cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Accelerating the Gauss-Seidel Power Flow Solver on a High Performance Reconfigurable Computer

The computationally intensive power flow problem determines the voltage magnitude and phase angle at each bus in a power system for hundreds of thousands of buses under balanced three-phase steady-state conditions. We report an FPGA acceleration of the Gauss-Seidel based power flow solver employed in the transmission module of the GridLAB-D power distribution simulator and analysis tool. The prototype hardware is implemented on an SGI Altix-RASC system equipped with a Xilinx Virtex-II 6000 FPGA. Due to capacity limitations of the FPGA, only the bus voltage calculations of the power network are implemented on hardware while the branch current calculations are implemented in software. For a 200,000 bus system, the bus voltage calculation on the FPGA achieves a 48x speed-up with PQ buses and a 62x for PV over an equivalent sequential software implementation. The average overall speed up of the CPU-FPGA implementation with 100 iterations of the Gauss-Seidel power solver is 2.6x over a software implementation, with the branch calculations on the CPU accounting for 85% of the total execution time. The CPU-FPGA implementation also shows linear scaling with increase in the size of the input power network.
Viral hepatitis: A, B, C, D and E--infection.

Viral hepatitis is caused by at least five etiologically and immunologically distinct viruses: hepatitis A (HAV), hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), hepatitis D (HDV), and hepatitis E (HEV). The clinical, epidemiologic, and immunologic features of these five forms of viral hepatitis may be similar or different. Hepatitis also may occur during the course of disease caused by cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, herpes simplex virus, varicella-zoster virus, adenoviruses, enteroviruses, rubella virus, arboviruses, and other agents. Hepatitis A is synonymous with "infectious hepatitis," an ancient disease described by Hippocrates and formerly known as epidemic jaundice, acute catarrhal jaundice, and other designations. The fulminant form of the disease was called acute yellow atrophy of the liver. Hepatitis B is synonymous with "serum hepatitis," a disease with a more recent history. The first known outbreak occurred during 1883 among a group of shipyard workers who were vaccinated against smallpox with glycerinated lymph of human origin. Later, an increased incidence of the disease was observed among patients attending venereal disease clinics, diabetes clinics, and other facilities where multiple injections were given with inadequately sterilized syringes and needles contaminated with the blood of a viral carrier. The most extensive outbreak occured in 1942, when yellow fever vaccine containing human serum caused 28 585 cases of hepatitis B infection with jaundice among United Stated military personnel.
Mechanically induced osteogenic lineage commitment of stem cells

Bones adapt to accommodate the physical forces they experience through changes in architecture and mass. Stem cells differentiate into bone-forming osteoblasts, and mechanical stimulation is involved in this process. Various studies have applied controlled mechanical stimulation to stem cells and investigated the effects on osteogenic lineage commitment. These studies demonstrate that physical stimuli can induce osteogenic lineage commitment. Tension, fluid shear stress, substrate material properties, and cell shape are all factors that influence osteogenic differentiation. In particular, the level of tension is important. Also, rigid substrates with stiffness similar to collagenous bone induce osteogenic differentiation, while softer substrates induce other lineages. Finally, cells allowed to adhere over a larger area are able to differentiate towards the osteogenic lineage while cells adhering to a smaller area are restricted to the adipogenic lineage. Stem cells are able to sense their mechanical environments through various mechanosensors, including the cytoskeleton, focal adhesions, and primary cilia. The cytoskeleton provides a structural frame for the cell, and myosin interacts with actin to generate cytoskeletal tension, which is important for mechanically induced osteogenesis of stem cells. Adapter proteins link the cytoskeleton to integrins, which attach the cell to the substrate, forming a focal adhesion. A variety of signaling proteins are also associated with focal adhesions. Forces are transmitted to the substrate at these sites, and an intact focal adhesion is important for mechanically induced osteogenesis. The primary cilium is a single, immotile, antenna-like structure that extends from the cell into the extracellular space. It has emerged as an important signaling center, acting as a microdomain to facilitate biochemical signaling. Mechanotransduction is the process by which physical stimuli are converted into biochemical responses. When potential mechanosensors are disrupted, the activities of components of mechanotransduction pathways are also inhibited, preventing mechanically induced osteogenesis. Calcium, mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase, Wnt, Yes-associated protein/transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif and RhoA/Rho kinase signaling are some of the mechanotransduction pathways proposed to be important. In this review, types of mechanical stimuli, mechanosensors, and key pathways involved in mechanically induced osteogenesis of stem cells are discussed.
Self-efficacy and environmental correlates of physical activity among older women and women with multiple sclerosis

Physical inactivity is a major health problem in the United States, particularly in elderly and disabled populations. Little research exists examining the relationships between aspects of the built environment and physical activity in older adults and individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). We adopted a social cognitive perspective to examine the independent roles of perceptions of the environmental, self-efficacy and functional limitations in understanding physical activity levels among elderly women and women with MS. Older women (n=136) and women diagnosed with MS (n=173) were recruited to participate in separate cross-sectional studies. Individuals completed a battery of questionnaires and wore an activity monitor for 7 days. All measures were issued and collected through the mail with the use of self-addressed, pre-paid envelopes. Initial correlational analyses indicated that self-efficacy, functional limitations and environmental perceptions were significantly related to physical activity. Among older women, self-efficacy, functional limitations and street connectivity demonstrated independent contributions to physical activity behavior. Only self-efficacy and functional limitations demonstrated significant associations among women with MS. The prospective contributions of the environment and individual factors to changes in physical activity need to be determined.
Life History of a Peripheral Population of Bluespotted Sunfish Enneacanthus gloriosus (Holbrook), with Comments on Geographic Variation

Abstract Enneacanthus gloriosus occurs in coastal plain drainages from New York to Florida and W to Mississippi, but little is known about its life history. Enneacanthus gloriosus is smaller and shorter-lived in Mississippi than in eastern populations. The spawning season of E. gloriosus ranges from April to September and gonadosomatic index values were highest between April and August, peaking in May with an additional but lower peak in August. Ripe eggs are also found during every month of the spawning season. These data indicate E. gloriosus is a multiple batch spawner. The sex ratio did not differ from 1:1, the diameter of mature ova averaged 0.68 mm, and the number of ripe ova per female averaged 117.2. Enneacanthus gloriosus at the periphery of its western distribution in Mississippi exhibit substantial variation in a number of life-history patterns including size, age, length at maturity and spawning season compared to populations ranging from New Jersey to Florida.
Coping with Technological Change: Kyllo and the Proper Analytical Structure to Measure the Scope of Fourth Amendment Rights

In analyzing any Fourth Amendment issues, two separate questions must be answered: is the Amendment applicable; and, if so, is it satisfied? This essay focuses on the first question. Only by understanding the meaning of the term “secure” is it possible to determine the scope of the Fourth Amendment’s protections for individuals and, correlatively, the amount of unregulated governmental power the Amendment allows. If one does not know what is protected by the Amendment, then it cannot be determined what the government can do. If one does know what is protected, any intrusion - either by a technological device or by use of the senses - should be considered a search and must be justified as reasonable. Thus, as one distinguished commentator has observed: “The key to the Amendment is the question of what interests it protects.”There are three possible candidates for defining the scope of the Amendment’s protections: property, privacy, and security. Both the property and privacy approaches have proven to be inadequate. The Fourth Amendment speaks of the right to be secure and I have previously proposed invigorating that term in an article entitled What Does the Fourth Amendment Protect: Property, Privacy, or Security?, 33 Wake Forest L. Rev. 307 (1998), and using it as the proper measure of the protection afforded by the Amendment. In my view, the Supreme Court’s decision in Kyllo v. United States represents a potentially giant step in that direction.
Impulsive Loading Theorems for Rigid-Plastic Continua

Continua composed of a rigid-plastic strain rate insensitive material subjected to impulsive loading are considered. Two theorems bounding the response time and the displacement at any surface point, respectively, are presented. Illustrative examples are given, and the accuracy and significance of the bounds are examined.
Left-handed electromagnetic waves in materials with induced polarization and magnetization

We analyze the properties of electromagnetic waves inside materials with induced polarization and magnetization. We show that if the polarization and magnetization of the material are sufficiently large and appropriately phased, then the system supports the formation of left-handed waves. In some respects, such a system behaves similarly to materials with a negative index of refraction, yet there is one important advantage: Left-handed waves in materials with induced polarization and magnetization do not require as stringent material properties (such as the strength of resonances and the density of radiators). We numerically investigate the formation and propagation of such left-handed waves using finite-difference approximation to Maxwell's equations. We also discuss possible experimental observation of these ideas in a rare-earth-doped crystal.
Eight New Species of the Genus Eurytoma from Mexico and Guatemala (Hymenoptera, Eurytomidae) Parts V and VI. Quadrata and Corpulenta Groups

The Quadrata Group is a very closely knit group of species. The differences between the species are chiefly a matter of differences in range of variation of the characteristics used. These are noted after the description of each species.
Betaine transporter cDNA cloning and effect of osmolytes on its mRNA induction

Cells generally adapt to long-term hyperosmolality by accumulating compatible organic osmolytes, thereby helping to normalize both volume and intracellular inorganic ion concentration. When organic osmolytes are accumulated, as in renal inner medullary cells, it is the sum of their concentrations that is theoretically important. In effect, when one organic osmolyte rises, the others generally fall to maintain their sum approximately constant. The present study addresses the mechanism controlling betaine accumulation. Hypertonicity induces accumulation of betaine, sorbitol, inositol, and other organic osmolytes in PAP-HT25 cells, a line derived from rabbit renal papilla. Hypertonicity increases the betaine transporter expression in these cells. To obtain a specific probe for betaine transporter mRNA, we cloned from PAP-HT25 cells a cDNA that encodes the full protein. We then examined the effect of betaine, sorbitol, and inositol on betaine transporter mRNA abundance. Increased accumulation of any of these three organic osmolytes reduces betaine transporter mRNA. We previously observed similar results for aldose reductase, the enzyme responsible for osmotically regulated sorbitol accumulation. We conclude that the accumulation of organic osmolytes regulates betaine transporter gene expression. Because the aldose reductase gene is controlled in a similar fashion, we surmise that the two genes share a common signal for induction.
Transformative Justice: Anti-Subordination Processes in Cases of Domestic Violence

This chapter furthers the dialogue between restorative justice activists and scholars and feminist anti-domestic violence activists and scholars. My focus is on the struggle against domestic violence in subordinated communities. My aim is to address the need for justice strategies that account for the intersecting oppressive systems that operate in the lives of battering men and battered women who are members of these communities.
Atomic Interferometry with Detuned Counter-Propagating Electromagnetic Pulses

Atomic fountain interferometry uses atoms cooled with optical molasses to 1 μK, which are then launched in a fountain mode. The interferometer relies on the nonlinear Raman interaction of counter-propagating visible light pulses. We present models of these key transitions through a series of Hamiltonians. Our models, which have been verified against special cases with known solutions, allow us to incorporate the effects of non-ideal pulse shapes and realistic laser frequency or wavevector jitter.
Risk Management in Forensic Psychology Practice

The mental health professional who goes into the courtroom faces an environment which is often different and challenging. Sometimes it can get hostile, so the wise forensic expert should take precautions to manage the risk by making sure he or she practices in an ethical manner. All of the mental health professions (e.g., psychology, psychiatry, social work, nursing, counseling) have their own codes of ethics. In reviewing these ethical issues, we will be referring to two documents, The Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (1992, 2002) and The Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists (1991). Sometimes these codes deal explicitly with forensic issues and at other times, these issues are incorporated into more generic statements, applicable to professional practice as a whole. For example, some major issues that need to be addressed are:
Using Automatic HARDI Feature Selection, Registration, and Atlas Building to Characterize the Neuroanatomy of Aβ Pathology

The detection of white matter microstructural changes using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) often involves extracting a small set of scalar features, such as fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). With the advent of more advanced dMRI techniques, such as high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI), a number of mathematically inspired new scalar features have been proposed. However, it is unclear how to select the most biologically informative combinations of features for biomarker discovery. This paper proposes an automatic HARDI feature selection algorithm which is based on registering HARDI features to feature atlases for optimal clinical usability in population studies. We apply our framework to the characterization of beta-amyloid (Aβ) pathology for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) to better understand the relationship between Aβ pathology and degenerative changes in neuroanatomy.
The SUN Attribute Database: Organizing Scenes by Affordances, Materials, and Layout

One of the core challenges of computer vision is understanding the content of a scene. Often, scene understanding is demonstrated in terms of object recognition, 3D layout estimation from multiple views, or scene categorization. In this chapter we instead reason about scene attributes—high-level properties of scenes related to affordances (‘shopping,’ ‘studying’), materials (‘rock,’ ‘carpet’), surface properties (‘dirty,’ ‘dry’), spatial layout (‘symmetrical,’ ‘enclosed’), lighting (‘direct sun,’ ‘electric lighting’), and more (‘scary,’ ‘cold’). We describe crowd experiments to first determine a taxonomy of 102 interesting attributes and then to annotate binary attributes for 14,140 scenes. These scenes are sampled from 707 categories of the SUN database and this lets us study the interplay between scene attributes and scene categories. We evaluate attribute recognition with several existing scene descriptors. Our experiments suggest that scene attributes are an efficient feature for capturing high-level semantics in scenes.
Phenology and growth responses of Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) Christmas trees along an elevational gradient, southern Appalachian Mountains, USA

Abstract Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) trees are endemic to locations above 1500 m in the southern Appalachian Mountains, and are also grown commercially for Christmas trees well below their native range (down to 600 m). To evaluate how phenology and growth of this species will respond to climate drivers associated with warming, we assessed the timing of bud-burst, shoot growth, trunk growth, as well as shoot- and leaf-level architecture, of Fraser fir Christmas trees along an elevational gradient from 664 to 1228 m. Daytime maximum temperatures and evaporative demand were highest at low elevation and cloud events and higher wind speeds occurred more often at high elevations. Bud-burst occurred 6 days sooner, new shoots ceased elongation 10 days sooner, and radial trunk growth ended 8 days later at low elevations than at high elevations, indicating a shift and lengthening of the growing season. Final shoot length did not vary among elevations, but the percent increase in trunk diameter was greatest at middle elevations. Architectural characteristics such as specific needle mass, needle packing density, and silhouette-to-projected area ratios generally did not vary with elevation. As climate change progresses, higher cloud ceilings, increased evaporative demand, and higher temperatures may further shift the timing of the growing season and reduce growth at low elevation Christmas tree farms, but farms at higher elevations may benefit from a longer growing season.
A 20-Year multi-followup longitudinal study assessing whether antipsychotic medications contribute to work functioning in schizophrenia

To assess the long-term effectiveness of antipsychotic medications in facilitating work functioning in patients with schizophrenia we conducted longitudinal multifollowup research on 139 initially psychotic patients. The 70 patients with schizophrenia and 69 initially psychotic mood disordered control patients were followed up 6 times over 20 years. We compared the influence on work functioning of patients with schizophrenia continuously prescribed antipsychotics with patients with schizophrenia not prescribed antipsychotics, using statistical controls for inter-subject differences. While antipsychotics reduce or eliminate flagrant psychosis for most patients with schizophrenia at acute hospitalizations, four years later and continually until the 20 year followups, patients with schizophrenia not prescribed antipsychotics had significantly better work functioning. The work performance of the patients who were continuously prescribed antipsychotics was at a low rate and did not improve over time. Multiple other factors also interfere with work functioning. The data suggest that some patients with schizophrenia not prescribed antipsychotics for prolonged periods can function relatively well. Multiple other factors are associated with poor post-hospital work performance. The longitudinal data raise questions about prolonged treatment of schizophrenia with antipsychotic medications.
Multicompartment Theranostic Nanoemulsions Stabilized by a Triphilic Semifluorinated Block Copolymer

The presence of a perfluorocarbon block in a multiblock polymer has been shown to be an additional driving force toward nanoparticle assembly. In the preparation of nanoemulsions, this perfluorocarbon block also provides enhanced particle stability. Herein, the synthesis of a new triphilic, semifluorinated copolymer, M2F8H18, is introduced. This ABC type block copolymer can be used to formulate extremely stable nanoemulsions, assembled around a lipophilic droplet, with lifetimes of one year or more. The central oil droplet can stably solubilize high concentrations of hydrophobic drugs, making this system an ideal drug delivery vehicle. The incorporation of the perfluorocarbon block modulates drug release from the lipophilic core via the surrounding fluorous shell. Fluorous imaging agents incorporated into the fluorous shell prolong drug release even further as well as provide potent 19F-MRI contrast ability. In vitro studies show that these nanoemulsions efficiently inhibit cancer cell growth, thus provid...
Pediatric tinnitus: Incidence of imaging anomalies and the impact of hearing loss

Abstract Objective Guidelines exist for evaluation and management of tinnitus in adults; however lack of evidence in children limits applicability of these guidelines to pediatric patients. Objective of this study is to determine the incidence of inner ear anomalies detected on imaging studies within the pediatric population with tinnitus and evaluate if presence of hearing loss increases the rate of detection of anomalies in comparison to normal hearing patients. Methods Retrospective review of all children with diagnosis of tinnitus from 2010 to 2015 ;at a tertiary care academic center. Results 102 pediatric patients with tinnitus were identified. Overall, 53 patients had imaging studies with 6 abnormal findings (11.3%). 51/102 patients had hearing loss of which 33 had imaging studies demonstrating 6 inner ear anomalies detected. This is an incidence of 18.2% for inner ear anomalies identified in patients with hearing loss (95% confidence interval (CI) of 7.0–35.5%). 4 of these 6 inner ear anomalies detected were vestibular aqueduct abnormalities. The other two anomalies were cochlear hypoplasia and bilateral semicircular canal dysmorphism. 51 patients had no hearing loss and of these patients, 20 had imaging studies with no inner ear abnormalities detected. There was no statistical difference in incidence of abnormal imaging findings in patients with and without hearing loss (Fisher's exact test, p ;= ;0.072.) Conclusion There is a high incidence of anomalies detected in imaging studies done in pediatric patients with tinnitus, especially in the presence of hearing loss.
Perioperative management of antiplatelet therapy in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery following coronary stent placement: a systematic review

The correct perioperative management of antiplatelet therapy (APT) in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery (NCS) is often debated by clinicians. American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines recommend postponing elective NCS at least 3 months after stent implantation. Regardless of the timing of surgery, ACC/AHA guidelines recommend continuing at least ASA throughout the perioperative period and ideally continuing dual APT (DAPT) therapy “unless surgery demands discontinuation.” The objective of this review was to ascertain the risks and benefits of APT in the perioperative period, to assess how these risks and benefits vary by APT management, and the significance of length of time since stent implantation before operative intervention. PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched from inception through October 2017. Articles were included if patients were post PCI with stent placement (bare metal [BMS] or drug eluting [DES]), underwent elective NCS, and had rates of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) or bleeding events associated with pre and perioperative APT therapy. Of 4882 screened articles, we included 16 studies in the review (1 randomized controlled trial and 15 observational studies). Studies were small ( 150: n = 6). All studies included DES with 7 of 16 also including BMS. Average time from stent to NCS was variable ( 12 months: n = 6). At least six different APT strategies were described. Six studies further utilized bridging protocols using three different pharmacologic agents. Studies typically included multiple surgical fields with varying degrees of invasiveness. Across all APT strategies, rates of MACE/bleeding ranged from 0 to 21% and 0 to 22%. There was no visible trend in MACE/bleeding rates within a given APT strategy. Stratifying the articles by type of surgery, timing of discontinuation of APT therapy, bridging vs. no bridging, and time since stent placement did not help explain the heterogeneity. Evidence regarding perioperative APT management in patients with cardiac stents undergoing NCS is insufficient to guide practice. Other clinical factors may have a greater impact than perioperative APT management on MACE and bleeding events. PROSPERO CRD42016036607
Abstract P341: Renal Denervation Prevents Cholinergic Mediated Hypertension and Renal Macrophage Infiltration

In vivo cholinergic activation with nicotine induces renal infiltration of M1 inflammatory CD161a+/CD68+ macrophages and the development of hypertension. Renal denervation has been proposed as a treatment for essential hypertension. Based on this we hypothesized that the renal sympathetic nerves play a role in these processes. Bilateral renal denervation was performed surgically in 3-4 week old Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR), a genetic model of essential hypertension. Following one week recovery, animals received subcutaneous infusion of nicotine (15mg/kg/day) via osmotic pumps for 2 weeks. Blood pressure was measured by tail-cuff and kidneys harvested on completion of infusion. Prior to nicotine infusion, at baseline, there was no difference between the systolic blood pressures of the sham treated (n=7) and renal denervation (n=10) groups, 132 ± 4 vs 128 ± 3 mmHg, respectively (p>0.05). In contrast, nicotine infusion significantly raised the systolic blood pressure in the sham treated group (159 ± 3mmHg), but not in the renal denervation group (135 ± 5 mmHg) (p
Quine, New Foundations, and the Philosophy of Set Theory

Quine's set theory, New Foundations, has often been treated as an anomaly in the history and philosophy of set theory. In this book, Sean Morris shows that it is in fact well-motivated, emerging in a natural way from the early development of set theory. Morris introduces and explores the notion of set theory as explication: the view that there is no single correct axiomatization of set theory, but rather that the various axiomatizations all serve to explicate the notion of set and are judged largely according to pragmatic criteria. Morris also brings out the important interplay between New Foundations, Quine's philosophy of set theory, and his philosophy more generally. We see that his early technical work in logic foreshadows his later famed naturalism, with his philosophy of set theory playing a crucial role in his primary philosophical project of clarifying our conceptual scheme and specifically its logical and mathematical components.
God and Modernity in Management Studies. A Case of Theological Social Theory

This article examines how theology and social science can contribute to the specific task of talking about God in management without compromising the integrity of the Triune God. To talk about God in management studies initially requires a discussion on the character of modernity and about whether modernity is absence or transformation of religious forms; to follow is an examination of the governing assumptions operating in social theory from a religious perspective. The conclusion is that without the correct hermeneutics, what management scholars mean by God cannot be more than an idea.
Temporal Characterization of Ultrashort Electron Beam Bunch at the Jefferson Lab FEL User Facility

Abstract This paper presents the calculation and design considerations on a electron beam bunch characterization system. The method to generate synchronized probes and to correlate with THz radiation will be discussed. PACS codes: 41.75. Ht, 41.60. Cr, 41.85. Ew, 42.65 Re
Avoiding Online Harassment: The Socially Disenfranchised

As social media increasingly mediate our relationships and social lives, individuals are becoming more connected and gaining social benefits. However, many are now experiencing online harassment. Avoiding or abandoning social media is one common tactic to cope with harassment. This chapter investigates the harassment-related motivations and concerns driving social media non-use, as well as the benefits and consequences that result from not using social media. This research sheds light on a previously underexplored type of non-user who faces social barriers to using social media (as opposed to functional barriers). This chapter explains how such individuals encounter social consequences whether they are on or off social media, resulting in a lose-lose situation that we term social disenfranchisement. Building on Wyatt’s framework and the risk-benefits framework, we introduce this previously unidentified category of non-use as an extension to the commonly used taxonomy and provide a cohesive theoretical framework within which to understand various types of non-use. We then analyze the phenomenon of online harassment from the perspective of this non-use framework. Addressing the concerns of socially disenfranchised non-users is of utmost importance in the fight against online harassment. As others are increasingly connected, they are increasingly left behind and even ostracized. This chapter therefore concludes by providing design recommendations to alleviate the negative social consequences currently endured by socially disenfranchised non-users.
Gender, Authority, and Islam in Suburban Chicago

This is translation of review by Eman Abdelhadi, Department of Sociology of New York University.
Neurogenic Mechanisms in Prehypertension and Pharmacologic Approaches to the Prevention and Treatment of Hypertension: Highlights of Professor Stevo Julius’ Scientific Contributions

Professor Stevo Julius’ extraordinary scientific contributions during the past half-century advanced our understanding on the pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment of hypertension. His early work showed a relationship between anger, increased sympathetic drive, and reduced parasympathetic tone was fundamental to hyperkinetic borderline hypertension. The investigators provided evidence that sympathetic overactivity led to β-adrenoceptor downregulation and structural and functional cardiac and vascular changes. These changes, rather than autoregulation, contributed to the transition from high to normal cardiac output with a progressive rise in blood pressure. Through population-based studies, Professor Julius confirmed a key role for sympathetic activation, especially faster heart rates, in the early phase of hypertension. Faster heart rates coincided with cardiometabolic abnormalities including hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia. The investigators subsequently showed that increased vascular α-adrenergic tone induced resistance to insulin-mediated glucose disposal in skeletal muscle. Professor Julius and colleagues documented that angiotensin-receptor blockade safely lowered blood pressure in prehypertensives and slowed the transition to hypertension. He then partnered with long-term colleagues on multinational studies in middle-aged and older hypertensives at high cardiovascular risk. These studies showed that (1) failure to control blood pressure during the first 6 months of a clinical trial led to a significant increase in cardiovascular events, (2) patients controlled on more antihypertensive medications had less benefit of treatment than individuals controlled on monotherapy, and (3) faster heart rates were associated with worse outcomes in treated hypertensives. Clinicians are better prepared to prevent and treat hypertension by understanding the life work of Dr. Julius and colleagues.
Effect of Stem Cell Transplant on Survival in Adult Patients With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: NCDB Analysis.

BACKGROUND A retrospective analysis was performed to investigate the survival outcomes in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) based on treatment received. MATERIALS AND METHODS Data from 17,504 men and women (≥18 years of age) registered in the National Cancer Database who were diagnosed with ALL between 2004 and 2013 and had follow-up to the end of 2014, were analyzed. The primary predictor variable was treatment received, and overall survival was the outcome variable. Additional variables addressed and adjusted included gender, age, race, Charleston Comorbidity Index, level of education, income, insurance, distance traveled, facility type and diagnosing/treating facility. RESULTS The mean age of patients was 48.8 years with a standard deviation of 19.3 years. In multivariate analysis, after adjusting for secondary predictor variables, treatment modality was a statistically significant predictor of overall survival from ALL. Relative to patients who were treated with chemotherapy only, the patients who got chemotherapy and stem cell transplant had a decreased risk of mortality by 39%. Of the 5,409 patients between the ages of 18 and 39 years i.e. adolescent and young adults (AYA), no statistically significant survival difference was found between patients treated with stem cell transplant and those not. CONCLUSION Stem cell transplant led to improved survival for all age groups except the AYA.
Design of Low Inductance Busbar for 500 kVA Three-Level ANPC Converter

The adoption of SiC devices in high power applications enables higher switching speed, which requires lower circuit parasitic inductance to reduce the voltage overshoot. This paper presents the design of a busbar for a 500 kVA three-level active neutral point clamped (ANPC) converter. The layout of the busbar is discussed in detail based on the analysis of the multiple commutation loops, magnetic canceling effect, and DC-link capacitor placement. The loop inductance of the busbar is verified with simulation, impedance measurements, and converter experiments. The results match with each other, and the inductances of small and large loop are 6.5 nH and 17.5 nH respectively, which is significantly lower than the busbars of NPC type converters in other references.
Rehabilitation After Fractures and Dislocations of the Talus and Calcaneus

Calcaneus and talus fractures are serious injuries that can cause significant functional limitations and lifestyle disruption. Rehabilitation is integral to optimal recovery from foot and ankle trauma. Members of the rehabilitation team promote the highest possible level of function, including participation in vocational and recreational activities. Physical therapists work with patients from initial adjustment to injury to return to higher demand physical activities. Physical therapists also treat the long-term complications and deficits often associated with hindfoot fractures. Clinicians should understand the rehabilitation process, including how gait training, assistive devices, therapeutic exercise, and neuromuscular re-education should be utilized in each stage of recovery.
Can We Coach Resilience? An Evaluation of Professional Resilience Coaching as a Well-Being Initiative for Surgical Interns.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of a professionally trained, resilience coach for surgical interns. DESIGN Mixed-methods study with pre- and postcoaching quantitative surveys measuring burnout and resilience factors and semistructured interviews. SETTING General, Vascular, Cardiac, Plastic, and Urologic Surgery residencies at a tertiary academic center. PARTICIPANTS Categorical and preliminary interns (N = 25) participated in a year-long, 8-session resilience coaching program for the academic year 2018 to 2019. RESULTS Program participants included 17 (68%) men and 8 (32%) women. The precoaching survey administered to interns before the start of the program identified 60% at risk of burnout as measured by the Abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory. The mean (standard deviation) Brief Resilience Scale score was 3.8 (0.8), with a trend toward a higher score (greater resilience) among men compared to women (4.1 [0.7] vs 3.4 [1.0], p = 0.10). Following the completion of the coaching program, the mean (standard deviation) Brief Resilience Scale score increased significantly from 3.8 [0.8] to 4.2 [0.7] p = 0.002). There were no changes in other parameters measuring burnout, satisfaction with life, or positive/negative affect. In semistructured interviews (N = 16/25 participants), most interns believed the coaching experience provided useful skills, but expressed concern about the durability of a 1-year intervention. Additionally, leadership-driven wellness at work, including optimizing team dynamics and purpose-driven engagement, were emphasized. CONCLUSIONS About 60% of new interns at our institution were at risk of burnout. The coaching program was viewed positively and was effective in improving resilience. While this intervention was a useful first step, it should be incorporated into a longitudinal wellness program for the duration of surgical training.
Acute effects of static stretching on Wingate testing in men.

BACKGROUND Previous research has demonstrated a reduction in peak power via isokinetic dynamometry and power testing. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of static stretching (SS) on the Wingate test (WAnT). METHODS Thirteen recreationally active males (mean age: 22.5±1.9 years, height: 172.5±8.4 cm, body mass: 83.4±24.6 kg) were tested for peak (PP), average (AP), and minimum (MP) power output using the WAnT. Two WAnT trials were completed by each subject on a Monark 894-E ergometer that was interfaced with a desktop computer. Participants completed a 5-minute warm-up on the cycle ergometer and then performed the pre-WAnT. Upon completion, the stretching protocol four static stretches were performed: one was participant self-administered and the remaining three by the investigator. Each stretch was held for 30 seconds and was repeated 4 times on each leg and repeated after 4 minutes of rest. RESULTS Significant differences (P<0.05) were found for PP only for the pre- versus post-WAnT (802.6±207.6 vs. 768.8±199.7 W). CONCLUSIONS Static stretching before performance of the WAnT demonstrated a significant decrease in peak power output. Based upon these results, it appears that SS decreases peak power output when performing an anaerobic capacity test on a cycle ergometer.
Emotional Pursuits and the American Revolution

A major paradox of modern happiness gained wide public exposure in 1776 when Thomas Jefferson substituted the phrase “the pursuit of happiness” in place of Locke’s formulation: “life, liberty, and ...
Stop and Risk: Policing, Data, and the Digital Age of Discrimination

Predictive policing is the newest innovation in the field of law enforcement. Predictive policing programs use algorithms to analyze existing crime data in an attempt to make predictions about future crimes: What crimes are likely to be committed, where crimes are likely to be committed, and a list of potential victims and offenders. Proponents of predictive policing champion the practice as an effective, proactive form of law enforcement that is free from bias due to its data-driven nature. However, as a matter of justice policy, predictive policing is just as discriminatory as traditional police practices, such as stop and frisk: Both are relatively ineffective; both have the potential to disproportionately target minorities; both are challenging forms of surveillance that create several important ethical and legal issues; and both are presented as objective, impartial, and equitable. This article has three primary goals: Highlight the potential and problematic similarities between stop and frisk and predictive policing; present the problems associated with predictive policing, including its questionable effectiveness, biased foundation, and faulty legal and ethical footing; and discuss the ways in which discriminatory criminal justice programs, such as stop and frisk and predictive policing, are presented to the public as objective, non-discriminatory policies.
Mortality Determinants in Children with Biliary Atresia Awaiting Liver Transplantation.

Objective To determine risk factors for waitlist mortality in children with biliary atresia listed for liver transplantation. Study design There were 2704 children with biliary atresia ( Results The median waitlist time was 83 days (IQR, 34-191). The cumulative incidence of waitlist mortality was 5.2%. In multivariable analysis (n = 2253), increasing bilirubin level (P Conclusions These parameters can be used to more objectively prioritize children with biliary atresia awaiting liver transplantation and identify children with biliary atresia-related end-stage liver disease at high-risk of mortality.
Associations of maternal blood pressure-raising polygenic risk scores with fetal weight.

Maternal blood pressure (BP) is associated with variations in fetal weight, an important determinant of neonatal and adult health. However, the association of BP-raising genetic risk with fetal weight is unknown. We tested the associations of maternal BP-raising polygenic risk scores (PRS) with estimated fetal weights (EFWs) at 13, 20, 27, and 40 weeks of gestation. This study included 622 White, 637 Black, 568 Hispanic, and 238 Asian pregnant women with genotype data from the NICHD Fetal Growth Studies. PRS of systolic (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) were calculated for each participant based on summary statistics from a recent genome-wide association study. Linear regression models were used to compare mean EFW differences between the highest versus lowest tertile of PRS, adjusting for maternal age, education, parity, genetic principal components and fetal sex. Hispanics in the highest DBP PRS tertile, compared to those in the lowest, had 8.1 g (95% CI: -15.1, -1.1), 32.4 g (-58.4, -6.4) and 119.4 g (-218.1, -20.7) lower EFW at 20, 27 and 40 weeks, respectively. Similarly, Asians in the highest DBP PRS tertile had 137.2 g (-263.5, -10.8) lower EFW at week 40, and those in the highest tertile of SBP PRS had 3.2 g (-5.8, -0.7), 12.9 g (-23.5, -2.4), and 39.8 g (-76.9, -2.7) lower EFWs at 13, 20, and 27 weeks. The findings showed that pregnant women's genetic susceptibility to high BP contributes to reduced fetal growth, suggesting a potential future clinical application in perinatal health.
Social Protest Under Hard Authoritarianism

Despite increasing political control under Xi Jinping’s leadership, collective action in China is not declining, though it is changing in various ways. Protests continue to be staged around issues related to the distribution of educational resources, housing, space, basic social protection, and the maintenance of market order. Compared with collective action under the Hu Jintao–Wen Jiabao leadership, recent collective action has a lower level of cross-sectoral support and makes fewer demands for widespread institutional reform. Other characteristics of these protests, however, are more alarming for the state, such as an increased capacity to mobilize and organize across localities and the mobilization of aggrieved groups with close ties to the regime. Although recent protests do not indicate that the regime is under threat, they do suggest some profound problems with the country’s developmental model and the need for more efficient institutional channels to allow the various social groups to negotiate their interests and address their grievances.
Measuring performance of complex event processing systems

Complex Event Processing (CEP) or stream data processing are becoming increasingly popular as the platform underlying event-driven solutions and applications in industries such as financial services, oil & gas, smart grids, health care, and IT monitoring. Satisfactory performance is crucial for any solution across these industries. Typically, performance of CEP engines is measured as (1) data rate, i.e., number of input events processed per second, and (2) latency, which denotes the time it takes for the result (output events) to emerge from the system after the business event (input event) happened. While data rates are typically easy to measure by capturing the numbers of input events over time, latency is less well defined. As it turns out, a definition becomes particularly challenging in the presence of data arriving out of order. That means that the order in which events arrive at the system is different from the order of their timestamps. Many important distributed scenarios need to deal with out-of-order arrival because communication delays easily introduce disorder. With out-of-order arrival, a CEP system cannot produce final answers as events arrive. Instead, time first needs to progress enough in the overall system before correct results can be produced. This introduces additional latency beyond the time it takes the system to perform the processing of the events. We denote the former as information latency and the latter as system latency. This paper discusses both types of latency in detail and defines them formally without depending on particular semantics of the CEP query plans. In addition, the paper suggests incorporating these definitions as metrics into the benchmarks that are being used to assess and compare CEP systems.
Degradation of Elastomers in Geothermal Environments

The thermochemical degradation and sealing capability of various commercial O-rings in geothermal brine was evaluated at elevated temperatures and pressures to facilitate the selection of suitable elastomeric seals for the cable heads of geothermal logging tools. The extent of degradation was determined by measuring the change in tensile properties and glass transition temperatures that occurred as a result of exposure to brine at 548 K (275°C) and 34 MPa (5000 psi). The sealing capabilities of the O-rings in brine under these conditions were evaluated, using O-ring fixtures that simulated the cable head of a commercial logging tool. All of the elastomers became degraded to some extent. The elastomers that retained some measure of elasticity and also were not breached by brine in seal tests were the perfluoroelastomers, ethylenepropylene rubbers, and a peroxide-cured fluoroelastomer. Data obtained on the properties of aged specimens of these elastomers suggest that the most likely mode of degradation was chain scission. Nitrile rubber, silicone, and the peroxide-cured fluoroelastomer suffered a complete loss of elasticity and failed as seals. Data obtained on the properties of these elastomers indicate that extensive cross-linking took place. Polychloro-p-xylylene coatings were found to inhibit the rate of degradation in both brine and steam/sour gas environments.