cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermomechanical Behavior of Zinc Oxide Nanobelts

Belt-like ZnO nanostructures with rectangular cross-sections have recently been synthesized through vapor deposition (Pan et al.) [1]. These nanobelts can serve as building blocks for functional nano-systems. The integration of these nanostructures in systems requires understanding of their inherent properties, functionalities and behavior. An atomistic framework is developed to evaluate the thermomechanical behavior of these nanobelts. Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to characterize the response to uniaxial tensile loading. The ultimate tensile strength, strain at failure and Young’s modulus are obtained as functions of temperature, size and growth orientation. The results are compared with the behavior of bulk ZnO.
Vitamin D and Cancer Chemoprevention

1. Although vitamin D is a nutrient whose functions are most closely linked to the control of calcium and bone metabolism, it is also proposed to have a variety of other biological roles, including anti-cancer effects.
Legislative Authenticity and the Politics of Recognition

As neoliberalism gains currency as a descriptive term, scholars have increasingly become concerned with the quandaries indigenous people face when navigating neoliberal legal contexts, as opposed to classical liberal or even late liberal contexts. John and Jean Comaroff (2009), Rosemary Coombe (2005), and Charles Hale (2005, 2006), among others, explore the prices of indigeneity as neoliberal legal policies reconfigure the ideological understandings of having a culture.1 These scholars point out that, under neoliberalism, culture no longer is a category that renders some people outside of the capitalist system, representing timeless tradition. Indigenous people, previously excluded by liberal policies, are now more easily included in neoliberal alliances because culture has been redefined as the basis for a shared corporate identity (Comaroff 2009; Cook 2005). Under neoliberalism, conceptual categories such as culture, authenticity, and alliances take on new meanings, which in turn affect indigenous people and their strategies.
Even Optimists Get the Blues: Interindividual Consistency in the Tendency to Brace for the Worst

Objective: The present research examined whether the tendency to brace for the worst by becoming pessimistic as news approaches varies across people, namely people who differ in their trait-like outlooks on the future (dispositional optimism, defensive pessimism). Method: Across 9 studies in laboratory and field settings, we examined the roles of dispositional optimism and defensive pessimism in the propensity to brace for the worst when awaiting uncertain news. The studies used a variety of paradigms, including predictions about performance on the bar exam, peer ratings of attractiveness, and feedback on an intelligence test. Results: Results from these studies consistently failed to support individual differences in the tendency to brace for the worst. Conclusions: Trait-like differences in future outlooks seem to influence only the level and not trajectories of outcome predictions, pointing to relative commonalities in the development of the tendency to brace for the worst. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
OpenSHMEM Implementation of HPCG Benchmark

We describe the effort to implement the HPCG benchmark using OpenSHMEM and MPI one-sided communication. Unlike the High Performance LINPACK (HPL) benchmark that places emphasis on large dense matrix computations, the HPCG benchmark is dominated by sparse operations such as sparse matrix-vector product, sparse matrix triangular solve, and long vector operations. The MPI one-sided implementation is developed using the one-sided OpenSHMEM implementation. Preliminary results comparing the original MPI, OpenSHMEM, and MPI one-sided implementations on an SGI cluster, Cray XK7 and Cray XC30 are presented. The results suggest the MPI, OpenSHMEM, and MPI one-sided implementations all obtain similar overall performance but the MPI one-sided implementation seems to slightly increase the run time for multigrid preconditioning in HPCG on the Cray XK7 and Cray XC30.
Novel Function of the TAL1/SCL Transcription Factor in Differentiation of Murine Bone Marrow Monocytes.

Abstract The TAL1 (or SCL) gene encodes a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor that can activate or repress gene expression, depending on its interaction partners. TAL1 proteins are expressed in the vascular and hematopoietic systems and in erythroid, megakaryocytic, and mast cell precursors. TAL1 is essential for hematopoietic commitment and vascular remodeling during embryogenesis and is also important to the differentiation of erythroid and megakaryocytic progenitors postnatally. Although a mouse Tal1 cDNA was cloned from a bone marrow (BM) macrophage cDNA library and we reported expression of Tal1 protein in mouse bone marrow mononuclear cells (Blood 83:1200, 1994), no studies have examined the function of this transcription factor in the monocyte-macrophage lineage. To address this issue, we characterized Tal1 expression in primary mouse BM monocytes and M1 monocytic leukemia cells induced to differentiate in vitro. We isolated BM cells from wild-type C57BL6/J mice and purified a mononuclear cell population by pronase treatment and density gradient centrifugation on horse serum. Monocytes were then induced to differentiate in culture, initially in the presence of both interleukin-3 (IL-3) and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and subsequently in the presence of L-cell conditioned medium. Tal1 expression was maintained in these cultures, declining by only 14% over the full culture period, while calcitonin receptor expression, a marker of osteoclastic differentiation, was extinguished. In parallel, interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R) and macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor (M-CSFR) mRNA increased 3.5- and 114-fold, respectively. In M1 cells induced to differentiate with recombinant murine IL-6, Tal1 protein abundance decreased similarly with differentiation. To assess the function of Tal1 in this cell lineage, a full-length Tal1 cDNA was introduced into both primary BM monocytes and M1 cells via retroviral gene transfer. Puurified monocytes were transduced 24 hr after isolation with wild-type Tal1 or a DNA-binding-defective Tal1 mutant, T192P, in the MSCV-GFP vector. GFP-expressing cells were then sorted and induced to differentiate. Gene expression analysis using semi-quantitative PCR carried out after 8 days of culture showed increased expression of Tal1 mRNA in cells transduced with the wild-type Tal1 cDNA compared to the vector control. This was accompanied by upregulation of IL-6R and M-CSFR expression relative to both parental vector- and mutant-transduced cells. Northern blot analysis of M1 cells transduced with the Tal1 cDNA showed similar upregulation of M-CSFR mRNA relative to vector control cells. In summary, these studies show that the TAL1 transcription factor is expressed by murine monocytes during differentiation to macrophages and suggest a role for TAL1 in both gene expression and differentiation of this lineage. Further, they suggest a requirement for direct TAL1 DNA binding.
Thin-walled high temperature alloy structures fabricated from additively manufactured polymer templates

Abstract Additive manufacturing is enabling a paradigm shift in design and production, but conventional techniques reach their limits when metallic structures require walls with
Negating the Cost of ‘I Do’: Ending the U.S. Tax Code's Family Penalty through Permissive Joint Filing

In June 2016, House Republicans announced their vision for a simplified tax code built for economic growth in a 35 page policy paper released as part of a six part series. The proposal envisions a code that eliminates the personal exemption while increasing the standard deduction for married and unmarried individuals, and preserves the Heads of Households income tax filing status with an attendant standard deduction in an amount midway between the deduction available to an Unmarried Individual and a taxpayer who is Married Filing Jointly. In November 2016, Republican Donald Trump was elected as the 45th President of the United States which, along with the elections of a Republican controlled House and Senate, increase the chances that such significant changes to our tax structure are more likely to become law. During his campaign, President-elect Trump introduced a simplified tax plan which similarly eliminates personal exemptions, though, additionally, eliminates the Heads of Households filing status that was first added in 1951. Since 1986, we have been amending an already excessively complicated tax code in order to add expenditures to encourage and to punish various behaviors. In contemplating a major Code revision, we will strive for simplicity, support for families, fairness, and progressivity. This paper argues that such fairness and support for families must be expressed through a code that eliminates the family tax penalty created by the current application of the Heads of Households filing status and mandates filing status based on marriage. To support the family, our tax code must end its use of marital status as a measure of economic circumstances where it penalizes the family.
Vitamin A mediates conversion of monocyte-derived macrophages into tissue-resident macrophages during alternative activation

It remains unclear whether activated inflammatory macrophages can adopt features of tissue-resident macrophages, or what mechanisms might mediate such a phenotypic conversion. Here we show that vitamin A is required for the phenotypic conversion of interleukin 4 (IL-4)-activated monocyte-derived F4/80intCD206+PD-L2+MHCII+ macrophages into macrophages with a tissue-resident F4/80hiCD206-PD-L2-MHCII-UCP1+ phenotype in the peritoneal cavity of mice and during the formation of liver granulomas in mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni. The phenotypic conversion of F4/80intCD206+ macrophages into F4/80hiCD206- macrophages was associated with almost complete remodeling of the chromatin landscape, as well as alteration of the transcriptional profiles. Vitamin A-deficient mice infected with S. mansoni had disrupted liver granuloma architecture and increased mortality, which indicates that failure to convert macrophages from the F4/80intCD206+ phenotype to F4/80hiCD206- may lead to dysregulated inflammation during helminth infection.
A beech bark disease induced change in tree species composition influences forest floor acid–base chemistry

Beech bark disease (BBD) has demonstrable ecosystem consequences for eastern US forests stemming from American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) mortality, often leading to increased dominance by its competitor, sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.). We hypothesized that this BBD-induced shift in tree species composition leads to changes in soil acid–base chemistry, mediated through differences in leaf litter chemistry of the two species. Using a sequence of plots representing the progression of the disease in the Catskill Mountains, NY, USA, we examined the influence of tree species composition shift on soil chemistry. The BBD impact on tree species composition was confounded by variability in substrate (or nonexchangeable soil) calcium (Ca). While substrate Ca explained much of the variation in acid–base chemistry, increasing BBD was associated with increasing forest floor exchangeable Ca, sum of base cations, base saturation, cation-exchange capacity, and decreasing hydrogen. An apparent threshold effect o...
Association Between Opioid and Benzodiazepine Use and Clinical Deterioration in Ward Patients.

BACKGROUND Opioids and benzodiazepines are frequently used in hospitals, but little is known about outcomes among ward patients receiving these medications. OBJECTIVE To determine the association between opioid and benzodiazepine administration and clinical deterioration. DESIGN Observational cohort study. SETTING 500-bed academic urban tertiary-care hospital. PATIENTS All adults hospitalized on the wards from November 2008 to January 2016 were included. Patients who were "comfort care" status, had tracheostomies, sickle-cell disease, and patients at risk for alcohol withdrawal or seizures were excluded. MEASUREMENTS The primary outcome was the composite of intensive care unit transfer or ward cardiac arrest. Discrete-time survival analysis was used to calculate the odds of this outcome during exposed time periods compared to unexposed time periods with respect to the medications of interest, with adjustment for patient demographics, comorbidities, severity of illness, and pain score. RESULTS In total, 120,518 admissions from 67,097 patients were included, with 67% of admissions involving opioids, and 21% involving benzodiazepines. After adjustment, each equivalent of 15 mg oral morphine was associated with a 1.9% increase in the odds of the primary outcome within 6 hours (odds ratio [OR], 1.019; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.013-1.026; P < 0.001), and each 1 mg oral lorazepam equivalent was associated with a 29% increase in the odds of the composite outcome within 6 hours (OR, 1.29; CI, 1.16- 1.45; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Among ward patients, opioids were associated with increased risk for clinical deterioration in the 6 hours after administration. Benzodiazepines were associated with even higher risk. These results have implications for ward-monitoring strategies. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2017;12:428-434.
An RNA nanoparticle vaccine against Zika virus elicits antibody and CD8+ T cell responses in a mouse model

The Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak in the Americas and South Pacific poses a significant burden on human health because of ZIKV’s neurotropic effects in the course of fetal development. Vaccine candidates against ZIKV are coming online, but immunological tools to study anti-ZIKV responses in preclinical models, particularly T cell responses, remain sparse. We deployed RNA nanoparticle technology to create a vaccine candidate that elicited ZIKV E protein-specific IgG responses in C57BL/6 mice as assayed by ELISA. Using this tool, we identified a unique H-2Db-restricted epitope to which there was a CD8+ T cell response in mice immunized with our modified dendrimer-based RNA nanoparticle vaccine. These results demonstrate that this approach can be used to evaluate new candidate antigens and identify immune correlates without the use of live virus.
Out-of-Control Criminal Justice: The Systems Improvement Solution for More Safety, Justice, Accountability, and Efficiency

Out-of-Control Criminal Justice shows that our system of criminal justice is broken; it is out of control. The author writes that a research-based strategy is needed that builds on the insights of those who work within criminal justice or are affected by it. Such a strategy must entail continuous evaluation and improvement, so that what works can be expanded and what does not can be eliminated. Out-of-Control Criminal Justice identifies how systems problems plague our criminal justice systems. It then presents a comprehensive strategy for bringing these systems under control to reduce crime, to increase justice and accountability, and to do so at less cost. The strategy can be used, too, to create greater responsiveness to victims and communities, effectiveness in reducing racial and ethnic disparities, and understanding of the causes and consequences of crime. After describing this new approach, the book identifies the tools needed to implement a systems solution to create a safer and more just society.
Import/Export: Trafficking in Cross-Cultural Shakespearean Spaces

This essay examines the phenomenon of cross-cultural Shakespearean “traffic” as an import/export “business” by analyzing the usefulness of the concept crosscultural through a series of theoretical binaries: Global vs. Local Shakespeares, Glocal and Intercultural Shakespeare; and the very definition of space and place within the Shakespearean lexicon. The essay argues that theoretically, the opposition of global and local Shakespeares has a tendency to collapse, and both glocal and intercultural Shakespeares are the object of serious critique. However, the project of cross-cultural Shakespeare is sustained by the dialectic between memorialization and forgetting that attends all attempts to record these cross-cultural experiences. The meaning of crosscultural Shakespeare lies in the interpreter’s agency.
#WhyITold: A Pilot Test of Twitter Messages Aimed at Promoting Bystander Intervention against Domestic Violence

This study examined the effectiveness of various messaging via Twitter in persuading bystanders of domestic violence (DV) to intervene on behalf of DV victims. Using Fishbein’s (2000) integrative model of behavioral prediction as a guiding framework, an experiment was conducted with 196 undergraduates from a large Southwestern university. Participants were randomly assigned to read either a: (1) tweet describing warning signs associated with DV motivating bystander intervention, (2) gain or loss framed tweet emphasizing why a bystander chose to intervene, or (3) control tweet that simply provided statistics on the prevalence of DV in the U.S. Results indicate injunctive norms were the best predictor of participants’ intent to intervene in a DV situation, and that the most effective approach to promoting bystander intervention is to highlight warning signs of DV. Implications for practice are also discussed.
The Future of the Gig Economy, Labor Law, and the Role of Unions: How Will They Look Going Forward?

The article is concerned with the status of gig economy workers with relationships with multiple employers, first examining the conflicts which have emerged about whether workers are employees or independent contractors under modern labor law. Particular focus and attention is given to transportation, cases heard under the national labor relations act of 1935, as amended in 1947, first examining taxis, commercial trucking, Federal Express drivers, before an exploration of drivers for companies like Uber and Lfyt. The point made here is that gig workers, though different in form from certain traditional employees, posses most of the same basic characteristics. Attention is given to the class action cases which arise particularly under minimum wage legislation and the like. Penultimately a new and still unique Seattle ordinance providing for the rights of independent contractors to organize and engage in collective bargaining is discussed, with analysis of antitrust and preemption issues. Finally, the article concludes with a examination of both bargaining experiences outside the law and legislative proposals, including the provision of portable benefits designed as a surrogate for employee status.
Power to the People or Regulatory Ratcheting? Explaining the Success (or Failure) of Attempts to Site Commercial U.S. Nuclear Power Plants: 1954-1996

Between 1954 and 1996, more than 200 nuclear power projects were publicly announced in the USA. Barely half of these projects were completed and generated power commercially. Existing research has highlighted a number of potential explanations for the varying siting outcomes of these projects, including contentious political protest, socioeconomic, and political conditions within potential host communities, regulatory changes (‘ratcheting’), and cost overruns. However, questions remain about which of these factors, if any, had an impact on these outcomes. This article uses a new data set of 228 host communities where siting was attempted to illuminate the factors that led projects towards either completion or cancellation. Controlling for factors highlighted by past studies, we find that regulatory and reactor-specific factors best predict the outcomes of attempts to site nuclear reactors over this time period. These findings have important implications in the post- Fukushima ‘nuclear renaissance’ era when many still hope to revitalize the nuclear industry in the USA.
Design and evaluation of a predictive model for smartphone selection

Selecting a mobile phone is a very subjective process; consumers often base their decisions on advertising and their personal expectations for the device. In order to provide consumers with simpler and more objective information, a predictive model for smartphone selection has been developed. Four of the most popular mobile devices were used for the development of this model: Apple's iPhone, Google's Android, Microsoft's Windows and Research In Motion's BlackBerry. Everyday tasks, common to smartphone users, were identified and modeled, using the Keystroke Level Model. Fitts' Law was used to provide additional objective data based on the dimensions and layout of the mobile phone screen. These objective measures were integrated with user preferences, to identify which smartphone would provide superior operation and performance for the features most desired by the smartphone consumer. Research outcomes from this project include the identification of the mobile devices that performed common tasks with efficiency and a user-task model predicting user smartphone selection based on individual utility and task frequency.
Optimization of Multiple Wireless Transmissions for Radio-Frequency Energy Harvesting

For wireless transmissions in interference channels, each user designs the transmit covariance matrix to maximize the sum received power at a nearby radio-frequency (RF) energy harvester while satisfying the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio requirement of its own receiver. The multiple transmitters concentrate their RF radiation on the energy harvester to boost the received power. In this letter, a decentralized method is developed for the wireless transmissions in interference channels that achieve the maximum received power at the energy harvester. It is implemented with transmitter coordination. Simulation and experimental results verify the transmission design and show the performance improvement of RF energy harvesting.
The Altars Where We Worship: The Religious Significance of Popular Culture

“Would Jesus Wear Skinny Jeans? Cultural Relevance in 2018”—thus reads the local church sign announcing May’s sermon series. The church’s name within the building’s outline is projected against an ...
A Reinforcement Learning Approach for Autonomous Control and Landing of a Quadrotor

This paper looks into the problem of precise autonomous landing of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) which is considered to be a difficult problem as one has to generate appropriate landing trajectories in presence of dynamic constraints, such as, sudden changes in wind velocities and directions, downwash effects, change in payload etc. The problem is further compounded due to uncertainties arising from inaccurate model information and noisy sensor readings. The problem is partially solved by proposing a Reinforcement Learning (RL) based controller that uses Least Square Policy Iteration (LSPI) to learn the optimal control policies required for generating these trajectories. The efficacy of the approach is demonstrated through both simulation and real-world experiments with actual Parrot AR drone 2.0. According to our study, this is the first time such experimental results have been presented using RL based controller for drone landing, making it a novel contribution in this field.
INVITED: ALIGN – Open-Source Analog Layout Automation from the Ground Up

This paper presents analog layout automation efforts under the ALIGN ("Analog Layout, Intelligently Generated from Netlists") project for fast layout generation using a modular approach based on a mix of algorithmic and machine learning-based tools. The road to rapid turnaround is based on an approach that detects structure and hierarchy in the input netlist and uses a grid based philosophy for layout. The paper provides a view of the current status of the project, challenges in developing open-source code with an academic/industry team, and nuts-and-bolts issues such as working with abstracted PDKs, navigating the "wall" between secured IP and open-source software, and securing access to example designs.
Predicting removal kinetics of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and nutrients in a pilot scale fed-batch algal wastewater treatment system

Abstract Our previous reports have presented single-step treatment of primary-settled urban wastewater by a mixotrophic alga, Galdieria sulphuraria. Here, we present an approach to predict the operational cycle time, t*, required to meet the discharge standards for ammoniacal-nitrogen (NH3-N), phosphate (PO4) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in fed-batch mode, under varying influent concentrations. First order removal rates of NH3-N, PO4 and BOD, determined using data from 10 fed-batch cycles in a pilot scale system (700 L), were used to predict their temporal fate and t* in 30 other cycles. Predicted concentrations of NH3-N, PO4, and BOD and t* over a wide range of influent concentrations agreed well with the measured ones, with root mean square errors, respectively, of 2.06 mg/L, 0.23 mg/L, 2.88 mg/L and 0.30 days. The coefficient of determination between the measured and the predicted values were as follows: for NH3-N: r2 = 0.82, n = 90; for PO4: r2 = 0.87, n = 90; for BOD: r2 = 0.70, n = 30; and for t*: r2 = 0.61, n = 30. The validity of the model in predicting temporal concentration profiles of NH3-N, PO4 and BOD reflected by Janus quotient (respectively of 0.85, 0.87 and 0.61) is comparable to or better than those reported in the literature. Sensitivity analysis procedures identified the influent concentration of PO4 as the most sensitive parameter in predicting t*.
Comparative study of shallow and deep machine learning models for synthesizing in situ NMR T2 distributions

Abstract Precise assessment of the in situ pore size distribution is critical for successful reservoir development. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) T2 distribution logging enables the in situ estimations of reservoir pore size, fluid mobility, and fluid composition. However, the NMR logs are not acquired in all the wells due to operational or financial constraints. In this study, we compare the performance of shallow-learning and deep-learning models in synthesizing the NMR T2 distribution logs. Six shallow-learning models and four deep-learning models are trained and tested on data acquired from a 300-ft depth interval of a shale formation. Both raw “easy-to-acquire” conventional well logs and the inverted formation mineral and fluid composition logs are used for the synthesis of the NMR T2 distribution logs. Deep-learning models perform better than shallow-learning models. We implement a two-step training process to boost the performance of the deep-learning models. Deep-learning models have better performance when trained with inverted logs as compared that with raw logs.
Interactions of the effector ExoU from Pseudomonas aeruginosa with short-chain phosphatidylinositides provide insights into ExoU targeting to host membranes.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic multidrug-resistant pathogen and a common cause of infection in cystic fibrosis and ventilator-associated pneumonia and in burn and wound patients. P. aeruginosa uses its type III secretion system to secrete various effector proteins directly into mammalian host cells. ExoU is a potent type III secretion system effector that, after secretion, localizes to the inner cytoplasmic membrane of eukaryotic cells, where it exerts its phospholipase A2 activity upon interacting with ubiquitin and/or ubiquitinated proteins. In this study, we used site-directed spin-labeling electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy to examine the interaction of ExoU with soluble analogs of phosphatidylinositol (4,5)-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2). We found that dioctanoyl PI(4,5)P2 binds to and induces conformational changes in a C-terminal four-helix bundle (4HB) domain of ExoU implicated previously in membrane binding. Other soluble phosphoinositides also interacted with the 4HB but less effectively. Molecular modeling and ligand docking studies indicated the potential for numerous hydrogen bond interactions within and between interhelical loops of the 4HB and suggested several potential interaction sites for PI(4,5)P2. Site-directed mutagenesis experiments confirmed that the side chains of Gln-623 and Arg-661 play important roles in mediating PI(4,5)P2-induced conformational changes in ExoU. These results support a mechanism in which direct interactions with phosphatidylinositol-containing lipids play an essential role in targeting ExoU to host membrane bilayers. Molecules or peptides that block this interaction may prove useful in preventing the cytotoxic effects of ExoU to mitigate the virulence of P. aeruginosa strains that express this potent phospholipase toxin.
On Dyakonov–Voigt surface waves guided by the planar interface of dissipative materials: publisher’s note

This publisher’s note corrects a reference in J. Opt. Soc. Am. B36, 3218 (2019)JOBPDE0740-322410.1364/JOSAB.36.003218.
The Prevalence and Factors Associated with Antiepileptic Drug Use in US Nursing Home Residents.

Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are commonly used by nursing home residents, both on- and off-label. The landscape of AED use has changed over the past two decades; however, despite this, contemporaneous research on AED use in US nursing home residents is scant. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of AED use, describe prescribing patterns, identify factors associated with AED use, and assess whether these factors differ among AEDs with expanded indications in older adults (i.e. gabapentin, pregabalin, topiramate, and lamotrigine). We conducted a cross-sectional study among 549,240 long-stay older residents who enrolled in fee-for-service Medicare and lived in 15,111 US nursing homes on 1 September 2016. Demographics and conditions associated with AED indications, epilepsy comorbidities, and safety data came from the Minimum Data Set Version 3.0 (MDS 3.0). Medicare Part D claims were used to identify AED use. Robust Poisson models and multinomial logistic models for clustered data estimated adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR), adjusted odds ratios (aOR), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Overall, 24.0% used AEDs (gabapentin [13.3%], levetiracetam [4.7%], phenytoin [1.9%], pregabalin [1.8%], and lamotrigine [1.2%]). AED use was associated with epilepsy (aPR 3.73, 95% CI 3.69–3.77), bipolar disorder (aPR 1.20, 95% CI 1.18–1.22), pain (aPRmoderate/severe vs. no pain 1.42, 95% CI 1.40–1.44), diabetes (aPR 1.27, 95% CI 1.26–1.28), anxiety (aPR 1.12, 95% CI 1.11–1.13), depression (aPR 1.17, 95% CI 1.15–1.18), or stroke (aPR 1.08, 95% CI 1.06–1.09). Residents with advancing age (aPR85+ vs. 65–74 years 0.73, 95% CI 0.73–0.74), Alzheimer’s disease/dementia (aPR 0.87, 95% CI 0.86–0.88), or cognitive impairment (aPRsevere vs. no impairment 0.62, 95% CI 0.61–0.63) had decreased AED use. Gabapentinoid use was highly associated with pain (aORmoderate/severe vs. no pain 2.07, 95% CI 2.01–2.12) and diabetes (aOR 1.79, 95% CI 1.76–1.82), but not with an epilepsy indication. AED use was common in nursing homes, with gabapentin most commonly used (presumably for pain). That multiple comorbidities were associated with AED use underscores the need for future studies to investigate the safety and effectiveness of AED use in nursing home residents.
Experience Informs Consummatory Choices for Congruent and Incongruent Odor–Taste Mixtures in Rats

Experience is an essential factor informing food choice. Eating food generates enduring odor-taste associations that link an odor with a taste's quality and hedonic value (pleasantness/unpleasantness) and creates the perception of a congruent odor-taste combination. Previous human psychophysical experiments demonstrate that experience with odor-taste mixtures shapes perceptual judgments related to the intensity, familiarity, and pleasantness of chemosensory stimuli. However, how these perceptual judgments inform consummatory choice is less clear. Using rats as a model system and a 2-bottle brief-access task, we investigated how experience with palatable and unpalatable odor-taste mixtures influences consummatory choice related to odor-taste congruence and stimulus familiarity. We found that the association between an odor and a taste, not the odor's identity or its congruence with a taste, informs consummatory choice for odor-taste mixtures. Furthermore, we showed that the association between an odor and a taste, not odor neophobia, informs consummatory choice for odors dissolved in water. Our results provide further evidence that the association between an odor and a taste, after odor-taste mixture experience, is a fundamental feature guiding consummatory choice.
Measurements and Modeling of Heterogeneous Radar Clutter

This paper uses measurements made in the AFIT compact range to validate a mixture model for heterogeneous clutter in a coarse resolution cell. Further analysis shows the clutter measurements are correlated over approximately 4° in azimuth. The statistical characterizations in this paper are informative for building target detection and recognition algorithms that support coarse resolution radars, such as those that utilize narrowband communications waveforms.
Pre- and post- Covid-19 Outreach Experiences at Marshall University Libraries

This article will provide insight into how MU Libraries’ cross-departmental system has evolved over the years, and how the recent finalization of their Outreach Plan led to a successful transition to online outreach during the COVID pandemic. Specifically, the authors will address: the history of library outreach at the university; the formation of the Outreach Librarian position; the audit the Outreach librarian performed on the library’s practices; the creation of an Outreach committee and subsequent Outreach Plan guide; and, how the library adapted their approach during the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020.
Phase Ib/II study of Cetuximab Plus Pembrolizumab in Patients with Advanced RAS wild-type Colorectal Cancer.

Purpose We evaluated the antitumor efficacy of cetuximab in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with RAS wild-type (RASwt), metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma (mCRC). Experimental design In this phase Ib/II study, cetuximab was combined with pembrolizumab in patients with RASwt mCRC with {greater than or equal to} one prior line of therapy for advanced disease. We analyzed baseline on-treatment tumor tissues for changes in the tumor microenvironment (TME), using flow cytometry and multispectral immunofluorescence. Results Forty-four patients were evaluable for efficacy. The study was negative for the primary efficacy endpoint (overall response rate: 2.6%, 6-month progression-free survival: 31%; p=0.52). Median PFS was 4.1 months (95% CI: 3.9-5.5 months). No increase in adverse effects was identified. We observed favorable immunomodulation with 47% increase in the number of intratumoral cytotoxic T-cell lymphocytes post-treatment (p=0.035). These changes were more pronounced in patients with tumor shrinkage (p=0.05). The TME was characterized by high numbers of TIM3+ and CTLA4+ cells; there were few activated OX40+ cells. PD-L1 expression was higher in pre-treatment tumor cells from metastatic sites vs. primary tumor samples (p Conclusions The combination of cetuximab and pembrolizumab is inactive in patients with RASwt mCRC, despite its partial local immunologic efficacy. Further development of immuno-oncology combinations with enhanced efficacy and/or targeting additional or alternative immune checkpoints merits investigation.
EHD2 modulates Dll4 endocytosis during blood vessel development.

OBJECTIVE Despite the absolute requirement of Delta/Notch signaling to activate lateral inhibition during early blood vessel development, many mechanisms remain unclear about how this system is regulated. Our objective was to determine the involvement of Epsin 15 Homology Domain Containing 2 (EHD2) in delta-like ligand 4 (Dll4) endocytosis during Notch activation. APPROACH AND RESULTS Using both in vivo and in vitro models, we demonstrate that EHD2 is a novel modulator of Notch activation in endothelial cells through controlling endocytosis of Dll4. In vitro, EHD2 localized to plasma membrane bound Dll4 and caveolae. Chemical disruption of caveolae complexes resulted in EHD2 failing to organize around Dll4 as well as loss of Dll4 internalization. Reduced Dll4 internalization blunted Notch activation in endothelial cells. In vivo, EHD2 is primarily expressed in the vasculature, colocalizing with junctional marker VE-cadherin and Dll4. Knockout of EHD2 in zebrafish produced a significant increase in dysmorphic sprouts in zebrafish intersomitic vessels during development and a reduction in downstream Notch signaling. CONCLUSIONS Overall, we demonstrate that EHD2 is necessary for Dll4 transcytosis and downstream Notch activation.
The Density-Functional Formalism and the Electronic Structure of Metal Surfaces

Publisher Summary A prerequisite to analysis of the electronic structure of metal surfaces is a procedure for studying large, strongly inhomogeneous systems of electrons. Two such procedures that have been widely used in the past are the Thomas–Fermi method and the Hartree method. Not long ago, a general theory of inhomogeneous electron gases in their ground state, which we shall refer to as the density-functional formalism, was introduced by Hohenberg, Kohn, and Sham. The central quantity in this theory is the electron density, whose basic role is established by the theorem that the properties of the system, in particular the groundstate energy, are functionals only of this density. With the density as the varied function, a variational principle is established for the energy. The associated Euler equation is formulated in two ways—both in principle exact—that are particularly convenient for the study of strongly inhomogeneous systems. One formulation is similar to the Thomas–Fermi method, the other to the Hartree method; in their various approximate versions, they represent systematic ways of extending the classic methods which they resemble. This chapter outlines the density-functional formalisms and discusses its application to two of the most basic static properties of a surface: the work function and the surface energy.
Bill's maneuver in relation to persistent occiput posterior positions☆

Abstract In 1919, Dr. John Hirst 1 of Philadelphia wrote in his Manual of Obstetrics that there were three conditions that we dread in the management of the occiput posterior. They were: (1) increase in uterine inertia, (2) increase in lacerations of the perineum, and (3) increase in fetal mortality. He listed the latter at 9 per cent. There are other conditions which arise at times during these labors that cause us concern but less often and possibly not as much as these three. I believe that most of us dread seeing the waiting family as much as managing the patients, especially where we are confronted with uterine inertia to prolong this misery for all concerned. In preparation of this paper, we have chosen the case records of patients delivered by us in the years 1949, 1950, and 1951. These comprise approximately 1,500 private patients, most of these having been delivered by the senior author. Although this is not a great number, we felt this would give a fair over-all picture and would be a reasonably comparative group for those present here.
Learning to predict in uncertain continuous tasks

Abstract This paper addresses the automated learning of action effects by an autonomous agent in the physical world. The learning agent's physical sensors and effectors provide ordered feature values for the description of actions. Imperfections in the agent's sensor-effector system and characteristics of physical actions combine to generate noise and non-determinism in observed results of commanded actions. Successful learning of action effects requires a noise-tolerant learning algorithm. Successful goal-seeking ability further requires that the agent reason about its uncertainty in predicting the effects of its actions. Actions are represented by continuous operators called funnels. Funnels are computed by an empirical learning algorithm that is both noise-tolerant and biased away from making false positive prediction errors. This paper presents a learning algorithm for computing funnels and demonstrates the method's effectiveness with empirical tests of a robot on a physical manipulation task called tray-tilting.
Oxygen-based free radical generation by ferrous ions and deferoxamine

Deferoxamine accelerates the autooxidation of iron as measured by the rapid disappearance of Fe2+, the associated appearance of Fe3+, and the uptake of oxygen. Protons are released in the reaction. The formation of H2O2 was detected by the horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of scopoletin, and the formation of hydroxyl radicals (OH·) was suggested by the formation of the OH· spin trap adduct (DMPO/OH)· with the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) and the generation of the methyl radical adduct on the further addition of dimethyl sulfoxide. (DMPO/OH)· adduct formation was inhibited by catalase but not by superoxide dismutase. The oxidant formed converted iodide to a trichloroacetic acid-precipitable form (iodination) and was bactericidal to logarithmic phase Escherichia coli. Both iodination and bactericidal activity was inhibited by catalase and by OH· scavengers, but not by superoxide dismutase. Iodination was optimal in 5 × 10-4 M acetate buffer, pH 5.0, and when the Fe2+ and deferoxamine concentrations were equimolar at 10-4 M. Fe2+ could not be replaced by Fe3+, Co2+, Zn2+, Ca2+, Mg2+, or Mn2+, or deferoxamine by EDTA, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, or bathophenanthroline. These findings indicate that Fe2+ and deferoxamine can act as an oxygen radical generating system, which may contribute to its biological effects in vitro and in vivo.
Geodesic image normalization and temporal parameterization in the space of diffeomorphisms

Medical image analysis based on diffeomorphisms (differentiable one to one and onto maps with differentiable inverse) has placed computational analysis of anatomy and physiology on firm theoretical ground. We detail our approach to diffeomorphic computational anatomy while highlighting both theoretical and practical benefits. We first introduce the metric used to locate geodesics in the diffeomorphic space. Second, we give a variational energy that parameterizes the image normalization problem in terms of a geodesic diffeomorphism, enabling a fundamentally symmetric solution. This approach to normalization is extended for optimal template population studies using general imaging data. Finally, we show how the temporal parameterization and large deformation capabilities of diffeomorphisms make them appropriate for longitudinal analysis, particularly of neurodegenerative data.
Intrinsic fluctuations in a superconducting flux detector ring closed by a Josephson junction: theory and experiment

The thermal fluctuation-induced distribution of values of external flux at which a small superconducting ring closed by a Josephson junction undergoes transitions between fluxoid quantum states offers an experimentally tractable test of the theories of thermal fluctuations in superconductors for a case dominated by a fluxoid quantization. This paper reports new and precise measurements of these intrinsic fluctuations that confirm the recent theoretical results of Kurkijarvi.1
Ionic conductivity and thermoelectric power of pure and Al2O3-dispersed AgI

Ionic and electronic conductivities, and thermoelectric power have been measured for AgI and AgI containing a dispersion of submicron size Al2O3 particles. While the dispersion of Al2O3 enhances the ionic conductivity significantly, it does not affect the electronic properties of the matrix. The enhancement is a strong function of the size and concentration of the dispersoid. Various models have been tested to account for the enhanced conduction. However, the complex behavior of the present results points out the need for more sophisticated theoretical models. Ionic conduction and thermoelectric power data suggest that the dispersed Al2O3 generates an excess of cation vacancies and thereby enhances the conductivity and suppresses the thermoelectric power of the matrix. The individual heats of transport of cation interstitials and vacancies have been estimated and compared to their respective migration energies.
Recurrent furunculosis: a review of the literature

SummaryBackgroundCommunity-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is increasing in incidence and manifests as skin and soft tissue infections including furuncles. The majority of studies have focused on the epidemiology of single furuncles and not recurrent disease. There i
Temporal variation of isotope and rare earth element abundances in volcanic rocks from Guam: implications for the evolution of the Mariana Arc

Volcanic rocks exposed on Guam were erupted during the Late Middle Eocene (Facpi Fm.), Late Eocene-Oligocene (Alutom Fm.) and Miocene (Umatac Fm.). Four magma series are recognized: the boninite series (44 m.y.b.p.), the tholeiite and calc-alkaline series, which were erupted along with boninite series lavas at 32–36 m.y.b.p. and high-K lavas of the Umatac Fm. (14 m.y.b.p.). Isotope and and rare earth element (REE) characteristics of the four magma series are distinct. Boninite series lavas have U-shaped REE patterns, relatively low 143Nd/144Nd (0.51294–0.51298), and high 206Pb/204Pb (19.0–19.2). Tholeiite series lavas are LREE (light REE) depleted, and have high 143Nd/144Nd (0.51304–0.51306) and low 206Pb/204Pb (18.4–18.5). Calc-alkaline series lavas have Sr, Nd and Pb isotope ratios similar to tholeiite series lavas, but flat to U-shaped REE patterns. Umatac Fm. lavas are strongly LREE-enriched, and have higher 87Sr/ 86Sr (0.70375–0.70380) and 207Pb/204Pb relative to 206Pb/ 204Pb than Facpi and Alutom Fm. lavas.
Neurological Manifestations in HIV-Positive African American Population (P01.258)

Objective: To study the prevalence and neurological manifestations associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection in African Americans in the District of Columbia (DC) metropolitan area. Background Approximately two-thirds of patients with HIV infection will develop CNS involvement during the course of their disease. Three percent of the DC population has HIV infection, which is the highest in the nation. Currently, no literature is available regarding the demographics and neurological manifestations in the African American population with HIV infection. Design/Methods: Medical records of 282 consecutive HIV-positive African American patients with concurrent neurological diagnosis admitted in 2010 to Howard University Hospital, Washington, DC were retrospectively reviewed for demographic variables, neurological manifestations and in relation to CD4 counts. Results: Of the 282 hospitalized patients, 152 were males and 130 were females, with a median age of 47. There were 121 patients CD4 counts > 200, and the most common concurrent neurological diagnosis was neuropsychiatric in nature, which was seen in all patients. These manifestations included depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and psychosis. The other non neuropsychiatric manifestations included epilepsy in 23 patients, ischemic stroke in 19 patients, peripheral neuropathy in 14 patients and opportunistic infections in 4 patients. Eighty-nine patients were presented with CD4 counts Conclusions: The study concluded that neuropsychiatric disease is the most common neurologic manifestation among the African American population with HIV infection, with a relatively higher number among those with CD4 >200. There is a paradigm shift of neurological diseases from opportunistic infections to neuropsychiatric manifestations, which may be related to longer survival secondary advent of effective antiretroviral treatment. Disclosure: Dr. Chapman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pessu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chimah has nothing to disclose. Dr. Khan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kurukumbi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Jayam-Trouth has nothing to disclose.