cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CorShrink: Empirical Bayes shrinkage estimation of correlations, with applications

Abstract Estimation of correlation matrices and correlations among variables is a ubiquitous problem in statistics. In many cases – especially when the number of observations is small relative to the number of variables – some kind of shrinkage or regularization is necessary to improve estimation accuracy. Here, we propose an Empirical Bayes shrinkage approach, CorShrink, which adaptively learns how much to shrink correlations by combining information across all pairs of variables. One key feature of CorShrink, which distinguishes it from most existing methods, is its flexibility in dealing with missing data. Indeed, CorShrink explicitly accounts for varying amounts of missingness among pairs of variables. Numerical studies suggest CorShrink is competitive with other popular correlation shrinkage methods, even when there is no missing data. We illustrate CorShrink on gene expression data from GTEx project, which suffers from extensive missing observations, and where existing methods struggle. We also illustrate its flexibility by applying it to estimate cosine similarities between word vectors from word2vec models, thereby generating more accurate word similarity rankings.
Nanosensors for water quality monitoring

Nanomaterial-enabled sensors are being designed for high-efficiency, multiplex-functionality and high-flexibility sensing applications. Many existing nanosensors have the inherent capacity to achieve such goals; however, they require further development into consumer- and operator-friendly tools with the ability to detect analytes in previously inaccessible locations, as well as at a greater scale than heretofore possible. Here, I discuss how nanotechnology-enabled sensors have great, as yet unmet, promise to provide widespread and potentially low-cost monitoring of chemicals, microbes and other analytes in drinking water.
Associations between Parkinson Disease and Stroke (S51.006)

Objective: Characterize the relationship between ischemic stroke and Parkinson disease. Background: Cerebral ischemia and vascular risk factors are associated with the development of Alzheimer disease (AD). The relationship between ischemic stroke and Parkinson disease (PD) remains unclear. Design/Methods: Using inpatient and outpatient claims data from 2008–2014 in a 5% sample of Medicare beneficiaries >=66 years of age and previously validated ICD-9-CM code algorithms, we defined our variables of interest as 1) a hospital-based diagnosis of ischemic stroke and 2) an outpatient or hospital-based diagnosis of idiopathic PD. We used Cox proportional hazards modeling to characterize the relationship between ischemic stroke and PD, as well as the association between PD and subsequent stroke, while adjusting for demographics and vascular risk factors. In a separate but identically designed set of analyses, we characterized the relationship between ischemic stroke and AD as a point of comparison. Results: Our analysis included nearly 1.6 million patients with a mean age of 73(+/− 8) years. The annual incidence of ischemic stroke was 1.75% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.67–1.85%) after a diagnosis of PD, versus 0.96% (95%CI, 0.96–0.97%) in those without PD (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.25; 95%CI, 1.19–1.32). The annual incidence of ischemic stroke was 1.96% (95%CI, 1.89–2.03%) after a diagnosis of AD, versus 0.96% (95% CI, 0.96–0.97%) in those without AD (aHR, 0.98; 95%CI, 0.95–1.02). The annual incidence of PD was 0.97% (95%CI, 0.92–1.03%) after ischemic stroke versus 0.39% (95%CI, 0.38–0.39%) in those without ischemic stroke (aHR, 1.62; 95%CI, 1.53–1.72). In contrast, the annual incidence of AD was 3.66% (95%CI, 3.56–3.78%) after a diagnosis of ischemic stroke versus 1.17% (95%CI, 1.16–1.17%) in those without ischemic stroke (aHR, 1.67; 95%CI, 1.61–1.72). Conclusions: Among Medicare beneficiaries, the relationships between stroke and PD were similar to those between stroke and AD. As in AD, a link may exist between cerebrovascular disease and PD. Study Supported by: Hooman Kamel was supported by grants from the NINDS (K23NS082367) and the Michael Goldberg Stroke Research Fund. Babak Navi was supported by grants from the NINDS (K23NS091395) and the Florence Gould Endowment for Discovery in Stroke. Disclosure: Dr. Kummer has nothing to disclose. Dr. Aaroe has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kamel has received personal compensation for activities with Genentech as a speaker. Dr. Kamel has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Journal Watch Neurology. Dr. Iadecola has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for the Journal of Neuroscience. Dr. Navi has nothing to disclose.
Un-binding chronic psychosis

I have lived with psychotic illness (DSM-V diagnosis: schizophrenia) for many years. In my experience, the so-called ‘positive symptoms’ of hallucinations and delusions represent a disintegrating p...
Psychedelic Citizenship and Re-Enchantment: Affective Aesthetics as Political Instantiation

This chapter explicates The Boo Hoo Bible by Art Kleps, then moves on to discuss narrative fiction. Connecting to earlier discussions of play, it covers Hesse’s Glass Bead Game, Clarke’s Childhood’s End, and the influence of literary imagination on psychedelic aesthetics as Tom Wolfe gestured in The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Tests. It then discusses Kesey’s Sometimes a Great Notion, Burroughs’s Naked Lunch, and hyperconscious approaches to life as a style among groups like the merry pranksters. It shifts to a discussion of religion and mysticism, coming back to Aldous Huxley’s work and the idea of psychedelic or “enchanted” citizenship. Connecting to recent philosopher’s calls for new “fictions,” it suggests that attention to psychedelic aesthetics opens a possibility to think in terms of metempsychosis or being-beyond-being-toward-death.
Grievance Articulation and Community Reactions in the Men’s Rights Movement Online:

The Men’s Rights movements have grown extensively in the last four decades. Social media platforms, especially online communities, have been instrumental in the rise of the movement. Despite this, ...
Emergency Medical Services and the Pre-Hospital Care of Spinal Cord Injuries

Publisher Summary This chapter presents specific guidelines for the identification and management of spinal cord injuries from the moment of trauma until the arrival at the first receiving hospital. It has been well documented that the first moments, minutes, and hours are most significant in the eventual neurological outcome of each patient. The chapter also presents an introduction to the general concept and constitution of emergency medical services in the United States. It provides a brief overview of the problem of neurological trauma. The chapter discusses the accident scene management protocol for acute spinal cord injury as a model to other forms of trauma system pre-hospital care and also presents pre-hospital assessment forms for spinal cord and head injury.
The Impact of Immersive Virtual Reality on Learning, Post-Hoc; a Cautionary Tale

With the growing push to implement innovative technologies in today’s classroom, the prospect of infusing extended reality (XR)-learning has jettisoned education into uncharted territory, creating dynamic learning experiences with a potential breadth of unknown effects (Ahn, Bailenson & Park, 2014; Ahn, Bostick, Ogle, Nowak, McGillicuddy & Bailenson, 2016; Lieberman, 2018). While there are significant merits of transporting learners to places that were previously inaccessible in the traditional classroom through immersive experiences, we must walk back the preconceived notion that because technology itself is engaging, students will be more engaged. Additionally, the K-12 learning environment does not exist in a vacuum; what students experience in one part of their day has the potential to create a ripple effect in their subsequent lessons. This quasi-experimental study looked to explore the effects of XR-learning, specifically virtual reality (VR) on student motivation and engagement, post-hoc, in a middle school. The implications of this research are promising and showed varying results based on engagement. The results themselves provide significant foundations for future investigations, however, the survey tool utilized in this research proved problematic and needs retuning for future studies.
Recent Issues in Surveying Education and Practice in the United States

Surveying education and practice in the United States is presently undergoing the turbulence of transition. Forces which impact this situation include: curriculum, accreditation, registration, prof...
Synthesis and structural and magnetic characterization of an Iron(III) pyrophosphate complex with 1,10′-phenanthroline

Abstract The reaction of 1,10′-phenanthroline (phen), tetrasodium pyrophosphate (Na4PPi) and FeCl2·6H2O in deionized water yielded the iron(III)-PPi chelate complex, {[Hphen][Fe(phen)(H2P2O7)2]·2H2O} (1). Although ferric pyrophosphate is used in applications from food to pharmaceuticals, where PPi, acting as an iron chelator, can inhibit growth, be a source of iron, or facilitate iron transfer, there is little structural information on coordination complexes. Herein, the structure of 1 is described, as well as that of the magnetic properties, which confirm the iron in 1 is present as high spin (S = 5/2) Fe(III).
Electron and Ion Beam Characterization of Glass

Scientists and engineers have available to them powerful qualitative and quantitative analytical techniques for the analysis of materials. Specifically, ion and electron beam instrumentation can deliver a wealth of information about a material like glass, provided that the limitations of the measurements for insulators and materials without long-range atomic order are well understood. This chapter brings together expertise from the fields of geology and mineralogy, semiconductors, and glass science to provide an overview of how ion and electron beams interact with glass materials. All these disciplines require accurate analytical techniques, and an incomplete understanding of interactions, interferences, and calibration can lead to inaccurate conclusions. The aim is to encourage the reader to be aware of the scientific principles and constraints of the instrumentation in the analysis of glass materials, and to be vigilant in interpreting the results.
Stochastic multi-objective Pareto-optimization framework for fully automated ab initio network-on-chip design

Abstract With the advent of multi-core processors, network-on-chip design has been crucial in addressing network performances, such as bandwidth, power consumption, and communication delays when dealing with on-chip communication between the increasing number of processor cores. As the numbers of cores increase, network design becomes inherently more complex. Therefore, there is a critical need in soliciting computer aid in determining network configurations that afford optimal performance given multi-objectives, such as resource and design constraints. We have devised a stochastic multi-objective Pareto-optimization framework that fully automatically explores the space of possible network configurations to determine optimal network latencies, power consumption, and the corresponding link allocations, i.e., the actual network-on-chip design, ab initio with only the number of routers given. For a given number of routers, average network latency and power consumption as example performance objectives can be displayed in form of Pareto-optimal fronts, thus not only offering a powerful automatic network-on-chip design tool, but also affording trade-off studies for the chip designers.
BODY MASS INDEX AND LEFT VENTRICULAR FUNCTION OF ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME SURVIVORS: DATA FROM THE TRACE-CORE COHORT

Obesity is associated with the development of new-onset heart failure (HF). Paradoxically, in patients with chronic HF, overweight and mild obesity is associated with improved survival compared to normal weight patients. Our aim was to explore the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and left
Statistical Analysis and Discussion of Circularly Bound Random Antenna Array Distributions

The radiation performance of circularly bound random arrays with uniform and Gaussian distributions is analyzed statistically to identify regions of deterministic, transitional, and random behavior. Isotropic radiators are preferred in this analysis as they provide relevant information on fundamental beamforming behavior. This can be applied to provide practical estimates and ideal limitations on the maximum peaking sidelobe located in the stochastically described 3dB region with non-deterministic behavior. The mathematical process required for this analysis includes a statistical formulation of the array factor, including the mean, or expected value, and the variance. Analysis from prior work on random arrays provides the framework for this work, but the intuitive and streamlined analytical approach developed here forms an accurate estimate for the maximum peaking sidelobe behavior in a volumetric scan region.
Mechanical Mitral Valve Replacements in the Pediatric Population

Background We evaluated the range of prosthetic size-to-weight ratio to optimize valve survival in small children. Methods A single-institution retrospective review of mechanical mitral valve replacements from 1995 to 2019 was performed. Prosthetic valve size-to-weight ratio was calculated as the prosthetic valve diameter divided by the patient’s operative weight in children less than or equal to 35 kg. Patient death or reoperation on the valve was analyzed by size-to-weight ratio. Identifying a U-shaped distribution of events, patients were stratified as being in the nadir of the distribution or on the edges. Results Mechanical mitral valve replacements were performed in 56 (75%) children weighing less than or equal to 35 kg. Median follow-up time was 3.7 (interquartile range, 0.46-12) years. Median size-to-weight ratio was 1.5 (interquartile range, 1.0-2.0). A second replacement was required in 15 (27%) patients. Death occurred in 6 (11%) patients, including 3 after reoperation. The nadir of U-shaped distribution of events by size-to-weight ratio was bounded by a ratio from 1 to 2, which included 29 (52%) patients. A size-to-weight ratio from 1 to 2 provided optimal outcomes regardless of patient age. Reoperation-free survival at 5 years was 96% for patients with a ratio from 1 to 2 and 46% for patients with a ratio less than 1 or greater than 2. Patients with size-to-weight ratio 1 to 2 had longer reoperation-free survival than patients with a ratio less than 1 or greater than 2 (P Conclusions Regardless of patient age, in patients less than or equal to 35 kg, optimal reoperation-free survival after prosthetic mitral valve replacement can be obtained by placing a prosthetic valve whose diameter is between 1 and 2 times the patient’s weight in kilograms.
Race and Ethnic Differences in College Achievement: Does High School Attended Matter?

Using 10 years of enrollment data at four Texas public universities, this paper examines whether, to what extent, and in what ways high school attended contributes to racial and ethnic differences in college achievement. Like previous studies, we show that controlling for class rank and test scores shrinks, but does not eliminate, sizable racial differences in college achievement. Fixed-effects models that take into account differences across high schools that minority and nonminority youth attend largely eliminate, and often reverse, black-white and Hispanic-white gaps in several college outcomes. Our results, which are quite robust across universities of varying selectivity, illustrate how high school quality foments race and ethnic inequality in college performance.
Effect of Foliar Micronutrients (B, Mn, Fe, Zn) on Maize Grain Yield, Micronutrient Recovery, Uptake, and Partitioning.

Timing of micronutrient demand and acquisition by maize (Zea mays L.) is nutrient specific and associated with key vegetative and reproductive growth stages. The objective of this study was to determine the fate of foliar-applied B, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Fe/Zn together, evaluate the effect of foliar micronutrients applied at multiple rates and growth stages on maize grain yield, and determine their apparent nutrient recovery efficiency (ANR). Five Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) experiments were conducted in 2014 and 2015 at five locations across Nebraska. Total dry matter was collected at 5–6 stages, and separated into leaves, stalk, and reproductive tissue as appropriate to determine micronutrient uptake, partitioning, and translocation. Foliar B, Mn, Zn, and Fe/Zn had no effect on grain yield for most application time by rate levels, though, at the foliar Mn site, there was a 19% yield increase due to a V18 application of 0.73 kg Mn ha−1 which corresponded with reduced Mn uptake in maize grown in control plots. At the foliar Zn site, there was 4.5% decrease in yield due to a split foliar application of 0.84 kg Zn ha−1 total, applied at V11 and V15 stage, which increased leaf Zn concentrations greater than the established toxic level. Only the Fe site had consistent grain yield response and was the only experiment that had visual signs of micronutrient deficiency. Regardless of application time from V6 to R2, there was a 13.5–14.6% increase in grain yield due to 0.22 kg Fe ha−1 foliar application. Most micronutrients had limited or no translocation, however, early season applications of B, prior to V10, had significant mobilization to reproductive tissues at or after VT. Foliar Mn, Zn, and B application had ANR LSmeans of 9.5, 16.9, and 2.5%, respectively, whereas the Fe/Zn mix had negative ANR LSmeans of −9.1% Fe and −1.3% Zn which indicate suppression. These data highlight the importance of confirming a micronutrient deficiency prior to foliar application, guide specific growth stages to target with specific micronutrients, track the fate of foliar-applied micronutrients, and describe the variable effect of foliar-applied micronutrients on grain yield.
Erratum: "Developing a Flexible National Wastewater Surveillance System for COVID-19 and Beyond"

BACKGROUND: Wastewater testing offers a cost-effective strategy for measuring population disease prevalence and health behaviors. For COVID-19, wastewater surveillance addresses testing gaps and provides an early warning for outbreaks. As U.S. federal agencies build a National Wastewater Surveillance System around the pandemic, thinking through ways to develop flexible frameworks for wastewater sampling, testing, and reporting can avoid unnecessary system overhauls for future infectious disease, chronic disease, and drug epidemics. OBJECTIVES: We discuss ways to transform a historically academic exercise into a tool for epidemic response. We generalize lessons learned by a global network of wastewater researchers around validation and implementation for COVID-19 and opioids while also drawing on our experience with wastewater-based epidemiology in the United States. DISCUSSION: Sustainable wastewater surveillance requires coordination between health and safety officials, utilities, labs, and researchers. Adapting sampling frequency, type, and location to threat level, community vulnerability, biomarker properties, and decisions that wastewater data will inform can increase the practical value of the data. Marketplace instabilities, coupled with a fragmented testing landscape due to specialization, may require officials to engage multiple labs to test for known and unknown threats. Government funding can stabilize the market, balancing commercial pressures with public good, and incentivize data sharing. When reporting results, standardizing metrics and contextualizing wastewater data with health resource data can provide insights into a community's vulnerability and identify strategies to prevent health care systems from being overwhelmed. If wastewater data will inform policy decisions for an entire community, comparing characteristics of the wastewater treatment plant's service population to those of the larger community can help determine whether the wastewater data are generalizable. Ethical protocols may be needed to protect privacy and avoid stigmatization. With data-driven approaches to sample collection, analysis, and interpretation, officials can use wastewater surveillance for adaptive resource allocation, pandemic management, and program evaluation. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP8572.
The Impact of Learning and Memory on Performance Validity Tests in a Mixed Clinical Pediatric Population.

OBJECTIVE This study examined the degree to which verbal and visuospatial memory abilities influence performance validity test (PVT) performance in a mixed clinical pediatric sample. METHOD Data from 252 consecutive clinical pediatric cases (Mage=11.23 years, SD=4.02; 61.9% male) seen for outpatient neuropsychological assessment were collected. Measures of learning and memory (e.g., The California Verbal Learning Test-Children's Version; Child and Adolescent Memory Profile [ChAMP]), performance validity (Test of Memory Malingering Trial 1 [TOMM T1]; Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth Edition [WISC-V] or Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition Digit Span indices; ChAMP Overall Validity Index), and intellectual abilities (e.g., WISC-V) were included. RESULTS Learning/memory abilities were not significantly correlated with TOMM T1 and accounted for relatively little variance in overall TOMM T1 performance (i.e., ≤6%). Conversely, ChAMP Validity Index scores were significantly correlated with verbal and visual learning/memory abilities, and learning/memory accounted for significant variance in PVT performance (12%-26%). Verbal learning/memory performance accounted for 5%-16% of the variance across the Digit Span PVTs. No significant differences in TOMM T1 and Digit Span PVT scores emerged between verbal/visual learning/memory impairment groups. ChAMP validity scores were lower for the visual learning/memory impairment group relative to the nonimpaired group. CONCLUSIONS Findings highlight the utility of including PVTs as standard practice for pediatric populations, particularly when memory is a concern. Consistent with the adult literature, TOMM T1 outperformed other PVTs in its utility even among the diverse clinical sample with/without learning/memory impairment. In contrast, use of Digit Span indices appear to be best suited in the presence of visuospatial (but not verbal) learning/memory concerns. Finally, the ChAMP's embedded validity measure was most strongly impacted by learning/memory performance.
Phycobilins as Potent Food Bioactive Broad-Spectrum Inhibitors Against Proteases of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Coronaviruses: A Preliminary Study

In the 21st century, we have witnessed three coronavirus outbreaks: SARS in 2003, MERS in 2012, and the ongoing pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The search for efficient vaccines and development and repurposing of therapeutic drugs are the major approaches in the COVID-19 pandemic research area. There are concerns about the evolution of mutant strains (e.g., VUI - 202012/01, a mutant coronavirus in the United Kingdom), which can potentially reduce the impact of the current vaccine and therapeutic drug development trials. One promising approach to counter the mutant strains is the "development of effective broad-spectrum antiviral drugs" against coronaviruses. This study scientifically investigates potent food bioactive broad-spectrum antiviral compounds by targeting main protease (Mpro) and papain-like protease (PLpro) proteases of coronaviruses (CoVs) using in silico and in vitro approaches. The results reveal that phycocyanobilin (PCB) shows potential inhibitor activity against both proteases. PCB had the best binding affinity to Mpro and PLpro with IC50 values of 71 and 62 μm, respectively. Also, in silico studies with Mpro and PLpro enzymes of other human and animal CoVs indicate broad-spectrum inhibitor activity of the PCB. As with PCB, other phycobilins, such as phycourobilin (PUB), phycoerythrobilin (PEB), and phycoviolobilin (PVB) show similar binding affinity to SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and PLpro.
What's new in pediatric surgery.

The 24th Annual Meeting of the American Pediatric Surgical Association and the 45th Annual Meeting of the Surgical Section of the American Academy of Pediatrics involved the presentation of over 112 articles and poster presentations, the majority of which have been or will be published shortly. The experimental areas of wound metabolism and ischemia/reperfusion injuries related to sepsis and shockwere popular areas of research, and the clinical areas of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and its treatment with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), tracheal anomalies including esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula, organ transplantation, oncology, laparoscopic adaptations to pediatric surgery, and a variety of intestinal malformations, among which Hirschsprung9s disease was the most popular topic, accounted for the majority of presentations. I wish to express the gratitude of the pediatric surgeons for the opportunity afforded by the American Academy of Pediatrics and its Journal to present a summary of this work for the pediatric practitioner. CDH/ECMO CDH and its treatment, particularly with ECMO, remains a topic of great interest to investigators, with no fewer than fifteen articles and presentations relating to this subject. Fauza and Wilson1 reviewed 166 patients symptomatic with CDH in the first 6 hours of life and found that 65 patients (39.2%) had one or more associated anomalies, the most frequent of which were cardiac (63%); hypoplastic heart syndrome was the most common defect. With respect to 1-and 5-minute Apgar scores, best postductal partial pressure of oxygen, arterial (PaO2), and survival, the patients with isolated CDH faired the best followed by those with noncardiac-associated anomalies and followed by the group that had combined CDH and cardiac anomalies.
HIGH POWER, HIGH BRIGHTNESS PROTON ACCELERATORS

The development of accelerator science and technology has been accommodating ever increasing demand from scientific community of the beam energy and intensity of proton beams. The use of high-powered proton beams has extended from the traditional application of nuclear and high-energy physics to other applications, including spallation neutron source replacing nuclear reactor, nuclear actinide transmutation, energy amplification reactors. This article attempts to review development of proton accelerator, both linear and circular, and issues related to the proton beam energy, intensity as well as its output power. For related accelerator physics and technical review, one should refer to the recent article in the Reviews of Modem Physics [1]
The impact of cultural aversion on economic exchange: Evidence from shocks to Sino-Japanese relations *

We study the impact of cultural aversion on international economic relations by analyzing market reaction to adverse shocks to Sino-Japanese relations in 2005 and 2010. Japanese companies with high China exposure decline disproportionately during each event window; Chinese companies with high Japanese exports similarly suffer relative declines. The effect on Japanese companies is concentrated in industries that compete with Chinese state-owned enterprises, while the negative impact on Chinese firms is primarily for consumer-focused companies. Our results suggest an important impact of cultural frictions on economic relations, and highlight that institutional context is important for understanding the mechanisms underlying this effect.
Vibration and Control of Flexible Rotor Supported by Magnetic Bearings

Many papers have been written on magnetic bearings. These papers are divided into two categories: One is the use of magnetic bearings taking the place of contact bearings, and the other is the use of noncontact actuators for active vibration control. These categories are combined in applications. The research on using magnetic bearings in place of contact bearings has been going on for years. As early as 1842 it was known that magnetic bearings should have at least one direction actively controlled [1]. For the last century and a half there has been a great deal of research and development. Magnetic bearings have been used mainly in experiments and 1n aircraft and missile inertlal guidance control. However, these bearings are now coming into use in the industrial world [2] for turbo-molecular pumps [3], machine tool spindles, etc. Although these magnetic bearings are for rigid rotors C4 to 6], they recently have been used with flexible rotors C7 to 9]. in such applications, the magnetic bearings suppress unbalance vibration. Many papers have been published on this subject [10 to 16].
Organic Salts as a Route to Energy Level Control in Low Bandgap, High Open-Circuit Voltage Organic and Transparent Solar Cells that Approach the Excitonic Voltage Limit

A new series of organic salts with selective near-infrared (NIR) harvesting to 950 nm is reported, and anion selection and blending is demonstrated to allow for fine tuning of the open-circuit voltage. Extending photoresponse deeper into the NIR is a significant challenge facing small molecule organic photovoltaics, and recent demonstrations have been limited by open-circuit voltages much lower than the theoretical and practical limits. This work presents molecular design strategies that enable facile tuning of energy level alignment and open-circuit voltages in organic salt-based photovoltaics. Anions are also shown to have a strong influence on exciton diffusion length. These insights provide a clear route toward achieving high efficiency transparent and panchromatic photovoltaics, and open up design opportunities to rapidly tailor molecules for new donor–acceptor systems.
Do mergers enhance the performance of hospital efficiency

Due to the wave of mergers that have taken place in the USA, the early 1990s could be labelled as a restructuring era for health care systems. The question of whether mergers have an impact on organizational performance is still an area of interest for health services researchers. In this study, we examined the impacts of horizontal mergers of US hospital's technical efficiency before and after merger using longitudinal Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The findings of our study illustrate that mergers do increase a hospital's level of efficiency. Constant returns-to-scale model indicated an overall reduction in input utilisation after merger, compared to variable returns-to-scale model. This indicates the role of scale efficiency as a dominant source of improvement in inefficiency of hospitals involved in horizontal mergers, but not for technical efficiency. Suggestions for future study are provided.
A new therapeutic strategy for malaria: targeting T cell exhaustion

Boosting immune responses during malaria remains a challenge. Overcoming T cell exhaustion by blocking coinhibitory receptors offers a promising lead.
Novel surgical procedures in glaucoma: advances in penetrating glaucoma surgery

Purpose of review Despite late modifications and enhancements, traditional penetrating glaucoma surgery is not without complications and is reserved for patients in whom pharmacologic treatment and/or laser trabeculoplasty do not suffice to control the intraocular pressure. This article critically reviews recent advances in penetrating glaucoma surgery with particular attention paid to two novel surgical approaches: ab interno trabeculectomy with the Trabectome and implantation of the Ex-PRESS shunt. Recent findings Ab interno trabeculectomy (Trabectome) achieves a sustained 30% reduction in intraocular pressure by focally ablating and cauterizing the trabecular meshwork/inner wall of Schlemm's canal. It has a remarkable safety profile with respect to early hypotonous or infectious complications as it does not generate a bleb, but it can be associated with early postoperative intraocular pressure spikes that may necessitate additional glaucoma surgery. The Ex-PRESS shunt is more commonly implanted under a partial thickness scleral flap, and appears to have similar efficacy to standard trabeculectomy offering some advantages with respect to the rate of early complications related to hypotony. Summary Penetrating glaucoma surgery will continue to evolve. As prospective randomized clinical trials become available, we will determine the exact role of these surgical techniques in the glaucoma surgical armamentarium.
Reversible switching transitions of stimuli-responsive shape changing polymers

The past decade has witnessed significant advancements in stimuli-responsive shape changing polymers. The reversible switching transition is the most important feature of stimuli-responsive polymers, which determines the shape changing effect. This article presents a comprehensive review of the various reversible switching transitions and recent progress in stimuli-responsive shape changing polymers. The advantages and limitations of the various stimuli-responsive polymers are discussed. Future research directions are suggested.
An extraterrestrial habitat on earth: The algal mat of Don Jaun Pond

On the edge of Don Juan Pond in the Wright Valley of Antarctica lies a mat of mineral and detritus cemented by organic matter. In spite of a CaCl2 concentration of about 33% (w/v), the mat contains Oscillatoria and other cyanobacteria, unicellular forms, colonial forms rich in carotenoids, and diatoms. Bacteria are rare; fungal filaments are not. Oscillatoria showed motility, but only at temperatures <10°C. Acetone extracts of the mat and nearby muds yielded visible spectra similar to those of laboratory grown O. sancta, with 50- to 70-fold molar ratio of chlorophyll a to b. Although rare, tardigrades were also found. The algal mat had enzymatic activities characteristic of peroxidase, catalase, dehydrogenase, and amylase. Cellulose, chitin, protein, lipid and ATP were present. Previously, algae in the Wright Valley have been described in melt water, not in the brine itself. Wright Valley has been used as a near sterile Martian model. It obviously contains an array of hardy terrestrial organisms.
Hume's Scepticism *

Since Norman Kemp Smith's 1905 article on “The Naturalism of Hume,” there have been two competing theories on the general nature and import of Hume's philosophy. One is that which Kemp Smith attributes to a long line of English and Scottish philosophers, including his target there, Thomas Hill Green. That theory is that “Hume has no set of positive beliefs, and merely develops to a sceptical conclusion the principles which he inherits from Locke and Berkeley” (S149). The conclusion, to quote the first of the long line, Thomas Reid, is that There is neither matter nor mind in the universe; nothing but impressions and ideas. What we call a body , is only a bundle of sensations; and what we call the mind , is only a bundle of thoughts, passions, and emotions, without any subject.
Ovarian carcinoma with thyroid metastases causing clinical hypothyroidism: a case report.

Abstract Background Ovarian cancer is known to metastasize to the thyroid gland. Despite an incidence of ovarian metastasis to the thyroid of 3–15%, clinical hypothyroidism resulting from such metastasis has not yet been reported. We present a case of metastatic ovarian cancer to the thyroid resulting in clinical hypothyroidism. Case A 55-year-old woman with recurrent papillary adenocarcinoma of the ovary presented with fatigue, abdominal distention, lymphedema, and depression. Thyroid stimulating hormone was markedly elevated, and thyroid biopsy demonstrated bilateral metastatic ovarian carcinoma. Conclusion Although uncommon, metastatic disease to the thyroid should be considered when evaluating a patient with advanced ovarian cancer and clinical hypothyroidism.
Thymidylate synthetase and dihydrofolic acid reductase in the stimulated human lymphocyte.

The phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated human lymphocytes demonstrated trace or no activity of (dihydro) folate acid reductase using three methods including a radioassay, but demonstrated ample activity of thymidylate synthetase. This was true regardless of the day of harvest, (first through seventh) of the stimulated lymphocyte. The lymphocyte extracts revealed no inhibitor to the reductase enzyme when these extracts were added before the liver extracts to the assay system. When methotrexate (MTX) was added to the culture media of the lymphocytes, there was, as expected, an increase in the synthetase activity, but the expected rise in the reductase activity did not occur, it remained nil. On the other hand, MTX did influence the incorporation of nucleosides by the stimulated lymphocytes in a fashion similar to its action on the incorporation of the same nucleosides by other cells.
Operationalizing physical literacy for learners: Embodying the motivation to move

Abstract Physical literacy is a concept that is expected to encompass the mind and body in an integrated way to explain, promote, and help sustain human beings' fundamental function: movement. According to Whitehead (2010), physical literacy is defined by motivation, especially by competence-based and interest-based motivation. This point of view is consistent with vast amount of research evidence on children and adolescents' physical activity behavior. In the article I attempt to interpret and operationalize physical literacy from a perspective that children's motivation in physical education is both an innate mental disposition and an acquired/learned attribute. Particularly I rely on the conceptual learning theory and motivation regulation mechanisms of the self-determination theory to argue that in physical education, children should experience tasks that inspire them to embody competence and interest along with self-regulation strategies necessary for developing and sustaining the motivation to move.
A surface roughness model for a turning operation

A mathematical model for the surface roughness in a turning operation was developed in terms of the cutting speed, feed and depth of cut. Utilizing PL1 language and an IBM 360/50 computer, the model was used to generate contours of surface roughness in planes containing the cutting speed and feed at different levels of depth of cut. The surface roughness contours were used to select the machining conditions at which an increase in the rate of metal removal was achieved without sacrifice in surface finish.
Perceived Challenges and Supports Experienced by the Family Caregiver of the Older Adult: A Photovoice Study

As the older adult population in the United States grows in number, the need for family caregivers will also rise. Results from quantitative studies mostly provide evidence of caregiver burden, not caregiver support, and qualitative studies are needed. This study used a community-based participatory action research methodology called photovoice to explore challenges and supports experienced by family caregivers of the older adult. Photovoice incorporates the use of photographs to facilitate the elucidation of an experience by populations or groups. Using photovoice, study participants self-identified 5 challenges and 5 supports experienced in the caregiver role.
Choice of sevoflurane and its subjective and psychomotor effects in light and moderate drinkers.

Background Sevoflurane, an inhalant of the volatile anesthetic class, has neurobiological and behavioral effects in common with abused inhalants and ethanol. We sought to determine if choice for subanesthetic doses of sevoflurane, and its subjective and psychomotor effects, would differ as a function of alcohol-drinking status in healthy volunteers.
Extended operating range for reduced-order model of lithium-ion cells

Abstract In a previous paper, we developed a method to produce a physics-based one-dimensional discrete-time state-space reduced-order model (ROM) of a lithium-ion cell. The method relies on linearizing the standard porous-electrode equations around a fixed state-of-charge (SOC) and operating temperature setpoint. The ROM is able to track a highly dynamic input accurately near the linearization setpoint, but its performance degrades as either the cell's SOC or temperature move away from this linearization point. This paper describes a way to extend the accuracy of the ROM over a wide range of SOCs and temperatures using a model-blending approach. Our results demonstrate that the approach accurately models the cell's voltage and internal electrochemical variables over a wide range of temperature and SOC, with little added computational complexity.
Seismic refraction studies in the Transcontinental Geophysical Survey

The Transcontinental Geophysical Survey (TGS) was proposed in 1962 as one of the main elements of the U. S. program for the Upper Mantle Project. The TGS is a band 4° (about 275 miles) in width, centered in latitude 37°N, extending from coast to coast and into the Atlantic and Pacific ocean basins. Studies in this band include the whole range of geophysical and geological subdisciplines. The efforts to achieve complete geological, gravity, magnetic, and seismic coverage (as well as selected special observations, such as heat-flow measurements) are concentrated in the ‘inner band’ (35°-39°); special studies in the ‘outer bands’ (33°–35° and 39°–41°) will be related to the over-all program of the TGS (see Figure 1). A general description of planning and programs for the TGS is given by Hart [1964] and in IG Bulletin 87 [1964]. In May 1964, the International Upper Mantle Committee adopted five programs of interdisciplinary studies for emphasis during the Upper Mantle Project, including “combined geophysical-geochemical-geological surveys … seismic, gravity, geomagnetic, geothermal, geological, and geoehemical (especially the distribution of radioactive elements) investigations in the same area.”
Photoaffinity labeling of specific muscarinic antagonist binding sites of brain: I. Preliminary studies using two p-azidophenylacetate esters of tropine

Abstract Possible photoaffinity probes for muscarinic acetylcholine receptors have been explored for the first time: Specific [ 3 H]-quinuclidinyl benzylate binding sites of several fractions from rat brain can be irreversibly inactivated by photoaffinity labeling with two p-azidophenylacetate esters of tropine. Inactivation of these sites depends on formation of a reversible complex with the azides prior to their photolytic conversion to the highly reactive nitrenes; it is dependent on ligand concentration and length of photolysis. Atropine and oxotremorine, but not d-tubocurarine, afford protection against photoinactivation. These findings suggest the utility of these and related azido derivatives as potent, selective photoaffinity ligands directed against binding sites for muscarinic antagonists.
Resilient control systems Practical metrics basis for defining mission impact

"Resilience” describes how systems operate at an acceptable level of normalcy despite disturbances or threats. In this paper we first consider the cognitive, cyber-physical interdependencies inherent in critical infrastructure systems and how resilience differs from reliability to mitigate these risks. Terminology and metrics basis are provided to integrate the cognitive, cyber-physical aspects that should be considered when defining solutions for resilience. A practical approach is taken to roll this metrics basis up to system integrity and business case metrics that establish “proper operation” and “impact.” A notional chemical processing plant is the use case for demonstrating how the system integrity metrics can be applied to establish performance, and
The Effect of Alkali and Alkaline Earth Salts on the Spectrographic Determination of Strontium

In connection with an attempt to develop a method of quantitative spectrographic analysis of oil-field waters a detailed investigation has been made of the determination of strontium in the presence of alkali and other alkaline earth salts. The dried salts, together with a powdered graphite buffer and titanium as internal standard, were placed in cupped water-cooled graphite electrodes of a high voltage a.c. arc regulated by a variable inductance in the primary circuit. The spectrum was photographed with a Hilger E 1 quartz spectrograph, and the intensities of Sr 3380.7A, Ti 3383.8A, and Ti 3387.8A were determined by a means of a step sector and a Dietert densitometer. With constant amounts of SrCl2 and TiO2 and various amounts of NaCl, KCl, CaCl2, BaCl2, or MgCl2, exposures were made at different times after the arc was started, and the intensities were determined. In all cases the intensity ratios between strontium and titanium lines were most constant during the period from 2 to 10 minutes after the arc was started. Hence, the weighted averages of the intensity ratios observed during this period have been studied as functions of the amount and composition of the extraneous salts. With NaCl added, the intensity ratio Sr 3380.7/ Ti 3383.8 has a maximum value twice as great as when no extraneous element is present, with MgCl2 sixteen times as great. When an alkaline earth is added, the concentration of the extraneous substance giving the maximum value of the Sr/Ti intensity ratio decreases with atomic weight. Alkalis show the opposite behavior. When the total concentration of CaCl2+NaCl is kept constant a maximum of Sr 3380.7/Ti 3383.8 is found for a certain ratio of CaCl2 to NaCl. On the other hand, when various mixtures of KCl and NaCl are added a minimum value of this intensity ratio is obtained for a certain ratio of KCl to NaCl. In neither case are the effects of the extraneous substances additive.
A review of new approaches to assessing hepatic function in animals.

Although a multitude of effective liver function tests are avaiable for use in animals, a variety of modifications of currently used tests have been recently reported. In addition, newer procedures now used in human medicine may also provide unique insights into assessing and detecting acquired hepatic disorders in animals. Examples of new procedures are: assessing microsomal mixed function oxidase activity by plasma caffeine clearance; estimating the extent of active hepatic fibrogenesis through serum procollagen-III peptide levels; determining hepatic blood flow and functional mass by the galactose elimination capacity; detecting primary hepatocellular cancer through serum or urinary ligandin levels; and to estimate the liver's maximal capacity to excrete indocyanine green independent of blood flow. In evaluating drugs as to their hepatotoxicity, function tests should be included in the liver profile which measure specific metabolic alterations unique to the compound under study.
Longitudinal Effects of Achievement Perceptions on Choice of Postsecondary Major

Abstract We examined the effects of adolescents' perceptions of their high school achievement on choice of postsecondary major field of study, as categorized by Holland types (R-I-A-S-E-C). Achievement perceptions were assessed when adolescents were in the 10th grade. Adolescents made educational choices 2 to 4 years later. We found that perceptions of mathematics achievement had the strongest effects on choice of Holland types of majors for men and for low socioeconomic status (SES) women. Effects of perceptions of English achievement were weaker overall, but had stronger effects than perceptions of mathematics achievement for middle and high SES women. Therefore, there was a three-way interaction of gender, SES, and achievement perceptions in predicting choice of Holland type of postsecondary major.