cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of fish oil supplementation on prefrontal metabolite concentrations in adolescents with major depressive disorder: a preliminary 1H MRS study.

Objective: To use proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) to investigate the effects of fish oil (FO) supplementation on cortical metabolite concentrations in adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD).Methods: Metabolite concentrations were determined by 1H MRS in the anterior cingulate cortex and bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of adolescents with MDD before and following 10-week open-label supplementation with low (2.4 g/day, n = 7) or high (16.2 g/day, n = 7) dose FO. Depressive symptom severity scores and erythrocyte fatty acid levels were also determined.Results: Baseline erythrocyte eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) composition was positively correlated, and arachidonic acid (AA) and the AA/EPA ratio were inversely correlated, with choline (Cho) concentrations in the right DLPFC. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) composition was inversely correlated with myo-inositol (mI) concentrations in the left DLPFC. Erythrocyte EPA and DHA composition increased, and AA decreased, significant...
Advances in Irrigation

This is the first volume of Advances in Irrigation, a new serial publication by the publishers of Advances in Agronomy and Advances in Hydroscience and designed to follow the same format. The editor is a well-known researcher and writer on irrigation and related subjects and has assembled a collection of highly regarded and respected authors for the initial volume. The readership for this volume will probably be mainly specialists and students interested in irrigation and an occasional design engineer. The seven contributions in this volume fall roughly into two classes: research and practice. Three papers (“Conjunctive Use of Rainfall and Irrigation in Semi-arid Regions,” by Stewart and Musik, “Irrigation Scheduling Using Soil Moisture Measurements: Theory and Practice,” by G. S. and M. D. Campbell, and “Use of Solute Transport Models to Estimate Salt Balance Below Irrigated Cropland,” by Jury) cover topics that have been the subject of a number of reviews. The contributions here provide brief, well-written, and authoritative summaries of the chosen topics and serve as good introductions or reviews. They should lend themselves well to classroom use in various ways. They also should be helpful to the nonspecialist interested in getting a sense of the subject without going into great detail.
Exploring precarious employment and women's health within the context of U.S. microenterprise using focus groups.

Objective Nursing has been a leader in exploring social determinants of health within the context of U.S. microenterprise and women's health. The purpose of this study was to explore precarious employment within the context of microenterprise and women's health using focus groups with clientele from New Mexico (NM). The specific aims were to identify (1) the health concerns of low-income women who utilized resources from Women's Economic Self-Sufficiency Team (WESST), and (2) the meaning of precarious employment in low-income women's lives. Design and strategy Fourteen women, ranging in age from 21–65 years, who were affiliated with regional WESST sites around NM participated in focus groups and completed a demographic questionnaire. Measures Focus group data were analyzed using content analysis. The degree of interrater agreement was determined by calculating the Cohen's kappa, percentage agreement, and prevalence-adjusted and bias-adjusted kappa (PABAK). Results Two broad themes emerged from these data: (1) Working for Yourself and (2) Strategies. Although the women identified concerns about participation in microenterprise, flexibility, freedom, and feeling purposeful were motivators to pursue a small business. The kappa statistics on the five transcripts revealed poor inter-rater agreement, yet PABAK, which is a more sophisticated inter-rater reliability index, indicated that inter-rater agreement between the two raters was satisfactory. Conclusion Despite the challenges associated with microenterprise in the US, women found value in working for themselves.
Vacuum packaging technology using localized aluminum/silicon-to-glass bonding

A glass vacuum package based on localized aluminum/silicon-to-glass bonding has been successfully demonstrated. A constant heat flux model shows that heating can be confined locally in the dielectric layer underneath a microheater as long as the width of the microheater and the thickness of silicon substrate are much smaller than the die size and a good heat sink is placed underneath the silicon substrate. With 3.4 W heating power, /spl sim/0.2 MPa applied contact pressure and 90 min wait time before bonding, vacuum encapsulation at 25 mtorr (/spl sim/3.33 Pa) can be achieved. Folded-beam comb drive /spl mu/-resonators are encapsulated and used as pressure monitors. Long-term testing of vacuum-packaged p-resonators with a Quality Factor (Q) of 2500 has demonstrated stable operation after 69 weeks. A /spl mu/-resonator with a Q factor of /spl sim/9600 has been vacuum encapsulated and shown to be stable after 56 weeks.
Aspects synchroniques et diachroniques du tu interrogatif en québécois

Les clitiques et les affixes, comme on l’a souvent observe, proviennent d’anciens morphemes lexicaux. En francais, une particule interrogative s’est developpee d’une facon tout a fait inusitee, c’est-a-dire a partir de la fusion de la consonne finale d’un verbe avec le pronom de la troisieme personne du singulier, et cet element s’est propage graduellement aux autres personnes sous l’effet de divers processus phonologiques, syntaxiques et analogiques. Bien que ce ti soit devenu obsolete en francais hexagonal, son substitut tu est toujours tres vivant en francais canadien, la construction sujet + verbe + tu s’averant la facon la plus usuelle de formuler des interrogations fermees dans ce dialecte. En depit de tout ce qu’on sait sur l’histoire de ce morpheme, cependant, on n’en est pas encore arrive a en determiner le statut grammatical precis. Or les criteres que l’on a proposes depuis quelques annees pour distinguer entre les clitiques et les affixes semblent indiquer que ce morpheme est effectivement un suffixe.
Diurnal Alterations of Catecholamines, Indoleamines and Their Metabolites in Specific Brain Regions of the Mouse

1. The diurnal variations of regional brain concentrations of dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), serotonin (5-HT) and metabolites were determined in unperturbed male CD-1 mice. Determinations were made every 4 hr for 24 hr. 2. The most striking and significant variations in biogenic amines were seen in the hypothalamus, where concentrations of NE, DA and 5-HT varied in a rhythmic pattern and as much as two-fold during this period. 3. In some cases, daily alterations in parent biogenic amines were reflected by concurrent changes in their metabolites. 4. Since concentrations of neurotransmitters in the brain are often used as an indicator of stress and/or toxicity, these data should provide an accurate data base allowing for more accurate interpretation of results.
Vice versa : bisexuality and the eroticism of everyday life

This is a study of bisexuality as an erotic, social and cultural phenomenon, which sets out to challenge preconceptions about love, sex, gender and identity. The idea of bi-sex intrigues, titillates and provokes. It unnerves men and women, straight and gay alike. Is bisexuality a "third choice" between hetero- or homo-sexuality? Or is it something that questions the very concept of sexual identity itself? This book explores these questions. It examines such topics as schoolgirl (and boy) crushes, sexual threesomes, the possibility of a "bisexual gene" and the compatibiltiy of bisexuality and marriage, via classical myth, biology, literature, psychoanalysis, film and music.
Designing Research on the World-System

World-system analysis can bring several benefits to the study of international and comparative politics, including an increased appreciation of the important relationship between large-scale comparative analyses and the study of single cases, as well as the basis for vigorous, healthy debate between scholars with a radical perspective and their critics in the academic community. But it is not clear to this writer that Chase-Dunn et al.'s discussion of research designs constitutes a valuable contribution. The categories of designs they have devised are neither mutually exclusive nor exhaustive. The suggestions based on categories of designs with blurred or nonexistent lines of demarcation create confusion. One suggestion made by Chase-Dunn et al. that does seem useful focuses on an alternative technique of data management rather than an innovative research design. The global modeling strategy developed by Jay Forrester, as well as analysis of the variation in dependent variables of interest across space an...
Multimode optimal vibration control of flexible structure using piezoceramics

This research presents multimodal active vibration control of a cantilever beam by using piezoceramics smart materials, in particular the PZT (lead zirconate titanate), in the form of patches. These PZT patches are surface-bonded on the beam and perform as actuators and sensors. A real-time data acquisition and control system is used to record the experimental data and to implement designed controller. To assist control system design, system identification is conducted for the first three modes of the system. The state space model from system identification is used for observer design for state estimation and development of control algorithm. A linear quadratic regulator (LQR) controller is designed and is simulated using the identified model. Experimental results verify the simulated results and demonstrate the effectiveness of multimodal active control of the structure using smart materials.
Integrating research and standards to improve pain management practices for newborns and infants

Abstract Consistent quality pain management for neonates and infants necessitates development of hospital guidelines that define the minimum acceptable practice. Standards and research literature form the foundation for teams charged with developing unit guidelines that are evidence-based and meet accreditation requirements. Nursing is in a unique position to lead a multidisciplinary team in drafting a collaborative pain management guideline that incorporates both quality and clinical usefulness. It is a first step toward continuing performance improvement in neonatal and infant pain management. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company
The Stand-N-Go : a low-cost, hand-powered mobile standing frame for paraplegics

Despite important advances in workplace accommodations for wheelchair users in wealthy countries, most work environments around the world are still not suitable for wheelchair users. This is a serious problem especially in developing countries. Unfortunately, the inability to stand and move about precludes many disabled people from employment. To help solve this problem, the Stand-N-Go was developed for paraplegics who wish to move about, work or play, all while standing. The device has lower body support but operates and maneuvers like a wheelchair. It adjusts to custom-fit users in order to prevent pressure points on bony prominences. The Stand-N-Go presents an important opportunity for wheelchair users to function in previously inaccessible environments. In some cases this device can make the home or workplace useable for a paraplegic without the need for expensive structural modifications. In addition, significant medical benefits result from standing upright in a weight bearing position. In spite of its sophistication, the Stand-N-Go could be manufactured at low cost in developing countries for domestic use and perhaps export.
Abstract A23: Development and initial feedback about a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine comic book for adolescents

Purpose. Adolescent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates do not meet the Healthy People 2020 goal of 80%, thus interventions to improve vaccination rates are needed. Focus groups of parents assisting in the development of an intervention to improve HPV vaccination rates suggested that an educational tool for young adolescents be included in the intervention. Parents recommended a comic book format, and provided input into the development of a theoretically-based story. Methods. We conducted a pilot study to obtain initial feedback about a HPV vaccine comic book among parents (n=20) and their adolescents (ages 9 to 14) recruited from a community-based organization. Three adolescents did not participate because of lack of time, difficulty reading, and parental refusal. Parents completed a pre-post test including items addressing HPV knowledge, HPV vaccine attitudes, and about the content of the comic book. Adolescents (n=17) completed a brief interview after reading the comic book. Results. After reading the comic book, HPV knowledge improved (2.7 to 4.6 correct answers on a 0-5 scale; p Conclusions. Parents provided valuable information in the development of a theoretically-based comic book and the comic book appears to be an acceptable format for providing HPV vaccine information to young adolescents. A comic book format as an educational tool may provide important health information to adolescents. Future research will include the comic book in a study of an intervention to improve HPV vaccination rates among adolescents. Citation Format: Mira L. Katz, Jennifer Goodwin, Paul L. Reiter, Mack T. Ruffin, IV, Electra D. Paskett. Development and initial feedback about a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine comic book for adolescents. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Sixth AACR Conference: The Science of Cancer Health Disparities; Dec 6–9, 2013; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2014;23(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A23. doi:10.1158/1538-7755.DISP13-A23
Interleukin 1 release by human alveolar macrophages and blood monocytes

These studies utilized a sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay for interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta) to compare release of IL-1 by human alveolar macrophages and blood monocytes. The studies demonstrate that alveolar macrophages release amounts of antigenic IL-1 beta that are similar to that of blood monocytes. The amounts of IL-1 released were similar for both cell types at early (4 h) and late (24 h) time points and with differing amounts of stimuli [endotoxin; lipopolysaccharide (LPS)]. In addition, alveolar macrophages actually produced more total IL-1 (intracellular IL-1 plus released IL-1) than did blood monocytes. Alveolar macrophages that were stimulated with LPS released significantly more prostaglandin E2 (PGE2, an inhibitor of IL-1) than did blood monocytes. These studies demonstrate that human alveolar macrophages are not defective in their capacity to release IL-1.
Low rates of nitrogen fixation in eastern tropical South Pacific surface waters

An extensive region of the Eastern Tropical South Pacific (ETSP) Ocean has surface waters that are nitrate-poor yet phosphate-rich. It has been proposed that this distribution of surface nutrients provides a geochemical niche favorable for N2 fixation, the primary source of nitrogen to the ocean. Here, we present results from two cruises to the ETSP where rates of N2 fixation and its contribution to export production were determined with a suite of geochemical and biological measurements. N2 fixation was only detectable using nitrogen isotopic mass balances at two of six stations, and rates ranged from 0 to 23 µmol N m−2 d−1 based on sediment trap fluxes. Whereas the fractional importance of N2 fixation did not change, the N2-fixation rates at these two stations were several-fold higher when scaled to other productivity metrics. Regardless of the choice of productivity metric these N2-fixation rates are low compared with other oligotrophic locations, and the nitrogen isotope budgets indicate that N2 fixation supports no more than 20% of export production regionally. Although euphotic zone-integrated short-term N2-fixation rates were higher, up to 100 µmol N m−2 d−1, and detected N2 fixation at all six stations, studies of nitrogenase gene abundance and expression from the same cruises align with the geochemical data and together indicate that N2 fixation is a minor source of new nitrogen to surface waters of the ETSP. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that, despite a relative abundance of phosphate, iron may limit N2 fixation in the ETSP.
Host-Preference Studies with Trichogramma nubilale

Trichogramma nubilale Ertle and Davis successfully parasitized eggs of 17 out of 21 species of Lepidoptera in laboratory tests. The parasite exhibited significant preference for eggs of the European corn borer (ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner), vs. eggs of 6 common moth species in host preference tests. These and other recent findings by the authors indicate that T. nubilale , while not strictly host specific, may be selective for the ECB.
The Impacts of Distributed Energy Sources on Distribution Network Reconfiguration

Thanks to the recent improvements in renewable energy technologies throughout the world, distributed energy sources are now playing an undeniable role in supplying the electricity in distribution networks. This paper studies the impacts of utilizing distributed generation units on the task of network reconfiguration in distribution systems. Considering the importance of reducing voltage drops and voltage sags in distribution systems, network reconfiguration is formulated as a multiobjective optimization problem in this study to minimize these two objective functions. A Pareto-based metaheuristic optimization algorithm is proposed to identify a Pareto frontier representing the alternative high-quality suboptimal configurations. The proposed optimization method is tested on a 69-bus distribution system to demonstrate the performance of the algorithm.
Effects of using sires selected for yearling weight and crossbreeding with beef and dairy breeds: birth and weaning traits.

Data consisting of 948 calf records collected from 1978 to 1982 were analyzed to determine the effects of breeding methods used to improve commercial herds genetically on birth and weaning traits. Four distinct groups were used in the project: Group 1 (G1), an unselected, random mating Hereford control line; Group 2 (G2), a Hereford group using sires selected for yearling growth; Group 3 (G3), a rotational cross with Angus, Hereford, Charolais and Simmental breeds; and Group 4 (G4), a rotational cross with Angus, Hereford, Simmental and Holstein-Friesian breeds. Traits analyzed were birth weight (BW), calving difficulty (CD), percent assisted births (%AB), percent born alive (%BL), preweaning average daily gain (PWDG), relative growth rate (RGR), weaning weight (WWT) and percent weaned (%WND). The use of high yearling weight sires in G2 increased calf size (P less than .01) at birth and weaning by 8.9 and 28.1 kg, respectively, along with increased CD (P less than .01). Use of rotational crossbreeding systems increased calf size and growth from birth to weaning (P less than .01), but decreased CD and %AB (P less than .01) by .17 units and 13.5%, respectively. Including Holstein-Friesian in G4 resulted in further increases in preweaning growth (P less than .01) and calving ease was improved without affecting BWT compared with G3.
Tomography reveals buoyant asthenosphere accumulating beneath the Juan de Fuca plate

The boundary between Earth’s strong lithospheric plates and the underlying mantle asthenosphere corresponds to an abrupt seismic velocity decrease and electrical conductivity increase with depth, perhaps indicating a thin, weak layer that may strongly influence plate motion dynamics. The behavior of such a layer at subduction zones remains unexplored. We present a tomographic model, derived from on- and offshore seismic experiments, that reveals a strong low-velocity feature beneath the subducting Juan de Fuca slab along the entire Cascadia subduction zone. Through simple geodynamic arguments, we propose that this low-velocity feature is the accumulation of material from a thin, weak, buoyant layer present beneath the entire oceanic lithosphere. The presence of this feature could have major implications for our understanding of the asthenosphere and subduction zone dynamics.
Integrated nanophotonics of parity-time symmetry(Conference Presentation)

Parity-time (PT) symmetry is a fundamental notion in quantum field theories and opens a new paradigm of non-Hermitian photonics. Instead of counteracting optical losses in integrated photonics, we start from an opposite viewpoint to strategically manipulate optical losses by the concept of PT symmetry. In this talk, I will discuss harnessing PT symmetry using the state-of-the-art integrated nanophotonics technology for novel optoelectronic functionalities. I will present unidirectional reflectionless light transport and coherent light control on a passive silicon platform and effective control of cavity resonant modes for stable lasing actions on an active III-V semiconductor platform.
The association between vancomycin trough concentrations and acute kidney injury in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Vancomycin has recently gained popularity as an empiric therapy for late onset sepsis in the NICU. Changes in resistance patterns in common organisms has resulted in targeting higher trough concentrations of vancomycin. Consequently, an increase in vancomycin associated nephrotoxicity has been speculated. The objective of this study is to compare the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in neonates with serum vancomycin trough concentrations less than 10 mg/L, 10–15 mg/L, or greater than 15 mg/L. A retrospective chart review of patients in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) was conducted to determine the incidence of AKI in neonates receiving vancomycin. The overall incidence of AKI was 2.7%. Comparison of the incidence of AKI in the three groups using Mantel-Haenszel Chi-Square test showed a statistically significant association between increasing vancomycin trough concentration and incidence of AKI. There is a low incidence of AKI in neonates receiving vancomycin. However, there is a positive correlation between increasing vancomycin trough concentrations and an increasing serum creatinine.
Diabetes Prevention Program in Youth (Insulin Superheroes Club) Pilot: Improvement in Metabolic Parameters and Physical Fitness After 16 Weeks of Lifestyle Intervention.

Culturally tailored and comprehensive prevention strategies are vital for addressing the epidemic of obesity and rising rates of type 2 diabetes, particularly among ethnic and racial minority youth (1). The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) has demonstrated the efficacy of lifestyle modification in adults (2). However, studies on lifestyle programs for diabetes prevention in youth are limited, and none have reported comprehensive physical fitness outcomes (3–5). We conducted a pilot prospective uncontrolled study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03042936) evaluating feasibility and changes in metabolic and physical fitness parameters for the Insulin Superheroes Club (ISC) curriculum, a DPP designed for youth from culturally diverse, minority backgrounds. Youth aged 7–15 years and a parent with impaired glucose tolerance enrolled in the ISC as a supplement to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s adult DPP. The ISC is a 12-month, multilevel program that includes 16 weekly (phase 1), 3 biweekly (phase 2), and 6 monthly (phase 3) sessions. Participants attended sessions that included 60 min of physical fitness and 30 min of education. The education portion included interactive …
The crystal chemistry of shcherbinaite, naturally occurring V 2 O 5

Shcherbinaite, naturally occurring V 2 O 5 , has been discovered in the high-temperature fumaroles of Izalco Volcano. El Salvador, and Bezymyanny Volcano, Kamchatka, U.S.S.R. The Izalco mineral occurs as euhedral golden-yellow needles and laths up to 1 cm in length. The crystals, which formed as sublimates from volcanic gases, are found coating basaltic breccia fragments in the summit crater fumaroles. The mineral is associated with bannermanite. An electron microprobe study of shcherbinaite demonstrates that the mineral is pure V 2 O 5 and contains no detectable impurities or alkali metals such as occur in solid solution in oxide bronze compounds. A comparison of the lattice parameters and crystal structures of shcherbinaite and synthetic V 2 O 5 shows that the compounds are essentially identical. All lattice parameters are within 1 standard deviation and all atomic positional and thermal parameters are within 2.3 standard deviations of those found in the synthetic compound.--Modified journal abstract.
Difference in Generality Between Item Pairs Mediates Effect of Difference in Items’ Lengths on Inter-Item Correlation Size:

In this study, the author examined potential mediators of the negative relationship between the absolute difference in items’ lengths and their inter-item correlation size. Fifty-two randomly order...
Interactions of Communication Partners and Students Who Are Deaf-Blind: A Model.

This article examines various forms of communication systems for their “partner friendliness” and presents a model of different types of communication partners and their communication needs. Case s...
Chapter 2.18 – Integration of Reflectors to Improve Energy Production of Hybrid PVT Collectors

Abstract The idea of making the photovoltaic module and thermal system in a single collector is important. We obtain by this combination the hybrid photovoltaic thermal (PVT) collector. A hybrid PVT collector can directly convert solar energy into electrical and thermal energy. This generation allows, on one hand, the increase of the electrical efficiency of PV cells through the decrease in its operating temperature and, on the other hand, the increase of total production of solar cells by reducing heat loss. In this work, we improve the electrical and thermal production of the hybrid collector by incorporating metal reflectors. Reflectors reduce reflection losses, which are generally very large. We made a prototype of this hybrid PVT collector with reflectors and a measurement companion was conducted. The studied hybrid collector was placed on the same structure as a conventional photovoltaic module of the same dimensions in order to compare their energy performances. Integration of reflectors reduces reflection losses and the total energy production of PVT collector will be improved. The electrical power of the hybrid collector with reflector has been increased compared to the PV module because the hybrid system contains a cooling system and, in addition, a reflector improves electrical and thermal efficiency.
Introduction: How Contestation Provides Insight into Normative Behavior

“'It bothers me when [the CIA] say[s] there were seven guys, so they must all be militants,' the [Obama administration] official said” (Becker and Shane 2012). “They want us to be rabbits in their war… But I’m a peaceful man and I don’t want to fight. The government is against us – and Isis and Jabhat al-Nusra want to kill us.” Syrian refugee in Serbia (Kingsley 2015).
Inelastic Scattering Measurements in a Fast Reactor by the Spherical Shell Method

The spherical shell method for investigating inelastic scattering cross sections has been used in a fast-reactor core environment. The changes in 238U/ 235U, 236U/ 235U, and 234U/ 235U fission rati...
Functional annotation of genomic variants in studies of late-onset Alzheimer's disease.

Motivation Annotation of genomic variants is an increasingly important and complex part of the analysis of sequence-based genomic analyses. Computational predictions of variant function are routinely incorporated into gene-based analyses of rare-variants, though to date most studies use limited information for assessing variant function that is often agnostic of the disease being studied. Results In this work, we outline an annotation process motivated by the Alzheimer's Disease Sequencing Project, illustrate the impact of including tissue-specific transcript sets and sources of gene regulatory information and assess the potential impact of changing genomic builds on the annotation process. While these factors only impact a small proportion of total variant annotations (∼5%), they influence the potential analysis of a large fraction of genes (∼25%). Availability and implementation Individual variant annotations are available via the NIAGADS GenomicsDB, at https://www.niagads.org/genomics/ tools-and-software/databases/genomics-database. Annotations are also available for bulk download at https://www.niagads.org/datasets. Annotation processing software is available at http://www.icompbio.net/resources/software-and-downloads/. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Securing IJTAG against data-integrity attacks

The IEEE Std. 1687 (IJTAG) facilitates access to on-chip instruments in complex system-on-chip designs. However, a major security vulnerability in IJTAG has yet to be addressed. IJTAG supports the integration of tapped and wrapped instruments at the IP provider with hidden test-data registers (TDRs). The instruments with hidden TDRs can manipulate the data that is shifted through them. We propose the addition of shadow test-data registers by the trusted IJTAG integrator to protect the shifted data from illegitimate manipulation by malicious third-party IPs. In addition, we use information-flow tracking to identify the modified bits during the attack and the attacking instruments in an IJTAG network. We present security proofs, simulation results and the overheads associated with these countermeasures for various benchmarks.
The Scripting Language MtgScript

This chapter describes the syntax of Mtg’s own scripting language, MtgScript. MtgScript is used to describe external objects in the library MtgLib. (The existence of MtgScript is a bit unfortunate: a new implementation would rely on a format based on XML.)
Estimation in Theory and Practice

In Section 7.2.1 we showed how the method of moments may be used to estimate the parameters of a \(Gamma(\alpha ,\beta )\) distribution, and we immediately stated that the method of maximum likelihood provides a better solution. How do we know this? In general, how should alternative methods of estimation be compared? In this chapter we lay out a series of principles that serve as guides to practice.
The Relevance of Transporters in Determining Drug Disposition

Membrane transporters represent an important class of proteins responsible for regulating cellular and physiological solute and fluid balance. With the sequencing of the human genome, it has been estimated that approximately 500 to 1,200 genes code for transport proteins (Venter et al., 2001). In terms of xenobiotic disposition, a smaller fraction of these transporters are currently known to significantly interact with drugs. In particular, transporters that are localized at key gateway tissues within the body such as the intestine (Tsuji and Tamai, 1996; Suzuki and Sugiyama, 2000b), liver (Keppler and Konig, 2000; Suzuki and Sugiyama, 2000a), kidney (Inui et al., 2000; Dresser et al., 2001), placenta (Ganapathy et al., 2000), and brain (Tamai and Tsuji, 2000; Gao and Meier, 2001) are critical modulators of drug absorption, tissue distribution and elimination and have been the subject of recent reviews.
Inequalities for Critical Probabilities

We first give a theorem of Hammersley’s (1961) stating that for any connected graph G the critical probability in a one-parameter problem for site-percolation on G( = pH(G) in our notation) is at least as large as the critical probability for bond-percolation on G( =pH( is the covering graph of G; see Sect. 2.5).
Directional and spectral reflectance of the rat retinal nerve fiber layer.

PURPOSE To measure and describe the reflectance properties of a mammalian retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and to determine the mechanisms responsible for the RNFL reflectance. METHODS An isolated rat retina suspended across a slit in a black membrane and mounted in a black perfusion chamber provided high quality images of the RNFL. Imaging microreflectometry was used to measure RNFL reflectance at wavelengths from 400 nm to 830 nm and as a function of illumination angle. RESULTS The directional reflectance of rat RNFL at all wavelengths was consistent with the theory of light scattering by cylinders; each nerve fiber bundle scattered light into a conical sheet coaxial with the bundle. There was no evidence of a noncylindrical component at any wavelength. Measured reflectance spectra were consistent between animals, similar to ones previously measured in macaque, and varied with scattering angle. All spectra could be described by a two-mechanism cylindrical scattering model with three free parameters. CONCLUSIONS At all wavelengths the reflectance of rat RNFL arises from light scattering by cylindrical structures. The highly directional nature of this reflectance can be an important source of measurement variability in clinical assessment of the RNFL. The reflectance spectra reveal a combination of mechanisms: At wavelengths shorter than approximately 570 nm the reflectance comes from cylinders with diameters much smaller than the wavelength, but at wavelengths longer than approximately 680 nm the reflectance comes from cylinders with effective diameters of 350 nm to 900 nm.
Characterization of four readout circuits for an MR compatible, preclinical PET detector

We are building a high sensitivity preclinical PET/MRI insert using a highly multiplexed light sharing PET module. Each module incorporates four 19×19 arrays of 1×1×20 mm3 LYSO crystals with dual-ended DOI encoding readout, requiring thirty-two readout channels for positioning and eight channels for timing. These constraints necessitate compact, robust electronics for digitization. We have characterized four linearized time-over-threshold circuits based on these detector requirements. The four circuits allow for high channel density and can digitize signals from highly multiplexed light sharing detectors. Each circuit digitizes one channel of a multiplexed SiPM array, yielding a binary output that interfaces directly with an FPGA. Using the optimal circuit, we have characterized the performance of a pair of PET modules. The four circuits were characterized based on linearity of the 22Na photopeak positions and energy resolution at 511 keV, as well as separation of elements in a 10×10 array of 1.2 mm LYSO crystals coupled with a specular reflector. Practical measures of performance were comparable to those obtained with a DRS evaluation board, which served as a reference acquisition system. The ratio of the 22Na photopeak positions was 2.0 for each circuit and the reference system, implying 20% saturation due to the SiPM. PET energy resolution of the optimal circuit was 11.8% FWHM for a single crystal versus 12.6% for the reference system, and crystals were equally well separated in all cases. PCBs implementing the optimal readout circuit were fabricated and used to construct two complete detector modules. Crystals in each of the four blocks in the module were well resolved, with a mean energy resolution of 24.4±4.7%. Two modules operating in coincidence showed a single detector timing resolution of 3.0 ns, which is appropriate for preclinical applications.
The Political Face of Antitrust

Antitrust law is having a moment. After decades of languishing as a relatively technical legal specialty, issues of corporate concentration, income inequality, abuse of dominance and power, and the harms of lenient merger policy have returned as issues of public discussion and debate. The return of antitrust as a matter of political and public discourse is welcome, but not surprising. Antitrust law in the United States was born out of the political turbulence that arose from the industrialization of the national economy in the second half of the 19th century following the end of the Civil War. Candidates ran for state and federal office under the banner of the Anti-Monopoly and Populist Parties. Political turmoil led to the enactment of first state, and then federal, antitrust laws. By 1912, the U.S. Presidential race arguably turned on the differing antitrust visions of the three leading candidates. In the post-world war II issues, both major parties supported the vigorous enforcement of the antitrust laws and trumpeted that support in their political platforms in Presidential campaigns. That tide began to ebb in the late 1970s and 1980s. First bi-partisan deregulation gained support and then the Regan Revolution and the Chicago School of Law and Economics eroded public and judicial support for antitrust enforcement. Antitrust law became lumped in the public view as part of generally disfavored government regulation of the economy. The last twenty years have brought antitrust back to the fore as a political issue of greater salience. Several booms and busts in the economy have highlighted the issue of corporate power in the economy and the political system. The growing influence and aggressiveness of EU and other jurisdiction’s competition laws have highlighted the relative retreat in the United States. Political movements in the United States have brought issues of corporate power and its abuse back into the public limelight and with them a greater political salience for antitrust in the election cycle of 2020. This essay examines the modern political face of antirust. First, we discuss the numerous antitrust platforms, promises, legislation, hearings, and investigations that have been introduced and discussed during this election cycle. Second, we survey some of the ways that antitrust issues have become part of the public discourse. Finally, we celebrate this trend as good for antitrust and the body politic.
A machine-gunner in France: the memoirs of Ward Schrantz, 35th division, 1917-1919: North Texas Military Biography and Memoir Series, edited by Jeffrey L. Patrick, Denton, TX, University of North Texas Press, 2019, 400 pp., $34.95 (hardback), ISBN: 978-1-5744-1735-1

With the publication of A Machine-Gunner in France: The Memoirs of Ward Schrantz, 35th Division, 1917–1919, editor Jeffrey L. Patrick makes a valuable contribution to military scholars and the gene...
Aberrant Population Receptive Fields in Human Albinism

Abstract Retinotopic organization is a fundamental organizational feature of visual cortex thought to play a vital role in encoding spatial location. One important aspect of normal retinotopic organization is the contralateral representation of the right and left hemifields in visual cortex. In human albinism, the temporal retinal afferents decussate pathologically at the optic chiasm resulting in partially superimposed right and left hemifield representations in each hemisphere of visual cortex. Thus, albinism provides a natural model of aberrant retinotopy in which to study the development and function of retinotopic maps. Previous fMRI studies in human albinism suggest that the right and left hemifields are superimposed in a mirror-symmetric manner such that each imaging voxel responds to two regions in visual space mirrored across the vertical meridian. However, to date no group has explicitly attempted to model the receptive field properties of single voxels in albinism. Here we used traditional fMRI retinotopic mapping techniques in conjunction with population receptive field (pRF) modeling in subjects with albinism to fit each voxel’s rotating wedge timecourse in V1-V3 with both single and dual pRF models. We find that most subjects with albinism (but not controls) have sizable clusters of voxels with convincing dual pRFs often corresponding to regions of R-L hemifield overlap. However, not all dual pRFs were mirror symmetrical across the vertical meridian. These asymmetric dual pRFs are not predicted by currently accepted models and suggest that retinocortical miswiring in albinism may be more complicated and heterogenous than previously appreciated. Significance Statement In albinism, the temporal retinal afferents decussate aberrantly at the optic chiasm during development causing partially superimposed right and left hemifield maps in visual cortex. The currently accepted model of retinocortical miswiring in human albinism suggests that these maps are superimposed in a mirror-image fashion such that single locations in visual cortex should respond to two symmetric locations in opposite visual hemifields. To test this, we modeled population receptive fields of individual voxels as single or dual Gaussian sensitivity profiles, fitting the predicted responses to fMRI retinotopic mapping data. For the first time, our results reveal dual pRFs in cortical visual areas V1-V3 in subjects with albinism. However, some subjects had highly asymmetric dual pRFs, indicating that retinocortical miswiring in albinism is more heterogenous and complex than suggested by the “mirror symmetric” model.
Symbolic music generation with transformer-GANs

Autoregressive models using Transformers have emerged as the dominant approach for music generation with the goal of synthesizing minute-long compositions that exhibit large-scale musical structure. These models are commonly trained by minimizing the negative log-likelihood (NLL) of the observed sequence in an autoregressive manner. Unfortunately, the quality of samples from these models tends to degrade significantly for long sequences, a phenomenon attributed to exposure bias. Fortunately, we are able to detect these failures with classifiers trained to distinguish between real and sampled sequences, an observation that motivates our exploration of adversarial losses to complement the NLL objective. We use a pre-trained Span-BERT model for the discriminator of the GAN, which in our experiments helped with training stability. We use the Gumbel-Softmax trick to obtain a differentiable approximation of the sampling process. This makes discrete sequences amenable to optimization in GANs. In addition, we break the sequences into smaller chunks to ensure that we stay within a given memory budget. We demonstrate via human evaluations and a new discriminative metric that the music generated by our approach outperforms a baseline trained with likelihood maximization, the state-of-the-art Music Transformer, and other GANs used for sequence generation. 57% of people prefer music generated via our approach while 43% prefer Music Transformer.
Random matrix theory and underwater sound propagation

Random matrix theory originated as the statistical theory of strongly interacting quantum systems, and has since been applied in an extremely broad range of applications. For example, it has been developed to accurately and efficiently model long range acoustic propagation in the ocean, including the construction of propagating acoustic time fronts. This problem can be viewed as dynamical symmetry breaking, i.e., the breaking of integrability, which has been explored in a variety of quantum mechanical contexts. The theory is expressed in terms of unitary propagation matrices that represent the scattering between acoustic modes due to sound speed fluctuations induced by the ocean's internal waves. The scattering exhibits a power-law decay as a function of the differences in mode numbers thereby generating a power-law, banded, random unitary matrix ensemble. In addition to its efficiency, the theory helps identify which information about the ocean environment can be deduced from the timefronts and how to connect features of the data to that environmental information. It also makes direct connections to methods used in other disordered wave guide contexts where the use of random matrix theory has a multi-decade history.
A Multimedia Option for Delivering Feedback and Professional Development to Teachers

All teachers need ongoing coaching that helps them recognize areas of strength and need for teaching students with disabilities. Unfortunately, the amount, quality, and speed with which teachers re...
Neoadjuvant Radiotherapy is Associated With Improved Pathologic Outcomes and Survival in Resected Stage II-III Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Treated With Multiagent Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in the Modern Era.

BACKGROUND Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (CT) is being utilized more frequently in patients diagnosed with localized pancreatic cancer. The role of additional neoadjuvant radiotherapy (RT) remains undefined. We explored outcomes associated with neoadjuvant RT in the modern era. METHODS The National Cancer Database (2010-2017) was queried for patients with clinical stage II-III pancreatic adenocarcinoma who received neoadjuvant multiagent systemic CT +/- RT. Demographics, pathologic outcomes, postoperative outcomes, and overall survival were compared. RESULTS A total of 5245 patients were included, of whom 3123 received CT and 1941 received CT + RT. Use of RT decreased over the 8-year study period. On multivariable analysis, treatment at academic facilities (odds ratio (OR) = 1.52, P < .001) and clinical T4 tumors (OR = 1.68, P < .001) were independently associated with receipt of RT. Patients treated with CT + RT had a higher frequency of ypT0-T2 tumors (35.8% vs. 22.7%) and a lower rate of ypT3-T4 tumors (57.3% vs. 72.8%; P < .001), lower rate of node-positive disease (36.6% vs. 59.8%, P < .001), and margin-positive resections (13.8% vs. 20.2%, P < .001), but slightly higher 90-day postoperative mortality (4.9% vs. 3.6%, P = .04). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy+ RT was associated with longer overall survival (32.7 vs. 29.8 months, P = .008), and remained independently associated with survival on multivariable analysis (HR = .85, P < .001). DISCUSSION In patients with stage II-III pancreatic adenocarcinoma, the addition of neoadjuvant RT to multiagent neoadjuvant CT may be associated with increased rates of node-negative and margin-negative resection, as well as improved overall survival.
Spray characteristics of an ultrasonic microdroplet generator with a continuously variable operating frequency.

Droplet spraying is utilized in diverse industrial processes and biomedical applications, including nanomaterial synthesis, biomaterial handling, and inhalation drug delivery. Ultrasonic droplet generators transfer energy into bulk liquids using acoustic waves to disrupt the free liquid surface into fine microdroplets. We previously established a method combining ultrasonic actuation, resonant operation, and acoustic wave focusing for efficient spraying of various liquids (e.g., low surface tension fuels, high viscosity inks, and suspensions of biological cells). The microfabricated device comprises a piezoelectric transducer, sample reservoir, and an array of acoustic horn structures terminated by microscale orifices. Orifice size roughly dictates droplet diameter, and a fixed reservoir height prescribes specific device resonant frequencies of operation. Here, we incorporate a continuously variable liquid reservoir height for dynamic adjustment of operating parameters to improve spray efficiency in real-time and potentially tune the droplet size. Computational modeling predicts the system harmonic response for a range of reservoir heights from 0.5 to 3 mm (corresponding to operating frequencies from ∼500 kHz to 2.5 MHz). Nozzle arrays with 10, 20, and 40 μm orifices are evaluated for spray uniformity and stability of the active nozzles, using model predictions to explain the experimental observations.
Decoding complex patterns of oncogene amplification.

Oncogene amplification is a major driver of tumorigenesis; yet, the mechanisms generating amplification are only partially understood. New research reports on the identification of a new focal amplification pattern termed ‘seismic amplification’ that is hypothesized to originate from recombination between extrachromosomal DNA circles.