cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pharmacotherapy for Treatment and Prevention of Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

Proliferative diabetic retinopathy poses a major public health burden with panretinal photocoagulation the only standard of care. Given the recent studies demonstrating the effectiveness of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy for treating diabetic macular edema, pharmacotherapy may also be useful for prevention and treatment of proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Anti-VEGF therapy shows the greatest promise with its ability to delay retinopathy progression and even lead to improvements in disease severity. Furthermore, it may be useful for inducing regression of retinal and iris neovascularization. Corticosteroids, tetracyclines, and ocriplasmin are other treatments that have been considered. Additional randomized controlled trials are needed to support routine use of pharmacotherapy for specific indications in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
Morphologic evidence for spatially clustered spines in apical dendrites of monkey neocortical pyramidal cells.

The general organization of neocortical connectivity in rhesus monkey is relatively well understood. However, mounting evidence points to an organizing principle that involves clustered synapses at the level of individual dendrites. Several synaptic plasticity studies have reported cooperative interaction between neighboring synapses on a given dendritic branch, which may potentially induce synapse clusters. Additionally, theoretical models have predicted that such cooperativity is advantageous, in that it greatly enhances a neuron’s computational repertoire. However, largely because of the lack of sufficient morphologic data, the existence of clustered synapses in neurons on a global scale has never been established. The majority of excitatory synapses are found within dendritic spines. In this study, we demonstrate that spine clusters do exist on pyramidal neurons by analyzing the three-dimensional locations of ~40,000 spines on 280 apical dendritic branches in layer III of the rhesus monkey prefrontal cortex. By using clustering algorithms and Monte Carlo simulations, we quantify the probability that the observed extent of clustering does not occur randomly. This provides a measure that tests for spine clustering on a global scale, whenever high-resolution morphologic data are available. Here we demonstrate that spine clusters occur significantly more frequently than expected by pure chance and that spine clustering is concentrated in apical terminal branches. These findings indicate that spine clustering is driven by systematic biological processes. We also found that mushroom-shaped and stubby spines are predominant in clusters on dendritic segments that display prolific clustering, independently supporting a causal link between spine morphology and synaptic clustering.
CTGF A Tubular Twist on an Old Theme

See related article, pp 738–745 The study published in this issue of Hypertension by Wang et al1 provides an interesting and significant new twist on the old theme of tubular glomerular feedback (TGF). It deals with an important fundamental physiological process that seems to go wrong in some forms of hypertension and is, therefore, of clinical relevance. Mechanisms that regulate glomerular filtration rate, renal blood flow, and tubular transport mechanisms are the basis for understanding Na+ and water homeostasis and the long-term control of blood pressure.2 The driving force for glomerular filtration rate is capillary hydrostatic pressure that, in turn, is controlled by the balance of afferent arterial (Af-Art) resistance to blood flow entering the glomeruli and the efferent arteriole resistance to blood flow exiting the glomeruli. It is important to protect the glomerulus from exposure to chronic elevations of capillary pressure and alterations of glomerular function that can lead to sclerosis. This is accomplished by 2 well understood mechanisms: the myogenic response and TGF.3 The myogenic response occurs as a consequence of increased intravascular pressure and wall tension resulting in Af-Art constriction. TGF is driven by changes in the delivery of fluid to the macula densa which senses the NaCl load. The macula densa lies between the end of the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle and the early distal convoluted tubule where the nephron runs between the angle formed by the Af-Art and the efferent arteriole adjacent to the glomerulus of the same nephron. The stimulus received at the macula densa is transmitted to the Af-Art of the same nephron causing vasoconstriction …
Integration of a Monolithic Buck Converter Power IC and Bondwire Inductors With Ferrite Epoxy Glob Cores

In this letter, we report a concept of integrating a monolithic buck converter power IC with in-package bondwire inductors. The power IC containing all switching devices, driver circuitry, and control logic was designed and fabricated with a standard 0.5-μm CMOS process. Mutliturn bondwires with and without ferrite epoxy glob cores are used as the filter inductor in the buck converter. A prototype system-in-package converter with an output voltage and current of 2.5 V and 120 mA was built to operate at frequencies up to 5 MHz. The power level of the prototype buck converter is scalable by increasing the size of the active power switches.
Recovery from impaired dark adaptation in nightblind pregnant Nepali women who receive small daily doses of vitamin A as amaranth leaves, carrots, goat liver, vitamin A–fortified rice, or retinyl palmitate

Background:Itisnotknownwhetherdailyconsumptionofvitamin A–containing foods is efficacious for treating nightblindness. Objective: We assessed the effect of supplementation with vitamin A from food or synthetic sources on dark adaptation and plasma retinol concentrations in nightblind pregnant Nepali women. Design:Nightblindpregnantwomenwererandomlyassignedto1of 6 treatment groups to receive 6 d/wk for 6 wk either 850 g retinol equivalents/d as retinyl palmitate, vitamin A–fortified rice, goat liver,amaranthleaves,orcarrotsor2000gretinolequivalents/das retinylpalmitate.Darkadaptationwasassessedweeklybyusingthe pupillary threshold (PT) test; plasma retinol concentrations were measured before and after the intervention. These outcomes were also assessed in a comparison group of nonnightblind pregnant women. Results: In the nightblind women, the mean PT improved significantly(P0.0001)from0.710.04to1.420.02logcd/m 2 , and the final mean PT did not differ significantly from that in the nonnightblind women (1.43 0.04; P 0.55). Improvement in dark adaptation was greater in the liver group than in the vitamin A–fortified rice group (P 0.02). Plasma retinol concentrations increasedsignificantly(P0.0001)from0.950.05to1.070.05 mol/L. The plasma retinol response was greater in the higher-dose capsule and liver groups than in the vegetable groups and significantly greater in the liver group than in the vitamin A–fortified rice group (both: P 0.05). Conclusion: Improvement in dark adaptation did not differ significantly between women who received vitamin A as liver, amaranth leaves, carrots, or retinyl palmitate. Am J Clin Nutr 2005;81: 461–71.
Fast Mean‐Curvature Flow via Finite‐Elements Tracking

In this paper, we present a novel approach for efficiently evolving meshes using mean-curvature flow. We use a finite-elements hierarchy that supports an efficient multigrid solver for performing the semi-implicit time-stepping. Although expensive to compute, we show that it is possible to track this hierarchy through the process of surface evolution. As a result, we provide a way to efficiently flow the surface through the evolution, without requiring a costly initialization at the beginning of each time-step. Using our approach, we demonstrate a factor of nearly seven-fold improvement over the non-tracking implementation, supporting the evolution of surfaces consisting of 1M triangles at a rate of just a few seconds per update.
Blackwell optimality in Markov decision processes with a Borel state space

We prove the existence of stationary Blackwell optimal policies in Markov decision processes with a Borel state space, compact action sets and bounded, continuous in action transition densities and rewards. A simultaneous Doeblin-type condition in terms of transition densities is assumed.
Carboxylate-derived calixarenes with high selectivity for actinium-225

The binding properties of two ligands, 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,26,27,28-tetrakis(carboxymethoxy)calix[4]arene 1 and 5,11,17,23,29,35-hexa-tert-butyl-37,38,39,40,41,42- hexakiscarboxymethoxy)calix[6]arene 2, which show high selectivity for 225Ac3+ (an α-emitter with t1/2 = 10 days) over Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+ and Zn2+ are described.
Tuberculosis triggers a tissue-dependent program of differentiation and acquisition of effector functions by circulating monocytes.

The origin and function of the different myeloid cell subsets that appear in the lung during pulmonary tuberculosis are unknown. Herein we show that adoptively transferred monocytes give rise to many of the macrophage and dendritic cell (DC) subsets that appear following aerosol infection with virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Monocyte differentiation in infected peripheral tissue is surprisingly heterogeneous and results in the formation of five distinct myeloid subsets, including both classically activated macrophages, that produce inducible NO synthase via an IFN-γ-dependent mechanism, and DC. In contrast, monocytes recruited to draining pulmonary lymph nodes are functionally different and acquire a mature DC phenotype. Thus, while monocytes are recruited to the lungs of uninfected mice, their differentiation and acquisition of myeloid effector functions are dramatically altered in the presence of inflammation and bacteria and are dependent on tissue localization. Therefore, our results support a model in which recruited monocytes are well poised to influence multiple aspects of host immunity to infections in the lungs. This report provides the first direct evidence for monocyte differentiation into both the macrophage and DC lineages in vivo following infection with a live human pathogen.
Microwave assisted synthesis of CdSe nanocrystals for straightforward integration into composite photovoltaic devices

A preparative route for a nanocrystalline CdSe/polymer nanocomposite that is easily integrated into photovoltaic device fabrication has been developed. Microwave assisted synthesis is used to initiate the reaction of relatively safe, inexpensive and air stable precursors. Particles size may be varied from 20 A to 60 A in diameter. The CdSe nanocrystals show near band-edge photoemission, are crystalline and may be incorporated into a poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-2,7-diyl-alt-9-octylcarbazole-3,6-diyl) copolymer. This polymer/CdSe composite can be directly cast, without complicated work-up, for the preparation of photovoltaic devices.
Vision sensing for intelligent vehicle and highway systems

The complexity and congestion of current transportation systems often produce traffic situations that jeopardize the safety of the people involved. These situations vary from maintaining a safe distance behind a leading vehicle to safely allowing a pedestrian to cross a busy street. Environmental sensing plays a critical role in virtually all of these situations. Of the sensors available, vision sensors provide information that is richer and more complete than other sensors, making them a logical choice for a multisensor transportation system. In this paper we present robust techniques for intelligent vehicle and highway applications where computer vision plays a crucial role. In particular, we demonstrate that the controlled active vision framework can be utilized to provide a visual sensing modality to a traffic advisory system in order to increase the overall safety margin in a variety of common traffic situations. We have selected two application examples, vehicle tracking and pedestrian tracking, to demonstrate that the framework can provide precisely the type of information required to effectively manage the given situation. >
The Metric Quality of Ordered Categorical Data

We quantify the information loss incurred by categorizing an unobserved continuous variable X into an ordered categorical scale Z. The continuous variable is conceptualized as true score τ which varies across individuals plus random error e, with both components assumed to be normally distributed. The index of metric quality is operationalized as r2Z, τ/r2X, τ, where r2, the squared correlation coefficient, is a descriptive measure of the power of X or Z to predict τ. The index is useful in defining limits on explanatory power population R2 in multiple regression models in which an ordered categorical variable is regressed against a set of predictors. The index can also be used to correct correlations for the effects of ordered categorical measurement. The index of metric quality is extended to the case when several ordered categorical scales are averaged as in the multi-item measurement of a construct. We prove theoretically that as long as the error variance is “large,” the index of metric quality for the average ZI of ordered categorical scales goes to 1 as the number of scales becomes “large.” The index for averaged data is useful in answering questions such as whether the measurement of a construct by averaging three 5-point scales is better or worse than the measurement obtained by averaging five 3-point scales. The results indicate that the loss of information by marketing researchers' ad hoc use of Z as opposed to the more refined X is small <10% when the Z scale is well designed with at least five categories. The loss would be even smaller when a multi-item based ZI is employed.
Historical use of x-rays: Treatment of inner ear infections and prevention of deafness

Purpose: This article provides an historical assessment of the role of radiotherapy in the treatment of inner ear infections.Materials and methods: The research utilized a literature-based evaluation of the use of x-rays during the first half of the 20th century on the treatment of otitis media (OM), mastoiditis, and cervical adenitis and their impact on the occurrence of deafness.Results: X-Rays were consistently found to be effective as a treatment modality at relatively low doses, in the range of 10–20% of the skin erythema dose, rapidly reducing inflammation, and accelerating the healing process. The mechanistic basis of the clinical successes, while addressed by contemporary researchers, is evaluated in the present article in light of current molecular biology advances, which indicate that clinically effective low doses of ionizing radiation act via the creation of an anti-inflammatory phenotype in highly inflamed tissue.Conclusions: X-Ray treatment of OM, mastoiditis, and cervical adenitis was widel...
A Leakage Leads to Failure. Roles of Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Ca2+ Leak via RyR2 in Heart Failure Progression

Cytosolic-free calcium (Ca2+) is a multifunctional intracellular messenger that regulates many different cellular processes in cardiac myocytes.1 A transient rise in intracellular free Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) during excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling is required for initiating contraction of cardiac muscle. Membrane depolarization activates voltage-gated L-type Ca2+ channels within the transverse tubules (invaginations of the sarcolemma), and extracellular Ca2+ enters cardiac myocytes. The increased [Ca2+]i in the junctional space between transverse tubules and the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) triggers the Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release from the SR via ryanodine receptor (RyR2)/intracellular Ca2+ release channels. The resultant transient rise in global [Ca2+]i activates the myofilaments to produce cardiac contraction. Myocyte relaxation occurs when [Ca2+]i levels decline quickly through transport by the Ca2+ recycling proteins, such as SR Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA), which pumps Ca2+ back into SR, and the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, which extrudes Ca2+ out of myocytes.1 In addition to its pivotal role in cardiac E-C coupling, [Ca2+]i is also a critical regulator of multiple signaling transduction pathways, including activation of protein kinases or protein phosphatases and modulation of gene transcription and expression (Figure).2 Figure. Remodeling of the Ca2+-dependent signalosome during cardiac hypertrophy and HF. Under conditions of persistent pathological stress on the heart, SR Ca2+ content is reduced and [Ca2+]i is increased. Both reduced Ca2+ pumping by SERCA and increased SR Ca2+ leak via RyR2 may be responsible for the reduced SR Ca2+ content and increased [Ca2+]i.3 Other possible sources of the hypertrophy-associated increase in [Ca2+]i may be from increases in influx of extracellular Ca …
Human and Asinine Postures in Apuleius’ Golden Ass

This article examines the ways in which Apuleius’ Metamorphoses thematizes the contrast between the prone posture of the ass and the upright posture of the human. A long philosophical tradition, starting with Plato and Xenophon, argued that the human body was especially constructed for celestial contemplation, while the quadruped body was more suited for baser activities such as eating and sex. Physical posture thus becomes another way for Apuleius to emphasize the “unphilosophical” nature of Lucius-as-ass. Moreover, in Book 11, numerous references to celestial contemplation give the theme an ironic climax, as further hints that the conversion to Isis is not the final transformation encouraged by this novel, but merely another stage on the road to further insight.
Seasonal Distribution and Life Cycles of Ephemeroptera

The seasonal distribution and life cycles are recorded for relatively few species of mayflies occurring in lakes. Such knowledge is limited primarily to species of the genera Hexagenia and Ephemera (Neave 1932; Spieth 1936; Berner, 1950). The present paper presents data on seasonal distribution and life cycles of 22 species obtained during a four-season ecological study of mayflies of Douglas Lake, Cheboygan County, Michigan.
Der neue VW Constellation

Im September 2005 prasentierte Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge seine neue Lkw-Baureihe Constellation in Rio de Janeiro erstmals der Offentlichkeit. Die drei vorgestellten Modelle 17.250, 24.250 und 19.320 sind die Anlaufvarianten fur eine komplett neue Fahrzeugfamilie, die das Angebot schwerer Nutzfahrzeuge fur die sudliche Hemisphare nach oben abrundet.
Sedation of infants and children outside of the operating room.

Purpose of review Although adults may be able to tolerate procedures without sedation, developmental and cognitive issues often mandate the use of sedation in infants and children. Recent findings There has been a shift in the philosophy regarding sedation with an increasing recognition of the negative psychological and physiological aspects of inadequate sedation. The expansion of our technology continues to result in an increasing number of techniques, which require sedation outside of the operating room environment. These factors have contributed to an ever growing number of pediatric patients presenting themselves for procedural sedation. Summary This chapter will discuss issues regarding the provision of anesthesia outside of the operating room for pediatric patients including current guidelines for patient assessment prior to procedural, monitoring during sedation, and a discussion of some of the more commonly utilized sedative and analgesic agents within the pediatric population.
Dissolution of Uric Acid Calculi with Systemic Alkalization

AbstractWe treated 14 patients with uric acid calculi in the renal pelvis and calices (10) or ureter (4) with constant intravenous infusion of a one-sixth molar lactate solution. Dissolution was successful in all but 2 cases. The success of therapy is believed to be related to the sustained urinary alkalization obtained with intravenous infusion compared to the intermittent alkalization that occurs when oral agents are used.
A Hyperbolic Cosine Unfolding Model for Evaluating Rater Accuracy in Writing Assessments

Probabilistic unfolding models have been used for attitude measurement (Andrich in Applied Psychological Measurement 12(1):33–51, 1988, Applied Psychological Measurement 19(3):269–290, 1995; Luo in Journal of Mathematical Psychology 42(4):400–417, 1998, Journal of Mathematical Psychology 45(2):224–248, 2001; Roberts et al. in Applied Psychological Measurement 20:231–255, 1996; Applied Psychological Measurement 26(2):192–207, 2002), but they also hold great promise for evaluating rater accuracy. In this study, rater accuracy is viewed as a latent trait of raters that is affected by the essay characteristics. By applying unfolding models to the accuracy data, the directionality of inaccuracy can be differentiated. The results of this study indicated that unfolding models provide useful indices for evaluating rater accuracy.
Thermal raman and IR measurement of heterogeneous integration stacks

Thermal management and planning is important for heterogeneous integration due to the introduction of a complex thermal path. Thermal measurement of operating devices provides necessary data points for future design as well as validation of models. In this paper, two methods for measuring thermal performance of DAHI (Diverse Accessible Heterogeneous Integration) GaN HEMTs are presented and contrasted: IR microscopy and micro Raman spectroscopy. The QFI IR system uses a per-pixel material emissivity flat temperature calibration when the device is in an off-state, and then calculates operating temperatures by CCD exposure. Two separate QFI systems with differing CCD resolutions were used to collect thermal data and are compared. Raman Thermometry by contrast, is a laser point measurement of the frequency shift in scattered photons due to phonon vibrational modes whose frequencies are temperature dependent. Differences in measurements between the two methods arising from the stack of materials used in the DAHI process and their transparency are discussed. A method for measuring the surface temperature of the devices through Raman by the use of TiO2 nanoparticles is also presented in conjunction with a profile of the HEMT. Measurements are presented alongside thermal simulation results using prototype software Mentor GraphicsTM Calibre®.
Contributions of Dr. Louis "Pepper" Dehner to the art of cutaneous pathology, the first pediatric dermatopathologist.

Abstract Dr. Louis “Pepper” Dehner has been one of the most influential surgical pathologists of the last century. Authoring more than 450 publications, he is the premier modern pediatric pathologist. Perhaps, an area that he is less recognized and in which we would like to describe his contributions, is his role as a creator of the art of pediatric dermatopathology. Dr. Dehner has had at least 50 major publications describing, discovering, and orienting the discipline in the fields of fibrohistiocytic disorders of childhood, vascular tumors, and histiocytosis among many others. Dr. Dehner has clearly manifested that while many similarities between adult and pediatric surgical pathology exist, “children get different diseases.” It is because of his mindful analysis and translation of the clinico-pathologic and biologic correlative between specific entities and advances in the field he has made that we are honored to describe some of his contributions to this particular area.
Seizure Outcome after Hemispherectomy

MRI features of hemispheric malformations of cortical development (MCD) were correlated with post-hemispherectomy seizure outcome in 13 children treated at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH.
Novel use of an ultrasonic bone aspirator for extended endoscopic frontal sinusotomy: A feasibility study.

INTRODUCTION Extended endoscopic frontal sinusotomy is often required for surgical management of anterior skull base pathology. Such approaches are necessary for access to pathology and maintenance of postoperative frontal sinus outflow tract drainage. Cold steel instrumentation and endoscopic high-speed microdrills are typically used for bony removal during extended frontal sinus approaches but are associated with certain drawbacks, such as thermal injury and obscuration of the surgical field with bone dust. OBJECTIVE We investigated the ultrasonic bone aspirator (UBA) as an adjunctive tool for extended endoscopic frontal sinusotomy in the setting of skull base surgery. METHODS Medical records of patients who underwent either Draf IIB or Draf III sinusotomies from 2011 to 2014 were reviewed. The patients were split into two cohorts based on instrumentation: those who received sinusotomy primarily with the UBA, and those who had sinusotomy performed with conventional instrumentation only. The patients were followed up after surgery with routine endoscopic examinations and imaging when indicated. Patient demographics, surgical approach, operative complications, and postoperative outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS A total of 18 patients underwent endoscopic extended frontal sinusotomy for a variety of skull base pathologies with the UBA and the conventional instrumentation cohorts, which contained nine patients each. Five of the nine patients in the UBA cohort received Draf III sinusotomies compared with three of nine in the conventional cohort. Three patients in the UBA cohort experienced postoperative transient pressure hyperemia of the lip; this was seen in a single patient in the conventional cohort. All patients with postoperative endoscopic examinations maintained frontal sinus ostial patency to varying degrees, irrespective of cohort. Lund-Mackay scores and the need for operative revision of the frontal sinus were similar for both groups and seemed to be related to the use of postoperative radiation. CONCLUSION The UBA was a safe, effective tool for extended endoscopic frontal sinusotomy in endoscopic skull base surgery.
Students' perceptions of their information literacy skills: the confidence gap between male and female international graduate students

Abstract In the 2015 Summer Session I, the information literacy team combined two instruments, the Information Literacy Assessment (ILA) and the Students' Perceptions of Their Information Literacy Skills Questionnaire (SPIL-Q), into one survey and distributed it to the college's international graduate students through a Google Form. It was distributed to 932 international graduate students, and 172 valid respondents completed the survey. The purpose of this research was to compare the confidence gap in information literacy skills between men and women, particularly in international graduate students. Data collected illustrated that female international business students (n = 70) tended to be slightly more confident than their male counterparts (n = 102) regarding their perceived information literacy skills as evidenced by their SPIL-Q average score across all six IL topics, 3.78, vs. male student's average score of 3.58.
Joint Aspiration and Injection

Access to joints for injection and aspiration is useful for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Indications include: 1. Collecting synovial fluid to test for bacteria, elevated nucleated cells, or crystals 2. Irrigating a suspected septic joint in order to mitigate the damage to cartilage before a formal irrigation and debridement can be performed 3. Injecting sterile isotonic fluid in order to evaluate for a traumatic arthrotomy (open joint) 4. Injecting local anesthetic to provide pain control and allow for an easier exam
Hec1 Tail Phosphorylation Differentially Regulates Mammalian Kinetochore Coupling to Polymerizing and Depolymerizing Microtubules

Summary The kinetochore links chromosomes to dynamic spindle microtubules and drives both chromosome congression and segregation. To do so, the kinetochore must hold on to depolymerizing and polymerizing microtubules. At metaphase, one sister kinetochore couples to depolymerizing microtubules, pulling its sister along polymerizing microtubules [1, 2]. Distinct kinetochore-microtubule interfaces mediate these behaviors: active interfaces transduce microtubule depolymerization into mechanical work, and passive interfaces generate friction as the kinetochore moves along microtubules [3, 4]. Despite a growing understanding of the molecular components that mediate kinetochore binding [5–7], we do not know how kinetochores physically interact with polymerizing versus depolymerizing microtubule bundles, and whether they use the same mechanisms and regulation to do so. To address this question, we focus on the mechanical role of the essential load-bearing protein Hec1 [8–11] in mammalian cells. Hec1's affinity for microtubules is regulated by Aurora B phosphorylation on its N-terminal tail [12–15], but its role at the interface with polymerizing versus depolymerizing microtubules remains unclear. Here we use laser ablation to trigger cellular pulling on mutant kinetochores and decouple sisters in vivo, and thereby separately probe Hec1's role on polymerizing versus depolymerizing microtubules. We show that Hec1 tail phosphorylation tunes friction along polymerizing microtubules and yet does not compromise the kinetochore's ability to grip depolymerizing microtubules. Together, the data suggest that kinetochore regulation has differential effects on engagement with growing and shrinking microtubules. Through this mechanism, the kinetochore can modulate its grip on microtubules over mitosis and yet retain its ability to couple to microtubules powering chromosome movement.
Interactional dynamics of same-sex marriage legislation in the United States

Understanding how people form opinions and make decisions is a complex phenomenon that depends on both personal practices and interactions. Recent availability of real-world data has enabled quantitative analysis of opinion formation, which illuminates phenomena that impact physical and social sciences. Public policies exemplify complex opinion formation spanning individual and population scales, and a timely example is the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States. Here, we seek to understand how this issue captures the relationship between state-laws and Senate representatives subject to geographical and ideological factors. Using distance-based correlations, we study how physical proximity and state-government ideology may be used to extract patterns in state-law adoption and senatorial support of same-sex marriage. Results demonstrate that proximal states have similar opinion dynamics in both state-laws and senators’ opinions, and states with similar state-government ideology have analogous senators’ opinions. Moreover, senators’ opinions drive state-laws with a time lag. Thus, change in opinion not only results from negotiations among individuals, but also reflects inherent spatial and political similarities and temporal delays. We build a social impact model of state-law adoption in light of these results, which predicts the evolution of state-laws legalizing same-sex marriage over the last three decades.
Can bioethics live without tradition and history? How Fritz Jahr translated the 5th Commandment into the present and future. A methodological and conceptual case study.

It is an empirical fact that research and education in modern applied ethics, including bioethics, rarely do include a critical dialogue with philosophical or moral traditions. It is argued that such an attitude, which follows the methods of empirical sciences, is defi cient and inappropriate for the humanities. Th is paper demonstrates, how Fritz Jahr uses the 5th Commandment of the Jewish-Christian tradition to discuss most modern actual issues in a pluralistic postmodern society.
EXAFS Study of the Structure of Molten CuCl

The structure of molten CuCl is anomalous when compared with that of the molten alkali halides in the Cu-Cl radial distribution function (RDF) is quite sharp and (ii) no peak in the Cu-Cu RDF is observed. This structural information has been obtained using neutron diffraction (1) and the isotopic substitution technique (2). In a single diffraction experiment, the scattered intensity depends on all the pair distribution functions. For a molten binary salt, there are three such functions which can be determined by three independent diffraction measurements. These are performed on three samples having different isotopic abundances of one or more of the constituent nuclei and thereby different neutron scattering lengths. The resulting diffraction spectra can then be solved for the three individual pair distribution functions.
Emerging value of multigene panels for germline testing in patients with neuroendocrine tumors.

226Background: Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are known to be associated with hereditary syndromes stemming from MEN1, VHL, SDH or TSC mutations. Recent data suggest that additional germline mutation...
Groundwater Modeling and Governance: Contesting and Building (Sub)Surface Worlds in Colorado’s Northern San Juan Basin

As groundwater use has surged globally and computing power has grown, groundwater modeling has become a regular feature of subsurface-oriented governance. Our improved ability to “see” underground with models has not, however, generated epistemic consensus on the inner workings of subsurface systems. Here, I ask how and why that is the case. I pursue this line of inquiry in the context of groundwater governance in the American West. Specifically, I trace a decade of groundwater modeling at the heart of a protracted and legally influential groundwater dispute in the state of Colorado to show how models served as mathematical spaces for competing subsurface stakeholders to test and contest opposing visions of groundwater flows, rights, and responsibilities. Drawing from the Science & Technology Studies literature on global climate modeling, I argue that groundwater models are more than simulations of subsurface systems; they are tools of “world building” that embed, enact, and also circumscribe subsurface politics.
On Microwave Experiments in Dielectric Media to Simulate Nuclear Volumetric Heating

The use of microwave experiments in normal fluids is proposed for the approximation of the volumetric heating distribution in cryogenic flow of radiation-heated deuterium in the advanced neutron source (ANS) cold neutron source (CNS) planned for construction at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The potential of such experiments is investigated by solving Maxwell's equations for microwave propgation and absorption in several noncryogenic model fluids. Included are an analytical Mie series solution for an idealized ANS CNS geometry and a solution in a more complex and realistic geometry by the computational finite difference time domain (FDTD) technique. Though data and anecdotal evidence suggest difficulty with specifying a given volumetric heating distribution in a boiling liquid in a microwave cavity, the computational results suggest that CNS-like heating distributions can be obtained by using microwave irradiation. Two aspects of microwave heating are examined. The first is scale dependence of heating across various fluid particle sizes in a potentially complex multiphase flow, and the second is detailed heating distribution across a realistic three-dimensional ANS CNS geometry. By using a Mie series solution in spherical geometries to indicate dependence of microwave heating on fluid particle size for flow scales relevant to ANS CNS flows, several fluids, including n-propanol and n-butanol, are found to show < 20% variation in heating on scales from 0.01 down to 10 -7 m. By using FDTD computations, the expected ANS heating distribution in liquid deuterium is compared with heating distribution under microwave irradiation for several different model fluids. Good qualitative agreement is found between expected ANS heating distribution and microwave heating in the n-propanol and n-butanol fluids including the heating asymmetry expected in ANS CNS flows. By using this simulated heating distribution, volume-heated flow can be investigated. Expected results from such an investigation include flow regime determination, effects of nucleation phenomena, and other physical characteristics such as heating distribution, container shape, and fluid properties
Predation on Lemurs in the Rainforest of Madagascar by Multiple Predator Species: Observations and Experiments

Predation by raptors, snakes, and carnivores is a constant risk for most wild primates (Cheney & Seyfarth, 1981; Anderson, 1986; Cheney & Wrangham, 1987; Janson & van Schaik, 1993; Cowlishaw, 1994; Isbell, 1994; Hill & Dunbar, 1998; Treves, 1999; Bearder et al., 2002; Gursky, 2002a, b; Shultz & Noe, 2002). In Madagascar, the problem may be especially severe since prosimians are the largest, most abundant and conspicuous mammals in the forest (Wright, 1998). Lemur behavior may be strongly influenced in its avoiding predation by stealthy predators, such as Henst’s goshawk (Accipiter henstii), the fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox), or the Madagascar boa constrictor (Boa manditra) (Sauther, 1989; Goodman et al., 1993a; Gould, 1996; Wright, 1998; Karpanty & Goodman, 1999; Karpanty & Grella, 2001; Fichtel & Kappeler, 2002; Goodman, 2004). Most studies of predator and prey concentrate on one taxon of predator, such as hawks or leopards (Isbell, 1990; Peres, 1990; Struhsaker & Leakey, 1990, Boesch, 1991; Shultz, 2001, 2002), while the forest reality is that an animal avoids several distinct predators simultaneously. This is certainly true in Madagascar, where day-hunting hawks and eagles hunt both sleeping nocturnal and active diurnal lemurs, and fossas and boas hunt day and night (Wright, 1998; Karpanty, 2006). Therefore, ability to develop foraging and resting strategy for risk avoidance might be a major factor in primate sociality (Janson & van Schaik, 1993; Janson & Goldsmith, 1995; Stanford, 1995).
Organizational Predictability, the School Principal, and Achievement

In this chapter, we reintroduce the concept of cooperation by examining the utility of a latent variable (organizational predictability) and its consequences for academic performance of public schools. The theoretical and empirical dilemma of whether trust and/or control are the sources of cooperation and predictability in school organizations is examined. The argument is made that the work tasks of education are complex; that is, they elude routinization and require cooperation of critical role groups. These conditions constrain the leadership approaches that can be taken to build cooperative school environments with predictable performance. A latent variable “organizational predictability” is derived from enabling formalization, enabling centralization and teacher trust for the principal. The latent variable had an indirect effect on school performance, operating through instructional capacity.
Contemporary treatment for thymic malignancies: what’s the bottom line?

The recent manuscript by Ruffini et al . entitled “Optimal surgical approach to thymic malignancies: new trends challenging old dogmas” highlights important points and principles regarding the appropriate surgical management of thymic masses (1).
Patchy Particle Model of the Hierarchical Self-Assembly of π-Conjugated Optoelectronic Peptides

Self-assembling peptides containing aromatic groups are an attractive target for bioelectronic materials design because of their ease of manufacture, biocompatibility, aqueous solubility, and chemical tunability. Microscopic understanding of the properties that control assembly is a prerequisite for rational design. In this work, we study the assembly of a family of DXXX−Π–XXXD oligopeptides possessing a π-conjugated core flanked by Asp-terminated tetrapeptide wings that display pH-triggered assembly into supramolecular aggregates. We develop a coarse-grained patchy particle model to conduct molecular dynamics simulations of the assembly of ten thousand oligopeptides over hundreds of nanometers and hundreds of microseconds. We study the effects of core and side chain interaction strength and side chain steric volume upon the morphology and kinetics of assembly. By characterizing the rate and fractal dimension of hierarchical nanoaggregate growth, we identify parameter regimes that favor rapid assembly of ...
Training a Neural Network on Analog TaO x ReRAM Devices Irradiated With Heavy Ions: Effects on Classification Accuracy Demonstrated With CrossSim

The image classification accuracy of a TaO x ReRAM-based neuromorphic computing accelerator is evaluated after intentionally inducing a displacement damage up to a fluence of 1014 2.5-MeV Si ions/cm2 on the analog devices that are used to store weights. Results are consistent with a radiation-induced oxygen vacancy production mechanism. When the device is in the high-resistance state during heavy ion radiation, the device resistance, linearity, and accuracy after training are only affected by high fluence levels. The findings in this paper are in accordance with the results of previous studies on TaO x -based digital resistive random access memory. When the device is in the low-resistance state during irradiation, no resistance change was detected, but devices with a 4- $\text{k}\Omega $ inline resistor did show a reduction in accuracy after training at 1014 2.5-MeV Si ions/cm2. This indicates that changes in resistance can only be somewhat correlated with changes to devices’ analog properties. This paper demonstrates that TaO x devices are radiation tolerant not only for high radiation environment digital memory applications but also when operated in an analog mode suitable for neuromorphic computation and training on new data sets.
Building Concept Images of Fundamental Ideas in Statistics: The Role of Technology

Having a coherent mental structure for a concept is necessary for students to make sense of and use the concept in appropriate and meaningful ways. Dynamically linked documents based on TI© Nspire technology can provide students with opportunities to build such mental structures by taking meaningful statistical actions, identifying the consequences, and reflecting on those consequences, with appropriate instructional guidance. The collection of carefully sequenced documents is based on research about student misconceptions and challenges in learning statistics. Initial analysis of data from preservice elementary teachers in an introductory statistics course highlights their progress in using the documents to cope with variability in a variety of contextual situations.
Practical Regional Anesthesia Guide for Elderly Patients

Ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia is an important part of the practice of anesthesia for the elderly population, the growth of which will continue to outpace that of the younger population due to improvements in lifespan worldwide. The elderly patient is uniquely vulnerable to the effects of systemic anesthetic drugs, and our understanding of the potential toxicities that general anesthetics can have on the elderly brain and body continues to evolve. Aging impacts both the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of sedative medications and local anesthetics. Alongside the physiologic aging process often comes a myriad of pathologic co-morbidities that can accumulate with age, and result in a great variability of physiologic reserve. This variability in overall functional status is described by a newer concept termed 'frailty,' which is used to evaluate and risk-stratify elderly patients perioperatively. The choice for regional anesthesia is based on a combination of factors such as duration of surgery, pre-existing patient risk factors, and the skill and technique of the anesthesiologist. The utilization of preoperative and intraoperative sedation is now recognized as a key component in maximizing the safety and success rate of regional anesthesia. Excellent pain management with minimal to no sedation during the operation may have benefits that extend far beyond the immediate perioperative setting. Regional anesthesia is increasingly integrated as an important part of multimodal enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols, which aim to decrease the cost, enhance safety, and improve the patient's subjective experience during and after hospitalization. Ultrasound-guided techniques, recently developed regional blocks, medications for sedation, and local anesthetics are reviewed in this article.
Wireless LAN transmitter location under the threat of jamming attacks

Abstract This paper studies the optimal placement of wireless access points in a network under the threat of jamming. We addressed this problem with a tri-level mixed-integer program. In the top level, the defender seeks to optimally place a set of capacity-limited access points to maximize total connectivity. In the middle level, an attacker seeks to optimally place a set of jammers that may be relocated between time periods to minimize total connectivity. In the bottom level, demand points seek to connect to capacitated access points such that their connections maximize their network utility. This model was examined from two viewpoints: a non-additive model in which connections were jammed if they fell within a jammer’s radius, and an additive model in which connections were jammed if enough jamming power was interfering with the connection. We proposed a solution methodology which solved a modified bi-level program efficiently via implicit enumeration and dynamic constraint generation. We showed that the addition of just one access point provided a significant increase to network connectivity, different topologies had different robustness when different utility functions were considered, and optimal jammer placement varied significantly across different topologies. Through our experiments on five topologies, we found the Spacious and Median topologies were closest to the optimal access point placement.
3D printing for lab-on-a-chip devices with 20 μm channels

While there is great interest in 3D printing for microfluidic device fabrication, the challenge has been to achieve feature sizes that are in the truly microfluidic regime (<100 μm). The fundamental problem is that commercial tools and materials, which excel in many other application areas, have not been developed to address the unique needs of microfluidic device fabrication. Consequently, we have created our own stereolithographic 3D printer and materials that are specifically tailored to meet these needs. We review our recent work and show that flow channels as small as 18 µm x 20 µm can be reliably fabricated, as well as compact active elements such as valves and pumps. With these capabilities, we demonstrate highly integrated 3D printed microfluidic devices that measure only a few millimeters on a side, and that integrate separate chip-to-world interfaces through high density interconnects (up to 88 interconnects per square mm) that are directly 3D printed as part of a device chip. These advances open the door to 3D printing as a replacement for expensive cleanroom fabrication processes, with the additional advantage of fast (30 minute), parallel fabrication of many devices in a single print run due to their small size.
Automated segmentation of peripapillary retinal boundaries in OCT combining a convolutional neural network and a multi-weights graph search

Quantitative analysis of the peripapillary retinal layers and capillary plexuses from optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography images depend on two segmentation tasks – delineating the boundary of the optic disc and delineating the boundaries between retinal layers. Here, we present a method combining a neural network and graph search to perform these two tasks. A comparison of this novel method’s segmentation of the disc boundary showed good agreement with the ground truth, achieving an overall Dice similarity coefficient of 0.91 ± 0.04 in healthy and glaucomatous eyes. The absolute error of retinal layer boundaries segmentation in the same cases was 4.10 ± 1.25 µm.