cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Benzene and childhood acute leukemia in Oklahoma

Abstract Background Although childhood cancer is a leading cause of childhood mortality in the US, evidence regarding the etiology is lacking. The goal of this study was to evaluate the association between benzene, a known carcinogen, and childhood acute leukemia. Methods We conducted a case-control study including cases diagnosed with acute leukemia between 1997 and 2012 (n = 307) from the Oklahoma Central Cancer Registry and controls matched on week of birth from birth certificates (n = 1013). We used conditional logistic regression to evaluate the association between benzene, measured with the 2005 National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) at census tract of the birth residence, and childhood acute leukemia. Results We observed no differences in benzene exposure overall between cases and controls. However, when stratified by year of birth, cases born from 2005 to 2010 had a three–fold increased unadjusted odds of elevated exposure compared to controls born in this same time period (4th Quartile OR: 3.53, 95% CI: 1.35, 9.27). Furthermore, the estimates for children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were stronger than those with acute lymphoid leukemia, though not statistically significant. Conclusions While we did not observe an association between benzene and childhood leukemia overall, our results suggest that acute leukemia is associated with increased benzene exposure among more recent births, and children with AML may have increased benzene exposure at birth. Using the NATA estimates allowed us to assess a specific pollutant at the census tract level, providing an advantage over monitor or point source data. Our study, however, cannot rule out the possibility that benzene may be a marker of other traffic-related exposures and temporal misclassification may explain the lack of an association among earlier births.
Three-dimensional (3D) soil structure interaction with normal-plane P-wave incidence: Rigid foundation

Abstract This paper presents an analytic solution of a three-dimensional Soil-Structural Interaction (3D SSI) model in which the building and foundation are idealized as cylindrical thin-rod and rigid hemisphere. The ground is a stress-free elastic, isotropic, homogenous half-space, and excitation is vertically incident plane P-wave. Analytic three-dimensional (3D) solutions are presented which satisfy the stress-free boundary conditions at the half-space surface. Foundation motions, relative responses of building and surface displacement of soil around building are analyzed and discussed. A comparison with related two-dimensional (2D) SSI close-form solution is also described.
Strain, Coping, and Delinquency among Different Groups of Youth

This chapter examines the major sources of strain for urban students, migrant children, and deviant youth. Drawing on the youths’ own words, the findings in my interviews showed that failure to meet parents’ high expectations for academic success (i.e. academic strain) is the major source of strain for urban youth. Migrant youth tend to suffer from financial strain caused by the families’ unstable and insecure financial situations. For deviant youth, relational strain, as a consequence of broken families and changing family relations, has the greatest impact. Youths who give up studies under tremendous academic strain, who grow up in broken families, or experience negative family relations are most likely to turn to delinquency as a way of coping.
Correlation of Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System Physical Function Upper Extremity Computer Adaptive Testing, With the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Shoulder Assessment Form and Simple Shoulder Test in Patients With Shoulder Pain.

Purpose To evaluate the Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System Physical Function Upper Extremity Computer Adaptive Testing (PROMIS PFUE CAT) measurement tool against the already validated American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Shoulder Assessment Form (ASES) and the Simple Shoulder Test (SST) in patients presenting with shoulder pain and determine the responder burden for each of the 3 surveys. Methods Ninety patients presenting with shoulder pain were asked to fill out the ASES, SST, and PROMIS PFUE CAT. The time for completion of each survey was measured to determine responder burden, and the Pearson correlation between the 3 instruments was defined as excellent (r > 0.7), excellent-good (0.61 ≤ r ≤ 0.7), good (0.31 ≤ r ≤ 0.6), and poor (0.2 ≤ r ≤ 0.3). Results The PROMIS PFUE CAT showed an excellent correlation with the SST (r = 0.82, P Conclusions The PROMIS PFUE CAT showed an excellent correlation with the previously validated ASES and SST in patients with shoulder pain. The time saving of the PROMIS PFUE CAT was found to be smaller than that of the ASES and SST but shows that moving forward, using the PROMIS PFUE CAT would not place any additional burden on the patient filling out the survey. The lack of ceiling or floor effects with the PROMIS PFUE CAT indicates its ability to differentiate both high and low functioning patients. All of these findings indicate that the PROMIS PFUE CAT is an adequate tool for the evaluation of patients with shoulder pain and should be used in these patients going forward. Level of evidence Level II, diagnostic study.
Long-term use of cover crops and no-till shift soil microbial community life strategies in agricultural soil

Reducing tillage and growing cover crops, widely recommended practices for boosting soil health, have major impacts on soil communities. Surprisingly little is known about their impacts on soil microbial functional diversity, and especially so in irrigated Mediterranean ecosystems. In long-term experimental plots at the West Side Research and Extension Center in California's Central Valley, we characterized soil microbial communities in the presence or absence of physical disturbance due to tillage, in the presence or absence of cover crops, and at three depths: 0-5, 5-15 and 15-30 cm. This characterization included qPCR for bacterial and archaeal abundances, DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, and phylogenetic estimation of two ecologically important microbial traits (rRNA gene copy number and genome size). Total (bacterial + archaeal) diversity was higher in no-till than standard till; diversity increased with depth in no-till but decreased with depth in standard till. Total bacterial numbers were higher in cover cropped plots at all depths, while no-till treatments showed higher numbers in 0-5 cm but lower numbers at lower depths compared to standard tillage. Trait estimates suggested that different farming practices and depths favored distinctly different microbial life strategies. Tillage in the absence of cover crops shifted microbial communities towards fast growing competitors, while no-till shifted them toward slow growing stress tolerators. Across all treatment combinations, increasing depth resulted in a shift towards stress tolerators. Cover crops shifted the communities towards ruderals-organisms with wider metabolic capacities and moderate rates of growth. Overall, our results are consistent with decreasing nutrient availability with soil depth and under no-till treatments, bursts of nutrient availability and niche homogenization under standard tillage, and increases in C supply and variety provided by cover crops. Understanding how agricultural practices shift microbial abundance, diversity and life strategies, such as presented here, can assist with designing farming systems that can support high yields, while enhancing C sequestration and increasing resilience to climate change.
Regulating Protein Function by Delayed Folding

In this issue of Structure, Tsirigotaki et al. (2018) use bioinformatics and biophysical tools to demonstrate that many secreted proteins form long-lived, loosely packed folding intermediates. This delayed folding correlates with elevated disorder and reduced hydrophobicity compared to structured cytosolic proteins and is often stabilized by signal peptides by yet to be determined mechanisms.
Selection of microhabitat by the red-backed vole, Clethrionomys gapperi

Clethrionomys gapperi were captured in microhabitats with greater densities of overall cover than at noncapture or random sites within the study area. Variables describing cover density and distance from free water were selected in a discriminant function analysis to differentiate between vole capture and noncapture sites. Vole capture sites had greater amounts of cover within 4 dm above ground surface and were further from standing water than noncapture sites. The preferential use by C. gapperi of microhabitats with greater densities of cover is in agreement with laboratory and field assessments of habitat use reported in the literature.
Pediatric Head Injury

Head injury is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among children in the United States. Development is altered, and the child's needs change. This article discusses how pediatric head injury differs from that in adults and the differences in management dictated by developmental needs.
Some Popular Criticisms of Differential Association

The “differential association” part of Sutherland’s theory in contrast to the “differential social organization” part, purports to identify the general process by which persons become criminals. This part of the theory, like Sutherland’s subsequent work and the work of those who have used his theory, is social psychological in emphasis, and it relies heavily upon the theories of George Herbert Mead.1 The essential idea here is that all criminal conduct is learned in a process of social interaction involving an “excess” of associations with criminal behaviour patterns. This basic idea and the manner in which Sutherland expressed it has been the recipient of criticism from many quarters. Identification of some of the defects that various critics have found in Sutherland’s statement should make his principle clearer.
Simple Monte Carlo P-Values

Simple and simple sequential Monte Carlo tests are reviewed. Two previously unpublished applications are included.
Nutritional management of replacement sheep utilizing southern forages: a review

Intensive sheep production systems seem to be an appropriate means of fully using the available resources, particularly the forages, of the southern region. In such systems, ewes should lamb first at approximately 1 yr of age. Programs to accomplish this goal must be well-planned and carefully integrated and executed. The primary goal is to achieve two-thirds of the ewe's projected mature weight before exposure for breeding. General management must reduce heat stress and parasitism. Forage quality must be maintained at a level consistent with National Research Council requirements for energy and protein. Protein is not normally a limiting factor. Energy supplementation and grazing pressure can be used to maintain growth without over-condition, which reduces subsequent performance.
“It’s Cold in Here”: First-Generation Students at American Research Universities

Using data from the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) survey, Snyder and Trost analyzed perceptions of campus climate for first-generation college students whose parents had little or no higher education experience. Overall, first-generation students found the campus climate at research universities less welcoming than did their continuing-generation peers. First-generation students were more likely to state that the campus climate did not value, support, welcome, or represent their personal background. These differences between first-generation students and students whose family have greater experience with higher education demonstrate that colleges and universities continue to support the dominant class-centric culture and status quo. The authors challenge institutions to pay attention to their first-generation college students and begin to dismantle the systems that limit positive experiences for first-generation students attending research universities.
An economic examination of private insurance claims among adolescents and young adults who were enrolled in hospice during the last year of life.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to generate baseline data on the health characteristics, health care utilization, and health care spending among privately insured adolescents and young adults (AYA), who were enrolled in hospice care during their last year of life. Methods A retrospective, nonexperimental design was used to collect and analyze longitudinal claims data from the Truven Health MarketScan™ database. The sample included AYA (aged 15-24 years) who utilized hospice during their last year of life. Results Totally, 17,408 AYA were included in this analysis. Mean hospice length of stay (LOS) was low overall, but there was a statistically significant difference in hospice LOS in ages 15-19 years (mean 3.56, SD 15.17 days) compared with those aged 20-24 years (mean 2.26, SD 8.24; P<0.001 days). More than a third (37%) of the AYAs used the emergency department during the last year of life and 83% sought care from a primary care visit. However, only 6% of the sample who were hospice enrollees used frequent inpatient hospital services. Conclusions This study provides preliminary data for private insurance expenditures and clinical utilization for AYA who were enrolled in hospice. This analysis also provides initial evidence to suggest extremely short hospice LOS for AYAs prior to the end of life and represents an area of future research need.
The Friendship Effect: Its Role in the Development of Moral Thinking in Students

The research results are clear: After four years of college, students experience growth in moral judgment. What isn't clear is why. What is it about going to college that contributes to the develop...
The influence of metrics for spawning output on stock assessment results and evaluation of reference points: An illustration with yellowfin tuna in the eastern Pacific Ocean

Abstract Reference points are used to determine whether overfishing is occurring, a stock is overfished, or the abundance of the stock is approaching an undesirable level. Reference points are often classified as limit reference points, which indicate an undesirable state, or target reference points, which specify a desirable one. Limit reference points frequently indicate a state for which the reproductive potential of the stock is impacted, and are thus based on spawning output. Spawning output is also used in the stock-recruitment curve, which is a key component of stock-assessment models. We investigated the effect on stock assessment results of metrics of spawning output that are used either in the stock-recruitment relationship or to evaluate reference points. We use yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) in the eastern Pacific Ocean as an example. The metrics biomass of mature females and fecundity attribute higher reproductive potential to the older ages, while numbers of mature females and summary biomass attribute more to the younger ages. Both the stock assessment results and the evaluation of reference points are sensitive to the metric used. The most optimistic perceptions of stock status are obtained when using numbers of mature females, female summary biomass or summary biomass to evaluate the reference points. The choice of metric may be as important as the uncertainty about steepness of the stock-recruitment curve. Given the difficulty in determining the appropriate measure of spawning output and the fact that populations fluctuate naturally, it is recommended that fishing mortality-based reference points are given more consideration for management advice aiming to maintain stocks at desirable states (target reference points) and that harvest control rules based on both types of reference points be compared for their relative effectiveness in avoiding recruitment overfishing and achieving other fisheries objectives using Management Strategy Evaluation.
Procedural 3D Tile Generation for Level Design

Procedural level generation in game design can reduce the resources needed in various aspects of game development while still providing a robust and re-playable game experience for the player. Procedural level design is most frequently seen in rogue-like adventure game and should not be limited to just a single genre or design style, because of the great potential of this approach. Through research into procedural generation via programming, and practical experience as a 3D artist, these two contrasting and historically separated sides of game design can be united to create a more coherent and practical approach. In this paper, we will focus on implementing and addressing technical challenges of 3D tile generation and their movement which is the main contribution of our work.
Transliteration Based Approaches to Improve Code-Switched Speech Recognition Performance

Code-switching is a commonly occurring phenomenon in many multilingual communities, wherein a speaker switches between languages within a single utterance. Conventional Word Error Rate (WER) is not sufficient for measuring the performance of code-mixed languages due to ambiguities in transcription, misspellings and borrowing of words from two different writing systems. These rendering errors artificially inflate the WER of an Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) system and complicate its evaluation. Furthermore, these errors make it harder to accurately evaluate modeling errors originating from code-switched language and acoustic models. In this work, we propose the use of a new metric, transliteration-optimized Word Error Rate (toWER) that smoothes out many of these irregularities by mapping all text to one writing system and demonstrate a correlation with the amount of code-switching present in a language. We also present a novel approach to acoustic and language modeling for bilingual code-switched Indic languages using the same transliteration approach to normalize the data for three types of language models, namely, a conventional n-gram language model, a maximum entropy based language model and a Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) language model, and a state-of-the-art Connectionist Temporal Classification (CTC) acoustic model. We demonstrate the robustness of the proposed approach on several Indic languages from Google Voice Search traffic with significant gains in ASR performance up to 10% relative over the state-of-the-art baseline.
The Arab-Israeli Conflict

One of the first United Nations mediators called the Middle East “the sort of problem for which no really satisfactory solution is possible.” Indeed, for seven decades, the “situation in the Middle East,” particularly the “Palestinian question,” to use its own terminology for the interlocking issues related to the Arab-Israeli conflict, has presented the Security Council with one of the most vexing problems on its agenda: “No issue has been on the agenda of the Council as long as that of the Middle East; nor has any issue generated as many resolutions [...] or as many vetoes.” […]In this chapter, the Security Council’s involvement in and on the Middle East is explored in more detail. The picture that emerges is profoundly mixed: While the Council has addressed acute crises and ensured a degree of stability through the instruments at its disposal, it has all too often been unable to play a leading, decisive or norm-setting role. Divisions within the Council, particularly between the United States and the rest of the Council, have run deep. All too often, the Security Council has remained mired in discussions over issues that, albeit important, are but facets of the bigger conflict, rendering it less and less likely (or possible) that the Council could contribute decisively to settling the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Determinants of Positive Temporal Artery Biopsies in the Veterans Health Administration National Database Cohort.

OBJECTIVE This study sought to determine the effect of temporal artery biopsy (TAB) postfixation length, laterality, age, and prior prednisone exposure on TAB positivity utilizing the Veterans Health Administration national database. METHODS Subjects with procedure code for TAB between 1999 and 2017 were queried, and pathology reports were reviewed manually. Demographic, laboratory, and prescription data were extracted. Multivariate analyses and logistic regression were run using Stata, version 13.0. RESULTS A total of 3,057 pathology reports were reviewed; 306 biopsies (10%) were designated positive. The likelihood of a positive TAB significantly correlated with TAB postfixation length of >3.0 cm (odds ratio [OR] 1.58 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.06, 2.36], P 71 years. Prednisone administration up to and beyond 42 days prior to TAB did not influence TAB result. CONCLUSION This retrospective study examined predictors of TAB positivity and utilized national data collected on US veterans over the span of 18 years. The results suggest consideration of pursuing initial bilateral TAB or achieving a TAB postfixation length of at least 3 cm to improve yield. The results also agree with prior studies showing that pre-TAB steroid exposure does not appear to affect yield even up to and beyond 42 days prior to biopsy.
Investigating Influences of Geometric Factors on a Solar Thermochemical Reactor for Two-Step Carbon Dioxide Splitting Via CFD Models

Abstract Solar thermochemical processes utilize inexhaustible solar energy as a thermal driving force to provide heat and motivate reactions, which offer pathways to store solar energy as chemical fuels. Some elevated temperature reactions, like thermal decomposition, gasification, and methane reforming, are anticipated in solar reactors which have the ability to provide extremely high temperatures. Presently, the dominating considerations in the design of solar reactors are heat and mass transfer with reaction mechanisms. A novel partition cavity-receiver reactor concept is proposed in this paper. In order to provide a longer pathway of interaction between the catalyst and reactants, a partition is introduced in this cavity-receiver reactor. A numerical computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis is performed to study the influences of geometric factors (i.e. gap size between partition and bottom, inlets/outlets position, catalyst thickness) under both uniform and model-generated distribution of concentrated radiant fluxes. A two-step solar thermochemical redox reaction using ceria as a catalyst to split CO2 is modeled in the partition cavity-receiver reactor to investigate the relationship between geometric factors and reaction rates. Based on the comparisons and analysis of results, optimized geometric factors and corresponding operating conditions are discussed.
Quality of life among children and adolescents in foster family homes

Abstract Although well-being has become one of the three primary outcomes in child welfare for two decades, quality of life, a vital component of subjective well-being, has been largely ignored. This study examined quality of life and associated factors in a random sample of 225 children and adolescents placed in foster family homes. Quality of life was assessed using Cantril's self-anchoring ladder and logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with quality of life. The mean Cantril ladder score was 7.52 and 80.5% were classified as having a good quality of life. Factors associated with good quality of life included better overall health status (odds ratio [OR], 1.66; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12–2.47), close relationship with foster parent (OR, 4.51; 95% CI, 1.78–11.43), and a higher number of visitation types (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.05–1.83). Other placement-related factors (e.g., number of placements and history of previous removal) were not significantly associated with quality of life. Overall, the majority of children and adolescents in foster family homes reported a good quality of life. Efforts that target better health, close relationship with their caregivers, and more visitations among children and adolescents in foster family homes may also improve their quality of life.
From SIGNALS to success? The effects of an online advising system on course grades

Online advising tools have the potential to reach a large number of students with the goal of increasing course performance and learning with relatively modest time investment from the instructor. ...
Perioperative Management: Surgical Site Infection Prevention, DVT Prophylaxis, and Blood Loss Management

The success of a spine surgical procedure relies on a multidisciplinary teamwork with the need to follow specific guidelines. Antibiotic and deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism prophylaxis is a crucial part of the surgical strategy. The infringement of guidelines may lead to major complications. Furthermore, management of blood loss during the surgical procedure is fundamental.
Association of Visit Adherence and Visual Acuity in Patients With Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Secondary Analysis of the Comparison of Age-Related Macular Degeneration Treatment Trial

Importance Visit adherence has been shown to play a significant role in patient health outcomes. The effect of missing visits on visual acuity (VA) in individuals with neovascular age-related macular degeneration has yet to be characterized. Objective To quantify the association between patients’ adherence to randomized clinical trial visits and VA in individuals with neovascular age-related macular degeneration based on 4 visit adherence metrics. Design, Setting, and Participants This is a secondary analysis of the Comparison of Age-Related Macular Degeneration Treatment Trial randomized clinical trial. Individuals with age-related macular degeneration were recruited from 44 clinical centers in the United States between February 2008 and December 2009. The 2-year study protocol required 1 visit every 4 weeks (every 21-35 days for a total of 26 visits) for monthly vs pro re nata treatments of bevacizumab vs ranibizumab. Analysis took place from November 2018 through May 2019. Exposures Visit adherence was measured in 4 ways: total number of missed visits, average number of days (avg days) between each visit, longest duration in days (max days) between visits, and visit constancy (the tally of 3-month periods with at least 1 visit attended). Average and max days were also categorized as on time (28-35 days), late (36-60 days), and very late (>60 days). Main Outcomes and Measures Change in Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study VA between the baseline and the last visit. Linear multivariate regression models were applied to analyze the association between visit adherence and change in VA, controlling for age, sex, baseline VA, anti–vascular endothelial growth factor drug, number of injections, and dosing regimen. Results Of 1178 patients, the mean (SD) age was 79.1 (7.3) years, and 727 (61.7%) were women. The mean (SD) number of missed visits was 2.4 (3.1). Overall, 1091 patients (92.6%) had complete visit constancy during the entire study period. Average days were categorized with 1060 patients (90.0%) classified as on time, 108 (9.2%) were late, and 10 (0.8%) were very late. For max days between visits, 197 patients (16.7%) were on time, 773 (65.6%) were late, and 208 (17.7%) were very late. After controlling for covariates, the late (avg days = −6.1; max days = −2.0) and very late (avg days = −12.5; max days = −5.9) groups saw fewer letters in both the avg and max days categories than patients in the on-time group (P Conclusions and Relevance These results provide evidence to support the concept that visit adherence contributes to VA outcomes in neovascular age-related macular degeneration. The magnitude of the association of visit adherence with VA outcomes in this clinical scenario suggests that substantial effort should be expended to strive for visit adherence or therapeutic strategies that reduce the visit burden without compromising VA outcomes. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT00593450
Chapter 1 – Vectors and Matrices

In linear algebra, the most fundamental object is the vector. We define vectors in Sections 1.1 and 1.2 and describe their algebraic and geometric properties. The link between algebraic manipulation and geometric intuition is a recurring theme in linear algebra, which we use to establish many important results. In Section 1.3, we examine techniques that are useful for reading and writing proofs. In Sections 1.4 and 1.5, we introduce the matrix, another fundamental object, whose basic properties parallel those of the vector. However, we will eventually find many differences between the more advanced properties of vectors and matrices, especially regarding matrix multiplication.
Multicompetent health professionals: needs, combinations, and curriculum development

Goals of this study included the investigation of the need for multicompetent health practitioners, the relationship between hospital size and perception of this need, and feasible combinations of professions and skills from the employer's perspective. Surveys of health professions alumni and hospital administrators revealed a perception of need for multicompetency regardless of hospital size or profession. Hospital administrators identified medical technology/radiology technology; nursing/respiratory therapy; and physical therapy/occupational therapy as the three combinations with the greatest potential for benefit; these related well to alumni perceptions of a need for added skills in other professions. This article also suggests a general approach to multicompetency curriculum development.
Pathological and morphological observation of habitual dislocation of patella in children

Objective To study the pathological and morphological characteristics of the children with habitual dislocation of patella.Methods From February 2003 to April 2011,19 children with habitual patella dislocation underwent surgical repair at this center.The pathological and morphological changes of the 28 knees were examined during operation.These patients included 9 females and 10 males,with a mean age of 11.8 years old.One girl with bilateral dislocation of patella was diagnosed with Down syndrome.Preoperative radiography was studied to determine the anatomic connection between patella and femor.Pathological changes of soft tissues around patella were also studied.Results On radiogram,both lateral and axial size of patella in patients was smaller than that of controls.Mean Insall ratio was more than 1.4 and mean trochlear sulcus angle was 150.The pathological findings included widely attenuation of medial retinacular tissue,sever contractures of vastus lateralis and lateral retinaculum.The mean vastus medialis oblique insertion angle was 46.The distance between tibial tubercle and trochlear groove was increased with the average distance of 21 mm.Conclusions Shallow trochlear sulcus,decreased vastus medialis oblique insertion angle as well as increased distance between tibial tubercle and trochlear groove are pathological and morphological characteristics of the children with habitual dislocation of patella. Key words: Patella dislocation; Anatomy; Child
Novel mechanisms of type IV pilus regulation in Acinetobacter baylyi

Bacteria employ extracellular appendages called type IV pili (T4P) to interact with their environment. T4P are essential for diverse microbial behaviors including DNA uptake, surface sensing, virulence, protein secretion, and twitching motility. While T4P have been studied extensively, our understanding of these nanomachines largely comes from work on a few model species. Here, we develop Acinetobacter baylyi as a new model organism to study T4P and uncover several unreported mechanisms of T4P regulation. First, using recently-developed T4P-labeling methods, we demonstrate that A. baylyi T4P are synthesized on one side of the cell body along the long axis of the cell, and we uncover that this pattern is dependent on components of a conserved chemosensory pathway. Second, we overturn the current dogma that T4P extension occurs through the action of a single, highly conserved ATP-hydrolyzing motor (ATPase) called PilB by showing that T4P synthesis in A. baylyi is dependent on two partially redundant and phylogenetically distinct motors, PilB and PilB2. Third, we uncover a small protein inhibitor of T4P synthesis that specifically inhibits PilB but not PilB2 activity. Together, these results demonstrate novel mechanisms of T4P regulation, which have broad implications for the unexplored diversity of T4P biology in microbial species.
Grid-connected converter without Interfacing Filters: Principle, Analysis and Implementation

In this paper, the concept of grid-connected inverter without interfacing filters is proposed. Conventional grid-side voltage sensors and traditional phase-locked loop (PLL) are removed. Only the grid current is feedback to implement grid synchronization and decoupled P/Q control. 60-Hz sinusoidal output current is achieved relying on grid-side impedance only. The controller employs virtual impedance to couple with a wide range of grid-side impedance variations. With the proposed controller, the grid-connected inverter is capable of 1) decoupling the output real and reactive power; 2) synchronizing with a grid frequency fluctuation, and 3) tolerating the grid impedance variation. This paper addresses the principle of the proposed method. Multiple simulation results are provided for validation.
Gas pile‐up, gap overflow and Type 1.5 migration in circumbinary discs: general theory

Many astrophysical binaries, from planets to black holes, exert strong torques on their circumbinary accretion disks, and are expected to significantly modify the disk structure. Despite the several decade long history of the subject, the joint evolution of the binary + disk system has not been modeled with self-consistent assumptions for arbitrary mass ratios and accretion rates. Here we solve the coupled binary-disk evolution equations analytically in the strongly perturbed limit, treating the azimuthallyaveraged angular momentum exchange between the disk and the binary and the modifications to the density, scale-height, and viscosity self-consistently, including viscous and tidal heating, diffusion limited cooling, radiation pressure, and the orbital decay of the binary. We find a solution with a central cavity and a migration rate similar to those previously obtained for Type-II migration, applicable for large masses and binary separations, and near-equal mass ratios. However, we identify a distinct new regime, applicable at smaller separations and masses, and mass ratio in the range 10 −3 . q . 0.1. For these systems, gas piles up outside the binary’s orbit, but rather than creating a cavity, it continuously overflows as in a porous dam. The disk profile is intermediate between a weakly perturbed disk (producing Type-I migration) and a disk with a gap (with Type-II migration). However, the migration rate of the secondary is typically slower than both Type-I and Type-II rates. We term this new regime “Type-1.5” migration.
ECLS in pertussis: does it have a role?

Objectives: To investigate the value of extracorporeal circulatory life support (ECLS) in paediatric patients with severe Bordetella pertussis infection. Design: Single case report and a review of the ECLS database. Setting: Tertiary referral hospital paediatric intensive care unit. Patients and participants: A single case report of an infant with B. pertussis infection is described. Despite receiving ECLS, this infant died from overwhelming cardiac and cerebral insults. Outcome for children receiving ECLS registered on the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization database is reviewed. Measurements and results: The mortality of infants receiving ECLS for B. pertussis infection is high, with only 5 survivors reported among 22 registered cases. The majority of nonsurvivors had evidence of circulatory collapse in addition to severe respiratory failure, and these patients commonly died of hypoxic-ischaemic cerebral insult. These data suggest the existence of a subgroup of patients with respiratory failure only, who may benefit from ECLS, and a larger subgroup who suffer ischaemic cardiac and cerebral insults which are unlikely to be improved by ECLS. Conclusions: The value of ECLS in patients with B. pertussis infection who present with major cardiac dysfunction is questionable. Such patients almost invariably have a poor outcome despite maximal therapy.
Age-specific treatment effects of orexin/hypocretin-receptor antagonism on methamphetamine-seeking behavior

Abstract Background Worldwide methamphetamine (METH) use has increased significantly over the last 10 years, and in the US, METH dependence has sky-rocketed among individuals with opioid use disorder. Of significant concern, METH use is gaining popularity among groups with susceptibility to developing severe substance use disorders, such as women and adolescents. Nevertheless, there is no established pharmacotherapy for METH addiction. Emerging evidence has identified the orexin/hypocretin system as an important modulator of reward-driven behavior and a potential target for the treatment of drug addiction and relapse. However, to date, there have been no investigations into the therapeutic efficacy of orexin/hypocretin receptor antagonists for METH-motivated behavior in adolescents or adults. In the present study, we examined the effects of selective antagonists of the orexin-1 (SB-334867, 20 mg/kg) and orexin-2 (TCS-OX2-29, 20 mg/kg) receptors on the reinstatement of METH seeking in both adolescent and adult male and female rats. Methods Rats were trained to self-administer METH (0.05 mg/kg/inf, iv) during two 2-h sessions/day for 5 days. Following 20 sessions of extinction over 10 days, a within-subjects design was used to test for METH seeking precipitated by METH (1 mg/kg, ip) or METH cues after systemic pretreatment with SB-334867 or TCS-OX2-29. Results SB-334867 reduced cue-induced reinstatement in males and females, regardless of age. Additionally, METH-induced METH seeking was attenuated by SB-334867 in adolescents and by TCS-OX2-29 in adults. Conclusion Selective orexin/hypocretin receptor antagonists have significant therapeutic potential for diminishing METH-seeking behavior, although their treatment efficacy may be influenced by age.
Dissolving Proteins Using Lysis Buffer

Daniel MacPhee optimized and described this procedure for solubilizing proteins—a fundamental step before doing electrophoresis and western blotting. Before running a polyacrylamide gel, the first step is to obtain proteins from cells grown in culture or tissues obtained from animal sources. Obtaining proteins from cells and tissues is not always simple. For this procedure to be successful, the right lysis buffer for protein solubilization is important. This chapter describes how McPhee and the group used a urea/thiourea lysis buffer and compared its usefulness to dissolve proteins obtained from smooth muscle with a commonly used lysis radioimmunoprecipitation assay buffer.
Vulnerabilities in Discovery Tech

Recent technological advances are changing the litigation landscape, especially in the context of discovery. For nearly two decades, technologies have reinvented document searches in complex litigation, normalizing the use of machine learning algorithms under the umbrella of “Technology Assisted Review” (TAR). But the latest technological developments are placing discovery beyond the reach of attorney understanding and firmly in the realm of computer science and engineering. As lawyers struggle to keep up, a creeping sense of anxiety is spreading in the legal profession about a lack of transparency and the potential for discovery abuse. Judges, attorneys, bar associations, and scholars warn that lawyers need to closely supervise the technical aspects of TAR and avoid the dangers of sabotage, intentional hacking, or abuse. But none of these commentators have defined with precision what the risks entail, furnished a clear outline of potential dangers, or defined the appropriate boundaries of debate. This Article provides the first systematic assessment of the potential for abuse in technology-assisted discovery. The Article offers three contributions. First, our most basic aim is to provide a technical but accessible assessment of vulnerabilities in the TAR process. To do so, we use the latest computer science research to identify and catalogue the different ways that TAR can go awry, either due to intentional abuse or mistakes. Second, with a better understanding of how discovery can be subverted, we then map potential remedies and reassess current debates in a more helpful light. The upshot is that abuse of technology-assisted discovery is possible but can be preventable if the right review processes are in place. Finally, we propose reforms to improve the system in the short and medium term, with an emphasis on improved metrics that can more fully measure the quality of TAR. By exploring the technical background of discovery abuse, the Article demystifies the engineering substrate of modern discovery. Undertaking this study shows that lawyers can safeguard technology-assisted discovery without surrendering professional jurisdiction to engineers.
USO DE LODOS DE DEPURADORA SOBRE SUELOS DE BAJA PRODUCTIVIDAD EN SANTA FE (ARGENTINA)

Fil: Pilatti, M. A.. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Cs.agrarias. Catedra de Edafologia; Argentina
Intermediary Balance Sheets

We document the cyclical properties of the balance sheets of different types of intermediaries. While the leverage of the bank sector is highly procyclical, the leverage of the nonbank financial sector is acyclical. We propose a theory of a two-agent financial intermediary sector within a dynamic model of the macroeconomy. Banks are financed by issuing risky debt to households and face risk-based capital constraints, which leads to procyclical leverage. Households can also participate in financial markets by investing in a nonbank “fund” sector where fund managers face skin-in-the-game constraints, leading to acyclical leverage in equilibrium. The model also reproduces the empirical feature that the banking sector’s leverage growth leads the financial sector’s asset growth, while leverage in the fund sector does not precede growth in financial-sector assets. The procyclicality of the banking sector is due to its risk-based funding constraints, which give a central role to the time variation of endogenous uncertainty.
Post-Bulbar Duodenal Ulcer with Particular Reference to its Hemorrhagic Tendency

Although there are numerous allusions to post-bulbar duodenal ulcer in the literature, these references for the most part consist of necessarily small series, case reports, statements that ulcer does occur in this location, and that bleeding is a frequent complication. However, even in such comprehensive monographs as that of Ivy, Bachrach, and Grossman, and that published under the auspices of the American Gastroenterological Association, little informa­ tion about the problem is available. I , 2 Bockus' treatise contains a short dis­ cussion of ulcer occurring distal to the duodenal cap.s Since we have been confronted with the existence of post-bulbar ulcer in 11 patients in the last 5 months and since 8 of these bled either for the first time or recurrently, our attention has been focused upon the problem m general and upon the complication of hemorrhage in particular. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE Necropsy figures disclose an incidence of post-bulbar ulcer varying from 5% to 17%, the average incidence being 9.6%. These reports include 354 duodenal ulcers of which 34 were beyond the cap.4, 5, 6 Ball, Segal and Golden state that the incidence ranges from 5% to 17% in surgical cases of duodenal ulcer. They further estimate the radiographic incidence as 1% to 5%. 7 Review of the available literature from 1910 through 1951 revealed 112 clinical cases of ulcer distal to the bulb. 6 , 8-18 Reference to the presence or absence of hemorrhage was made in 63 of these cases. Thirty-six, or 57% experienced gross bleeding. Roentgenographic evidence of post-bulbar ulcer was present in 91% of the patients who were examined. Fifty-eight per cent of the entire group were submitted to operation. These results are summarized
A 240 MHz 8-trap programmable FIR filter for disk-drive read channels

The 240 MHz digital FIR equalizer addresses the needs of magnetic disk drive applications. The FIR has low latency (3 cycles including input and output latches) to allow sufficient gain and stability in the channel timing and gain feedback loops. Programmable coefficients are supported so that the filter response can be modified in real time according to the demands of zone bit recording. (ZBR means that d is constant even as r varies in the data-rate equation.) Demands on accuracy as well as the number of taps vary, so the design is modular in the number of taps and bits to allow reuse in multiple applications. Tap counts in the range 3-10 are common. Complete testability is provided by scanmux-type static latches in all storage elements.
The Impact of the Institutional and Regulatory Environment on Shareholder Voting

We document that certain features of the institutional and regulatory environment governing shareholder voting can affect the co-location of shares' voting and cash-flow rights. We show that "routine" management proposals, for which brokers can vote shares held in "street name" if investors fail to vote, receive more votes favorable to management than "nonroutine" proposals. Some proposals may pass because of a routine classification. Moreover, negative recommendations from the leading shareholder-voting advisory service are associated with fewer votes cast favorable to management. We also find voting results are related to ownership structure, the use of proxy solicitors, and other firm characteristics.
A FIBRE STRESS-BASED PARAMETER FOR THERMOMECHANICAL FATIGUE LIFE PREDICTIONS OF TITANIUM MATRIX COMPOSITES

Titanium Matrix Composites (TMCs) are envisioned for use in the next generation of advanced aircraft and their engines. To ensure a smooth transition to industry, fatigue life prediction methodologies, which can account for random variations in mechanical and thermal loads, must be developed. To facilitate the development of such a model, fatigue testing has been conducted at Georgia Tech. on [0/ ± 45/90]s and [90/ ± 45/0]s laminates of SCS-6/Timetal 21S. The tests were done at temperatures of 400, 500 and 650 °C, with hold times of 1, 10 and 100 s superimposed at the maximum stress. The purpose of the tests was to separate the effect of time-dependent deformation from the effect of environmental degradation. Using the results of these tests, and results generated at NASA–Lewis Research Center (LeRC) and the US Air Force’s Wright Laboratory, a model has been developed which is based on the stress in the load-carrying fibres. The stress is modified by an effective stress concentration factor that is due to matrix cracking and a factor that includes the effect of hold times. It is a single term model that is intended for treating any variations in mechanical and thermal loads. Verification of this model is achieved by predicting fatigue lives for specimens subjected to spectrum loads performed at NASA–Langley Research Center (LaRC) and vacuum tests completed at Georgia Tech. The model is compared to five methodologies previously developed for life prediction, and is shown to have significantly better predictive power while reducing the number of empirical constants and curve fitting parameters necessary to collapse the data.
Four examples of Bhm blood in one family.

. During routine blood grouping, the patient's (L.S.) red cells typed as group O, but the serum lacked anti-B agglutinins. Further investigation revealed that the red cells had no H antigen but did have a weak expression of B. The saliva contained both B and H in amounts comparable to normal B. Family studies provided evidence that this rare phenotype, designated Bhm, is recessive, dependent on a genetic locus possibly independent of, but linked to, the ABO locus.