cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coastal Aerosol Profiling with a Camera Lidar and Nephelometer

Abstract A bistatic lidar configuration of a wide-angle camera (100°) and vertically pointed laser (532 nm) was used to profile aerosols at a coastal site. Aerosol profiles were measured on two evenings from the surface through the boundary layer. The site, on the eastern tip of the Big Island of Hawaii, is influenced by both marine boundary layer aerosols and breaking waves. Two nephelometers, located at 7 and 25 m above sea level, were compared directly with the 0.5-m-altitude resolution of the camera lidar (clidar). At 7 m, changes in aerosol were tracked quite well by the clidar. At 25 m the aerosol was fairly constant and a useful comparison could only be made with averaged values. The clidar results showed a steep gradient (decreasing with altitude) in the aerosol extinction from 7 to about 35 m. The gradient continued to 200 m at a lower rate. This demonstrated the use of the clidar in characterizing the environment for the in situ aerosol sampling. Both a measured and a NASA Aerosol Robotic Networ...
Hepatitis C Virus Infection and Substance Abuse: Medical Management and Developing Models of Integrated Care—An Introduction

Reprints or correspondence: Dr. Thomas F. Kresina, Div. of Pharmacotherapies and Medical Consequences of Drug Abuse, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 6001 Executive Blvd., Bethesda, MD 20892 (tk13v@nih.gov). Clinical Infectious Diseases 2005; 40:S259–62 2005 by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. 1058-4838/2005/4009S5-0001$15.00 Persons who use illegal drugs, who have a history of illegal drug use, or who have become addicted to illegal drugs through injection drug use constitute a majority of the patients with incident hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. These persons are at risk for other infectious diseases, such as HIV infection, and exhibit comorbidities associated with drug use, such as psychiatric illness. The medical management of HCV infection in these patients is complex and challenging. The 2002 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Hepatitis C Consensus Conference recommended treatment for HCV for injection drug users (IDUs), as determined on a case-by-case basis. This recommendation does not provide substantial guidance and support for healthcare providers dealing with the complex and challenging health-care issues associated with substance abuse and hepatitis C. To elucidate more fully the NIH Consensus Conference Statement on issues related to substance abuse, the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the NIH sponsored a conference to address the clinical issues associated with HCV infection, care, and treatment in the context of drug use to define research gaps for future research initiatives. The conference was held on 11– 13 November 2003 in Washington, DC. Cosponsors included the Office of AIDS Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the NIH, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. The conference brought together infectious diseases specialists, hepatologists, and those who care for persons with substance abuse, to identify issues in the treatment of patients with HCV infection and coinfection with HIV and HCV, to discuss the development of models for integrated care and treatment of patients infected with HCV and coinfected with HIV and HCV, and to identify gaps in knowledge that can be addressed by a research agenda.
Ethanol Craze Growth in Polycarbonate

Ethanol craze growth kinetics in polycarbonate (PC) were studied using single edge notch (SEN) specimens over the temperature range 280-340K; the data were analyzed by fracture mechanics and kinetic rate theory.
Apical maxi K channels in intercalated cells of CCT

High-conductance (maxi) K channels in the apical membrane of rat and rabbit cortical collecting tubules (CCT) were studied using the patch-clamp technique. Principal cells (PC) and intercalated cells (IC) were distinguished with Hoffman modulation optics in split-open tubules. IC were further identified by staining tubules with the fluorescent mitochondrial dye, rhodamine 123. Maxi-K channels were distinguished by their high conductance (greater than 80 pS) and voltage-dependent kinetics. In CCT of rats on a low-Na diet, maxi K channels were observed in 11% of the cell-attached patches on PC and 79% of patches on IC. In rats on a normal diet, the channels were seen in 23 and 79% of patches on PC and IC, respectively. In the rabbit CCT, maxi K channels were observed in 12% (4 of 32) of the patches on PC and 82% (122 of 148) of the patches on IC. The greater abundance of channels in IC was confirmed in rat CCT using the whole-cell clamp technique. Current through the maxi K channels (IK) was measured as the tetraethylammonium (TEA)-sensitive (2.5 mM) outward current in cells equilibrated with 115 mM K and 10(-5) M Ca2+ in the pipette solution. When the cell was clamped to an internal potential of +40 mV, the average IK per cell was -4 +/- 5 pA in PC and 290 +/- 90 pA in IC. Lowering cytoplasmic Ca2+ from 10(-5) M to 10(-7) M reduced IK to 32 +/- 21 pA. Neither single Na channels nor amiloride-sensitive whole-cell currents were seen in IC. Finally, maxi K channels could be activated by pipette suction (10-40 cm H2O) in either cell-attached or inside-out patches on IC from rabbit CCT. This mechanosensitivity was observed even after chelation of free Ca2+ with ethylene glycol-bis (beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) in the pipette or the bath solutions, implying that stretch activation of these channels was not mediated by increased Ca2+ entry into the cell. The IC maxi K channel may play a role in cell volume regulation or in K secretion during elevation of luminal hydrostatic pressure.
The effects of litter carrying on rifle shooting

This study investigated whether the use of a shoulder harness would affect shooting accuracy after patient litter carrying. Two- and four-person teams, 12 male and 9 female soldiers, fired at targets before and after (1) a 15-minute bout of rapid, short litter carries and lifts, and (2) a moderate speed 30-minute litter carry with and without a harness for both types of carries. Shooting accuracy was 10% poorer (p Language: en
Multi-Line Guided Mode Resonant Filters with Controlled Spectral Separation

Two-dimensional guided mode resonant filter with multiple wavelength resonances is presented. Wide spectral separation between resonances up to 23% of the short resonant wavelength is achieved by modifying the grating periodicity and other physical dimensions.
In Situ Measurement of Waves and Turbulence in the T-REX Campaign

The Air Force Research Laboratory participated in the NSF Terrain Rotor Experiment (TREX) from 20 March through 6 April 2006, which included 3 intensive observation periods (IOPs) of the 15 IOPs of the two month T-REX campaign. AFRL focused on the higher altitude turbulence associated with mountain waves. The AFRL flew thermosondes to measure optical turbulence up to 30km. They include a radiosonde to measure meteorological data. Standard radiosondes were also launched to sense atmospheric data including atmospheric wave signatures. These instruments were launched from the windward side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in order to try to examine the atmosphere at high altitudes. Fifteen thermosondes launches and 10 radiosonde launches were successful. Many of the launches showed evidence of mountain waves, some accompanied by high levels of optical turbulence
397 PROSTATE-SPECIFIC ANTIGEN TESTING IN THE MEDICARE POPULATION: ARE WE TOO AGGRESSIVE?

Objective Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing for prostate cancer is controversial. Although prostate cancer-specific mortality is probably reduced, the all-cause mortality benefit of aggressive prostate cancer treatment is unproven and probably small at best. There is a substantial negative impact of treatment on men9s quality of life. As a result, PSA screening should be discussed with all men but generally reserved for men who are likely to live at least 10 years, as reflected in recommendations from national organizations. Since functional limitation generally indicates poorer prognosis, we would expect that PSA testing should decrease with the presence of impairment in activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL) in Medicare beneficiaries. Method We performed a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS), a nationally representative sample of noninstitutionalized Medicare beneficiaries (age ≥ 65) from the 2002 wave of the MCBS. Using logistic regression, we explored the relationship of PSA to age, race, HMO status, each of eight comorbidities, and any ADL or IADL impairment. Results Of 3,729 surveyed Medicare beneficiaries, 70% reported having undergone PSA testing in the past year. With age 65, white race, and no impairment or comorbidity as the reference group, factors associated with significantly higher odds of PSA testing included cardiovascular disease (odds ratio [OR] =1.24, 95% CI 1.05-1.45), hypertension (OR = 1.60, 1.38-1.88), cancer (OR = 1.60, 1.23-2.08), and arthritis (OR = 1.30, 1.12-1.52). Significantly lower than reference odds for PSA testing were seen for African American race (OR = 0.66, 0.51-0.87), IADL impairment (OR = 0.89, 0.84-0.96), and stroke (OR = 0.79, 0.63-0.99). No significant difference was seen for age, ADL impairment, HMO membership, diabetes, COPD, or psychiatric comorbidity. Conclusion There is no evidence of reduction in PSA testing with ADL impairment and little for IADL impairment in Medicare beneficiaries in the 2002 MCBS survey. There may be an opportunity to reduce the adverse quality of life impact of PSA testing and subsequent treatment for men who are unlikely to derive a longevity benefit, specifically those men who are unlikely to live 10 years. The study is limited in that we cannot determine if PSA testing was used as a screening or diagnostic test in response to urinary symptoms and that functional status is an imperfect predictor of prognosis.
Matrix modifier GF-AAS determination of urinary manganese

Objective:To establish a method for determination of manganese in urine by GFAAS.Methods:The sample was diluted directly,using the tube A,Zeeman background correction and measured with graphite-furnace atomic absorption spectrometry.Results:A detection limit was 0.01 ng/ml,recovery rate 91.5%～108.9% and the relative deviation 4.2%～14.1%.Conclusion:The method is simple and nice and can be recommended for the determination of manganese in urine.
Characterizing Dynamical Complexity in Interfacial Waves

Waves on a fluid interface may be excited parametrically by vertical excitation of the container (Faraday, 1831). These waves illustrate the full spectrum of dynamical complexity, including stationary patterns, periodically or chaotically oscillating patterns, and spatiotemporal chaos. A variety of experiments performed at Haverford and illustrating these phenomena are reviewed, with emphasis on the development of methods for studying complex dynamics. A general review of this problem has been given by Miles & Henderson (1990).
Renaissance Culture in Recent Soviet Historical Studies

Rarely has a scholar exercised such influence over the interpretation of an historical period as Jakob Burckhardt on the Italian Renaissance. First published over a century ago, his "essay" (Versuch) advanced a set of theses that have stood behind serious scholarship ever since. Burckhardt developed clearly the characteristic themes of Renaissance historiography — the state as a work of art, the development of the individual, the revival of antiquity, and so forth — and he molded them into an engaging, impressionistic portrait of Renaissance Italy as the first manifestation of modern civilization.
An examination of relative satisfaction and share of wallet: Investigating the impact of country and customer characteristics

Purpose – Absolute satisfaction ratings are widely used, but demonstrate a poor link to share of wallet (SOW), in part because this relationship is mediated and/or moderated by customer characteristics (including total spend in the category) and heterogeneity of scale usage. Relative satisfaction metrics, such as the Wallet Allocation Rule, have been shown to produce a much stronger link to SOW than absolute monadic ratings. The purpose of this paper is to compare absolute and relative satisfaction models after controlling for these mediating and moderating factors and re-examine the impact of these factors when using relative, rather than absolute metrics. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 3,793 satisfaction ratings by 1,172 unique grocery customers across five countries (USA, Brazil, Chile, France and Germany) are used to evaluate the mediating and moderating impacts of scale usage and customer characteristics on the relationship between satisfaction and SOW. Findings – Relative metrics continue t...
Evidence That High pCO2 Affects Protein Metabolism in Tropical Reef Corals

Early life stages of the coral Seriatopora caliendrum were used to test the hypothesis that the depression of dark respiration in coral recruits by high pCO2 is caused by perturbed protein metabolism. First, the contribution of protein anabolism to respiratory costs under high pCO2 was evaluated by measuring the aerobic respiration of S. caliendrum recruits with and without the protein synthesis inhibitor emetine following 1 to 4 days at 45 Pa versus 77 Pa pCO2. Second, protein catabolism under high pCO2 was evaluated by measuring the flux of ammonium (NH4 (+)) from juvenile colonies of S. caliendrum incubated in darkness at 47 Pa and 90 Pa pCO2. Two days after settlement, respiration of recruits was affected by an interaction between emetine and pCO2, with emetine reducing respiration 63% at 45 Pa pCO2 and 27% at 77 Pa pCO2. The interaction disappeared 5 days after settlement, when respiration was reduced 27% by emetine under both pCO2 conditions. These findings suggest that protein anabolism accounted for a large proportion of metabolic costs in coral recruits and was affected by high pCO2, with consequences detected in aerobic respiration. Juvenile S. caliendrum showed net uptake of NH4 (+) at 45 Pa pCO2 but net release of NH4 (+) at 90 Pa pCO2, indicating that protein catabolism, NH4 (+) recycling, or both were affected by high pCO2. Together, these results are consistent with the hypothesis that high pCO2 affects protein metabolism in corals.
Ultrasonic Measurement of the Earing Behavior of Aluminum Plate

Material processing such as rolling most certainly introduces a preferred orientation (or texture) in the material. This anisotropy in mechanical properties has an important effect on the fabricability of the metal. For example, when drawing a cylindrical metal sheet, ears are formed around the top edge of the drawn sheet as shown in Fig. 1. These ears result from the sheet metal being stronger in one direction than in other directions in the plane of the sheet. This is also referred to as planar anisotropy which causes different deformations in various directions. In order to assure the quality of the product and to improve the manufacturing process, an effective way of measuring crystallographic texture has been sought for decades.
Hyperspectral Band Selection From Statistical Wavelet Models

High spectral resolution brings hyperspectral images with large amounts of information, which makes these images more useful in many applications than images obtained from traditional multispectral scanners with low spectral resolution. However, the high data dimensionality of hyperspectral images increases the burden on data computation, storage, and transmission; fortunately, the high redundancy in the spectral domain allows for significant dimensionality reduction. Band selection provides a simple dimensionality reduction scheme by discarding bands that are highly redundant, thereby preserving the structure of the data set. This paper proposes a new criterion for pointwise-ranking-based band selection that uses a nonhomogeneous hidden Markov chain (NHMC) model for redundant wavelet coefficients of each hyperspectral signature. The model provides a binary multiscale label that encodes semantic features that are useful to discriminate spectral types. A band ranking score considers the average correlation among the average NHMC labels for each band. We also test richer discrete-valued label vectors that provide a more finely grained quantization of spectral fluctuations. In addition, since band selection methods based on band ranking often ignore correlations in selected bands, we study the effect of redundancy elimination, applied on the selected features, on the performance of an example classification problem. Our experimental results also include an optional redundancy elimination step and test their effect on classification performance that is based on the selected bands. The experimental results also include a comparison with several relevant supervised band selection techniques.
Quality of life outcomes after endoscopic approaches to intracranial tumors.

Purpose of review To review the literature on quality of life (QOL) in endoscopic approaches to anterior and central intracranial skull-base disease. As endoscopic surgical techniques have gained widespread acceptance and complications and morbidity remain low and comparable with microscopic and open approaches, a shift to focusing on patients' perception of their own well being as an important outcome parameter has been made. In addition to the traditional measurements of surgical outcomes (extent of resection, recurrence rate, morbidity, survival, and complication rate), the success of a surgery can now be assessed using QOL measures. Recent findings The main tools for assessing QOL in endoscopic skull-base surgery (anterior skull-base questionnaire and 22-item sinonasal outcome test) were not specifically designed for endoscopic skull-base approaches, and recently, a new tool was introduced and validated, the skull-base inventory, adding to our armamentarium, but it has not yet been widely employed. Endoscopic skull-base surgery leads to improved or sustained long-term QOL overall but it is significantly influenced by tumor disease. Specific endoscopic surgical technique (such as nasoseptal flap closure) appears to have less impact on QOL. Summary It is becoming critical to assess therapeutic interventions in terms of impact on a patient's QOL. QOL can be useful in comparing efficacy of surgical interventions, and in the future, it will likely become a reportable indicator of surgical outcome and guide our surgical technique recommendations. Large-scale prospective multicenter trials would be beneficial.
Stable C and N isotope ratios reveal soil food web structure and identify the nematode Eudorylaimus antarcticus as an omnivore–predator in Taylor Valley, Antarctica

Soil food webs of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica are simple. These include primary trophic levels of mosses, algae, cyanobacteria, bacteria, archaea, and fungi, and their protozoan and metazoan consumers (including relatively few species of nematodes, tardigrades, rotifers, and microarthropods). These biota are patchily distributed across the landscape, with greatest faunal biodiversity associated with wet soil. Understanding trophic structure is critical to studies of biotic interactions and distribution; yet, McMurdo Dry Valley soil food web structure has been inferred from limited laboratory culturing and microscopic observations. To address this, we measured stable isotope natural abundance ratios of C (13C/12C) and N (15N/14N) for different metazoan taxa (using whole body biomass) to determine soil food web structure in Taylor Valley, Antarctica. Nitrogen isotopes were most useful in differentiating trophic levels because they fractionated predictably at higher trophic levels. Using 15N/14N, we found that three trophic levels were present in wet soil habitats. While cyanobacterial mats were the primary trophic level, the nematode Plectus murrayi, tardigrade Acutuncus antarcticus, and rotifers composed a secondary trophic level of grazers. Eudorylaimus antarcticus had a 15N/14N ratio that was 2–4‰ higher than that of grazers, indicating that this species is the sole member of a tertiary trophic level. Understanding the trophic positions of soil fauna is critical to predictions of current and future species interactions and their distributions for the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica.
Correlation Between Quality of Evidence and Number of Citations in Top 50 Cited Articles in Rotator Cuff Repair Surgery.

Background:The number of article citations has been used as a measure for the impact of an article in the medical literature, with little emphasis on quality.Purpose:To (1) identify the top 50 most...
A Cellular Automaton Simulation of the Development of Ocular Dominance Columns

Bands of cells in the visual cortex of many adult mammals are alternately dominated by inputs from the left and right eye1. These bands (or “ocular dominance columns”) result from the competitive interactions of the afferents from the two eyes.2 A simple connectionist model is presented. Only local interactions are used (a cellular automata) to produce a similar pattern of banding. The model is presented in terms of monkey (macaque) development, but the principles apply to cat and other animals as well
Analysis of a winning computational billiards player

We discuss CUECARD, the program that won the 2008 Computer Olympiad computational pool tournament. Beside addressing intrinsic interest in a complex competitive environment with unique features, our goal is to isolate the factors that contributed to the performance so that the lessons can be transferred to other, similar domains. Specifically, we distinguish among pure engineering factors (such as using a computer cluster), domain-specific factors (such as optimized break shots), and domain-independent factors (such as state clustering). Our conclusion is that each type of factor contributed to the performance of the program.
Rigorous space-time coupled-wave analysis for patterned surfaces with temporal permittivity modulation [Invited]

Material patterns with temporal modulation of permittivity provide an unprecedented platform for active light manipulation and multifunctional devices. The ongoing discovery of new classes of tunable optical materials combined with various multiphysics paradigms demands an appropriate computational tool to characterize and design the wave manipulation patterns with the additional degree of freedom (time). Here we present, for the first time, a fast and accurate numerical technique to compute light propagation through patterned layers with spatial and temporal modulation of permittivity by extending the well-established rigorous coupled-wave analysis framework. We expand the electric and magnetic field components of an arbitrarily shaped space-time unit cell into a basis of spatio-temporal harmonics and compute their modal field profiles as a set of eigenmodes of the unit cell. The relation between the wave amplitudes of the incident, reflected, and transmitted spatio-temporal harmonics are then computed by enforcing the boundary conditions at each interface of the pattern. The validity of the proposed method is rigorously verified against the results of a time-variant finite-difference time-domain technique. The applicability of the method to study dielectric and plasmonic time-modulated metasurfaces is exemplified by considering two metasurfaces with spatially-variant phase and frequency of temporal modulation, based on electro-optical modulation of materials such as silicon and graphene. Utilizing the developed technique, we demonstrate some recently reported phenomena associated with time-modulated metasurfaces, such as anomalous steering of higher-order frequency harmonics, and dynamic optical beam generation. Even though we restrict ourselves to one-dimensional patterns for simplicity, the developed method can be flexibly employed for the design, characterization and optimization of two-dimensional spatio-temporal modulation patterns of arbitrary composition and shape.
Diálogos hemisféricos entre feminismos del norte y sur: genealogías de feminismos críticos latinoamericanos

This article explores some of the historical genealogies of Latin American feminisms in conversation with the so-called “third world feminisms” in the United States by chicana and black women. This work distances itself from evolutionist visions of Feminist Thought, that inadvertently subscribe the claims of supremacy of the West. More in accordance with a decolonial perspective, it prefers to see genealogies in a logic of simultaneous time.Realidad: Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades No. 151, 2018: 89-107
To Device Three Research Questions that Could beExamined, and Tested by Applying the TechniquesChosen from the Data Which is Provided by UniversityStatistics Department

The questionnaire for the healthy life survey carried out in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Northampton shire and Oxford shire health authorities this survey was designed to study the adult population in 4 health authorities...
Religious congregations and crime incidents: opportunity and bias

Religious congregations’ experiences with crime victimization are an under-researched and poorly understood phenomenon. Religious congregations represent a street crime target as a potential source...
Morbidity, mortality and temporal trends in the surgical management of retroperitoneal sarcoma: An ACS-NSQIP follow up analysis

BACKGROUND Calls for multivisceral resection (MVR) of retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) are increasing, although the risks and benefits remain controversial. We sought to analyze current 30-day morbidity and mortality rates, and trends in utilization of MVR in a national database. METHODS Overall morbidity, severe morbidity, mortality rates, and temporal trends were analyzed utilizing the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP). RESULTS From 2012 to 2015, a total of 564 patients underwent RPS resection with 233 patients (41%) undergoing MVR. The MVR group had a higher rate of preoperative weight loss and larger tumors overall. When comparing MVR to non-MVR, there was no significant difference in overall morbidity (22% vs 17%, P = .13), severe morbidity (11% vs 8%, P = .18), or mortality (<1% vs 2%, P = .25). On multivariate analysis, MVR was not associated with increased overall morbidity or severe morbidity. Mortality rates were too low for meaningful statistical analysis. Annual rates of MVR ranged from 37% to 46% with no significant change over time (P = .47). RESULTS Short-term morbidity and mortality rates after MVR for RPS remain acceptable, but rates of MVR show little change over time in NSQIP hospitals. Concerns about increased morbidity and mortality should not be viewed as a contraindication to wider implementation of MVR for RPS.
Molecular modification of a recombinant anti-CD3ε-directed immunotoxin by inducing terminal cysteine bridging enhances anti-GVHD efficacy and reduces organ toxicity in a lethal murine model

Immunotoxin (IT) therapy shows potential for selectively eliminating GVHD-causing T cells in vivo, but the field has been hampered by toxicity. Previously, we showed that a genetically engineered IT consisting of a single-chain protein, including the anti-CD3sFv spliced to a portion of diphtheria-toxin (DT390) has anti-GVHD effects, but pronounced organ toxicity common to this class of agent. A recombinant DT390 anti-CD3sFv protein previously shown to have anti-GVHD activity was modified to reduce its filtration into kidney by genetically inserting a cysteine residue downstream of the sFv moiety at the c-terminus of the protein. This modification produced an intermolecular disulfide bridge, resulting in a bivalent, rather than a monovalent IT, termed SS2, that selectively inhibited T-cell proliferation in vitro. Although monomer and SS2 were similar in in vitro activity, SS2 had a superior therapeutic index in vivo with at least 8-fold more being tolerated with reduced kidney toxicity. Most importantly, in a lethal model of GVHD, 40 μg SS2 given for 1 day, protected 100% of the mice from lethal GVHD for 3 months, whereas the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of monomer protected only 33%. To our knowledge, this is the first time disulfide bonded ITs have been created in this way and this simple molecular modification may address several problems in the IT field because it (1) markedly increased efficacy curing mice of GVHD after a single daily treatment, (2) markedly decreased organ toxicity, (3) increased the tolerated dosage, and (4) created a therapeutic window where none existed before.
Biomedical soft robots: current status and perspective

This paper reviews the current status of soft robots in biomedical field. Soft robots are made of materials that have comparable modulus of elasticity to that of biological systems. Several advantages of soft robots over rigid robots are safe human interaction, ease of adaptation with wearable electronics and simpler gripping. We review design factors of soft robots including modeling, controls, actuation, fabrication and application, as well as their limitations and future work. For modeling, we survey kinematic, multibody and numerical finite element methods. Finite element methods are better suited for the analysis of soft robots, since they can accurately model nonlinearities in geometry and materials. However, their real-time integration with controls is challenging. We categorize the controls of soft robots as model-based and model-free. Model-free controllers do not rely on an explicit analytical or numerical model of the soft robot to perform actuation. Actuation is the ability to exert a force using actuators such as shape memory alloys, fluid gels, elastomers and piezoelectrics. Nonlinear geometry and materials of soft robots restrict using conventional rigid body controls. The fabrication techniques used for soft robots differ significantly from that of rigid robots. We survey a wide range of techniques used for fabrication of soft robots from simple molding to more advanced additive manufacturing methods such as 3D printing. We discuss the applications and limitations of biomedical soft robots covering aspects such as functionality, ease of use and cost. The paper concludes with the future discoveries in the emerging field of soft robots.
Explosive martensitic transformation of supercooled austenite in CuZr-based thin-film shape memory alloys

Abstract CuZr-based alloys are being considered as potential shape memory alloys for use in high-temperature applications. We have conducted a study on the effects of several alloying elements on the shape memory properties of these alloys using polycrystalline thin-film samples. Here we report on the explosive formation of martensite in supercooled CuZr, CuZrNi and CuZrCo samples. This explosive transformation behavior is characterized by the following observations: 1) The high-temperature austenitic phase can be supercooled below the martensite finish temperature Mf. At a critical temperature below Mf, austenite transforms to martensite across the entire sample in less than a microsecond. 2) The critical temperature has a narrow distribution and decreases slightly with higher cooling rate. 3) Observation of supercooling and explosive transformation behavior depends on the temperature history above the austenite finish temperature Af. If a sample is quenched immediately after heating above Af, martensite forms gradually on cooling below Ms; if a sample is allowed to dwell a few seconds above Af, the martensite forms explosively. We suggest that the gradual transformation proceeds by martensite growth on defects that accumulate during successive transformation cycles. If the sample is allowed to dwell at a temperature above Af, however, these defects are annihilated and the transformation is nucleation-limited. Nucleation of martensite then requires significant supercooling. The defect annihilation process is highly sensitive to temperature and has an apparent activation energy of 326 kJ/mol, which is too large for a simple diffusion-limited process. Transmission electron microscopy of CuZrCo samples suggests that the defects may be related to the presence of residual martensite.
Quantum Phase Engineering of Two-Dimensional Post-Transition Metals by Substrates: Toward a Room-Temperature Quantum Anomalous Hall Insulator.

We propose a new strategy to engineer topological and magnetic properties of two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal lattices consisting of post-transition metals. Our first-principles calculations demonstr...
The evolution of parkinsonism in primary progressive apraxia of speech: A 6-year longitudinal study.

Abstract Introduction Primary progressive apraxia of speech (PPAOS) is a neurodegenerative syndrome in which patients present with an isolated motor speech disorder. Some PPAOS patients develop parkinsonism and other features of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and/or corticobasal syndrome (CBS) over time. We aimed to assess the evolution of parkinsonian characteristics in PPAOS patients who had been followed yearly for at least six years. Methods From a large cohort of 46 PPAOS patients, eight were followed yearly for > 6-years in multiple NIH-funded grants. Parkinsonian and other features, including bradykinesia, tremor, rigidity, postural instability, apraxia, ocular motor function and cognition were assessed at each visit, and research criteria applied for PSP and CBS diagnosis. Neurological, speech-language test scores, and [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose PET (FDG-PET) and MRI midbrain volumes were assessed. Results A Parkinson's plus syndrome developed in all eight patients (100%). Bradykinesia was the earliest feature, followed by rigidity and postural instability. Tremor was not a significant feature. Parkinsonism, limb apraxia and ocular motor impairment tended to develop four-to-five years after onset with some patients having slight asymmetric parkinsonism. Six patients (75%) met research criteria for probable PSP, although only one for PSP-Richardson's syndrome; three patients met criteria for possible CBS. Slightly asymmetric, left-sided, hypometabolism was observed on FDG-PET, not matching asymmetry of Parkinsonism. Midbrain hypometabolism was absent-minimal. Three patients had progressive midbrain volumes in the PSP-Richardson's syndrome range. Conclusions A Parkinson's plus syndrome may inevitably develop in PPAOS supporting PPAOS as an early presentation of a Parkinson's plus disorder.
Efficacy and Safety of Trametinib in Non-V600 BRAF Mutant Melanoma: A Phase II Study.

Lessons learned This study suggests that trametinib has significant clinical activity in non-V600 BRAF mutation and BRAF fusion metastatic melanoma, albeit in a small cohort. All patients with metastatic melanoma should undergo sequencing of the BRAF gene to identify noncanonical BRAF mutations that may indicate benefit from treatment with trametinib. Background Non-V600 BRAF mutations and BRAF fusions in aggregate occur in approximately 5% of all melanomas. Inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway has been implicated as a possible treatment strategy for these patients. Methods In this open-label, multicenter, phase II study, patients with advanced melanoma harboring mutations in BRAF outside V600 (non-V600) or BRAF fusions received trametinib 2.0 mg daily. Patients were divided into cohorts based on the intrinsic catalytic activity of BRAF mutation (high, cohort A; low/unknown, cohort B). The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) for patients in cohort A; secondary endpoints included ORR in cohort B, safety, and survival in both treatment arms. Results Among all patients, the ORR was 33% (three of nine patients), including 67% in cohort A and 17% in cohort B. Two patients had stable disease as best response, and six patients had some degree of tumor shrinkage. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 7.3 months. Treatment-related adverse events occurred in all patients (100%); most (89%) were grade 1-2. Conclusion In contrast to recently described tumor-agnostic studies in a genetically similar population, trametinib had considerable activity in a small population of patients with melanoma harboring BRAF non-V600 mutations and fusions, providing rationale for sequencing in search of these genomic alterations.
Suposiciones de grandes y densas poblaciones prehistóricas en la Amazonía, evaluadas a partir de las evidencias arqueológicas, etnográficas y ecológicas

Un creciente numero de antropologos ha apoyado la idea de la existencia de densas poblaciones sedentarias a traves de la Amazonia, basada principalmente en la presencia de manchas de terra preta a lo largo de rios principales que testifican la existencia de grandes asentamientos permanentes. Esta interpretacion es puesta a prueba por los resultados del reconocimiento arqueologico a lo largo de los rios Tocantins, Xingu, Jamari y Essequibo. El uso de criterios uniformes para clasificar ceramica procedente de multiples excavaciones estratigraficas en sitios habitacionales y la creacion de secuencias seriadas, proveen detalladas cronologias relativas en cada region que son complementadas por numerosos fechados radiocarbonicos.
Inclusion and equity: Experiences of underrepresented in medicine physicians throughout the medical education continuum.

The mission of pediatric medical education is to train the workforce who will provide and innovate child healthcare, including addressing healthcare inequities for children and adolescents of color. A diverse physician workforce is associated with more equitable outcomes. Therefore, it is imperative that our workforce continue to reflect the ever-growing diverse nature of our society. While diversity has been at the forefront of conversations for increasing the number of underrepresented communities in medicine, inclusion and equity are oftentimes overlooked. It is crucial to recognize that while diversity is an important aspect to the UIM experience, the overall impact of diversity is lessened when it is not paired with inclusion and equity. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to illustrate the experiences that shape inclusion and equity for UIM physicians along the training continuum and how those stressors may impact the wellness and career longevity of UIM physicians. Our study explored the experiences of UIM physicians throughout their medical education through the lens of inclusion and equity by exploring three common factors: social support, racism and discrimination, and wellbeing and burnout. There may be a perception that stressors, including racial discrimination, diminish with progression through one's educational career; however, this review suggests that these stressors manifest differently relative to the trials inherent to each career stage. By exploring the interplay between these factors and the UIM experience as a continuum, we are better able to discuss effective solutions to diversity, equity and inclusion for UIM physicians.
A model for K-shell x-ray yield from magnetic implosions at Sandia's Z machine

A zero dimensional thin-shell implosion model with a coupled equivalent circuit for the description of an imploding nested wire array or gas puff is presented. Model results have been compared with data from imploding stainless-steel wire arrays and good agreement has been found.
«Almost a partnership»: African-Americans, segregation, and the young men's Christian Association

Dans les Etats-Unis du XIX e siecle, l'« Association des Jeunes Hommes Chretiens » fut une organisation basee sur les principes chretiens de la fraternite. Cet article analyse sa conduite paradoxale, qui lui fit, d'un cote, integrer des gens de couleur en son sein, et, d'un autre, pratiquer et encourager une stricte segregation raciale. L'A. evoque les grandes migrations des Noirs du Sud vers les centres urbains du Nord, ainsi que l'action de quelques philanthropes comme facteurs d'evolution de la situation. Mais l'ambiguite de l'association a servi, aux yeux de l'A., de caution au systeme segregationniste, sous couvert de bienfaisance sociale
Radiation in a Moving Anisotropic Medium

Radiation due to time-harmonic source and field solution of electric dipole in moving uniaxial anisotropic medium by Minkowski theory
The Evaluation of Video Layout Strategies on a High-Bandwidth File Server

We propose a systems approach to providing video service which integrates the multi-resolution data generated by scalable compression algorithms with the high-bandwidth, high-capacity storage provided by disk arrays. The results of our simulations show that the storage of multi-resolution video permits service to considerably more users than the storage of single-resolution video. In addition, retrieval of data striped across the disks of an array can be performed much more efficiently than retrieval from a single disk.
High‐Velocity Impact Resistance of ZrB2‐SiC

The high-velocity impact resistance of hot-pressed zirconum diboride with 30 volume percent silicon carbide was studied using a combined experimental and computational approach. Test specimens in the form of 2 mm thick polished disks were impacted with ∼0.8 mm diameter tungsten carbide spheres at velocities up to 320 m/s. The intrinsic flexure strength of the specimens was ∼1000 MPa. The flexure strength retained by impacted specimens decreased linearly with increasing impact velocity, falling to ∼600 MPa at ∼290 m/s. Above this threshold velocity, the retained flexure strength fell rapidly, with no measurable retained strength for samples impacted at 320 m/s. The experimental results suggest gradual strength degradation is associated with the formation of shear and sliding faults under the impact zone at moderate impact velocities. The abrupt decrease in strength above 290 m/s is due to cone-crack propagation. Finite element modeling supports the failure mechanism for impact velocities above 290 m/s, but fails to provide insight as to the failure mechanism below this velocity.
Computation with Finitely Presented Groups

1. Basic concepts 2. Rewriting systems 3. Automata and rational languages 4. Subgroups of free products of cyclic groups 5. Coset enumeration 6. The Reidemeister-Schreier procedure 7. Generalized automata 8. Abelian groups 9. Polycyclic groups 10. Module bases 11. Quotient groups.
Analysis of serine-threonine kinase specificity using arrayed positional scanning peptide libraries.

Protein kinases vary substantially in their consensus phosphorylation motifs, the residues that are either preferred or deselected by the kinase at specific positions surrounding the phosphorylation site. The protocol described here is used to rapidly determine phosphorylation motifs for serine-threonine kinases. The procedure involves screening an arrayed combinatorial peptide library consisting of 198 biotinylated substrates. Peptides are phosphorylated by the kinase of interest in the presence of radiolabeled ATP and then captured on streptavidin membrane. The membrane is subsequently washed, dried and exposed to a phosphor screen to visualize and quantify incorporation of radiolabel into the peptides. The phosphorylation motif is thereby derived from the relative extent of phosphorylation of each peptide in the array.
Novel Expression of the Tyrosine Hydroxylase Gene Requires Both Acidic Fibroblast Growth Factor and an Activator

Substances found in the soluble extract of muscle can alter the differentiative fate of certain brain neurons in culture by triggering novel expression of the gene for the catecholamine biosynthetic enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) (Iacovitti et al., 1989; Iacovitt, 1991). In this study, we demonstrate that TH induction in cultured noncatecholamine neurons from the mouse striatum requires the cooperative interaction of at least two substances found in muscle. Purification studies, combined with biological assay, revealed that one necessary component is acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF), and the other, an unidentified molecule(s) of
Evidence of a ‘refugee paradox’ for antisocial behavior and violence in the United States

Few, if any, studies have examined antisocial behaviors among refugees especially using population-based samples. As such, it is unresolved whether the ‘immigrant paradox’ for antisocial behavior extends to include refugees. Employing data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, we assess the lifetime prevalence of antisocial behavior among refugees (n = 428) in contrast with non-refugee immigrants (n = 4955) and native-born Americans (n = 29,267). Additionally, we assess the effect of age of arrival and time spent in the Unites States. Results indicate that refugees were significantly less likely than native-born Americans or non-refugee immigrants to report involvement in any non-violent or violent behavior with the exception of injuring someone such that they had to receive medical attention. We also found no significant relationship between duration as refugee and antisocial behavior. However, persons who spent more than one year as a refugee were significantly more l...
Microtubules Negatively Regulate Insulin Secretion in Pancreatic β Cells

For glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), insulin granules have to be localized close to the plasma membrane. The role of microtubule-dependent transport in granule positioning and GSIS has been debated. Here, we report that microtubules, counterintuitively, restrict granule availability for secretion. In β cells, microtubules originate at the Golgi and form a dense non-radial meshwork. Non-directional transport along these microtubules limits granule dwelling at the cell periphery, restricting granule availability for secretion. High glucose destabilizes microtubules, decreasing their density; such local microtubule depolymerization is necessary for GSIS, likely because granule withdrawal from the cell periphery becomes inefficient. Consistently, microtubule depolymerization by nocodazole blocks granule withdrawal, increases their concentration at exocytic sites, and dramatically enhances GSIS in vitro and in mice. Furthermore, glucose-driven MT destabilization is balanced by new microtubule formation, which likely prevents over-secretion. Importantly, microtubule density is greater in dysfunctional β cells of diabetic mice.
Research For the Research Phobic: Developing Research Expertise in Hospital Social Work

The need for professional accountability and empirically based practice in hospital social work is growing. Yet, many clinicians are hampered by doubts about their knowledge and skill in research. A staff development program was designed by the author to increase staff awareness of empirical practice techniques and to reduce staff anxiety about their ability to consume and produce research. The program combines peer support and an incremental approach to learning research skills. Many of the participants were able to complete research-related activities after completing the program.
Standard reference material 2036 near-infrared reflection wavelength standard.

Standard Reference Material 2036 (SRM 2036) is a certified transfer standard intended for the verification and calibration of the wavelength/wavenumber scale of near-infrared (NIR) spectrometers operating in diffuse or trans-reflectance mode. SRM 2036 Near-Infrared Wavelength/Wavenumber Reflection Standard is a combination of a rare earth oxide glass of a composition similar to that of SRM 2035 Near-Infrared Transmission Wavelength/Wavenumber Standard and SRM 2065 Ultraviolet–Visible–Near-Infrared Transmission Wavelength/Wavenumber Standard, but is in physical contact with a piece of sintered poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE). The combination of glass contacted with a nearly ideal diffusely reflecting backing provides reflection–absorption bands that range from 15% R to 40% R. SRM 2036 is certified for the 10% band fraction air wavelength centroid location, 10%B, of seven bands spanning the spectral region from 975 nm to 1946 nm. It is also certified for the vacuum wavenumber 10%B of the same seven bands in the spectral region from 10 300 cm−1 to 5130 cm−1 at 8 cm−1 resolution. Informational values are provided for the locations of thirteen additional bands from 334 nm to 804 nm.