cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neural networks and simulation: Modeling for applications

Artificial neural networks simulate biologi cal processes in an intriguing manner. Ideas gleaned from the study of neurophysiology and animal behavior have become realizable in recent years. The advent of computers capable of rapidly executing massively parallel and distributed processes has allowed ideas from diverse fields to be merged and tested. The resulting neural networks, simulated in software and/or hardware, provide an adaptable, robust modeling tool useful to simulationists in all disciplines.
pieTime: Visualizing Communication Patterns

This paper explores how aggregated behavioral data might help people reflect on patterns in their lives using pie Time, a visualization that presents communication activity aggregated at levels from hours in a day to months in a year. pie Time builds on recent work in conversation visualization and life logging by focusing on rhythms rather than details and supporting reflection across different media. An evaluation with 15 people supports findings from prior work about the importance of particular details and storytelling in tools that support reflection, even when the design goals emphasize higher-level patterns. Still, aggregate patterns provide additional insight into personal behavior, suggesting that systems that integrate both particulars and patterns may be especially valuable, especially when they also help people build and manage their identities.
The development and evaluation of an evidence-based guideline programme to improve care in a paediatric emergency department

Introduction Care guidelines can improve the quality of care by making current evidence available in a concise format. Emergency departments (EDs) are an ideal site for guidelines given the wide variety of presenting conditions and treating providers, and the need for timely decision making. We designed a programme for guideline development and implementation and evaluated its impact in an ED. Methods The setting was an urban paediatric ED with an annual volume of 60 000. Common and/or high-risk conditions were identified for guideline development. Following implementation of the guidelines, their impact on effectiveness of care, patient outcomes, efficiency and equitability of care was assessed using a web-based provider survey and performance on identified metrics. Variation in clinical care between providers was assessed using funnel plots. Results Eleven (11) guidelines were developed and implemented. 3 years after the initiation of the programme, self-reported adherence to recommendations was high (95% for physicians and 89% for nurses). 97% of physicians and 92% of nurses stated that the programme improved the quality of care in the ED. For some guidelines, provider-to-provider care practice variation was reduced significantly. We found reduced disparity in imaging when assessing one guideline. There were also reductions in utilisation of diagnostic tests or therapies. As a balancing measure, the percentage of patients with any of the guideline conditions who returned to the ED within 72 h of discharge did not change from before to after guideline initiation. Overall, 80% of physician and 56% of nurse respondents rated the guideline programme at the highest value. Conclusions A programme for guideline development and implementation helped to improve efficiency, and standardise and eliminate disparities in emergency care without jeopardising patient outcomes.
The role of paleoclimatic studies in assessing climate change

As the international community ponders the potential course of future climatic changes and their impacts, studies of past climatic changes and their environmental effects provide a way to understand the processes involved in environmental change, the interactions among elements of the ocean-atmosphere-land surface system, and the rates and amplitudes of natural climatic variability. Paleoclimatic studies provide direct evidence of how the climate system changes through time, including its responses to unprecedented (in the instrumental record) changes in its controls.The paleoclimatic record also provides a laboratory for testing the ability of numerical models to simulate conditions different from the current climate.
The ACL anthology network corpus

We introduce the ACL Anthology Network (AAN), a comprehensive manually curated networked database of citations, collaborations, and summaries in the field of Computational Linguistics. We also present a number of statistics about the network including the most cited authors, the most central collaborators, as well as network statistics about the paper citation, author citation, and author collaboration networks.
Developmental Instability and Markers of Schizotypy in University Students

Fluctuating asymmetries (FA) and minor physical anomalies (MPAs) are markers of developmental instability (DI), an index of the degree to which an organism was subject to genomic or environmental stress during development. Measures of DI are characteristic of schizophrenia and are thought to reflect an underlying genetic liability for schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Whereas MPAs reflect developmental stress relatively early in the first trimester in utero, skeletal FAs reflect developmental stress throughout the lifespan. Both measures were collected to provide some indication of the associated developmental time course. In addition to DI measures, several psychometric measures of schizotypy were administered in a sample of university students (n = 81). It was hypothesized that increased DI may relate to schizotypal symptoms in a group of healthy undergraduate students. Schizotypy scores were positively correlated with FA, but not MPAs. This finding suggests that DI, as indexed by FA, is important for n...
Toxicity of non-thermal dielectric barrier discharge plasma treatment of endothelial cells

Non-thermal dielectric barrier discharge plasma is now being widely developed for various medical applications such as skin sterilization, blood coagulation, induction of apoptosis in malignant tissues, and wound healing among others. In this paper we investigate the toxicity of non- thermal plasma treatment on endothelial cells, which line all blood contacting surfaces in the body. This research explores the effect of non-thermal plasma on the vasculature, which is affected during plasma treatment of many tissues and may be an important potential target for clinical plasma therapy.
New mechanistic insight into the oxygen reduction reaction on Ruddlesden–Popper cathodes for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells

Ruddlesden-Popper (R-P) phase materials have been investigated widely as cathode candidates for IT-SOFCs. However, widespread application of R-P phase cathodes demands further improvement in electrode activity whose progress is hindered by the limited information in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The ORR mechanism for the R-P phase is therefore investigated in this paper using (LaSr)2NiO(4±δ) as an example. Accurate characterization of the surface oxygen exchange process is realized by developing thin and dense polycrystalline LSNO layers via a versatile spray-modified pressing method we invented before to avoid perceptible bulk diffusion contribution, surface enrichment and geometry complication. The governing factors of the ORR are identified as oxygen adsorption and incorporation based on the findings in reaction orders from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), stoichiometry-related chemical capacitance and intrinsic anisotropic properties. The incorporation rate is proven to drastically depend on the amount of interstitial oxygen (O(i)"). Since the unfilled interstitial sites(V(i)(×)) in the R-P phase serve to accommodate the adsorbed oxygen during incorporation, like vacancies in the perovskite structure (V(O)(••)), more O(i)" would seem to suppress the kinetics of this process. In regards to this, for the first time, a physical model is proposed to reconcile the discrepancy between the experimental results and intuitive reasoning. Based on supporting evidence, this model illustrates a possibility of how O(i)" works to regulate the exchange rate, and how the contradiction between V(O)(••) and O(i)" is harmonized so that the latter in the R-P structure also positively promotes the incorporation rate in the ORR.
Neoliberalism, Race, and the American Welfare State: A Discussion of Joe Soss, Richard C. Fording, and Sanford F. Schram's Disciplining the Poor: Neoliberal Paternalism and the Persistent Power of Race

Disciplining the Poor: Neoliberal Paternalism and the Persistent Power of Race. By Joe Soss, Richard C. Fording, and Sanford F. Schram. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2011. 368p. 25.00 paper.It is more than 15 years since the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act was passed in 1996, famously described by then-President Bill Clinton as “the end of welfare as we know it.” In Disciplining the Poor, Joe Soss, Richard Fording, and Sanford Schram analyze recent changes in US welfare policy as reflections of broader transformations of the “governance” of poverty, arguing that these transformations represent a new form of “neoliberal paternalism” in which race continues to be an important element. In this symposium, a diverse group of political scientists working on welfare issues have been asked to critically assess the book's account and to comment more broadly on the importance of the “governance of poverty” to the future of American politics.—Jeffrey C. Isaac, Editor
Epidemiology Characteristic of 15 Cases of Scrub Typhus in Pinggu District of Beijing

[Objective]Analyzing the epidemiology characteristic and clinic character in Pinggu district,realizing the distributing status of scrub typhus in Pinggu distrivt in order to further research.[Methods]By using retrospect investigation and describing epidemiology mathods to analyze this time scrub typhus epidemic trait[Results]There were 15 cases of scrub typhus in Pinggu district from Oct.3 2009 to Oct.22,8 cases are male,7 cases are female,the average of ages is 51.6.10 cases are farmers and 5 cases are workers.They all had fever symptom and mostly were remittent.There were 14 cases of canker eschar symptom,account for 93.3%.1 case of IgM antibody titer≥1:32,14 cases of IgM antibody titer≥1:64,by testing single bolld serum after usong indirect immunofluorescent assay.There were 10 cases of masculine reaction atter using PCR testing Oriemtia tsutsugamsushi differential gene segment.The ratio of wrong diagnosis of first diagnosis is 93.3%.[Conclusion]Scrub typhus epidemic in this area is typical autumn eseason scrub typhus,the symptom is complex,and very easily happen wrong diagnosis in forepart.There are probably scrub typhus focus of natural infection in Pinggu district,should have a further inspection and resesrch out of the epidemic disease zone.
Impact of atmospheric turbulence and refractivity on the modulation transfer function of incoherent imaging systems

Using the brightness function imaging approach we analyze the impact of the desert and ocean type inverse temperature layer (ITL) on the modulation transfer function (MFT) of an incoherent imaging system. It is shown that an ITL located in vicinity of an imaging path can result in nonlinear deviation in imaging of an object spatial spectrum. Using periodical (sine) patterns of different spatial frequencies as an object, we show that presence of an ITL leads to formation of images with a broadened spatial spectrum with shifted frequency of the sine pattern image in respect to object frequency. The image spectrum shift and width depend on the ITL characteristics and its location in respect to optical wave propagation path. The observed changes in the sine pattern spectral content represent a challenge for analysis of imaging systems performance using conventional MTF based framework. We also analyzed impact of atmospheric turbulence on imaging of periodical (sine) patterns and compared this with the known theoretical results.
Improving the Efficiency and Ease of Healthcare Analysis Through Use of Data Visualization Dashboards

The digitization of a patient's health record has profoundly impacted medicine and healthcare. The compilation and accessibility of medical history has provided clinicians an unprecedented, holistic account of a patient's conditions, procedures, medications, family history, and social situation. In addition to the bedside benefits, this level of information has opened the door for population-level monitoring and research, the results of which can be used to guide initiatives that are aimed at improving quality of care. Cerner Corporation partners with health systems to help guide population management and quality improvement projects. With such an enormous and diverse client base-varying in geography, size, organizational structure, and analytic needs-discerning meaning in the data and how they fit with that particular hospital's goals is a slow, difficult task that requires clinical, statistical, and technical literacy. This article describes the development of dashboards for efficient data visualization at the healthcare facility level. Focusing on two areas with broad clinical importance, sepsis patient outcomes and 30-day hospital readmissions, dashboards were developed with the goal of aggregating data and providing meaningful summary statistics, highlighting critical performance metrics, and providing easily digestible visuals that can be understood by a wide range of personnel with varying levels of skill and areas of expertise. These internal-use dashboards have allowed associates in multiple roles to perform a quick and thorough assessment on a hospital of interest by providing the data to answer necessary questions and to identify important trends or opportunities. This automation of a previously manual process has greatly increased efficiency, saving hours of work time per hospital analyzed. Additionally, the dashboards have standardized the analysis process, ensuring use of the same metrics and processes so that overall themes can be compared across hospitals and health systems.
Acute Kidney Injury in Pediatric Severe Sepsis: An Independent Risk Factor for Death and New Disability

Objectives: The prevalence of septic acute kidney injury and impact on functional status of PICU survivors are unknown. We used data from an international prospective severe sepsis study to elucidate functional outcomes of children suffering septic acute kidney injury. Design: Secondary analysis of patients in the Sepsis PRevalence, OUtcomes, and Therapies point prevalence study: acute kidney injury was defined on the study day using Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes definitions. Patients with no acute kidney injury or stage 1 acute kidney injury ("no/mild acute kidney injury") were compared with those with stage 2 or 3 acute kidney injury ("severe acute kidney injury"). The primary outcome was a composite of death or new moderate disability at discharge defined as a Pediatric Overall Performance Category score of 3 or higher and increased by 1 from baseline. Setting: One hundred twenty-eight PICUs in 26 countries. Patients: Children with severe sepsis in the Sepsis PRevalence, OUtcomes, and Therapies study. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: One hundred two (21%) of 493 patients had severe acute kidney injury. More than twice as many patients with severe acute kidney injury died or developed new moderate disability compared with those with no/mild acute kidney injury (64% vs 30%; p < 0.001). Severe acute kidney injury was independently associated with death or new moderate disability (adjusted odds ratio, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.5-4.2; p = 0.001) after adjustment for age, region, baseline disability, malignancy, invasive mechanical ventilation, albumin administration, and the pediatric logistic organ dysfunction score. Conclusions: In a multinational cohort of critically ill children with severe sepsis and high mortality rates, septic acute kidney injury is independently associated with further increased death or new disability.
Submicron scaling InP/InGaAs single heterojunction bipolar transistor technology with f/sub T/ > 400 GHz for >100 GHz applications

We describe a high-speed triple metal InP SHBT technology in this paper. With respect to scaling, we have measured f/sub T/ from 300 GHz to 450 GHz, and f/sub MAX/ from 200 GHz to 380 GHz. The proposed technology also features triple metal interconnections, MIM capacitors and NiCr thin film resistors. A CML static frequency divider is designed and simulated from DC to 122 GHz toggling rate at a power consumption of 141 mW.
A Multifaceted Approach to Reduction of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections in the Intensive Care Unit With an Emphasis on "Stewardship of Culturing"

BACKGROUND Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are among the most common hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). Reducing CAUTI rates has become a major focus of attention due to increasing public health concerns and reimbursement implications. OBJECTIVE To implement and describe a multifaceted intervention to decrease CAUTIs in our ICUs with an emphasis on indications for obtaining a urine culture. METHODS A project team composed of all critical care disciplines was assembled to address an institutional goal of decreasing CAUTIs. Interventions implemented between year 1 and year 2 included protocols recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for placement, maintenance, and removal of catheters. Leaders from all critical care disciplines agreed to align routine culturing practice with American College of Critical Care Medicine (ACCCM) and Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) guidelines for evaluating a fever in a critically ill patient. Surveillance data for CAUTI and hospital-acquired bloodstream infection (HABSI) were recorded prospectively according to National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) protocols. Device utilization ratios (DURs), rates of CAUTI, HABSI, and urine cultures were calculated and compared. RESULTS The CAUTI rate decreased from 3.0 per 1,000 catheter days in 2013 to 1.9 in 2014. The DUR was 0.7 in 2013 and 0.68 in 2014. The HABSI rates per 1,000 patient days decreased from 2.8 in 2013 to 2.4 in 2014. CONCLUSIONS Effectively reducing ICU CAUTI rates requires a multifaceted and collaborative approach; stewardship of culturing was a key and safe component of our successful reduction efforts. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:186-188.
Gene Therapy and Parkinson’s Disease: A Review

In this review, a historical perspective is provided on the development of gene therapy in relation to Parkinson’s disease by communicating the findings of work done in years ranging from 2000-2012. This is done in the five following steps: 1) by first exploring gene therapy, its various types, and their advantages and disadvantages vis a vis the treatment of human diseases, 2) by providing an example of an effective use of gene therapy, 3) by identifying two relevant genes identified as disease-causing when mutated, 4) by discussing the pathology of Parkinson’s disease in relation to these two genes, and 5) by finally discussing the potential of gene therapy in relation to Parkinson’s disease, specifically with regard to these two genes.
Persecution vs. Protection: Examining the Pernicious Politics of Environmental Conservation in The Hungry Tide

There has been a shift in the mode of environmental appropriation within the global South; colonial policies of resource exploitation have now become substituted by Western environmental conservati...
Keynote: Doing Research That Matters: Reflecting on the Past and Charting a Future for ICT4D

ICT4D has emerged as an important research area within the IS discipline, with special issues in leading journals. Research on societal problems and a focus on the grand challenges facing the planet is crucial to do research that matters and changes the lives of the poorest people on the planet. In this presentation, against the backdrop of the presenter's work in rural India, suggested future research directions that call for a paradigm shift will be proposed spanning from human-computer interaction to IS theories.
Efficient encapsulation of proteins with random copolymers

Membraneless organelles are aggregates of disordered proteins that form spontaneously to promote specific cellular functions in vivo. The possibility of synthesizing membraneless organelles out of cells will therefore enable fabrication of protein-based materials with functions inherent to biological matter. Since random copolymers contain various compositions and sequences of solvophobic and solvophilic groups, they are expected to function in nonbiological media similarly to a set of disordered proteins in membraneless organelles. Interestingly, the internal environment of these organelles has been noted to behave more like an organic solvent than like water. Therefore, an adsorbed layer of random copolymers that mimics the function of disordered proteins could, in principle, protect and enhance the proteins' enzymatic activity even in organic solvents, which are ideal when the products and/or the reactants have limited solubility in aqueous media. Here, we demonstrate via multiscale simulations that random copolymers efficiently incorporate proteins into different solvents with the potential to optimize their enzymatic activity. We investigate the key factors that govern the ability of random copolymers to encapsulate proteins, including the adsorption energy, copolymer average composition, and solvent selectivity. The adsorbed polymer chains have remarkably similar sequences, indicating that the proteins are able to select certain sequences that best reduce their exposure to the solvent. We also find that the protein surface coverage decreases when the fluctuation in the average distance between the protein adsorption sites increases. The results herein set the stage for computational design of random copolymers for stabilizing and delivering proteins across multiple media.
Efficient Electromagnetic Scattering Analysis for Multi-Scale Problems Using Green's Functions of Arbitrary Scatterers

An efficient electromagnetic optimization scheme is developed and exemplified for scattering from structures with multi-scale features. We have developed an efficient approach to derive the full-wave scattering solution of a large scatterer with localized modifications by using the Green's function of the original scatterer. The Green's function of the original scatterer and the free-space Green's function are used to formulate coupled surface integral equations (SIEs) on a virtual boundary that separates the localized modifications from the original scatterer. The unknowns of the SIEs are only on this virtual boundary, on the deformed part of the boundary of the original scatterer, and on any inhomogeneities within the virtual boundary. The resulting matrix equations are of marginal sizes, and can be readily manipulated to improve the condition numbers by representing all other unknowns in terms of the surface fields on the virtual boundary. Thus, by solving the scattering problem associated with the original scatterer once to derive its Green's function, the scattering solutions of similar structures are readily solved with minimal computing cost. These new scattering solutions, when necessary, can be used as new starting points as further modifications are introduced to the structure. The approach turns out extremely effective in numerous engineering designs when design is iterated for optimal performances.
Convergence of Mortality Among African Americans

The purpose of this study is to explore any possible convergence in African American mortality rates in the United States. Using county-level data of the United States over a period of nearly five ...
Relationship between area mortgage foreclosures, homeownership, and cardiovascular disease risk factors: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.

The risk of mortgage foreclosure disproportionately burdens Hispanic/Latino populations perpetuating racial disparities in health. In this study, we examined the relationship between area-level mortgage foreclosure risk, homeownership, and the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among participants of the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL). HCHS/SOL participants were age 18–74 years when recruited from four U.S. metropolitan areas. Mortgage foreclosure risk was obtained from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Homeownership, sociodemographic factors, and cardiovascular disease risk factors were measured at baseline interview between 2008 and 2011. There were 13,856 individuals contributing to the analysis (median age 39 years old, 53% female). Renters in high foreclosure risk areas had a higher prevalence of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia but no association with smoking status compared to renters in low foreclosure risk areas. Renters were more likely to smoke cigarettes than homeowners. Among US Hispanic/Latinos in urban cities, area foreclosure and homeownership have implications for risk of cardiovascular disease.
Know Your Data—Data Preparation

Once the business problem is identified, the hypotheses are developed, and the data is collected, the next step in the process is to analyze the data and prepare the data for predictive modeling. Most raw data is considered “dirty” or “noisy” because the data may have incomplete information, redundant information, outliers, or errors. Therefore, the data should be analyzed and “cleaned” prior to model development. Chap. 2 outlines the entire data analysis and preparation process. This is step 4 in the predictive analytics model. The chapter will begin with a description of the different categories of data followed by a review of the methods used for preparing the data. After a description of the data classifications and data preparation methods, the process will be reviewed step by step in SAS Enterprise Miner™ using the automobile insurance claim data set described in Appendix A.
Coronary Artery Aneurysms: Analysis of Comorbidities from the National Inpatient Sample.

Introduction Coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) are not commonly seen in the general population, with an incidence of approximately 0.37% to 2.53%. Patients are typically asymptomatic but symptomatic presentation varies from dyspnea and angina to myocardial infarction or even sudden cardiac death. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis using the National Inpatient Sample Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (NIS-HCUP) database to query individuals with the diagnosis of CAA with the International Classification of Disease (ICD) code 414.11 in all discharge diagnoses for the years 2006-2014. History of Kawasaki disease was determined by ICD code 446.1. Results From 2006 to 2014, there were 23,033 patients identified with CAA, correlating to approximately one case per 10,000 patients or an incidence of close to 0.01%. Of this, 1,405 or approximately 6.1% of these patients had Kawasaki disease. The mortality rate of CAA was 1.79%. In terms of demographics, Caucasians were the most likely to develop CAA, with 73.8% of cases. The mean age was 61.2 years, with a mean length of stay of 5.1 days. The average cost of admission was $70892. The presence of perivascular disease (15.5% vs 4.5% p<0.05), hypertension (66.1% vs 39.1% p<0.05), chronic lung disease (20.2% vs 15.1% p<0.05), diabetes (21.7% vs 15% p<0.05), renal failure (11% vs 8.8% p<0.05), coagulopathy (6.2% vs 3.4% p<0.05), and obesity (13.1% vs 8.2% p<0.05) were all risk factors for CAA as compared to those without. It was noted that weight loss (3.28% vs 1.91% p<0.05), electrolyte abnormalities (18.2% vs 15.5% p<0.05), and blood loss (2.1% vs 0.9% p<0.05) were protective of CAA. Conclusion CAA risk factors appear to be similar to those of coronary artery disease risk factors, with hypertension, diabetes, perivascular disease, and renal failure. Additionally, obesity was noted to be a risk factor but weight loss appeared to be protective. Interestingly, Kawasaki disease was seen at almost similar rates as these cardiac risk factors. The incidence of CAA we found, of almost 0.01%, is much less than in the quoted literature, however, previous studies did not have as many cases as our study.
Auditory brainstem responses in weaning pigs and three ages of sows

Piglet crushing is a devastating welfare concern on swine farms; however, some sows appear unresponsive to a piglet's call. Sow hearing ability is rarely considered despite the extensive body of research performed on crushing. In this study, pigs of four age groups (weaning, n = 7; gilts, n = 5; 2nd and 3rd parity, n = 5; 5th parity and up, n = 5) were anesthetized and auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were performed to measure if pig hearing diminishes with age in a mechanically ventilated barn. Before testing, pigs were placed in a sound dampening box. ABRs were performed on animals using 1,000 clicks at two decibel (dB) levels: 90 and 127 dB sound pressure level. Latencies and amplitudes of waves I-V were measured and interpeak latencies for waves I-III, III-V, and I-V were calculated. Five pigs (three 2nd and 3rd parity, and two 5th parity and above) had no detectable waves at either decibel. Sows in 2nd and 3rd parities had very few distinguishable waves, with only wave I and II present in two sows. Amplitudes of waves I and V increased with increased dB (P < 0.001). Increasing dB decreased the latency of each of the recorded waves (P < 0.01). The vast majority of commercial swine are raised in noisy barn environments; it is possible that these environments directly affect the ability for pigs to hear and normal hearing development in this population of animals. Hearing has a significant effect on swine welfare as hearing is integral to successful animal handing and during moments of animal-to-animal communication. Hearing is a considerable welfare issue on farms and ways to decrease pig hearing loss should be considered.
Ripple: A Practical Declarative Programming Framework for Serverless Compute.

Serverless computing has emerged as a promising alternative to infrastructure- (IaaS) and platform-as-a-service (PaaS)cloud platforms for applications with ample parallelism and intermittent activity. Serverless promises greater resource elasticity, significant cost savings, and simplified application deployment. All major cloud providers, including Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, have introduced serverless to their public cloud offerings. For serverless to reach its potential, there is a pressing need for programming frameworks that abstract the deployment complexity away from the user. This includes simplifying the process of writing applications for serverless environments, automating task and data partitioning, and handling scheduling and fault tolerance. We present Ripple, a programming framework designed to specifically take applications written for single-machine execution and allow them to take advantage of the task parallelism of serverless. Ripple exposes a simple interface that users can leverage to express the high-level dataflow of a wide spectrum of applications, including machine learning (ML) analytics, genomics, and proteomics. Ripple also automates resource provisioning, meeting user-defined QoS targets, and handles fault tolerance by eagerly detecting straggler tasks. We port Ripple over AWS Lambda and show that, across a set of diverse applications, it provides an expressive and generalizable programming framework that simplifies running data-parallel applications on serverless, and can improve performance by up to 80x compared to IaaS/PaaS clouds for similar costs.
Virtually Perfect? Telemedicine for Covid-19.

Virtually Perfect? Telemedicine for Covid-19 Telemedicine’s payment and regulatory structures, licensing, credentialing, and implementation take time to work through, but health systems that have a...
Faithless or Faithful Electors? An Analogy to Disobedient but Conscientious Jurors

A majority of states require delegates to the Electoral College to pledge that they will vote in accordance with the popular vote in their state. In previous decisions, the Supreme Court has upheld the legality of extracting such a pledge but left open whether it is legally enforceable against a so-called “faithless” elector. The pledge would not be enforceable if the Constitution grants electors the authority to cast an independent vote for President of Vice President. Two pending cases call upon the Court to resolve the issue. The notion that electors, or any government actors, could violate their oaths of office with impunity seems a violation of basic principles of democratic accountability. But this Article draws attention to one place where we do practice and accept the legitimacy of “bound but not punishable” actors. In jury trials, we require jurors to swear an oath that they will follow the law, whether they agree with it or not. But we do not, and cannot, punish jurors who violate their oaths to discharge their civic duty as they understand it. We do not even call them “faithless.” We call them conscientious. This Article explores whether the analogy between jurors and electors hold. I conclude that there is one circumstance where it takes a faithless elector to keep faith with popular democracy. This is when the loser of the national vote is about to become president through the Electoral College.
Chapter 9 – Experimental studies

The important experiment investigations on initiation and propagation of hydraulic fractures carried out in laboratory and in field are presented and discussed in this chapter.
Immunomodulatory effects of thymol and cinnamaldehyde in chicken cell lines

Thymol and cinnamaldehyde are phytogenic feed additives that have been developed to improve gut health, immunity and growth performance in poultry and swine. This study evaluated the immune modulat...
Effect of Induced Incomplete Ossification of the Humeral Condyle on Ex Vivo Humeral Condylar Biomechanics.

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an induced incomplete ossification of the humeral condyle (IOHC) lesion on ex vivo canine humeral condylar biomechanics. Study Design Nine paired cadaveric elbows were collected from mature dogs weighing between 20 and 25 kg. Left and right limbs were randomized to IOHC or normal groups. Limbs were prepared for mechanical testing; ligaments were preserved and an IOHC lesion was created. Elbows were potted, positioned into a biomaterials testing system at an angle of 135 degrees and axially loaded to failure at a rate of 30 mm/minute. Results Induced IOHC lesions reduced peak load (p = 0.02) when compared with an intact humerus. There was no difference between stiffness (p = 0.36) of intact humeri or humeri with an induced IOHC lesion. An induced IOHC lesion increased (p = 0.012) the probability of intracondylar fracture under load. Conclusion Cadaveric humeri are weakened by the creation of an intracondylar osteotomy and fractures secondary to induced IOHC are similar to spontaneous humeral condylar fractures. These findings support the hypothesis that naturally occurring IOHC weakens the humeral condyle and may predispose to humeral condylar fracture.
Approach to enhance trace gas determinations through multi-satellite data fusion

The imaging instruments on the polar-orbiting S-NPP and NOAA-20 satellite platforms [e.g., Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS)] and on geostationary GOES and Himawari platforms [e.g., Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) and Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI)] have high horizontal spatial resolution but coarse vertical information about tropospheric gases and temperatures. An approach for fusing a high spatial resolution imager (e.g., VIIRS, ABI, and AHI) and a high information content sounder or trace gas monitor [e.g., Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) and TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI)] offers the opportunity to construct retrieval products (e.g., trace gas concentrations of CO, SO2, and NH3) via product fusion at high spatial resolution. Furthermore, these products can also be provided at high temporal resolution when geostationary imager (ABI and AHI) data are used in the product fusion. Promising results from VIIRS/CrIS, VIIRS/TROPOMI, and AHI/TROPOMI fusion are presented.
Sulfation of glycosaminoglycans depends on catalytic activity of a lithium-inhibited phosphatase

Golgi-resident bisphosphate nucleotidase 2 (BPNT2) is a member of a family of magnesium-dependent/lithium-inhibited phosphatases that share a three-dimensional structural motif that directly coordinates metal binding to effect phosphate hydrolysis. BPNT2 is responsible for the breakdown of 3-phosphoadenosine-5-phosphate (PAP), a by-product of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) sulfation. Disruption of BPNT2 in mice leads to skeletal abnormalities due to impaired GAG sulfation, especially chondroitin-4-sulfation. Mutations in BPNT2 have also been found to underlie a chondrodysplastic disorder in humans. The precise mechanism by which loss of BPNT2 impairs sulfation remains unclear. Here, we utilize an in vitro approach using mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) to test the hypothesis that catalytic activity of BPNT2 is required for GAG sulfation. We show that a catalytic-dead Bpnt2 construct (D108A) does not rescue impairments in intracellular or secreted sulfated GAG, including decreased chondroitin-4-sulfate, present in Bpnt2-knockout MEFs. We also demonstrate that missense mutations in Bpnt2 which are adjacent to the catalytic site (and known to cause chondrodysplasia in humans) recapitulate defects in overall GAG sulfation and chondroitin-4-sulfation in MEF cultures. We further show that treatment of MEFs with lithium inhibits GAG sulfation, and that this effect depends on the presence of BPNT2. This work demonstrates that the catalytic activity of an enzyme potently inhibited by lithium can modulate GAG sulfation and therefore extracellular matrix composition, revealing new insights into lithium pharmacology and the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders responsive to lithium.
Dimensions of a Living Cochlear Hair Bundle

The hair bundle is the mechanosensory organelle of hair cells that detects mechanical stimuli caused by sounds, head motions, and fluid flows. Each hair bundle is an assembly of cellular-protrusions called stereocilia, which differ in height to form a staircase. Stereocilia have different heights, widths, and separations in different species, sensory organs, positions within an organ, hair-cell types, and even within a single hair bundle. The dimensions of the stereociliary assembly dictate how the hair bundle responds to stimuli. These hair-bundle properties have been measured previously only to a limited degree. In particular, mammalian data are either incomplete, lack control for age or position within an organ, or have artifacts owing to fixation or dehydration. Here, we provide a complete set of measurements for postnatal day (P) 11 C57BL/6J mouse apical inner hair cells (IHCs) obtained from living tissue, tissue mildly-fixed for fluorescent imaging, or tissue strongly-fixed and dehydrated for scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). We found that hair bundles mildly-fixed for fluorescence had the same dimensions as living hair bundles, whereas SEM-prepared hair bundles shrank uniformly in stereociliary heights, widths, and separations. By determining the shrinkage factors, we imputed live dimensions from SEM that were too small to observe optically. Accordingly, we created the first complete blueprint of a living IHC hair bundle. We show that SEM-prepared measurements strongly affect calculations of a bundle’s mechanical properties – overestimating stereociliary deflection stiffness and underestimating the fluid coupling between stereocilia. The methods of measurement, the data, and the consequences we describe illustrate the high levels of accuracy and precision required to understand hair-bundle mechanotransduction.
Effects of Weather Fronts on Ozone Transport

The object of the research discussed in this paper has been to define special meteorological conditions that are conducive to the long-range transport of ozone and its precursors, especially in highly urbanized areas likethe northeastern United States. Long-range transport is an important factor in the design of ozone control strategies. Routinely collected air quality data, special data from the Northeast Oxidant Study, and National Weather Service data and analyses were combined to determine relationships among source areas, areas of high ozone concentration, and air movement associated with different weather systems. In the eastern United States, the warm, southwesterly winds preceding weather fronts were found to provide favorable conditions for ozone formation and transport. The alignment of the coastal source areas is such that particularly dramatic buildups of ozone result, followed by abrupt decreases in concentration as colder, cleaner air behind a front replaces the polluted air ahead of it. Examples of several such events have been analyzed. Although air movement associated with frontal passages is only one of the important situations causing long-range transport and ozone buildup in the Northeast, the events are sufficiently common that they must be considered in the design of control strategies. Furthermore, the fact that ozone buildups are found in conjunction with frontal passages belies the common assumption that stagnating high pressure systems are required for important violations of ozone standards in the eastern United States. The results show that extended source areas, when aligned with the air flow, may lead to significant ozone concentrations even in the decidedly unstagnant air ahead of frontal zones.
Twist Mechanics of the Left Ventricle: Principles and Application

Left ventricular (LV) twist or torsion represents the mean longitudinal gradient of the net difference in clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the LV apex and base, as viewed from LV apex. Twist during ejection predominantly deforms the subendocardial fiber matrix, resulting in storage of potential energy. Subsequent recoil of twist deformation is associated with the release of restoring forces, which contributes to LV diastolic relaxation and early diastolic filling. Noninvasive techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography are useful for understanding LV twist dynamics in clinical settings, and data regarding their relative merits and pitfalls are rapidly accumulating. This review is a focused update on the current and evolving applications of LV twist mechanics in clinical cardiology. First, the theoretical framework for understanding the physiological sequence of LV twist during a cardiac cycle is presented. Second, variations in LV twist encountered in different experimental and clinical situations are discussed. Finally, the review presents an algorithm for routine application of LV twist in clinical differentiation of patterns of LV dysfunction encountered in day-to-day practice.
The Placebo and Nocebo Effect

There are four general reasons for clinical improvement in a patient’s condition: (1) natural history of the disease; (2) specific effects of the treatment; (3) regression to the mean; and (4) nonspecific effects of the treatment that are attributable to factors other than the specific active components. The latter effect is included under the heading ‘placebo effect’. In this chapter the placebo effect will be discussed, with some emphasis on regression to the mean. Placebos (‘I will please’) and their lesser known counterpart’s nocebo’s (I will harm’) are sham treatments. The difference is in the response to the inert therapy. A beneficial response to an inert substance is a placebo response; a side effect to an inert substance is a nocebo response.
Management of ureteral stenosis after renal transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Ureteral stenosis is the most common urologic complication of renal transplantation. Preferred management options for this complication vary among centers. Ureteral stenosis occurred in 24 (3.4 percent) of 692 consecutive renal transplants. The diagnosis was confirmed by antegrade pyelography after ultrasonography in all instances. An attempt was made to treat all patients by percutaneous stenting, usually with dilatation of the ureter, which was possible in 21 patients. In three patients, a wire could not be passed across the stricture and these patients were treated surgically. STUDY DESIGN: The patients were divided into two groups. Patients in group 1 (14 patients) presented within three months from the date of transplantation and patients in group 2 (seven patients) presented after three months. RESULTS: The site of stenosis was the ureterovesical junction in 80 percent of the patients and the uretero-pelvic junction in 20 percent. Urinary tract infection occurred in 70 percent of the patients in group 1 and 100 percent of patients in group 2. The success rate of percutaneous stenting was 71 percent (ten of 14 patients) in group 1, but only 29 percent (two of seven patients) in group 2. The failures were treated by repeated stenting (one patient in each group) or by operation. One allograft (7 percent) was lost in group 1 and two (28 percent) were lost in group 2. The average follow-up period was 38 months in group 1 and 56 months in group 2. There was no mortality in this series. CONCLUSIONS: Ureteral stenosis in the early postrenal transplant period can be safely and effectively treated by percutaneous dilatation and stenting, with few side effects and long-term success. This method is specially efficacious in patients who present within three months from the time of their transplant. In patients who have ureteric strictures developing after three months from transplantation, percutaneous stenting is of limited value and most patients require surgical correction.
Exploration of the uterus following delivery

Abstract Routine exploration of the uterus: (1) reduced the number of patients who returned to the hospital for bleeding from retained placenta; (2) afforded better pelvic evaluation; (3) did not appreciably increase morbidity; (4) appears safe for all physicians to use. Further evaluation of this procedure should be undertaken by other groups before definite conclusions are drawn.
Spectacle and Space in the Creation of Premodern and Modern Polities: Toward a Mixed Ontology of Collective Identity

Much recent work on culture and identity in International Relations (IR) has emphasized the causal role of ideas and institutions. I articulate a broader socialization process for collective identities via material elements of identity construction. I argue that combined with rituals and linked to myths and symbols, material representations of culture such as monuments and architecture form the collective memories of polities in a similar manner to the socializing effects of educational institutions and vernacular literature. I illustrate these claims with a comparison of materiality and praxis elements of identity construction in imperial Rome and late-modern Austria–Hungary, with concluding analysis of the role of material culture in the future of “European” identity in the EU.
A Social Constructivist Framework for Integrating Cross-Cultural Issues in Teaching Clinical Social Work

This article describes a teaching framework that combines culturally sensitive and culturally competent perspectives in preparing students for cross-cultural clinical social work. Both content and proven instructional methods are presented for the framework’s three components: (a) an overview of social constructivism; (b) an exploration of culture and self, which encourages students to develop openness to cultural diversity; and (c) a social constructivist approach to the help-seeking process of clients, which provides students with guidelines for exploring the culture-specific content of clients’ problem-solving efforts. This framework helps students to understand clients’ social realities nonpresumptuously and to engage in respectful clinical social work intervention.