cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Is smoking cessation associated with worse comorbid substance use outcomes among homeless adults

Background and Aims Smoking prevalence among homeless adults is exceedingly high, and high rates of comorbid substance use are among the barriers to abstinence experienced by this group. The extent to which smoking cessation might engender an escalation in comorbid substance use could be a concern prohibiting treatment provision and engagement. This study examined whether smoking abstinence status was associated with alcohol and substance use at 26 weeks post-randomization among homeless smokers in a smoking cessation trial. Design The current study was a secondary analysis of randomized smoking cessation intervention trial data. Setting The parent study was conducted in the Minneapolis/St Paul area of Minnesota, USA. Participants Participants were 427 homeless adult smokers interested in quitting smoking. Measurements Covariates collected at baseline included alcohol, cocaine, marijuana/hashish, heroin and ‘any’ drug use, age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, tobacco dependence, length of time homeless and treatment group. Biochemically verified smoking abstinence and self-reported alcohol and substance use were collected at 26 weeks post-randomization. Findings Smoking abstinence was associated with fewer drinking days (P = 0.03), fewer drinks consumed on drinking days (P = 0.01), and lower odds of heavy drinking (P = 0.05), but not with differences in the number of days of cocaine, marijuana/hashish, heroin or any drug use. Conclusions In homeless smokers, achieving smoking abstinence may be associated with a reduction in alcohol consumption but appears not to be associated with a substantial change in other drug use.
Effects of height imputation strategies on stand volume estimation

Subsampling and subsequent imputation of tree heights can improve the predictive performance of stand volume estimation but may also introduce biases. Using coastal Douglas-fir data from southwest ...
Engaged scholarship: reflections and research on the pedagogy of social change

Significant shifts are occurring in higher education pedagogy, research methodology, and community development, ones that value civic engagement and experiential learning as bridges to holistic education and sustainable social change. Engaged scholarship through university–community partnerships can result in providing a well-rounded education for students, a widening of the university's knowledge base, and an empowering investment in community change. Yet, perpetuating unequal power relations and contributing to a deficit-based approach of service can thwart the social change efforts of community-based education. Critically engaging these complex notions, while integrating promising pedagogical practices, is crucial for effective service-learning and community-based research. This paper provides an overview of these topics and the personal and collective challenges and benefits students, faculty, and communities face as a result of campus–community partnerships.
Association of cardiovascular and biochemical risk factors with tibial artery calcification

The cardiovascular risk factors that contribute to coronary calcification have been extensively studied while those related to tibial artery calcium are less well defined. We sought to determine the associations between cardiovascular risk factors and tibial artery calcification in a cohort of patients with and without significant peripheral atherosclerosis. A total of 222 patients without end-stage renal disease were identified in a prospectively maintained database containing tibial artery calcification (TAC) scores, and demographic, cardiovascular, and biochemical risk factor information. Patients with prevalent tibial artery calcification were more likely to be older, male, and have a history positive for hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and tobacco use. Patients with an abnormal ankle-brachial index (ABI) or symptoms of peripheral artery disease (PAD) were also more likely to have higher calcium values. In analyses using multivariable logistic regression, age, gender, diabetes, and tobacco use maintained their association with prevalent tibial calcification while hypertension, hyperlipidemia and body mass index did not. These associations remained when PAD was added to the model. After adjusting for relevant cardiovascular risk factors, we found that only abnormal ABI, current PAD symptoms, and lower serum calcium values were associated with the presence of tibial artery calcification. In conclusion, in patients without end-stage renal disease, tibial artery calcification has risk factors that are similar but not identical to those for coronary artery calcification and peripheral atherosclerosis.
Storage and release of organic carbon in peninsular Malaysia

The tropical forest is an important component in the study of possible climatic changes resulting from increasing levels of atmospheric CO2. A methodology has been developed to estimate total carbon from commercial timber volume and regional soil sample analyses. Peninsular Malaysia is used as a case study.
Impedance Matched Ferrite Layers as Ground Plane Treatments to Improve Antenna Wide-Band Performance

In low-profile applications, ground plane backing significantly degrades antenna performance when the electrical height is a small fraction of a wavelength. An approach to suppress the destructive interference from the ground plane reflections is to employ absorbing layers of ferrite materials. In this paper, we introduce a means to also control and utilize the mode excited in these finite ferrite layers to recover antenna performance at ultra/very high frequencies. Experimental verification is provided using commercial ferrite materials.
The Flagellar Regulator TviA Reduces Pyroptosis by Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhi

To discern virulent from innocuous microbes, the innate immune system senses events associated with bacterial access to immunoprivileged sites such as the host cell cytosol. One such pathway is triggered by the cytosolic delivery of flagellin, the major subunit of the flagellum, by bacterial secretion systems. This leads to inflammasome activation and subsequent proinflammatory cell death (pyroptosis) of the infected phagocyte. In this study, we demonstrate that the causative agent of typhoid fever, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi, can partially subvert this critical innate immune recognition event. The transcriptional regulator TviA, which is absent from Salmonella serovars associated with human gastroenteritis, repressed the expression of flagellin during infection of human macrophage-like (THP-1) cells. This mechanism allowed S. Typhi to dampen inflammasome activation, leading to reduced interleukin-1β (IL-1β) secretion and diminished cell death. Likewise, the introduction of the tviA gene in nontyphoidal Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium reduced flagellin-induced pyroptosis. These data suggest that gene regulation of virulence factors enables S. Typhi to evade innate immune recognition by concealing a pathogen-induced process from being sensed by the inflammasome.
HEAT STROKE-INDUCED SINOATRIAL NODE DYSFUNCTION

Abstract Background Heat stroke has been associated with stress-induced cardiomyopathy and electrocardiogram ST segment elevation and depression. Laboratory studies with dogs have demonstrated heat stroke–induced sinoatrial node dysfunction in the setting of hyperkalemia. No prior case report has described heat stroke–induced complete sinoatrial node dysfunction that resolved in the emergency department. Case Report An 87-year-old female presented to the emergency department with heat stroke and severe bradycardia. Initial electrocardiogram demonstrated complete sinoatrial node dysfunction. The bradycardia responded to external cardiac pacing and the sinoatrial node dysfunction resolved with aggressive cooling. Emergency physicians should be aware that heat stroke can cause complete sinoatrial node dysfunction and that this bradydysthrmia can be treated with aggressive cooling.
Perspectives on Workplace Health Promotion among Employees in Low-Wage Industries

Abstract Purpose. Study goals were to (1) understand the attitudes of employees in low-wage industries toward workplace health promotion, including views on appropriateness of employer involvement in employee health and level of interest in workplace health promotion overall and in specific programs, and (2) determine the potential for extending workplace health promotion to spouses and partners of these employees. Approach. The study used 42 interviews of 60 to 90 minutes. Setting. Interviews were conducted with couples (married or living together) in the Seattle/King County metropolitan area of Washington State. Participants. Study participants were forty-two couples with one or more members working in one of five low-wage industries: accommodation/food services, education, health care/social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade. Method. The study employed qualitative analysis of interview transcripts using grounded theory to identify themes. Results. Employees consider workplace health promotion...
The Heterogeneity of Illicit Parrot Markets: An Analysis of Seven Neo-Tropical Open-Air Markets

Partly due to the illegal parrot trade, parrots are one of the most threatened bird species in the world. Trade bans and regulatory schemes have already been implemented, but the illegal parrot trade continues in an unsustainable fashion. Criminological research in the field has begun to understand why certain species are more prone to becoming poached, but not much is known about how illicit markets operate. A prior case study of a Bolivian illicit market found that most poached parrots are found within a 100-mile radius of the market (Pires and Clarke British Journal of Criminology, 51, 314–335, 2011). However, it is unclear if all markets operate in the same local way. Using two recent studies that look at illicit pet markets in seven cities within Peru and Bolivia (Gastanaga et al. Bird Conservational International, 1–10, 2010; Herrera and Hennessey Proceedings of the Fourth International Partners in Flight Conference: Tundra to Tropics, 232–234, 2008), this study investigates if illicit parrot markets fit a standard model. Findings from this study reveal that markets are heterogeneous. Furthermore, a substantial part of the illegal parrot trade involves trafficking species from one market to another and these species are suspected of emanating from just two city markets. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Behaviors for Physical Cooperation Between Robots for Mobility Improvement: Hardware Results and Use of Dynamics

A team of small, low-cost robots instead of a single large, complex robot is useful in operations such as search and rescue, urban exploration etc. However, the performance of such a team is limited due to the restricted mobility of the team members. This paper presents the results obtained toward the goal of enhancing mobility of a team of mobile robots by physical cooperation among the robots with the focus on the development of the low level system components. Recognizing that small robots need to overcome discrete obstacles, we develop specific analytical maneuvers to negotiate each obstacle where a maneuver is built from a sequence of fundamental cooperative behaviors. We have developed a 2-robot hardware system based on our idea of cooperative mobility improvement and guided by the results from the static analysis. We have demonstrated the implementation of basic cooperative behaviors, such as cooperative lift, and by implementing the decentralized control architecture we have demonstrated gap crossing maneuver with the hardware. We have analytically proved that robot dynamics can be used to reduce the friction requirements in the lift behavior and have demonstrated, with simulations, implementation of this idea for the cooperative lifting behavior.
NON‐CATALYZED REDUCTIONS WITH FORMATE SALTS: CONVERSION OF NITROAROMATIC COMPOUNDS TO THE CORRESPONDING PRIMARY AMINES

Abstract One of the more important transformations in aromatic chemistry involves nitration of the ring followed by reduction1 of the nitro group to the corresponding primary amine. Despite its low cost, ease of handling, and known2 property of being a convenient hydrogen donor, formic acid (or formate salts, which are even more active hydride donors2) was not utilized for this reduction until recently when Heck and Cortese reported 3 the palladium-catalyzed reduction of nitroaromatics using triethylammonium formate. Since the latter reagent in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) had previously4 been shown to reduce the carbon-carbon double bond in good Michael acceptors without the presence of a metal catalyst, we decided to examine non-catalytic systems involving formic acid5 for effecting reduction of the nitro group.
Only 'Scraping' the Surface: The Copyright Hole in the FTC's Google Settlement

Each generation, a new-economy case tests the ability of antitrust law to respond to an innovative technology. Most recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) spent 19 months investigating Google. The FTC decided not to challenge the conduct at the heart of its scrutiny, relating to the company’s search algorithm. It nonetheless required that Google not misappropriate, or “scrape,” material from rivals’ websites.Upon first glance, it may sound ominous to scrape rivals’ content. But this conduct cannot be considered apart from the context of U.S. copyright law. In failing to consider (1) whether the scraped reviews (for services like restaurants) were copyrighted, (2) whether sites such as Yelp owned any such copyrights, and (3) whether a fair use defense could be invoked, the FTC waded into the complex intersection of antitrust and intellectual property (IP) without the copyright section of the “instruction manual.” And while allowed use under the IP laws does not automatically prevent antitrust scrutiny, at a minimum it needs to be carefully considered in determining whether the conduct violates antitrust law.
Let minority-serving institutions lead

The pervasive and insidious institutional racism detailed in the Features News story about Richard Tapia (“Minority voice,” J. Mervis, 6 June, p. [1076][1]) is consistent with what many ethnic minority faculty have experienced at predominantly white institutions. Where Tapia falters is in not attributing as also racist, in addition to elitist, his statements that “Pedigree is alive and well…. So if minority students earn their degrees at minority-serving institutions, they won't get hired by Stanford.” Minority-serving institutions continue to do the lion's share in producing minority STEM Ph.D.'s. These scientists are well qualified and on par with those graduating from the top-tier schools. The only impediment to their being recognized as such and hired by elite, predominantly white institutions is the intransigent racism that still haunts the academy. In spite of highly capable mentors like Tapia, majority institutions will not be able to fill the growing need for minority STEM Ph.D.'s without substantial input from minority-serving institutions that have been successfully producing scholars of color for more than 100 years. Rather than dismissing the accomplishments of these institutions, it makes sense to support their track record and learn from their expertise. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.344.6188.1076
Restoration of transient outward current by norepinephrine in cultured canine cardiac myocytes

The mechanism for the reduction of the transient outward K+ current (Ito) in diseased myocardium is unknown. To identify potential mechanisms, the reduction of Ito and its subsequent restoration by norepinephrine (NE) were studied in cultured canine epicardial myocytes. After myocytes were cultured for 9 days (day 9), Ito density was decreased compared with density on the day of isolation (day 0) (3.2 +/- 0.4 vs. 10.4 +/- 0.4 pA/pF; mean +/- SE). The time constant of current decay (taudecay) was increased, the time course of recovery from inactivation was prolonged, and the half-inactivation voltage (V1/2) was shifted to less negative potentials. Exposure of myocytes on day 8 to 1 microM NE or isoproterenol (Iso) for 1 h had no acute effect on Ito but restored Ito density to 7.6 +/- 1.2 or 9.7 +/- 2.3 pA/pF, respectively, on day 9. Recovery from inactivation and taudecay remained slowed, and V1/2 remained shifted to less negative potentials. The effects of NE and Iso were blocked by actinomycin D and were not mimicked by phenylephrine or phorbol ester. A-23187 (1 microM) also restored Ito. Thus beta-adrenergic agonists restored normal Ito density, but not normal Ito kinetics, in cultured epicardial myocytes, possibly via increased intracellular Ca2+ concentration.
Investigation on plaque hosts and vectors in the areas with a history of the epedemic in Yiwu city, 2001 to 2010

Objective To get epidemiological data on plaque hosts and vectors in the areas with a history of the epidemic in Yiwu city, providing a scientific basis for the prevention and control of the epidemic in the city. Methods Rodents were captured in the surveillance sites in the city using live traps, and fleas on them were collected under ether anaesthesia. Rodent liver and spleen were taken for isolation and culture or for PCR detection. Radio immunoassay (RIA) or indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA) was used for serological study. Indices such as rodent capture rate, infection rate and flea index were calculated. SPSS 16.0 software was applied for statistical analysis of the data. Results The average indoor and outdoor rodent capture rate was 1.06% and 1.23%, respectively. The primary indoor rodents were Rattus norvegicus and R. tanezumi , while Eothenomys melanogaster and Apodemus agrarius were the most common outdoor rodents. The flea infection rate was 1.52% with an average flea index of 0.032. No plague were cultured or detected in 7012 rodent samples and 169 flea samples. Plague antibody was detected in 4 out of 6884 samples. Conclusion The composition of plaque hosts and vectors is stable with a low density of rodents and fleas in Yiwu city . However, serological study should be strengthened to be vigilant against imported cases.
Desire for weight loss, weight-related social contact, and body mass outcomes.

Objective This study evaluated whether desiring to lose weight is associated with subsequent changes in social contact with individuals perceived to be thinner or heavier. Methods Longitudinal data were used to examine associations between desiring to lose weight at baseline and social contact with thinner and heavier individuals across a 1-year follow-up period (N = 9,335, 2013–2014 Gallup National Panel). How baseline social contact is linked to body mass outcomes among those desiring to lose weight (N = 7,134) was also examined. Results Over time, individuals desiring to lose weight interacted more frequently (+69 interactions/year, on average) and were more likely to possess social ties (tie probability +0.12) with heavier individuals while lessening their interactions (−51 interactions/year) and decreasing their likelihood of ties (tie probability −0.048) with thinner individuals. On the other hand, increasing contacts and interactions with thinner individuals, and declining contacts and interactions with heavier individuals, were linked to actual weight loss. Conclusions Using national longitudinal data, an important mismatch was demonstrated between the social contacts created by individuals desiring weight loss and the contextual factors possibly useful for weight loss. This may help to explain why weight loss is often unsuccessful.
A Response to Ennser–Kananen's “A Pedagogy of Pain”

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "A Pedagogy of Pain" appearing earlier in the issue.
Study on the Distribution Automation System Terminal Automatic Test Method

With the widespread use of DAS, higher requirements for distribution automation terminal on-site testing have been put forward on account of limitations of field working conditions. Based on the requirement of relevant standards, this paper discusses automatic testing exploratory research, by analyzing the principal experimental objects and information transmission mode of the distribution automation terminal, which adopts IEC-60870-5-104 protocol. On this basis, this paper brings forward a set of feasible distribution automation terminal test method based on automatic information acquisition and predefined rules, by scheme design, process design, and building test environment. Finally, based on the test environment which divides into online and offline modes, the relevant automatic testing system has been studied and applied, achieves a fully automated power distribution terminal test process, and improves the efficiency of this test to ensure safe and stable running of power distribution automation terminal.
Lightweight road network learning for efficient trajectory pattern mining

Individual trajectory traces of different lengths often amount to hundreds or thousands of trajectory points distributed over continuous spatial space. This makes fast trajectory pattern mining very challenging. For road network constrained trajectories like vehicle trajectories, mapping raw trajectory points to road links is a natural calibration procedure that can greatly alleviate the complexity of subsequent pattern mining. However, road map is generally proprietary and imposes limitations on commercial applications. Although a variety of map inference approaches were proposed for the generation of general-purpose road map on the basis of trajectory traces, those procedures are generally too heavy to be applied in the calibration for trajectory pattern mining. In this paper, we propose the first lightweight approach to generate road network from trajectory traces in order to support trajectory pattern mining. The approach is composed of three steps: trajectory density map construction, a cell aggregation step and the final network links/nodes clustering. Only one input data scan and two iterations over trajectory dense areas are necessary during the whole progress. Equipped with the obtained road network, the mapping of trajectory points to road network elements is performed by simple spatial projection operations instead of map-matching process, the result of which supports an efficient trajectory pattern mining.
Contraception at extremes of ages, adolescents and special situations -

Contraception is designed to prevent pregnancy. Selection of contraceptive depends on many factors including a woman’s overall health, age, frequency of sexual activity, number of sexual partners, desire to have children in future, and family history of certain diseases. Hence, planning of pregnancy is of utmost importance to the woman who has in addition a high risk factor. Pregnancy may worsen the preexisting disease or medicines taken for it and vice versa. Therefore, preplanned pregnancy is required with adequate control of high risk factor to ensure optimal pregnancy outcome.
Doctrinal and Technological Innovations in the Indian Armed Forces: Countering Future Terrorism and Asymmetric Threats

Here I argue that in the near term, India should consider military options other than war for a variety of reasons. Most importantly, it is far from obvious that India can achieve its objective of compelling Pakistan to abandon terrorism under its terrorist umbrella through war. Thus what India may be able to do is raise the cost of this strategy to Pakistan while seeking to deny some of the benefits that it enjoys. In this essay, I make three assumptions. First, I assume that India has chosen to cease making a virtue out of a necessity. Second, I assume that Pakistan will not resort to the use of nuclear weapons unless the very existence of the state is imperiled. The reason for this is straightforward: presently, the conditions of “mutually assured destruction” do not hold. While Pakistan can inflict grievous damage to India, India will ultimately survive. Pakistan, on the other hand, will not survive a nuclear retaliation. Most of its military, industry and population is concentrated in the Punjab region and the country lacks strategic depth as is well known. Third, I assume that China will remain as uninvolved as it has in the past and will not undertake military action against India in defence of its client’s continued ability to use terrorism as a tool of policy.
Potential Nematode Alarm Pheromone Induces Acute Avoidance in Caenorhabditis elegans

It is crucial for animal survival to detect dangers such as predators. A good indicator of dangers is injury of conspecifics. Here we show that fluids released from injured conspecifics invoke acute avoidance in both free-living and parasitic nematodes. Caenorhabditis elegans avoids extracts from closely related nematode species but not fruit fly larvae. The worm extracts have no impact on animal lifespan, suggesting that the worm extract may function as an alarm instead of inflicting physical harm. Avoidance of the worm extract requires the function of a cGMP signaling pathway that includes the cGMP-gated channel TAX-2/TAX-4 in the amphid sensory neurons ASI and ASK. Genetic evidence indicates that the avoidance behavior is modulated by the neurotransmitters GABA and serotonin, two common targets of anxiolytic drugs. Together, these data support a model that nematodes use a nematode-specific alarm pheromone to detect conspecific injury.
The social and behavioral influences (SBI) study: study design and rationale for studying the effects of race and activation on cancer pain management

Racial disparities exist in the care provided to advanced cancer patients. This article describes an investigation designed to advance the science of healthcare disparities by isolating the effects of patient race and patient activation on physician behavior using novel standardized patient (SP) methodology. The Social and Behavioral Influences (SBI) Study is a National Cancer Institute sponsored trial conducted in Western New York State, Northern/Central Indiana, and lower Michigan. The trial uses an incomplete randomized block design, randomizing physicians to see patients who are either black or white and who are “typical” or “activated” (e.g., ask questions, express opinions, ask for clarification, etc.). The study will enroll 91 physicians. The SBI study addresses important gaps in our knowledge about racial disparities and methods to reduce them in patients with advanced cancer by using standardized patient methodology. This study is innovative in aims, design, and methodology and will point the way to interventions that can reduce racial disparities and discrimination and draw links between implicit attitudes and physician behaviors. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ , #NCT01501006, November 30, 2011.
Wearable technology for patients with brain and spinal cord injuries

Studies have shown that patients who practice functional movements at home in conjunction with outpatient therapy show higher improvement in motor recovery. However, patients are not qualified to monitor or assess their own condition that must be reported back to the clinician. Therefore, there is a need to transmit physiological data to clinicians from patients in their home environment. This paper presents a review of wearable technology for in-home health monitoring, assessment, and rehabilitation of patients with brain and spinal cord injuries.
Anxious Encounters: Picturing the Street Child in On the Sidewalks of New York

Although On the Sidewalks of New York was a short-lived cartoon series (New York Journal, 1897–1898, 1899–1900), this chapter approaches it as a significant cultural artifact that expresses Progressive Era ambivalence about the figure of the street child. Lara Saguisag argues that while the series insisted that the street child is both symptom and cause of urban ills, it also encouraged readers to sympathize with this troublesome child and delight in his antics. She also shows how On the Sidewalks simultaneously reinforced and destabilized contemporary notions of ethnicity, gender, and class difference.
Stress, sex, and plague: Patterns of developmental stress and survival in pre- and post-Black Death London.

Objectives Previous research revealed declines in survivorship in London before the Black Death (c. 1346–1353), and improvements in survivorship following the epidemic. These trends indicate that there were declines in general levels of health before the Black Death and improvements thereof afterwards. This study expands on previous research by examining whether changes in survivorship were consistent between the sexes, and how patterns of developmental stress markers changed before and after the Black Death. Materials and Methods This study uses samples from London cemeteries dated to one of three periods: Early Pre-Black Death (1000–1200 AD, n = 255), Late Pre-Black Death (1200–1250 AD, n = 247), or Post-Black Death (1350–1540 AD n = 329). Temporal trends in survivorship are assessed via Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and trends in tibial length (as a proxy for stature) and linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) are assessed using t-tests and Chi-square tests, respectively. Results Survivorship for both sexes decreased before the Black Death and increased afterwards. For males, LEH frequencies increased and stature decreased before the epidemic, and LEH declined and stature increased after the Black Death. For females, the only significant change with respect to developmental stress markers was a decrease in stature after the Black Death. Conclusions These results might reflect variation between the sexes in sensitivity to stressors, the effects of nutrition on pubertal timing, disproportionate access to dietary resources for males in the aftermath of the Black Death, the disproportionate deaths of frail individuals during the epidemic, or some combination of these factors.
Correction to: Antisocial Personality Disorder and Physical Partner Violence Among Single and Dual Substance-Abusing Couples

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. There is an error within Table 2. The influence of Female diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder (column 2) on Female perpetration of violence should be listed as B = 12.41, SE = 5.82, beta = 0.389, p = .033.
Deriving queries from results using genetic programming

This paper centers on the problem of finding commonalities for a set of objects belonging to an object-oriented database. In our approach, commonalities within a set of objects are described by object-oriented queries that compute this set of objects. The paper discusses the architecture of a knowledge discovery system, called MASSON, which employs genetic programming to find such queries. We also report on an experiment that evaluated the knowledge discovery capabilities of the MASSON system.
Technische Softwaredokumentation unter ökonomischen Gesichtspunkten : Ein formal-deduktiver Ansatz

Der Softwaredokumentation wird offensichtlich ein nur sehr geringer Stellenwert eingeraumt. So zeichnet sich beispielsweise ca. 80 % der weltweiten Software durch eine unzureichende Dokumentation aus. Dabei bestatigen empirische Studien, dass mit der Verfugbarkeit einer adaquaten technischen Programmdokumentation eine Reduktion der Fehleranfalligkeit von nachtraglichen Anderungen im Rahmen der Softwarewartung einhergeht. Fur jedes Softwareprojekt ergibt sich demnach die Frage, in welcher Hohe eine Investition in die Erstellung einer technischen Programmdokumentation okonomisch sinnvoll ist. Dieses Entscheidungsproblem wurde wissenschaftlich bisher stark vernachlassigt. Da entsprechende Zusammenhange empirisch vermutlich nur schwer aufgedeckt werden konnen, stellt der Beitrag einen neuartigen deduktiven Ansatz vor, welcher die barwertigen Auszahlungen fur die Erstellung einer technischen Programmdokumentation und fur die Fehlerbehebung gegenuberstellt. Grundlage des Modells bildet das Phanomen der Fehlerausbreitung von einer Komponente uber deren Abhangigkeiten zu angrenzenden Komponenten. Auf dieser Basis kann folgende Hypothese abgeleitet werden: Auch bei einer beliebig niedrigen Dokumentationsqualitat oder einem beliebig hohen Kalkulationszinssatz ist es stets vorteilhaft, eher zu viel als vergleichsweise zu wenig zu dokumentieren. Diese Hypothese erweist sich dabei auch gegenuber der Anderung einiger Annahmen als robust.
Consistent Mapping, Invariants, And The Training Of Perceptual-Motor Skills

Two lines of research which have relevance for the training of perceptual-motor skills are the study of automatic processing and the study of ecological optics. This paper examines the complementary nature of these two lines of researoh. On the one hand, studies of automatic processing illustrate that consistency is a necessary condition for the development of skilled performance. On the other hand, the study of ecological optics provides a method for identifying consistent features of stimulation (invariants) in natural environments.
Due Process Is in the Details: U.S. Targeted Economic Sanctions and International Human Rights Law

The United States has employed targeted sanctions—economic and travel restrictions imposed directly on natural and legal persons—in a wide range of policy areas in the past two decades. This includes counterterrorism, nonproliferation, and cyber, as well as sanctions regimes aimed at changing the behavior of various governments. A substantial literature has considered the compatibility with international human rights law of the targeted sanctions practices of other actors, particularly the UN Security Council and the European Union. But relatively few scholars have examined U.S. targeted sanctions practices from that perspective. This essay argues that in principle, current U.S. designation practices can be reconciled with international standards. However, a more robust conclusion about the practices’ compatibility with international human rights law would require more information on the application of designation procedures in individual cases.
High Flux Membranes with Ultrathin Zwitterionic Copolymer Selective Layers with ∼1 nm Pores Using an Ionic Liquid Cosolvent

We report membranes with ultrathin <200 nm zwitterionic copolymer selective layers exhibiting ∼1 nm size cutoff and permeances as high as 50 L/m2·hr·bar. The thin layer is formed by the deposition of random zwitterionic copolymers in trifluoroethanol/ionic liquid mixtures onto a porous support. The resultant membranes have the same low molecular weight cutoff of ∼1000 Da and narrow pore size distribution but fluxes up to 10 times higher than membranes prepared without ionic liquid and 20 times higher than commercial membranes of similar pore size, making them promising for wastewater treatment and pharmaceutical purification.
Clearing the air: adolescent smoking trends.

Purpose of reviewThe purpose of this review is to highlight the emerging smoking behaviors and varied tobacco products elevating public health concerns related to the exposure of these potentially harmful substances in the adolescent population.Recent findingsAlthough adolescent smoking of tradition
Separation force analysis and prediction based on cohesive element model for constrained-surface Stereolithography processes

Constrained-surface based Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes have been widely used in both academia and industry for the past few years. Despite the advantages of constrained-surface based AM processes, it has not been widely used in practice. A main reason for this is that a substantial separation force is required to separate the cured part from the material vat during the pulling-up stage, which may damage the cured part and reduce the reliability of the process. The solutions proposed previously to reduce this separation force recommend using an intermediate coating material (e.g., Teflon and silicone films) between the cured part and the vat. This, however, has only negligible effects in reducing the separation force. In this work, the pulling-up process is modeled within the framework of mechanics-based principles. In particular, the cohesive zone model (CZM) is adopted to characterize the separation mechanism, and finite element (FE) simulation is carried out to investigate the separation process using the commercially available FE software, Abaqus. A new simple optimization scheme is also proposed to estimate the constitutive cohesive stiffness parameters from experimental measurements. These constitutive parameters are very difficult to estimate using the standard mechanical tests. The proposed work based on sound mechanics-based principles can be used for reliable prediction of pulling-up speed, and thus, is likely to be useful in devising an adaptive closed-loop system to control the pulling-up process and achieve a reliable AM approach. We formulate cohesive zone model to characterize the separation process.We establish an optimization model to evaluate the mechanical parameters.The effectiveness of the proposed technique is validated by computer-simulated experiments.Fabrication performance can be significantly improved by the proposed approach.
Focused ultrasound stimulation of median nerve modulates somatosensory evoked responses

Chronic pain can be alleviated using paresthesia caused by electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves. However, the implantation of electrodes is necessary to increase the specificity and efficacy of the treatment. Alternatively, focused ultrasound (FUS) can noninvasively and selectively modulate nerve function, which could potentially be an alternative to inducing paresthesia. Here, we show initial feasibility of FUS stimulation in the peripheral nerve of healthy human subjects. Somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) elicited by electrical stimulation of the median nerve is demonstrated to decrease in amplitude while FUS is concurrently applied on the median nerve. The suppression of SSEP signals indicates the modulation of sensory signaling to the brain, which can potentially be used to reduce pain.
The Effect of White Social Prejudice on Support for American Democracy

Social prejudice constitutes an unwillingness to associate with individuals whose cultural or racial background differs from one's own group. Such prejudice is a particularly thorny problem in the context of democracy, which requires citizens to minimally respect such differences. In this paper, we assess the relationships between these attitudes and support for democratic institutions. Using World Values Survey data from 1995 to 2011, we find that prejudice toward cultural, ethnic, or racial “others” reduces the value that white Americans assign to democracy. We also find white Americans who exhibit these attitudes are more likely to dismiss the value of separation of powers and are more likely to support army rule. These findings imply that exclusionary rhetoric targeted toward non-white groups is accompanied by lower baseline support for democracy. We close with a discussion of how our analyses inform the study of Americans' attitudes toward democracy
Energy Management in Distillation Preheat Systems

Abstract Economizers in preheat systems represent a method for process intensification that has been widely applied. Despite its long history, control problems have been reported and attributed to thermal interaction and feedback. A recent paper studied the use of several heat-exchanger configurations for preheating streams in an extractive distillation column with a sidestream. The hot solvent recycle stream can be used to preheat the fresh feed to the extractive column, or it can be used to preheat the liquid sidestream from the extractive column that is fed to the solvent recovery column. A third alternative that is the most energy efficient uses two economizers in series, the first preheating the sidestream and the second preheating the fresh feed. However, dynamic controllability issues were experienced that were attributed to positive feedback of thermal energy. A heat-exchanger bypass control structure was proposed to handle the problem. This paper suggests that the problem occurs because of partial vaporization of the column feeds in the economizers, which can be eliminated by keeping the pressures in the economizers high enough to maintain liquid-phase sensible heat transfer. Process intensification methods can only produce the desired efficiency results if the process is effectively and safely controlled.
Advances in allergen immunotherapy for asthma.

Purpose of review Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is a well-known disease-modifying intervention for allergic diseases. Its benefit in allergic asthma, ranging from prevention to facilitating asthma control, is yet to be clarified. Recent findings In 2017, following several well-designed randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with house-dust mites (HDM) sublingual (SLIT) tablets in asthma, global initiative for asthma (GINA) guidelines highlighted the need to treat the allergic component of asthma. In 2019, the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology published the first comprehensive guidelines for HDM AIT in allergic asthma, formulating separate recommendations for subcutaneous, SLIT drops, and SLIT tablets. Significant steps were undertaken in understanding the mechanisms of allergic asthma, facilitating the stratified approach for selecting responders and in translating the immune-modulation effect in achieving long-term control of the chronic inflammation in asthma. Summary Currently existing guidelines recommend AIT as a therapeutic option in controlled or partially controlled HDM allergic asthma. Limited data are available for pollen, molds and pets, as well as for the severe allergic asthma population. The challenge for the future research will be to clarify the subendotypes of allergic asthma responding to AIT, the mechanisms facilitating its' preventive and disease-modifying effect, the optimal duration of the treatment, and route of administration.
The complete mitochondrial genome of the yellowfin shiner, Notropis lutipinnis.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the yellowfin shiner (Notropis lutipinnis) 16,706 bp and contained 13 protein coding genes, 2 rRNAs, 22tRNAs, and one control region. The overall base compositi...
A Surgeon's Guide for Various Lung Nodule Localization Techniques and the Newest Technologies.

Preoperative image-guided localization of lung nodules is necessary for successful intraoperative localization and resection. However, current localization techniques carry significant intraoperati...
Treatment of Metastatic Carcinoma of an Unknown Primary to the Heart with Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy.

Introduction Secondary cardiac malignancies are much more common than primary cancers. Metastatic cancers to the heart from other solid organs are well known and carry a poor prognosis. Case presentation An 83-year-old Hispanic veteran presented with breathlessness, cough, and weight loss. Imaging studies showed extensive pericardial effusion and multiple pericardial/epicardial masses. Biopsy showed poorly differentiated metastatic carcinoma with no definitive origin, based on lab, imaging, and extensive immunohistochemistry (IHC) studies. Gene panel testing showed microsatellite stable status. Programmed cell death 1 ligand (PD-L1) IHC was 100% in the tumor cells. He was started on pembrolizumab and had a complete resolution of symptoms. Subsequent imaging studies showed improvement in the multiple pericardial/epicardial masses. Discussion Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has changed the treatment landscape of many malignancies since the approval of the first ICI, ipilimumab, for melanoma in 2011. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of successful treatment by ICI therapy in undifferentiated metastatic carcinoma of an unknown primary source to the heart.
Trait Interindividual Differences in the Magnitude of Subjective Sleepiness from Sleep Inertia

In shift work settings and on-call operations, workers may be at risk of sleep inertia when called to action immediately after awakening from sleep. However, individuals may differ substantially in their susceptibility to sleep inertia. We investigated this using data from a laboratory study in which 20 healthy young adults were each exposed to 36 h of total sleep deprivation, preceded by a baseline sleep period and followed by a recovery sleep period, on three separate occasions. In the week prior to each laboratory session and on the corresponding baseline night in the laboratory, participants either extended their sleep period to 12 h/day or restricted it to 6 h/day. During periods of wakefulness in the laboratory, starting right after scheduled awakening, participants completed neurobehavioral tests every 2 h. Testing included the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale to measure subjective sleepiness, for which the data were analyzed with nonlinear mixed-effects regression to quantify sleep inertia. This revealed considerable interindividual differences in the magnitude of sleep inertia, which were highly stable within individuals after both baseline and recovery sleep periods, regardless of study condition. Our results demonstrate that interindividual differences in subjective sleepiness due to sleep inertia are substantial and constitute a trait.
Chiplets in Wafers (CiW) - Process Design Kit and Demonstration of High-Frequency Circuits with GaN Chiplets in Silicon Interposers

The Metal Embedded Chiplet Assembly for Microwave Integrated Circuits (MECAMIC) technology utilizes RF GaN transistor chiplets integrated into passive interposer wafers using a metal electroplating embedding approach. Chiplets in Wafers (CiW) enable high level of integration between the transistor chiplets and the packaging circuitry, resulting in high RF performance. In this paper, we present the detailed process flow, the development of a MECAMIC Process Design Kit (PDK) for mm-wave RF Integrated Circuits (ICs), and its application to the design, simulation, fabrication and measurements of heterogeneously-integrated multi-stage W-band Low Noise Amplifiers (LNAs) using state-of-the-art mm-wave GaN transistor chiplets and low-cost silicon interposer packaging with 16 dB gain and 4dB noise figure at 77 GHz.
Disparities in PM2.5 exposure and population density influence SARS-CoV-2 transmission among racial and ethnic minorities

There is overwhelming evidence that minority populations across the United States (US) have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 pandemic. While the disparities are clear, the reasons underlying the rapidity of disease spread–characterized by the basic reproduction ratio R0– in these communities are less so. Here, we investigate the relative impact of disparities in the socioeconomic, environmental, and lung health factors on R0 across twelve major metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in the US at the county-level. We inferred county-level R0 values using an established metapopulation epidemiological model corresponding to the period March 1–April 30, 2020 marked by a rapid surge in COVID-19 cases across the US states and implementation of strict lockdown measures. We find that disparities in long-term, ambient PM2.5 exposure (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter 2.5 μm or less) and population density have an outsized effect on R0 in comparison to disparities in the other factors. We also find that the effect of increasing population density on R0 is dependent on ambient PM2.5 mass concentrations. PM2.5 exposure has a well-established causal effect with increased risks and severe outcomes during previous infectious disease outbreaks. Overall, we find the largest disparities in PM2.5 exposure, population denisty, and associated increase in R0 among the Hispanic-American population, followed by Asian-American and African-American populations, respectively. Longstanding geographic segregation of minority communities has led to extremely large fluctuations in county-level racial and ethnic minority fractions. As such, we conclude by providing each MSA with a roadmap for identifying which communities should be targeted for PM2.5 mitigation policy implementation. The methodology and results of this study may be extrapolatable to the rest of the world toward discerning the consequences of population density and PM2.5 disparities in COVID-19 spread.