cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
FDTD study of dispersion characteristics of leaky modes in microstrip leaky wave antennas

Due to the simplicity of fabrication, microstrip leaky wave antennas (MLWA) are well suited for millimeter wave applications. They also demonstrate high gain and possess frequency beam scanning capability in the elevation plane. These attributes make MLWAs prospective devices for application in low cost radar systems, such as side-looking sensors in automotive anti-collision equipment. The present work shows how the FDTD method can be used to study the dispersion characteristics of the first higher order mode in the radiating lines of MLWAs. The results of other studies (see Lin, Y.-D. and Sheen, J.-W., IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., vol.45, no.10, p.1672-80, 1997; Wang, C.-J. et al., Electronics Lett., vol.36, no.7, p.596-7, 2000; Yau, D. et al., IEEE Proc. Microwave Antennas Propag., vol.146, no.5, p.324-8, 1999; Sheen, J.-W. et al., IEEE MTT-S Digest, p.175-8, 1999) do not agree well with each other and have not been verified experimentally. In contrast, the FDTD method does not employ any artificial assumptions in modeling the wave processes; consequently, the results of the FDTD simulations are usually in excellent agreement with experimental data (see Qian, Y., IEEE MTT-S Digest, vol.4, p.1419-22, 1999).
A generalization of Parikh's semilinear theorem

The operation of nested iterated substitution preserves languages with the semilinear property. As a consequence, the following generalization of Parikh's theorem that each context-free language has the semilinear property is obtained: If \tL is a family of languages with the semilinear property closed under intersection with regular sets and finite substitution, all members of the least superAFL containing \tL have the semilinear property.
Experimental infection of two South American reservoirs with four distinct strains of Trypanosoma cruzi.

SUMMARY Trypanosoma cruzi (Tc), the causative agent of Chagas disease, is a diverse species with 2 primary genotypes, TcI and TcII, with TcII further subdivided into 5 subtypes (IIa–e). This study evaluated infection dynamics of 4 genetically and geographically diverse T. cruzi strains in 2 South American reservoirs, degus (Octodon degus) and grey short-tailed opossums (Monodelphis domestica). Based on prior suggestions of a genotype-host association, we hypothesized that degus (placental) would more readily become infected with TcII strains while short-tailed opossums (marsupial) would be a more competent reservoir for a TcI strain. Individuals (n = 3) of each species were intraperitoneally inoculated with T. cruzi trypomastigotes of TcIIa [North America (NA)-raccoon (Procyon lotor) origin], TcI [NA-Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana)], TcIIb [South America (SA)-human], TcIIe (SA-Triatoma infestans), or both TcI and TcIIa. Parasitaemias in experimentally infected degus peaked earlier (7–14 days post-inoculation (p.i.)) compared with short-tailed opossums (21–84 days p.i.). Additionally, peak parasitaemias were higher in degus; however, the duration of detectable parasitaemias for all strains, except TcIIa, was greater in short-tailed opossums. Infections established in both host species with all genotypes, except for TcIIa, which did not establish a detectable infection in short-tailed opossums. These results indicate that both South American reservoirs support infections with these isolates from North and South America; however, infection dynamics differed with host and parasite strain.
First principles view on chemical compound space: Gaining rigorous atomistic control of molecular properties

A well-defined notion of chemical compound space (CCS) is essential for gaining rigorous control of properties through variation of elemental composition and atomic configurations. Here, we give an introduction to an atomistic first principles perspective on CCS. First, CCS is discussed in terms of variational nuclear charges in the context of conceptual density functional and molecular grand-canonical ensemble theory. Thereafter, we revisit the notion of compound pairs, related to each other via “alchemical” interpolations involving fractional nuclear charges in the electronic Hamiltonian. We address Taylor expansions in CCS, property nonlinearity, improved predictions using reference compound pairs, and the ounce-of-gold prize challenge to linearize CCS. Finally, we turn to machine learning of analytical structure property relationships in CCS. These relationships correspond to inferred, rather than derived through variational principle, solutions of the electronic Schrodinger equation. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Adult Medical Disorders

Behavior, at long last, may be taking its proper place in Western medicine. The study of behavior in medicine has even spawned a new discipline, sometimes called behavioral medicine. In the broadest sense, behavioral medicine refers to the application of behavioral science knowledge and techniques to the understanding of physical health and illness and to prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. In this chapter, we discuss behavioral medicine only in terms of the application of behavioral therapy and applied analysis to these same areas. An astonishing number of studies have been published in this area, mostly in the past 10 years, and the numbers are increasing exponentially.
Neuronal activity regulates glutamate transporter dynamics in developing astrocytes.

Glutamate transporters (GluTs) maintain a low ambient level of glutamate in the central nervous system (CNS) and shape the activation of glutamate receptors at synapses. Nevertheless, the mechanisms that regulate the trafficking and localization of transporters near sites of glutamate release are poorly understood. Here, we examined the subcellular distribution and dynamic remodeling of the predominant GluT GLT-1 (excitatory amino acid transporter 2, EAAT2) in developing hippocampal astrocytes. Immunolabeling revealed that endogenous GLT-1 is concentrated into discrete clusters along branches of developing astrocytes that were apposed preferentially to synapsin-1 positive synapses. Green fluorescent protein (GFP)-GLT-1 fusion proteins expressed in astrocytes also formed distinct clusters that lined the edges of astrocyte processes, as well as the tips of filopodia and spine-like structures. Time-lapse three-dimensional confocal imaging in tissue slices revealed that GFP-GLT-1 clusters were dynamically remodeled on a timescale of minutes. Some transporter clusters moved within developing astrocyte branches as filopodia extended and retracted, while others maintained stable positions at the tips of spine-like structures. Blockade of neuronal activity with tetrodotoxin reduced both the density and perisynaptic localization of GLT-1 clusters. Conversely, enhancement of neuronal activity increased the size of GLT-1 clusters and their proximity to synapses. Together, these findings indicate that neuronal activity influences both the organization of GluTs in developing astrocyte membranes and their position relative to synapses. V
Chicago Made: Factory Networks in the Industrial Metropolis – By Robert Lewis

The article reviews the book "Chicago Made: Factory Networks in the Industrial Metropolis," by Robert Lewis.
Organization of the Simian Hemorrhagic Fever Virus Genome and Identification of the sgRNA Junction Sequences

SHFV is a member of the Arteriviridae family. Viruses within this family encode eight open reading frames (ORFs), two of which are translated from the full-length genome RNA. The remaining six ORFs are translated from a nested set of six or seven 3’ co-terminal, subgenomic RNAs (sgRNAs). We have cloned and sequenced approximately 6000 nucleotides (nt) from the 3’ end of the SHFV genome. Eleven ORFs, numbered ORFs 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, were identified, three more than the other arteriviruses. The characteristics of the peptides encoded by ORFs 2a through 9 were determined from their computer-generated amino acid sequences. We also amplified the junction sequences from each of the SHFV subgenomic RNAs (sgRNAs) using RT-PCR analysis. Eight separate junction sequences were found which suggests that SHFV produces eight sgRNAs during replication. ORFs 2a and 2b appear to be encoded on the same sgRNA implying that RNA 2 is polycistronic. Sequence analysis identified the conserved SHFV junction sequence as 5’-(U/C)(C/U)N(U/C)(U/C)(A/C/G)AC(C/U)-3’. Since SHFV encodes additional ORFs and produces additional sgRNAs during replication, these data suggest that SHFV may be more complex than the other arteriviruses.
Lawyer as Storyteller

This article discusses how to incorporate story-telling techniques to create an intriguing, interesting brief.
Setup Level Tool Sequence Selection for 2.5-D Pocket Machining

This paper describes algorithms for efficiently machining an entire setup. A setup consists of a set of features with precedence constraints, that are machined when the stock is clamped in a particular orientation. This work extends earlier research which addressed the issue of selecting an cheapest tool sequence for a single pocket.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Comprehensive experimental study of N-heterocyclic π-stacking interactions of neutral and cationic pyridines.

A comprehensive experimental study was carried out by measuring the relative strengths of parallel π-stacking interactions of N-heterocycles with nonheterocycles. A versatile and rigid model system was developed, which was in equilibrium between a “closed” conformation that forms an intramolecular π-stacking interaction and an “open” conformation that cannot form the interaction. First, the formation and geometries of the intramolecular N-heterocyclic π-stacking interactions were verified by X-ray crystallography. Next, the closed/open ratios were measured in solution via integration of the 1H NMR spectra, providing an accurate comparison of the N-heterocyclic π-stacking interactions. The synthetic versatility of this model system enabled the systematic and comprehensive comparison of the influences of position, charge, and substituent effects of the nitrogen atom of the N-heterocycles within a single model system. The π-stacking interactions of the neutral N-heterocyclic rings were slightly stronger than...
'That small and unsensible shape': Visual Representations of the Euclidean Point in Sixteenth-Century Print

This paper probes the foundations and limits of visual representation in the sciences through a close reading of the diagrams that accompanied definitions of the geometric point in the first century of printed editions of Euclid’s Elements. I begin with the modal form for such diagrams of Euclid’s “small and unsensible shape,” showing how it incorporates a broad spectrum of conventions and practices related to the point’s philosophical and practical roles in the surrounding Euclidean geometry. I then explore the form’s several variations in order to consider the role of “mere representation” in geometric exegesis, and conclude by characterizing the curious relationship between things and their images and that relationship’s implications for understanding scientific knowledge and practice.
Sparsomycin-induced disaggregation but not detachment of hepatic membrane-bound polyribosomes.

SummaryThe nature of attachment of hepatic ribosomes to membranes after spar-somycin treatment in vivo of rats and mice was investigated. The results based upon the influence of treatment in vitro with different concentrations of KC1 and with puromycin on the detachment of membrane-bound ribosomes from membranes of livers of spar-somycin-treated animals revealed that these ribosomes are attached to membranes by peptides as well as by ionic bridging and are considered as fall-off ribosomes. Similar effects have been described after treatment in vivo with dimethylnitrosamine. In contrast, treatment in vivo with ethionine or CCL produced run-off ribosomes which are attached only by ionic bridging since they become detached in vitro with KC1 treatment alone.
Research and Implementation of FPGA-Based Virtual Power Supply

In order to design a virtual power supply system using FPGA as the central control chip,and implemented the hardware platforms and software systems. The whole system includes the switch control module,the voltage acquisition module,the voltage output module,the voltage self-regulator module,the UART module and the numeric conversion module. The system communicates with the host computer via UART,outputs the voltage of given value,gets actual output voltage value from the AD7699 chip in time,makes voltage stabilization in the desired value in the vicinity by the self-regulator module. Test voltages from 2. 6V to 4. 2 V,when the output with no load,the output voltage ripple is less than 10m V,when the output current is 1A,the output voltage ripple is less than 20mV.
The analysis of right to vote of the floating population

The question of right to vote of the floating population has already influenced the political life of democracy in grass-roots units of our country. Participating in government and political affairs of floating population may reflect their basic life state , which is favorable to the reform and development of the countryside and city of our country. This text tries to make an analyse on its current situation, problem and method.
The use of hematopoietic hormones in HIV infection and AIDS-related malignancies.

Multilineage hematopoletic failure in patients with HIV infection is common. This failure limits primary therapy with myelosuppressive drugs as well as treatment for opportunistic infections and malignancies. The use of G-CSF, GM-CSF, and EPO in patients with HIV infection and malignancies is reviewed.
Environmental sampling to predict fecal prevalence of Salmonella in an intensively monitored dairy herd.

Although dairy cattle are known reservoirs for salmonellae, cattle that are shedding this organism are often asymptomatic and difficult to identify. A dairy herd that was experiencing a sustained, subclinical outbreak of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Cerro was monitored for 2 years. Fecal samples from the lactating cows were collected every 6 to 8 weeks and tested for the presence of Salmonella. Fecal prevalence of Salmonella fluctuated throughout the observation period and ranged from 8 to 88%. Manure composites and water trough samples were collected along with the fecal samples, and bulk milk and milk filters were cultured for the presence of Salmonella on a weekly basis. Over 90% of the manure composites—representing high-animal-traffic areas—were positive at each sampling. Salmonella was detected in 11% of milk samples and in 66% of the milk filters. Results of weekly bulk milk quality testing (i.e., bulk tank somatic cell score, standard plate count, preliminary incubation count) were typicall...
Twisted chimera states and multicore spiral chimera states on a two-dimensional torus

Chimera states consisting of domains of coherently and incoherently oscillating oscillators in a two-dimensional periodic array of nonlocally coupled phase oscillators are studied. In addition to the one-dimensional chimera states familiar from one spatial dimension, two-dimensional structures termed twisted chimera states and spiral wave chimera states are identified in simulations. The properties of many of these states, including stability, are determined using an evolution equation for a complex order parameter and are found to be in agreement with the simulations.
Trust between Nations: Primordial Ties, Societal Learning and Economic Development

Though widely criticized in recent years, the concept of political culture is useful in understanding the nature and sociopolitical impact of interpersonal trust. For trust — both in others of one’s own nationality, and toward other nationalities — seems to be an enduring characteristic of given cultures that can, partly, be traced to long-term societal learning. Trust is also strongly related to a given society’s level of economic development. Primordial ties, such as race, religion or geographic proximity, have surprisingly little impact on trust, when we control for the effects of economic development and shared historical experiences. Trust ratings of seventeen nationalities, made by ten Western publics, show a remarkable cross-cultural consensus that certain nationalities can be trusted more than others. The evidence suggests that economic development is conducive to trust — but that inter-personal trust may also be a prerequisite for economic and social modernization.
Preterm neonatal urinary renal developmental and acute kidney injury metabolomic profiling: an exploratory study

Acute kidney injury (AKI) staging has been developed in the adult and pediatric populations, but these do not yet exist for the neonatal population. Metabolomics was utilized to uncover biomarkers of normal and AKI-associated renal function in preterm infants. The study comprised 20 preterm infants with an AKI diagnosis who were matched by gestational age and gender to 20 infants without an AKI diagnosis. Urine samples from pre-term newborn infants collected on day 2 of life were analyzed using broad-spectrum nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics. Multivariate analysis methods were used to identify metabolite profiles that differentiated AKI and no AKI, and to identify a metabolomics profile correlating with gestational age in infants with and without AKI. There was a clear distinction between the AKI and no-AKI profiles. Two previously identified biomarkers of AKI, hippurate and homovanillate, differentiated AKI from no-AKI profiles. Pathway analysis revealed similarities to cholinergic neurons, prenatal nicotine exposure on pancreatic β cells, and amitraz-induced inhibition of insulin secretion. Additionally, a pH difference was noted. Both pH and the metabolites were found to be associated with AKI; however, only the metabotype was a significant predictor of AKI. Pathways for the no-AKI group that correlated uniquely with gestational age included aminoacyl-t-RNA biosynthesis, whereas pathways in the AKI group yielded potential metabolite changes in pyruvate metabolism. Metabolomics was able to differentiate the urinary profiles of neonates with and without an AKI diagnosis and metabolic developmental profiles correlated with gestational age. Further studies in larger cohorts are needed to validate these results.
Landscape Ecosystems of the Mack Lake Burn, Northern Lower Michigan, and the Occurrence of the Kirtland's Warbler

The Kirtland's warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii Baird) is a federally endangered songbird that nests only in ecosystems dominated by young jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) in northern Michigan. Although considerable research has focused on the bird, comparatively little information is available on the specific landscape ecosystems occupied by the warbler. The 9,700 ha Mack Lake burn provided an opportunity to track the pattern of Kirtland's warbler occurrence in relation to the ecosystems of a highly diverse and productive area of its breeding range. Using a multifactor landscape ecosystem approach, two high-elevation and four low- elevation landform-level ecosystems were identified, described, and mapped. The spatial pattern of warbler occurrence over time was strongly mediated by the physical and biotic components of the ecosystems. During the first 3 yr of warbler occupation (1986-1988), the high-elevation landforms, characterized by relatively warm temperatures, moister, more fertile soils, and faster growing jack pines, supported 62% of the population. Thereafter, a major shift occurred to the low-elevation landforms. During the last 3 yr of record (1995-1997), the low-elevation landforms, characterized by colder temperatures, drier, less fertile soils, and slow-growing jack pines, supported 86% of the population. The juxtaposition of high- and low- elevation landforms, and the fine-scale ecosystem diversity within them, prolonged the duration of warbler occupancy beyond what would be expected in less heterogeneous conditions. As demonstrated here, the landscape ecosystem approach provides a sound, ecological framework for understanding patterns of Kirtland's warbler occurrence and for assisting managers in identifying appropriate management areas for the continued recovery of the species. FOR. SCI. 49(1):119-139.
New CMOS devices and compact modeling

FinFET provides several advantages over the planar MOSFET structure-less short-channel effect, less variation in threshold voltage, and higher carrier mobility, allowing scaling to 5 nm gate length. Using embedded SRAM as the entry point, FinFET may enter manufacturing at the 32 nm node. BSI M-MG is a turn-key compact model of multi-gate MOSFETs fabricated on either SOI or bulk substrates. A compact model of multi-gate transistors will facilitate their adoption.
Autologous Transplantation for Nodular Lymphocyte-Predominant Hodgkin Lymphoma (NLPHL).

Abstract 2310 Poster Board II-287 Background: NLPHL is an uncommon type of Hodgkin lymphoma characterized by nodules composed of large neoplastic B-cells (CD20+), lymphocyte predominant (LP) cells (previously known as L& H cells), associated with many small reactive B-cells. Patients with NLPHL typically have an indolent clinical course, but the disease can recur, often with histologic evidence of progression or transformation. Because of its rarity, limited information is available, mainly from retrospective studies. Very little information is available about salvage therapy particularly about the role of autologous transplantation in this disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes of autologous transplantation in patients with relapsed or refractory NLPHL. Patients and Methods: All patients with NLPHL who underwent autologous transplantation between January 1990 and December 2008 were included in this study. Pathology specimens were reviewed. The diagnosis of NLPHL was confirmed in all cases and, at time of transplant, many patients had histologic evidence of T-cell/histiocyte rich large B-cell lymphoma. During these 19 years, 26 patients (24 males) underwent autologous transplantation. Median age at transplantation was 35 years (range 13-51). At transplantation, 9 (35%) were in complete remission (CR); 13 (50%) were in partial remission (PR); and 4 (15%) had stable (SD) or progressive disease (PD). Median number of prior chemotherapy regimens was 3 (1-4). LDH was elevated in 10 (38%). Peripheral blood stem cells were used as stem cell source in 23 (86%) patients. Conditioning regimen were BEAM(10), BEAM-R(5), CBV(6), and other regimens in 5 patients. Peripheral blood stem cells were used as stem cell source in 23 (86%) patients. Results: Following transplant, 22 patients achieved complete remission. No treatment related mortality or treatment related MDS/AML occurred. Seven patients have relapsed. With a median follow up of 50 months (range, 2-138 months), the 5-year overall (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) were 76% (SE 9%) and 69%(SE 10%), respectively. For chemosensitive patients, The 5-year overall (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) were 82% (SE 10%) and 79% (SE 10%), respectively. Three out of 4 patients (75%) with chermoresistant disease relapsed compared to 4 out of 22 (18%) of patients with chemosensitive disease. Five patients died, all of recurrent disease. Conclusion: High-dose chemotherapy and autologous transplantation is highly effective in patients with refractory NLPHL or relapsed NLPHL including patients with histologic evidence of transformation to T-cell/histiocyte rich large B-cell lymphoma, and results in long term remission in most of patients. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
The Utility of Viscoelastic Testing in Patients Undergoing IR Procedures

Whole-blood viscoelastic testing can identify patient-specific coagulation disturbances, allowing for targeted repletion of necessary coagulation factors and differentiation between coagulopathy and surgical bleeding that requires intervention. Viscoelastic testing complements standard coagulation tests and has been shown to decrease transfusion requirements and improve survival in bleeding patients. Viscoelastic testing also can be used to predict bleeding and improve the care of patients undergoing interventional radiology (IR) procedures.
Extra-cardiac findings on PET portion of Rubidium-82 (Rb-82) cardiac PET-CT

1018 Learning Objectives After reviewing this presentation, attendees will be familiar with a variety of incidentally noted extra-cardiac findings on the PET portion of Rb-82 PET-CT. Rb-82, like Tl-201 is a potassium analog, and used as a cardiac perfusion agent. Both of these agents are FDA-approved and widely used for cardiac imaging. Both Tl-201 and Rb-82 are also avidly taken up into tumor cells with an increased Na+/K+ ATP-ase activity. Rapid transport process through the cell membranes along with large intracellular potassium sink and slow back diffusion result in the high accumulation of these tracers in the tumor cells [Ando, Cherry]. While Reviewing Rb-82 PET-CT studies, the CT portion is routinely reviewed for incidental findings. In our experience, there are incidental, mostly malignant findings, which are undetected when only the CT portion is reviewed, and essentially detectable only on the PET portion. In this presentation, we will analyze a number of illustrative examples that highlight the importance of reviewing the PET portion of Rb-82 PET-CT studies for extra-cardiac findings. These will include among others cases with pathologic findings in the lungs, breasts and thyroid
Validation of a method for quantitation of the clopidogrel active metabolite, clopidogrel, clopidogrel carboxylic acid, and 2-oxo-clopidogrel in feline plasma.

Abstract Introduction The clopidogrel active metabolite (CAM) is unstable and challenging to quantitate. The objective was to validate a new method for stabilization and quantitation of CAM, clopidogrel, and the inactive metabolites clopidogrel carboxylic acid and 2-oxo-clopiodgrel in feline plasma. Animals Two healthy cats administered clopidogrel to demonstrate assay in vivo utility. Materials and methods Stabilization of CAM was achieved by adding 2-bromo-3’methoxyacetophenone to blood tubes to form a derivatized CAM (CAM-D). Method validation included evaluation of calibration curve linearity, accuracy, and precision; within and between assay precision and accuracy; and compound stability using spiked blank feline plasma. Analytes were measured by high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. In vivo utility was demonstrated by a pharmacokinetic study of cats given a single oral dose of 18.75mg clopidogrel. Results The 2-oxo-clopidogrel metabolite was unstable. Clopidogrel, CAM-D, and clopidogrel carboxylic acid appear stable for 1 week at room temperature and 9 months at −80°C. Standard curves showed linearity for CAM-D, clopidogrel, and clopidogrel carboxylic acid (r > 0.99). Between assay accuracy and precision was ≤2.6% and ≤7.1% for CAM-D and ≤17.9% and ≤11.3% for clopidogrel and clopidogrel carboxylic acid. Within assay precision for all three compounds was ≤7%. All three compounds were detected in plasma from healthy cats receiving clopidogrel. Discussion This methodology is accurate and precise for simultaneous quantitation of CAM-D, clopidogrel, and clopidogrel carboxylic acid in feline plasma but not 2-oxo-clopidogrel. Conclusions Validation of this assay is the first step to more fully understanding the use of clopidogrel in cats.
“Everyone’s Voices Are to Be Heard”: A Comparison of Struggling and Proficient Readers’ Perspectives in One Urban High School:

Static reading labels are problematic not only because youths demonstrate varying reading skills and identities across secondary classrooms but also because being labeled as “struggling” can underm...
The Economic Function of the Jews: A Nineteenth-Century Story

This chapter recounts the evolution of the narrative of the “Jewish economic function” from its origins in nineteenth-century liberal German scholarship. I aim to show that the narrative was fashioned out of nineteenth-century discourses on Jews and commerce in response to the issues of Jewish emancipation and German capitalism and shaped in accord with German scholarly methods and theories. This public discourse moved research on Jewish economic history from the backwaters of the Wissenschaft des Judentums (Scientific Study of Judaism) into mainstream German scholarship. The principal figures responsible were leaders or students of the German Historical School of Political Economy (GHS)—Wilhelm Roscher, Werner Sombart, and Max Weber. Through these scholars, the narrative of the “Jewish economic function” was stamped with the organic folk model of the German Historical School, based upon the Historical School’s theory of economic stages, and shaped in relationship to the scholarly study of capitalism. In the mid-twentieth century, in the midst of the Holocaust and World War II, the narrative of the “Jewish economic function” would be both affirmed and challenged by Jewish historians. This twentieth-century story is the subject of the following chapter.
Planning for Future Care and the End of Life: A Qualitative Analysis of Gay, Lesbian, and Heterosexual Couples.

Two key components of end-of-life planning are (1) informal discussions about future care and other end-of-life preferences and (2) formal planning via living wills and other legal documents. We le...
Registrierung und Einstellung des öffentlichen WeChat-Kontos

In diesem Kapitel wird beschrieben, wie man sich auf der offentlichen Plattform von WeChat registrieren lassen und dadurch ein offentliches WeChat-Konto erhalten kann. Auch der Prozess der Verifizierung des offentlichen WeChat-Kontos wird erlautert. Es werden auch Hinweise gegeben, wie Unternehmen auserhalb von Festlandchina ein offentliches WeChat-Konto beantragen konnen. Bevor das offentliche WeChat-Konto eingesetzt wird, sollten grundlegende Einstellungen fur das Konto festgelegt werden. Die Vorgehensweise und die wichtigsten Einstellungen werden in diesem Kapitel beschrieben.
Spatiotemporal patterns of avian vocal activity in relation to urban and rural background noise

Background noise can interfere with and influence acoustic communication behavior. Signal interference is dependent on the amplitude and spectral characteristic of background noise, which varies over space and time. The likelihood of signal interference is greater when background noise is concentrated within the same frequency bands of an animal’s vocalization, but even a partial masking effect can elicit signaling behavior modification. Relative to a rural landscape, background noise in an urban landscape is disproportionately comprised by anthro- pogenic sound, which fluctuates in amplitude throughout the day and occurs primarily in low frequencies (0–2 kHz). In this study, we examined if urban-rural differences in vocal activity patterns exist in a species Zonotrichia leucophrys nuttalli that communicates above the frequency range of anthropogenic noise (2–8 kHz). We tested whether vocal activity patterns changed in relation to sound in the high or low frequency bands within and between urban and rural locations. Automated acoustic recording devices (ARDs) continuously recorded throughout the morning song chorus, 0500 to 1,100 h, during the 2014 breeding season in San Francisco (urban) and Marin (rural) Counties, CA. Supervised learning cluster analysis was used to quantify vocal activity by totaling the number of songs. In general, vocal activity was greater in urban locations com- pared to rural locations. However, within rural and urban study sites, we found vocal activity decreased where low frequency noise levels were higher. There was not a relationship between vocal activity and high frequency, biotic sound. In both urban and rural locations, low frequency noise levels increased through the morning, while vocal activity remained relatively consistent. Our results demonstrate how patterns of vocal activity can change with low frequency, abiotic noise, even when there is no direct spectral overlap with the acoustic signal.
Development of PEGylated mammalian urate oxidase as a therapy for patients with refractory gout

Gout is a form of arthritis caused by inflammatory crystals of monosodium urate, which deposit in joints when the plasma concentration of uric acid chronically exceeds the limit of solubility, ∼7 mg/dL (0.42 mM). The human species is predisposed to hyperuricemia and gout by mutation of the urate oxi dase gene during evolution. Urate oxidases from various sources have been used as a model to inves tigate the effects of PEGylation in animals. More than 15 years ago we initiated a project to develop a PEGylated recombinant mammalian urate oxidase as an Orphan Drug for treating patients with refractory gout. Clinical testing of this PEG-uricase, now called pegloticase, began in 2001. Pegloticase was found to have a half-life in plasma of about two weeks, and when infused at 2–4 week intervals to rapidly correct hyperuricemia. PEGylation was effective in limiting immune recognition of the recombinant uricase protein, but antibodies to PEG develop in some patients, resulting in the rapid clearance of pegloticase and loss of efficacy. However, in many patients with refractory gout, treatment with pegloticase maintains plasma urate at well below saturating concentrations, leading to elimination of tissue urate deposits and control of disease.
Evolution and Complexity

In the previous chapter, our discussion of evolution focused on the matter of continuous versus discontinuous perspectives on evolution. Darwin was cast into the role of the defender and expositor of the continuous view. This would appear to put Darwin into a camp that would not view evolution as a dynamically complex process. Certainly, discontinuity can arise from dynamically complex processes, while at the same time discontinuities that arise from exogenous shocks as in the classic “catastrophism” of Cuvier (1818) and others are not considered to be part of a dynamic complexity perspective, even as we now know that such exogenous events as large meteor strikes from outer space have probably played major roles in mass extinction events that profoundly affected the course of evolution.2
Bayesian Decision Support Using Environmental Transport-And-Fate Models

Risk management decisions in environmental science must always be made amid uncertainty about the true extent of the risks and about the costs and benefits of the proposed actions intended to reduce those risks; seldom if ever are the consequences of each possible decision known in advance. Complex mathematical models have been constructed to support risk management decisions by predicting the consequences of each alternative course of action. Model predictions will depend upon the values specified by the user of a number of problem-specific parameters, many of which may not be known with certainty; models that fail to reflect the uncertainty in parameter specification may lead users to make inappropriate risk management decisions, with significant environmental and economic consequences.
Technical Feasibility of a Murine Model of Sleeve Gastrectomy with Ileal Transposition.

Sleeve gastrectomy with ileal transposition has been shown to be superior to sleeve gastrectomy alone for promoting weight loss in rat and porcine models. The absence of a mouse model for this procedure has impeded efforts to understand the molecular physiology underlying its efficacy. This study demonstrates the long-term survivability of sleeve gastrectomy with ileal transposition in mice. In this study of technical feasibility, a sleeve gastrectomy with ileal transposition (SGIT), sleeve gastrectomy (SG), or sham surgery (SH) was performed on 7- to 8-week-old C57Bl/6J mice (n = 8 for each). To evaluate long-term survivability, mice were placed on an obesogenic diet and weighed weekly for 10 weeks. The intestinal identity of the transposed segment was assessed with gene expression analysis of duodenal-, jejunal-, and ileal-specific hormones using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Overall, SGIT better prevented weight gain than the SG or sham procedures (10-week post-operative weight: SH 45.3 ± 1.0 g, SG 41.25 ± 1.6 g, SGIT 35.4 ± 0.8 g). Gene expression pattern analysis of three markers of intestinal identity (gastrin, cholecystokinin, and peptide YY) suggests that the ileal identity of the transposed segment is maintained 10 weeks after transposition. We demonstrate for the first time a reproducible mouse model of sleeve gastrectomy with ileal transposition. Future studies utilizing this model will expand our understanding of the molecular pathways through which the hindgut regulates satiety.
Gap Passivation Structure for Scalable N-Type Interdigitated all Back Contact Silicon Hetero-Junction Solar Cell

Minimizing the lateral transport loss over the rear surface gap region between emitter and base contacts is crucial for a scalable interdigitated all back contact silicon heterojunction solar cell (IBC-SHJ) process with gap width $\geq 100\ \mu \mathrm{m}$ . In this work, we investigated four variations of gap passivation structure having a wide range of interface defect density (D it ) and interface charge (Q pass ) and demonstrated surface recombination velocity (SRV) 21.5% IBC-SHJ efficiency is achievable by the simplified cell process with proper light management. However, results of IBC-SHJ cell featuring two different gap structures fabricated via simplified processes suggest that a gap structure which induces inversion at n-type c-Si surface should be avoided.
Photoinduced Organocatalyzed Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization Using Low ppm Catalyst Loading.

Photoinduced organocatalyzed atom-transfer radical polymerization (O-ATRP) is a controlled radical polymerization methodology that can be mediated by organic photoredox catalysts under the influence of light. However, typical O-ATRP systems require relatively high catalyst loadings (1000 ppm) to achieve control over the polymerization. Here, new core-extended diaryl dihydrophenazine photoredox catalysts were developed for O-ATRP and demonstrated to efficiently operate at low catalyst loadings of 5–50 ppm to produce polymers with excellent molecular weight control and low dispersity, while achieving near-quantitative initiator efficiency. Photophysical and electrochemical properties of the catalysts were computationally predicted and experimentally measured to correlate these properties with improved catalytic performance. Furthermore, these catalysts were utilized to synthesize materials with complex architectures, such as triblock copolymers and star polymers. To demonstrate their broad utility, polymeri...
Outpatient Antibiotic Prescribing in Massachusetts, 2011-2015.

Background The objectives of this study were to develop methods to measure population-based outpatient antibiotic prescribing in Massachusetts and to describe the findings as a first step toward institution of ongoing surveillance. Methods We analyzed outpatient prescription claims from the Massachusetts All-Payers Claims Database from 2011 to 2015. We grouped claims for antibiotics according to the World Health Organization's Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System using the National Library of Medicine's RXNorm database. We grouped prescribers into 17 specialties. Antibiotic use rates were calculated, and simple frequencies were used to describe patterns. Results The overall annual rate of outpatient antibiotic use for individuals aged 0-64 years was 696 prescriptions per 1000 people. During 2015, 68% of people in Massachusetts had no antibiotic prescription, and 17% had only 1 prescription. There was dramatic variability in antibiotic use rates by census tract within the state (rates of penicillin use ranged from 31 to 265 prescriptions per 1000 people, macrolides from 28 to 333, cephalosporins from 8 to 89, quinolones from 13 to 118). Antibiotic use rates were generally lower in urban census tracts. From 2011 to 2015, there was a 17% decline in antibiotic prescribing, with the greatest decline for macrolides (28%). Conclusions There was variability in antibiotic prescribing within Massachusetts by age, sex, and antibiotic class. Variation in antibiotic use across census tracts within the state was similar to the variation in use across US states. Continued measurement and detailed local population rates of antibiotic use in Massachusetts will provide feedback for local prescribers.
Influence of pore structure on the strength behavior of particle- and fiber-reinforced metakaolin-based geopolymer composites

Abstract Geopolymers are X-ray amorphous materials with appealing properties such as high flexural strength and high compressive strength. Yet, the influence of the heterogeneity and porosity on the constitutive behavior is not fully understood. We formulate a multiscale physics-based mechanistic model to describe the strength behavior of geopolymer composites. Using an energy-based approach, we derive novel solutions to describe the effective yield criterion of fiber-reinforced and particle-reinforced metakaolin geopolymers. We calibrate our theoretical model using nanoindentation tests and validate our theoretical framework via flexural strength tests on metakaolin-based geopolymer composites. Geopolymer composites are found to exhibit a pressure-dependent granular behavior. We subdivide the porosity into nanoporosity and microporosity. Our results indicate that the nanoporosity is solely influenced by the chemistry and is not influenced by the processing and the presence of reinforcement. Due tothe presence of nanoporosity, the strength-total porosity relationships are not unique. However, an approximate one-to-one correspondence exists between the strength and the microporosity. The nanogranular structure and the chemical composition at the nanometer scale have a profound influence on the effective mechanical response.Our conceptual framework is an important step in the mechanistic modeling of the behavior of geopolymer composites.
Protective and supportive injunctions for children exposed to sexual abuse: the first data from Turkey

Child sexual abuse (CSA) requires multidisciplinary approach by forensic, social, and medical services, thus Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) have been established to evaluate CSA cases in Turkey. At ...
Rapid EGFR mutation testing in lung cancer tissue samples using a fully automated system and single-use cartridge.

Abstract Introduction Activating mutations in the tyrosine kinase domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients predicts response to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). The Idylla™ system (Biocartis, Mechelen, Belgium) is a fully integrated, cartridge-based platform that provides automated sample processing and real-time PCR-based mutation detection in a single-use cartridge. This study evaluated the Idylla™ EGFR Mutation Assay cartridges against next-generation sequencing (NGS) using formalin fixed, paraffin embedded (FFPE) lung cancer tissue samples. Methods Thirty-four FFPE lung adenocarcinoma tissue samples were tested on the Idylla™ system. 21 had at least one mutation in EGFR and 13 had no EGFR mutation as determined by NGS analysis using the Ion AmpliSeq 50-gene Cancer Hotspot Panel v2 (Thermo Fisher Scientific). One 10 ​μm FFPE tissue section was used for each Idylla™ test and all cases met the Idylla™ minimum tumor content requirement (≥10%). Results Idylla™ results were in complete agreement with those obtained by NGS for EGFR mutations targeted by the Idylla™. NGS identified two additional EGFR mutations that are not targeted by the Idylla™ in two samples (E709V and V774M). No EGFR mutations were detected by the Idylla™ in samples determined by NGS as having wild-type EGFR. Conclusion The fully automated Idylla™ system offers rapid and reliable testing for clinically actionable mutations in EGFR directly from FFPE tissue sections. Its simplicity and ease of use compared to other available molecular techniques make it suitable for routine clinical use in a variety of settings.
Survival outcomes in marginal zone lymphomas in the rituximab era: Analysis of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database.

8045 Background: Despite prognostic models developed for marginal zone lymphoma (MZL), the impact of different characteristics and treatments on survival in the population is largely unknown. We st...
Chapter 39 – CATEGORY FORMATION IN SELF-ORGANIZING EMBODIED AGENTS

In this chapter, I describe the implications for a general theory of category formation of a set of experiments in which embodied artificial agents are evolved for the ability to accomplish simple tasks. In particular, I will focus on how categories might emerge from the dynamic interaction between an agent and its environment, and on the relation between categories and behavior. Finally, I will introduce and discuss the notion of action-mediated categories, that is, sensory or internal states that provide indirect and implicit information about the external environment and the agent/environment relationship by exploiting the results of a stereotypical way of interacting with the environment.
Orientations in and Surrounding Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu has been variously described as a citadel (Bingham 1930), a lost city (Bingham 1948), a royal estate (Rowe 1990), and a sacred center (Reinhard 2002). Machu Picchu was likely recognized by the Incas as a place of power because of its many granite outcrops and caves and the cardinality of mountains such as Veronica, Machu Picchu, Huayna Picchu, Pumasillo, and the snow peak of Salcantay. Salazar and Salazar (2014) state that this is a sacred place and that the mountains Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu form a “divine pair.” They continue that considerations such as this played a part in the decision to build here. They also state that in Quechua “Machu Pichiu” means “Old Bird” and that the general ground plan of the sacred site resembles the form of a condor when viewed from above, such as from the top of Huayna Picchu.
Geometry of measures in real dimensions via Hölder parameterizations

We investigate the influence that s-dimensional lower and upper Hausdorff densities have on the geometry of a Radon measure in $$\mathbb {R}^n$$ when s is a real number between 0 and n. This topic in geometric measure theory has been extensively studied when s is an integer. In this paper, we focus on the non-integer case, building upon a series of papers on s-sets by Martin and Mattila from 1988 to 2000. When $$0<s<1$$ , we prove that measures with almost everywhere positive lower density and finite upper density are carried by countably many bi-Lipschitz curves. When $$1\le s<n$$ , we identify conditions on the lower density that ensure the measure is either carried by or singular to (1 / s)-Holder curves. The latter results extend part of the recent work of Badger and Schul, which examined the case $$s=1$$ (Lipschitz curves) in depth. Of further interest, we introduce Holder and bi-Lipschitz parameterization theorems for Euclidean sets with “small” Assouad dimension.