cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for management of autoimmune encephalopathies

The understanding of the etio-pathogenesis of autoimmune encephalopathy syndromes has grown significantly in recent years. These are potentially reversible conditions, with variable clinical presentation and potential dramatic response to immunotherapy.In this article we review various diagnostic techniques and therapeutic options for management of autoimmune encephalopathy. We also review medication adverse effects and monitoring strategies. Expert commentary: Early diagnosis and immunomodulatory treatment remains the cornerstone of management, to halt the underlying neuro-inflammatory process and prevent permanent neuronal injury. The availability of serological testing and various imaging modalities has further improved detection of these immune-mediated neurological disorders. Understanding the mechanisms and potential adverse effects of immunomodulatory therapies will help physicians to choose the most favorable therapeutic strategy for each patient.
AC dielectric performance of liquid helium impregnated multi-layer plastic film insulation

Several types of thin-film plastic insulation are being evaluated for possible use in ac superconducting underground transmission cables. The materials include polyolefins, polycarbonates, polysulphones, and nylons, in thicknesses ranging from 25µ to 125µ. Multiple-layer samples of the films are placed between 9.5 mm diameter, spherical stainless steel electrodes, and the film and electrodes encapsulated in epoxy. The epoxy casting is arranged to allow injection of liquid or gaseous helium between the plastic layers, at pressures up to 5 atm and a temperature of 4.2 K. Each casting contains eight pairs of electrodes.
A commentary on the NRC report "Science and judgment in risk assessment"

This article provides a brief overview of the report "Science and Judgment in Risk Assessment," prepared by a Committee of the National Research Council/National Academy of Science in response to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency request mandated by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA-1990). The report critiques EPA's current approaches for characterizing human cancer risks from exposure to chemicals and offers recommendations for the conduct of future cancer risk assessments, especially those required in implementing the CAAA-1990 provisions which are concerned with hazardous air pollutants. The report offers specific recommendations that address the role of default options, data needs, methods and models, uncertainty, variability, and the aggregation of data. A cross-cutting theme of the report is the use of an iterative approach in which screening assessments with limited data and, of necessity, default options used in the absence of specific scientific data may be performed initially followed by subsequent assessments, as needed, in which increasing amounts of data are developed and incorporated. In some instances, the specific data on a given chemical or pollutant source will replace conservative default options used in earlier assignments. The report includes two authored appendices that address issues related to the use of default options and their replacement by specific scientific information. One appendix by Finkel advocates a principle of "plausible conservatism" for choosing and altering default options and in making cancer risk estimates. A second appendix by McClellan and North advocates the full use of scientific information in the risk assessment process. This article gives major attention to the key aspects of the NRC/NAS report, especially those dealing with the use and replacement of default options. The default options and the extent to which the options are replaced with specific science have major impact on the final quantitation of cancer risk for exposure to chemicals.
Genetics of sexual differentiation and anomalies in dogs and cats.

Normal mammalian sexual differentiation is dependent upon the successful completion of a series of steps that are under genetic control. These steps are marked by three consecutive events-establishment of chromosomal sex, gonadal sex and phenotypic sex. Chromosomal sex is normally established at fertilization. A gene located on the Y chromosome (Tdy) encodes a protein, the testis-determining factor, that is the genetic switch for male development. Testicular development establishes male gonadal sex. Two testicular secretions are responsible for masculinization of the phenotype: Mullerian inhibiting substance causes the Mullerian duct system to regress; testosterone allows development of the vas deferens and epididymides from the Wolffian ducts. Testosterone is metabolized to dihydrotestosterone in cells of the urogenital sinus, genital tubercle, and genital swellings, stimulating formation of the prostate and urethra, the penis, and the scrotum, respectively. In the absence of the Y chromosome and the Tdy gene, the default pathway to female gonadal sex is initiated. The gonadal anlagen develops into an ovary, establishing female gonadal and phenotypic sex. Abnormalities in sexual differentiation are classified by the initial step, as far as is known, at which development differs from normal. Anomalies are categorized as errors in chromosomal, gonadal or phenotypic sex. Reported abnormalities of genetic sex in the dog and cat include abnormalities in chromosomal number or structure, such as the XXY and XO syndromes, chimaeras and mosaics. Abnormalities of gonadal sex include XX sex reversal in the dog, which is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait with phenotypic expression limited to dogs with an XX chromosome constitution. Abnormalities of phenotypic sex include testicular feminization syndrome (TFM) in the cat and persistent Mullerian duct syndrome (PMDS) in the dog. In complete testicular feminization, the androgen receptor is absent or non-functional. Affected individuals have a normal male karyotype (XY) and bilateral testes, but androgen-dependent masculinization is completely absent. As in other species, TFM in the cat is likely to be inherited as an X-linked trait. PMDS in the miniature schnauzer is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait with expression limited to homozygous males. PMDS-affected male dogs have a normal male karyotype (78,XY), bilateral testes, and a complete Mullerian duct system (oviducts, uterus, cervix and cranial vagina). Current studies support the hypothesis that target organ resistance, possibly a mutation in the gene for the MIS receptor, is responsible.
Recent Advances in Cytologic and Histologic Specimen Evaluation, FISH, and Molecular Markers

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided biopsy is often performed to definitively diagnose solid pancreatic tumors. EUS-guided biopsies are most often acquired via fine-needle aspiration to provide cytologic evaluation. Core biopsies may also be obtained using a Trucut or ProCore needle to allow cytologic and occasional histologic evaluation. Although it has been an effective diagnostic method for 20 years, recent changes in clinical practice patterns and the introduction of molecular testing offer the potential for enhanced diagnostic sensitivity. In this chapter we describe recent advances in EUS-guided biopsy including (1) rapid onsite evaluation (ROSE) and telecytology, (2) cytologic and histologic specimen evaluation, and (3) ancillary testing with FISH and with non-FISH molecular markers.
MO-DE-202-00: Image-Guided Interventions: Advances in Intraoperative Imaging, Guidance, and An Emerging Role for Medical Physics in Surgery

At least three major trends in surgical intervention have emerged over the last decade: a move toward more minimally invasive (or non-invasive) approach to the surgical target; the development of high-precision treatment delivery techniques; and the increasing role of multi-modality intraoperative imaging in support of such procedures. This symposium includes invited presentations on recent advances in each of these areas and the emerging role for medical physics research in the development and translation of high-precision interventional techniques. The four speakers are: (1)Keyvan Farahani, “Image-guided focused ultrasound surgery and therapy” (2)Jeffrey H. Siewerdsen, “Advances in image registration and reconstruction for image-guided neurosurgery” (3)Tina Kapur, “Image-guided surgery and interventions in the advanced multimodality image-guided operating (AMIGO) suite” (4)Raj Shekhar, “Multimodality image-guided interventions: Multimodality for the rest of us” Learning Objectives: 1.Understand the principles and applications of HIFU in surgical ablation. 2.Learn about recent advances in 3D–2D and 3D deformable image registration in support of surgical safety and precision. 3.Learn about recent advances in model-based 3D image reconstruction in application to intraoperative 3D imaging. 4.Understand the multi-modality imaging technologies and clinical applications investigated in the AMIGO suite. 5.Understand the emerging need and techniques to implement multi-modality image guidance in surgical applications such as neurosurgery, orthopaedic surgery, vascular surgery, and interventional radiology. Research supported by the NIH and Siemens Healthcare.; J. Siewerdsen; Grant Support - National Institutes of Health; Grant Support - Siemens Healthcare; Grant Support - Carestream Health; Advisory Board - Carestream Health; Licensing Agreement - Carestream Health; Licensing Agreement - Elekta Oncology.; T. Kapur, P41EB015898; R. Shekhar, Funding: R42CA137886 and R41CA192504 Disclosure and CoI: IGI Technologies, small-business partner on the grants
Flying to the world of tomorrow: the ascension theme at the 1939 New York world's fair

The Austrian-born graphic artist Joseph Binder's winning entry in the poster competition for the 1939 New York World's Fair shines a spotlight on the fair organizers' proclivity to imagine the future with what could be called an ascensional spirit.1 With sparkling graphic lines, Binder reinforced the vertical thrust of the fair's iconic 700-foot Trylon by a synchronized squadron of nine airplanes, ascending to a new stratospheric frontier (Fig. 1). The rhetorical positioning of the airplanes in the poster seems to represent the flying machines as the pinnacle of an evolution in transportation technologies. The message is that airplanes would be not only much faster and unperturbed by the fragility of geographic terrains, therefore, more convenient than earthbound modes of transportation, but also a most efficient vehicle to an ideal future. The patterned skyline of New York City, composed at the foot of Trylon, appears to be the urban alter ego of the airplane. The fact that Binder's poster was used on the cover of the First Edition Official Guide Book of the fair alludes to the extent to which the fair organizers subscribed to a buoyant World of Tomorrow.
The role of acid inhibition in Helicobacter pylori eradication.

Infection of the stomach by the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori results in chronic active gastritis and leads to the development of gastric and duodenal ulcer disease and gastric adenocarcinoma. Eradication of H. pylori infection improves or resolves the associated pathology. Current treatments of H. pylori infection rely on acid suppression in combination with at least two antibiotics. The role of acid suppression in eradication therapy has been variously attributed to antibacterial activity of proton pump inhibitors directly or through inhibition of urease activity or increased stability and activity of antibiotics. Here we discuss the effect of acid suppression on enhanced replicative capacity of H. pylori to permit the bactericidal activity of growth-dependent antibiotics. The future of eradication therapy will rely on improvement of acid inhibition along with current antibiotics or the development of novel compounds targeting the organism’s ability to survive in acid.
High-grade pancreatic intraepithelial lesions: prevalence and implications in pancreatic neoplasia

Background High-grade pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN-3), a precursor of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), is not universally detected in resected pancreatic neoplasms. We sought to determine the prevalence and prognostic relevance of PanIN-3 lesions in primary surgical resections of PDACs and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs). Methods A retrospective review of a tertiary care center pathology database (1/2000-6/2014) was performed. Demographics, imaging, pathology, disease-recurrence, and survival data were reviewed. Results A total of 458 patients who underwent primary pancreatic resection were included. “PanIN-3” lesions were found in 74 (16.2%) patients who either had PDAC (n=67) or main duct (MD)-IPMN (n=7). Among IPMN-MDs, PanIN-3 lesions were exclusively found in those with pathological evidence of chronic pancreatitis. For PDACs, the median overall survival (OS) for pancreata with PanIN-3 lesions was significantly better than those without (OS 1.12 years, interquartile range [IQR] 0.72, 2.05 years vs OS 0.86 years, IQR 0.64, 1.60 years respectively; P=0.04). Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that the presence of PanIN-3 lesions was associated with a reduced risk of death (HR=0.43; 95% CI: 0.23-0.82; P =0.01). Conclusions Following primary resection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma, the lower survival observed in patients without PanIN-3 lesions might suggest a state of complete or accelerated transformation. Further investigations are necessary to validate these findings that might impact disease prognosis and management.
File systems fated for senescence? nonsense, says science!

File systems must allocate space for files without knowing what will be added or removed in the future. Over the life of a file system, this may cause suboptimal file placement decisions which eventually lead to slower performance, or aging. Traditional file systems employ heuristics, such as collocating related files and data blocks, to avoid aging, and many file system implementors treat aging as a solved problem. However, this paper describes realistic as well as synthetic workloads that can cause these heuristics to fail, inducing large performance declines due to aging. For example, on ext4 and ZFS, a few hundred git pull operations can reduce read performance by a factor of 2; performing a thousand pulls can reduce performance by up to a factor of 30. We further present microbenchmarks demonstrating that common placement strategies are extremely sensitive to file-creation order; varying the creation order of a few thousand small files in a real-world directory structure can slow down reads by 15-175×, depending on the file system. We argue that these slowdowns are caused by poor layout. We demonstrate a correlation between read performance of a directory scan and the locality within a file system's access patterns, using a dynamic layout score. In short, many file systems are exquisitely prone to read aging for a variety of write workloads. We show, however, that aging is not inevitable. BetrFS, a file system based on write-optimized dictionaries, exhibits almost no aging in our experiments. BetrFS typically outperforms the other file systems in our benchmarks; aged BetrFS even outperforms the unaged versions of these file systems, excepting Btrfs. We present a framework for understanding and predicting aging, and identify the key features of BetrFS that avoid aging.
Coronary Venous Dissection from Left Ventricular Lead Placement During Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy With Defibrillator Implantation and Associated in-Hospital Adverse Events (from the NCDR ICD Registry).

Coronary venous dissection is a known complication of left ventricular lead placement during implantation of a cardiac resynchronization with defibrillator (CRT-D) system. A large-scale evaluation of the prevalence of coronary venous dissection and associated in-hospital clinical outcomes has not been performed. We sought to identify predictors of coronary venous dissection and evaluate subsequent in-hospital adverse events in those with the complication. We studied 140,991 first-time CRT-D recipients in the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) Registry implanted between 2006 and 2011. Using hierarchical multivariable logistic regression adjusting for patient, implanting physician, and hospital characteristics, we examined predictors of coronary venous dissection and its association with other major complications, length of hospital stay, and in-hospital mortality. Coronary venous dissection occurred in 392 patients (0.28%). After multivariable adjustment, female gender and left bundle branch block were associated with greater odds of coronary venous dissection. Conversely, atrial fibrillation, previous coronary artery bypass graft, and higher implanter procedure volume were associated with lower odds of coronary venous dissection (all p values 3 days (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.29, p
What Export Trading Companies Mean to Small Business

Although international trade is essential to the social and economic well-being of our country as well as to our domestic employment situation, relatively few domestic firms are actively involved in exporting. The need and opportunities for international trade are present for small firms. Export Trading Companies may provide the necessary support for small firms to realize their international market opportunities. This paper defines the role of export trading companies and explores their impact on the activities of a typical small business. The attitudes of small businesses toward exporting and the relationships between Export Trading Companies and its member firms are explored.
Antiphospholipid Antibody Induced by Nivolumab

Nivolumab is a monoclonal antibody against the programmed death protein 1 and is used for patients with advanced melanoma. It is associated with potentially immune-related adverse events, including disorders of the skin, GI tract, and the thyroid; these disorders were successfully treated with prednisone and infliximab. Other immunotherapeutic agents were observed to induce the formation of antiphospholipid antibody (APA) including α-interferon and interleukin-2. We present a case of APA development after the third dose of nivolumab in a 71-year-old male with advanced melanoma. The APA was detected after finding a prolonged aPTT; the lupus anticoagulant assay tested positive. The patient was treated with prednisone but, unfortunately, he expired a few days later.
Angiogenic Mediators in Wound Healing

Angiogenesis is an essential component of normal wound repair. Neovascularization provides nutrient support to healing tissue, promotes granulation tissue formation, and assists in the clearance of debris. Despite the prominent role of angiogenesis in the repair process, the primary mediators of wound angiogenesis have been difficult to define. An abundance of potential angiogenic agonists and antagonists have been identified in healing wounds (Table I), suggesting that the net angiogenic stimulus relies upon a balance of positive and negative mediators. The identification of this rather plentiful number of candidate mediators seems to indicate that angiogenesis in wounds is regulated by a most redundant and complex mechanism.
Water vapor - The wet blanket of microwave interferometry

The various techniques that utilize microwave interferometry could be employed to determine distances of several thousand kilometers with an accuracy of 1 cm or 2 cm. Such measurements would be useful to obtain new knowledge of earth dynamics, greater insight into fundamental astronomical constants, and the ability to accurately navigate a spacecraft in interplanetary flight. There is, however, a basic problem, related to the presence of tropospheric water vapor, which has to be overcome before such measurements can be realized. Differing amounts of water vapor over the interferometer stations cause errors in the differential time of arrival which is the principal observable quantity. Approaches for overcoming this problem are considered, taking into account requirements for water vapor calibration to support interferometric techniques.
Communication for Development and Social Change and the Challenge of Climate Change

The field of communication for development and social change (CDSC) has a crucial role to play in how citizens of the developing world adapt to the effects of climate change. To help inform this role, this article posits three interrelated points of consideration. First, CDSC should have an understanding of how environmental discourses imbue ecological agency. Second, CDSC must be informed by past research about what citizens in the global South know about climate change and how awareness impacts action. Finally, scholars should be guided by the lessons from past climate change–focused CDSC initiatives. As an example, a multistakeholder climate change action campaign in Kenya is examined. Weaving together these considerations, the article concludes by suggesting ways that CDSC scholars and practitioners might imagine how the adaptive challenges of climate change can animate future CDSC initiatives focused on ecological rights and responsibilities.
Potential Predictability of Regional Precipitation and Discharge Extremes Using Synoptic-Scale Climate Information via Machine Learning: An Evaluation for the Eastern Continental United States

AbstractCurrent generation general circulation models (GCMs) simulate synoptic-scale climate state variables such as geopotential heights, specific humidity, and integrated vapor transport (IVT) mo...
Stroke Survivors' Perspectives on Post-Acute Rehabilitation Options, Goals, Satisfaction, and Transition to Home.

Background and Purpose:Patients and caregivers have not typically been involved in the selection of a post–acute care (PAC) provider. In 2015, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposed the need to involve patients and their families during discharge planning. Engaging patients in rehabil
Characteristics of Radio Frequency Interference in the Protected Portion of L-Band

NASA’s SMAP radiometer was launched in 2015, and owing to its digital backend is providing geolocated raw power moments measured at frequencies between 1400-1424 MHz with 1.2 ms and 1.5 MHz time and frequency resolution. Utilizing SMAP measurements between August 25-31, 2018, temporal and spectral properties of the RFI contamination within the protected portion of L-band have been retrieved. It has been found that the average bandwidth and duration of individual RFI sources are less than 4.5 MHz and 4.8 ms, respectively in most regions with exceptions over Europe, Middle East, and Eastern Asia. On the other hand, multiple RFI sources occupying different parts of the spectrum may lead to available RFI-free spectrum less than 12 MHz. Finally, there were no significant correlations noted among amplitude, bandwidth, and duration of RFI sources.
Talin Folding; the Tuning Fork of Cellular Mechanotransduction

Cells continually sample their mechanical environment using exquisite force sensors such as talin, whose folding status triggers mechanotransduction pathways by recruiting binding partners. Mechanical signals in biology change quickly over time and are often embedded in noise; however, the mechanics of force-sensing proteins have only been tested using simple force protocols, such as constant or ramped forces. Here, using our magnetic tape head tweezers design, we measure the folding dynamics of single talin proteins in response to mechanical noise and cyclic force perturbations. Our experiments demonstrate that talin filters out mechanical noise but detects periodic force signals over a finely-tuned frequency range. Hence, talin operates as a mechanical bandpass filter, able to read and interpret frequency-dependent mechanical information through its folding dynamics. We describe our observations in the context of stochastic resonance, which we propose as a mechanism by which mechanosensing proteins could respond accurately to force signals in the naturally noisy biological environment.
The Professoriate in Liberal Arts Colleges: Early Career Faculty Socialization and Learning

The majority of PhD recipients earn their degree in research universities in which the primary focus of doctoral training is on research. Yet, scholars have revealed that such training is inadequate for the myriad academic roles faculty members engage in or for the variety of institution types in which newly minted PhDs earn faculty appointments. The focus of this chapter is on the socialization of early career faculty members in liberal arts colleges (LACs). Specifically, it relies on socialization as well as and career cycles and learning frameworks applied to analysis of data from a longitudinal, mixed methods study (Initiative for Faculty Development in Liberal Arts Colleges) to explore the applicability and extendibility of the Weidman et al. (Socialization of graduate and professional students in higher education: A perilous passage? ASHE-ERIC higher education report, 28. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED457710.pdf, 2001) socialization framework to the early career faculty experience. Findings are shared from the IFDLAC study to provide more insights into the early career faculty experience in LACs which supports an extension of the Weidman et al. socialization framework to the early career faculty experience. The chapter includes recommendations and implications on how to effectively socialize faculty into new environments.
Hairpin vortex structures in a supersonic, separated, longitudinal cylinder wake

The near-wake flow structure behind a blunt-based cylinder aligned with a Mach 2.49 freestream is studied experimentally using tomographic particle image velocimetry (TPIV), which acquires three-component velocity measurements throughout a volumetric region. TPIV measurements were acquired in three different volumetric regions throughout this flow, including two regions in the separated shear layer and one in the high-speed portion of the trailing wake, with a large ensemble of measurement volumes (approximately 2500) acquired in each region. The quality of these data is validated using point-by-point comparisons to previous experimental data with known uncertainty estimates. Hairpin vortex structures were observed to exist commonly throughout this flow field (in both subsonic and supersonic regions), and they induced strong turbulent fluctuations aligned with a consistent direction. Inverted hairpin vortex structures were also observed to commonly exist in this flow, inducing strong turbulent fluctuations in a direction opposite to that of the upright hairpins, but their presence was limited to subsonic flow regions. These coherent structures are demonstrated to be significant drivers of kinematic Reynolds shear stress and turbulent kinetic energy throughout this flow. A planar turbulent quadrant analysis was used to provide a measure of the spatial dependencies of these structures within the flow, and a linear stochastic estimation was used to provide robust statistical evidence of their frequent existence in various subregions. Upright hairpins were demonstrated to statistically grow with streamwise progression, and the strength of their induced velocity fluctuations increased in the presence of the adverse pressure gradient associated with flow field reattachment.
Disparities in Burnout and Satisfaction With Work-Life Integration in U.S. Physicians by Gender and Practice Setting.

PURPOSE To explore the interaction between practice setting (academic practice [AP], private practice [PP]) and gender in relation to physician burnout and satisfaction with work-life integration (WLI). METHOD In 2017, the authors administered a cross-sectional survey of U.S. physicians and characterized rates of burnout and satisfaction with WLI using previously validated and/or standardized tools. They conducted multivariable logistic regression to determine the interaction between the included variables. RESULTS Of the 3,603 participants in the final analysis, female physicians reported a higher prevalence of burnout than male physicians in both AP (50.7% vs 38.2%, P < .0001) and PP (48.1% vs 40.7%, P = .001). However, the multivariable analysis found no statistically significant gender-based differences in burnout (odds ratio [OR] 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.76-1.17, P = .60). Women and men in AP were less likely to report burnout than men in PP (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.52-0.94, P = .01 and OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.53-0.90, P < .01, respectively); women in PP did not report different burnout rates from men in PP (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.68-1.16, P = .38). Women in both AP and PP were less likely to be satisfied with WLI than men in PP (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.47-0.83, P < .01 and OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.58-0.97, P = .03, respectively); men in AP did not report different satisfaction with WLI than men in PP (OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.82-1.33, P = .71). CONCLUSIONS Gender differences in rates of burnout are related to practice setting and other differences in physicians' personal and professional lives. These results highlight the complex relationships among gender, practice setting, and other personal and professional factors in their influence on burnout and satisfaction with WLI.
Delaying, debating and declining motherhood.

Trends of delayed childbearing have accompanied declining birth rates and increasing numbers of childless adults in the USA. Women may postpone parenting in order to save money, find a partner, and...
Application of In-Situ Mechanics Approach in Materials Science Problems

The in-situ characterization approach can be utilized to develop insights into the mechanics of a wide diversity of materials. This chapter introduces the application of in-situ mechanical investigations for different materials science problems. The applicability of in-situ measurement techniques over a wide range of length scales (from atomic- to macroscale) and load scales (nano- to Mega-Newton) makes them highly suited for developing a comprehensive understanding of deformation phenomena activated in materials. Testing in high-resolution microscopes is beneficial to manipulate and examine the mechanical response of extremely fine nanomaterials. Real-time imaging of deformation is advantageous to establish morphology-mechanics correlation for different nanomaterials, such as 0D nanoparticles, 1D nanotubes or nanowires, and 2D nanosheets or nanoribbons. Superior mechanical properties of nanomaterials are harnessed by using them as reinforcement fillers in metal, ceramic, or polymer matrices. The in-situ mechanics approach is useful to decipher the interface mechanics and strengthening mechanisms. The real-time imaging approach can provide insights into load-transfer and failure mechanisms in specialized 3D architectures and metamaterials. The effect of tweaking geometrical parameters, such as unit cell shape, size, and angles of inclination on deformation characteristics can be determined with real-time imaging. Since the individual features in metamaterials can have nano- and microscale dimensions, high-resolution imaging provides insights into the local response which affects the bulk, overall response. Coupling mechanical measurements with the thermal stimulus or electrical output during in-situ testing is an advantageous strategy to probe the mechanics and transformations in smart materials, such as shape memory or piezoelectric materials. The in-situ approach is useful for examining biological materials. Real-time imaging can provide insights into mechanisms activated in different regions and along different orientations of the tissues. The application of the in-situ technique for probing the deformation of irradiated materials is discussed toward the end of the chapter. Table 5.1 below summarizes the application of in-situ mechanics approach for different classes of materials, mechanistic understanding obtained by multi-scale imaging, and quantitative mechanical properties. This table covers some of the key areas where the in-situ approach has gained popularity, but the applications of in-situ characterization are not limited to these categories and there are multiple avenues where the technique is utilized or has promising future potential. The subsequent sections discuss different materials science applications in greater detail. The challenges, solutions, advantages, and limitations are highlighted through different case studies. The readers are also referred to several supplementary videos throughout the chapter for better visualization and understanding of these applications.
Supporting collaborative creativity in education with The i5 Framework

The recent call for education to support student creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking has required a change in traditional views of teaching and learning. Teachers are being asked to en...
On the emergence of the Navier-Stokes-α model for turbulent channel flows

In a series of papers (see Foias et al. [J. Dyn. Differ. Equations 14(1), 1–35 (2002)] and the pertinent references therein), the 3D Navier-Stokes-α model was shown to be a useful complement to the 3D Navier-Stokes equations, and in particular, to be a good Reynolds version of the latter equations. In this work, we introduce a simple Reynolds averaging which, due to the wall roughness, transforms the Navier-Stokes equations into the Navier-Stokes-α model.
Speaking With One Voice: Shareholder Collaboration on Activism

Activist shareholders can often exert a large influence on corporate governance. However, the lead activist of a shareholder campaign typically only owns a small percentage of the target firm’s shares. How can a small activist govern a firm via intervention? By developing a game-theoretic model, I show that the small activist can organize a coalition with fellow active shareholders to share activism costs and win over passive shareholders. I analyze how the activist communicates and collaborates with fellow active shareholders behind the scenes. Perhaps surprisingly, a smaller coalition is more likely to win support from passive shareholders. The interplay between collaborating with active shareholders and winning over passive shareholders endogenizes the optimal size of the activist's coalition. I also find that potential shareholder collaboration makes boards more likely to reach agreements with activists before proxy fights.
Staffing and routing in a two-tier call centre

This paper studies service systems with gatekeepers who diagnose a customer problem and then either refer the customer to an expert or attempt treatment. We determine the staffing levels and referral rates that minimise the sum of staffing, customer waiting, and mistreatment costs. We also compare the optimal gatekeeper system (a two-tier system) with a system staffed with only experts (a direct-access system). When waiting costs are high, a direct-access system is preferred unless the gatekeepers have a high skill level. We also show that an easily computed referral rate from a deterministic system closely approximates the optimal referral rate.
Joint Assortment Optimization and Customization under a Mixture of Multinomial Logit Models: On the Value of Personalized Assortments

We consider a joint assortment optimization and customization problem under a mixture of multinomial logit models. In this problem, a firm faces customers of different types, each making a choice within an offered assortment according to the multinomial logit model with different parameters. The problem takes place in two stages. In the first stage, the firm picks an assortment of products to carry subject to a cardinality constraint. In the second stage, a customer of a certain type arrives into the system. Observing the type of the customer, the firm customizes the assortment that it carries by, possibly, dropping products from the assortment. The goal of the firm is to find an assortment to carry and a customized assortment for each customer type that can arrive in the second stage to maximize the expected revenue from a customer visit. The problem arises, for example, in online platforms, where retailers commit to a selection of products before the start of the selling season, but they could potentially customize the displayed assortments for each customer type. We refer to this problem as the Customized Assortment Problem (CAP). Letting m be the number of customer types, we show that the expected revenue of CAP can be $\Omega(m)$ times greater than the optimal expected revenue of the corresponding model without customization and this bound is tight. We establish that CAP is NP-hard to approximate within a factor better than (1-1/e), so we focus on providing an approximation framework for CAP. As our main technical contribution, we design a novel algorithm, which we refer to as Augmented Greedy, and building on it, we give a $\Omega(1/ \log m)$-approximation algorithm to CAP. Lastly, we present a fully polynomial-time approximation scheme for CAP when the number of customer types is constant. In our computational experiments, we demonstrate the value of customization by using a dataset from Expedia and check the practical performance of our approximation algorithm.
Resonant Measurement of Nonreorientable Spin-Orbit Torque from a Ferromagnetic Source Layer Accounting for Dynamic Spin Pumping

Using a multilayer containing a cobalt detector layer, a copper spacer, and a Permalloy source layer, we show experimentally how the nonreorientable spin-orbit torque generated by the Permalloy source layer---the component of spin-orbit torque that does not change when the Permalloy magnetization is rotated---can be measured using spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance (ST FMR) with line-shape analysis. We find that dynamic spin pumping between the magnetic layers exerts torques on the magnetic layers as large as, or larger than, the spin-orbit torques, so that if dynamic spin pumping is neglected, the result will be a large overestimate of the spin-orbit torque. Nevertheless, the two effects can be separated by performing ST FMR as a function of the frequency. We measure a nonreorientable spin torque ratio ${\ensuremath{\xi}}_{\mathrm{DL}}=0.04\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01$ for the spin-current flow from Permalloy through an 8-nm $\mathrm{Cu}$ spacer to the $\mathrm{Co}$ and a strength of dynamic spin pumping that is consistent with previous measurements by conventional ferromagnetic resonance.
Survey of the RhD selection and issuing practices for uncrossmatched blood products at pediatric trauma hospitals in the United States: The BEST collaborative study.

BACKGROUND As evidence demonstrating the importance of early transfusions in trauma resuscitation accumulates, when RhD-negative products might not be available, it is important to understand the nature of the RhD-type of products provided to bleeding pediatric patients of potentially unknown RhD-type. METHODS A survey link was electronically sent to the transfusion service medical director and/or laboratory manager at American pediatric Level I and Level II hospitals inquiring about their practices for selecting RhD-type of uncrossmatched red blood cells (RBC) or low titer group O whole blood (LTOWB) for boys and girls. RESULTS There were 55/117 (47.0%) analyzable responses; 43/55 (78.2%) from Level I and 12/55 (21.8%) from Level II hospitals. For in hospital transfusions, 51/55 (92.7%) of centers use only RhD-negative blood products to resuscitate girls ≤18 years old while 30/55 (54.5%) of centers do the same for boys ≤18 years old. Most centers 41/55(74.5%) store RBCs and/or LTOWB in in-hospital remote refrigerators; 27 store only RhD-negative RBCs and 2 store only RhD-negative LTOWB units in these refrigerators. A total of 24/55 (43.6%) centers have RBCs and/or LTOWB available on road ambulances or helicopters for prehospital transfusion; 12 transport only RhD-negative RBCs and two transport only RhD-negative LTOWB. Most centers, 35/55 (63.6%), address the prophylaxis of an RhD-negative female recipient of RhD-positive transfusion on a case-by-case basis. CONCLUSION While there is some variability, most of the responding pediatric trauma centers routinely utilized RhD-negative RBCs for emergency transfusion for patients ≤18 years old of unknown RhD-type.
Suprapubic-Assisted Transurethral Excision of Eroded Transvaginal Cerclage Suture

Study Objective To demonstrate our minimally invasive technique for excision of eroded transvaginal cervical cerclage suture through the bladder mucosa using a suprapubic-assisted transurethral approach. Design A narrated, stepwise video demonstration of our suprapubic-assisted transurethral technique. Setting Transvaginal cervical cerclage is a common treatment for cervical insufficiency. Complications such as erosion are rare as the duration of treatment is typically several months, with cerclage placement in the second trimester and complete removal prior to the onset of labor. Retained suture can lead to erosion through the vaginal epithelium and into other organs as seen in our case. Our technique offers a minimally invasive approach for excision of eroded transvaginal cervical cerclage suture through the bladder mucosa. Patients or Participants A single patient was included as part of this case. Interventions Suprapubic-assisted transurethral approach for excision of eroded transvaginal cervical cerclage suture through the bladder mucosa with key strategies for successful outcome. 1. A Carter-Thomason device can be used as a minimally invasive approach for suprapubic assistance in lieu of suprapubic trocar or suprapubic incision. 2. Rigid biopsy forceps can be used for improved traction at the time of eroded suture removal from the bladder mucosa. 3. For efficient excision, utilize countertraction on the suture with both suprapubic assistance and the biopsy forceps. 4. A Methylene Blue test should be performed to evaluate for a vesicovaginal fistula after excision of suture. Measurements and Main Results N/A. Conclusion A suprapubic-assisted transurethral approach can be used as a minimally invasive technique for excision of eroded transvaginal cervical cerclage suture through the bladder mucosa.
2 ENABLING TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES FOR BIOFABRICATION

Building with living cells is no easy feat, though our bodies do this every day. Cells derived from mammals, which are the focus of this book, only function well within a very stringent set of environmental conditions, including precisely regulated temperature, humidity, and pH. These conditions and a whole host of other physical and biochemical factors must be tightly controlled to match the native environment in which such cells have learned to survive and thrive in nature. Thankfully, a large body of research on cell culture, the practice of growing and working with living cells in the lab, has turned this seemingly Herculean feat into a relatively mundane protocol with defined rules and procedures.
Trials of Nation Making: Liberalism, Race, and Ethnicity in the Andes, 1810–1910

This book offers the first interpretive synthesis of the history of Andean peasants and the challenges of nation-making in the four republics of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia during the turbulent nineteenth century. Nowhere in Latin America were postcolonial transitions more vexed or violent than in the Andes, where communal indigenous roots grew deep and where the 'Indian problem' seemed so daunting to liberalizing states. Brooke Larson paints vivid portraits of Creole ruling elites and native peasantries engaged in ongoing political and moral battles over the rightful place of the Indian majorities in these emerging nation-states. In this story, indigenous people emerge as crucial protagonists through their prosaic struggles for land, community, and 'ethnic' identity, as well as in the upheaval of war, rebellion, and repression in rural society. This book raises broader issues about the interplay of liberalism, racism, and ethnicity in the formation of exclusionary 'republics without citizens'.
Premarital Agreement Law in Massachusetts

This chapter is part of a project which in book form brings together the law governing the drafting and use of premarital agreements in a number of American states. This chapter discusses Massachusetts law. This state has had statutory law for many years dealing with mutual waivers of probate estate claims by persons who are intending to marry. In the last few decades common law rules have also evolved governing the potential for drafting agreements waiving alimony and property division claims intended to be enforceable in the contingency of a divorce. The chapter traces the various court interpretations up to the present, which in a series of decisions have made enforcement easier when the waiver is express, the agreement is fair and reasonable when made, and not unconscionable when enforcement of an agreement is sought. Various issues facing a draftsman are reviewed. The chapter also compares premarital agreements to marital reconciliation agreements which have been recently recognized in Massachusetts in certain limited circumstances.
THE FEDERAL COMMON LAW OF NATIONS

Courts and scholars have vigorously debated the proper role of customary international law in American courts: To what extent should it be considered federal common law, state law, or general law? The debate has reached something of an impasse, in part because various positions rely on, but also are in tension with, historical practice and constitutional structure. This Article describes the role that the law of nations actually has played throughout American history. In keeping with the original constitutional design, federal courts for much of that history enforced certain rules respecting other nations' "perfect rights" (or close analogues) under the law of nations as an incident of political branch recognition of foreign nations, and in order to restrain the judiciary and the states from giving other nations just cause for war against the United States. Rather than viewing enforcement of the law of nations as an Article III power to fashion federal common law, federal courts have instead applied rules derived from the law of nations as a way to implement the political branches' Article I and Article II powers to recognize foreign nations, conduct foreign relations, and decide momentous questions of war and peace. This allocation of powers approach best explains the most important federal cases involving the law of nations across American history. This Article does not attempt to settle all questions of how customary international law interacts with the federal system. It does aspire, however, to recover largely forgotten historical and structural context crucial to any proper resolution of such questions.
Embryonic development of axon pathways in the Drosophila CNS. I. A glial scaffold appears before the first growth cones

Three classes of glial cells are present early in embryogenesis and appear to play a major role in axon pathway formation in the Drosophila CNS. Six longitudinal glial (LG) cells are present over the longitudinal connective on each side of each segment. Six midline glia (MG) cells surround the anterior and posterior commissures of each segment. Finally, the intersegmental nerve root is covered by a glial cell: the segment boundary cell (SBC). All 3 classes of glial cells are present in their final position before axon outgrowth and their pattern prefigures the first axon pathways. The pioneer growth cones that establish the first axon pathways in the longitudinal connective and intersegmental nerve extend along the elongate surface of the LG and SBC glial cells; the pioneer growth cones for the anterior and posterior commissures extend toward and make close contact with the end feet of the MG glial cells. Later, all 3 classes of glial cells enwrap the axon tracts in much the same way as vertebrate oligodendrocytes. The results suggest that these early glial cells provide guidance cues for the first growth cones in the Drosophila CNS. More than simply providing a permissive substrate, the differential extension of specific early growth cones towards either the MG cells or along the LG cells suggests an active role for these glia in growth cone guidance.