cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
BlogTrackers: A Tool for Sociologists to Track and Analyze Blogosphere

We present a tool BlogTrackers, which assists sociologists to track and analyze blogs of particular interests by designing and integrating unique features. We present an overview of BlogTrackers, illustrate its functions of various components of BlogTrackers, and outline future work for expansion in meeting the growing needs of sociologists. Introduction Blogosphere, the network of blogs, is growing at a phenomenal rate. Technorati has indexed around 133 million blog records. Sociologists are interested in studying the blogosphere for tracking socio-behavioral patterns, identifying the influential people in the region of interest and tracking interesting activities. They often have to eyeball the sites for useful information. Given a gamut of interests in the blogosphere, this can be a tedious and time consuming task. Through this user-oriented application, we propose to alleviate this problem by assisting them in effectively tracking and analyzing blogosphere. BlogTrackers grants sociologists the freedom to choose the blog sites they wish to analyze, observe interesting events and patterns with the flexibility of drilling-in. The tool consists of a number of analyzing and crawling modules and is a convenient alternative to eyeballing the blog sites and concentrate efforts on further analysis. Most tools are generic in nature and cannot be directly used by sociologists and others with specific needs. BlogTrackers is particularly designed for their needs that can perform both data collection and provide convenient visualizing tools to analyze the data. Table 1 presents a comparison of BlogTrackers with some of the existing tools in the domain. Although, sites like Technorati and BlogPulse provide features similar to our tool, they cannot be directly used. BlogTrackers combines them in a unique manner to maximize the analytical capability of the individual techniques. Apart from these tools there is also some generic visualization software that do not target blogs per se but can be used to do some analysis on the blog data. Pajek is a visualization tool that can be used to visualize the network !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1 http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/ Copyright © 2009, Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (www.aaai.org). All rights reserved. data in various ways. IBM’s ManyEyes is another interesting project on generic visualizations but suffers from scalability issues. The Prefuse visualization toolkit contains a set of unique visualizations for the data. BlogTrackers BlogTrackers is a Java based desktop application that provides a unified platform for the user to crawl and analyze blog data. It grants the user, the freedom to choose the data of interest and helps in effectively analyzing it. The data is stored in a relational database. Currently we are tracking 10 different data sources like Twitter, Engadget, The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW), LiveJournal, etc.
Low-Overhead Asynchronous Checkpointing in Main-Memory Database Systems

As it becomes increasingly common for transaction processing systems to operate on datasets that fit within the main memory of a single machine or a cluster of commodity machines, traditional mechanisms for guaranteeing transaction durability---which typically involve synchronous log flushes---incur increasingly unappealing costs to otherwise lightweight transactions. Many applications have turned to periodically checkpointing full database state. However, existing checkpointing methods---even those which avoid freezing the storage layer---often come with significant costs to operation throughput, end-to-end latency, and total memory usage. This paper presents Checkpointing Asynchronously using Logical Consistency (CALC), a lightweight, asynchronous technique for capturing database snapshots that does not require a physical point of consistency to create a checkpoint, and avoids conspicuous latency spikes incurred by other database snapshotting schemes. Our experiments show that CALC can capture frequent checkpoints across a variety of transactional workloads with extremely small cost to transactional throughput and low additional memory usage compared to other state-of-the-art checkpointing systems.
Modeling Human Learning and Cognition Structure: Application to Driver Behavior in Dilemma Zone

AbstractIn transportation studies, modeling human learning and decision-making processes plays a key role in developing realistic safety countermeasures and appropriate crash-mitigation strategies. In this study, a human learning model was created that captures the cognitive structure of human memory. The relationship between long-term and short-term memories was incorporated into a reinforcement learning technique to construct the human learning model. The model was then applied to dilemma zone data collected in a simulator study. Dilemma zone is an area of roadway ahead of the signalized intersection in which drivers have difficulty deciding whether to stop or proceed through at the onset of yellow. Driver choice behavior and learning process in dilemma zones was modeled, taking into account drivers’ experiences at the previous intersections, and was compared to a pure machine learning model. The results of the model revealed lower and faster-merging errors when human learning was considered in training...
CHAPTER 1 – Overview of Optical Diagnostics

This chapter explores how optical diagnostics can be used to improve thin film processing science and technology. Optical spectroscopy describes all types of probing of matter by light. Optical diagnostics is a subset of optical spectroscopy and other optical techniques in which data from more fundamental studies are used to examine processes and materials. Optical diagnostics can be applied to the science and technology of thin film processing in three ways: determining the fundamental chemical and physical steps in a thin film process; developing the process; and monitoring and control of the process. These three applications are vital to the basic science, applied science/engineering, and manufacturing phases of thin film processing, respectively. In each case, there is a need for nondestructive diagnostics with satisfactory sensitivity, speed, and temporal and spatial resolution. Real-time in situ analysis occurs while the thin film process is in progress. Pre-process in situ analysis examines the wafer before processing, and post-process in situ analysis occurs after the processing has terminated. In-line analysis can occur before or after the process, with the sample moved elsewhere within the reaction chamber or to a chamber interconnected by a vacuum load lock. Ex situ analysis is the probing of a sample that has been removed from the reaction chamber, and can be on-line or off-line relative to the processing fine.
Genetic Attributions and Group Stereotypes: A Preliminary Examination of Two Cases

We contend that that individuals develop causal stories to explain the world around them, including events, behaviors, and conditions in society. These are personal narratives that attribute causes to controllable components, such as individual choices, or uncontrollable components, such as broader forces in the environment. To this we add biological or genetic attributions that have received increasing attention as researchers have made tremendous advances. We argue that people’s understanding about genetics as a cause for group behaviors or conditions affects stereotypical judgments about such groups. Making use of individual level data from recent surveys of American adults we examine causal beliefs about genetic influences on sexual orientation and racial differences and their influence on beliefs in stereotypes about these groups. Our analyses suggest that belief in genetic attributions strongly shapes perceptions of immutability and beliefs in stereotypes about groups. We discuss the implications of our findings for attribution theory and the potential negative social consequences of the public’s apparent misperceptions about genetics research.
Heavy menstrual bleeding: work-up and management

Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB), which is the preferred term for menorrhagia, affects ∼90% of women with an underlying bleeding disorder and ∼70% of women on anticoagulation. HMB can be predicted on the basis of clots of ≥1 inch diameter, low ferritin, and "flooding" (a change of pad or tampon more frequently than hourly). The goal of the work-up is to determine whether there is a uterine/endometrial cause, a disorder of ovulation, or a disorder of coagulation. HMB manifest by flooding and/or prolonged menses, or HMB accompanied by a personal or family history of bleeding is very suggestive of a bleeding disorder and should prompt a referral to a hematologist. The evaluation will include the patient's history, pelvic examination, and/or pelvic imaging, and a laboratory assessment for anemia, ovulatory dysfunction, underlying bleeding disorder, and in the case of the patient on anticoagulation, assessment for over anticoagulation. The goal of treatment is to reduce HMB. Not only will the treatment strategy depend on whether there is ovulatory dysfunction, uterine pathology, or an abnormality of coagulation, the treatment strategy will also depend on the age of the patient and her desire for immediate or long-term fertility. Hemostatic therapy for HMB may serve as an alternative to hormonal or surgical therapy, and may even be life-saving when used to correct an abnormality of coagulation.
Experiences of Urban Environmental Conditions in Socially and Economically Diverse Neighborhoods

ABSTRACTEnvironmental conditions can vary widely in urban areas. Temperature, green space, air quality, and other parameters may have different patterns among and within cities. These conditions may also be experienced and perceived by residents in different ways, with implications for community development and social justice in the context of environmental change. This study examines in-depth interviews (N = 20) with residents from socially and economically diverse neighborhoods to understand this variability at a more meaningful scale than typically examined in the literature. Implications for social work, community development, and multidisciplinary efforts in the pressing area of environmental change are discussed.
The Sanctions Regime against Iraq (1990-2003): Policymaking and Values

From 1990 to 2003, US/UK policymakers insisted that the UN sanctions regime against Iraq was worth the cost, which, by 1999, amounted to half a million child deaths in Iraq. US policymakers emphasized that the ends (saving the world from Saddam Hussein’s alleged weapons of mass destruction program) justified the means (the adverse humanitarian consequences of the dismantling of Iraq’s economy). The draconian blockade was especially disastrous for the women and children of Iraq. This paper explores the ethical dimensions of the sanctions while presenting an unorthodox view of foreign policy administration and generating new ideas for improving it. I argue that pro-sanctions policy managers had to defend a “Sophie’s Choice:” killing children to save other children. I argue that this was a false dichotomy operating in the US policy towards Iraq since the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, and that it served as a cover-up for a hidden agenda related to US hegemony in the Middle East region.T1 Interviews in 1999 with three pro-sanctions diplomats reveal the personal moral dilemma of defending a policy of infanticide while appearing virtuous in doing so. I suggest an alternative paradigm and a number of strategies that would ask policymakers whether they speaking truth to power.
Comparison of Asian porcine high fever disease isolates of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus to United States isolates for their ability to cause disease and secondary bacterial infection in swine

Epidemiologic data from Asian outbreaks of highly-pathogenic (HP) porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) suggest that disease severity was associated with both the virulence of the PRRSV isolates and secondary bacterial infections. Previous reports have indicated that U.S. isolates of PRRSV predispose to secondary bacterial infections as well, but the severity of disease that occurred in Asia in pigs infected with these HP-PRRSV strains has not been reported in the U.S. The objectives of this research were to compare the pathogenesis of Asian and U.S. PRRSV isolates with regard to their ability to cause disease and predispose to secondary bacterial infections in swine. To address these objectives groups of pigs were infected with 1 of 2 Asian HP-PRRSV strains (rJXwn06 or rSRV07) or 1 of 2 U.S. PRRSV strains (SDSU73 or VR-2332) alone or in combination with Streptococcus suis, Haemophilus parasuis, and Actinobacillus suis. Pigs infected with rJXwn06 exhibited the most severe clinical disease while the pigs infected with rSRV07 and SDSU73 exhibited moderate clinical disease, and pigs infected with VR-2332 exhibited minimal clinical signs. The frequency of secondary bacterial pneumonia was associated with the clinical severity induced by the PRRSV strains evaluated. The levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the serum were often lower for pigs coinfected with virus and bacteria compared to pigs infected with PRRSV alone indicating an alteration in the immune response in coinfected pigs. Combined our results demonstrate that severity of disease appears to be dependent on virulence of the PRRSV strain, and development of secondary bacterial infection.
Clinical Aspects of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

Publisher Summary This chapter describes that the diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) should be considered in any patient with progressive Parkinsonism and disturbance of ocular motility. PSP, also known as Steele-Richardson-Olszewski syndrome, is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. With a median survival of about six years, PSP is characterized by progressive postural instability leading to early falls, vertical ophthalmoparesis, akinetic-rigid features, pseudobulbar palsy, levodopa-unresponsive parkinsonism and frontal cognitive disturbances. In general, symptoms and signs in PSP progress rapidly and steadily. In advanced stages, patients require a wheelchair and may even become bedridden, their swallowing becomes severely impaired, requiring a feeding tube in some cases, and their speech becomes unintelligible. The disorder is categorized as a four–repeat tauopathy, characterized pathologically by neuronal loss, gliosis and intracellular accumulation of tau in neurons and in glia in many brain areas, including the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia and the brainstem. Although typical cases are characterized by akinesia, supranuclear gaze palsy, rigidity, axial dystonia, gait disturbance, and dementia, there are patients with atypical symptoms and typical pathology. Furthermore, patients without the clinical hallmarks of PSP, including ophthalmopares are, have been found to have typical pathological features of PSP at autopsy.
The Role of Thoughts in Wittgenstein's Tractatus

In the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, Wittgenstein is primarily concerned with discerning the relationship between language and the world. Consequently, he all but ignores the epistemological issues relevant to that relationship ; while a notion of thought does figure into his analysis, Wittgenstein's references to that notion are cryptic and few. I shall here argue that Wittgenstein's conception of thought actually plays a very important role in the theory of the Tractatus. In the first section, I shall explain Wittgenstein's notion of thoughts and the importance of that notion to his theory as a whole. In the second section, I shall call attention to some important questions to which Wittgenstein's notion of thoughts gives rise
On the Mechanism of Action of ACTH

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the mechanism of action of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). The hormone stimulates steroidogenesis by a mechanism involving the synthesis of a protein with a rapid rate of turnover; the level of the protein then determines the rate of steroidogenesis. The experiments described in the chapter show that the inhibition of ACTH action by cycloheximide does not involve the inhibition of a step in the pathway prior to cholesterol but indicates that the antibiotic blocks steroidogenesis by preventing the further transformation of cholesterol in the pathway. The study presented in the chapter also demonstrates how the inhibition of protein synthesis blocked steroidogenesis by preventing the transformation of cholesterol to pregnenolone and the inhibitor had no effect on the other steps of the pathway. The injection of ACTH caused a marked decrease in adrenal cholesterol in association with its metabolism to the steroid hormones.
“The Past is Never Dead”: Youth, Adolescence, and Contemporary Guerra Sucia Films in Argentina

Throughout the 1970s, violence gripped the Southern Cone of Latin America. Military dictatorships took power in Chile (1973), Uruguay (1973), and Argentina (1976). Elements of the armed forces alre...
Imogene King's Theory of Goal Attainment and the Millennial Nurse: An Important Mentoring Tool for Nurse Educators

Abstract The pioneer millennial generation of students and graduates is entering the profession of nursing. They are adeptly equipped with technological savvy, unabashed confidence, and self-directed goal achievement. Imogene King's nursing theory of goal achievement and attainment provides a framework to guide and mentor the upcoming graduate nurse into practice. The future of nursing demands that nurse educators have the ability to support millennials and their goal attainment through different learning modalities and that they have the willingness to endorse and mentor students as the new pioneers in the practice of nursing.
Strategies for Learning Nature of Science Knowledge: A Perspective from Educational Psychology

Learning about the nature of science is a crucial part of being a scientifically literate citizen in the modern age. This paper examines parallels between nature of science instruction and the processes explained by self-regulated learning theory, with a particular emphasis on the extension of effective strategies for learners which can be enhanced by the use of self-regulated learning cycles in classrooms. Explicit and reflective approaches to teaching the nature of science are examined and analyzed in terms of self-regulated learning theory, demonstrating learning processes that are addressed and those that are ignored by current explicit and reflective approaches. Results from emerging research on the use of self-regulated learning to teach nature of science knowledge, inquiry, and science practices are discussed.
Not Too Tired to be Proactive: Daily Empowering Leadership Spurs Next-morning Employee Proactivity as Moderated by Nightly Sleep Quality

Building on the Model of Proactive Motivation, we hypothesize that a leader’s daily empowering leadership behaviors function as a motivator for employees to display a greater amount of proactive go...
Harnessing the Power of Narrative: Literacy and Orality in Christian Education

Mission organizations have begun developing oral strategies, primarily based on storytelling, to reach non- and semi-literate people groups. These strategies include the use of a number of innovati...
On the design of random metasurface based devices

Metasurfaces are generally designed by placing scatterers in periodic or pseudo-periodic grids. We propose and discuss design rules for functional metasurfaces with randomly placed anisotropic elements that randomly sample a well-defined phase function. By analyzing the focusing performance of random metasurface lenses as a function of their density and the density of the phase-maps used to design them, we find that the performance of 1D metasurfaces is mostly governed by their density while 2D metasurfaces strongly depend on both the density and the near-field coupling configuration of the surface. The proposed approach is used to design all-polarization random metalenses at near infrared frequencies. Challenges, as well as opportunities of random metasurfaces compared to periodic ones are discussed. Our results pave the way to new approaches in the design of nanophotonic structures and devices from lenses to solar energy concentrators.
Non-antiretroviral Approaches to Prevention of Breast Milk Transmission of HIV-1: Exclusive Breastfeeding, Early Weaning, Treatment of Expressed Breast Milk

Identification of risk factors for breast milk transmission of HIV has led to the development of interventions to prevent such transmission [1]. Mixed feeding of an infant, i.e., provision of other fluids and/or solids to the infant in addition to breast milk, has been associated with an increased risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV [2, 3]. Therefore, exclusive breastfeeding of the infant has been emphasized, not only for the benefits such feeding provides to infants in general [4–7], but also specifically to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV [8]. The longer the duration of exposure to breast milk from an HIV-infected woman, the greater the transmission of HIV to the infant [9]. Although complete avoidance of breastfeeding has been shown to be efficacious in preventing breast milk transmission of HIV [10], such an intervention is not feasible in many settings. Therefore, the concept of early weaning from breastfeeding was developed, and this intervention has been evaluated [11]. The higher the maternal HIV RNA concentration (viral load), including viral load in breast milk, the greater the HIV transmission to the infant [12–15]. Treatment of expressed breast milk with microbicidal agents or with heat to decrease breast milk viral load, and thus decrease mother-to-child transmission of HIV, has been evaluated [16, 17]. This chapter reviews these three approaches to the prevention of breast milk transmission of HIV: exclusive breastfeeding, early weaning, and treatment of expressed breast milk.
Measuring the efficacy of Hvac particle filtration over a range of ventilation rates in an office building

Abstract Ventilation rates (VR) higher than minimum standards can have positive impacts on occupant productivity and wellbeing. However, higher VRs amplify concentrations of indoor particles of outdoor origin, and thus also exposure outcomes. This study explored the efficacy of using high versus low efficiency filtration (i.e., MERV 14 or 15 versus MERV 8 filters) to control indoor particles over a range of ventilation air exchange rates (1.0, 2.4, and 5.4 h−1) in the third floor of an office building, served by its own air handling unit. During each of 66 test days, a single combination of filter and VR were used, and time-resolved fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone concentrations and airflow rates were measured in the supply, return, and outdoor airstream. The return air was taken as a surrogate for the average state of indoor air in the office's third floor. While higher VRs increased PM2.5 indoor/outdoor (I/O) concentration ratios, filtration was more impactful on I/O ratios than the VR, as most cases with MERV 14 or 15 filters and highest VR resulted in lower PM2.5 I/O ratios than cases with a MERV 8 filter and lowest VR. Concentration and flow data were used to compute real-time in-situ removal efficiencies of each filter, and MERV 8, 14, and 15 filters had mean (standard deviation) PM2.5 removal efficiencies of 0.16 (0.12), 0.73 (0.091), and 0.72 (0.10) at 100% outdoor air, as well as ozone removal efficiencies of 0.16 (0.10), which were unaffected by filter type but varied somewhat with ventilation rate.
Forests of North Carolina, 2016

This resource update provides an overview of forest resources in North Carolina based on an inventory conducted by the U.S. Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program at the Southern Research Station in cooperation with the North Carolina Forest Service. Data estimates are based on field data collected using the FIA annualized sample design and are updated yearly
CAN AN INEXPENSIVE PHONE APP COMPARE TO OTHER METHODS WHEN IT COMES TO 3D DIGITIZATION OF SHIP MODELS

Abstract. This study compares the differences between traditional 3D modeling software such as ‘Agisoft Metashape’ and the recently released smartphone application ‘Qlone’. Specifically, this study examines how well each software handles creating 3D renderings of ship models. Comparisons between quality, complexity handling, time, cost, and equipment requirements will be examined to better understand each program's strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately, Agisoft Metashape will demonstrate that it is still the preferred method for most professional and academic use for its high precision accuracy. While Qlone may be a reasonable choice for the average hobbyist or enthusiast due to its availability and relatively low cost.
Algebraic Systems Motivated by DNA Origami

We initiate an algebraic approach to study DNA origami structures. We identify two types of basic building blocks and describe a DNA origami structure by their composition. These building blocks are taken as generators of a monoid, called the origami monoid, and motivated by the well studied Temperley-Lieb algebras, we identify a set of relations that characterize the origami monoid. We present several observations about Green’s relations for the origami monoid and study the relations to a direct product of Jones monoids, which is a morphic image of an origami monoid.
Mendelian Gene Discovery: Fast and Furious with No End in Sight.

Gene discovery for Mendelian conditions (MCs) offers a direct path to understanding genome function. Approaches based on next-generation sequencing applied at scale have dramatically accelerated gene discovery and transformed genetic medicine. Finding the genetic basis of ∼6,000–13,000 MCs yet to be delineated will require both technical and computational innovation, but will rely to a larger extent on meaningful data sharing.
(-)-Gossypol inhibits zeranol and leptin-induced mcf-7 adr cell proliferation

623 Breast cancer is a world-wide disease and it is the second cause of death in cancers in postmenopausal women. One of known risk factors of breast cancer is obesity which has become a major public health concern. The morbidity is increased by 30-50% in obese cancer patients comparing to normal weight cancer patients. Leptin, mainly secreted by adipocytes, is a product of obese (ob) gene and plays an important role in breast cancer development. Leptin expression is upregulated in obesity and it can promote breast cancer cell growth by signaling through its receptors and by direct effects on estrogen receptor (ER) pathway. Zeranol (Z) is a mycotoxin produced by fusarium fungus existed in wetted cereals. Z is a non-estrogenic anabolic growth promoter used in the U. S. beef industry. The (-)-Gossypol {(-)-GP} enantiomer, a potent natural polyphenolic agent contained in cottonseed products possesses anticancer and chemopreventive activities. We investigate whether (-)-GP interferes with Z- or leptin-induced MCF-7 Adr cell proliferation. After 24 hours treatment, cell proliferation and mRNA expression levels were analyzed from controls and treated cell samples. Exposure of Z at 30 nM and leptin at 100 ng/ml for 24 hrs significantly increased MCF-7 Adr cell growth. The combined treatment of 30 nM Z and 100 ng/ml of leptin further stimulated the cell proliferation compared to treatment of Z or leptin alone. (-)-GP at 5 µM significantly suppressed the Z- and leptin-induced cell proliferation. Leptin or Z treatment is capable of suppressing the PTP γ, enhancing the cyclin D1 mRNA expression levels. However, (-)-GP treatment reversed the stimulatory effect of Z and leptin’s regulation on PTP γ and cyclin D1 expressions. Z and leptin are capable of stimulating human breast cancer cell growth and (-)-GP suppresses both actions of Z and leptin on human breast cancer cell growth. Our report is the first to reveal that (-)-GP as a food component in cottonseed products may serve as a potential chemopreventive agent to suppress the stimulatory effect of Z and leptin on human breast cancer cells. (Supported by Grants from NIH R01 ES 015212 and Cotton Inc. Project No. 06-864).
Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-4 exerts antifibrotic activity by reducing levels of connective tissue growth factor and the C-X-C chemokine receptor 4

The Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system plays an important role in variety cellular biological functions; we previously reported levels of IGF binding proteins (IGFBP) -3 and -5 are increased in dermal and pulmonary fibrosis associated with the prototypic fibrosing disease systemic sclerosis (SSc), induce extracellular matrix (ECM) production, and promote fibrosis. We sought to examine the effects of another member of the family, IGFBP-4, on ECM production and fibrosis using cell-based, ex vivo organ culture and in vivo mouse lung fibrosis models. IGFBP-4 mRNA levels were significantly decreased in pulmonary fibroblasts of patients with SSc. ECM components were significantly reduced by endogenous and exogenous IGFBP-4. IGFBP-4 also blocked TGFβ-induced ECM production, and inhibited ECM production ex vivo in human lung and skin in organ culture. In vivo, IGFBP-4 reduced bleomycin-induced collagen production and histologic evidence of fibrosis. Silencing IGFBP-4 expression to mimic levels observed in SSc lung fibroblasts resulted in increased ECM production. IGFBP-4 reduced mRNA and protein levels of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 and the pro-fibrotic factor CTGF. Further, CTGF silencing potentiated the anti-fibrotic effects of IGFBP-4. Reduced IGFBP-4 levels in SSc lung fibroblasts may contribute to the fibrotic phenotype via loss of IGFBP-4 anti-fibrotic activity.
Praise of mercury

Abstract Mercury is a truly unique electrode material, which due to its liquid state offers significant advantages, not accessible to solid electrodes. With normal, good laboratory procedures it has been and can be handled safely. It has broad range of applications in physical electrochemistry and electroanalytical chemistry. In this article three somewhat unusual examples of application of mercury electrode are presented: its use as a liquid junction-free reference electrode, as a miniature Langmuir trough for scanning tunneling microscopy and as a new tool for electrochemistry of biomacromolecules.
Communication—Pressure Evolution in Constrained Rechargeable Lithium-metal Pouch Cells

Understanding the role of pressure on improving cycle life for high energy rechargeable lithium metal batteries (LMBs) is crucial for their adoption in practical applications. In this work, a fixed-gap test fixture is developed to monitor stack pressure of a multi-layer, 300 Wh kg−1 LMB over 245 cycles. During early cycling, a linear fade in discharge capacity is mirrored by a steady increase in baseline pressure. In later cycles, cell failure is linked to a large increase in baseline pressure due to irreversible side reactions such as continued SEI formation and gas evolution, as corroborated by incremental capacity analysis.
Profiling Platform Storage Using IO500 and Mistral

This paper explores how we used IO500 and the Mistral tool from Ellexus to observe detailed performance characteristics to inform tuning IO performance on Astra, a ARM-based Sandia machine with an all flash, Lustre-based storage array. Through this case study, we demonstrate that IO500 serves as a meaningful storage benchmark, even for all flash storage. We also demonstrate that using fine-grained profiling tools, such as Mistral, is essential for revealing tuning requirement details. Overall, this paper demonstrates the value of a broad spectrum benchmark, like IO500, together with a fine grained performance analysis tool, such as Mistral, for understanding detailed storage system performance for better informed tuning.
A Rare Case of Catastrophic Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome: A Case Report and Review of Traditional Cardiovascular Risk Factors Implicated in Disease Occurrence.

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a multisystem autoimmune condition characterized by recurrent thrombosis and/or recurrent pregnancy loss. Clinical manifestations include minor clots to clots involving multiple organ systems, termed catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS). The interaction of several autoantibodies, anti-beta-2-glycoprotein 1 antibodies, lupus anticoagulant, and anticardiolipin antibody with plasma proteins is associated with a heightened procoagulant state. As a result, physicians need to recognize this syndrome in a patient presenting with thrombosis in multiple organs. Not only this, but physicians must be aware of traditional cardiovascular risk factors that increase a patient's risk of atherosclerosis, such as diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and smoking that increase these patient's clot risk. Primary care doctors must be diligent in recognizing and aggressively controlling traditional risk factors to prevent further endothelial and vascular injury that can precipitate thrombosis. We present here a case of a 69-year-old female who presented with thrombosis in several organs, which proved to be secondary to CAPS. Unfortunately, she also had several cardiovascular risk factors that put her at an increased risk of clot formation and propagation. After the resolution of her acute thrombotic event, she was sent home on anticoagulation but returned with clot propagation.
Executing Simon’s Law: A Case Report of a Neonate with Trisomy 18

Background: Signed into Kansas law in April 2017, "Simon's Law" dictates that a “do-not-resuscitate order or similar physician’s order” may not be placed in an unemancipated minor’s chart unless at least one parent or guardian has been informed orally and in writing of the intent to place the order, and a reasonable attempt has been made to reach the other parent. If there is a disagreement, either parent may petition the court, and an order may not be placed until proceedings are completed. …
Bounds on the Rate-Dependent Plastic Flow of Tantalum up to 75 GPa

We report on the continued development of thermodynamics-based analysis of shock waves propagation with the objective of extracting information related to materials strength at high strain rates and pressures. Building on previous results reported for peak stresses of 10 GPa and 25 GPa, we present a series of three-step gas-gun shock experiments designed to explore the pressure and strain rate dependence of plastic flow in polycrystalline tantalum. These experiments at nominal peak stresses of 50 GPa and 75 GPa show the irreversible deformation before pullback to be almost entirely confined to the shock loading, with negligible plastic relaxation on the post-shock plateau. We also add a reverse-ballistics shot at 25 GPa, which was designed to reveal the pullback response with negligible interference from free-surface effects. General thermodynamic considerations allow us to place bounds on the plastic behavior even for parts of the curve that change far too rapidly for the velocimetric time resolution of (conservatively) ~ 5 ns. To analyze the data, we found it necessary to substantially improve the interpolation/extrapolation scheme in order to improve its robustness, flexibility and range of applicability. We describe the new scheme based on splines, as well as an extension of free-surface corrections to the post-shock rarefaction waves. Reanalysis with the new scheme produces results essentially within the error bars previously reported, showing that the known systematic errors associated with free-surface effects are relatively inconsequential for determining thermodynamic paths.
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-associated Myopathies Define a Distinct Subtype of Immune-mediated Myopathies (2489)

Objective: To describe clinical features and outcome in patients with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-associated myopathies. Background: ICIs have revolutionized the treatment of metastatic cancers. By upregulating immune responses, ICIs may cause autoimmune complications, including myopathies. Design/Methods: We retrospectively identified patients seen at our institution between 2015 and 2019 with ICI-associated myopathy diagnosed pathologically, electrophysiologically or by abnormal extraocular muscle MRI. Results: We identified 22 patients with ICI-associated myopathies [ICIs used: pembrolizumab (15), nivolumab (3), avelumab (1) and combined ipilimumab and nivolumab (3)]. Median age-at-onset was 68.5 years (range 27–86). Patients received 1–18 ICI doses (median 2) prior to symptom onset. Eleven patients (50%) developed ptosis and/or ophthalmoparesis at onset; six had subtle or no limb weakness. Three patients developed respiratory failure requiring intubation and 4 developed myocarditis. Nine underwent muscle biopsy which showed a necrotizing myopathy (NM) without inflammation. Five patients with predominant ocular symptoms had abnormal MRI of the extraocular muscles. The median creatine kinase (CK) level was 262 IU/L (range:109–598) in ocular predominant, 611 IU/L (range:23–5839) in generalized myopathy and 429 IU/L (range:26–2865) in biopsy-proven NM patients. Nine patients were tested for anti-HMGCR and anti-SRP antibodies and were seronegative. AChR antibodies were elevated in 3/16 patients without electrophysiological evidence of neuromuscular transmission defect. ICI were withheld in all patients, 20 received immunomodulatory/suppressive therapies. Six patients died from myopathy-related cardiorespiratory complications. Factors associated with mortality (p Conclusions: ICI-associated myopathies can present with generalized weakness associated with severe cardiorespiratory involvement or extra-ocular predominant phenotype. Normal or mildly elevated CK values do not exclude the diagnosis. Disclosure: Dr. Triplett has nothing to disclose. Dr. Milone has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for AAN, Neurology Genetics. Dr. Pinto has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zekeridou has received research support from patent pending on PDE10A-IgG as a biomarker of paraneoplastic autoimmunity. Dr. Liewluck has nothing to disclose.
Brief Report: A Brief Video Intervention for Increasing Autism Knowledge in a General Population Sample.

As many individuals in the general population will likely interact with autistic persons in various contexts, ensuring adequate autism knowledge and awareness is important. Increased knowledge of autism has been linked to positive outcomes such as a reduction in explicit bias against autism by non-autistic adults and an increase in service quality for autistic individuals provided by indirect professionals. For this study we developed an informational video about autism and employed a randomized control trial to evaluate its effectiveness at increasing autism awareness in a general population sample. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 80) or active control group (n = 72). Results from a repeated measures analysis of variance indicated that the video intervention was effective at increasing knowledge about autism. Results from this study can be applied to future educational efforts aimed at increasing awareness about autism among the general population.
" Welfare Reform: A Social Work Perspective for Assessing Success"

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 has instituted major changes in providing for the poor in the United States. This article examines the importance of evaluating the impact of this legislation from a social work perspective. Using Mannheim as a theoretical orientation, welfare reform is examined in relation to dominant ideologies of the 90's. The salience of social work research, particularly qualitative research, in evaluating welfare reform outcomes is explored. Social workers are encouraged to challenge current ideology and utilize social work expertise to conduct research and disseminate information documenting the achievements and misfortunes of clients as a result of welfare reform
Erro médico: Eventos adversos em cuidados de saúde primários: Promover uma cultura de segurança

Patient safety has not been systematically included as a priority in the organization of care in Portuguese primary care health units. The concept of patient safety is not new and includes a group of activities designed to avoid adverse events in primary care. These adverse events include harm to patients, near misses, incidents, accidents and errors. Adverse events are caused by multiple factors and can be prevented. In order to do that, we need to know how anticipate and prevent these events. When they occur, we must be willing to report them, discuss them, share our experiences with others, and learn from them. Portuguese primary care requires a change towards a culture of safety which includes every act of care for the patient from the time of their entry until the time of their exit from the health care system.
Effect of Sodium Nitrite, Sodium Chloride, and Sodium Nitrate on Germination and Outgrowth of Anaerobic Spores

The effects of meat-curing agents on germination and outgrowth of putrefactive anaerobe 3679h (PA 3679h) spores were studied in microcultures. Nitrite concentrations up to 0.06% at p H 6.0 or between 0.8 and 1% at p H 7.0 allowed emergence and elongation of vegetative cells but blocked cell division. The newly emerged cells then lysed. With more than 0.06% nitrite at p H 6.0 or more than 0.8 to 1% at p H 7.0, the spores lost refractility and swelled, but vegetative cells did not emerge. Even as much as 4% nitrite failed to prevent germination (complete loss of refractility) and swelling of the spores. Sodium chloride concentrations above 6% prevented complete germination (i.e., the spores retained a refractile core). In the presence of 3 to 6% sodium chloride, most of the spores germinated and produced vegetative cells, but cell division was often blocked. Sodium nitrate had no apparent effect on germination and outgrowth at concentrations up to 2%. Images
Dermal-epidermal interactions and the action of alleles at the agouti locus in the mouse. II. The viable yellow (Avy) and mottled agouti (am) alleles.

Mice which express the viable yellow (Avy) or mottled agouti (am) alleles at the agouti locus have varying coat color phenotypes. Viable yellow produces random phenotypes ranging from yellow to agouti, while mottled agouti animals may have coat color phenotypes ranging from agouti to nonagouti (black). In order to determine the site of action of these two alleles, various dermal-epidermal recombinations of viable yellow (AvyAvy), mottled agouti (am/am), yellow (Ay/a), and nonagouti (a/a) embryonic skin were made. The results indicate that theA/vy andam alleles act in both the dermal and the epidermal components of the hair follicle. The role of dermal-epidermal interactions in the expression of agouti locus alleles is discussed.
Bioapplications for Photo‐Hydrolyzed Glass Surfaces

Silicate glasses form a hydrated gel layer when exposed to aqueous environments. The gel layer is a result of the structural rearrangement of the glass surface. The structural rearrangement results in a porous layer rich in Si-OH and adsorbed water molecules. However, the right conditions must exist for the gel layer to form. We have developed a new technique to form the gel layer using a combination of UV radiation and aqueous solution exposure. Exploitation of this technique can provide an entirely new class of biomaterials with a wide range of potential biotechnology and bioengineering applications. One such bioapplication is the fabrication of high density microarray surfaces. Microarray technology is currently being used for DNA and protein analysis. We are expanding the use of microarray surfaces to develop a miniature ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) system for detection of multiple water microbial contaminants. Soda lime silicate and alkaline earth aluminoborosilicate glass substrates were treated using a photo-hydrolytic process in the presence of an aqueous silanated solution. The combination of the UV radiation, aqueous submersion and organosilane resulted in a functionalized surface that demonstrates high binding efficiency with protein antibodies for water contaminant capture. The binding efficiency was determined using the florescence intensity of tagged antibodies. The alkaline earth aluminoborosilicate substrate treated using an aminopropyltrimethoxy silane modifier demonstrated the highest binding efficiency compared to 10 additional surface treatments and five commercially available systems.
Implementation of streaming audio and video for online Web based courses using MySQL database server and PHP

Next generation database systems will need to support both textual data and other types of multimedia data. These two types of data differ in their organization and management. Multimedia data comprises static media like text and images, that do not vary with time, and dynamic or continuous media like audio and video, that varies with time and requires a guaranteed transfer rate. Conventional database systems are designed for managing textual and numerical data, and retrieving such data is often based on simple comparisons of text/numerical values. However, this simple method of retrieval is longer adequate for the multimedia data, since the digitized representation of images, video, or data itself does not convey the reality of these media items. Multimedia data has certain characteristics that complicate their storage in conventional databases or file systems. First, multimedia data tends to be voluminous. Second, continuous media data, such as video and audio have timing characteristics associated with them. The proposed method is to store multimedia objects in a relational database, which offers several advantages over file system storage, like secure back up, concurrent login, and faster retrieval. The paper shows how database systems can be architected to support multimedia data, making use of a relational database system such as MySQL and the application of real time video streaming in delivering such data. Based on the user query, the retrieved audio/video data is streamed over the Web using Real System G2 which provides high quality audio and video at all bit rates and even under lossy network conditions.
Annexin V binds to viable B cells and colocalizes with a marker of lipid rafts upon B cell receptor activation

Recombinant annexin V (rAnV) has been used to identify apoptotic cells based on its ability to bind phosphatidylserine (PS), a lipid normally restricted to the cytoplasmic face of the plasma membrane, but externalized early during apoptosis. However, this association of rAnV binding and apoptosis is not an obligatory one. We demonstrate that rAnV binds to a large fraction of murine B cells bearing selectable Ag receptors despite the fact that these cells are not apoptotic. Phosphatidylserine, which is uniformly distributed on resting B cells, is mobilized to co-cap with IgM on anti-IgM-treated B cells and to colocalize with GM1, a marker of lipid rafts. Cross-linking PS before anti-IgM treatment sequesters this lipid and alters signaling through IgM. Thus, PS exposed on the majority of B cells in vivo does not reflect early apoptosis, but, instead, plays a role in receptor-mediated signaling events.
Measurement of thermally induced die stresses in flip chip on laminate assemblies

Mechanical stress distributions in packaged silicon die that have resulted during assembly or environmental testing can be accurately characterized using test chips incorporating integral piezoresistive sensors. In this paper, measurements of thermally induced stresses in flip chip on laminate assemblies are presented. Transient die stress measurements have been made during underfill cure, and the room temperature die stresses in final cured assemblies have been compared for several different underfill encapsulants. In addition, stress variations have been monitored in the assembled flip chip die as the test boards were subjected to slow temperature changes from -40 to +150/spl deg/C. Using these measurements and ongoing numerical simulations, valuable insight has been gained on the effects of assembly variables and underfill material properties on the reliability of flip chip packages.