cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural modeling of small and large induction machines using integral manifolds

Structural dynamics of small and large induction machines are investigated using integral manifolds and are shown to be markedly different. Whereas the dominant behavior in small machines is characterized by a well-known first-order speed model, the corresponding behavior in large machines is characterized by a novel first-order voltage model. Nonlinear simulations and eigenvalue analyses illustrate the validity of the structural models developed. >
Process Margins for Laser Planarization of 1 to 5 µm Gold Films

A pulsed excimer laser or flashlamp-pumped dye laser is used to melt 1 to 5 µm Au layers. The size of feature which can be filled by laser planarization is limited because of the finite melt duration, but the basic goal of levelling local surface topography is accomplished. Laser reflow of thicker films reveals fundamental differences between the excimer laser and the flashlamp-pumped dye laser, resulting from the order-of-magnitude difference in pulse duration. The excimer pulse is short compared to the thermal diffusion time of the metal layer and this can create voids and craters in the metal above discontinuities in the underlying structure. For Au thicknesses greater than about 3 µm, void formation occurs at fluences at or below that necessary to planarize the film. The dye laser has a planarization threshold similar to that of the excimer but it takes over 60% greater energy to create voids than to planarize a 5 µm film. A second damage mode, common to both laser sources, occurs where adjacent planarization zones overlap in a patterned area: thin spots can be created by the first planarization pulse which are vaporized by the second pulse.
Propagating waves mediate information transfer in the motor cortex

High-frequency oscillations in the beta range (10–45 Hz) are most active in motor cortex during motor preparation and are postulated to reflect the steady postural state or global attentive state of the animal. By simultaneously recording multiple local field potential signals across the primary motor and dorsal premotor cortices of monkeys (Macaca mulatta) trained to perform an instructed-delay reaching task, we found that these oscillations propagated as waves across the surface of the motor cortex along dominant spatial axes characteristic of the local circuitry of the motor cortex. Moreover, we found that information about the visual target to be reached was encoded in terms of both latency and amplitude of evoked waves at a time when the field phase-locked with respect to the target onset. These findings suggest that high-frequency oscillations may subserve intra- and inter-cortical information transfer during movement preparation and execution.
Thirty-Day Readmission Rates in Orthopedics: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background Hospital readmission rates are being used to evaluate performance. A survey of the present rates is needed before policies can be developed to decrease incidence of readmission. We address three questions: What is the present rate of 30-day readmission in orthopedics? How do factors such as orthopedic specialty, data source, patient insurance, and time of data collection affect the 30-day readmission rate? What are the causes and risk factors for 30-day readmissions? Methods/Findings A review was first registered with Prospero (CRD42014010293, 6/17/2014) and a meta-analysis was performed to assess the current 30-day readmission rate in orthopedics. Studies published after 2006 were retrieved, and 24 studies met the inclusion criteria. The 30-day readmission rate was extrapolated from each study along with the orthopedic subspecialty, data source, patient insurance, time of collection, patient demographics, and cause of readmission. A sensitivity analysis was completed on the stratified groups. The overall 30-day readmission rate across all orthopedics was 5.4 percent (95% confidence interval: 4.8,6.0). There was no significant difference between subspecialties. Studies that retrieved data from a multicenter registry had a lower 30-day readmission rate than those reporting data from a single hospital or a large national database. Patient populations that only included Medicare patients had a higher 30-day readmission rate than populations of all insurance. The 30-day readmission rate has decreased in the past ten years. Age, length of stay, discharge to skilled nursing facility, increased BMI, ASA score greater than 3, and Medicare/Medicaid insurance showed statistically positive correlation with increased 30-day readmissions in greater than 75 percent of studies. Surgical site complications accounted for 46 percent of 30-day readmissions. Conclusions This meta-analysis shows the present rate of 30-day readmissions in orthopedics. Demonstrable heterogeneity between studies underlines the importance of uniform collection and reporting of readmission rates for hospital evaluation and reimbursement.
Plasma membrane estrogen receptors signal to antiapoptosis in breast cancer.

Chemotherapy or irradiation treatment induces breast cancer cell apoptosis, but this can be limited by estradiol (E2) through unknown mechanisms. To investigate this, we subjected estrogen receptor-expressing human breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and ZR-75–1) to paclitaxel (taxol) or to UV irradiation. Marked increases in cell apoptosis were induced, but these were significantly reversed by incubation with E2. Taxol or UV stimulated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activity, which was inhibited by E2. Expression of a dominant-negative Jnk-1 protein strongly prevented taxol- or UV-induced apoptosis, whereas E2 inhibition of apoptosis was reversed by expression of constituitively active Jnk-1. As targets for participation in apoptosis, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl were phosphorylated in response to JNK activation by taxol or UV; this was prevented by E2. Taxol or UV activated caspase activity in a JNK-dependent fashion and caused the cleavage of procaspase-9 to caspase-9, each inhibited by E2. Independently, the steroid also a...
Urinary Glycosaminoglycan Excretion as a Biochemical Marker in Patients with Bladder Carcinoma

Abstract Urinary glycosaminoglycan excretion was examined in 25 individuals with bladder cancer in comparison to glycosaminoglycan excretion by eight normal individuals. Urinary glycosaminoglycan was isolated by gel filtation and quantified as macromolecular uronate concentration. Electrophoresis in calcium acetate and densitometry of Alcian blue-stained electrophoretograms were used to separate and quantify the relative amounts of individual glycosaminoglycans. Elevated excretion of macromolecular uronate was noted in 53% of the cancer cases. The highest levels were found among individuals with metastatic disease. Three electrophoretic bands were always detected in the control and cancer groups: chondroitin sulfate, heparan sulfate (both confirmed by chemical and enzymatic degradation), and a third band (Band 1) of unknown composition. A fourth band, corresponding to dermatan sulfate, was seen in some high-grade metastatic tumors. Band 1 excretion was elevated in a significant fraction of all patients. Seven of 12 metastatic cases but only two of 13 localized cases showed increased heparan sulfate excretion. Diagnostic limits were drawn from the observed distributions of normals, and with these limits 92% of the cancer cases, including 12 of 12 metastatic cases, could be identified. The results strongly suggest noninvasive urinary glycosaminoglycan analysis may well provide a new biochemical approach for detecting and monitoring the pathogenesis of bladder cancer.
Using forest health monitoring data to integrate above and below ground carbon information

The national Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) program conducted a remeasurement study in 1999 to evaluate the usefulness and feasibility of collecting data needed for investigating carbon budgets in forests. This study indicated that FHM data are adequate for detecting a 20% change over 10 years (2% change per year) in percent total carbon and carbon content (MgC/ha) when sampling by horizon, with greater than 80% probability that a change in carbon content will be determined when a change has truly occurred (P < or = 0.33). The data were also useful in producing estimates of forest floor and soil carbon stocks by depth that were somewhat lower than literature values used for comparison. The scale at which the data were collected lends itself to producing standing stock estimates needed for carbon budget development and carbon cycle modeling. The availability of site-specific forest mensuration data enables the exploration of above ground and below ground linkages.
Protocol Composition Logic (PCL)

Protocol Composition Logic (PCL) is a logic for proving security properties of network protocols that use public and symmetric key cryptography. The logic is designed around a process calculus with actions for possible protocol steps including generating new random numbers, sending and receiving messages, and performing decryption and digital signature verification actions. The proof system consists of axioms about individual protocol actions and inference rules that yield assertions about protocols composed of multiple steps. Although assertions are written only using the steps of the protocol, the logic is sound in a strong sense: each provable assertion involving a sequence of actions holds in any protocol run containing the given actions and arbitrary additional actions by a malicious adversary. This approach lets us prove security properties of protocols under attack while reasoning only about the actions of honest parties in the protocol. PCL supports compositional reasoning about complex security protocols and has been applied to a number of industry standards including SSL/TLS, IEEE 802.11i and Kerberos V5.
Oxygen homeostasis, thiol equilibrium and redox regulation of signalling transcription factors in the alveolar epithelium

There is growing evidence linking the pathophysiology of lung disease to an imbalance state of reduction-oxidation (redox) equilibrium. The therapeutic potential of glutathione, an ubiquitous sulfhydryl thiol, and its immunopharmacological properties in the airway epithelium bears clinical consequences for the paediatric treatment of respiratory distress (RD). Dynamic variation in alveolar pO(2) and its effect on redox state may impose a direct role in modulating the pattern of gene expression in lung tissues and, accordingly, could be pivotal in determining cellular fate under these conditions. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) are redox-sensitive transcription factors of particular importance because their differential activation by reducing and oxidizing signals, respectively, regulate the expression/suppression of O(2)-responsive genes. The regulation of these transcription factors, therefore, which is redox sensitive, is consistent with their roles in coordinating adaptive homeostatic responses to oxidative stress. Functionally, the relationship between O(2), glutathione biosynthesis and transcription factor activity bears typical implications for the pattern of cellular survivorship and alveolarization on exposure to O(2)-linked stresses. In this review, I discuss (1) the HIF-1alpha/NF-kappaB responsiveness to dynamic changes in pO(2) characteristic of the transition period from placental to pulmonary-based respiration, (2) the capacity of the alveolar epithelium to engage in glutathione biosynthesis and redox shuttling, effectively forming a feedback mechanism governing gene expression, (3) the restitution of antioxidant/prooxidant equilibrium following oxidative challenge and its dependency on the adaptive coordination of responses between redox-associated signalling pathways controlling apoptosis and genetic regulatory factors and (4) a likely association between oxidative stress and the evolution of an inflammatory signal through the pleiotropic O(2)-sensitive cytokines.
Changes in Burnout and Satisfaction With Work-Life Balance in Physicians and the General US Working Population Between 2011 and 2014

Abstract Objective To evaluate the prevalence of burnout and satisfaction with work-life balance in physicians and US workers in 2014 relative to 2011. Patients and Methods From August 28, 2014, to October 6, 2014, we surveyed both US physicians and a probability-based sample of the general US population using the methods and measures used in our 2011 study. Burnout was measured using validated metrics, and satisfaction with work-life balance was assessed using standard tools. Results Of the 35,922 physicians who received an invitation to participate, 6880 (19.2%) completed surveys. When assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, 54.4% (n=3680) of the physicians reported at least 1 symptom of burnout in 2014 compared with 45.5% (n=3310) in 2011 ( P P P P Conclusion Burnout and satisfaction with work-life balance in US physicians worsened from 2011 to 2014. More than half of US physicians are now experiencing professional burnout.
Mycobacterium avium intracellulare complex causing olecranon bursitis and prosthetic joint infection in an immunocompromised host

Abstract Case A 73-year-old immunocompromised male presented with recurrent left elbow swelling due to Mycobacterium avium intracellulare complex (MAC) olecranon bursitis. 3 years after completing MAC treatment, he underwent right total knee arthroplasty (TKA). 1 year later, he developed TKA pain and swelling and was diagnosed with MAC prosthetic joint infection (PJI). He underwent TKA resection, reimplantation, and 12 months of anti-MAC therapy. This patient is the seventh case report of MAC olecranon bursitis and the third case report of MAC PJI. He is the only report of both MAC olecranon bursitis and PJI occurring in the same patient. Informed consent This patient was informed and agreed to the publication of this material.
Transient behavior of a supersonic three-dimensional micronozzle with an intersecting capillary

An analysis of the interaction between a pulsed, supersonic microjet and an intersecting gas-filled capillary is presented, which enables a direct measurement of the pressure evolution inside the nozzle of the microjet. Plasma-emission spectroscopy was used to resolve, on a sub-microsecond timescale, the build-up and decay of pressure in the nozzle, which are shown to be correlated to the volume of the plenum supplying the nozzle and to the nozzle-throat size, respectively. The microjet, which was integrated with a capillary-discharge waveguide in a sapphire structure, was used to create a small, tunable region of high density gas within a centimeter-scale plateau of lower-density for use in a laser-plasma accelerator. The resultant longitudinally structured gas-density profile has been used to provide control of electron trapping and acceleration, but its evolution has not previously been directly quantified. The results presented here pave the way for improved control of laser-plasma accelerators and are also relevant to applications such as miniature satellites and lab-on-a-chip where precise knowledge of microjet pressure evolution is critical.
Archaic Period Domesticated Plants in the Mid-Ohio Valley: Archaeobotanical Remains from the County Home Site (33at40), Southeastern Ohio

Late Archaic archaeobotanical remains from the County Home site (33AT40), southeastern Ohio, are described. Measurements of chenopod (Chenopodium berlandieri) seed-coat thicknesses and marshelder (Iva annua) achene and kernel lengths from the site are indicative of domesticated types (ssp. jonesianum and var. macrocarpa, respectively) dating to ca. 3000 B.P. to 3600 B.P. Together, these specimens represent some of the earliest evidence of plant domestication outside the oak-hickory and oak-savannah forests of eastern North America. The recovery of these plants with other cultigens in hearths and earth ovens at the County Home site indicates that the timing for the arrival of the Initial Crop Complex in the Appalachian mixed forest of the middle Ohio Valley occurred earlier than previously documented. The results of this research contribute to the growing database of early plant domestication and a broader understanding of the origins of food production.
Palliative Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer

The majority of patients with pancreatic cancer are not resectable for cure at the time of presentation. Therefore, palliation of symptoms-obstructive jaundice, duodenal obstruction, and pain-are of primary importance. Obstructive jaundice is the most common presenting symptom for cancer of the pancreas and can be managed by surgical and nonoperative techniques. The decision to perform nonoperative versus surgical palliation for pancreatic cancer is influenced by the patient's symptoms, overall health status, projected survival, and the expected procedure-related morbidity and mortality. The major advantage for surgical palliation is the ability of a single procedure to combine adequate long-term palliation for all three primary symptoms of the disease. Most surgical series report acceptable hospital morbidity, mortality, and a reasonable postoperative length of stay.
MicroRNAs regulating Meis1 expression and inducing cardiomyocyte proliferation

Cardiovascular disease has been the biggest killer in the United States for decades, with almost a million new cases each year. Even though mammalian rodent neonatal cardiomyocytes show proliferative potential for up to 5 days, adult cardiomyocytes lose this ability. Insufficient cardiomyocyte proliferation is one of the major reasons for the lack of regeneration of myocardial tissue, post injury. Several studies have looked at the mechanisms responsible for the arrest in proliferation at an adult stage. Following up on a recent study by Eulalio et al's study on functional screening of 875 miRNAs for neonatal cardiomyocyte proliferation, we recently identified several miRNAs that induce proliferation in naturally senescent adult cardiomyocytes. Additional studies by Mahmood et al 2013 have identified Meis1 as the major regulator of cardiomyocyte cell cycle. In our present study we have identified three of the adult cardiomyocyte proliferation inducing miRNAs to have binding sites on the 3'UTR of Meis1 gene by in-silico analysis and luciferase assay. Additionally we found these miRNAs; miR-548c-3p, miR-509-3p, and miR-23b-3p to induce significant proliferation in adult cardiomyocytes through translational inhibition of Meis1. We found a significant increase in the number of ACMs with each miRNA, in combination, and with siRNA mediated inhibition of Meis1 gene. We confirmed that these microRNAs, through inhibition of Meis1, affect its downstream targets and thereby regulate cell-cycle progression. Further investigating of the mechanism of action of these miRNAs can identify other treatment options for abnormalities associated with the lack of cardiac regeneration post myocardial injury.
MEDIAL COLLATERAL LIGAMENT REPLACEMENT WITH A PARTIALLY ABSORBABLE TISSUE SCAFFOLD

Dammage to the ligaments of the knee is a serious clinical problem. Instability in this joint is debilitating and often leads to chronic, progressive osteoarthritis if left unchecked. In this study, the medial collateral ligaments of canines were replaced with a carbon fiber-polylactic acid polymer tissue scaffold. After four weeks, eight weeks and twelve weeks in-vivo, the stability of the knees was quantitatively evaluated and the mechanical properties of the regrown structures were determined.
Neurogenic bladder dysfunction does not correlate with astrocyte and microglia activation produced by graded force in a contusion-induced spinal cord injury

Rodent models for the study of neurogenic bladder dysfunction after spinal cord injury (SCI) are difficult to standardize, particularly when evaluating the specific contribution of the SCI to end-organ function. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the degree of bladder dysfunction associated with a highly reproducible, contusion-induced SCI in female rats. An infinite horizon impactor was used to create a contusion SCI with a magnitude of either 100 or 150 kDyne at the T8/T9 thoracic region of female Sprague-Dawley rats. Locomotor function, and the presence of astrocytes (positive regions for Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein) and microglia (positive cells for the integrin CD11b) at the SCI site were determined at four weeks after SCI. Similarly, cystometric properties were characterized in urethane anesthetized rats at four weeks post-SCI. The significant increases in astrocyte and microglia in the T8/T9 region in all of the SCI animals did not correlate with locomotor impairment or bladder dysfunction. After performing the cystometric studies substantial differences were found in both SCI groups when compared to intact animals, specifically a high frequency of non-voiding contractions, different durations for intraluminal pressure-high frequency oscillations, intercontractile intervals, impaired micturition volumes, and estimated voiding efficiency. These results suggest that a contusion SCI can increase microglia and astrocyte activation without a strong association with bladder dysfunction. The present study will be important for precise considerations about correlating the intensity of an SCI with impairment outcomes at both locomotor or organ function levels.
An insect-inspired model for visual binding II: functional analysis and visual attention

We have developed a neural network model capable of performing visual binding inspired by neuronal circuitry in the optic glomeruli of flies: a brain area that lies just downstream of the optic lobes where early visual processing is performed. This visual binding model is able to detect objects in dynamic image sequences and bind together their respective characteristic visual features--such as color, motion, and orientation--by taking advantage of their common temporal fluctuations. Visual binding is represented in the form of an inhibitory weight matrix which learns over time which features originate from a given visual object. In the present work, we show that information represented implicitly in this weight matrix can be used to explicitly count the number of objects present in the visual image, to enumerate their specific visual characteristics, and even to create an enhanced image in which one particular object is emphasized over others, thus implementing a simple form of visual attention. Further, we present a detailed analysis which reveals the function and theoretical limitations of the visual binding network and in this context describe a novel network learning rule which is optimized for visual binding.
SEASONAL AND REGIONAL VARIATIONS IN HEART FAILURE ADMISSIONS AND MORTALITY IN THE UNITED STATES

Background: Though studied in several countries worldwide, the effects of seasonal variations in heart failure (HF) admissions and mortality in the United States (US) have not been well described. We aim to investigate regional, or seasonal variations in HF admissions and in-hospital mortality in
Synchronization considerations using circularly distributed arrays

This work statistically examines the receiver capabilities for circularly distributed ad-hoc array topologies of independently controlled element radiators. Performance metrics observed in this study include maximum SNR, tolerance on receiver amplitude variations, phase shifter accuracy and received signal strength variations in the presence of noise and fading.
COMPASS-AIM: A University/P–12 Partnership Innovation for Continuous Improvement

COMPASS-AIM is a set of processes and tools used by participants in a research–practice partnership (RPP) to improve organizational capacities and individual and team competencies for organizationa...
Movement Direction and Distance Classification Using a Single PIR Sensor

Pyroelectric infrared sensors (PIR) are excellent devices to detect humananimal presence with a small form factor and rugged design, for cost-effective surveillance. They are widely used to trigger an intruder alarm and activate household appliances upon the presence of a human. However, the analog output from the sensor is proportional to several spatial and temporal relationships between an object in the field of view of the sensor, the sensitivity of the sensor, PIR lens features, and the environmental heat conditions. This article shows the use of only one PIR sensor in conjunction with signal processing and machine learning algorithms to clearly estimate the presence, direction, and distance of the human movements in a hallway. Simulation results show that more than 99 and 93 accuracy, respectively, in classifying direction and distance of the movements in the field of view of the PIR sensor module. Moreover, hardware and software resources are used to address the limited computational capabilities of commercially available general purpose microcontroller and sensory components to reduce the cost of the entire PIR system module. This article uses only one PIR sensor module with many well-known machine learning and computer vision methods for analog pattern recognition and movement classification. Primarily, this information is used to monitor occupational analysis of a particular floor in a building. However, the application domain can be extended to any one of the earlier mentioned areas in this abstract.
Sleep quality in well-defined Lyme disease: a clinical cohort study in Maryland.

Study objectives Lyme disease (LD) is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. Approximately 5-15 per cent of patients develop postantibiotic treatment symptoms termed post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS). The primary objective of this study is to examine and quantify sleep quality among patients with early LD during the acute and convalescent periods, including among the subset who met criteria for PTLDS. Methods This paper draws from a clinical cohort study of participants with early LD (n = 122) and a subcohort of individuals who later met criteria for PTLDS (n = 6). Participants were followed for 1 year after antibiotic treatment. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and standardized measures of pain, fatigue, depressive symptoms, and functional impact were administered at all visits for participants and controls (n = 26). Participants meeting criteria for PTLDS at 1 year post-treatment were compared with a subset of PSQI-defined poor sleeping controls (n = 10). Results At the pretreatment visit, participants with early LD reported poorer sleep than controls. By 6 months post-treatment, participant sleep scores as a group returned to control levels. Participants with PTLDS reported significantly worse global sleep and sleep disturbance scores and worse fatigue, functional impact, and more cognitive-affective depressive symptoms compared with poor sleeping controls. Conclusions Participants with early LD experienced poor sleep quality, which is associated with typical LD symptoms of pain and fatigue. In the subset of patients who developed PTLDS, sleep quality remains affected for up to 1 year post-treatment and is commonly associated with pain. Sleep quality should be considered in the clinical picture for LD and PTLDS.
Quaternary alloys of titanium

Eighty-four quaternary titanium-base alloys from the following systems were investigated: The tensile properties, minimum bend radii, hardnesses, response to heat treatment and aging treatment, and phase relationships of these alloys are reported.
Synaptic Plasticity and Place Cell Formation

Place cells of the hippocampus are a prime model system for studying neural plasticity of cognitive representations. These cells fire specifically when a rat occupies a particular location in the environment. Neural plasticity is not necessary for these cells to display their spatial specificity. However, plasticity plays a fundamental role in organizing these place cells into adaptive and stable representations. Thus, rats with deficits in neural plasticity have place fields that tend to be unstable between visits to the same environment. Conversely, place fields in these rats tend to remain inappropriately stable and unable to represent new information when the environment is altered.
Considerations for Cost-Efficient Calibration of Scaled ADCs

Observed ADC area and power scaling do not seem to follow the trends predicted using pure technology scaling arguments. A cubic improvement in area and power with gate length is observed in literature, which has been enabled by migration towards more and more capacitor-based ADC architectures, and the introduction of digitally-assisted performance enhancement strategies to overcome component mismatch. This paper assesses these trends, and discusses the most relevant enhancement strategies for mismatch-limited ADCs. Trade-off analysis between mismatch compensation in the analog domain (digitally assisted trimming, possibly in combination with up-scaling) vs. the digital domain (digital post-distortion) is required. The increasing use of digitally enhanced ADC architectures proves to be the main driver for the observed improvement in area and power with scaling.
Binding of host factors to stabilized HIV-1 capsid tubes.

Abstract The capsid-binding assay is an in vitro experiment used to determine whether cellular proteins interact with the HIV-1 core. In vitro assembled HIV-1 capsids recapitulate the surface of the HIV-1 core. The assay involves the incubation of in vitro assembled HIV-1 capsid-nucleocapsid (CA-NC) complexes with the protein in question. Subsequently, the mixture is spun through a sucrose cushion using an ultracentrifuge, and the pellet is analyzed for the presence of the protein in question. Although this binding assay is reliable, it is labor intensive and does not contain washing steps. Here we have developed a simpler and faster assay to measure whether a cellular protein is binding to capsid. More importantly, this novel capsid-binding assay contains washing steps. In this assay, we took advantage of the HIV-1 capsid mutant A14C/E45C protein, which is stabilized by disulfide bonds, and is resistant to washing steps. We validated the reliability and specificity of this novel assay by testing the capsid binding ability of TRIMCyp, CPSF6 and MxB with their corresponding controls. Overall, this novel assay provides a reliable and fast methodology to search for novel capsid binders.
On the Feasibility of Generating Deception Environments for Industrial Control Systems

The cyber threat landscape is a constantly morphing surface; the need for cyber defenders to develop and create proactive threat intelligence is on the rise, especially on critical infrastructure environments. It is commonly voiced that Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems and Industrial Control Systems (ICS) are vulnerable to the same classes of threats as other networked computer systems. However, cyber defense in operational ICS is difficult, often introducing unacceptable risks of disruption to critical physical processes. This is exacerbated by the notion that hardware used in ICS is often expensive, making full-scale mock-up systems for testing and/or cyber defense impractical. New paradigms in cyber security have focused heavily on using deception to not only protect assets, but also gather insight into adversary motives and tools. Much of the work that we see in today’s literature is focused on creating deception environments for traditional IT enterprise networks; however, leveraging our prior work in the domain, we explore the opportunities, challenges and feasibility of doing deception in ICS networks.
When Should I Suspect Undiagnosed Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the Acute Care Setting? How Should I Manage a Suspected New Diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease?

Abdominal pain is one of the most common chief complaints in patients presenting for acute care. While less than 1% of the population suffers from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), providers must maintain a high level of clinical suspicion in undiagnosed patients presenting with abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) may present with both intestinal and extraintestinal manifestations and often require multiple different diagnostic tests to confirm the diagnosis. In patients suspected to have undiagnosed IBD, clinicians should initially focus on hydration, electrolyte replacement, pain control, consideration of non-IBD-related causes of abdominal symptoms, and evaluation for acute complications of IBD, such as obstruction or perforation. If discharged, patients with a moderate to high risk of undiagnosed IBD should follow up with gastroenterology.
Frequency and imaging features of abdominal immune-related adverse events in metastatic lung cancer patients treated with PD-1 inhibitor

To investigate the frequency and imaging features of radiographically evident abdominal immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with PD-1 inhibitors. This retrospective study included 137 patients with metastatic NSCLC treated with PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab monotherapy (75 women; median age: 65 years), who had a baseline CT and at least one follow-up abdomen CT during therapy. Baseline and all follow-up abdominal CTs performed for monitoring of nivolumab therapy were reviewed to identify the organ-specific abdominal irAEs including colitis/enteritis, hepatitis, biliary toxicity, pancreatitis, nephritis, sarcoid-like reaction, and pancreatic and adrenal atrophy. Their frequency and imaging features were described. Eighteen (13%) patients had radiologically identified abdominal irAEs (median 2.1 months after starting nivolumab; interquartile range 1.17–5.83 months); 16 patients developed enteritis/colitis (12 pancolitis, two segmental colitis, one enterocolitis, one enteritis), two hepatitis, one adrenalitis. One patient with hepatitis also developed colitis/enteritis. Radiographic abdominal irAE occurred after nivolumab therapy was discontinued in six patients before any subsequent therapy was started. IrAEs prompted nivolumab interruption and treatment with steroids in four patients (three colitis/enteritis, one hepatitis). Most common CT features of colitis/enteritis included mesenteric hyperemia (n = 15), bowel wall thickening (n = 13), mucosal hyperenhancement (n = 10), and fluid-filled colon (n = 9). Abdominal irAEs were detected on CT in 13% of NSCLC patients treated with nivolumab, and colitis, in the pancolitis form, was the most common irAE. Given the expanding role of immunotherapy, radiologists should be aware of the frequency and imaging manifestations of abdominal irAEs and the impact on patient management.
Analysis of Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm under Realistic Noise in Superconducting Qubits

The quantum approximate optimization algorithm (QAOA) is a promising quantum-classical hybrid technique to solve combinatorial optimization problems in near-term gate-based noisy quantum devices. In QAOA, the objective is a function of the quantum state, which itself is a function of the gate parameters of a multi-level parameterized quantum circuit (PQC). A classical optimizer varies the continuous gate parameters to generate distributions (quantum state) with significant support to the optimal solution. Even at the lowest circuit depth, QAOA offers non-trivial provable performance guarantee which is expected to increase with the circuit depth. However, the existing analysis fails to consider non-idealities in the qubit quality i.e., short lifetime and imperfect gate operations in realistic quantum hardware. In this article, we investigate the impact of various noise sources on the performance of QAOA both in simulation and on a real quantum computer from IBM. Our analyses indicate that the optimal number of stages (p-value) for any QAOA instance is limited by the noise characteristics (gate error, coherence time, etc.) of the target hardware as opposed to the current perception that higher-depth QAOA will provide monotonically better performance for a given problem compared to the low-depth implementations.
Time-Varying Phase Control for Frequency Translation

Frequency conversion is typically achieved by mixing a signal with a local oscillator. However, mixing typically generates an image frequency, in addition to other unwanted harmonics. Here, we achieve X-band frequency translation without image frequency suppression using a device capable of 360° phase modulation. The device is realized in microstrip technology, and varactor diodes are used for phase control in a serrodyne translator topology. The design could be used as a building block for the development of nonreciprocal devices such as isolators and circulators.
Scarcity of States of Li 7 , from Magnetic Observation of Be 9 (d,α)Li 7

The alpha-spectrum of the reaction ${\mathrm{Be}}^{9}(d,\ensuremath{\alpha}){\mathrm{Li}}^{7}$ is observed at a bombarding energy 600 kev. Above the well-known 480-kev excited state of ${\mathrm{Li}}^{7}$ there is no further excited state, having a transition as much as 5 percent as intense as the ground-state transition, in the range of excitation energies up to 2.5 Mev and from there, where the ($d,2\ensuremath{\alpha}$) reaction begins to obscure the observations, up to 3.6 Mev there is no sharp line more than 10 percent as intense as the ground-state line. The observations are made with a magnetic heavy-particle spectrograph giving an extended spectrum with a second-order focus on a photographic plate.
Gods and Temples, Ice and the Whale (1836–1851)

For both New England and Bombay Parsi elites during this pre-Civil War period, significant social changes accompanied the increase in wealth generated through new manufacturing technologies—which included the shipment of ice from Boston to Bombay—as well as ongoing business dealings involving opium and also trade with Zanzibar. At the same time that the Parsis were pushing back against Christian missionary activities in Bombay, the Transcendentalists Emerson and Thoreau in Massachusetts were publishing “Zoroastrian” texts and promoting Zoroaster as an early model of enlightened thought. Meanwhile, a merchant from the Wadia family documented a tour that he organized from Bombay to Poona for the captain of an American opium clipper. This period offers much more internal information concerning Parsi self-perception and Parsi awareness of American polity. It also marks the first recorded Parsi visitor to the United States, just as a fictitious Parsi appeared on the pages of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick.
Legitimizing Edible Insects for Human Consumption: The Impacts of Trust, Risk–Benefit, and Purchase Activism:

Given the increasing global population, the world cannot support the current food production techniques and their detrimental effects on land use, water use, greenhouse gas emissions, and long-term...
Corrosion of carbon steel in CO2 saturated brine at elevated temperatures

Abstract One of the main challenges in oil and gas wells is ensuring wellbore and casing integrity in a CO2 saturated brine environment. The integrity of a well casing relies on its mechanical properties and corrosion resistance to harsh downhole conditions. This paper discloses the results of a mathematical modeling study and experimental investigation conducted to understand the corrosion behavior of carbon steel (AISI 1045 Medium Carbon steel) in CO2 saturated brine. Corrosion experiments were carried out at 0.83 MPa varying temperature and CO2 partial pressure (CPP). To prepare test fluid, 1 wt % NaCl was added to deionized water and thoroughly mixed. The Weight loss (WL) and Linear polarization resistance (LPR) techniques were employed for investigating corrosion. A comprehensive corrosion model is formulated to predict corrosion in a CO2 environment containing high-salt concentration. Results indicate a strong impact of temperature on CO2 corrosion in brine environment. At low CPPs (PCO2 ≤ 0.41 MPa), the pick corrosion rate was noted at 43 °C. Furthermore, the influence of NaCl content on corrosion was strongly affected by CO2 concentration. The model is predominantly in agreement with existing corrosion measurements and it predicts the inhibiting effect of salt in CO2 corrosion.
Building Shelter in Washington: The Politics of Small State Engagement

Small states seeking shelter with the United States face the daunting challenge of ensuring that both their economic and security relationships are durable. Building shelter requires establishing a standing functional relationship with both the executive and legislative branches of the US government and creating a platform for the advocacy of critical interests. On the basis of three different case studies—those of Norway, Israel and New Zealand—presumptions are made on how small states do this in practice. States that face a change in the shelter environment in Washington may well wish to re-evaluate their shelter strategy with Washington.
Survey of Florida marine baitfish retailers: Assessment of wholesale supply and the market potential for cultured pinfish and pigfish

The marine recreational fishing industry in Florida has an economic impact of $7.6 billion dollars, which includes the expenditures of its 2.4 million licensed anglers. Interest in developing aquac...
Health Care as a Right: How Health Care Became Accessible

Americans’ right to access health care has been a national debate since 1912 when President Teddy Roosevelt ran on a health insurance platform. After the New Deal and America’s emergence from the social and economic hardships caused by the Great Depression, President Truman pressured Congress in 1945 to take action to develop a national health insurance fund for all Americans. It wasn’t until 1965 that the “Original Medicare” program was signed into law, covering hospital and general medical care for people over the age of 65 along with a state option for low-income children. The law also required that participating hospitals meet certain minimum health and safety requirements, setting the first standards towards the delivery of quality health care. This was the first step toward entrenching affordable health care that meets a minimum standard for care quality. The program has been expanded over the years to include individuals under the age of 65 with long-term disabilities (Medicaid), uninsured children whose families earn too much to be eligible for Medicaid, and to cover services and products for a variety of conditions that affect the Medicare and Medicaid populations. The Medicare and Medicaid programs provide health care for approximately 59 million Americans today. The most significant expansion of health care since the Original Medicare enactment came with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010 which created the health insurance market where Americans can apply for and enroll in private health insurance plans. This law allowed the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to test models that improve care quality, lower costs, and better align payment systems to support patient-centered practices. The ACA also directed CMS to establish the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP) to reduce payments to hospitals with excess readmissions, with the goal to link payment to the quality of hospital care. More than half of Americans under age 65, approximately 158 million people, access health insurance through their employer, while about one-quarter have a plan through the individual insurance market or are enrolled in Medicaid. The majority of Americans today have an expectation that they can access affordable health care that is delivered with quality in mind. Health care remains a national debate, particularly in relation to the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. In an unprecedented move, the Trump Administration has flipped positions moving away from defending the Act. While courts are not willing to make substantive leaps on how health care is funded and the minimum level of care to which Americans are entitled, Congress has and should set the baseline. This Article examines the implied right to healthcare and how the judiciary and administrative agencies can favor health care as a right.
The Contingent Wisdom of Dyads: When Discussion Enhances versus Undermines the Accuracy of Collaborative Judgments

We evaluate the effect of discussion on the accuracy of collaborative judgments. In contrast to prior research, we show that discussion can either aid or impede accuracy relative to simple averaging of collaborators’ independent judgments, as a systematic function of task type and interaction process. On estimation tasks with a wide range of potential estimates, discussion aided accuracy by helping participants prevent and eliminate egregious errors. On estimation tasks with a naturally bounded range, discussion following independent estimates performed on par with averaging. Importantly, if participants did not first make independent estimates, discussion significantly harmed accuracy by limiting the range of considered estimates, independent of task type. Our research shows that discussion can be a powerful tool for error reduction, but only when structured appropriately: Decision-makers should form independent judgments in order to consider a wide range of possible answers, and then use discussion to eliminate extremely large errors.
Disparities in treatment and survival in germ cell tumors

Objectives: Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors (GCT) are rare, and understudied, subtypes of ovarian cancer. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of race, ethnicity, and clinicopathologic characteristics on treatment selection, treatment delays, and overall survival in this disease. Methods: Data from the National Cancer Database between 2004 and 2015 were evaluated for adult women with invasive ovarian GCT. Mann-Whitney U-test and Chi Square analysis were used to identify differences in sociodemographic factors based on race and ethnicity. Logistic regression and Poisson regression were used to evaluate associations between treatment receipt and treatment delays, respectively. Time to treatment initiation (TTI) was defined as the duration between date of diagnosis and the first treatment received, and overall survival (OS) was defined as the time from date of diagnosis to either date of death from any cause or date of last contact. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to calculate hazard ratios for OS. Statistical significance was set at p Results: There were 3,049 evaluable women with GCT. 74.1% of patients were White and 15.6% were Black. 15.6% were Hispanic and 78.2% were non-Hispanic. The median age of the overall cohort was 27 (range 18-90). There was no difference in mean age at diagnosis between Blacks and Whites, while Hispanics were diagnosed significantly younger than Non-Hispanics (28.0 vs 30.8 years, p Conclusions: Multiple clinical, socioeconomic, and systematic factors are associated with increasing time to treatment and adjuvant therapy selection after primary surgical resection in GCT. Of these factors, type of insurance, and accreditation status of the treating institution are associated with worse overall survival, reflecting the possible need for centralization of care for this rare tumor.