support for this view through analysis of ancient plant fossils from two epochs, one warmer than the other. Coley explains that the plant fossils from the warmer epoch (Eocene) showed more types of insect damage and higher attack frequencies than plant fossils from the cooler epoch (Paleocene). Thus, it seems that climate has been instrumental in the development of plant-animal interactions since ancient times. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/284/5423/2098 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/284/5423/2153
A Review of: “Michael Bugeja, Interpersonal Divide: The Search for Community in a Technological Age”

Charles Howard, Editor Michael Bugeja's goal is to consider the effect of communication technology on our psyche, relationships, and communities. Bugeja writes in jargon-free prose that does limit ...
Fractionation and Analysis of Neutral Oligosaccharides by HPLC

This unit describes the fractionation and analysis of neutral oligosaccharides by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on bonded amine columns. Separation is based upon hydrogen bonding between the NH2 groups of the column and the hydroxyl groups of the oligosaccharides. A support protocol describes the reduction and desalting of neutral oligosaccharides with sodium borohydride.
Hardware-based activities for flipping the system dynamics and control curriculum

The advent of new software tools and the rapidly declining cost of hardware have changed the nature of what is required of the modern engineer. These changes require modifications to the curriculum, but also provide a new set of tools to help students learn. The work of this paper outlines some hardware-based activities that have been developed and piloted at the University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) with the purpose of transforming the way system dynamics and control courses are taught to make them more effective and relevant to today's engineering students. These activities offer the promise to improve student understanding of the underlying theory, while exposing students to some practical considerations related to control system design and implementation. The activities that have been developed have been designed to be relatively inexpensive and to require minimal additional instruction for students to carry out. These goals were sought in order to allow the activities to be performed during a short class period (such as in an inverted course), or to be performed outside of class as part of a homework assignment, such that additional courses would not need to be added to an already crowded curriculum. The experiments that have been developed specifically rely on inexpensive Arduino hardware and MATLAB/Simulink software.
Blood Pressure Concordance in Older Married Mexican-American Couples

There is a strong link between marital status and health. What has been lacking in previous literature is the attention to health similarities or concordance in health between married adults, especially in older ethnic couples. To address the issue of health concordance, the investigators examined the extent to which blood pressure is concordant between older Mexican-American spouses. Using Wave 1 of the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly (n=553 married couples), ordinary least squares and logistic regression were conducted to assess the degree of similarity between married adults for systolic and diastolic blood pressure (measured as an average and as percent hypertensive). Strong associations were found between spouses for both systolic and diastolic blood pressure (correlation coefficient=0.32 and 0.34, respectively). These associations remain even when spouse age, weight, and health characteristics are included in the models. With life expectancy and the time spent in marriage increasing, examining the concordance in health between older adults becomes increasingly important to target older spouses at risk for declines in health.
α1,-Adrenoceptor Subtypes in the Human Cardiovascular and Urogenital Systems

Publisher Summary α 1 ARs are important in many human diseases, with the α 1a AR subtype playing a particularly important role in urinary symptoms associated with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). Characterization of prostate α 1 ARs, including tissue-specific regulation, should facilitate the understanding of mechanisms underlying this common disease of elderly men. To study regulation of α 1 ARs in human tissues, human homologues for each α 1 AR subtype are cloned, stably expressed each in rat-1 cells, and their pharmacology is characterized in detail. In addition to subtype selectivity for various ligands, it is found that all three human α 1 AR subtypes couple to phosphoinositide hydrolysis in a pertussis toxin-insensitive manner. To determine which α 1 AR subtypes are likely to be important in specific human diseases, the distribution of each subtype is characterized in various tissues. α 1 AR subtype tissue distribution is unique and varies with the species studied. For example, while the α 1b is present in rat liver, only the a 1a subtype is expressed in native human liver. In addition to subtype distribution, understanding regulation of α 1 ARs (both at an mRNA and protein level) is important in elucidating mechanisms underlying various human diseases. To understand what controls expression of α 1a ARs in BPH. Human cell lines not expressing α 1a ARs endogenously exhibit low transcriptional activity, suggesting cell-specific expression of α 1a ARs. Elucidating mechanisms underlying prostate-specific modulation of α 1a ARs is the goal of present studies. To understand the function and regulation of prostate α 1a ARs at a protein level, studies are initiated to biochemically characterize these receptors. In such studies, as photoaffinity labeling has been claimed to be different between α 1 AR subtypes (absent in the α 1d ), first this biochemical property is examined using cloned α 1 ARs.
Over-expression of microRNA-494 is involved in repression of genes but independent of antigen receptor-mediated apoptosis in a T cell leukemia cell line (TECH1P.867)

Treatment of the human T cell leukemia cell line, Jurkat with the histone deacetylase inhibitor, Trichostatin A (TSA) resulted in histone hyperacetylation, dissipation of mitochondrial transmembrane potential, and augmentation of T cell receptor mediated apoptosis. Global gene expression profiling of TSA-treated Jurkat cells revealed the repression of several genes involved in T cell receptor signaling and PVRIG, a non-coding member of the paired immune-like receptor family genes. Analysis of total RNA by qRT-PCR validated these findings. Genome wide microRNA expression profiling uncovered drug-mediated down-regulation of microRNAs, including the miR-17-92 cluster, critical for T cell biology. Notably, TSA treatment induced the up-regulation of miR-494, which correlated with Jurkat cell death. This is in stark contrast to previous reports indicating that the up-regulation of miR-494 is essential for the survival of carcinomas. Interestingly, transfection of Jurkat cells with a miR-494 inhibitor partially blocked TSA-mediated down-regulation of PVRIG expression, without abrogating the antigen receptor mediated apoptosis. These data demonstrate that the over-expression of miR-494 as a consequence of histone hyperacetylation results in tumor cell death, which is unrelated to antigen receptor-mediated apoptosis. Thus, up-regulation of miR-494 via epigenetic mechanisms appears to be a novel treatment strategy for T cell leukemia.
Chapter 11 Migration and urbanization

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a discussion on migration and urbanization. The literature on Third World migration and urbanization is enormous and growing. The chapter presents an assessment of the most important components possible. The chapter discusses the demographics of the urban transition. The chapter examines the labor markets that link city with countryside. The size and persistence of rural-urban wage gaps and their implications for national income allocative losses are explored. This is followed by an assessment of the extent to which migrants actually respond to the gaps. From private rationality, the chapter then turns to social optimality including the questions of whether there are “too many” city immigrants in the Third World and the desirability of suppressing migration through government policy. The chapter also discusses on the sources of city growth and the so-called Hoselitz thesis. The chapter also discusses the question of how urban labor markets work. Here, the main debate since 1969 has been over the Todaro thesis. The chapter explores the evidence and contrasting policies that have emerged from the debate. It turns out that computable general equilibrium models of city growth offer an excellent device for organizing an answer to that question. The economic implications of the young adult selectivity bias appear to be straightforward, although there has been tittle research devoted to an assessment of their quantitative importance. The higher urban activity rates would imply higher per capita incomes.
Epigenetic Profiling Identifies Novel Genes for Ascending Aortic Aneurysm Formation with Bicuspid Aortic Valves

Background: Bicuspid aortic valves predispose to ascending aortic aneurysms, but the mechanisms underlying this aortopathy remain incompletely characterized. We sought to identify epigenetic pathways predisposing to aneurysm formation in bicuspid patients. Methods: Ascending aortic aneurysm tissue samples were collected at the time of aortic replacement in subjects with bicuspid and trileaflet aortic valves. Genome-wide DNA methylation status was determined on DNA from tissue using the Illumina 450K methylation chip, and gene expression was profiled on the same samples using Illumina Whole-Genome DASL arrays. Gene methylation and expression were compared between bicuspid and trileaflet individuals using an unadjusted Wilcoxon rank sum test. Results: Twenty-seven probes in 9 genes showed significant differential methylation and expression (P<5.5x10 -4 ). The top gene was protein tyrosine phosphatase, non-receptor type 22 ( PTPN22 ), which was hypermethylated (delta beta range: +15.4 to +16.0%) and underexpressed (log 2 gene expression intensity: bicuspid 5.1 vs. trileaflet 7.9, P=2x10 -5 ) in bicuspid patients, as compared to tricuspid patients. Numerous genes involved in cardiovascular development were also differentially methylated, but not differentially expressed, including ACTA2 (4 probes, delta beta range: -10.0 to -22.9%), which when mutated causes the syndrome of familial thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections Conclusions: Using an integrated, unbiased genomic approach, we have identified novel genes associated with ascending aortic aneurysms in patients with bicuspid aortic valves, modulated through epigenetic mechanisms. The top gene was PTPN22 , which is involved in T-cell receptor signaling and associated with various immune disorders. These differences highlight novel potential mechanisms of aneurysm development in the bicuspid population.
Silent Cerebral Infarction in Heart Failure: Vascular or Thromboembolic?

Silent cerebral infarction in heart failure as reported by Siachos et al is significantly higher than reports of symptomatic cerebral infarction. Are we underestimating the occurrence of silent cerebral infarction, or can this finding be accounted for by concomitant conditions?
The Relationship Between Visual Acuity, Pupillary Defect, and Visual Field Loss

We compared loss of visual acuity, loss of visual field, and loss of pupillary function in 64 patients with varied damage to the optic nerve. Loss of visual acuity depended on the location of the visual field defect, but the pupillary defect was proportional to the amount of visual field loss. Using this information, we constructed a pattern of dots representing the retinal distribution of pupillomotor force (in log units). This pattern can be used to estimate the approximate amount of pupillary defect expected from a particular visual field defect.
An epidemic of Asian influenza in children at Ladd Air Force Base, Alaska, 1960.

An acute respiratory illness occurred in 758 children out of a population of 1,383 children 5 years of age and younger. Lower respiratory tract complications, thought to be of viral etiology, were observed in 28 per cent of the patients and there were 2 fatalities. Viral agents were isolated in cultures of monkey kidney cells, and serologic tests were positive for the Asian strain of influenza virus. The desirability of instituting prophylactic immunization in similar groups is discussed.
Distributed systems and natural disasters: BitTorrent as a global witness

Peer-to-peer (P2P) systems represent some of the largest distributed systems in today's Internet. Among P2P systems, BitTorrent is the most popular, potentially accounting for 20--50% of P2P file-sharing traffic. In this paper, we argue that this popularity can be leveraged to monitor the impact of natural disasters and political unrest on the Internet. We focus our analysis on the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami and use a view from BitTorrent to show that it is possible to identify specific regions and network links where Internet usage and connectivity were most affected.
Novel approach for restriction mapping repetitive DNA elements using DNA transformation.

We demonstrated that DNA transformation can be used to determine the linkage relationship between DNA restriction fragments in mouse genomic DNA. Using this experimental approach, we obtained linkage information which enabled us to construct a restriction map for the multiple thymidine kinase (tk)gene inserts present in a mouse L-cell line. This restriction map included cutting sites for seven restriction enzymes spanning a distance of over 10 kb. It revealed that the tkinserts in this cell line are arranged in a complex array consisting of direct and inverted repeats. In light of these results, we suggest that this approach will be particularly useful for restriction mapping DNA sequences that are repetitive as such DNA may be difficult to characterize by conventional methods alone.
Habitat selection, interspecific interactions and landscape composition

I argue here that, from the perspective of any individual, most landscapes are composed of only three basic types of habitats. These are: (1) source habitat in which reproduction exceeds mortality and the expected per capita growth rate is greater than one; (2) sink habitat, in which limited, reproduction is possible but will not on average, compensate for mortality and the per capita rate of growth is between zero and one; and (3) unusable habitat, which comprises the matrix of all habitats that are never exploited by the species in question, and in which patches of source and sink habitats are embedded. Unlike earlier source-sink models, this model explicitly considers the effects that substituting one type of habitat for another has on the equilibrium size of a population and the interactions between species which can use both source and sink habitats. The model demonstrates that the equilibrium size of a species' population can sometimes be increased by substituting unusable habitat for sink habitat. Thus, even though the average patch quality in the landscape may be decreased, the overall quality of the landscape can increase. For two species with distinct habitat preferences, interactions between species can vary qualitatively as well as quantitatively as a function of the relative abundances of each of the habitat types. The model also shows that the interactions between species are particularly sensitive to the relative costs of moving between patches and sampling patches to determine their quality. Recent fragmentation of natural landscapes may increase the cost of searching for usable (source or sink) patches. Under some conditions, the interspecific interactions may be substantially more negative (competitive) than the interactions that evolved in the original natural landscape, further reducing population sizes and increasing the likelihood of competitive exclusion in fragmented modern landscapes.
Dynamically configurable online statistical flow feature extractor on FPGA

Statistical information of network traffic flows is essential for many network management and security applications in the Internet and data centers. In this work, we propose an architecture for a dynamically configurable online statistical flow feature extractor on FPGA. The proposed architecture computes a set of widely used statistical features of the network traffic flows on-the-fly. We design an application specific data forwarding mechanism to handle data hazards without stalling the pipeline. We prove that our architecture can correctly process any sequence of packets. Users can dynamically configure the feature extractor through run-time parameter. The post place-and-route results on a state-of-the-art FPGA device show that the feature extractor can achieve a throughput of 96 Gbps for supporting 64 K concurrent flows.
Building useful evidence: changing the clinical research paradigm to account for comparative effectiveness research

Comparative effectiveness research (CER) calls for substantial changes in the way clinical research is conducted, interpreted and practically applied in the USA, in order to produce useful clinical evidence. Departing from classic efficacy and effectiveness research, the evolving CER paradigm requires structural and substantive innovations that address three basic questions: what works? for whom? and in whose hands? Addressing these questions will require fundamental changes in the approach to clinical research that include: the use of active treatments (or comparators) versus placebos in the comparisons of treatments, innovative or ‘alternative’ research methods, the specification and a priori design of studies to account for important subgroups, accounting for the nested nature of healthcare delivery in design and analysis of CER, the simultaneous study of multiple treatments or treatment modalities, the study of multiple outcomes (benefits and harms) for each treatment compared, and the reassessment of the value of different study designs in the hierarchy of collective ‘evidence’. In order to aid individual providers and patients in making informed, personalized treatment decisions, guided by the best evidence possible, CER studies must generalize to a broad range of subgroups reflecting the spectrum of patients, providers and health systems that populate real-world practice settings. Without expansion in the scope, conduct and subsequent interpretation of clinical research reflected in the issues outlined above, CER will fall short of its potential for informing evidence-based practice and personalized medicine. The current paradigm for conducting, interpreting and applying clinical research does not meet the needs of optimal generalizability and application to individual physician–patient efforts to identify the most effective treatment, and therefore does not support the basic requirements of CER. The proposed changes should neither require decades nor exorbitant budgets to achieve. Using two examples, prostate cancer, and comparisons of single medications, we illustrated how the proposed changes in clinical research, matching strategy to each application, might be addressed.
The Art of Growth: Ties between Development Organizations and the Performing Arts

The intent of this study is to show that (1) the arts have come to play an important role in urban growth, (2) this role is an important motivation for corporate giving to cultural organizations, and (3) the coalescence of interests between arts organizations and development forces is evidenced by direct ties between downtown development-oriented organizations and major arts organizations. The extent of overlapping directorships between development and arts organizations is compared with overlaps of directorships tying other types of civic organizations to the development organizations. The setting for the study is Louisville, Kentucky, a city in which economic and growth problems recently have been faced by heavily investing in an arts-based growth strategy.
Aquatic invasive species harming U.S. ecosystems, fisheries

Biological invasions are fundamentally changing the structure and function of many ecosystems around the world, Gregory Ruiz, senior scientist with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Maryland, told a 20 June U.S. Congressional hearing on aquatic invasive species. “Not only have many [nuisance aquatic species] become established, but many communities are now dominated by [them] in terms of number or organisms, biomass, and ecological processes,” Ruiz said. “In some cases, it is clear that invasions have caused dramatic shifts in food webs, chemical cycling, disease outbreaks, and commercial fisheries.”
Human complement activation by purified Capnocytophaga exopolysaccharide. Measurement by radioimmunoassay.

Exopolysaccharide (EP) purified from spent culture fluid of three Capnocytophaga species was examined for its ability to activate the human complement system. Heparinized plasma was absorbed with bacterial cells to remove natural antibody. Aliquots of plasma were then incubated with EP for 1 h at 37 C and complement activation was evaluated by a radioimmunoassay specific for C3a (Upjohn Diagnostics). EP from each species of Capnocytophaga activated the complement system. The amount of C3a generated was dose-dependent over a range from 1 to 1000 μg EP/ml plasma and reached a maximum of 28 μg C3a/ml plasma. Chelation of Ca++ with EGTA inhibited complement activation by EP, which suggested that activation occurred by the classical pathway.
Domestic animal visitation as therapy with adult home residents

There is a fairly large and growing literature documenting the successful use of domestic animals as therapy with institutionalized persons (Francis, 1981)-particularly disturbed children (Levinson, 1971) and the elderly (Levinson, 1970). Many of the studies, however, were of live-in animals or, in the case of severely behaviorally disturbed patients, an individual animal ‘assigned’ to an individual patient (Corson et al., 1977). However, many institutions, their staff and residents, either cannot or will not accommodate live-in animals. This was the case with adult homes in a south-eastern city of 250,000 people in the U.S.A. The local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) already had a ‘Share-a-pet’ program. They would release two puppies to any responsible individual for a 3-h period, Monday through Friday, for institutional visiting. The question raised was, could the puppies and the adult home residents, most of whom were elderly discharged chronic psychiatric patients, be brought together for a specified period with measurable beneficial results? The residents were in licensed adult homes largely as the result of the I%3 Community Mental Health Centers Act. As a result of this federal legislation in the United States, large numbers of chronic mental patients had been discharged from large state hospitals into the community. ‘Adult Homes’ were this country’s answer to that influx of persons needing some supervision, but not total institutionalization. This study tested the hypotheses that weekly, domestic animal visitation to persons in adult homes would increase health self-concept, life satisfaction, psychologic well-being, social competence and interest, personal neatness and psychosocial and mental function; and would decrease depression.
Laboratory XPS Imaging

Laboratory XPS imaging has changed dramatically with the most recent generation of XPS instrumentation. Image acquisition times of seconds to minutes have transformed XPS imaging from a novelty to a routine analysis method. This transition has been facilitated by the development of focused x-ray sources, new analyzers and improved detection systems. Methods of image acquisition, and current capabilities will be demonstrated, and speculations about future developments will be offered. This enhanced surface chemical characterization of heterogeneous samples comes at the cost of increasing complexity in the XPS data sets acquired. For example, in a spectra-from-images experiment, images are acquired as a function of binding energy. The resulting multi-spectral imaging data set is a complex data structure, requiring more sophisticated analysis methods than visual inspection, if the data are to be interpreted effectively. We will discuss a variety of multivariate analysis methods that can be utilized to assist in the evaluation of large data sets New opportunities for multi-technique correlations also arise from the improved spatial resolution and decreased data acquisition times. A variety of techniques, including FTIR, AFM and TOF-SIMS have spatial resolutions comparable to, or better than XPS, making correlative analyses possible. Examples demonstrating the additional information obtained when XPS measurements are combined with imaging FTIR or AFM will be shown. Considerations in comparison of images of very different spatial resolutions will be discussed.
The Woman in the Surgeon's Body: Understanding Difference

Praxis is not simply about learning cultural rules by rote, it is about coming to an understanding of social distinctions through your body. Much of clinical and practical knowledge [in medicine] is embodied knowledge-knowledge sensed through and with the body. This includes senses of sight, sound, touch, smell.
Comment on uses and abuses of house journals

In “Uses and Abuses of House Journals” [Eos, October 3, 1995, p. 395] Raymond Hide lamented that “Meeting abstracts reputedly enjoy a much wider readership and are generally more influential with funding agencies and other bodies than are detailed accounts of scientific work published in fully refereed journals.” His linkage of this perceived reality to a call for the institution of “safeguards against the publication of such potentially damaging material” deserves rebuttal.
Long-term plant growth legacies overwhelm short-term plant growth effects on soil microbial community structure

Abstract Plant–soil feedbacks are gaining attention for their ability to determine plant community development. Plant–soil feedback models and research assume that plant–soil interactions occur within days to weeks, yet, little is known about how quickly and to what extent plants change soil community composition. We grew a dominant native plant (Pseudoroegneria spicata) and a dominant non-native plant (Centaurea diffusa) separately in both native- and non-native-cultivated field soils to test if these species could overcome soil legacies and create new soil communities in the short-term. Soil community composition before and after plant growth was assessed in bulk and rhizosphere soils using phospholipid fatty acid analyses. Nematode abundance and mycorrhizal colonization were also measured following plant growth. Field-collected, native-cultivated soils showed greater bacterial, Gram (−), fungal, and arbuscular mycorrhizal PLFA abundance and greater PLFA diversity than field-collected, non-native-cultivated soils. Both plant species grew larger in native- than non-native-cultivated soils, but neither plant affected microbial composition in the bulk or rhizosphere soils after two months. Plants also failed to change nematode abundance or mycorrhizal colonization. Plants, therefore, appear able to create microbial legacies that affect subsequent plant growth, but contrary to common assumptions, the species in this study are likely to require years to create these legacies. Our results are consistent with other studies that demonstrate long-term legacies in soil microbial communities and suggest that the development of plant–soil feedbacks should be viewed in this longer-term context.
The tidal response of Ganymede and Callisto with and without liquid water oceans

Calculations of the tidal responses of Ganymede and Callisto reveal that tidal amplitudes on these bodies may be as large as a few meters if a liquid ocean exists to decouple the surface ice from the interior. Tides on Ganymede's surface can exceed 7 m peak-to-peak variation, while on Callisto the tidal amplitude can exceed 5 m in the presence of a liquid ocean. Without an ocean, tidal amplitudes are less than 0.5 m on Ganymede and less than 0.3 m on Callisto. An orbiting spacecraft using an altimeter for crossover analysis and Doppler tracking from Earth should be able to achieve sufficient accuracy to identify the tidal amplitude to within about a meter over the course of a few months (observing tens of tidal cycles).
A numerically efficient model for simulation of defibrillation in an active bidomain sheet of myocardium.

Presented here is an efficient algorithm for solving the bidomain equations describing myocardial tissue with active membrane kinetics. An analysis of the accuracy shows advantages of this numerical technique over other simple and therefore popular approaches. The modular structure of the algorithm provides the critical flexibility needed in simulation studies: fiber orientation and membrane kinetics can be easily modified. The computational tool described here is designed specifically to simulate cardiac defibrillation, i.e., to allow modeling of strong electric shocks applied to the myocardium extracellularly. Accordingly, the algorithm presented also incorporates modifications of the membrane model to handle the high transmembrane voltages created in the immediate vicinity of the defibrillation electrodes.