cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A neurorobotic model of learning to shake a rattle

Reward-modulated Hebbian learning is a biologically plausible neural learning mechanism that has been previously applied to a variety of learning tasks. For example, recent work used reward-modulated spike timing dependent plasticity (STDP) to help explain how infants learn to produce syllabic babbling [1]. This project attempts to extend this learning mechanism to a new domain of infant motor development, shaking a rattle. The experiment transduces neural spike trains to adjust frequency of sinusoidal movement around a robotic arm's articulation point. Reinforcement given when the volume, defined as the root mean square (RMS) amplitude, of sound made by a rattle attached to the robot arm exceeded the mean RMS of recent trials.
Zone-of-Interests Standing in Constitutional Cases after Lexmark

In addition to satisfying Article III’s standing requirements, the U.S. Supreme Court has long included, as one of its non-constitutional “prudential” standing rules, a requirement that plaintiffs demonstrate that their claim is within the “zone of interests” protected by a statute or constitutional provision. In a recent case, Lexmark International, Inc. v. Static Control Components, Inc., the Court disavowed zone-of-interests standing in statutory cases. After Lexmark, courts need only determine whether a particular statute authorizes a plaintiff’s cause of action. If it does, the Court held, then courts are not free to prevent a plaintiff from bringing a claim out of prudential concerns. This paper asks whether zone-of-interests standing should be retained in constitutional cases, an issue not before the Court in Lexmark. We conclude that it should not be; the Court should pursue Lexmark to its logical conclusion and eliminate zone-of-interests standing entirely. After charting the course of the zone of interests test in statutory cases from its inception to the Court’s disavowal of it in Lexmark, we examine the role it has played in constitutional cases in the Supreme Court and in the lower courts. We argue that (1) zone-of-interests standing rests on a constitutionally-dubious foundation; (2) existing doctrines better perform whatever useful functions the test was thought to serve; and (3) that the practical difficulties that bedeviled the Court’s application of the test in statutory cases remain and multiply in constitutional cases. We also consider, but reject, arguments that the test is useful for preventing courts from being flooded with certain constitutional claims or that it ought to be retained, but only for a few constitutional claims, like dormant Commerce Clause challenges.
Dog Racing, Judge Fuchs and Babe Ruth: Boston Braves Baseball in 1935

This paper reviews the history of the Boston Braves baseball franchise in 1935, specifically dealing with the issues of the team's efforts that year to obtain a pari-mutuel dog racing license.
Genetic Differences in Response to Cocaine and Stimulant Drugs

The term psychomotor stimulant generally refers to pharmacologically active compounds recognized by their prominent ability to enhance motor activity through their activation of the central nervous system. This class of agents includes cocaine, amphetamine, and caffeine. These and other compounds included in this pharmacological class differ from one another in their chemical structures and in their mechanisms of direct action on brain cells (Ritz et al., 1987; Miller et al., 1989; Snyder, 1985; Frantz, 1985; Johanson and Fischman, 1989; Pitts and Marwah, 1988). These compounds share the common property of selectively activating neural firing rates in specific regions of the brain (Wechsler et al., 1979; London et al., 1986; Porrino and Kornetsky, 1988; Nehlig et al., 1988), and they induce similar but nonidentical behavioral changes (Balster, 1988; Snyder, 1985; Gold et al., 1989).
Production of a Diazotizable Substance by Escherichia coli during Sulfonamide Bacteriostasis

Summary and ConclusionsDuring growth of Es. coli in synthetic medium with bacterio-static concentrations of sulfonamide, a diazo-tizable substance is produced. This is not p-aminobenzoic acid; in fact, its production is prevented by those amounts of PAB necessary to block the action of sulfonamides. The substance is not produced in the absence of sulfonamide nor when bacteriostasis does not occur.During bacteriostasis by sulfonamides in this medium there is a change in the metabolism of Es. coli so that a metabolite with a diazotizable grouping similar to the therapeutically active group of the drug is produced. Experiments are in progress to determine whether the production of this substance is specifically elicited by the drug or whether it is a normal metabolite which accumulates when a sulfonamide interferes with the growth of the organisms.
Revising Creative Work: How Workers’ Curiosity and Reviewers’ Feedback Influences Creative Drafts

Evidence suggests that creative works requires committing a significant amount of time to revising - acquiring information about early versions of an idea (e.g., a prototype, draft, or working model) that directs subsequent reworking of the idea with the intention of enhancing its overall novelty and usefulness. To date, the role of revising has largely been ignored in the creativity literature creating a significant opportunity for developing new theory that might guide creative workers and their managers to better understand the revising process. In this paper, we develop a multi-level model that focuses on an individual trait (Level 2, between persons) that might enhance revising – curiosity – and the feedback that creative workers receive (Level 1, within persons) that can guide their revision efforts. Our results suggest a mediated model where curious individuals spend more time revising drafts and produce more creative products (Level 2) and that ambivalent, tentative, and inclusive feedback is most...
Reciprocal dynamics between self-rated sleep and symptoms of depression and anxiety in young adult women: a 14-day diary study

Abstract Objectives The objective of this study was to characterize the day-to-day associations among sleep disturbance, depression, and anxiety in a sample of young adult women. Methods One hundred and seventy-one women (20.1 ± 3.3 years) completed in-laboratory baseline assessment followed by daily online surveys across a two-week period. Daily measures included the Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire-Short Form to assess shared and disorder-specific symptoms of depression and anxiety (general distress, anhedonic depression, and anxious arousal), as well as self-reported total sleep time (TST), sleep-onset latency (SOL), and sleep quality (SQ). Results Findings supported bidirectional day-to-day relationships between sleep and affective symptoms. When women felt greater general distress (shared features of anxiety and depression), they experienced longer SOL and worse SQ at night. Specificity among depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbance was observed such that higher levels of depression-specific anhedonia presaged longer SOL, shorter TST, and poorer SQ. In the other direction, when women had poor-quality sleep, they later experienced greater anhedonic depression and anxious arousal. The influence of TST on anhedonia was complex such that a single night of short sleep led to less anhedonic depression the next day, whereas women who obtained shorter sleep across the two-week period reported greater anhedonia. Conclusions Reciprocal dynamics between nightly sleep disturbance and daily experiences of depression and anxiety may serve as a process by which insomnia, depression, and anxiety develop into comorbid clinical states over time in women. The associations of anhedonic depression with nightly sleep disturbance and chronic short sleep were especially toxic, offering insight into daily mechanisms driving the most prevalent phenotype of comorbid insomnia.
Ultrafast Photophysics and Stimulated Emission from Novel Conjugated Polymers and Blends

Ultrafast stimulated emission (SE) and photoinduced absorption (PA) measurements were performed on films of a new alkyl-substituted conjugated polymer, BuEH-PPV. The 60 ps SE decay time of BuEH-PPV is significantly longer than that of other conjugated polymers. The SE lifetime is limited by a dynamic blue-shift of the PA. The presence of the persistent SE opens the possibility of using pnoton confinement by scattering to produce lasing polymer devices.
Adjuvant Therapy for Salivary Gland Carcinomas

Aim We compared the clinical outcomes and toxicity profile among a retrospective cohort of patients with primary major salivary gland carcinomas (SGCs) treated with surgery followed by adjuvant radiation therapy (S+RT) versus surgery and adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (S+CRT). Patients and methods Twenty patients (71%) underwent S+RT and eight (29%) S+CRT at our Institution between 2006 and 2015. Microscopic positive margins were present in 54% of the patients. Results The 3-year overall survival (OS) was 100% with S+RT and 87.5% with S+CRT (p=0.141) and locoregional control (LRC) was 95% with S+RT and 87.5% with S+CRT (p=0.383). There were no significant differences in the rate of acute (p=0.801) and late (p=0.714) toxicities. Conclusion While we await randomized data, adjuvant CRT may be considered as a viable therapeutic option for patients at high-risk of local or regional recurrence, especially in those with a positive microscopic margin where further surgery may result in functional cranial neuropathies.
Pitfalls of improperly procured adjacent non-neoplastic tissue for somatic mutation analysis using next-generation sequencing

The rapid adoption of next-generation sequencing provides an efficient system for detecting somatic alterations in neoplasms. The detection of such alterations requires a matched non-neoplastic sample for adequate filtering of non-somatic events such as germline polymorphisms. Non-neoplastic tissue adjacent to the excised neoplasm is often used for this purpose as it is simultaneously collected and generally contains the same tissue type as the neoplasm. Following NGS analysis, we and others have frequently observed low-level somatic mutations in these non-neoplastic tissues, which may impose additional challenges to somatic mutation detection as it complicates germline variant filtering. We hypothesized that the low-level somatic mutation observed in non-neoplastic tissues may be entirely or partially caused by inadvertent contamination by neoplastic cells during the surgical pathology gross assessment or tissue procurement process. To test this hypothesis, we applied a systematic protocol designed to collect multiple grossly non-neoplastic tissues using different methods surrounding each single neoplasm. The procedure was applied in two breast cancer lumpectomy specimens. In each case, all samples were first sequenced by whole-exome sequencing to identify somatic mutations in the neoplasm and determine their presence in the adjacent non-neoplastic tissues. We then generated ultra-deep coverage using targeted sequencing to assess the levels of contamination in non-neoplastic tissue samples collected under different conditions. Contamination levels in non-neoplastic tissues ranged up to 3.5 and 20.9 % respectively in the two cases tested, with consistent pattern correlated with the manner of grossing and procurement. By carefully controlling the conditions of various steps during this process, we were able to eliminate any detectable contamination in both patients. The results demonstrated that the process of tissue procurement contributes to the level of contamination in non-neoplastic tissue, and contamination can be reduced to below detectable levels by using a carefully designed collection method. A standard protocol dedicated for acquiring adjacent non-neoplastic tissue that minimizes neoplasm contamination should be implemented for all somatic mutation detection studies.
A Needs Assessment for a Longitudinal Emergency Medicine Intern Curriculum.

Introduction A key task of emergency medicine (EM) training programs is to develop a consistent knowledge of core content in recruits with heterogeneous training backgrounds. The traditional model for delivering core content is lecture-based weekly conference, however a growing body of literature finds this format less effective and less appealing than alternatives. We sought to address this challenge by conducting a needs assessment for a novel longitudinal intern curriculum for millennial learners. Methods We surveyed all residents from the six emergency medicine programs in the Chicago area regarding the concept, format, and scope of a longitudinal intern curriculum. Results were analyzed both in total and by a subgroup of interns. Results We received 153 responses from the 300 residents surveyed (51% response rate). The majority of residents (80%, interns: 82%) agreed or strongly agreed that a dedicated intern curriculum would add value to residency education. The most positively rated teaching method was simulation sessions (91%, interns: 91%) followed by dedicated weekly conference time (75%, interns: 84%) and dedicated asynchronous resources (71%, interns: 69%). Less than half of residents (47%, interns: 26%) supported use of textbook readings in the curriculum. Conclusion There is strong learner interest in a longitudinal intern curriculum. This needs assessment can serve to inform the development of a universal intern curriculum targeting the millennial generation.
Incremental register placement for low power CTS

An incremental register placement algorithm within clock tree synthesis (CTS) is presented for low power system design. The method places registers together while generating the clock tree and hence is able to reduce clock tree wire-length. The increase in the logic wirelength is limited since the registers are moved within a small distance. The skew requirement of the clock tree can be strictly maintained as the limited register placement is integrated into the CTS algorithm. Experimental results show that the clock tree wirelength can be reduced by an average of 2.8% compared to the clock tree generated by BST/DME algorithm with a fanout factor of 2. The power consumption of this system is 1.1% less than that of a system with clock tree generated by BST/DME algorithm. Higher improvement can be achieved for higher fanout factors on a clock tree.
The Role of the Interface in Polymer Composites — Some Myths, and Modifications

A considerable effort has been made over the past 20 years to understand the reinforcement-matrix interface, to control it, and even to specifically modify it. It is at the interface where stress concentrations develop because of differences between thermal expansion coefficients of the reinforcement and matrix phases, because of loads applied to the structure, and because of cure shrinkage (in thermosetting matrices) and crystallization (in some thermoplastic matrices). The interface can also serve as a nucleation site, a preferential adsorption site, and a locus of chemical reaction. This paper attempts to clarify some common misconceptions regarding the effects of interfacial adhesion on mechanical properties including stiffness and toughness, the presence of covalent bonding of silanes to glass fibers, and the characterization of thermal stability of a polymeric composite. Two specific approaches to interface modification are also discussed, one for thermoplastic matrices and one for thermosetting matrices.
Proxi: a Python package for proximity network inference from metagenomic data

Summary: Recent technological advances in high-throughput metagenomic sequencing have pro-vided unique opportunities for studying the diversity and dynamics of microbial communities under different health or environmental conditions. Graph-based representation of metagenomic data is a promising direction not only for analyzing microbial interactions but also for a broad range of machine learning tasks including feature selection, classification, clustering, anomaly detection, and dimen-sionality reduction. We present Proxi, an open source Python package for learning different types of proximity graphs from metagenomic data. Currently, three types of proximity graphs are supported: k-nearest neighbor (k-NN) graphs; radius-nearest neighbor (r-NN) graphs; and perturbed k-nearest neighbor (pk-NN) graphs. Availability: Proxi Python source code is freely available at https://bitbucket.org/idsrlab/proxi/. Contact: yme2@psu.edu Supplementary information: Tutorials and online documentation are available at https://proxi.readthedocs.io
Failure Modes for Compression Loaded Angle-ply Plates with Holes

A combined theoretical—experimental investigation of failure in notched, graphite—epoxy, angle-ply laminates subjected to far-field compression loading indicates that failure generally initiates on the hole boundary and propagates along a line parallel to the fiber orientation of the laminate. The strength of notched laminates with specimen width-to-hole diameter ratios of 5 and 10 are compared to the strength of unnotched laminates. The experimental results are complemented by a three-dimensional finite element stress analysis that includes interlaminar stresses around holes in [±θ]s laminates. The finite element predictions indicate that failure is initiated by shear stresses at the hole boundary.
New Ideas on Protein Moonlighting

An increasing number and variety of proteins are being found to “moonlight” or have multiple, sometimes (apparently) unrelated functions. In this chapter, I describe moonlighting proteins in general – how moonlighting is defined, examples of some of the most common types of moonlighting proteins, how moonlighting functions evolved, and the fact that close homologues of moonlighting proteins might share all, some, or none of these functions. Moonlighting proteins include several taxon-specific crystallins, enzymes adopted for structural roles, enzymes that are also transcription factors, proteins with two different catalytic functions, and intracellular proteins with a second function outside the cell. The ability of so many proteins, over 200 identified to date, to moonlight also has an impact on genome annotation, selection of biomarkers, proteomics, and systems biology. The moonlighting functions of chaperones and heat shock proteins described in more detail elsewhere in this book are particularly important in disease, either by being secreted and affecting the activities of host cells, or by being displayed on the cell surface where they can play key roles in infection and virulence by pathogens.
Gender of an Expert Witness and the Jury Verdict

Can jurors separate their perception of the ideal gender for a profession from the testimony of an expert witness representing that profession? Mock jurors read about a civil case involving an automobile accident. Plaintiff’s evidence came from an automotive engineer depicted as either male or female. Individual juror response measures and jury responses indicated no significant effect of gender on the effectiveness of the expert witness. Results are discussed in terms of similar research and implications for civil trials.
Role of the genetics and physiology of Bordetella pertussis in the production of vaccine and the study of host-parasite relationships in pertussis.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the role of the genetics and the physiology of Bordetella pertussis in the production of vaccine and the study of host-parasite relationships in pertussis. Bordetella pertussis is a finicky, fastidious, slow-growing bacterium that is difficult to isolate in primary culture. Bordetella pertussis will grow on media unsuitable for primary isolation as a result of several different mechanisms. One method by which growth can be obtained on suboptimal medium is by the use of a large inoculum. Media that will not support the growth of small numbers of organisms are often suitable for vaccine production, provided a large inoculum is used. B. pertussis grows well on media because other than B-G agar is the rapid adaptation of the organism to in vitro culture conditions. Bordetella pertussis has been known to show rapid change in several phenotypic properties, including ability to grow on media other than B-G, since 1910. Vaccines vary in their effectiveness, and this variation reflects differences in content of protective antigen. Since degraded strains grow better in artificial medium than do fresh isolates, a process of selection continually occurs. This selection tends to produce variants which are of no value for vaccines.
Audiometric Age-Related Hearing Loss and Cognition in the Hispanic Community Health Study.

Background Age-related hearing loss (HL), a common and treatable condition, has been associated with other age-related conditions. Late life cognitive impairment is a major public health concern that is rarely treatable. Studies examining the relationship between HL and cognition have been limited by non-Hispanic cohorts, small samples, or limited confounding control. We overcome these limitations in a large Hispanic cohort. Methods This was a multisite cross-sectional study of 5,277 subjects at least 50 years old (Hispanic Community Health Study, HCHS). The main exposure was audiometric HL. The main outcome measure was neurocognitive performance ascertained by the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Word Frequency Test, Spanish-English Verbal Learning Test (SEVLT), and Six-Item Screener. Results The mean age was 58.4 years (SD = 6.2). A 20-dB (equivalent to a one-category worsening) increase in HL was associated with a -1.53 (95% CI, -2.11, -0.94) raw score point difference in the DSST, adjusting for demographics, hearing aid use, and cardiovascular disease. Similarly, a 20-dB increase in HL was associated with a -0.86 (-1.23, -0.49) point difference on the Word Frequency Test, -0.76 (-1.04, -0.47) on the SEVLT 3 trials, -0.45 (-0.60, -0.29) on the SELVT recall, and -0.07 (-0.12, -0.02) on the Six-Item Screener. Conclusions In the largest study of formal, audiometric HL and cognition to date, HL was independently associated with worse performance in a range of neurocognitive measures. Because HL is common and potentially treatable, it should be investigated as a modifiable risk factor for neurocognitive decline and dementia.
Control of a Cable-Driven Parallel Robot via Deep Reinforcement Learning

Deep reinforcement learning (DRL) introduces deep neural networks to solve reinforcement learning problems. DRL is suitable for sequential decision-making applications and has been used to solve a variety of robot manipulation tasks recently. This paper applies a DRL algorithm named deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG) to control a cable-driven parallel robot (CDPR) for the first time. Besides the control of a CDPR, this study investigates the ability of DDPG to learn the optimal tension distribution of the CDPR and the robustness of DDPG to certain model uncertainties of the CDPR. Simulation results show that DDPG can not only control the CDPR but also learn the optimal tension distribution of the CDPR.
Incidence and Outcomes of Significant Weight Changes After Pancreas Transplant Alone.

Background Weight change, primarily weight gain, is a common problem among solid organ transplant recipients. The incidence of weight gain or loss after successful pancreas transplant alone (PTA) and the effect on graft survival is unknown. Methods This was a single-center observational study among PTA recipients, transplanted at our center between January 1, 2005, and July 31, 2017, who had a functional pancreas graft for at least 1 year and documented weight change at the 1-year clinic visit. Results In this cohort study of 105 PTA recipients, 28 had significant weight gain, 27 had significant weight loss, and the remaining 50 did not have significant weight change at 1-year posttransplant. When comparing the weight gain and no weight change groups, the weight gain cohort started to gain weight at 3 months posttransplant to 5 years or last follow up. Similarly, the weight loss group lost weight at 3 months posttransplant up to last follow up. Clinically significant weight gain or weight loss were not associated with uncensored or death censored graft failure in univariate regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Also, there were no significant differences between the groups in the glycated hemoglobin at last follow up. Conclusions Approximately 50% of PTA recipients had a significant weight change at 1-year posttransplant, of which 25% gained significant weight and 25% loss. There was no significant difference in graft survival due to the significant weight changes. Further research is needed in this field.
Efficacy of a sleep health intervention to optimize standard smoking cessation treatment response: Results from a pilot randomized controlled trial

BackgroundWe tested if an adjunctive sleep health (SH) intervention improved smoking cessation treatment response by increasing quit rates. We also examined if baseline sleep, and improvements in sleep in the first weeks of quitting, were associated with quitting at the end of treatment.MethodsTreatment-seeking smokers (N = 29) aged 21–65 years were randomized to a SH intervention (n = 16), or general health (GH) control (n = 13) condition. Participants received six counseling sessions across 15-weeks: SH received smoking cessation + SH counseling; GH received smoking cessation + GH counseling. Counseling began 4-weeks before the target quit date (TQD), and varenicline treatment began 1-week prior to TQD. Smoking status and SH were assessed at baseline (week 1), TQD (week 4), 3 weeks after cessation (week 7), week 12, and at the end of treatment (EOT; week 15).ResultsSH versus GH participants had higher Carbon Monoxide (CO) -verified, 7-day point prevalence abstinence at EOT (69% vs. 54%, respectively; adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.40–10.69, P = 0.77). Higher baseline sleep efficiency (aOR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.03–1.96, P = 0.03), predicted higher EOT cessation. Models were adjusted for age, sex, education, and baseline nicotine dependence.ConclusionsImproving SH in treatment-seeking smokers prior to cessation warrants further examination as a viable strategy to promote cessation.
Low-Pass Genome Sequencing: Validation and Diagnostic Utility from 409 Clinical Cases of Low-Pass Genome Sequencing for the Detection of Copy Number Variants to Replace Constitutional Microarray

DNA copy number variants (CNVs) account for approximately 300 Mb of sequence variation in the normal human genome. Significant numbers of pathogenic CNVs contribute toward human genetic disorders. Recent studies suggest a higher diagnostic and clinical significance of low-pass genome sequencing (LP-GS) compared with chromosomal microarrays (CMAs). The performance metrics of the 5X LP-GS was compared with CMA to validate a low-cost and high-throughput method. LP-GS test performed on 409 samples (including 78 validation and 331 clinical) was evaluated using American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines. The CNV accuracy, precision, specificity, and sensitivity were calculated to be 100% for all previously characterized CNVs by CMA. Samples (n = 6) run at both approximately 30X GS and approximately 5X GS (LP-GS) average depth detected a concordance of 89.43% to 91.8% and 77.42% to 89.86% for overall single-nucleotide variants and insertions/deletions, respectively. In the 331 clinical samples, 17.2% each were classified as pathogenic/likely pathogenic and uncertain clinical significance. In addition, several cases with pathogenic CNVs were detected that were missed by CMA. This study demonstrates that LP-GS (5X GS) was able to reliably detect absence of heterozygosity, microdeletion/microduplication syndromes, and intragenic CNVs with higher coverage and resolution over the genome. Because of lower cost, higher resolution, and greater sensitivity of this test, our study in combination with other reports could be used in an evidence-based review by professional societies to recommend replacing CMAs.
Dorsomedial Medullary Catecholaminergic Neurons Couple Hypoxia to Emotional and Hormonal State

SummaryIn response to hypoxic threat, animals experience aversive feelings to engage behaviors which aid in restoring physiological balance. However, the pathways that connect interoception of tissue-oxygenation to the emotional brain remain largely unknown. Dorsomedial medullary catecholaminergic neurons (dMC) receive interoceptive information and project to the limbic areas that control fear, but their role in interoception and emotional state is unknown. Here, we use fiber photometry to show that dMC neurons are active during hypoxia and hypercapnia. Silencing of dMC neurons shows that they are necessary for deep inhalation during, and avoidance of respiratory threat. Optogenetic stimulation of dMC neurons was capable of generating both innate and conditioned fear responses. By simultaneous stimulation of dMC neurons while silencing axonal projections, we found that hypoxia induced hormonal stress is mediated by the paraventricular hypothalamic and lateral parabrachial nucleus outputs, whereas aversive behaviors are exclusively mediated by outputs to the lateral parabrachial nucleus. Collectively, these findings demonstrate a neural circuit that transforms interoceptive information into behavioral and hormonal response by engaging functionally and anatomically distinct connections.
Nanoporous silicas and their composites

Abstract Broadly nanoporous silicas and their composites comprise an extensive space in the literature with research examining silicas as: adsorbents for separating gases, as well as supports for various materials including catalysts, nanoparticles, sensors, porous materials, enzymes, and drugs. This chapter focuses on gas-phase applications of these materials and is organized into three sections: (1) synthesis steps to produce such materials; (2) isotherms and diffusion in silica materials; and (3) composite materials and associated adsorption behaviors.
The ethics of neurologically complicated pregnancies

Bioethical conflicts in pregnancy are distinguished from those in other areas of medicine due to competing interests between mother and fetus because of their shared biology. Historically, prior to the advent of fetal therapy and advances in medical technology, the maternal-fetal complex was considered to be a single entity. With advances in medicine, treatment options can now be directed at both the mother and the fetus, and a duality has evolved in the maternal-fetal unit. Thus at some point during pregnancy, two individuals rather than just one are the responsibility of the physician. In determining how to properly care for the pregnant woman with a neurologic condition, therapeutic choices must take into consideration the impact a treatment will have on both the mother and the fetus. Since what benefits one may harm the other, tension results from the need to choose. This chapter will highlight ethical conflicts arising at the interface of obstetrics and neurology. We will delve into situations where difficult reproductive and therapeutic decisions must be made in pregnant women with intellectual disabilities, stroke, brain tumors, and epilepsy. The complexity of brain death in pregnancy will be analyzed, acknowledging the influence of politics, law, and religion that bears on ethical decision-making. In approaching ethical dilemmas encountered in pregnancies complicated by neurologic conditions, frameworks based on principles, virtues, care, and feminist ethics, and case precedents will be applied to facilitate ethically appropriate shared decision-making. We hope that this chapter will provide valuable guidance for providers caring for this complex obstetric population.
Tissue alkaline phosphatase activity and expression in an experimental infant swine model of cardiopulmonary bypass with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest

Infant cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass results in decreased circulating alkaline phosphatase that is associated with poor postoperative outcomes. Bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase infusion represents a novel therapy for post-cardiac surgery organ injury. However, the effects of cardiopulmonary bypass and bovine-intestinal alkaline phosphatase infusion on tissue-level alkaline phosphatase activity/expression are unknown. Infant pigs (n = 20) underwent cardiopulmonary bypass with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest followed by four hours of intensive care. Seven control animals underwent mechanical ventilation only. Cardiopulmonary bypass/deep hypothermic circulatory arrest animals were given escalating doses of bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase infusion (0-25 U/kg/hr.; n = 5/dose). Kidney, liver, ileum, jejunum, colon, heart and lung were collected for measurement of tissue alkaline phosphatase activity and mRNA. Tissue alkaline phosphatase activity varied significantly across organs with the highest levels found in the kidney and small intestine. Cardiopulmonary bypass with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest resulted in decreased kidney alkaline phosphatase activity and increased lung alkaline phosphatase activity, with no significant changes in the other organs. Alkaline phosphatase mRNA expression was increased in both the lung and the ileum. The highest dose of bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase resulted in increased kidney and liver tissue alkaline phosphatase activity. Changes in alkaline phosphatase activity after cardiopulmonary bypass with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest and bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase delivery are tissue specific. Kidneys, lung, and ileal alkaline phosphatase appear most affected by cardiopulmonary bypass with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest and further research is warranted to determine the mechanism and biologic importance of these changes.
How does COVID-19 impact intrafamilial child sexual abuse? Comparison analysis of reports by practitioners in Israel and the US.

Abstract Background There is consensus in child sexual abuse (CSA) literature that intrafamilial child sexual abuse (IFCSA) has a tremendous impact on children and families while simultaneously creating challenges for practitioners. COVID-19 impacted countries worldwide and generated a global crisis resulting in impacts on daily life, however, it’s effect on IFCSA is unknown. Objective This study aimed to compare professional perspectives and experiences working with IFCSA with respect to the context of the COVID-19 pandemic within the United States and Israel. Participants and setting Participants were therapeutic, child welfare and legal professionals, who provided services to children involved in IFCSA. Methods This qualitative cross-cultural comparative study analyzes professional experiences of IFCSA during COVID-19 based on an open-ended questionnaire answered online, with 37 responses from the US and 23 responses from Israel. Results Findings reveal mostly negative changes in the dynamics of IFCSA families during COVID-19, including financial, environmental, and emotional hardships, as well as some positive changes in the relationships among family members. In terms of professional interventions, concerns were raised that COVID-19 has been detrimental to the disclosure of IFCSA, with plummeting child abuse reports. Further, risk and benefits of transferring to internet based or telephonic therapeutic interventions were shared. Conclusions Governmental and community efforts are needed to develop a safety net of protective factors to reduce IFCSA risks and increase resiliency during the COVID-19 pandemic and future global crises. Moreover, enhanced strategies to accessing and supporting families remotely such as using technology could improve identification and response to IFCSA.
Temperature-Dependent PSD of H+ from H2O/Si(111) (7×7)

The adsorption of water on the Si(111)(7×7) surface has been studied by a variety of techniques in recent years and the exact nature of the surface bonding and structure remains in doubt. Photoemission studies by Fujiwara [1] and Schmeisser and coworkers [2,3] were interpreted in terms of molecular adsorption. Electron-energy loss (EELS) spectra revealed the presence of Si-H and Si-OH bonds [3,4] which indicated that water dissociated on the surface. The situation is further complicated by the fact that photoemission spectra show differences depending whether the adsorption is done at room temperature (RT) or done at low temperature (LT<100 K) and then annealed to RT [2,3]. However, EELS spectra show no substantial differences between the two methods of preparation. In the only reported study to combine both techniqes, Schmeisser and Demuth concluded that on the the LT-dosed, RT-annealed surface, there existed both molecular and dissociated water, whereas on the RT-dosed surface there existed chemisorbed oxygen, OH radicals, and hydrogen [2,3]. In addition, the photoemission results of Ranke and Schmeisser indicate that on the low-temperature surface, in the low coverage regime, only molecular water exists [2].
Geomechanical properties of the Vaca Muerta Formation

Unconventional oil and gas resources have transformed the energy industry in the United States. Likewise, other countries have followed up with hydrocarbon exploitation from tight unconventional formations. One of the most developed unconventional fields outside North America is the Vaca Muerta Formation in the Neuquen Basin, Argentina. This study summarizes experimental results of quasi-static loading and elastic wave propagation in rocks from the Vaca Muerta Formation along the entire producing interval. The work summarizes experimental results from our laboratory and from the literature. The results highlight the variability of mechanical properties with mineralogy and composition, and the mechanical anisotropy induced by layering. The discussion section explores the implications of spatial variability and anisotropy on in-situ stresses and fluid-driven fractures. Accurate characterization of rock mechanical properties is critical for predicting the geometry of fluid-driven fractures in unconventional rock formations, particularly those subjected to a tectonically active environment such as the Vaca Muerta Formation.
Licensed larceny: infrastructure, financial extraction and the global South: Nicholas Hildyard, Manchester, UK, Manchester University Press, 2016, 144 pp., £11.99 (paperback), ISBN: 978-1-7849-9427-3

Licensed Larceny is a refreshingly original contribution to the burgeoning literature on infrastructure development. The book conveys that infrastructure development is not limited to understanding...
Platform Development in Blockchains, Risks, and Regulation

This chapter integrates researches on blockchain platform building, specifically issues related to platform development, the funding of blockchains through ICOs, blockchain associated risks, and the related regulation. We start by providing a general picture of a choice of permissioned vs permissionless platform by a developer. Next we examine the role of ICOs (initial coin offering) in the financing and development of blockchain platforms. We further discuss the various risks posed by this new technology in light of the surge in blockchain applications and conduct a survey on the major regulation toward the blockchain technology/industry at the current stage.
The interaction between hexagonal boron nitride and water from first principles

The use of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) in microfluidic and nanofluidic applications requires a fundamental understanding of the interaction between water and the h-BN surface. A crucial component of the interaction is the binding energy, which is sensitive to the treatment of electron correlation. In this work, we use state of the art quantum Monte Carlo and quantum chemistry techniques to compute the binding energy. Compared to high-level many-body theory, we found that the second-order Moller-Plesset perturbation theory captures the interaction accurately and can thus be used to develop force field parameters between h-BN and water for use in atomic scale simulations. On the contrary, density functional theory with standard dispersion corrections tends to overestimate the binding energy by approximately 75%.
Impact of neonatal drug exposure on interindividual variations of P450-mediated drug metabolism

Personalized medicine is considered a promising next generation medical model that proposes health care tailored to individual patients using molecular analysis with medical decisions. Genetic poly...
Mixed-Mode Fracture Mechanics Parameters of Elliptical Interface Cracks in Anisotropic Bimaterials

Two-dimensional interface cracks in anisotropic bimaterials have been studied extensively in the literature. However, solutions to three-dimensional interface cracks in anisotropic bimaterials are not available, except for circular (penny-shaped) cracks. In this paper, an elliptical crack on the interface between two anisotropic elastic half-spaces is considered. A formal solution is obtained by using the Stroh method in two dimensional elasticity in conjunction with the Fourier transform method. To illustrate the solution procedure, an elliptical delamination in a cross-ply composite is solved. Numerical results of the stress intensity factors and energy release rate along the crack front are obtained terms of the interfacial matrix M. It is found that the fields near the crack front are often in mixed mode, due to material anisotropy and the three dimensional nature of the crack front.
Isolation and characterization of platelet glycoprotein IV (CD36).

Abstract Platelet glycoprotein IV (GPIV, Mr 88,000), which is immunologically related to the leukocyte differentiation antigen CD36, has been isolated from both intact and trypsinized platelet membranes by a series of steps involving (i) phase partitioning in Triton X-114, (ii) ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, (iii) lectin affinity chromatography on wheat germ agglutinin-Sepharose, and (iv) size exclusion chromatography on Ultrogel AcA-44. The homogenous product contained 26% carbohydrate (sialic acid, Gal, Man, GalNAc, GlcNAc), of which approximately two-thirds were in alkali-labile O-glycosidic linkages. A rabbit polyclonal antibody raised against purified GPIV gave a single band on immunoblot and on immunoprecipitation from solubilized, 3H-labeled platelet membranes indicating its monospecificity. The antibody gave a strongly positive reaction with platelets on flow cytofluorimetry further confirming the surface location of GPIV. Immunoblotting and flow cytometry also identified GPIV-like molecules on the surface of U937, HEL, and C32 cells but not on HT1080 fibroblasts. Amino acid analysis showed values comparable with those deduced from the cloning data for GPIb, GPIIb, and GPIIIa. Automated Edman degradation allowed the identification of the sequence of the first 36 residues of the NH2-terminal domain. G-X-D-R-N-X-G-L-I-A-G-A-V-I-G-A-V- L-A-V-F-G-G-I-L-M-P-V-G-D-L-P-X-Q-K-F. There are no identifiable homologies between the NH2-terminal domain and other known protein sequences. Following a hydrophilic hexapeptide, there is a hydrophobic sequence of 23 amino acids (underlined) that is of the size and composition expected for a transmembrane domain. Since the NH2-terminal domain lacks tyrosine, but GPIV may be readily iodinated in intact platelets, this suggests that GPIV may have a configuration expressing other extramembranous domains.
A clinical trial with chloromycetin in Shigelladysenteriae (sonne)

Summary 1.The limitations and drawbacks of sulfa therapy in shigellosis (though this is the therapy of choice) are presented. 2.Three cases of Shigella sonne dysentery treated with Chloromycetinare presented. 3.The results obtained clinically were highly satisfactory, suggesting that further investigation be undertaken to determine definitely the status of the drug in the treatment of the disease.
Testing the Effectiveness of Two Cranial Base Foramina for Metric Sex Assessment of Fragmentary Remains

Sex differences in linear and area dimensions of the foramen ovale and external opening of the carotid canal were analyzed in a documented French sample (35 men and 32 women). The results demonstrated that a low level of sexual dimorphism is present in the cranial base foramina of this sample, with only two-thirds of the examined variables exhibiting statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between the sexes. The cross-validated sex classification accuracy rates obtained for univariate and multivariate discriminant functions ranged from only 54.7 to 72.1%. In addition, measurements of the cranial base foramina were found to be difficult to record with precision, with intra-observer error percentages ranging from 2.35 to 4.23%. Error rates of this magnitude may result in the misallocation of specimens. Therefore, osteometric analysis of the foramen ovale and carotid canal external opening cannot be recommended as a useful method for cranial sex assessment in this population group.
The Atomic Architecture of a Gas Channel

Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells need to be able to transport ammonia gas. In their Perspective, [Knepper and Agre][1] discuss an exciting study ([ Khademi et al .][2]) that reports resolution of the crystallographic structure of a bacterial ammonia transport channel, AmtB, to an astonishing 1.35 angstroms, an amazing feat for an integral membrane protein. The structure reveals how ammonia is transported in bacteria and sheds light on how related ammonia transport proteins work in eukaryotic cells. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/305/5690/1573 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/305/5690/1587
Operating experience with high beam currents and transient beam loading in the SLC damping rings

During the 1994 SLC run the nominal operating intensity in the damping rings was raised from 3.5/spl times/10/sup 10/ to greater than 4/spl times/10/sup 10/ particles per bunch (ppb). Stricter regulation of rf system parameters was required to maintain stability of the rf system and particle beam. Improvements were made in the feedback loops which control the cavity amplitude and loading angles. Compensation for beam loading was also required to prevent klystron saturation during repetition rate changes. To minimize the effects of transient loading on the rf system, the gain of the direct rf feedback loop and the loading angles were optimized.
Kierkegaard's Social Theory

Despite recent attention on the social implications of his work, little has been done to articulate a substantive Kierkegaardian social theory. In this paper, I argue that Kierkegaard's A Literary Review describes four principles of social analysis. Together they reveal the social character of Kierkegaard's thought while presenting significant challenges for more traditional ‘social readings’ of his work.