cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional Decline in Older Adults: Expanding Methods of Ascertainment

Background. There is substantial interest in the prevention of physical disability associated with aging. However, little is known about how to screen for declining function at sufficiently early stages to prevent frank disability. This work provides an initial description and assessment of a new self-report method for measuring Function in older adults which complements standard methods and may be sensitive to subtler degrees of disablement than currently employed methods. We operationalize the method and demonstrate that it identifies a meaningful number of people as potentially disabled who are not identified by standard methods; also, we evaluate the method's reliability and validity for identifying subtle functional decline relative to existing methods.Methods. This is a cross-sectional, observational study of a volunteer population of 231 adults 59 years and older, evaluated in a multidisciplinary laboratory. Self-reported difficulty and dependency in each of 27 tasks of daily life were assessed as the measure of disability. Those without difficulty were evaluated for other functional change, by self-report, defined as either: (a) modification of method, or (b) decreased frequency of task performance, when due to health rather than change in social circumstances. prevalence, test-retest reliability, construct, and criterion validity were evaluated.Results. In a study population in which from 1% to 50% of participants reported difficulty with each of 27 tasks, from 2% to 33% reported modification of task performance while not having difficulty. Few participants reported decreased frequency without modification. Persons with task modifications, particularly in mobility tasks, showed intermediate levels of performance on objectively measured tests and an intermediate number of chronic diseases, compared to those reporting difficulty and those reporting neither difficulty nor modification.Conclusions. Cross-sectional evidence supports the ability of the proposed method to identify meaningful numbers of people with functional decline wile were not identified by standard self-report methods. In some cases, these were individuals with functional losses comparable to those who did report difficulty. In other cases, these may have been individuals with earlier functional loss, perhaps representing a preclinical stage of disability. Prospective evaluation will identify whether this method predicts the onset of difficulty or disability, and whether it predicts decline with sufficient precision to identify at-risk individuals in a clinical setting.
On the dynamics of soil moisture, vegetation, and erosion: Implications of climate variability and change

[1] We couple a shear-stress-dependent fluvial erosion and sediment transport rule with stochastic models of ecohydrological soil moisture and vegetation dynamics. Rainfall is simulated by the Poisson rectangular pulses rainfall model with three parameters: mean rainfall intensity, duration, and interstorm period. These parameters are related to mean annual precipitation on the basis of published data. The model is used to investigate the sensitivity of grass cover and erosion potential to drought length, changes in storm frequency under fixed mean seasonal rainfall, and variations in mean annual precipitation. Three fundamental factors, amount of precipitation, storm frequency, and soil type, are predicted to control the system response. Variation in storm frequency is predicted to have a significant influence on sediment transport capacity because of its influence on vegetation dynamics. Our results predict soil loss potential to be more sensitive to a reduction in storm frequency (under fixed mean annual precipitation) in humid ecosystems than in arid and semiarid regions. The well-known dependence between mean annual sediment yields and precipitation (e.g., Langbein and Schumm, 1958) is reproduced by the model. Numerical experiments using different soil types underscore the importance of soil texture in controlling the magnitude and shape of such dependence. Coupling abiotic and biotic Earth surface processes under random climatic forcing is the salient aspect of our approach, opening new avenues for research in the emerging field of complex climate-soil-vegetation-landscape dynamics.
Bidirectional anisotropic reflectance of snow and sea ice in AVHRR Channel 1 and 2 spectral regions. I. Theoretical analysis

The bidirectional reflectance anisotropy in Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Channel 1 and 2 spectral regions for snow- and ice-covered surfaces was investigated using a comprehensive radiative transfer model for the coupled atmosphere, snow, ice, and ocean system. The model has been developed to include surface roughness effects. The importance of the scattering characteristics of snow and the surface roughness of sea ice to the bidirectional reflectance of these surfaces is presented. The modeled anisotropic factor, however, shows less sensitivity to aerosol loading and snow soot contamination than to solar elevation, snow phase function, and ice surface roughness. Results show high anisotropic reflectance factors (ARFs) and different reflectance features for snow and ice surfaces in both the AVHRR Channel 1 and 2 spectral regions. The model-observation comparison indicates that the model is able to predict the general characteristics of the bidirectional reflection of snow and sea ice. The introduction of surface roughness in the model can well explain the extremely strong forward or high anisotropic reflectance of sea ice.
Practical applications of nonlinear measurements

We contrast linear, VNA-based measurements, involving ratios of the magnitude and phase of individual frequency components, to measurements of nonlinear devices and circuits, where the relative phase between frequency components and the actual impedance in which a device is embedded are important. The architectures and calibration techniques for several types of instruments designed to satisfy these requirements are presented and compared. Examples of the use of these instruments for measurement and model development of nonlinear circuits are presented.
Quantification of diffusion-weighted images (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient maps (ADC) in the detection of acute stroke

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is an imaging modality that is used in the management and diagnosis of acute stroke. Common MR imaging techniques such as diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient maps (ADC) are used routinely in the diagnosis of acute infarcts. However, advances in radiology information systems and imaging protocols have led to an overload of image information that can be difficult to manage and time consuming. Automated techniques to assist in the identification of acute ischemic stroke can prove beneficial to 1) the physician by providing a mechanism for early detection and 2) the patient by providing effective stroke therapy at an early stage. We have processed DW images and ADC maps using a novel automated Relative Difference Map (RDM) method that was tailored to the identification and delineation of the stroke region. Results indicate that the technique can delineate regions of acute infarctions on DW images and ADC maps. A formal evaluation of the RDM algorithm was performed by comparing accuracy measurements between 1) expert generated ground truths with the RDM delineated DWI infarcts and 2) RDM delineated DWI infarcts with RDM delineated ADC infarcts. The accuracy measurements indicate that the RDM delineated DWI infarcts are comparable to the expert generated ground truths. The true positive volume fraction value (TPVF), between RDM delineated DWI and ADC infarcts, is nonzero for all cases with an acute infarct while the value for non-acute cases remains zero.
Response to Narveson

Our massive tampering with the world's interdependent web of life-coupled with the environmental damage inflicted by deforestation, species loss, and climate change-could trigger widespread adverse effects, including unpredictable collapses of critical biological systems whose interactions and dynamics we only imperfectly understand. Uncertainty over the extent of these effects cannot excuse complacency or delay in facing the threats ... We the undersigned, senior members of the world's scientific community, hereby warn all humanity of what lies ahead. A great change in our stewardship of the earth and the life on it is required, if vast human misery is to be avoided and our global home on this planet is not to be irretrievably mutilated. (Union of Concerned Scientists, 1992)
Interpretation of high-resolution spectra of Mars. IV - New calculations of the CO abundance

Recent measurements of the half-widths of lines, pressure broadened by CO2 at a temperature of 200 K, in the 0-2 band of CO are used to reestimate the amount of CO in the atmosphere of Mars. Assuming an air-mass factor of 3.5, the amount of CO in a vertical path through the Martian atmosphere is estimated to be approximately 5.6 cm-atm. A comparison of CO and O2 abundances indicates that there is about 3.4 times as much molecular oxygen on Mars than expected. It is suggested that the extra oxygen may come from photodissociation of water.
Exploring the Instructional Value and Worth of a MOOC

Technology offers new and innovative ways to deliver learning such as the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). The MOOC offers institutes of higher education a potential delivery method for delivering online learning. This study utilized a qualitative method to gather and analyze an active observer's experience within a MOOC. The results aligned with the current literature, demonstrating that MOOCs have potential as an educational tool, but careful consideration should be placed in what a participant values and finds worthwhile. Findings indicate that creating a worthwhile experience includes consideration of time constraints, consistence in delivery, and audience analysis.
Effect of alcohol on the psychological refractory period.

Ten subjects responded to two stimuli separated by varied interstimulus intervals. At the shorter intervals alcohol increased the reaction time to the second stimulus, suggesting that alcohol slows...
Computer-assisted pathology encoding and reporting system (CAPER).

An on-line computer-assisted pathology encoding and reportying system (CAPER) has been developed by the Department of Pathology and Laboratory of Computer Science of the Massachusetts General Hospital for a department of surgical pathology that processes more than 25,000 specimens yearly. CAPER performs clerical functions, including the accessioning of specimens, monitoring their state of completion, production of log books, billing, statistics, and transfer of diagnoses to other hospital departments. It also permits instantaneous display of all diagnoses rendered within two years, printout within 24 hours of all older diagnoses for any patient, and retrieval of all specimens with any given diagnosis, further defined by any data item (e.g., age) stored in the computer file.
Pain perception during transrectal ultrasound guided prostate needle biopsy: an objective analysis of local anesthesia use.

We assessed the effect of periprostatic nerve blockade during transrectal ultrasound of the prostate prior to obtaining systematic needle biopsies and the discomfort associated with this procedure. A prospective randomized study was performed on 100 men requiring systematic needle biopsy of the prostate. Patients were assigned to two groups: Group 1 received no local anesthesia and Group 2 received a periprostatic injection of 5 ml 1% lidocaine solution (2.5 ml bilaterally) prior to undergoing biopsy of the prostate. The patients were asked to respond to a pre- and post-procedural questionnaire which consisted of four questions designed to evaluate pain perception and pain experienced, respectively, during the entire procedure. Mean pain scores for Group 1 responses vs Group 2 responses were not statistically different for any of the pre-procedural questions. Post-procedural pain scores were significantly lower in Group 2 vs Group 1 (control) for questions 1 and 3: question 1 (2.6±1.8 vs 3.8±1.8, P<0.05), question 2 (3.0±1.9 vs 3.7±2.1, P=0.14). Question 3 (2.8±2.0 vs 4.3±1.9, P<0.05), and question 4 (1.6±2.4 vs 2.1±2.6, P=0.38). During the study, no patient from Group 2 experienced any adverse reaction from the injection. Our data suggest that periprostatic nerve blockade during transrectal ultrasound of the prostate results in less patient discomfort.
Making science clinically relevant

Clinical practice requires a sound foundation in the basic and clinical sciences. However, the traditional dental curriculum often separates the two in a variety of ways that reduce their integration. The basic sciences are commonly taught in the first two years by a basic science faculty with inconsistent integration with clinical dental practice. The clinical sciences are often taught by faculty who may not be actively involved in research-related activities. The curriculum is dense and is difficult to modify to adapt to evolving scientific discovery and application. The 1995 IOM report focuses much of its attention on these issues. The Harvard School of Dental Medicine has dramatically modified its curriculum twice in the recent past to more closely integrate the basic and clinical sciences and to promote the clinical relevance of the basic sciences. The class entering in 1980 began a five-year D.M.D. program that was designed to decompress the curriculum and increase experiences that enhance scientific and clinical integration. The class entering in 1994 initiated a four-year program that uses a problem-based learning design throughout the entire curriculum. Strategies for integrating the clinical and the basic sciences along with research training and experience were developed and implemented in both programs.
Ethnic food: the use of Cajun cuisine as a model.

Studies have shown that dietitians perceive a need for further education about ethnic food habits. Knowledge about the dietary habits of immigrants and ethnic groups is important for dietitians because those habits are frequently assimilated into the culinary traditions of America. The authors used Cajun cuisine as a model for studying a rapidly expanding form of ethnic food. The foods in Cajun cuisine are currently best-selling menu items, they challenge adaptation for modified diets, and they have been influenced by agricultural and social customs. Historically, Cajun food evolved from an area in south Louisiana called Acadiana. The Acadians were impoverished exiles from Nova Scotia who settled along the bayous of Louisiana and learned to use available foods in the area. Cajun cuisine was also influenced by the Creoles from the area of New Orleans located approximately 100 miles from the Cajun settlers. As part of the education process about ethnic food habits, one needs to consider the history, indigenous foods, symbolism and meaning of foods, food preparation methods, and adaptations that can be made for modified diets. When Cajun cuisine is used as a framework, nutrition education, counseling, and food preparation for ethnic groups may be more effective. J Am Diet Assoc 89:1117-1121, 1989.
Do standard doses of frequently prescribed drugs cause preventable adverse effects in women

Adverse effects from prescription medications are a leading cause of disability and death in the United States, and more than 75% of these adverse effects are dose related. This analysis examines women's experience with dose-related adverse effects of several major medication groups, including oral contraceptives, hormone replacement therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs, antihypertensives, statins, and others. The original recommended doses for oral contraceptives and conjugated estrogens were 100% to 800% higher than the doses recommended today. Unnecessarily high doses of ibuprofen and terfenadine were linked to serious and lethal dose-related adverse effects, and proven effective lower doses of celecoxib, fluoxetine, omeprazole, and many other medications were not initially marketed or recommended. Much of the data on effective low doses of drugs is not readily available to physicians or patients. The lack of information on or recommendations for the lowest, proven-effective doses of many major medications may in part explain the continued high incidence of dose-related adverse effects. The findings in this article suggest that women, especially elderly women, may be prone to adverse effects linked to unnecessarily high drug doses.
Legal Responses to Adolescent Victims of Sexual Violence

No major social institution is immune from special legal rules relating to the protection of adolescent victims from sexual violence. The strong prohibitions against engaging in sexual activity with minors, and the existence of multiple legal systems meant to respond to violence against minors, contribute to the perception that our legal system moves aggressively to ensure adolescent victims’ rights and to punish severely those who offend against them. Yet, the reality is that neither is likely to happen in the vast majority of cases involving sexual violence against adolescents. This chapter examines the legal machinery dedicated to assisting victimized adolescents, and highlights the considerable practical and legal challenges that strain systems, hamper their overall effectiveness, and may not serve adolescents as well as expected. The chapter also examines the challenges faced by reform efforts aiming to counter limitations in the legal system’s responses to the sexual victimization of adolescents. The analysis concludes by emphasizing the peculiar place of adolescents in the law, and how their status influences legal responses that necessarily will be limited by the complexities of sexual offenses against youth, youth’s developing capabilities, and youth’s place in families, law, and society.
Medication-Related Pseudotumor Cerebri Syndrome

Pseudotumor cerebri syndrome refers to elevated intracranial pressure associated with papilledema without an identified etiology for intracranial hypertension. Over the past few decades, several medications have been described to be associated with this syndrome. We searched the literature for those case reports and series and evaluated the evidence for the association of such medications with pseudotumor cerebri syndrome.
Performing Virtual Mothering and Forging Virtual Kinship

The televised search-and-reunion narrative originating in the mid-1990s, with its emphasis on “irrevocable ties” between mothers and their children, and on the “reconciliation” and “regeneration” of the family, illuminated the figure of the hitherto unknown birth mother, challenging the then-prevailing myth of birth mothers who mercilessly, selfishly abandoned their children. Yet, the revelations of older birth mothers who experienced dire circumstances compelling them to relinquish their babies failed to acknowledge South Korea’s ongoing involvement, even today, in transnational adoption, and also perpetuated the social stigma and material deprivations of single motherhood that drive so many young, unmarried, poor, working-class women to surrender their child into adoption, as discussed in Chapter 3. Here I focus on the younger cohort of Korean birth mothers, originating in the 1990s, who are veiled from the public consciousness and obscured by the emergent, televised figure of the middle-aged, poor, waiting-and-sacrificing birth mother, by examining traces of their performances in an Internet cafe1 entitled A Sad Love Story of Mothers Who Sent Their Children Away for Adoption (cafe.daum.net/adopteemam, called A Sad Love Story of Mothers, hereafter).
Frequency-Domain ICI Estimation, Shortening, and Cancellation in OFDM Receivers

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communication systems encounter performance limitations due to time-varying channels common in wireless applications. The channel variations introduce intercarrier interference (ICI) in the received signal. To compensate, groups of adjacent OFDM carriers can be processed to cancel the interference. This paper considers a two-stage ICI cancellation technique. In the first stage, linear preprocessing compresses the effective ICI response. The second stage generates an MMSE estimate of the transmitted data. Simulation results for a DVB-T receiver using this technique show that frequency domain ICI response shortening performs best when combined with the receiver channel estimator.
Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

Welcome to the CHI 2007 proceedings. We believe the technical papers and notes herein present some of the best current work in the diverse and dynamic field of human-computer interaction (HCI). CHI is the leading HCI conference. Creating the technical program requires a huge investment of time and effort from members of the research community. 840 submissions were processed (571 papers, 269 notes), requiring over 3000 reviews. We thank all the reviewers for the dedication with which they undertook this task. We are particularly indebted to the papers and notes program committee members, also known as the Associate Chairs (ACs). Balancing areas of expertise, ACs were selected from the field's leading researchers. The AC role included recruiting all reviewers, moderating and supervising the review process to ensure a high-quality set of reviews was obtained, initiating and organizing author rebuttal and reviewer discussions and approving final submissions. The estimated time expenditure to serve as an AC was 11 days of full-time work; many committee members spent more time than that. Papers ACs came to San Jose in December 2006 from around the world for two intense days of review, debates, and deliberation; Notes ACs who could not attend the parallel notes meeting in San Jose engaged in a virtual conference. The committee was extremely serious and careful in making CHI paper and note decisions, with many submissions receiving multiple discussions, before and during the program committee meetings. No review process can guarantee perfect decisions, but we are confident that every possible effort was made to ensure fair process and high quality decision-making. This year's program committee certainly has our respect and gratitude, and deserves the sincere appreciation of the entire HCI community. We would also like to thank the ACs and their organizations for underwriting the travel expenses for meeting. CHI is both a journal-quality archival forum and a community-building conference. To encourage quality in the written presentation of accepted work, all of the 142 full paper and 40 note acceptances were provisional. As a result, authors actively responded and incorporated feedback from the reviews into the final versions of the papers that appear here. Twenty-eight accepted papers and four accepted notes (5% of submissions) deemed to make an especially noteworthy contribution to human-computer interaction research were nominated by the program committee for Best Paper and Best Note Awards; these nominated papers and notes are identified in the Final Program. At the conference, up to six of these will be announced as winners of a CHI Best Paper Award (1% of submissions), and one note will be selected as an exemplary note. While all papers accepted into the CHI technical papers program have passed a rigorous examination of their quality, the Best Paper and Best Notes Awards signal and reward particularly outstanding contributions in each year.
Neurological Complications of Malignant Melanoma

CNS metastasis is a frequent complication of melanoma that can affect the brain, spinal cord, and leptomeninges. Treatment approaches vary depending on the type of CNS metastases including surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. While most of these approaches are palliative, newer immunotherapies have potential to benefit patients, but still this complication has a high morbidity and mortality.
Mechanistic Understanding and the Rational Design of Sinter-Resistant Heterogeneous Catalysts

The activity and selectivity of heterogeneous catalysts are strong functions of the morphology of the catalytic active phase, which governs both the density and type of active sites. To realize materials with the desired reactivity, cutting-edge catalysts are often the product of novel synthetic strategies and advanced computational studies. Combining these approaches allows for the prediction and fabrication of active motifs in a directed manner. However, catalyst active phases are ordinarily in the nanometer or atomic regime, and small morphological changes can result in large differences in catalytic properties. Given painstaking efforts to design and fabricate active materials at the nanoscale, it is essential that these engineered structures and superior catalytic properties are preserved during working conditions. The stability of a highly active catalyst morphology is crucial for long-term, sustained activity, especially for industrial applications. Unfortunately, catalyst sintering, or processes i...
Exploring Scientific Ideas in Informal Settings: Activities for Individuals with Visual Impairments

Four new modules for the scientific education of individuals with visual disabilities are reported. Designed for informal settings, the modules are safe and inexpensive and last 10–15 min each. The module entitled The Sound and Feel of Data represents axes and data points with pipe cleaners and coins, respectively, allowing for a discussion of data presentation and trends without reliance on visual signals. The Conductivity of Materials module tactilely introduces concepts of electron flow in metallic, semiconducting, and insulating materials using marbles, followed by a sound volume representation of the conductivity of everyday objects. The Optical Lenses module uses rope segments secured to a corkboard to trace tactile ray diagrams representing the concept of focusing, diverging, and aberration in optical lenses. Finally, the Chemistry and Physics of Heat module uses the dissolution of ammonium nitrate and sodium sulfate in sealed plastic tubes as well as the crystallization of sodium acetate to descri...
Ultra-compact and broadband electro-absorption modulator using an epsilon-near-zero conductive oxide

Transparent conductive oxides have emerged as a new type of plasmonic material and demonstrated unique electro-optic (E-O) modulation capabilities for next-generation photonic devices. In this paper, we report an ultra-compact, broadband electro-absorption (EA) modulator using an epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) indium-tin oxide (ITO). The device is fabricated on a standard silicon-on-insulator platform through the integration with a 3 μm long, 300 nm wide gold plasmonic slot waveguide. The active E-O modulation region consists of a metal–HfO2–ITO capacitor that can electrically switch the ITO into ENZ with ultra-high modulation strengths of 2.62 and 1.5 dB/μm in simulation and experiment, respectively. The EA modulator also demonstrated a uniform E-O modulation with 70 nm optical bandwidth from 1530 to 1600 nm wavelength.
Age Differences in Concepts of Self-Esteem.

Age differences in concepts of self-esteem—as a psychological disposition—were studied. Participants included 76 children in kindergarten, fourth, eighth, and twelfth grades, and 16 mothers. Participants were asked to label and describe differ ences between hypothetical peers who liked and disliked themselves, and suggest how and how much the characters could enhance their self-esteem. Participants also predicted how the two characters would think, feel, and behave in an achieve ment and social situation. Results showed that with advances in age, children's concepts of self-esteem increasingly resembled some theorists' concepts. Partici pants of all ages believed that liking oneself influences one's internal reactions to events. Children from the age of 9 used self-esteem to explain thoughts and feelings of others, and expected self-esteem to resist change. Only older adolescents and adults referred to the role that personal standards play in self-esteem.
The impact of unbounded swings of the forcing term on the asymptotic behavior of functional equations

Necessary and sufficient conditions have been found to force all solutions of the equation $$(r(t)y'{\text{(}}t{\text{))}}^{{\text{(}}n - 1{\text{)}}} + a(t)h(y(g(t))) = f(t),$$ to behave in peculiar ways. These results are then extended to the elliptic equation $${\text{|}}x{\text{|}}^{p - 1} \Delta y{\text{(|}}x{\text{|) + }}a{\text{(|}}x{\text{|)}}h(y(g{\text{(|}}x{\text{|)))}} = f{\text{(|}}x{\text{|)}}$$ where Δ is the Laplace operator and p ≥ 3 is an integer.
Multiresolution Modeling: Survey and Future Opportunities

For twenty years, it has been clear that many datasets are excessively complex for applications such as real-time display, and that techniques for controlling the level of detail of models are crucial. More recently, there has been considerable interest in techniques for the automatic simplification of highly detailed polygonal models into faithful approximations using fewer polygons. Several effective techniques for the automatic simplification of polygonal models have been developed in recent years. This report begins with a survey of the most notable available algorithms. Iterative edge contraction algorithms are of particular interest because they induce a certain hierarchical structure on the surface. An overview of this hierarchical structure is presented,including a formulation relating it to minimum spanning tree construction algorithms. Finally, we will consider the most significant directions in which existing simplification methods can be improved, and a summary of other potential applications for the hierarchies resulting from simplification.
The Two Systems of Reality

In 1.3.9, Hume introduces two levels of reality. He does this to show why the relations of resemblance and/or contiguity cannot reflexively produce vivacious ideas in the manner that causation can (T 1.3.9.2; SBN 107). But the implications of Hume’s account of reality are far-reaching. In fact, if we don’t take his two systems of reality into account, we can’t understand his notion of an object, his many forms of belief, nor his notion of justification. Oddly though, Hume’s two systems of reality are largely overlooked in Hume scholarship, if not ignored altogether (with some exceptions, e.g. Kemp Smith 1941; Owen 1999; Loeb 2002).
Novel Defense Mechanisms in the Armor of the Scales of the “Living Fossil” Coelacanth Fish

Author(s): Quan, H; Yang, W; Schaible, E; Ritchie, RO; Meyers, MA | Abstract: Here, experiments and analysis revealing the unique defense mechanisms of the coelacanth, a lobe-finned fish termed a “living fossil”, are reported, as it was considered to be extinct until 1938, but extant for 400 million years. This defense is provided by primitive elasmoid scales having a rare double-twisted Bouligand structure of lamellae which provides extraordinary resistance to deformation without failure. Distinct from other elasmoid scales, the collagen fibrils in the coelacanth fish scales form bundles which are embedded in a matrix comprising fibers arranged perpendicular to the layered (double-twisted Bouligand) structure that provide added rigidity and resistance to deformation. Using in situ synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering during uniaxial tensile testing, the deformation mechanisms of the collagen are identified in terms of fibril stretching, reorientation, sliding, bending, and delamination. The unique structure of the coelacanth scales, distinct from modern elasmoid scales such as the carp, provides a variety of mechanisms to arrest cracking, making it an outstanding damage-tolerant material to resist predator attacks.
Robust text classification under confounding shift

As statistical classifiers become integrated into real-world applications, it is important to consider not only their accuracy but also their robustness to changes in the data distribution. Although identifying and controlling for confounding variables Z-correlated with both the input X of a classifier and its output Y-has been assiduously studied in empirical social science, it is often neglected in text classification. This can be understood by the fact that, if we assume that the impact of confounding variables does not change between the time we fit a model and the time we use it, then prediction accuracy should only be slightly affected. We show in this paper that this assumption often does not hold and that when the influence of a confounding variable changes from training time to prediction time (i.e. under confounding shift), the classifier accuracy can degrade rapidly. We use Pearl's back-door adjustment as a predictive framework to develop a model robust to confounding shift under the condition that Z is observed at training time. Our approach does not make any causal conclusions but by experimenting on 6 datasets, we show that our approach is able to outperform baselines 1) in controlled cases where confounding shift is manually injected between fitting time and prediction time 2) in natural experiments where confounding shift appears either abruptly or gradually 3) in cases where there is one or multiple confounders. Finally, we discuss multiple issues we encountered during this research such as the effect of noise in the observation of Z and the importance of only controlling for confounding variables.
The Probability of Rare Disasters: Estimation and Implications

I analyze a rare disasters economy that yields a measure of the risk neutral probability of a macroeconomic disaster, p*t . A large panel of options data provides strong evidence that p*t is the single factor driving option-implied jump risk measures in the cross section of firms. This is a core assumption of the rare disasters paradigm. A number of empirical patterns further support the interpretation of p*t as the risk-neutral likelihood of a disaster. First, standard forecasting regressions reveal that increases in p*t lead to economic downturns. Second, disaster risk is priced in the cross section of U.S. equity returns. A zero-cost equity portfolio with exposure to disasters earns risk-adjusted returns of 7.6% per year. Finally, a calibrated version of the model reasonably matches the: (i) sensitivity of the aggregate stock market to changes in the likelihood of a disaster and (ii) loss rates of disaster risky stocks during the 2008 financial crisis.
Shock compression of niobium from first-principles

The equation of state (EOS) of bulk niobium (Nb) was investigated within the framework of density functional theory, with Mermin’s generalization to finite temperatures. The shock Hugoniot for fully-dense and porous Nb was obtained from canonical ab initio molecular dynamics simulations with Erpenbeck’s approach based on the Rankine-Hugoniot jump conditions. The phase space was sampled along isotherms between 300 and 4000 K, for densities ranging from ρ=5.5 to 12 g/cm 3. Results from simulations compare favorably with room-temperature multianvil and diamond anvil cell data for fully-dense Nb samples and with a recent tabulated SESAME EOS. The results of this study indicate that, for the application of weak and intermediate shocks, the tabular EOS models are expected to give reliable predictions.
Significance of the particle size distribution modulus for strain-hardening-ultra-high performance concrete (SH-UHPC) matrix design

Abstract The distribution modulus, q, of the composite particle size distribution is a key parameter in the particle packing models that are typically used to achieve dense particle packing in ultra-high performance concretes (UHPC). While there are a few studies on the influence of q on the compressive strength of a UHPC in the literature, the effects of q on matrix fracture toughness, workability, and plastic viscosity have not been investigated. These properties are highly important for the micromechanics-based design of strain-hardening UHPC (SH-UHPC) that possess significant uniaxial tensile strain capacity. In this study, the central composite design (CCD) of experiments along with the modified Andreasen and Anderson (A&A) particle packing model were used to investigate the effects of q on the aforementioned matrix properties of SH-UHPC. Along with q, the effects of the type and content of the supplementary cementitious material (SCM) and water/cementitious (w/cm) material weight ratio on the matrix properties were also investigated. A second-order regression model was used to fit the results and identify important trends. Significant effects of q on the matrix properties were observed, mainly due to the influence of q on the particle packing and the aggregate/cementitious paste volumetric ratio. It was concluded that the value of q should be chosen based on the ingredients to achieve target rheological and mechanical properties of the SH-UHPC matrix. The knowledge developed in this study is vital for developing a rational design methodology for SH-UHPC class of materials.
Effects of nutrient solution zinc activity on net uptake, translocation, and root export of cadmium and zinc by separated sections of intact durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var durum) seedling roots

Cd accumulation in durum wheat presents a potential health risk to consumers. In an effort to understand the physiological mechanisms involved with Cd accumulation, this study examined the effects of Zn on Cd root uptake and phloem translocation in a split– root system. Durum wheat seedlings were grown in chelate-buffered nutrient solution with intact root systems divided into two sections. Each root section grew in a separate 1 l pot, one of which contained 0.2 μM CdSO4. In addition, each two-pot system contained ZnSO4 in the following combinations (in μm) (for -cd root system: +cd root system): 1:1, 1:10, 10:1,10:10, 1:19, and 19:1. Harvested plant material was analyzed for Cd and Zn. In addition, rates of Cd and Zn net uptake, translocation to the shoot, and root export (translocation from one root segment to the other) between days 8 and 22 were calculated. Results show that Zn was not translocated from one root section to its connected root section. Uptake rates of Cd increased as solution Zn concentrations increased. Cd translocation from one root section to the other decreased significantly when the Zn concentration in either pot was greater than 1 μM. These results show the potential of Zn to inhibit movement of Cd via the phloem, and suggests that providing adequate Zn levels may limit phloem loading of Cd into wheat grain. Increasing the rhizosphere activity of Zn2+ in Cd-containing soils may therefore result in reduced Cd accumulation in grain even while net Cd uptake is slightly enhanced.
Opportunities for improving retinoblastoma screening practices among physicians in Botswana.

To the Editor:Retinoblastoma is a rare but highly treatable childhood ocular malignancy with cure rates >90% in high-income countries (HIC).1 Since 2007, in partnership with the Botswana government...
Improving Spinach2-and Broccoli-based biosensors for single and double analytes

Abstract The use of “Spinach”-based RNA sensors for the detection of small metabolites and proteins has received growing interest in the recent years. While this approach can be used in vivo for cell sensing and in vitro for microfluidic assays, their overall utility is limited as a result of a high magnesium ion dependence. Here, we alleviate this limitation through incorporating a human tRNALys3 or an engineered viral F30 (a three-way junction RNA motif) scaffold to facilitate aptamer folding in vitro and improve the performance of selected streptavidin, tyrosine, and thrombin aptamers as exemplary cases. Furthermore, we demonstrate the use of a Broccoli aptamer scaffold in conjunction with the viral F30 to enable simultaneous sensing of two molecules in a logic gate type fashion. Our proof-of-concept results demonstrate the ability to redesign these aptamer sensors for improved brightness as well as signal stability without the need for high magnesium—both traits that can further enhance downstream screening applications.
Multiple environmental parameters impact core lipid cyclization in Sulfolobus acidocaldarius

Environmental reconstructions based on microbial lipids require understanding the coupling between environmental conditions and membrane physiology. The paleotemperature proxy TEX86 is built on the observation that archaea alter the number of five- and six-membered rings in the hydrophobic core of their glycerol dibiphytanyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT) membrane lipids when growing at different temperatures. However, recent work with these archaea also highlights a role for other factors, such as pH or energy availability in determining the degree of core lipid cyclization. To better understand the role of these variables we cultivated a model Crenarchaeon, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, over a range in temperature, pH, oxygen flux, or agitation speed, and quantified the changes in growth rate, biomass yield, and core lipid compositions. The average degree of cyclization in core lipids correlated with growth rate under most conditions. When considered alongside other experimental findings from both the thermoacidophilic and mesoneutrophilic archaea, the results suggest the cyclization of archaeal lipids records a universal response to energy availability at the cellular level. Although we isolated the effects of individual parameters, there remains a need for multi-factor experiments (e.g., pH + temperature + redox) to establish a robust framework to interpret biomarker records of environmental change.
Molecular characterization of a fungal gasdermin-like protein.

Programmed cell death (PCD) in filamentous fungi prevents cytoplasmic mixing following fusion between conspecific genetically distinct individuals (allorecognition) and serves as a defense mechanism against mycoparasitism, genome exploitation, and deleterious cytoplasmic elements (i.e., senescence plasmids). Recently, we identified regulator of cell death-1 (rcd-1), a gene controlling PCD in germinated asexual spores in the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa rcd-1 alleles are highly polymorphic and fall into two haplogroups in N. crassa populations. Coexpression of alleles from the two haplogroups, rcd-1-1 and rcd-1-2, is necessary and sufficient to trigger a cell death reaction. Here, we investigated the molecular bases of rcd-1-dependent cell death. Based on in silico analyses, we found that RCD-1 is a remote homolog of the N-terminal pore-forming domain of gasdermin, the executioner protein of a highly inflammatory cell death reaction termed pyroptosis, which plays a key role in mammalian innate immunity. We show that RCD-1 localizes to the cell periphery and that cellular localization of RCD-1 was correlated with conserved positively charged residues on predicted amphipathic α-helices, as shown for murine gasdermin-D. Similar to gasdermin, RCD-1 binds acidic phospholipids in vitro, notably, cardiolipin and phosphatidylserine, and interacts with liposomes containing such lipids. The RCD-1 incompatibility system was reconstituted in human 293T cells, where coexpression of incompatible rcd-1-1/rcd-1-2 alleles triggered pyroptotic-like cell death. Oligomers of RCD-1 were associated with the cell death reaction, further supporting the evolutionary relationship between gasdermin and rcd-1 This report documents an ancient transkingdom relationship of cell death execution modules involved in organismal defense.
Three-cylinder rotating system flows and their effects on a downstream dimpled airfoil

Abstract Effects from turbulence levels created by a three-cylinder rotating system on the flow over a dimpled surface of an airfoil are reported. The three-cylinder rotating system effect is tested on the flow over a NACA0015 with leading-edge dimples at various angles of attack at Reynolds numbers of 0.5 × 105 and 1.0 × 105 in a low-speed wind tunnel. To the effect of mimicking free-stream flow perturbations, the three-cylinder system had small dimensional characteristics compared to those of the airfoil. Two-dimensional (2D) Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) was used to characterize the flow with illumination from a dual-head Nd:YAG laser and imaging from two high-resolution PIV cameras setup to capture details of the three-cylinder system and the airfoil flow simultaneously. Results show wake characteristics that create complex unsteady and turbulent flows of various intensities as they rotate at various speeds in the free-stream. These free-stream flow disturbances establish the unsteady and turbulent flows that interact with the airfoil flow. The study finds substantial effects occurring for certain cylinder-system settings, airfoil angle-of-attack, and Re number, notably detecting a diminishing separation region and a decrease in its turbulence levels when compared to those for the flow without turbulence generated in the free stream.
The long-term psychosocial impact of correction surgery for adults with strabismus

In the recently published study by Jackson et al ,1 the authors compare the impact of strabismus surgery in adults over time. Using a repeated measures design, data were collected from all participants at 6 weeks preoperative (T1), 3 …
China Belt and Road Initiative: Give-and-Take of Infrastructure Development in the North Africa Subregion

It is not a secret that Africa is richly endowed with raw materials, which has raised the stakes for foreign interests. The amplification of these riches has created a sense of urgency in developed nations to enter partnerships to have access to the resources. North Africa, though more advance than its sub-Saharan neighbors falls in the essential corridor of the Belt and Roads Initiative (BRI); and thus, requires infrastructure improvement to meet the overall BRI agenda. This yearning for infrastructure development in Africa has generally been met by China’s search for natural resources. The BRI is that infrastructure investment platform that allows for connectivity between member nations. This semi-systematic literature review identifies and appraises relevant research and collects and analyzes data about the impact of BRI on development in this subregion. Even though the BRI has shown some evidence of constructive growth in infrastructure connectivity, the opaque nature of the engagements has been the subject of harsh criticism; with some critics describing China’s motive as an attempt to recolonize Africa. Chinese partnerships in Africa have resulted in major investments and credit flows providing the much-needed resources to the BRI member countries to implement the very much needed development schemes, despite the main challenge that remains—sustenance of these extensive projects. The most significant implication of the BRI has been the concern about a possible conflict between China and the US. A key to averting open conflict between China and the US is through an alliance and coordinated response by Europe and the US.
Electric vehicle load forecasting in distribution transformer based on Feature Engineering

As the private charging piles in distribution network have different characteristics from the charging piles installed in cities, a load forecasting method for electric vehicles in low voltage distribution network based feature engineering is proposed. First, a new feature set is formulated by taking the time characteristics for charging load of residents, the mechanism of charging piles, and the private property of some charging piles in distribution network into consideration. The original charging behavior data is used in feature engineering. Therefore, compared to the feature subset formulated by traditional methods, the charging behavior feature and time feature are considered in the new feature subset. Second, an LSTM neural network is constructed to forecast the 96-point load of electric vehicles for the 24 hours in the next day. Finally, the load forecasting is proceeding respectively based on both traditional feature subset and the new feature subset. The experiments results are measured by the statistics index and the ultra-short-term criterion of the grid. Also, some typical operation days are taken into consideration. Simulation results have shown that load forecasting based on the new feature subset has higher precision.