cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ammonium 1,3,4,6‐tetra­nitro‐2,5‐di­aza­pentalene

The structure of the ammonium salt of the dianion of 1,3,4,6-tetra­nitro-2,5-di­aza­pentalene is reported, viz. 2NH4+·C6N6O82−. Only three atoms of the central 2,5-di­aza­pentalene skeleton are unique, as the anion possesses 2/m symmetry. The ammonium cation forms strong hydrogen bonds to the aza N and nitro O atoms, forming a sheet in the ac plane.
A membrane glycoprotein that accumulates intracellularly: Cellular processing of the large glycoprotein of LaCrosse virus

The intracellular transport and certain posttranslational modifications of the large glycoprotein (G1) of LaCrosse virus (LAC) in BHK cells have been studied. G1 from released LAC virus was characterized by complex oligosaccharides (endo H-resistant) and covalently attached fatty acid. Only a small fraction of total cellular G1 was present on the baby hamster kidney cell surface. Cell-surface G1 contained complex oligosaccharides, while total G1 in infected cells contained largely unprocessed (endo H-sensitive) oligosaccharides. In addition, cell G1 contained significantly less fatty acid than virion-associated G1. Pulse-chase experiments showed that the oligosaccharides of G1 were processed to the complex from much more slowly than the oligosaccharides of the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) glycoprotein (G). In addition, transit of LAC G1 to the cell surface and into extracellular virions was two to three fold slower than the transit of VSV G. Thus LAC G1 accumulates intracellularly and is only slowly processed by intracellular processing enzymes. Treatment with monensin caused accumulation in the cell of a form of G1 with partial sensitivity toward endo H, suggesting that monensin may act to inhibit the glycosylation process directly.
Dynamic load balancing for I/O- and memory-intensive workload in clusters using a feedback control mechanism

One common assumption of the existing models of load balancing is that the weights of resources and I/O buffer size are statically configured. Though the static configuration of these parameters performs well in a cluster where the workload can be predicted, its performance is poor in dynamic systems where the workload is unknown. In this paper, a new feedback control mechanism is proposed to improve the overall performance of a cluster with I/O-intensive and memory-intensive workload. The mechanism dynamically adjusts the resource weights as well as the I/O buffer size. Results from a trace-driven simulation show that this mechanism is effective in enhancing the performance of a number of existing load-balancing schemes.
Effects of incident-light-intensity-dependent band gap narrowing on barrier heights of p-doped AlxGa1−xAs/GaAs heterojunction devices

Abstract Band gaps of semiconductor materials are reduced due to band gap narrowing (BGN). Photoluminescence measurements on GaAs and AlGaAs thin films revealed a dependency of incident light intensity, and temperature in BGN in addition to the doping density. As a result, the valence band offset of p-doped GaAs/AlGaAs heterojunctions were reduced under illumination and high temperatures. We present evidence of incident-light-intensity causing barrier reduction at temperature >50 K causing zero valence band offsets in low-barrier heterostructures such as p-GaAs/Al 0.01 Ga 0.99 As, in addition to the dark-current increase by thermal excitations, causing the device failure at high temperatures.
Marijuana use from middle to high school: co-occurring problem behaviors, teacher-rated academic skills and sixth-grade predictors

Rising marijuana use and its lowered perceived risk among adolescents highlight the importance of examining patterns of marijuana use over time. This study identified trajectories of marijuana use among adolescents followed from middle through high school, characterized these by co-occurring problem behaviors and teacher-rated academic skills (study skills, attention problems, and learning problems), and tested sixth-grade predictors of trajectory membership. The sample consisted of a randomly-selected cohort of 619 students assessed annually from sixth to twelfth grade. Using group-based modeling, we identified four trajectories of marijuana use: Abstainer (65.6 %), Sporadic (13.9 %), Experimental (11.5 %), and Increasing (9.0 %). Compared to Abstainers, students in the Sporadic, Experimental and Increasing trajectories reported significantly more co-occurring problem behaviors of alcohol use, cigarette smoking, and physical aggression. Sporadic and Experimental users reported significantly less smoking and physical aggression, but not alcohol use, than Increasing users. Teachers consistently rated Abstainers as having better study skills and less attention and learning problems than the three marijuana use groups. Compared to Abstainers, the odds of dropping out of high school was at least 2.7 times higher for students in the marijuana use trajectories. Dropout rates did not vary significantly between marijuana use groups. In sixth grade, being male, cigarette smoking, physical aggression and attention problems increased the odds of being in the marijuana use trajectories. Multiple indicators—student self-reports, teacher ratings and high school dropout records—showed that marijuana was not an isolated or benign event in the life of adolescents but part of an overall problem behavior syndrome.
The effect of statistical variability in material properties on springback

A major concern with manufacturing processes using metals is the accurate prediction of the response of the material to complex forming operations that shape a blank into a component. One of the more difficult problems is springback, which is the tendency of a metal to not maintain the desired shape after the forming process is terminated. Springback is more pronounced in high-strength steel and aluminium alloys than other metals. Unless springback is accurately estimated, manufactured parts may deviate excessively from the design specifications. The purpose of this paper is to use mechanistically based probability modelling to accurately estimate variability in the dimensions of a component and the adherence to design tolerances. It is assumed that the variability in the component dimensions is due to randomness in the material properties that directly affect the magnitude of the springback. The yield stress is the primary source of randomness and is most critical in the springback prediction. In order to assess the effects of variability, a simple model for elastic springback in a straight rectangular bar bent around a circular mandrel is considered. Explicit computations are made for a commercially available aluminium alloy for which material properties are readily available. The stress–strain behaviour of the alloy is assumed to be bilinear. The effects of the stress–strain behaviour, the model parameters, and the statistical variability in material properties on springback are assessed.
A scan statistic with a variable window.

Given N points or events occurring according to some probability distribution in the unit interval (0,1), the simple scan statistic is defined to be the maximum number of points in any sub-interval of length d. In many areas, as in epidemiology, it is used to test the null hypothesis that the events are random, against the alternative that they cluster within some window of fixed width d. Since d must be chosen without snooping at the data, the test restricts the alternative to clusters of a fixed size. In this paper, we propose a scan statistic with a variable window, whose size does not need to be chosen a priori. This test is the generalized likelihood ratio test for a uniform null distribution against an alternative of non-random clustering which allows for clusters of variable width. A simple algorithm for the implementation of the method is given and applied to birth defects data previously analysed by a simple scan statistic.
Soil Chemistries Define Aquatic Habitats with Immature Populations of the Culicoides variipennis Complex (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Aquatic habitats with immature populations of the Culicoides variipennis (Coquillett) complex were sampled across the United States and tested for soil chemistry parameters. Indicators of organic loading, phosphate, percentage of organic matter, and nitrate were high for C. variipennis and C. sonorensis, reflecting the common occurrence of larvae in sediments contaminated with livestock waste; these factors were low in western playa lake habitats with immature C. occidentalis. Levels of salt-forming ions and indicators of salinity, notably sodium, chloride, magnesium, sulfate, boron, and conductivity, were elevated in substrates supporting all 3 species, with values that declined from very high to high across the arid west to moderate east of the Mississippi river, and differed significantly among species. Concentrations of boron differed most strongly among habitats of the respective species, ranging from exceptionally high values in playa lake substrates with C. occidentalis, to high and moderate levels in western and southeastern sites with C. sonorensis, to moderate levels for substrates in the east with C. variipennis. The presence of C. sonorensis in dairy wastewater lagoons and saline springs in geographic regions that are otherwise inhabited by C. variipennis may reflect salinity factors that regulate the distribution of the C. variipennis complex.
Courtship Among Sterile and Wild Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Field Cages in Hawaii and Guatemala

Male-female interactions among three wild and three laboratory strains of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), were observed on caged trees in Hawaii and Guatemala. Sterile and wild males appeared comparable at attracting wild and sterile females into their territories and initiating courtship. Wild females, though, consistently accepted courtship overtures of wild males more readily (copulation occurred in 28% of 199 interactions) than they accepted those of sterile males (8% of 261 interactions). Depending on the strains involved, wild females were more likely to reject sterile (versus wild) males during the male's courtship display, after the male mounted the female, or both. Sterile females accepted sterile males in 23.8% of 407 interactions and wild males in 26.1% of 257. Periodicity of mating behavior varied somewhat among strains, but sterile flies did not mate consistently earlier or later in the day than did wild flies. Less-than-desirable levels of mating compatibility between sterile and wild C. capitata appear to result primarily from the relatively low rates at which wild females accept courtship overtures of sterile males.
Why some colors appear more memorable than others: A model combining categories and particulars in color working memory.

Categorization with basic color terms is an intuitive and universal aspect of color perception. Yet research on visual working memory capacity has largely assumed that only continuous estimates within color space are relevant to memory. As a result, the influence of color categories on working memory remains unknown. We propose a dual content model of color representation in which color matches to objects that are either present (perception) or absent (memory) integrate category representations along with estimates of specific values on a continuous scale (“particulars”). We develop and test the model through 4 experiments. In a first experiment pair, participants reproduce a color target, both with and without a delay, using a recently influential estimation paradigm. In a second experiment pair, we use standard methods in color perception to identify boundary and focal colors in the stimulus set. The main results are that responses drawn from working memory are significantly biased away from category boundaries and toward category centers. Importantly, the same pattern of results is present without a memory delay. The proposed dual content model parsimoniously explains these results, and it should replace prevailing single content models in studies of visual working memory. More broadly, the model and the results demonstrate how the main consequence of visual working memory maintenance is the amplification of category related biases and stimulus-specific variability that originate in perception.
Long-term exposure to auto exhaust and other pollutant mixtures: effects on pulmonary function in the beagle.

Beagles were exposed 16 hours daily for 61 months to raw and photochemically reacted auto exhaust, oxides of nitrogen and sulfur, alone and in combination. Exposure to oxides of nitrogen reduced diffusion capacity and peak expiratory flow. Raw exhaust and raw exhaust plus oxides of sulfur produced pulmonary hyperinflation. Irradiated auto exhaust, alone and in combination with oxides of sulfur, produced increased expiratory resistance. Irradiated auto exhaust also impaired ventilatory distribution. Lung volumes, compliances, and maximum breathing capacity were not impaired by the experimental atmospheres. Such chronic pulmonary changes resulting from long-term, low-level exposure to ubiquitous urban air pollutants denote potential, serious adverse health hazards.
ASSESSING PHYSICAL DISORDER IN URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS: RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF THE PARCEL MAINTENANCE OBSERVATION TOOL

Research on neighborhood factors that influence health and crime often use neighborhood measures of geographic areas such as census tracts, wards, and postal sectors. These administratively defined areas, however, may mask the heterogeneity of neighborhood influences. In response to calls for more specific measures, we tested the reliability and validity of the Parcel Maintenance Observation Tool (PMOT)-a new measure of physical disorder on property parcels. The results included baseline assessments of 6134 parcels in 2 urban neighborhoods, inter-correlations, inter-rater reliability, and tests of concurrent validity. Most of the measures had high or adequate inter-rater reliability. The PMOT measures differentiated between (a) parcels with occupied and unoccupied buildings and (b) vacant lots included in a property maintenance program and no-program vacant lots. The discussion focuses on potential uses of the PMOT for understanding the effects of neighborhood physical disorder and for evaluating health promotion and crime prevention programs.
A Modeling Framework for Railcar Fleet Sizing in the Chemical Industry

This paper tackles a railcar fleet sizing optimization problem in the chemical industry. In some sectors of the chemical industry, railcars are used not only as a means of transportation but also as storage space; thus, it is necessary to consider inventory in the determination of the optimal fleet size. Because of the long lifespans of railcars, this problem is formulated as a long-term capacity expansion problem considering various economic factors. A mixed-integer programming approach to modeling and solving this problem is proposed and a substantial improvement is demonstrated, compared to existing rule-based methods.
The Development of the Salivary Glands in Anopheles Albimanus Wiedemann (Diptera, Culicidae)

A great amount of detailed information exists on the development of various organs in immature insects and on the differentiation of imaginal discs especially among the Diptera (Bodenstein, 1953). Except for a paper by Thompson (1905), it is altogether surprising to find that for mosquitoes there is apparently no description of the growth of the larval salivary glands or of the origin and development of the imaginal glands. Even the anatomy of the larval glands has received scant attention (Imms, 1907, Salem, 1931, Frizzi, 1947, Schildmacher, 1950), and this mostly in connection with other problems.
A coupled kinematics and energetics model for ∞apping ∞ight

Understanding ∞apping ∞ight energetics is a fundamental challenge in both biology and engineering. We present a novel ∞ight energetics model for predicting ∞apping wing energetics and corresponding wing kinematic parameters. The model assesses the total power requirements for forward ∞ight and approximates the associated power-optimal ∞apping amplitude, ∞apping frequency and wake circulation distribution. For each ∞ight velocity the model imposes a force equilibrium condition (total thrust equals total drag, lift equals weight) using an optimal circulation, wake only method as the aerodynamics analysis. The distributed wake circulation model permits a more rigorous viscous and induced drag approximation than prior energetics models. The proposed model implementation has three components: (1) a computationally intensive o†ine component, (2) a moderately computationally intensive intermediate processing and model assembling component, and (3) a rapid evaluation online component. The o†ine and intermediate computer programs are generic and apply to all animals. The only component of our model that requires speciflc animal characteristics is the online computer program. We compare the results of the new energetics model with the results from experiments as well as the predictions from traditional momentum disk energetics theories and flnd good agreement.
Studies on the Isolation and Growth of Plant Rusts in Host Tissue Cultures and Upon Synthetic Media. I. Gymnosporangium

SUMMARYThrough the use of a tissue-culture technique, systemically infected dual-membered callus cultures have been established from the telial galls of Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae produce...
Vibration Characteristics of Hysteretic Nonlinear Vertical Vibration System of Rolling Mill Roller

A kind of hysteretic nonlinear vertical vibration dynamic model is established which considers hysteresis of strip's plastic deformation.The stability of the hysteretic nonlinear system is analyzed by using stability theory of singularity,and the conditions for the emergence of various singular points are obtained.Then the analytical approximate solution of the system under periodic excitation is accounted,and the primary resonance amplitude-frequency equation of the system is obtained.Finally,according to the actual parameters of rolling mill,the influence of nonlinear stiffness and nonlinear damp of rolled piece on the primary resonance amplitude-frequency response of rolling mill is analyzed,and the bifurcation behaviors of rolling mill under different external disturbances are studied.It is found that the rolling mill exhibits many dynamic behaviors such as periodic,period-doubling motion and chaos.The results provide theoretical reference for researching and suppressing rolling mill vibration.
Enantioseparation of Drugs by Capillary Electrophoresis and Their Separation Mechanism

Using capillary zone electrophroesis method,ten pharmaceuticals including Chlorpheniramine and Isoprenaline were simultaneous baseline enantioseparated in 40 min in phosphate-triethylamine buffer solution(pH=2.5,50 mmol·L-1) with 5% highly sulfated β-cyclodextrin as chiral additive.The effects of the composition of buffer,chiral selector,running voltage and temperature on the enantioseparation were investigated.The separation mechanism was also studied and the results revealed that the highly sulfated cyclodextrin was an especially efficient resolution reagent for enantioseparation of arenes drugs containing amine substituents.The resolution was highly dependent on the forms of amine substituents and the tertiary amine substituent existing in the drug enantiomers.
Addressing social capital for disadvantaged youth: Youth and teacher perceptions of a youth development program in Hong Kong

AbstractIn this qualitative case study, the perceived impacts of workshops and internships provided by a Hong Kong-based non-governmental organization (NGO) working to improve the lives of disadvantaged youth were explored and descriptively presented. Data were derived from a combination of individual youth and teacher interviews, coupled with a youth focus group. Themes within the findings were developed by exploring individual perceptions of the influence that participation in workshops and internships had on reducing social barriers and addressing social issues for the youth. Thematic findings included increased care, expanded world view, increased confidence, improved opportunity, expanded choice, and improved communication. Findings were further analyzed using social capital theory focusing on two broad theoretical features: economic and emotive. The implications of these findings inform Hong Kong NGOs, as well as other Hong Kong and international actors working on youth development issues in general.
Dietary sphingomyelin attenuates hepatic steatosis and adipose tissue inflammation in high-fat-diet-induced obese mice☆

Western-type diets can induce obesity and related conditions such as dyslipidemia, insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis. We evaluated the effects of milk sphingomyelin (SM) and egg SM on diet-induced obesity, the development of hepatic steatosis and adipose inflammation in C57BL/6J mice fed a high-fat, cholesterol-enriched diet for 10 weeks. Mice were fed a low-fat diet (10% kcal from fat) (n=10), a high-fat diet (60% kcal from fat) (HFD, n=14) or a high-fat diet modified to contain either 0.1% (w/w) milk SM (n=14) or 0.1% (w/w) egg SM (n=14). After 10 weeks, egg SM ameliorated weight gain, hypercholesterolemia and hyperglycemia induced by HFD. Both egg SM and milk SM attenuated hepatic steatosis development, with significantly lower hepatic triglycerides (TGs) and cholesterol relative to HFD. This reduction in hepatic steatosis was stronger with egg SM supplementation relative to milk SM. Reductions in hepatic TGs observed with dietary SM were associated with lower hepatic mRNA expression of PPARγ-related genes: Scd1 and Pparg2 in both SM groups, and Cd36 and Fabp4 with egg SM. Egg SM and, to a lesser extent, milk SM reduced inflammation and markers of macrophage infiltration in adipose tissue. Egg SM also reduced skeletal muscle TG content compared to HFD. Overall, the current study provides evidence of dietary SM improving metabolic complications associated with diet-induced obesity in mice. Further research is warranted to understand the differences in bioactivity observed between egg and milk SM.
Valuing Proximity to Lake and Ski Recreation Amenities: Hedonic Prices for Vacation Rental Houses at Deep Creek Lake, Maryland

This paper estimates hedonic price models for a sample of 610 vacation rental houses located in the vicinity of a lake and four-season ski-golf resort. Hedonic semi-logarithmic regression models are estimated for peak summer and peak winter rentals for 2008. The regression estimates for weekly rental prices are conditioned on explanatory variables for house size, house quality, and recreation features including lakefront proximity and ski-slope access. The estimates are used to obtain percentage effects and implicit monetary values, and provide evidence that access to recreation opportunities is reflected importantly in rental offers. Evaluated at the sample means, lakefront locations have a rental premium of about $1100-1200 per week and the premium for ski-slope locations is $500-600 per week. Although there is evidence of positive spatial correlation in the OLS residuals, estimation of spatial models does not result in substantial changes in most coefficient magnitudes or standard error estimates.
Direct Space-Time GF(q) LDPC Modulation

Wireless communication using multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems improves throughput and enhances reliability for a given total transmit power. In this paper, potential performance gains are investigated via a direct Galois field [GF(q)] low-density parity-check (LDPC) space-time coding and modulation scheme. The field order q is chosen such that the number of bits per GF(q) LDPC symbol matches the number of bits per space-time symbol. The result is an elegant coding and decoding scheme that leverages the powerful LDPC iterative decoding technique. Results for 2, 3, and 4 transmitter systems with relatively short block lengths of around 2000 bits are provided, demonstrating frame-error- rate performances as close as 0.5 dB to the probability of outage upper bound.
Combined Energy Harvesting and Control of Moball: A Barycentric Spherical Robot

The mobile sensor platform Moball uses an array of sliding magnets and solenoids inside a spherical shell to both harvest energy and displace its center of mass or barycenter from its center of rotation in order to control the path along which it rolls. Previous simulations of the harvesting potential for the complete system are validated experimentally, and certain phenomena that restrict effective operating conditions for energy harvesting are investigated. Tracking of characteristic trajectories for a single mass control element is used to assess the performance of the solenoids as actuators, and the ability of the system to generate a control torque during motion is demonstrated.
A Surprising Alliance: Two Giants of the 20th Century

Alexis Carrel and Charles Lindbergh were among the most famous international figures in the 20th century: Carrel, the surgeon-scientist who won a Nobel prize as a young surgeon, and Lindbergh, the aviator-engineer who pioneered aviation and promoted commercial flight throughout his life. Surprisingly, these two amazing individuals came together to collaborate on the early development of extracorporeal circulation. Their work was interrupted by the onset of World War II, which destroyed one of them and nearly destroyed the other.
Assessing the Effect of an Intensive 2-Week Surgical Training and Innovation Program for High-School Students.

Objective The summer surgery program (SSP) was founded in 2012 as an educational program for students at the critical juncture between high school and college to engender interest in medicine, science, and innovation. This program has a distinct emphasis on innovation and problem solving based on real-life operative challenges identified by students during surgical observation in the operating room. The effect of the SSP regarding postsecondary education and career goals was evaluated by participants using a follow-up questionnaire. Design Retrospective cohort study using web-based survey administered to students at least 1 year after participation in the SSP. Associations between demographics and survey responses were made using Fisher’s exact test and a Bonferonni correction was used to account for multiple comparisons. Participants Between July 2012 and August 2015, 119 students enrolled in the SSP. We sent a web-based questionnaire link to all participants who completed the program. The questionnaire contained 80 questions assessing the participant’s interest in studying medicine or science in college, knowledge of health care, and their appreciation and understanding of innovation. Setting UC Irvine Medical Center, Orange, CA; Institutional tertiary care center. Results In total, 77 (64.7%) of 119 students who matriculated in the SSP completed the follow-up survey; the mean number of years after the program was 2.09 years. Nearly all students reported the program increased their interest in studying medicine or science in college (97.4%), led them to a better understanding of their own career goals (93.5%) and made them more confident in their ability to succeed in a career in health care (88.3%). The majority indicated the program led them to better understand the training and schooling required of doctors and surgeons (94.8%), and led them to better appreciate the roles of different medical specialties (96.1%). Overall 96% of students reported that the program led them to better understand the importance of innovation and 86% of the respondents noted they better understood the process of innovation. Participants in the SSP were confident they would be able to become a health professional (p Conclusions The follow-up survey revealed that the 2 week SSP had a markedly, long lasting positive effect on participants in areas of academic, career, and innovation-related variables.
Mesh color textures

The fundamental limitations of texture mapping has been a long standing problem in computer graphics. The cost of defining and maintaining texture coordinates and the seams that introduce various filtering inconsistencies lead some graphics applications to adapt alternative techniques that directly address these problems, such as mesh colors. However, alternatives to texture mapping introduce run-time cost that contradicts with the performance constraints of real-time graphics applications. In this paper we introduce mesh color textures that offer all benefits of mesh colors to real-time graphics applications with strict performance constraints. Mesh color textures convert the mesh color data to a format that can be efficiently used by the texture filtering hardware on current GPUs. Utilizing a novel 4D texture coordinate formulation, mesh color textures can provide correct filtering for all mipmap levels and eliminate artifacts due to seams. We show that mesh color textures introduce negligible run-time cost with no discontinuity in texture filtering. We also discuss potential future modifications to graphics hardware and API that would further simplify the use of mesh color textures in real-time graphics applications.
Inflammation and coronary artery calcification in South Asians: The Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) study

Abstract Background and aims Inflammatory biomarkers and adipocytokines (IBA) may contribute to atherosclerosis by promoting vascular inflammation. The association between IBA and coronary artery calcium (CAC), a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, is not well defined in South Asians (SA). We hypothesized that IBA (high sensitivity C-reactive protein [hsCRP], tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α], adiponectin, and leptin) were independently associated with and improved discrimination of CAC among SA. Methods We analyzed IBA and CAC among participants in the prospective Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) study. We used logistic regression models to examine cross-sectional associations of IBA with CAC presence (CAC >0) and severity (CAC >100), and C-statistics to assess the incremental contribution of each IBA to traditional risk factors (TRF) from the AHA/ACC Pooled Cohort Equations (PCE) for discrimination of CAC. Results Among 906 participants in the MASALA study, women (n = 420) had significantly higher levels of hsCRP, adiponectin, and leptin but lower levels of TNF-α than men (p Conclusions IBA were not associated with CAC presence or severity in the MASALA population. IBA did not help identify SA at risk of subclinical atherosclerosis, although associations with ASCVD events remain unclear. In SA, CAC may have a distinct pathophysiology independent of inflammation as measured by IBA.
Measuring Diversity in Regression Ensembles.

The problem of combining predictors to increase accuracy (often called ensemble learning) has been studied broadly in the machine learning community for both classification and regression tasks. The design of an ensemble is based on the individual accuracy of the predictors and also how different they are from one another. There is a significant body of literature on how to design and measure diversity in classification ensembles. Most of these metrics are not directly applicable to regression ensembles since the regression task inherently deals with continuous valued labels for learning. To measure diversity in regression ensembles, Krogh and Vedelsby show that the quadratic error of an ensemble estimator is guaranteed to be less than or equal to average quadratic error of components. However, this does not give a way to measure or create diverse regression ensembles. This paper presents metrics (correlation coefficient, covariance, dissimilarity measure, chi-square and mutual information) that can be used for measuring diversity in regression ensembles. Careful selection of diverse models can be used to reduce the overall ensemble size without substantial loss in performance. We present extensive empirical results to show the performance of diverse regression ensembles formed by Bagging and Random Forest techniques.
Growth Strategies for Gram-Positive Cells

It has been known for more than a century that some bacteria retain a crystal violet stain under mordanting and subsequent decolorizing conditions (this is the Gram-Stain). The major basis for this difference is that the wall of Gram-positive bacteria is thicker than that of Gram-negative cells so it is harder to extract the mordanted dye. Much of the basic biology of Gram-positive cells is a consequence of the thick wall that has led to different morphology and to different life style effects.
Knowledge Specificity and Long-term Partnership

The decision to keep relationship with a current alliance partner in a long term is a critical issue in supply chain management. This study investigates how partner-specific knowledge affects the possibility of a long-term relationship with an existing partner firm. We propose that the effect of partner-specific knowledge is not one-dimensional, but it makes conflicting impact on long-term partnership through two alternative paths. On the first route, partner-specific knowledge develops studied trust, which ultimately makes positive effect on long-term partnership expectation. On another route, partner-specific knowledge enables more learning from partner; yet, the amount of learning negatively influences long-term partnership expectation. This research framework received strong empirical support from our structural equation modeling.
Host mucin is subverted by Pseudomonas aeruginosa during infection to provide free glycans required for successful colonization

Abstract The mucosal barrier, found lining epithelial cells, serves multiple functions in a range of animals. The major structural components of mucus are mucins, which are heavily glycosylated proteins that are either membrane bound or secreted by the epithelial cells. Mucins are key components of the innate immune system, as they are involved in the clearance of pathogens from the airways and intestines, and their expression is typically upregulated upon epithelial cell exposure to a variety of pathogens. In this study, we identified the mucin MUL-1 as an innate immune factor that appears to be utilized by P. aeruginosa to colonize hosts. We found that while the expression of several mucins, including MUL-1, increased upon P. aeruginosa infection of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, silencing of or deletion of mul-1 resulted in enhanced survival and reduced bacterial accumulation. P. aeruginosa required host sialidase CTSA-1.1 to use mucin-derived glycans to colonize the host, while sialidase-encoding bacteria required host MUL-1 but not CTSA-1.1 to cause a lethal infection. This role of mucins and free glycans in host-pathogen interaction appears to be conserved from C. elegans to humans, as P. aeruginosa binding to human lung epithelial cells was also enhanced in the presence of free glycans, and free glycans reversed the binding defect of P. aeruginosa to human lung cells lacking the mucin MUC1. Author Summary The gastrointestinal, respiratory, reproductive, and urinary tracts, are large surfaces exposed to the exterior environment and thus, these mucosal epithelial tissues serve as primary routes of infection. One of the first lines of defense present at these barriers is mucus, which is a highly viscous material formed by mucin glycoproteins. Mucins serve various functions, but importantly they aid in the clearance of pathogens and debris from epithelial barriers and serve as innate immune effectors. In this study, we describe the ability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to utilize mucin-derived glycans to colonize the intestine and ultimately cause death in Caenorhabditis elegans. We also show conserved mechanisms of P. aeruginosa virulence traits, by demonstrating that free glycans alter the ability of the bacteria to bind to human lung alveolar epithelial cells. Over the course of host-pathogen evolution, pathogens seem to have evolved to use mucins for their own advantage, and thus one of the biggest questions is which party benefits from pathogen-mucin binding. By gaining a better understanding of pathogen-mucin interactions, we can better protect against pathogen infection.
Black Muslim Women’s Domestic Violence Help-Seeking Strategies: Types, Motivations, and Outcomes

This article reports findings of a research study that examined how black Muslim women seek help for domestic violence. A sample comprised of six black Muslim women, four African American and two W...
Off-axis damage tolerance of fiber-reinforced composites for aerospace systems

Abstract Off-axis strength retention of continuous carbon fiber-reinforced dense ZrB2-based ceramics (Cf/ZrB2) after thermal or indentation damage was evaluated. Thermal damage was in-situ induced and characterized by cyclic dilatometric analysis. Indentation damage was induced through Vickers indentation and then characterized by digital microscopy. The investigation of Vickers imprints suggested that residual stresses promoted the material pileup onto the fibers’ plane and the appearance of out-of-plane freed fibers (OFF). On the other hand, thermal damage reduced the residual stresses and left inner freed fibers (IFF) that enhanced the elastic response. Finally, the flexural tests on damaged specimens unexpectedly revealed that Cf/ZrB2 kept its load bearing capability either after thermal or indentation damage (in both cases) and showed damage insensitivity although tested in fully matrix-dominated loading configuration (off-axis configuration).
Quantum Many-Body Simulations through Quantum Walks of High-Dimensionally Entangled Photons

We demonstrate continuous photonic quantum walks with tunable depth in the frequency domain with high-dimensional entangled photon pairs. We generate a biphoton energy bound state by coherently controlling the phase of the input frequency modes.
Utility and optimization of LANDSAT-derived burned area maps for southern California

Maps of burned area derived from Land Remote-Sensing Satellite (LANDSAT) system imagery may be more reliable than fire perimeter records based on ground observation or manual cartographic delineati...
Science Comprehension Retention Among Youth Agriscience Students Instructed in Weather and Climate

The purpose of this article is to examine the science comprehension retention of 8 th -grade science students taught a new weather and climate curriculum. The students’ middle school is part of an innovative Extension youth agricultural science center that has a mission to develop and test new teaching and learning models and curricula in agriculture and natural resources. Our curriculum was developed following a science comprehension model we created and have been testing at the center. It contained lessons on the water cycle, the greenhouse effect, measuring and analyzing precipitation and temperature data, and mitigating and adapting to weather and climate extremes in agriculture and natural resources. For each lesson, students viewed introductory PowerPoint slides, participated in an activating strategy, set up an experiment or analyzed local precipitation or temperature data, formulated hypotheses, participated in a summary activity, and completed a worksheet. We pretested 81 students, taught the curriculum over a 6-day period, and gave the posttest. We returned 2 months later to administer a follow-up to check for science comprehension retention. The students’ overall science comprehension and science knowledge, science skills, and reasoning abilities subcomponent follow-up scores were lower than their post-program test scores. Both boys and girls declined in their overall post-program test gains over the 2 months. Students also declined in their preference for learning-by-doing from post-test to follow-up. Based on these results, we made changes to the curriculum consistent with the literature on learning retention before publishing it online for youth educators.
Interface Shear Resistance of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC)

In recent years, the use of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) in bridge construction has been growing significantly. UHPC is considered an ideal material for bridge connections due to its excellent early-age mechanical properties, exceptional durability, and high workability. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the interface shear resistance of UHPC as it is considered a key property in the performance of connections between precast concrete deck panels and bridge girders. Interface shear resistance is evaluated experimentally for a commercial UHPC through two laboratory testing methods. Direct shear test is conducted to evaluate interface shear resistance of monolithic UHPC. Slant shear test is conducted to evaluate interface shear resistance of UHPC cast against hardened conventional concrete with three surface textures: smooth, shallow grooved, and deep grooved. Test results are compared to those predicted using the models obtained from literature and bridge design specifications.
Abstract P431: White-Matter Disease Burden and Cerebral Microbleeds After Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support

Introduction: Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) have been increasingly reported in patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support. Both, CMBs and cerebral white-matter disease (WMD...
PIEZO1 mutation: a rare aetiology for fetal ascites

We present a case of isolated fetal ascites diagnosed at 20 weeks' gestation. No aetiology was identified on extensive prenatal workup, including prenatal microarray. The patient terminated the pregnancy at 23 weeks' gestation. Exome sequencing was performed on the products of conception, which ended up giving insight into a possible cause for the ascites. Two heterozygous missense variants of uncertain significance were identified in the PIEZO1 gene. The paternal variant has been linked to dehydrated hereditary stomatocytosis. The father of the baby suffers from haemolytic anaemia, splenomegaly and has had jaundice throughout his life. His brother and father have similar conditions. We suspect that at least one of the gene variants identified in our exome sequencing may be responsible for the illness that runs in this family, including the fetus with isolated ascites.
Investigating connections between teacher identity and pedagogy in a content-based classroom

Abstract Though much scholarship has investigated the nexus of language teachers' identities and classroom pedagogies, such studies often have focused on novice teachers in training or experienced practitioners who are working within university IEP or EAP program contexts. Crucially, little scholarship has examined contexts involving content-based instruction (CBI), where many times, instructors are not linguistically trained yet may adopt discipline-specific practices and/or develop their own unique methods for teaching L2 learners. The current study explores this gap, examining a CBI instructor of a legal research and writing course in an L2 English legal education program (i.e., LLM program). For 16 weeks, the researcher conducted a classroom-based ethnography to investigate how an experienced law instructor's various role identities impacted his pedagogical practices as he taught LLM students to write a legal genre called the office memorandum. Data consisted of: in-class observations, fieldnotes, artifacts (e.g., syllabi, assignments), semi-structured interviews, and a visualization reflection. The findings illustrate how three primary role identities shaped the instructor's pedagogy in ways that permeated his curriculum design and his manner of lesson presentation. Implications for L2 educators and researchers are discussed.
The Institution of Journalism: Conceptualizing the Press in a Hybrid Media System

This theoretical essay considers how the institution of journalism, now threatened by authoritarian attack and other challenges, has been conceptualized and proposes a refinement on previous defini...
SU‐F‐BRA‐13: Knowledge‐Based Treatment Planning for Prostate LDR Brachytherapy Based On Principle Component Analysis

Purpose: To create a knowledge-based algorithm for prostate LDR brachytherapy treatment planning that standardizes plan quality using seed arrangements tailored to individual physician preferences while being fast enough for real-time planning. Methods: A dataset of 130 prior cases was compiled for a physician with an active prostate seed implant practice. Ten cases were randomly selected to test the algorithm. Contours from the 120 library cases were registered to a common reference frame. Contour variations were characterized on a point by point basis using principle component analysis (PCA). A test case was converted to PCA vectors using the same process and then compared with each library case using a Mahalanobis distance to evaluate similarity. Rank order PCA scores were used to select the best-matched library case. The seed arrangement was extracted from the best-matched case and used as a starting point for planning the test case. Computational time was recorded. Any subsequent modifications were recorded that required input from a treatment planner to achieve an acceptable plan. Results: The computational time required to register contours from a test case and evaluate PCA similarity across the library was approximately 10s. Five of the ten test cases did not require any seed additions, deletions, or moves to obtain an acceptable plan. The remaining five test cases required on average 4.2 seed modifications. The time to complete manual plan modifications was less than 30s in all cases. Conclusion: A knowledge-based treatment planning algorithm was developed for prostate LDR brachytherapy based on principle component analysis. Initial results suggest that this approach can be used to quickly create treatment plans that require few if any modifications by the treatment planner. In general, test case plans have seed arrangements which are very similar to prior cases, and thus are inherently tailored to physician preferences.
Concepts in Surgery of the Large Intestine

This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of essential concepts relating to the operative approach and strategy for colon and rectal surgery. Additional information is contained in the technical chapters that follow and the references at the end of the chapter.
A hybrid image compression technique

Many bandwidth compression techniques which have been applied to imagery can be characterized as low pass filters. Higher compression rates yield images with reduced resolution or sharpness. In general, the sharpness in an image is a function of high contrast edges. Several studies have shown that, although the presence of these edges is important to the overall subjective quality of the image, their fidelity is not. High contrast edge information can be isolated in the upper bit plane (the most significant bit) of most types of imagery. Simple run length encoding of this bit plane can be used to preserve the location and approximate peak amplitude of the edge information at an overhead cost of less than 0.1 bit/pixel. When upper bit plane run length encoding is combined with standard transform or DPCM coding: the resultant hybrid technique provides images with subjective quality improvements of better than two to one. This hybrid approach has been demonstrated on several types of imagery. Current activity is centered on an automatic intensity remapping function which guarantees the upper bit plane contains the optimal amount of information to ensure maximum run length encoding efficiency.