cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A 1/f noise technique to extract the oxide trap density near the conduction band edge of silicon

The use of 1/f noise measurements in n-channel MOSFETs to extract the oxide trap density in space and energy near and above the conduction band edge of silicon is investigated. The conventional carrier number fluctuation model of 1/f noise that attributes 1/f noise to the trapping and detrapping of inversion layer carriers by oxide traps is reviewed. It is shown that oxide band bending in devices with a nonuniform oxide trap distribution leads to a gate voltage dependence in the magnitude and exponent gamma (V/sub gs/) of the 1/f/sup gamma / noise spectrum. An extension of the 1/f noise number fluctuation model that includes both carrier number fluctuations and correlated mobility fluctuations is then studied. Correlated mobility fluctuations are attributed to the coulombic scattering of inversion layer carriers by the fluctuating trapped charge. It is shown that the correlated fluctuation model predicts a gate voltage dependence in the magnitude and exponent gamma of the 1/f/sup gamma / noise spectrum even for a uniform oxide trap distribution. By analyzing the 1/f noise magnitude and exponent data in n-channel MOSFETs having various oxide thicknesses, both models are used to extract the oxide trap density over a wide range of space and energy. >
Environmental Contaminants and the Prevalence of Hemic Neoplasia (Leukemia) in the Common Mussel (Mytilus edulis Complex) from Puget Sound, Washington, U.S.A

The relationship between hemic neoplasia, a blood cell disorder in bivalve molluscs, and chemical contaminants was evaluated in the common mussel (Mytilus edulis complex). Hemic neoplasia (HN) is endemic to mussel populations in Puget Sound. The prevalence of hemic neoplasia ranged from 0 to 30% in mussels from nine sites in Puget Sound, Washington. Organic chemical contamination in sediment from these sites range from 0.1 to 64.0 ppm of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 0.07 to 0.50 ppm chlorinated hydrocarbons. No relationship between the body burden of environmental contaminants and the prevalence of HN in mussels was identified. To evaluate the shortterm ability of chemical contaminants to induce HN in mussels, mussels, from a site where mussels were previously determined to be HN free, were fed microencapsulated PAHs (composed of a mixture of phenanthrene, flouranthene, and benzo[a]pyrene) or PCBs (Aroclor 1254) and the prevalence of HN was assessed after 30 days of exposure. Although an apparent increase in HN prevalence (20 to 30%) was observed in all treatments groups except the untreated controls, no significant difference in the prevalence of HN was observed between the control group of mussels fed corn oil (vehicle) and mussels fed either PAHs or PCBs in corn oil. A long-term (180-day) exposure study was conducted to evaluate the influence of PAHs or PCBs in modulating the prevalence of HN in a mussel population already exhibiting a moderate HN prevalence. Mussels, from a site where mussels were previously determined to exhibit a background prevalence of HN, fed microencapsulated PAHs, PCBs, and corn oil (vehicle) over a long time period (180 days), revealed an apparent increased prevalence of HN (30 to 40%) above the low levels (20%) initially present. However, no significant difference in the prevalence of HN was observed between the control group of mussels fed corn oil (vehicle) and mussels fed either PAHs or PCBs in corn oil. Although chemical contaminants have been proposed as a modulating factor in the development and promotion of HN in bivalve molluscs from environmentally stressed and degraded habitats, we find no evidence that chemical contaminants induce or promote the development of HN in the mussel M. edulis complex. r 1999 Academic Press
Odyssey and oddity: Photo- and collision processes you would not expect

A long-standing investigation of one intriguing collision process, Penning detachment, involved a series of theoretical studies and then experiments intended to exhibit the phenomenon. After some exploratory studies, the experiments, to our surprise, produced clear, unambiguous results that were due to an altogether different process. Identifying and pursuing that process required further theory as well as more experiments. The outcome, reviewed here, has been (a) predicted cross sections for Penning detachment of electrons from negative atomic and cluster ions; (b) predictions of cross sections for resonant two-photon and above-threshold three-photon ionization, (c) measurements of cross sections for superelastic collisions of slow electrons with excited atoms, and, still in progress, (d) theoretical values for cross sections of such superelastic collisions. The experimental method offers a new way to carry out studies of collisions of slow electrons with very high energy resolution.
An Artificial Intelligence Approach to Real Time control of carbonization

Carbonization of carbon-carbon composites is presently a slow, costly process. The failure rate and the variation in final material properties are both excessive. The complex physical and chemical changes require new control methods. Real time sensing of material properties can, in combination with a priori expert knowledge, be used to improve real time model estimates of process outcome and to revise the process. The basic elements of the control strategy for real time control of carbonization based on thermal, acoustic, conductivity, and gas chemistry sensors are described. Preliminary results relate real time gas analysis to physical changes.
An Application-Specific Design Methodology for STbus Crossbar Generation

As the communication requirements of current and future Multiprocessor Systems on Chips (MPSoCs) continue to increase, scalable communication architectures are needed to support the heavy communication demands of the system. This is reflected in the recent trend that many of the standard bus products such as STbus, have now introduced the capability of designing a crossbar with multiple buses operating in parallel. The crossbar configuration should be designed to closely match the application traffic characteristics and performance requirements. In this work we address this issue of application-specific design of optimal crossbar (using STbus crossbar architecture), satisfying the performance requirements of the application and optimal binding of cores onto the crossbar resources. We present a simulation based design approach that is based on analysis of actual traffic trace of the application, considering local variations in traffic rates, temporal overlap among traffic streams and criticality of traffic streams. Our methodology is applied to several MPSoC designs and the resulting crossbar platforms are validated for performance by cycle-accurate SystemC simulation of the designs. The experimental case studies show large reduction in packet latencies (up to 7×) and large crossbar component savings (up to 3.5×) compared to traditional design approaches.
Efficacy of selected food‐safe compounds to prevent infestation of the ham mite, Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) (Acarina: Acaridae), on southern dry‐cured hams

BACKGROUND Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) is a serious mite pest of dried meats and cheeses. Infestations of T. putrescentiae are controlled with the fumigant methyl bromide, which is an ozone-depleting substance and is currently being banned in most countries. Effective alternatives to methyl bromide are needed. The objective of this research was to use laboratory assays to investigate the effectiveness of food-safe compounds for preventing infestation of T. putrescentiae on dry-cured hams. RESULTS Ham pieces dipped in solutions of either propylene glycol (1,2-propanediol), lard, ethoxyquin or butylated hydroxytoluene prevented or significantly reduced mite population growth. Behavioral assays revealed that more mites oriented to the untreated control ham cubes, and more eggs were laid on these untreated ham cubes, compared with cubes treated with various dips. Our results also indicated that a combination of carrageenan + propylene glycol alginate + 40% propylene glycol was effective in reducing mite numbers on whole aging hams compared with untreated whole hams. CONCLUSIONS Several food-safe compounds can prevent infestation of T. putrescentiae on dry-cured hams and may represent alternatives for managing this pest. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Between doubts and certainties: on the place of history of science in Islamic societies within the field of history of science

I discuss my long-term observation that history of science in Islamic societies is marginalized within the general history of science community as well as in the academic world of Islamic studies, Near Eastern language and civilization programs, Middle Eastern history, or the investigation of the modern Muslim world. I ask what the possible causes for this situation are and what can be done to change the bleak situation.
Fingerprint of Gardenia jasminoides in Naoxuening Injection by HPLC

Objective To establish the HPLC fingerprints of Gardenia jasminoides in Naoxuening injection.Methods The chromatographic seperation was performed on a phenomenex C18 column(4.6 mm×250 mm,5 μm) with a mobile phase consisting of methanol-water,gradient eluent,at the flow rate of 0.8 mL/min.The column temperature was 30 ℃,and the detection wavelength was 238 nm and 440 nm.Results The fingerprint of Gardenia jasminoides in Naoxuening injection was established,and fourteen common peaks in the chromatogram were marked with the parameter according to the technical requirements of the fingerprints of Chinese traditional medicine.The ratio of common peak areas was different in the fingerprints of Gardenia jasminoides from different places.Conclusion This method is accurate,reliable,and provides a basis for controlling the quality of Naoxuening injection.
Regulatory of drug clinical trials in China

Regulation of drug clinical trials in China is gradually being standardized and improved.This paper explores the regulatory measures of drug clinical trials suitable for China according to the current status and problems in the regulatory,and the aim is to improve the level of drug clinical trials in China.
Research on Dissolution Test of Extended Release Oral Dosage Forms

According to "Guidance for Pharmaceutical Researches on Extended Release Oral Dosage Forms",establishment of dissolution method,release performance of extended release drug and development of dissolution limit in specification were discussed.Establishment of dissolution method included apparatuses,dissolution medium and rotating speed etc,release performance of drug comprised release characteristics and release comparison with original drug product at different conditions,development of dissolution limit in specification consisted of selection of sampling time-points and release limit etc.
Major retroperitoneal venous anomalies: surgical considerations.

Abstract Nineteen major anomalies of the vena cava or its branches were encountered in patients requiring abdominal vascular surgery and related procedures at Barnes Hospital during the past 5 years. The classification of these anomalies, their embryologic development, associated variants, and surgical considerations are discussed. Careful review of preoperative computed tomographic scans and familiarity with these anatomic variants may allow the surgeon effectively to avoid potentially disastrous intraoperative consequences.
The Role of Trace Elements in the Development of Cartilage Matrix

Several trace elements are essential for normal skeletal development in young animals and man. These include copper, manganese, silicon, and zinc. Deficiencies of these nutrients produce specific pathological lesions in the epiphyseal growth plate, a tissue which plays a key role in endochondral bone formation. The morphology and biochemistry of this tissue has been recently reviewed (Leach and Gay, 1987). Briefly, the tissue is comprised of chondrocytes which can be divided into zones based upon stage of maturation: resting, proliferative, prehypertrophic and hypertrophic. These zones represent specific stages of maturation or differentiation of the chondrocyte with each type having specific biochemical characteristics. This is especially true for the hypertrophic chondrocyte which is removed by metaphysial blood vessels and replaced by trabecular bone. The chondrocytes of the epiphyseal growth plate are responsible for synthesizing the extracellular matrix typical of the cartilage, the major constituents being proteoglycans and collagen. This tissue is sensitive to the endocrine system as well as nutrition, with the growth hormone dependent IGF-I being a key factor in cartilage growth and development. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the influence of trace elements on cartilage metabolism with emphasis upon extracellular matrix formation and metabolism.
Medium-term Economic Policies for Portugal

This essay will examine the policies that may be applied to improve the performance of the Portuguese economy as the country becomes a member of the European Common Market. While the emphasis will be on medium-term policies, the essay will review the antecedents and the effects of the stabilization program adopted in June 1983.
War, Guilt, and World Politics after World War II: The Geopolitics of Remembering and Forgetting in Asia, 1991–2010

As Chapter 4 has shown, by the early 1990s Japan was in the process of redefining its official historical narrative in a more penitent direction. International pressures were pushing Japan toward greater contrition. Japanese public opinion had shifted significantly toward recognizing the suffering the empire had inflicted on other Asian countries. Powerful interest groups, in particular the business community, were pushing for a more conciliatory stance, and Japanese political leaders – even very conservative ones like Nakasone – were progressively adopting a more contrite rhetoric when speaking about the past. Within a decade, however, Japan was embroiled in a diplomatic crisis over history that was far more severe and more protracted than anything it had experienced before. Chinese and Korean resentment over aspects of the Japanese official narrative – in particular Prime Minister Koizumi's trips to the Yasukuni and the Ministry of Education's approval for the adoption of revisionist textbooks – boiled over into sometimes violent street demonstrations and mass letter-writing campaigns. High-level diplomatic contacts between Japan and its two main Asian neighbors – China and South Korea – were severely disrupted for nearly five years, and disputes that previously had been manageable – in particular the territorial disputes with China over the Senkaku/Diaoyutai islands and with Korea over the Dokdo/Takeshima islands – intensified to an alarming and potentially dangerous degree. While a complete breakdown in relations was avoided, the 2001–2007 war over history was an unusually turbulent and politically costly one. The bright hopes for building stronger regional structures that had characterized regional dialogue in the early 1990s were drowned out in a rising tide of nationalist recrimination. Sharply growing threat perceptions between the major Northeast Asian powers helped to fuel a significant military buildup, and new flashpoints for conflict between Japan and its neighbors emerged in the shape of an array of territorial disputes that would continue to fester well after the 2001–2007 diplomatic crisis was over.
Science and mathematics Advanced Placement exams: Growth and achievement over time

ABSTRACTRapid growth of Advanced Placement (AP) exams in the last 2 decades has been paralleled by national enthusiasm to promote availability and rigor of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Trends were examined in STEM AP to evaluate and compare growth and achievement. Analysis included individual STEM subjects and disaggregation by ethnicity. Analysis indicates growth in STEM AP was extraordinary but was slightly outmatched by non-AP subjects. Moreover, growth in STEM AP has been most pronounced among underrepresented minorities, even though their achievement has slightly declined. Interestingly, the proportion of students scoring at the lowest level grew steadily for all students from 1997 to 2010, yet this proportion was substantially less for Asian and White students compared to underrepresented minorities. Finally, it was found that achievement in most high-participation STEM subjects slightly decreased from 1998 to 2013, while achievement held steady or slightly increased in ...
You Are What You Eat: The Impact of Nutrition on Alcohol and Drug Use.

ABSTRACTBackground: Experimental research has shown that nutrition influences behavioral deviance. Objectives: The current project addresses the impact of nutrition on problem alcohol and drug use in a nationally representative sample of US adults. Methods: The study relies on the daily dietary nutrition data and the substance use measures in the 2007–2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Results: The findings generally show that macronutrients increase the odds of substance use and micronutrients decrease the odds of substance use, especially among females. In addition, nutrient imbalance is a particularly strong predictor of substance use for both males and females. Depression partially accounts for the relationship between dietary nutrition consumption and substance use. Conclusions: Nutrition represents a promising extension of the biosocial perspective in substance use disorders.
Simultaneous utilization of structure-activity and structure-property relationships for the rational design and synthesis of 3-diarylether-4(1h)-quinolones: A new class of antimalarials

T are over 300 million malaria cases annually and over one million deaths. The staggering mortality rates combined with the global emergence of chemical resistance that the parasite Plasmodium falciparum has developed towards many of the common antimalarials compelled us to extend our research efforts to this growing problem. The need for developing new antimalarial drugs is very important. Our approach focuses on the optimization of historically relevant antimalarials such as endochin which possessed liabilities such as poor solubility, in vivo activity or lingering toxicity issues. Through these optimization efforts using both SAR and structure-property relationship (SPR) studies a more suitable candidate could be designed that contained superior properties. The drug design process included not only the identification of liabilities for known compounds but also the synthesis and optimization of numerous analogs guided by SAR. All compounds were tested in vitro for antimalarial activity and characterized in parallel for physicochemical properties such as solubility, permeability, and logD7.4. Insights from both the antimalarial activity as well as the physicochemical properties were simultaneously examined to determine which analogs would be advanced in the design process. The quinolone P4Q-391 emerged as the leading candidate from within our lab which targets the liver and blood stages, including the transmission stages (gametocytes). In mouse models of malaria, a single oral dose of 0.03 mg/kg prevented sporozoite-induced infections and a dose of 1 mg/kg achieved complete cures of patent infections. P4Q-391 is a preclinical candidate with the potential to aid in eradication of the disease. R. Matthew Cross, Med chem 2013, 3:4 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2161-0444.S1.009
Cord factor as an invisibility cloak? A hypothesis for asymptomatic TB persistence

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) has long been known to persist in grossly normal tissues even in people with active lesions and granulomas in other parts of the body. We recently reported that post-primary TB begins as an asymptomatic infection that slowly progresses, accumulating materials for a massive necrotizing reaction that results in cavitation. This paper explores the possible roles of trehalose 6,6' dimycolate (TDM) or cord factor in the ability of MTB to persist in such lesions without producing inflammation. TDM is unique in that it has three distinct sets of biologic activities depending on its physical conformation. As a single molecule, TDM stimulates macrophage C-type lectin receptors including Mincle. TDM can also form three crystal like structures, cylindrical micelles, intercalated bilayer and monolayer, that have distinct non receptor driven activities that depend on modulation of interactions with water. In the monolayer form, TDM is highly toxic and destroys cells in minutes upon contact. The cylindrical micelles and an intercalated bilayer have surfaces composed entirely of trehalose which protect MTB from killing in macrophages. Here we review evidence that these trehalose surfaces bind water. We speculate that this immobilized water constituites of an "invisibility cloak" that facilitates the persistence of MTB in multiple cell types without producing inflammation, even in highly immune individuals.
Imaging of the Sella and Parasellar Region

The sella and parasellar region, found between the anterior and central skull base, represents the central aspect of the skull base. Given the location of the pituitary gland in this location, small lesions in this location may have major physiologic effects on the human body. This article reviews the anatomy, development, and pathologic processes that may involve this region.
Training physicians for the real world of medicine: administration‐based learning

Tired of outdated teaching formats like case-based learning (CBL), problem-based learning (PBL) and team-based learning (TBL)? We wanted something fresh for our medical school, something that would prepare our graduates for the modern practice of medicine, something that would satisfy regulatory agencies and our deans. After doing an extensive needs assessment, which we ignored, we decided to replace basic science in our curriculum with something more practical: administration-based learning (ABL). We taught students how to fix fax machines, how to deal with angry team members, and how to maximise revenue in private practice - lessons that were well received and were more consistent with what physicians really need to learn to be effective practitioners. Educational outcomes have been positive, and although more research is needed, we call on other schools to add ABL tracks to their own curricula.
Rapid rates of aerobic methane oxidation at the feather edge of gas hydrate stability in the waters of Hudson Canyon, US Atlantic Margin

Abstract Aerobic oxidation is an important methane sink in seawater overlying gas seeps. Recent surveys have identified active methane seeps in the waters of Hudson Canyon, US Atlantic Margin near the updip limit of methane clathrate hydrate stability. The close proximity of these seeps to the upper stability limit of methane hydrates suggests that changing bottom water temperatures may influence the release rate of methane into the overlying water column. In order to assess the significance of aerobic methane oxidation in limiting the atmospheric expression of methane released from Hudson Canyon, the total extent of methane oxidized along with integrated oxidation rates were quantified. These calculations were performed by combining the measurements of the natural levels of methane concentrations, stable carbon isotopes, and water current velocities into kinetic isotope models yielding rates ranging from 22.8 ± 17 to 116 ± 76 nM/day with an average of 62.7 ± 37 nM/day. Furthermore, an average of 63% of methane released into the water column from an average depth of 515 m was oxidized before leaving this relatively small study area (6.5 km 2 ). Results from the kinetic isotope model were compared to previously-published but concurrently-sampled ex situ measurements of oxidation potential performed using 13 C-labeled methane. Ex situ rates were substantially lower, ranging from 0.1 to 22.5 nM/day with an average of 5.6 ± 2.3 nM/day, the discrepancy likely due to the inherent differences between these two techniques. Collectively, the results reveal exceptionally-rapid methane oxidation, with turnover times for methane as low as 0.3–3.7 days, indicating that methane released to the water column is removed quantitatively within the greater extent of Hudson Canyon.
The View from the Hunley Recovery Team

Editorial Note: The National Park Service was one of the first federal agencies in the U.S. to confront active management of submerged sites. Guided by a preservation mandate, the National Park Service developed an in-house team with a mission to provide direct support to park managers and partners responsible for stewardship of submerged areas. Because there were few precedents and little experience in stewardship management of submerged sites, the agency directed the team to concentrate on developing management models specific to national park needs and appropriate for general application throughout the National Park System. Submerged site management concerns have changed through time, as have the strategies and approaches for addressing them. An example of an NPS project is the following description and introduction by David Conlin that highlights NPS’ involvement in the H.L. Hunley project.
A Mobile-Based Surgical Simulation Application: A Comparative Analysis of Efficacy Using a Carpal Tunnel Release Module

Purpose The utilization of surgical simulation continues to grow in medical training. The TouchSurgery application (app) is a new interactive virtual reality smartphone- or tablet-based app that offers a step-by-step tutorial and simulation for the execution of various operations. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of the app versus traditional teaching modalities utilizing the "Carpal Tunnel Surgery" module. We hypothesized that users of the app would score higher than those using the traditional education medium indicating higher understanding of the steps of surgery. Methods A total of 100 medical students were recruited to participate. The control group (n = 50) consisted of students learning about carpal tunnel release surgery using a video lecture utilizing slides. The study group (n = 50) consisted of students learning the procedure through the app. The content covered was identical in both groups but delivered through the different mediums. Outcome measures included comparison of test scores and overall app satisfaction. Results Test scores in the study group (89.3%) using the app were significantly higher than those in the control group (75.6%). Students in the study group rated the overall content validity, quality of graphics, ease of use, and usefulness to surgery preparation as very high (4.8 of 5). Conclusions Students utilizing the app performed better on a standardized test examining the steps of a carpal tunnel release than those using a traditional teaching modality. The study findings lend support for the use of the app for medical students to prepare for and learn the steps for various surgical procedures. Clinical relevance This study provides useful information on surgical simulation, which can be utilized to educate trainees for new procedures.
On the impact of granularity of space-based urban CO2 emissions in urban atmospheric inversions: A case study for Indianapolis, IN

Quantifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from cities is a key challenge towards effective emissions management. An inversion analysis from the INdianapolis FLUX experiment (INFLUX) project, as the first of its kind, has achieved a top-down emission estimate for a single city using CO 2 data collected by the dense tower network deployed across the city. However, city-level emission data, used as a priori emissions, are also a key component in the atmospheric inversion framework. Currently, fine-grained emission inventories (EIs) able to resolve GHG city emissions at high spatial resolution, are only available for few major cities across the globe. Following the INFLUX inversion case with a global 1 . 1 km ODIAC fossil fuel CO 2 emission dataset, we further improved the ODIAC emission field and examined its utility as a prior for the city scale inversion. We disaggregated the 1 . 1 km ODIAC non-point source emissions using geospatial datasets such as the global road network data and satellite-data driven surface imperviousness data to a 30 . 30 m resolution. We assessed the impact of the improved emission field on the inversion result, relative to priors in previous studies (Hestia and ODIAC). The posterior total emission estimate (5.1 MtC/yr) remains statistically similar to the previous estimate with ODIAC (5.3 MtC/yr). However, the distribution of the flux corrections was very close to those of Hestia inversion and the model-observation mismatches were significantly reduced both in forward and inverse runs, even without hourly temporal changes in emissions. EIs reported by cities often do not have estimates of spatial extents. Thus, emission disaggregation is a required step when verifying those reported emissions using atmospheric models. Our approach offers gridded emission estimates for global cities that could serves as a prior for inversion, even without locally reported EIs in a systematic way to support city-level Measuring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) practice implementation.
The effect of economic development incentives and clawback provisions on job creation: A pre-registered evaluation of Maryland and Virginia programs:

Economic development incentives target individual firms for financial or non-financial benefits to induce capital investment or job creation. Previous studies have found a mixed impact of incentive...
Natural language processing of clinical notes for identification of critical limb ischemia.

Abstract Background Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is a complication of advanced peripheral artery disease (PAD) with diagnosis based on the presence of clinical signs and symptoms. However, automated identification of cases from electronic health records (EHRs) is challenging due to absence of a single definitive International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9 or ICD-10) code for CLI. Methods and results In this study, we extend a previously validated natural language processing (NLP) algorithm for PAD identification to develop and validate a subphenotyping NLP algorithm (CLI-NLP) for identification of CLI cases from clinical notes. We compared performance of the CLI-NLP algorithm with CLI-related ICD-9 billing codes. The gold standard for validation was human abstraction of clinical notes from EHRs. Compared to billing codes the CLI-NLP algorithm had higher positive predictive value (PPV) (CLI-NLP 96%, billing codes 67%, p Conclusions The CLI-NLP algorithm for identification of CLI from narrative clinical notes in an EHR had excellent PPV and has potential for translation to patient care as it will enable automated identification of CLI cases for quality projects, clinical decision support tools and support a learning healthcare system.
The Development of a Conversational Agent Mentor Interface Using Short Message Service (SMS)

Previous studies have investigated the role of embodied conversational agents in providing mentoring advice in faculty- student relationships. One limitation is the need for the protege to visit a specific website to access the agent (mentor). This paper presents the design and development of a conversational agent mentor that uses a more pervasive application for dialogue, short message service (SMS). The SMS conversational agent has been constructed to be used as a virtual mentor, to mentor undergraduate computer science majors at a Historically Black College (HBCU) who are considering pursuing a graduate degree in computing. This study has been designed to compare the effectiveness of the SMS conversational agent to the original conversational agent, an embodied conversational agent (ECA).
In vitro translation of adenovirus messenger RNA.

Among the tumor viruses, adenovirus is exceptionally well suited for studies of in vitro protein synthesis because the patterns of in vivo transcription have been carefully examined (for review, see Sharp and Flint, 1976), and because a substantial amount of information has accumulated concerning the proteins specified in vivo in response to adenovirus infection.
Dissolving Cities (Appendices)

This PDF includes the draft appendices for Dissolving Cities, 121 Yale L. J. __ (forthcoming 2012).'Dissolving Cities' to which these Appendices apply is available at the following URL: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1919768
Particle creation and energy conditions for a quantized scalar field in the presence of an external, time-dependent, Mamaev-Trunov potential

We study the behavior of a massless, quantized, scalar field on a two-dimensional cylinder spacetime as it responds to the time-dependent evolution of a Mamaev-Trunov potential of the form $V(x,t)=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}2\ensuremath{\xi}\ensuremath{\delta}(x)\ensuremath{\theta}(\ensuremath{-}t)$. We begin by constructing mode solutions to the classical Klein-Gordon-Fock equation with potential on the whole spacetime. For a given eigenmode solution of the IN region of the spacetime ($tl0$), we determine its evolution into the OUT region ($tg0$) through the use of a Fourier decomposition in terms of the OUT region eigenmodes. The classical system is then second quantized in the canonical quantization scheme. On the OUT region, there is a unitarily equivalent representation of the quantized field in terms of the OUT region eigenmodes, including zero-frequency modes which we also quantize in a manner which allows for their interpretation as particles in the typical sense. After determining the Bogolubov coefficients between the two representations, we study the production of quanta out of the vacuum when the potential turns off. We find that the number of ``particles'' created on the OUT region is finite for the standard modes, and with the usual ambiguity in the number of particles created in the zero-frequency modes. We then look at the renormalized expectation value of the stress-energy tensor on the IN and OUT regions for the IN vacuum state. We find that the resulting stress tensor can violate the null, weak, strong, and dominant energy conditions because the standard Casimir energy density of the cylinder spacetime is negative. Finally, we show that the same stress tensor satisfies a quantum inequality on the OUT region.
Death by compaction in a garbage truck

We report on two deaths by compaction in a garbage truck that recently occurred in this county. In both cases, the victim apparently climbed into a recycling dumpster to sleep, and was emptied with the contents of the receptacle into a garbage truck. Subsequent compaction of the victim with the load led to death. We also discuss several similar fatalities that have been reported to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Rare and Overlooked Causes of Acute Kidney Injury

Entities like acute tubular injury and prerenal acute kidney injury (AKI) remain well-recognized causes of AKI; however, the spectrum of AKI is wide and encompasses often-overlooked causes of kidney injury. In this section, we describe seven causes of AKI that should be considered when evaluating a patient with new-onset AKI. These include cholemic nephropathy, anticoagulation-related nephropathy, oxalate nephropathy, drug-related crystalluria, abdominal compartment syndrome, cholesterol embolization, and drug-induced AKI. As with other causes of AKI, evaluation for these etiologies involves a thorough history and physical, along with attention to urinalysis and urine microscopy. In the setting of drug-induced AKI (particularly acyclovir nephrotoxicity) and oxalate nephropathy, characteristic crystals may be seen on urine sediment. While renal biopsy is often the “gold standard” in making the diagnosis, it is often contraindicated, as in anticoagulation-related nephropathy and cholemic nephropathy, where the risk of bleeding is high. In most of these conditions, it is critical to maintain a high index of suspicion; abdominal compartment syndrome, for instance, is potentially life-threatening if it goes untreated. These “rare” causes of AKI may be more common than previously thought; with the increasing prevalence of drugs of abuse, including opioids and synthetic cannabinoids, nephrologists will almost certainly encounter AKI directly attributable to drug use.
Part-Time Jail Time: Jailors’ Perspectives on the Practice of Nonconsecutive Day Sentencing in Virginia:

Jurisdictions across the Commonwealth of Virginia are working to broaden and refine the implementation of community-oriented alternative sentencing programs. From the perspective of practitioners, ...
Implementation of Low-Cost Obstetric Hemorrhage Simulation Training Models for Resident Education.

INTRODUCTION Simulation is beneficial training for low frequency high acuity events such as management of obstetric hemorrhage. Our objective was to evaluate perceived competency in management of obstetric and pelvic hemorrhage following training with low fidelity task trainers using inexpensive and common medical supplies. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a prospective observational study of training residents for management of obstetric and pelvic hemorrhage using a brief didactic instruction and low-cost task trainers with inexpensive common medical supplies. Participants practiced placement of a uterine tamponade balloon, uterine packing with gauze, pelvic parachute packing and temporary abdominal closure. Following training, participants completed a self-report survey regarding perceived competency with each technique. The Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test was used to compare results before and after training. RESULTS Eighteen of 23 residents completed the training and completed the survey on perceived competencies. There was a statistically significant improvement in perceived competency for all participants before and after training, with scores improving by 1.5 points for Bakri placement, from 1.94 to 3.44 (p < 0.001), improving by 1.67 points for uterine packing, from 1.78 to 3.44 (p < 0.001), improving by 1.95 for pelvic parachute packing, from 1.16 to 3.11 (p < 0.001), and improving by 1.89 for temporary abdominal closure, from 1.22 to 3.11 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Low-cost supplies and task trainers can be utilized to simulate postpartum hemorrhage and improve perceived competency in managing obstetric and pelvic hemorrhage. Similar training programs can be used in small community programs with limited resources.
Towards Mass Spectrometry-Based Chemical Exposome: Current Approaches, Challenges, and Future Directions.

The proposal of the “exposome” concept represents a shift of the research paradigm in studying exposure-disease relationships from an isolated and partial way to a systematic and agnostic approach. Nevertheless, exposome implementation is facing a variety of challenges including measurement techniques and data analysis. Here we focus on the chemical exposome, which refers to the mixtures of chemical pollutants people are exposed to from embryo onwards. We review the current chemical exposome measurement approaches with a focus on those based on the mass spectrometry. We further explore the strategies in implementing the concept of chemical exposome and discuss the available chemical exposome studies. Early progresses in the chemical exposome research are outlined, and major challenges are highlighted. In conclusion, efforts towards chemical exposome have only uncovered the tip of the iceberg, and further advancement in measurement techniques, computational tools, high-throughput data analysis, and standardization may allow more exciting discoveries concerning the role of exposome in human health and disease.
Forgive-TM: Supporting Lazy Conflict Detection In Eager Hardware Transactional Memory

Commercial hardware transactional memory (TM) systems commonly use coherence messages to detect data conflicts. When a core inside a transaction receives a coherence request for data, it uses this information to determine whether there was a data conflict. Inherent in this behavior is the fact that data conflicts are detected eagerly, i.e., as soon as possible, and even while both sides of the conflict are speculative. Although it has been shown that lazy conflict detection can lead to better performance, this approach precludes lazy detection. In this paper, we describe a mechanism that allows conventional hardware to support lazy conflict detection, while still keeping the coherence protocol intact. Under Forgive-TM, speculative writes are done immediately to a special buffer, without first obtaining global write permission. The write permission is acquired later, when the transaction is about to commit. In other words, it "acts first, and asks forgiveness later." This effectively allows conflict detection to be done lazily. Using this scheme, ForgiveTM is able to provide 19% overall performance improvement in STAMP.
Evaluation of spin in oncology clinical trials.

Abstract Purpose Spin, the misrepresentation of research findings, in clinical trial abstract has been shown to influence how oncologist rate a drug’s efficacy. Materials and methods We searched PubMed for clinical trials published in ten key journals in 2017. Our primary objectives were to assess the frequency and manifestations of spin in the abstracts of those clinical trials that measured both overall survival and at least one surrogate efficacy endpoints. Results 124 trials were included for analysis. We found evidence of spin in 46 of 124 (37.1%, 95% CI 29.1%–45.9%) trial abstracts. Spin in the abstract results was most often due to authors emphasizing a statistically significant subgroup analysis (n = 6). Spin in the abstract conclusions was most often due to authors relying on a statistically significant surrogate endpoint to highlight the bioefficacy of the intervention (n = 17). Conclusion Spin is prevalent in the abstracts of oncology clinical trials that measure OS and a surrogate endpoint. The conclusion sections of abstracts were most prone to contain spin. When OS was the primary endpoint, spin was primarily used to distract from the nonsignificant OS data. To mitigate unintentional hype for cancer therapies, we recommend authors structure their conclusions around patient-important outcomes.
Estimating Judicial Traits from Text Analysis of Expert Evaluations

We introduce the first dynamic ideology measure covering every Article III lower-court judge in the federal judiciary. The dataset comprises dynamic, interval-level data comprising multiple dimensions and estimated confidence intervals. It includes every district and appellate judge who has served since 1985, as well as many Article I judges. The measure is derived from text analysis of tens of thousands of qualitative judicial evaluations - surveys conducted by the Almanac of the Federal Judiciary (AFJ) - of a representative sample of legal experts familiar with those judges' decisions and their approaches to judging. By drawing on expert evaluations, our method exploits some of the best features of the leading vote-based and proxy approaches. But it also overcomes many of the issues that limit those methods, including endogeneity, sample bias, lack of dynamic capability, and inability to measure the lower courts. Analysis of pilot data indicates that our time-aggregated point estimates correlate highly with the most-widely-used existing measure for the judges that both sets cover. Yet our data cover three times as many judges as the next largest dataset. The data are also dynamic, include standard errors, differentiate between almost every judge in the dataset, and include judicial traits that no existing measure captures. We hope our approach will foster breakthroughs in fields such as judicial behavior, jurisprudence, and empirical legal studies, opening avenues of research that until now were closed due to data limitations.
Analyzing Continuous Infrasound from Stromboli Volcano, Italy Using Unsupervised Machine Learning

Abstract Infrasound data are used by scientists and monitoring observatories to track shifts in eruptive behavior, identify signs of unrest, and ultimately help forecast major eruptions. However, infrasound analyses are often limited to a catalog of discrete or high-amplitude transient events, which can leave lower-amplitude emergent or continuous signals within the datastream unexplored. This study classifies continuous volcano infrasound data using unsupervised learning in order to better constrain eruptive behavior through time. Data were recorded from 9 through 12 September (2018) at Stromboli, Italy by three infrasound arrays sampling at 200 Hz and deployed within 400 m of the active vents. Recorded pressure amplitudes were synthesized into a set of characteristic features extracted from the time and frequency domains of five second overlapping windows. Features were then clustered via the k-means algorithm resulting in a time-series of discrete labels that track the evolutionary behavior during the three-day experiment. Waveforms associated with each cluster relate to commonly recorded volcanic signals including Strombolian events, puffing activity, and sustained degassing associated with acoustic tremor. Infrasound radiated predominantly from six vent regions, each of which exhibit temporal variability in their degassing behavior. The three-day history of activity reveals an exchange of function across multiple vents indicating potential linkages in the plumbing system.
Utility of CT venography in monitoring stent patency in idiopathic intracranial hypertension: retrospective single-center study.

Background Cerebral venous sinus stenting is an established treatment for patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), refractory to medical management and with stenotic venous sinus on conventional cerebral venography. Currently, there are no clear guidelines on optimal noninvasive imaging modality for routine post-stenting follow-up. We investigated diagnostic yield of CT venography (CTV) for evaluation of stent patency. Methods We reviewed our clinical database of patients with a diagnosis of IIH, who underwent stenting of stenotic transverse or transverse/sigmoid sinus junction. Patients who had follow-up CTVs after more than 30 days were included in the final study group. All CTVs were reviewed by two readers for in-stent thrombosis, extrinsic stent compression, juxta-stent stenosis, and new contralateral venous sinus stenosis. Inter-observer agreement and association of stent patency with clinical outcomes (headache and papilledema) were assessed. Results In all 36 included patients with 38 cerebral venograms for stenting, follow-up CTVs demonstrated adequate opacifications of the venous sinuses and stents for confident evaluation for in-stent thrombosis, extrinsic stent compression, juxta-stent stenosis, and new contralateral venous sinus stenosis, with inter-observer agreement coefficient of 0.7, 1.0, 0.8, and 1.0 respectively. Association between abnormal CTV and higher rates of persistent headache and lower rates of headache improvement/resolution was statistically significant (P-value of 0.01). Conclusion CTV is a reliable noninvasive imaging modality for evaluation of cerebral venous sinuses and stent patency following treatment of idiopathic intracranial hypertension with venous sinus stenting and could be used as a routine follow-up study.