cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rotor–duct aerodynamic and acoustic interactions at low Reynolds number

Ducted single and multi-rotor UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicle) offer better crash worthiness and safety compared to open rotor UAVs. The interactions that affect performance and acoustics are of interest. High speed stereo particle image velocimetry (SPIV), performance, and acoustic measurements were done on a rotor with removable protective duct to study rotor–duct aerodynamic interactions over a range of hover conditions at low Reynolds number. Instantaneous and averaged SPIV velocity field and performance results, as well as acoustic signatures, are compared to baseline un-ducted rotor cases. Increase in rotor figure of merit is strongly correlated with the level of duct interaction with rotor tip vortex cores. Efficiency change is higher for the cases where thrust induced losses take a larger share of the overall aerodynamic losses. While the overall acoustic sound pressure level was not affected significantly, cases with higher vortex core/duct interactions showed higher tonal content. Graphical abstract
Proceedings of the 2016 ACM Conference on Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science

The papers in this volume were presented at the 7th Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science (ITCS 2016) conference, sponsored by the ACM Special Interest Group on Algorithms and Computation Theory (SIGACT). The conference was held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA, USA, January 14-16, 2016. ITCS (previously known as ICS) seeks to promote research that carries a strong conceptual message, for instance, introducing a new concept or model, opening a new line of inquiry within traditional or cross-interdisciplinary areas, introducing new techniques, or making novel connections between existing areas and ideas. The conference format is single-session with ample time for discussion, to promote the exchange of ideas between different areas of theoretical computer science and with other disciplines. The call for papers welcomed all submissions, whether aligned with current theory of computation research directions or deviating from them. 145 submissions were received. Of these, the program committee selected 40 papers. I would like to thank authors of all submissions for their interest in ITCS. The program committee consisted of 23 members (plus the chair): Nikhil Bansal, Eindhoven; Eli Ben-Sasson, Technion; Bernard Chazelle, Princeton; Moritz Hardt, Google; Yuval Ishai, Technion; Brendan Juba, Washington U., St. Louis; Adam Kalai, MSR; Anna Karlin, U. Washington; Sanjeev Khanna, U. Penn.; Valerie King, U. Victoria; Katrina Ligett, Caltech; Ruta Mehta, Georgia Tech.; Rotem Oshman, Tel Aviv; Rafael Pass, Cornell; Anup Rao, U. Washington; Omer Reingold, Samsung Research America; Aaron Roth, U. Penn.; Rocco Servedio, Columbia; Yaron Singer, Harvard; Adam Smith, Penn. State; Greg Valiant, Stanford; Thomas Vidick, Caltech; and Nisheeth Vishnoi, EPFL. I wish to express my sincere thanks to them for agreeing to join the committee and then for investing time and effort the merits of the submissions. The many subreviewers who assisted the reviewing process deserve acknowledgment as well. The local organizations were undertaken by Shafi Goldwasser (MIT & Weizmann). I'd like to thank Shafi, for this service as also for her service as steering committee chair of ITCS while ITCS remains in its early stages! The submissions and program committee deliberations were conducted using the platform generated by Shai Halevi. I would like to thank Shai for generously contributing his time to the running of the system and helping me work with it! I would additionally like to thank IACR for hosting the server. I also thank Tim Roughgarden (Program Chair of ITCS 2015) for his help. Finally, I would like to thank all the presenters and the audience at ITCS and hope it continues to be a unique experience.
Case-Control Study of Pneumatosis Intestinalis in Pediatric Allogeneic HSCT Patients

Background Pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) is a complication with potential for significant morbidity and mortality. Limited information is known regarding risk factors and outcomes. Methods We conducted a retrospective case-control study of all pediatric allo-HSCT at our institution from July 2007 – July 2018. Comparisons of categorical variables and continuous variables between cases (PI) and controls (no PI) were done via Fisher's exact tests and a two-sample t-test. OS was compared between cases and controls via a log-rank test. Results We identified a total of 117 HSCT events for 113 patients. PI occurred in 6 (5.1%) transplants. For the entire cohort, median age at HSCT was 7.85 years (range 0.39-22.82) with 60.68% (n=71) HSCT events for males. Malignant disease was the predominant indication for HSCT (76.92% n=90). Donor sources varied, including 28.21% (n=33) MRD, 36.75% (n=43) MUD/MMRD/matched CBU, 29.06% (n=34) MMUD/mismatched CB, and 5.98% (n=7) haplo. Predominant graft source was BM at 71.79% (n=84), followed by CB 23.08% (n=27) and PBSC 5.13% (n=6). MAC regimens were most common with TBI-based in 43.59% (n=51) and Bu-based in 39.32% (n=46). The remainder of conditioning regimens were RIC in 11.11% (n=13) and Cy/ATG based in 5.98% (n=7). aGVHD and cGVHD were noted in 38.46% (n=45) and 12.82% (n=15), respectively. During the first 100 days, 52.99% (n=62) had a documented infection. There was no statistically significant association between sex, race, age, diagnosis, HLA match, graft source, or GVHD and PI. While there was also no statistically significant association between conditioning regimens or infections and PI, there was a possible trend for clinical significance. TBI-based regimens were less common in cases (16.7% versus 45% p=0.4), and more infections were seen in the cases (83.3% versus 51.4% p=0.2). All cases recovered from PI with medical management alone. No deaths were attributable to PI and 66.67% (n=4) cases remain alive at last follow up. Median survival time could not be estimated as both groups had more than 50% of patients still alive at the time of analysis. Conclusion We did not identify any clear association of PI with factors such as HLA match, graft source, underlying diagnosis, or GVHD which may be due to the limited number of cases. Future multi-institutional studies with larger cohorts may be able to identify risk factors for this rare complication.
Upfront Surgical Resection of Melanoma Brain Metastases Provides a Bridge Toward Immunotherapy-Mediated Systemic Control

Background Immune checkpoint blockade has systemic efficacy in patients with metastatic melanoma, including those with brain metastases (MBMs). However, immunotherapy-induced intracranial tumoral inflammation can lead to neurologic compromise, requiring steroids, which abrogate the systemic efficacy of this approach. We investigated whether upfront neurosurgical resection of MBM is associated with a therapeutic advantage when performed prior to initiation of immunotherapy. Material and methods An institutional review board-approved, retrospective study identified 142 patients with MBM treated with immune checkpoint blockade between 2010 and 2016 at Massachusetts General Hospital, of whom 79 received surgery. Patients were classified based on the temporal relationship between immunotherapy, surgery, and development of central nervous system metastases. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from the date of diagnosis of MBM until death from any cause. Multivariate model building included a prognostic Cox model of OS, the effect of immunotherapy and surgical sequencing on OS, and the effect of immunotherapy and radiation sequencing on OS. Results The 2-year overall survival for patients treated with cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4, programmed death 1, or combinatorial blockade was 19%, 54%, and 57%, respectively. Among immunotherapy-naive melanoma brain metastases, surgery followed by immunotherapy had a median survival of 22.7 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 12.6-39.2) compared with 10.8 months for patients treated with immunotherapy alone (95% CI, 7.8-16.3) and 9.4 months for patients treated with immunotherapy followed by surgery (95% CI, 4.1 to ∞; p = .12). On multivariate analysis, immunotherapy-naive brain metastases treated with immunotherapy alone were associated with increased risk of death (hazard ratio, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.00-2.99) compared with immunotherapy-naive brain metastases treated with surgery followed by immunotherapy. Conclusion In treatment-naive patients, early surgical resection for local control should be considered prior to commencing immunotherapy. A prospective, randomized trial comparing the sequence of surgery and immunotherapy for treatment-naive melanoma brain metastases is warranted. Implications for practice In this retrospective study of 142 patients with melanoma brain metastases treated with immune checkpoint blockade, the development of melanoma brain metastases following immunotherapy was associated with decreased survival compared with diagnosis of immunotherapy-naive brain metastases. The benefit of surgical intervention was seen in immunotherapy-naive brain metastases in contrast to brain metastases that developed on immunotherapy. These results suggest that upfront local control with surgery for immunotherapy-naive melanoma brain metastasis may provide a bridge toward immunotherapy-mediated systemic control.
Rapid diagnostics for point-of-care quantification of soluble transferrin receptor.

BACKGROUND Iron deficiency (ID) and anaemia are major health concerns, particularly in young children. Screening for ID based on haemoglobin (Hb) concentration alone has been shown to lack sensitivity and specificity. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) as a promising approach to screen for iron deficiency. However, in most settings, assessment of iron status requires access to centralized laboratories. There is an urgent need for rapid, sensitive, and affordable diagnostics for sTfR at the point-of-care. METHODS An immunochromatographic assay-based point-of-care screening device was developed for rapid quantification of sTfR from a drop of serum within a few minutes. Performance optimization of the assay was done in sTfR-spiked buffer and commercially available sTfR calibrator, followed by a small-scale proof-of-concept validation with archived serum samples. FINDINGS On preliminary testing with archived serum samples and comparison with Ramco ELISA, a correlation of 0.93 (P < 0.0001) was observed, demonstrating its potential for point-of-care assessment of iron status. INTERPRETATION The analytical performance of the point-of-care sTfR screening device indicates the potential for application in home-use test kits and field settings, especially in low- and middle-income settings. An added advantage of sTfR quantification in combination with our previously reported serum ferritin diagnostics is in integration of Cook's equation as a quantitative and minimally-invasive indicator of total body iron stores. FUND: Thrasher Research Fund (Early Career Award #13379), NIH R03 EB 023190, NSF grant #1343058, and Nutrition International (project #10-8007-CORNE-01).
An Exploratory Analysis of Self-Reported Protective Factors against Self-Harm in an Enrolled Veteran General Mental Health Population

Introduction The purpose of this study is to characterize self-reported protective factors against suicide or self-harm within free-response comments from a harm-risk screening. Materials and methods Veterans enrolled in Department of Veterans Affairs mental health care were administered a self-harm and suicide screening as part of the baseline assessment in an ongoing implementation trial. Veterans indicated if they had thoughts of harming themselves and if so, what kept them from acting on them. Responses were coded based on established Centers for Disease Control protective factor categories. Descriptive analyses of demographic factors (such as age, gender, and race), clinical factors, and quality of life measures were conducted across groups depending on levels of self-harm risk. Results Of 593 Veterans, 57 (10%) screened positive for active thoughts of self-harm or suicide. Those with thoughts of self-harm had lower quality of life scores and higher rates of depression diagnoses. Of those individuals, 41 (72%) reported protective factors including Personal Resources (17%), Community Resources or Relationships (68%), and Other including pets and hobbies (15%). Those with stated protective factors had higher rates of employment and lower rates of PTSD diagnoses. Conclusion This is one of the first open-response studies of harm-risk protective factors, allowing for a patient-centered approach that prioritizes the individual's voice and values. New protective factors emerged through the open-response format, indicating important factors that kept Veterans safe from self-harm or suicide such as pets and hobbies. Increasing focus on strengths and positive aspects of Veterans' lives that serve as protective factors may ultimately improve mental health treatment and prevention of suicide and self-harm.
COPD Exacerbations — A Target for Antibiotic Stewardship

Patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in whom outpatient treatment fails are at risk for serious decompensation and hospitalization. Thus, when outpatien...
Automated Hot-Spot Identification for Spatial Investigation of Disease Indicators

This paper presents a new procedure that uses spatial statistics to identify clusters of counties having either a high or low incidence of a disease (dependent variable). These counties provide a spatial snapshot that describes the disease in the study area. Using this spatial snapshot as a reference, the procedure evaluates potential factors (independent variables) sorted out by the degree of similarity with the disease when comparing spatial snapshots. The greater the similarity, the greater the likelihood for a causal relationship. Similarity also can facilitate the selection of variables to be considered rather than relying only on the researcher's expertise. In particular, the procedure is used to analyze Cardiovascular Disease at the county level for the contiguous 48 states using the Public Health Exposome, a data repository of environmental factors to which a given group of people may be exposed over the course of their lifetime and that may impact their health. The proposed procedure enables the analysis of a study area with a large number of regions, such as entire countries, but is able to go to the level of detail of a smaller area, such as a county. In contrast, researchers may limit their work to a small number of regions due to computational and analytical limitations. In addition, the procedure yields a ranking of independent variables according to their effect on the dependent variable. In the past Public Health researchers reported that analytical approaches required days of extremely complex statistics and computational time that restricted their analysis to 60 variables. The proposed procedure is run at the Texas Tech High Performance Computing Center taking 12 minutes for 168 variables and a study area with 3,028 regions.
Donor Site Morbidity in Phalloplasty Reconstructions: Outcomes of the Radial Forearm Free Flap.

The radial artery forearm free flap (RFFF) is the workhorse technique for phallus reconstruction. The RFFF provides good cosmesis and potential sensory recovery. However, the donor site is large in comparison to other applications of the RFFF which may increase the potential for donor site morbidity, such as nerve injury, delayed wound healing, and decreased hand strength. This study systematically reviewed the current literature to assess the donor site morbidity associated with RFFF phalloplasty (RFFFP). Methods A systematic review utilizing Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines was completed of the current literature pertaining to donor site morbidity after RFFFP. Two investigators independently reviewed the literature to determine eligibility for inclusion. Two hundred sixty-seven studies were reviewed and 10 were included in the final analysis after application of exclusion criteria. Results Nine hundred forty flap reconstructions were identified. Gender affirming surgery was the indication in 77.7% (n = 730) of patients. The overall donor site complication rate was 7.9% (n = 74). Skin graft failure occurred in 41 patients (4.5%) and was the most frequent complication. Donor site infection (n = 3, 15.8%), hematoma (n = 1, 0.8%), neuroma (n = 1, 10%), compartment syndrome (n = 1, 0.8%), decreased strength or sensation (n = 15, 4.9%), lymphedema or limb swelling (n = 10, 3.9%), and contracture (n = 2, 6.5%) were also found. Conclusions The most common donor site complication after RFFFP is skin graft failure. Decreased forearm sensation and strength affected a significant proportion of patients within each reported cohort. Prospective studies should continue to evaluate donor site morbidity with objective measures, such as grip strength evaluation, and long-term follow-up for vascular changes following radial artery harvest.
"Loud withe presence of plants and field life": The Ecology of Resistance in Toni Morison's _Tar Baby_

Tar Baby occupies a peculiar place in Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison’s oeuvre. Following the epic Song of Solomon and preceding her masterwork, Beloved, Tar Baby has received little critical engagement. This article posits that the critics’ discomfort with Tar Baby lies in the fact that the politics of the novel are largely encoded in, and voiced by, the nonhuman world. After reading the natural world as the primary, though not exclusive, vehicle of postcolonial resistance in the novel, this article maintains that given the current interest in ecocritical reading, Tar Baby deserves to be repositioned in Morrison’s canon
Fidelity of a peer-led asthma self-management intervention and its attention control in a multisite study of urban adolescents.

In this paper we compare the fidelity of a Peer-Led Asthma Self-Management Program for Adolescents (PLASMA) and its attention control. A randomized controlled trial involving two groups-the PLASMA group and the attention control group-was conducted between 2015 and 2018. Adolescents 12-17 years old (N = 259) in three cities in the United States received asthma self-management education implemented at a day camp, followed by bi-monthly, follow-up contact for 12 months. Thirty-five peer leaders and six adult educators implemented education sessions for the PLASMA and the attention control groups, respectively. The intervention was the peer-led delivery of the content instead of the educational content itself. This study compares the extent to which the education sessions and follow-up contacts were implemented in accordance with the study protocol by the peer and adult educators. Most topics on asthma knowledge and skills (85-95%) were delivered as intended at an adequate pace in both groups. Peer leaders missed more content in the psychosocial domain than adult educators-14% versus 0%, respectively (t = -3.7; p = .010). PLASMA participants reported high content and time fidelity for all education sessions (94% to 97.6%). Greater success in bimonthly follow-up contacts was reported in the attention control groups, with 4.6 ( ± 1.5) contacts on average compared to 2.6 (±2.02) in the PLASMA groups (t = 9.02; p < .001). Most components of the asthma self-management program were implemented with high fidelity in both groups. The relatively low fidelity in delivering psychosocial content and performing follow-up contacts in the PLASMA groups underscores the need for intensive training to enhance peer leaders' competency with managing these aspects of PLASMA to maximize fidelity. Peer leaders can implement asthma self-management educational components of the intervention with high fidelity similar to adult educators.
Analysis of Plasma Products for Cellular Contaminants: Comparing Standard Preparation Methods

Background Recent reports suggest that component plasma products contain significant quantities of cellular contamination. We hypothesized that leukoreduction of whole blood before preparation of derived plasma is an effective method to prevent cellular contamination of stored plasma. Study Design Samples of never-frozen liquid plasma prepared by standard methods (n = 25) were obtained from 3 regional blood centers that supply 3 major trauma centers. Samples were analyzed for leukocyte and platelet contamination by flow cytometry. To determine if leukoreduction of whole blood before centrifugation and expression of plasma prevents cellular contamination of liquid plasma, 1 site generated 6 additional units of liquid plasma from leukoreduced whole blood, which were then compared with units of liquid plasma derived by standard processing. Results Across all centers, each unit of never-frozen liquid plasma contained a mean of 12.8 ± 3.0 million leukocytes and a mean of 4.6 ± 2 billion platelets. Introduction of whole blood leukoreduction (LR) before centrifugation and plasma extraction essentially eliminated all contaminating leukocytes (Non-LR: 12.3 ± 2.9 million vs LR: 0.05 ± 0.05 million leukocytes) and platelets (Non-LR: 4.2 ± 0.3 billion platelets vs LR: 0.00 ± 0.00 billion platelets). Conclusions Despite widespread belief that stored plasma is functionally acellular, testing of liquid plasma from 3 regional blood banks revealed a significant amount of previously unrecognized cellular contamination. Introduction of a leukoreduction step before whole blood centrifugation essentially eliminated detectable leukocyte and platelet contaminants from plasma. Therefore, our study highlights a straightforward and cost-effective method to eliminate cellular contamination of stored plasma.
Introduction: The Uneasy Presidency

Julian Zelizer offers an introduction to the volume, mapping out some of the major issues that have confronted presidents since the founding. Zelizer argues that there are some constant challenges that the holder of the office has faced as well as key moments in the development of the institution.
Nursing Student Medication Administration Performance: A Longitudinal Assessment.

Background Nurses must be adequately prepared for safe medication administration. Purpose The specific aims of the study were to compare first- and final-semester nursing students' medication administration performance, describe graduating nursing student performance, assess the long-term effect of an Individual Simulation-Based Experience (ISBE), and determine if nursing assistant experience impacted performance. Methods The study was a longitudinal, descriptive, experimental, 2-group pretest-posttest design. The Medication Administration Safety Assessment Tool was used to assess nursing student (n = 68) medication administration performance at 3 points in time: after learning the skill, after participation in an ISBE or traditional practice session, and prior to graduation. Results Only one-third of senior nursing students accurately demonstrated medication administration. There was no significant difference between first- and last-semester performance. Conclusion Findings suggest nursing students are not prepared for safe medication administration upon graduation. The reality of practice opportunities to perform this skill throughout a nursing program should be examined.
Translational gene regulation in plants: A green new deal

The molecular machinery for protein synthesis is profoundly similar between plants and other eukaryotes. Mechanisms of translational gene regulation are embedded into the broader network of RNA-level processes including RNA quality control and RNA turnover. However, over eons of their separate history, plants acquired new components, dropped others, and generally evolved an alternate way of making the parts list of protein synthesis work. Research over the past 5 years has unveiled how plants utilize translational control to defend themselves against viruses, regulate translation in response to metabolites, and reversibly adjust translation to a wide variety of environmental parameters. Moreover, during seed and pollen development plants make use of RNA granules and other translational controls to underpin developmental transitions between quiescent and metabolically active stages. The economics of resource allocation over the daily light-dark cycle also include controls over cellular protein synthesis. Important new insights into translational control on cytosolic ribosomes continue to emerge from studies of translational control mechanisms in viruses. Finally, sketches of coherent signaling pathways that connect external stimuli with a translational response are emerging, anchored in part around TOR and GCN2 kinase signaling networks. These again reveal some mechanisms that are familiar and others that are different from other eukaryotes, motivating deeper studies on translational control in plants. This article is categorized under: Translation > Translation Regulation RNA Structure and Dynamics > Influence of RNA Structure in Biological Systems RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein-RNA Interactions: Functional Implications.
Making Merit Just in Medical School Admissions

Medical school education must better align with patient care needs for a rapidly changing population. One challenge is to eliminate bias in merit-based admissions to more equitably review candidates with the structural competency skills desperately needed to promote public health and health equity. Aligning merit-based admissions approaches with holistic admissions approaches and equitable candidate evaluation will simultaneously support learners and improve patient care.
Promoting assertiveness in youth in foster care: Pilot testing a brief intervention in a randomized trial

Abstract Children in foster care lead their lives at an increased risk for mental health issues. Often, these are complicated by the unstable and unpredictable nature of their living arrangements and interpersonal relationships. As such, there is substantial need to examine brief therapies and interventions for use with children in foster care and children who have experienced similar trauma and instability. The present study is a pilot investigation of the efficacy of a brief behavioral intervention targeting help-seeking behavior and assertiveness skills provided to a sample of children in foster care (N = 23). Three, 30-min group sessions of a targeted assertiveness skills intervention were developed and conducted on a sample of children in foster care and compared to an assessment-only control group. Measures of assertive tendencies, emotions towards seeking help, and assertive help-seeking skills were collected at pretest and posttest to assess the efficacy of the intervention. Participants who received the intervention significantly improved on measures of general assertiveness, F(1, 20) = 9.672, p
Kratom-Induced Seizures Associated With Reversible Basal Ganglia T1 Hyperintensities on MRI (1562)

Objective: To report a case of bilateral tonic-clonic seizure and reversible basal ganglia T1 hyperintensity on MRI associated with kratom use. Background: Kratom (mitragynina speciosa) is a common herbal supplement used to treat a variety of clinical symptoms including pain and mood. Two compounds in kratom leaves, mitragynine, and 7-α-hydroxymitragynine, have been implicated in its therapeutic effect as a stimulant and analgesic. However, the exact mechanism of action remains uncertain, and there have been a number of safety concerns associated with kratom use, including reports of reports provoked seizures in patients with epilepsy and abnormalities on brain imaging. Design/Methods: NA Results: We report the case of a 33 year old Caucasian female with history of anxiety and depression who reported using kratom for 1–2 years at a dose of up to 12.5 grams three times daily. She had her first lifetime seizure after missing one dose of kratom for a medical procedure. MRI revealed uniform bilateral basal ganglia T1 hyperintensities. The patient did not have any known symptoms suggestive of underlying movement or neurodegenerative disorder. There was no other exposure to toxic or recreational substances. Serum and urine heavy metal screen, serum paraneoplastic panel, and autoimmune workup were negative. She did not have any further seizures after stopping kratom and starting lamotrigine (LTG). Twenty-four hour ambulatory EEG six months after stopping kratom revealed rare left frontal epileptiform discharges. Repeat MRI imaging one year following her seizure showed resolution of the basal ganglia T1 hyperintensities. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first report of reversible changes on imaging associated with kratom use. The constellation of seizures and reversible T1 basal ganglia changes on MRI may be features of kratom use. Disclosure: Dr. Valenti has nothing to disclose. David Pettersson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Motika has nothing to disclose.
Fast PDE-constrained optimization via self-supervised operator learning.

Design and optimal control problems are among the fundamental, ubiquitous tasks we face in science and engineering. In both cases, we aim to represent and optimize an unknown (black-box) function that associates a performance/outcome to a set of controllable variables through an experiment. In cases where the experimental dynamics can be described by partial differential equations (PDEs), such problems can be mathematically translated into PDE-constrained optimization tasks, which quickly become intractable as the number of control variables and the cost of experiments increases. In this work we leverage physics-informed deep operator networks (DeepONets) -- a self-supervised framework for learning the solution operator of parametric PDEs -- to build fast and differentiable surrogates for rapidly solving PDE-constrained optimization problems, even in the absence of any paired input-output training data. The effectiveness of the proposed framework will be demonstrated across different applications involving continuous functions as control or design variables, including time-dependent optimal control of heat transfer, and drag minimization of obstacles in Stokes flow. In all cases, we observe that DeepONets can minimize high-dimensional cost functionals in a matter of seconds, yielding a significant speed up compared to traditional adjoint PDE solvers that are typically costly and limited to relatively low-dimensional control/design parametrizations.
Bacterial Bioluminescence. Mechanistic Implications of Active Center Chemistry of Luciferase

Viewed as a chemiluminescent reaction, the enzyme luciferase plays a truly important role with regard to the reaction pathway. The non-enzymatic oxidation of reduced flavin mononucleotide (FMNH2) has a very low quantum yield: less than 10−10 of the photons which can be evoked enzymatically are observed in the non-enzymatic oxidation of FMNH2 in the presence of a long chain aldehyde.
New Procedures and Capabilities for the Calibration of Cryogenic Resistance Thermometers at Nist

Historically, cryogenic thermometer calibrations at national standards laboratories have been made with respect to several different, and somewhat incongruous, practical scales which lacked agreement with the thermodynamic temperature scale. The recent adoption of the International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90)[1] has significantly improved the scale reproducibility and thermodynamic agreement. With the advent of the ITS-90, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has embarked on a program to directly realize the new scale from its definitions and to disseminate this scale to its user community. Two new facilities for the scale realization below 83.8 K and for customer calibrations between 0.65 K and 83.8 K are being constructed. We describe here the changes in the scale relevant to cryogenic users and the methods employed in comparison calibrations. These include comparisons of standard platinum resistance thermometers (SPRTs) of the capsule type between 13.8 K and 83.8 K, and of rhodium-iron resistance thermometers (RIRTs) and germanium resistance thermometers (GRTs) between 0.65 K and 30 K. The use of cryogenic fixed points for interpolating resistance thermometry in the range 13.8 K to 273.16 K is also described. The resulting improvements from this effort will be a single temperature scale for dissemination above 0.65 K which is a very good representaion of thermodynamic temperature.
Incremental Development of Model Transformation Chains Using Automated Testing

Model transformations are a key technique in model-driven engineering. If several transformations are composed into a model transformation chain, an approach is needed that allows software engineers to incrementally improve the quality of the model transformation chain. In this paper, we propose incremental development of model transformation chains based on automated testing. We present four test design techniques and a test framework architecture for testing transformation chains and report on the validation of our approach when developing a transformation chain for model version management.
Straddling the Columbia: A Constitutional Law Professor's Musings on Circumventing Washington State's Criminal Prohibition on Compensated Surrogacy

In this Article, I recount — through the prisms of both an intended parent and a constitutional law scholar — my successful efforts to become a parent via compensated surrogacy and egg donation. Part I of this Article provides a narrative of my experience in becoming a parent via compensated surrogacy, and the various state and federal legal roadblocks and deterrents that I encountered along the way, including Washington State’s criminal prohibition on compensated surrogacy as well as federal guidelines issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regarding the use of sperm by gay donors in the process of in vitro fertilization. Part II of this Article considers the extent to which laws that criminalize or otherwise restrict one’s ability to enter into surrogacy arrangements run afoul of either the substantive protections of the Due Process Clause or the guarantees of the Equal Protection Clause. Part III of this Article considers the extent to which laws that stand in the way of intended parents establishing legal parentage of children born via surrogacy violate those same constitutional guarantees.I conclude that laws that restrict one’s ability to enter into surrogacy arrangements violate both the long-recognized fundamental right to procreate as well as a more specifically articulated fundamental right to procreate with the assistance of third parties, while laws that stand in the way of intended parents establishing legal parentage of children born via surrogacy violate the fundamental right to care for and have custody of one’s children. In addition, I demonstrate that some of these restrictive statutory schemes can also be challenged on the ground that they violate the equal protection rights not only of those seeking to have children via surrogacy, but also the children born to them.
Closer to Coherence Control

As electronic devices get smaller, quantum effects begin to appear. These effects may one day be useful in quantum computational devices, but to take full advantage of them quantum coherence must be maintained for long times at practical temperatures. In his Perspective, Sham discusses results presented in the same issue by Kikkawa et al . that reveal long-duration spin memory at room temperature in a semiconductor material. The findings open the way to further study of spin coherence in condensed matter systems.
Breast MR imaging.

Contrast-enhanced breast MR imaging has made significant progress since its introduction into the radiological literature in 1989. The techniques and technology continue to be refined, and understanding of the interpretation strategies has improved dramatically. Clinical applications in difficult diagnostic cases and the evaluation of the extent of breast cancer are now being practiced in many centers worldwide. There is great excitement over the potential for breast MR imaging to address the problem of screening high-risk women. Despite all of the progress made over the past years, however, there is still a significant amount of work ahead before a clear understanding of how this technique will affect the health care of women is obtained. This article discusses breast MR imaging techniques, interpretation strategies, and strategies for clinical implementation.
Homomultimeric complexes of CD22 in B cells revealed by protein-glycan cross-linking.

CD22 is a negative regulator of B-cell receptor signaling, an activity mediated by recruitment of SH2 domain–containing phosphatase 1 through a phosphorylated immunoreceptor tyrosine inhibitory motif in its cytoplasmic domain1. As in other members of the sialic acid–binding immunoglobulin-like lectin, or siglec, family, the extracellular N-terminal immunoglobulin domain of CD22 binds to glycan ligands containing sialic acid, which are highly expressed on B-cell glycoproteins2. B-cell glycoproteins bind to CD22 in cis and 'mask' the ligand-binding domain3, modulating its activity as a regulator of B-cell signaling4,5,6. To assess cell-surface cis ligand interactions, we developed a new method for in situ photoaffinity cross-linking of glycan ligands to CD22. Notably, CD45, surfaceIgM (sIgM) and other glycoproteins that bind to CD22 in vitro7,8 do not appear to be important cis ligands of CD22 in situ. Instead, CD22 seems to recognize glycans of neighboring CD22 molecules as cis ligands, forming homomultimeric complexes.
Rapid loss and partial recovery of neurofilament immunostaining following focal brain injury in mice.

Abstract Neurofilaments (NF), the intermediate filaments of the neuronal cytoskeleton, provide mechanical stability to the cell. High-molecular-weight NF (NFH) comprises a heavily phosphorylated carboxyl terminal (“sidearm”) domain which helps determine interfilament spacing distances. Experimental evidence suggests that dephosphorylation greatly increases the rate and extent of proteolysis of NFH. Because NF proteolysis has been implicated as one pathogenic mechanism underlying cell death following traumatic brain injury (TBI), we analyzed the patterns of acute NFH damage in relation to phosphorylation state following focal, concussive, controlled cortical impact (CCI) brain injury in mice. Brains from C57BL/6 male mice (n = 4 injured and n = 1 sham per time point) were evaluated 5 min, 15 min, 90 min, 4 h, and 24 h following CCI injury (1 mm depth, 5 m/s). Immunohistochemistry was performed using antibodies that recognize epitopes on either dephosphorylated (d-NFH) or phosphorylated (p-NFH) sidearms or on the core (c-NFH) domain. As early as 5–15 min postinjury, immunoreactivity for d-, p-, and c-NFH decreased in the ipsilateral cortex, and hippocampal CA3, CA1, and dentate areas. This marked decrease of NFH labeling occurred in the absence of notable cell loss. Furthermore, partial recovery of NFH labeling was observed as early as 90 min postinjury in the cortex and by 24 h postinjury in hippocampal CA3 and dentate. The results of this study suggest that both phosphorylated and dephosphorylated NFH are vulnerable almost immediately following focal brain injury in mice, but that injured neurons may have an adaptive capability to partially restore this important cytoskeletal protein.
Dietary inclusion of whole soy foods results in significant reductions in clinical risk factors for osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease in normal postmenopausal women.

AbstractObjectiveTo determine the effects of dietary inclusion of soy foods on clinical markers for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and osteoporosis in normal postmenopausal women.DesignThis was a single open-group prospective clinical intervention. Forty-two normal postmenopausal women consumed three
Acetylation and Nuclear Receptor Action

Acetylation is an essential post-translational modification featuring an acetyl group that is covalently conjugated to a protein substrate. Histone acetylation was first proposed nearly half a century ago by Dr. Vincent Allfrey. Subsequent studies have shown that the acetylated core histones are often associated with transcriptionally active chromatin. Acetylation at lysine residues of histone tails neutralizes the positive charge, which decreases their binding ability to DNA and increases the accessibility of transcription factors and coactivators to the chromatin template. In addition to histones, a number of non-histone substrates are acetylated. Acetylation of non-histone proteins governs biological processes, such as cellular proliferation and survival, transcriptional activity, and intracellular trafficking. We demonstrated that acetylation of transcription factors can regulate cellular growth. Furthermore, we showed that nuclear receptors (NRs) are acetylated at a phylogenetically conserved motif. Since our initial observations with the estrogen and androgen receptors, more than a dozen NRs have been shown to function as substrates for acetyltransferases with diverse functional consequences. This review focuses on the acetylation of NRs and the effect of acetylation on NR function. We discuss the potential role of acetylation in disease initiation and progression with an emphasis on tumorigenesis.
IMPORTANCE OF HIGHER ORDER CORRECTIONS TO THE EFFECTIVE CHARGE.

Abstract Rayleigh-Schrodinger perturbation theory through second order is applied to the problem of electromagnetic transitions in closed-shell-plus-one-nucleon nuclei. The concept of effective charge is introduced and its usefulness as a physical parameter is discussed. Effective charges relevant to quadrupole moments and E2 transitions in 17 O and 17 F are calculated in first and second order. The semi-realistic Kallio-Kolltveit interaction is used to evaluate two-body matrix elements. The Tamm-Dancoff and random phase approximations are also discussed, and results of effective charge calculations made in these approximations are presented. In a set of appendices, explicit formulas for the second-order corrections to the reduced matrix element which describes electromagnetic transitions between single-particle states are given (appendices 1 and 2). Also included in these appendices is a discussion of state dependent separation distances in the Kallio-Kolltveit interaction (appendix 3). In appendix 4, results of effective charge calculations carried out with Kuo-Brown two-body matrix elements are presented. Finally, in appendix 5, E2 effective charges relevant to the closed-shell-minus-one-nucleon nuclei 15 O, 15 N, 39 Ca and 39 K are given.
TEM investigation of irradiation damage in single crystal CeO2

Abstract In order to understand the evolution of radiation damage in oxide nuclear fuel, 150–1000 keV Kr ions were implanted into single crystal CeO 2 , as a simulation of fluorite ceramic UO 2 , while in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations were carried out. Two characteristic defect structures were investigated: dislocation/dislocation loops and nano-size gas bubbles. The growth behavior of defect clusters induced by 1 MeV Kr ions up to doses of 5 × 10 15 ions/cm 2 were followed at 600 °C and 800 °C. TEM micrographs clearly show the development of defect structures: nucleation of dislocation loops, transformation to extended dislocation lines, and the formation of tangled dislocation networks. The difference in dislocation growth rates at 600 °C and 800 °C revealed the important role which Ce–vacancies play in the loop formation process. Bubble formation, studied through 150 keV Kr implantations at room temperature and 600 °C, might be influenced by either the mobility of metal–vacancies correlated with at threshold temperature or the limitation of gas solubility as a function of temperature.
Impulse sensing with optical fiber interferometers

Abstract A method is proposed for using optical fiber interferometers to detect single energy impulses of very short time duration. The interferometer is used to measure the periodic strains induced in a mass that is shock-excited into mechanical oscillation by an energy impulse. This technique is demonstrated using an optical fiber ring resonator to measure the energy content of current pulses with durations in the microsecond range.
On the indistinguishability of classical particles

If no property of a system of many particles discriminates among the particles, they are said to be indistinguishable. This indistinguishability is equivalent to the requirement that the many-particle distribution function and all of the dynamic functions for the system be symmetric. The indistinguishability defined in terms of the discrete symmetry of many-particle functions cannot change in the continuous classical statistical limit in which the number density n and the reciprocal temperature β become small. Thus, microscopic particles like electrons must remain indistinguishable in the classical statistical limit although their behavior can be calculated as if they move following the classical laws of motion. In the classical mechanical limit in which quantum cells of volume (2πħ)3 are reduced to points in the phase space, the partition functionTr{exp(−βĤ) for N identical bosons (fermions) approaches (2πħ)−3N(N!) ∫ ... ∫ d3r1 d3p1 ... d3rN d3pNexp(−βH). The two factors, (2πħ)−3N and (N!)−1, which are often added in anad hoc manner in many books on statistical mechanics, are thus derived from the first principles. The criterion of the classical statistical approximation is that the thermal de Broglie wavelength be much shorter than the interparticle distance irrespective of any translation-invariant interparticle interaction. A new derivation of the Maxwell velocity distribution from Boltzmann's principle is given with the assumption of indistinguishable classical particles.
Metal binding peptide inhibitors of vertebrate collagenase.

Abstract A series of metal binding peptide analogues of the C-terminal sequence of collagen adjacent to its known site of cleavage by vertebrate collagenases has been synthesized by solid phase methods and tested as inhibitors both of collagenolysis and of hydrolysis of the model substrate DNP-Pro-Gln-Gly-Ile-Ala-Gly-Gln-D-Arg by tadpole backskin collagenase. The peptide analogue inhibitors have the general structure R-Ala-Gly-Gln-D-Arg-NH2. Using an HPLC assay system, I50 values of 70 μM, 50 μM and 10 μM were obtained for the three most potent inhibitors for which R = HSCH(CH2C6H5)CO-, HSCH2CH(NH2CO- and HSCH(CH2CH(CH3)2)CO-, respectively, when the above octapeptide was used as substrate. In contrast, an I50 value of 3 mM was found for cysteine under the same conditions. The mercaptophenylalanyl derivative was also highly effective in inhibiting collagen degradation. Using calf skin collagen as substrate, inhibition was obtained at concentrations of peptide analogue below 10 μM.
Motion of Particles in Film Flow

The effect of particle size (dp) to film thickness (ho) ratio on the motion of spherical particles in a stable liquid film flowing down an inclined flat surface is studied experimentally. Previously reported models that are based on force and torque balance are modified to predict the motion of particles that are smaller than film thickness. At low dp/ho values, particle velocity is observed to increase nearly linearly with particle size, reflecting the increasing influence of hydrodynamic drag as larger particles expose their surface to regions of higher fluid velocity. Good agreement between model predictions and experimental results is observed for small dp/ho ratios. When dp/ho is in the range of ∼0.7−1, particle velocities are observed to decrease rapidly with an increase in size. This may be attributed to the effect of the proximity of the free interface to the particle surface and also the deformation of the free surface induced by the moving particle. When dp/ho is in the approximate range of 1−1....