cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genetics and Molecular Biology of Deafness: Update

This article discusses the latest research in the molecular biology and genetics of hearing impairment and its importance to otolaryngologists. Recent research has led to the discovery of many of the genes and gene products that are responsible for hereditary hearing impairment. State mandated screening of newborn infants for hearing loss ensures that a large number of hearing-impaired children will be detected at a very early age. Additionally, these children often will be referred to the otolaryngologist for evaluation of the hearing impairment. It is the otolaryngologist who must gather a detailed family history and perform a thorough physical examination to fully assess the cause of the hearing impairment. In taking the family history, it is important to note that the diagnosis of a hereditary hearing impairment often involves the evaluation of a large-sized family that has a history of hearing disorders. A history of an affected individual in a small family does not necessarily support a diagnosis of hearing impairment in later affected offspring because of the small sample size. Often, a hearing impairment that is part of a syndrome may not be detected because the physical findings associated with a syndrome are subtle in a young infant. For example, the white forelock seen in patients with Waardenburg's syndrome type I cannot be visualized in the infant who lacks hair. Additionally, some patients with syndromic hearing impairment do not present with physical findings, but rather they exhibit abnormal laboratory studies. Additional points to remember include the following: As infectious iatrogenic causes of hearing impairment decrease, the relative incidence of hereditary hearing impairment will increase. Hereditary hearing impairment can present as an isolated finding, or in association with a number of anomalies recognizable as a syndrome. The study of genetics and molecular biology has led to the identification of genes associated with hearing impairment and will allow for future screening and possible therapy for the hearing-impaired. The screening of newborns for hearing impairment using the techniques of molecular biologists and geneticists will result in early identification and appropriate intervention for those at risk for hereditary hearing impairment. An understanding of the syndromic and nonsyndromic causes of hereditary hearing impairment can help the otolaryngologist make a diagnosis and provide appropriate audiologic and educational management to the patient.
Infusing Latent User-Concerns from User Reviews into Collaborative Filtering

Traditionally, Collaborative Filtering (CF) based recommendation employs past rating behaviors of users on items to discover similar users and similar items. We can further improve on discovering user similarities by better understanding user behaviors through analyzing user reviews. In their reviews, users generally mention about things that are of greater interest to them, and these cues can provide an effective medium to discover users with similar interests and concerns. In this paper, we extract latent User-Concerns from user reviews and construct their hierarchical tree (UC-Tree). By associating each user with the corresponding concerns in the UC-Tree, we then generate vectors that represent intricate user behaviors. Finally, we infuse such additional knowledge about the users into the conventional CF-based rating prediction process. Our experiments and results show that such additional behavioral knowledge assists the discovery of similar users and improves the accuracy of conventional CF-based rating prediction.
Glutathione metabolism of the erythrocyte. The enzymic cleavage of glutathione-haemoglobin preparations by glutathione reductase.

A complex of haemoglobin and GSH was prepared by incubating haemoglobin with GSH and acetylphenylhydrazine. GSH could be released from the crude preparation by incubation with NADPH. However, when the haemoglobin preparation was separated from glutathione reductase by DEAE-Sephadex chromatography, NADPH no longer released GSH. Rather, the addition of a combination of either partially purified human erythrocyte or crystalline glutathione reductase and NADPH was required to release GSH from the haemoglobin–GSH complex. This complex is commonly believed to represent a mixed disulphide of GSH and the cysteine-β-93 thiol group. This interpretation was supported by the finding that prior alkylation of available haemoglobin thiol groups prevented the formation of the complex. By using haemoglobin–[35S]GSH complex as a substrate, it was shown that GSH itself released the radioactivity from the complex only very slowly. In contrast, the release of [35S]GSH was very rapid in the presence of NADPH and glutathione reductase. This suggests that the cleavage of the haemoglobin–GSH complex is not mediated by GSH with cyclic reduction of GSSG formed, but rather proceeds enzymically through glutathione reductase.
Digital Black Feminism

Black feminism in digital environments and social media is changing local and global ideas of the realities of Black, female personhood. Digital communities of Black women are shifting paradigms, transforming social activism, and raising awareness of critical issues in local and global communities. Though the practices of Black Feminism have remained focused on the experience of Black women and their acquisition of social justice for Black women, girls, and their communities, the adoption of digital tools has influenced the speed and number of individuals reached. This chapter will discuss the ways in which Black women have always understood their relationship with class, gender, race, and sexuality while highlighting articulations of their keen attention to the foundational of feminism.
A Model-Free Extremum-Seeking Approach to Autonomous Excavator Control Based on Output Power Maximization

A new approach to autonomous excavator control that allows the machine to adapt to unknown soil properties is presented. Unlike traditional force control or trajectory control, the new method uses the product of force and velocity, namely, the power transmitted from the excavator to the soil, as a signal for adaptive excavation. Using an extremum-seeking algorithm, an optimal excavation condition where the force and velocity at the bucket take a particular combination that maximizes the output power of the machine is sought and maintained. Under this condition, the system finds the optimal depth of digging by controlling the boom of the excavator. Also under this condition, the output impedance of the excavator matches the impedance of the load and, thereby, transmits the maximum power from the machine to the soil. Theoretical analysis proves that an optimal combination of force and velocity exists and is unique under mild assumptions. An extremum-seeking algorithm using recursive least squares is developed for maximizing the output power. The method is implemented on a small-scale prototype system where torque motors emulate nonlinear force-speed characteristics of hydraulic actuators. Experiments demonstrate that the prototype can execute excavation tasks adaptively against varying soil properties and terrain profile.
THU0387 High-throughput quantitative histology in systemic sclerosis skin disease using computer vision

Background There are no validated systems to quantify dermal architecture of skin biopsy sections in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Significant advances in computer vision, called deep neural networks (DNNs), have demonstrated human-level pattern recognition abilities using mathematical transformations of images into millions of quantitative features.1 Publicly available DNN algorithms have the potential to radically augment current histological analyses via robust, reproducible, and high-throughput image quantification. Objectives Apply publicly available DNN algorithms to trichrome-stained sections of dermal biopsies from patients with SSc to identify quantitative features of images that correlate with clinical skin fibrosis assessment via the validated modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) and skin gene expression.2 Methods One rheumatologist performed local mRSS (lmRSS) assessments (0–3) and two dermal punch biopsies for 7 patients with SSc and one healthy control at baseline and 6, 12, 24, and 36 months. One biopsy was paraffin embedded, sectioned, stained with trichrome, and photomicrographed. Images were transformed into high-level quantitative features using AlexNet and the Matlab Neural Network Toolbox.3 Correlations between quantitative features and lmRSS were determined with Bonferroni-Holm correction. One biopsy underwent gene expression profiling by DNA microarray. The degree of correlation between each gene and lmRSS was assessed and a functional gene network was determined using the GIANT database.4 Results We identified 90 quantitative features that correlated significantly with local skin score (p Conclusions This proof-of-principal study demonstrates that DNN processing of stained dermal biopsy sections are sensitive to clinically relevant features of SSc skin. These results suggest that DNNs dramatically expand the quantifiable SSc phenome and that histological samples can now be incorporated into models of SSc. Moreover, our results indicate that the gene expression underlying SSc may be driving histological differences in SSc skin. References [1] CiresAn D, et al. Multi-column deep neural network for traffic sign classification. Neural Networks2012;32:333–338. [2] Rodnan GP, et al. Skin thickness and collagen content in progressive systemic sclerosis and localized scleroderma. Arthritis & Rheumatology1979;22:130–140. [3] Krizhevsky A, et al. ImageNet Classification with Deep Convolutional Neural Networks. Proc. Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems2012;25:1097–1105. [4] Greene CS, et al. Understanding multicellular function and disease with human tissue-specific networks. Nature Genetics2015;47(6):569–576. Acknowledgements NIH NIAMS P30 AR057216; NIAMS K23 AR059763l, L30 AR054311 and Scleroderma Research Foundation. Chase Correia is supported in part by Grant Number T32 AR007611–13 from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Disclosure of Interest None declared
Thermally reconfigurable Janus droplets with nematic liquid crystalline and isotropic perfluorocarbon oil compartments.

We report that mixtures of perfluorocarbon oils and hydrocarbon mesogens can be used to prepare multi-compartment (Janus) emulsion drops comprising coexisting nematic liquid crystalline (LC) and isotropic oil phases. The droplets exhibit stable spherical shapes with internal Janus-type morphologies that can be tuned widely through changes in temperature or adsorbates. In particular, we observe evidence of preferential adsorption of hydrocarbon or fluorocarbon surfactants on the interfaces of nematic versus isotropic domains, respectively, providing added control over the droplet structure. Comparisons of experiments and numerical simulations using a Landau–de Gennes continuum model provide insight into the relative importance of the LC elasticity and orientational-dependent interfacial energies on droplet morphologies and properties. We show that the hierarchical organization of the LC compartments generates optical properties and responsiveness not found in emulsions of isotropic oils.
Braid-reinforced thin film composite hollow fiber nanofiltration membranes

Abstract We report on a new thin film composite (TFC) hollow fiber membrane that uses a braid-reinforced hollow fiber ultrafiltration membrane as a support. This reinforced support offers pressure tolerance that far exceeds self-supported hollow fiber membranes with the similar chemistry, morphology and geometry. A selective layer is formed onto this support using interfacial polymerization of piperazine (PIP) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) monomers. Through a systematic optimization of monomer concentrations and reaction conditions, we have created membranes with MgSO4 rejection of 92% and a pure water permeance of 12 LMH/bar. Higher productivity membranes were made with pure water permeance of 22 LMH/bar and a MgSO4 rejection of 65%. The membranes also exhibited a low NaCl rejection (below 30%) which is desirable for water softening applications.
Incentivizing effort in interdependent security games using resource pooling

We consider an InterDependent Security (IDS) game with networked agents and positive externality where each agent chooses an effort/investment level for securing itself. The agents are interdependent in that the state of security of one agent depends not only on its own investment but also on the other agents' effort/investment. Due to the positive externality, the agents under-invest in security which leads to an inefficient Nash equilibrium (NE). While much has been analyzed in the literature on the under-investment issue, in this study we take a different angle. Specifically, we consider the possibility of allowing agents to pool their resources, i.e., allowing agents to have the ability to both invest in themselves as well as in other agents. We show that the interaction of strategic and selfish agents under resource pooling (RP) improves the agents' effort/investment level as well as their utility as compared to a scenario without resource pooling. We show that the social welfare (total utility) at the NE of the game with resource pooling is higher than the maximum social welfare attainable in a game without resource pooling but by using an optimal incentive mechanism. Furthermore, we show that while voluntary participation in this latter scenario is not generally true, it is guaranteed under resource pooling.
Integration of anisotropic modified Cam Clay model in finite element analysis: Formulation, validation, and application

Abstract The Dafalias’ [1] anisotropic modified Cam Clay model, proposed on the basis of the critical state theory, is one of the most widely used anisotropic elastoplastic constitutive models for clays, attributed mainly to its relative simplicity, yet still capable of capturing the essential features of the anisotropic soil behaviour. This paper develops an implicit integration algorithm for such anisotropic modified Cam Clay soil model, using the standard return mapping approach (elastic predictor-plastic corrector), to obtain the updated stresses and state parameters for given strain increments. It is found that the finite element formulation of the constitutive relationship essentially involves 13 simultaneous equations with 6 stress components σ ij and 7 state variables α ij and p c ′ as the basic unknowns to be solved. The integration algorithm developed for this model is thereafter implemented into the commercial program, ABAQUS, through the interface of the user defined material subroutine (UMAT). Numerical simulations have been conducted to analyze the undrained and drained cavity expansion problems as well as miniature piezocone penetration test for the purpose of validation, and to solve pile setup as the illustrative application of the developed computational solution. The predictions from the ABAQUS simulations are generally in excellent agreement with the available analytical/experimental results, which well demonstrates the accuracy and robustness of the proposed integration scheme. In addition, the numerical studies show the increase of the undrained shear strength of the soil around the pile hole as time progresses for the pile setup analysis.
The Evolving Federal Response to State Marijuana Reforms

The states have launched a revolution in marijuana policy, creating a wide gap between state and federal marijuana law. While nearly every state has legalized marijuana in at least some circumstances, federal law continues to ban the substance outright. Nonetheless, the federal response to state reforms has been anything but static during this revolution. This Essay, based on my Distinguished Speaker Lecture at Delaware Law School, examines how the federal response to state marijuana reforms has evolved over time, from War, to Partial Truce, and, next (possibly) to Capitulation. It also illuminates the ways in which this shifting federal response has alternately constrained and liberated states as they seek to regulate marijuana as they deem fit.
Health Conditions, Outcomes, and Service Access Among Filipino, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Adults in California, 2011-2017.

Objectives. To determine the impact of data disaggregation on the ability to identify health disparities and needs for future research for Filipino, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean adults...
Leadless pacemaker use in a patient with a durable left ventricular assist device

There is limited known safety and efficacy of leadless pacemaker device use in patients with durable left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). We present a case of a pacemaker-dependent LVAD patient with infection of permanent transvenous pacemaker who underwent successful implantation of Micra transcatheter pacing system (Medtronic).
A dupla face da tradição humanista: o homem como a medida de todas as coisas

This essay argues that at the root of the Humanistic tradition there is a radical ambiguity. The underlying notion of “man as the measure of all things” that grounds humanism can be taken as both the starting point for a radical arrogance that over-inflates man’s beliefs in his capabilities and possibilities, and, contrariwise, it can be seen as the starting point for a radical modesty in face of the complexity of things. Each of these conclusions has consequences that encompass the epistemic, the ethical, the social, and the political. This essay attempts to sketch out and explore some of those implications.
Birds of a Feather: An Examination of ADHD Symptoms and Associated Concerns in Partners of Adults with ADHD.

Objective:Adults often select romantic partners who behave like they do (i.e. assortative mating). However, little is known about whether assortative mating is common among adults with attention-de...
Alternating sources of perisomatic inhibition during behavior

Summary Interneurons expressing cholecystokinin (CCK) and parvalbumin (PV) constitute two key GABAergic controllers of hippocampal pyramidal cell output. Although the temporally precise and millisecond-scale inhibitory regulation of neuronal ensembles delivered by PV interneurons is well established, the in vivo recruitment patterns of CCK-expressing basket cell (BC) populations has remained unknown. We show in the CA1 of the mouse hippocampus that the activity of CCK BCs inversely scales with both PV and pyramidal cell activity at the behaviorally relevant timescales of seconds. Intervention experiments indicated that the inverse coupling of CCK and PV GABAergic systems arises through a mechanism involving powerful inhibitory control of CCK BCs by PV cells. The tightly coupled complementarity of two key microcircuit regulatory modules demonstrates a novel form of brain-state-specific segregation of inhibition during spontaneous behavior.
Left‐digit bias and deceased donor kidney utilization

Cognitive biases shown to impact medical decision-making include left-digit bias, the tendency to focus on a continuous variable's leftmost digit. We hypothesized that left-digit bias impacts deceased donor kidney utilization through heuristic processing of donor age and creatinine. We used US registry data to identify 87 019 kidneys recovered (2015-2019) and compared the proportion around thresholds for donor age (69 vs. 70 years) and creatinine (1.9 vs. 2.0 mg/dl), then compared the risk of kidney discard. Kidneys from donors aged 70 vs. 69 years were more frequently discarded (77% vs. 65%, p < .001), with higher risk of discard even after adjusting for KDRI (adjusted RR 1.11, 95% CI 1.02-1.21, p = .018). Similarly, kidneys from donors with final creatinine 2.0 vs. 1.9 mg/dl were more frequently discarded (37% vs. 29%, p < .001), with higher risk of discard after adjusting for KDRI (adjusted RR 1.19, 95% CI 1.07-1.33, p = .001). However, no significant left-digit effect was found when examining other donor age (39/40, 49/50, 59/60 years) or creatinine (0.9/1.0, 2.9/3.0 mg/dl) thresholds. The findings suggest a possible left-digit effect affecting kidney utilization at specific thresholds. Additional investigations of the impact of this and other heuristics on organ utilization are needed to identify potential areas for decision-making interventions aimed at reducing kidney discard.
Fascinating Flesh: Revealing the Catholic Foucault

The Catholic dimension in Foucault’s examination of the Church Fathers is featured because neglect of it may misrepresent the very notions of virginity and of flesh in Confessions of the Flesh. Failure to appreciate the tension between a seditious flesh and an incarnational flesh implicitly confines the Patristic vision to the limited modern field of “sexuality.” The fourth volume might be best interpreted against the background of the investigations that prompted Foucault to immerse himself in religious texts and spiritual experiences: his early writings on literature; the later interest of his lectures in pastoral technologies; and his witnessing of the political-spiritual movements both in Islam (the Iranian revolution) and in Catholicism (the anti-military protests in South America and the anti-Communism denunciations of Pope John Paul II).
Brain metastasis and endometrial cancer: histology, stage, and patterns of recurrence

Objectives: We hypothesize that women with brain metastases from endometrial cancer (EC) will share similar features of histology, initial stage, and time to recurrence. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed with case identification through Natural language processing with Deep6 AI to identify all patients with endometrial cancer and bone metastasis at our institution between 2010 and 2020. Patient demographics, stage, grade, timing of metastasis and other characteristics were recorded. Standard statistical analyses were used to analyze the data. Results: Twelve patients who met study inclusion were identified. The median age at initial diagnoses was 61 years. Two patients (16%) were diagnosed with brain metastasis at initial diagnosis of EC. Patients were equally distributed between stage I, III and IV with 4 patients (33%) in each group. Histology divided between serous (41%) Endometrioid (41%) Dedifferentiated (8%) and Mixed (8%) at diagnosis. Of endometrioid tumors(n=5) all were grade II. Mismatch repair (MMR) status was available for 4 patients (33%) patients and of those 1 was positive for MLH1 Mutation. In those patients who did not have brain metastasis present on initial diagnosis the median time from initial diagnosis to first location of recurrence was 24 months (Range 4-107 months) and to brain metastasis was 41 months (Range 4-140 months). Of those patients who had recurrent disease then progressed to brain metastasis, the median time from initial recurrence to brain metastasis was 25.5 months (Range 4-116 months). Other locations of recurrence included bone, lungs, liver, and mediastinum. Treatment for the brain metastasis varied widely but the most common was radiation which was included in the therapy of 77% of those treated. 22% had surgery which was combined with radiation or other systemic therapy. One patient with leptomeningeal disease was treated with intrathecal methotrexate. Download : Download high-res image (101KB) Download : Download full-size image Conclusions: Patients with brain metastasis from endometrial cancer tend to have higher grade and stage tumors at initial diagnosis. They have varying histology, presenting stage, and time to recurrence. Time of progression of initial non-brain recurrence to brain metastasis varies greatly. Further study is required to define patterns and timing of recurrence so treatment and counseling on risks can be optimized.
Beobachtungen in der Nähe von kohleverbrennenden Kraftwerken in Pennsylvania/USA

Der Einflus von drei grosen, kohleverbrennenden Kraftwerken (Elektrizitatswerken mit hohen Schornsteinen) auf die Vegetation im Sudwesten von Pennsylvania, USA, wurde von 1964 an vor ihrer Inbetriebnahme bis zur Gegenwart untersucht. Der Schwefelgehalt im Blattwerk nahe bei und in Windrichtung von den Kraftwerken stieg wahrend der ersten Jahre der Untersuchung an und blieb dann gleich. Durch SO2 verursachte Symptome im Blattwerk wurden an zwei Stellen im Abstand von 10 km von einem der grosen Kraftwerke nach der Betriebsaufnahme festgestellt; gleichfalls wurden Symptome bei einem auserst kleinen Prozentsatz der Waldkiefern im Abstand von 25 km von den Kraftwerken beobachtet. Durch SO2 verursachte Symptome im Blattwerk wurden auch in der Nahe von lokalen Ursprungsquellen wie brennenden Abraumhalden, einem kleinen schon bestehenden Kraftwerk und Koksofen festgestellt. Verminderungen im Baumwachstum, wie sie jahrlich mit einem Durchmesser-Bandmas gemessen wurden, wurden mit ungunstigen Wetterbedingungen und durch Insekten verursachten Laubfall in Verbindung gebracht, nicht aber mit Entfernung und Richtung von den Kraftwerken. Eine Bohrkern-Zuwachs-analyse wird 1984 bis 1985 durchgefuhrt werden. Der bei weitem ernsteste durch Luftverschmutzung verursachte Schaden entstand durch Ozon; Ozonschaden war uberall, weit verbreitet und oft sehr stark, sogar vor der Betriebsaufnahme der Kraftwerke.
Waorani: The Contexts of Violence and War

Waorani: The Contexts of Violence and War. Clayton Robarchek and Carole Robarchek. Fort Worth, TX: Harcouit Brace College Publishers, 1998. 202 pp.
Room temperature metathetic synthesis and characterization of α-hopeite, Zn3(PO4)2·4H2O

Abstract The synthesis of crystalline zinc phosphates (α-hopeite phase) through the metathetic pathway has been investigated. The reaction has been carried out by room-temperature grinding. High lattice energy of the by-product NaCl has driven the reaction in the forward direction, and as a result, stable phosphate phases have been synthesized. Reaction of a different phosphorus source (like Na 3 PO 4 , Na 2 HPO 4 , NaH 2 PO 4 , and K 2 HPO 4 ) with ZnCl 2 has been attempted. The structural, vibrational, thermal, optical, and chemical properties of synthesized powders are determined by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and diffused reflectance spectra (DR) in the UV–vis range. The direct band gap of the title compound was determined to be 3.6 ± 0.2 eV.
Gossip-Style Failure Detection and Distributed Consensus for Scalable Heterogeneous Clusters

Gossip protocols provide a means by which failures can be detected in large, distributed systems in an asynchronous manner without the limits associated with reliable multicasting for group communications. However, in order to be effective with application recovery and reconfiguration, these protocols require mechanisms by which failures can be detected with system-wide consensus in a scalable fashion. This paper presents three new gossip-style protocols supported by a novel algorithm to achieve consensus in scalable, heterogeneous clusters. The round-robin protocol improves on basic randomized gossiping by distributing gossip messages in a deterministic order that optimizes bandwidth consumption. Redundant gossiping is completely eliminated in the binary round-robin protocol, and the round-robin with sequence check protocol is a useful extension that yields efficient detection times without the need for system-specific optimization. The distributed consensus algorithm works with these gossip protocols to achieve agreement among the operable nodes in the cluster on the state of the system featuring either a flat or a layered design. The various protocols are simulated and evaluated in terms of consensus time and scalability using a high-fidelity, fault-injection model for distributed systems comprised of clusters of workstations connected by high-performance networks.
Digital Planning: The Future of Elder Law

More than half of individuals over the age of 65 use the Internet or e-mail — and they are a fast-growing population on the Internet. Like most people, however, they have probably not considered how to dispose of their digital life if they become incapacitated or when they die, even though they are in the most likely age group to have drafted a will. Indeed, even if they do engage in planning, they cannot be confident that their wishes will be carried out: only a few states have laws covering probate and digital assets, there is no generally accepted method for using wills or trusts to dispose of digital assets, and the policies of Internet providers often preclude the exercise of individual autonomy. As Internet usage becomes even more pervasive and as online assets and accounts have the potential to become even more valuable (emotionally and financially), issues involving control of digital property are rapidly becoming even more important.This article first explains digital assets as a new species of property and discusses the importance of planning for these assets. The article next analyzes the legal context for digital asset disposition, including the few existing state laws, and then turns its attention to the future, including suggestions for planning and commentary on where the law might be headed. Notwithstanding the legal uncertainties surrounding digital asset disposition, individuals should make plans for the management, ownership, or destruction of these assets based on the foundational principles of deference to the individual’s intent. Acknowledging the difficulty of predicting the future, the authors feel quite confident that, as Elder Law moves forward, planning for a client’s digital assets will assume an increasingly important role.
Predictors of Social Television Viewing: How Perceived Program, Media, and Audience Characteristics Affect Social Engagement With Television Programming

This study investigated social television viewing by introducing the social engagement construct. Three categories of factors, television program related perceptions, social media characteristics, and audience attributes, were proposed to predict the social engagement experience. This investigation tested 10 audience motives for using social media to engage with television content. It was found that social engagement is a complex process driven by multiple factors, particularly, program-related variables such as affinity, involvement, and genre preferences, as well as individuals' innovativeness trait.
Visual analytics: Storylines: Visual exploration and analysis in latent semantic spaces

Tasks in visual analytics differ from typical information retrieval tasks in fundamental ways. A critical part of a visual analytics is to ask the right questions when dealing with a diverse collection of information. In this article, we introduce the design and application of an integrated exploratory visualization system called Storylines. Storylines provides a framework to enable analysts visually and systematically explore and study a body of unstructured text without prior knowledge of its thematic structure. The system innovatively integrates latent semantic indexing, natural language processing, and social network analysis. The contributions of the work include providing an intuitive and directly accessible representation of a latent semantic space derived from the text corpus, an integrated process for identifying salient lines of stories, and coordinated visualizations across a spectrum of perspectives in terms of people, locations, and events involved in each story line. The system is tested with the 2006 VAST contest data, in particular, the portion of news articles.
SCR: a practical method for requirements specification

A controversial issue in the formal methods research community is the degree to which mathematical sophistication and theorem proving skills should be needed to apply a formal method. A premise of this paper is that formal methods research has produced several techniques with potential utility in practical software development, but that mathematical sophistication and theorem proving skills should not be prerequisites for using these techniques. In the paper, several attributes needed to make a formal method useful in practice are described. These attributes include user-friendly notation, automated (i.e., push-button) analysis, and easy to understand feedback. To illustrate the attributes of a practical formal method, a formal method for requirements specification called SCR (Software Cost Reduction) is introduced.
The future of space imaging. Report of a community-based study of an advanced camera for the Hubble Space Telescope

The scientific and technical basis for an Advanced Camera (AC) for the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is discussed. In March 1992, the NASA Program Scientist for HST invited the Space Telescope Science Institute to conduct a community-based study of an AC, which would be installed on a scheduled HST servicing mission in 1999. The study had three phases: a broad community survey of views on candidate science program and required performance of the AC, an analysis of technical issues relating to its implementation, and a panel of experts to formulate conclusions and prioritize recommendations. From the assessment of the imaging tasks astronomers have proposed for or desired from HST, we believe the most valuable 1999 instrument would be a camera with both near ultraviolet/optical (NUVO) and far ultraviolet (FUV) sensitivity, and with both wide field and high resolution options.
Lasso for Instrumental Variable Selection: A Replication Study

Summary Recently, Lasso methods have been applied to economic questions. In a seminal paper, Belloni et al. (Econometrica; 80(6): 2369–2429) make use of (post-)Lasso for instrumental variable selection in a setting where the number of instruments p is large or might even exceed the number of observations n—a situation which is prevalent in many current applications. We replicate their simulation study with the statistical package R (R Development Core Team (2008)) and, moreover, analyze in more detail the importance of the choice of the penalization parameter, a crucial component in applications. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hemodynamic effects of nifedipine tocolysis.

Aim To describe the effects of nifedipine tocolysis on blood pressure and heart rate in non-hypertensive women. Methods This was a retrospective study from 2001 to 2011 to compare blood pressures and heart rates among non-hypertensive women on nifedipine tocolysis up to 8 h after nifedipine initiation. Measurements at 20–60 and 61–120 min were compared to assess the differential effects of dosing on hemodynamics and reflected the effects of the initial and complete loading doses, respectively. Charts were reviewed for hypotension-related emergent delivery. Results One hundred and thirty-eight patients were included. Over the 8-h study interval, mean systolic blood pressure (P < 0.001) and mean diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.001) decreased by 5 mmHg and heart rate increased by 4 b.p.m. (P < 0.001). Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were unchanged from baseline up to 120 min at all doses. Heart rate increased at both 20–60 and 61–120 min when all doses were considered (P < 0.001), but differential dosing effects were not observed. Rates of tachycardia increased (P < 0.001), but rates of hypotension were unchanged. No hypotension-related emergent deliveries occurred. Conclusion Nifedipine tocolysis was associated with hemodynamic changes in non-hypertensive women. Tachycardia was increased but hypotension was unaffected, supporting the general safety of nifedipine in this setting.
Interaction of the Repressors Nrg1 and Nrg2 With the Snf1 Protein Kinase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The Snf1 protein kinase is essential for the transcription of glucose-repressed genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We identified Nrg2 as a protein that interacts with Snf1 in the two-hybrid system. Nrg2 is a C 2 H 2 zinc-finger protein that is homologous to Nrg1, a repressor of the glucose- and Snf1-regulated STA1 (glucoamylase) gene. Snf1 also interacts with Nrg1 in the two-hybrid system and co-immunoprecipitates with both Nrg1 and Nrg2 from cell extracts. A LexA fusion to Nrg2 represses transcription from a promoter containing LexA binding sites, indicating that Nrg2 also functions as a repressor. An Nrg1 fusion to green fluorescent protein is localized to the nucleus, and this localization is not regulated by carbon source. Finally, we show that VP16 fusions to Nrg1 and Nrg2 allow low-level expression of SUC2 in glucose-grown cells, and we present evidence that Nrg1 and Nrg2 contribute to glucose repression of the DOG2 gene. These results suggest that Nrg1 and Nrg2 are direct or indirect targets of the Snf1 kinase and function in glucose repression of a subset of Snf1-regulated genes.
CognitiveGenesis (CG): Assessing Academic Achievement and Cognitive Ability in Adventist Schools.

CognitiveGenesis collected achievement and ability test data from 2006–2009 for all students in Seventh-day Adventist schools in North America. Students were above average in achievement compared to national norms and achieved above that predicted by their ability scores. The more years students attended Adventist schools, the higher they achieved, compared to the norm group. Change in students' achievement and ability over 1–3 years was greater than the change in the norm group for both males and females and students in all ethnic groups. Change in achievement and ability for students of all ability levels was equal to or greater than the change in the norm group.
On the feasibility of the optical steering wheel sensor: Modeling and control

This paper discusses the development of a system model for the wireless steering wheel angle sensor and steering wheel system for the evaluation of the steer by wire system in a vehicle dynamic system. The steering wheel sensor is a wireless, contact-less sensor utilizing an optical medium for angle detection. The optical medium is operated based on a photodiode and photo-detector head. A reflecting disc or code-wheel, working similar to a compact disc, is used to reflect the light from the photodiode back to the photo-detector. The beam is reflected based on the content in the reflective disc to measure the relative angle through a micro-controller. The proposed wireless steering sensor and steer by wire system is modeled using the Matlab/Simulink and their performance is investigated to evaluate the steering response, vehicle dynamics, and steering feel of the system. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed system is discussed based on the developed model and simulation results.
Evaporation in terrestrial isopods is determined by oral and anal discharge

Neue Vorstellung uber den Evaporationsmechanismus des Wassers bei terrestrischen Isopoden mit Regulation des Flussigkeitsabflusses durch Mund und Anus. Die Flussigkeit aus dem Darm wird durch das ventrale Wasserleitungssystem abgeleitet und uber den Korper verteilt.
On endotrivial modules for Lie superalgebras

Abstract Let g = g 0 ¯ ⊕ g 1 ¯ be a Lie superalgebra over an algebraically closed field, k, of characteristic 0. An endotrivial g -module, M, is a g -supermodule such that Hom k ( M , M ) ≅ k ev ⊕ P as g -supermodules, where k ev is the trivial module concentrated in degree 0 ¯ and P is a projective g -supermodule. In the stable module category, these modules form a group under the operation of the tensor product. We show that for an endotrivial module M, the syzygies Ω n ( M ) are also endotrivial, and for certain Lie superalgebras of particular interest, we show that Ω 1 ( k ev ) and the parity change functor actually generate the group of endotrivials. Additionally, for a broader class of Lie superalgebras, for a fixed n, we show that there are finitely many endotrivial modules of dimension n.
Induced upregulation of IL-1, IL-1RA and IL-1R type I gene expression by Schwann cells

We analyzed two distinct phenotypes of Schwann cells (SC), non-differentiated and differentiated, for their ability to produce IL-1alpha and IL-1beta, and to express message for IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-IRA) and IL-1R type I, in vitro. SC were stimulated with: lipopolysaccharide (LPS), products of activated splenocytes (ASP), products from LPS stimulated SC (SCP), rat recombinant IL-1beta (rrIL-1beta) or dexamethasone. IL-1alpha, IL- 1beta and IL-1RA mRNA levels were highly upregulated after stimulation with LPS, ASP, SCP or rrIL-1beta. SC constitutively expressed low levels of message for IL-1alpha and IL-1beta but not IL-1RA. Specific mRNAs for both IL-1 isotypes were highly upregulated 2 to 4 h after LPS stimulation and then decreased and were undetectable by 24 h. IL-1RA mRNA was detectable after 6 h of LPS stimulation and was maximally upregulated at 24 h. IL-1 gene expression was inducible in both SC phenotypes. IL-1beta could be detected by immunofluorescence in SC, one to three days after LPS stimulation. At the same time IL-1 bioactivity was maximal in SC supernatants. Treatment with either SCP, rrIL-1beta or dexamethasone induced upregulation of IL-1R type I mRNA with maximal expression between 2 to 4 h, in SC. Inducible expression of genes for IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-1RA and IL-1R type I in both differentiated and non-differentiated SC suggest autocrine and paracrine regulation of IL-1 by SC.
PHA-Stimulated Immune-Responsiveness in Mercury-Dosed Zebra Finches Does Not Match Results from Environmentally Exposed Songbirds

Dietary mercury exposure is associated with suppressed immune responsiveness in birds. This study examined the immune-responsiveness of domestic zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) experimentally exposed to mercury through their diet. We used the phytohemagglutinin (PHA) skin-swelling test to assay the effect of two modes of mercury exposure. Some finches received exposure to mercury only after reaching sexual maturity, while others were maintained on a mercury-dosed diet throughout life, including development. Each bird received one of five dietary concentrations of methylmercury cysteine (0.0, 0.3, 0.6, 1.2 or 2.4 ppm). In contrast to a study on wild songbirds at a mercury-contaminated site, we detected no relationship between mercury level and immunological response to PHA, regardless of mode of exposure. This result represents the first major difference found by our laboratory between wild birds exposed to environmental mercury and captive birds experimentally exposed to mercury.
Effects of gaps and bypass capacitors on interconnect of PCB with multilayered geometry

A microstrip with gap discontinuity and bypass capacitors on the ground plane for interconnects in multilayered digital circuits is analysed. The approach is based on integral equations using the spatial-domain magnetic field Green's function in a layered medium. The method of moment solution is obtained with RWG basis functions and Galerkin testing. The method is applied to gaps with bypass capacitors in single and double layer structures. Simulation results are obtained for various values and locations of bypass capacitors and for the case of a second reference plane. The effects of bypass capacitors and a second reference plane are analysed based on the simulation results. Numerical results give a quantitative description of the reduction in inductance created by the gap with bypass capacitors and a second reference plane.
Speed of a surge in a bathtub vortex

The surge studied in this paper is due to the sudden closure of the sink of a bathtub vortex. Experimental evidence established that the surge is not initially a wave but is in fact a slug of fluid which has, for a very short period of time, a distinctive motion of its own. The purpose of this paper is to present the salient features of an experimental investigation of the effect of circulation, geometry, and viscosity on the speed of the surge and to report some rather unexpected observations.
In This World but Not of It: Midwives, Amish, and the Politics of Power

In this paper, I investigate the role of the non-Amish midwife in Amish society. Conventional research on the Amish has overlooked the role the midwife plays in the structure of the Amish community...
A search for neutrons from fusion in a highly deuterated cooled palladium thin film

We have carried out an experiment to search for neutrons released from a thin film of Pd-10% Ir. A film of thickness ≈2000 A was prepared by sputtering. The film was then cooled to 77 K and was charged with deuterons by low-energy ion implantation. Deuterium was incident on the film as neutral D and D2 with a kinetic energy of 1000 eV. Paraffin was used as a neutron moderator and absorber, with a Nal detector to observe the 2.22-MeV γ-ray expected from neutron capture by hydrogen neuclei. The high local concentration of deuterons in the film could, in some fusion scenarios, have produced a high rate of deuterium fashion. If this happened, this implantation technique could form the basis of a viable fusion power generator. However, we observed no excess neutron production over background. We were also sensitive to 23.8-MeV γ-rays (from fusion producing4He) but observed no peak at this energy.
Comparison of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure data in hypertensive patients switched from nifedipine-GITS to nifedipine-CC

Study Objective. To evaluate 24-hour blood pressure control and frequency of adverse effects in patients with mild to moderate hypertension switched from nifedipine gastrointestinal therapeutic system (Nif-GITS) to nifedipine coat core (Nif-CC). Design. Open-label, prospective, switch study. Setting. University-affiliated outpatient cardiology clinic. Subjects. Twenty patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension, who were taking Nif-GITS 30, 60, or 90 mg/day for 8 weeks or longer. Interventions. Patients stabilized with Nif-GITS 30, 60, or 90 mg were monitored over 24 hours with an ambulatory blood pressure monitor and were then switched to an equivalent dosage of Nif-CC. After 8 weeks ± 1 week taking Nif-CC, they were again monitored with a 24-hour blood pressure monitor. The 24-hour blood pressure load (percentage of values > 135/85 mm Hg for 24 hrs), daytime blood pressure load (percentage of values > 140/90 mm Hg from 7:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.), nighttime blood pressure load (percentage of values > 120/80 mm Hg from 10:00 p.m.–7:00 a.m.), diurnal blood pressure variation, average 24-hour blood pressure, daytime blood pressure, nighttime blood pressure, mean blood pressure for the first 4 hours, and last 8 hours of the dosing interval were measured. Adverse effects such as headache, dizziness, and edema were also reported. Measurements and Main Results. No differences in average 24 hour-blood pressure readings were observed but significant differences in blood pressure control during the first 4 and last 8 hours of the dosing interval were seen. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were higher after approximately 16 hours in patients switched from Nif-GITS to Nif-CC. Although Nif-CC caused a greater initial response, it was less effective than Nif-GITS after 16 hours. This could explain the lack of differences in average 24-hour blood pressure values between formulations. Of the 20 patients, 20% experienced increased headaches, 20% showed signs of increased peripheral edema, and 10% reported occasional dizziness after switching agents. Three patients discontinued Nif-CC, two as ordered by their primary care physician and one on his own due to headache. Conclusion. This study suggests that patients switched from Nif-GITS to Nif-CC could experience increased blood pressure during the night or toward the end of the dosing interval. They could also experience adverse effects such as headache, edema, and dizziness, which could result in more physician visits and put patients with other disease states such as coronary heart disease at increased risk.