cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automated Disease Normalization with Low Rank Approximations

While machine learning methods for named entity recognition (mention-level detection) have become common, machine learning methods have rarely been applied to normalization (concept-level identification). Recent research introduced a machine learning method for normalization based on pairwise learning to rank. This method, DNorm, uses a linear model to score the similarity between mentions and concept names, and has several desirable properties, including learning term variation directly from training data. In this manuscript we employ a dimensionality reduction technique based on low-rank matrix approximation, similar to latent semantic indexing. We compare the performance of the low rank method to previous work, using disease name normalization in the NCBI Disease Corpus as the test case, and demonstrate increased performance as the matrix rank increases. We further demonstrate a significant reduction in the number of parameters to be learned and discuss the implications of this result in the context of algorithm scalability.
The Impact of State Lotteries on State Tax Revenues

The authors look at the impact of state lotteries on state tax revenues; they find that as lottery revenue increases, sales tax revenue decreases. However, declines in sales tax revenue appear to be offset by increases in personal and corporate income tax revenues. States with high lottery revenues are less likely to raise sales taxes, the authors find.
Early summer reproductive hiatus in wild adult white-footed mice

An early summer breeding hiatus in wild populations of white-footed mice ( Peromyscus leucopus noveboracensis ) in eastern Virginia has been well documented. This report explores the question of the age of the reproductively inhibited animals and demonstrates that mice reproductively suppressed during the hiatus period were not merely young-of-the-year who had not reached sexual maturity but were adults, many of which were known to be reproductive before the hiatus period. Further, animals known to be adults for an average of >2 months when necropsied during the hiatus period had significantly smaller testes, seminal vesicles, and ovaries than adults with similar histories, captured, and necropsied during other reproductive periods of the year.
Thyroglobulin-like substances in human thyroid subcellular particulates.

SummaryHuman thyroid subcellular fractions, mitochondrial and microsomal, and soluble thyroglobulin were separated from thyroid glands and injected into rabbits. Rabbit antisera obtained were tested for antibodies against thyroglobulin. By hemmagglutination tests, antisera directed against thyroid subcellular particulates showed high titers against thyroglobulin. Immunodiffusion and immunoelectrophoresis experiments with thyroid subcellular particulates revealed the presence of several antigenic components; one was identical with thyroglobulin and one or two others were similar to, but antigenically deficient as compared to thyroglobulin. These thyroglobulin-like substances were bound to subcellular particulates, but dissociable upon the treatment with deoxycholate.
Analysis of shape memory alloy sensory particles for damage detection via substructure and continuum damage modeling

The ability to monitor and predict the structural health of an aircraft is of growing importance to the aerospace industry. Currently, structural inspections and maintenance are based upon experiences with similar aircraft operating in similar conditions. While effective, these methods are time-intensive and unnecessary if the aircraft is not in danger of structural failure. It is imagined that future aircraft will utilize non-destructive evaluation methods, allowing for the near real-time monitoring of structural health. A particularly interesting method involves utilizing the unique transformation response of shape memory alloy (SMA) particles embedded in an aircraft structure. By detecting changes in the mechanical and/or electromagnetic responses of embedded particles, operators could detect the formation or propagation of fatigue cracks in the vicinity of these particles. This work focuses on a finite element model of SMA particles embedded in an aircraft wing using a substructure modeling approach in which degrees of freedom are retained only at specified points of connection to other parts or the application of boundary conditions, greatly reducing computational cost. Previous work evaluated isolated particle response to a static crack to numerically demonstrate and validate this damage detection method. This paper presents the implementation of a damage model to account for crack propagation and examine for the first time the effect of particle configuration and/or relative placement with respect to the ability to detect damage.
Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Motility Disorders in Women, Gastroparesis, and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

This article reviews the sex differences in upper gastrointestinal (GI) motility for both healthy and common dysmotility conditions. It focuses on gastroesophageal reflux disease and other esophageal motor disorders for the esophagus and on gastroparesis and accelerated gastric emptying for the stomach. It also describes differences in upper GI motility signs and symptoms during each female hormonal stage (ie, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, perimenopause, menopause) for both healthy participants and those suffering from one of the aforementioned upper GI dysmotility conditions. More research still needs to be conducted to better understand sex differences in upper GI motility.
Serologic testing for Lyme disease

PreviewAlthough physicians rely on serologic testing to diagnose Lyme disease because the classic rash is not always present or noted, available assays have several limitations. Dr Magnarelli explains how disease stage, cross-reactivity with other spirochetes including Borrelia species, antibiotic treatment, and subclinical infection may affect laboratory results.
Analyzing the Sensitivity of the Optimal Assignment in Probabilistic Multi-Robot Task Allocation

We consider multi-robot teams operating in uncertain dynamic settings where the costs used for computing task-allocations are not known exactly. In such cases, the desire to minimize the team's expected cost might need to be curtailed if, in doing so, the risk that results is intolerable. We describe a parameterizable variant of the assignment problem that enables a designer to express such preferences, allowing one to take a risk-averse position if the problem demands it. We consider costs that are random variables, but which need not be independent—a useful setting because it permits one to represent inter-robot couplings. We analyze the sensitivity of assignment optima to particular risk valuations and introduce algorithms that provide an interval for the preference parameter in which all values result in the same optimal assignment. This helps in understanding the effects of risk on the problem, and whether the risk-based model is useful in a given problem domain.
Investing in MOOCs: “Frenemy” Risk and Information Quality

This chapter examines the proliferation of online courses in today’s society, mainly massive open online courses (MOOCs). MOOCs have become a ubiquitous feature of the knowledge society. What do Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) do? They can range from a few to hundreds of thousands of students. Open means free or low cost to all. It is argued that open access is essential to reaching those with limited means, and may be MOOCs most powerful contribution to those with limited means. Online means freely accessible on the Internet. Courses can be standard (time delimited) or student self-paced. Courses come in two basic models: cooperative and expert. In addition, currently most courses are in English, thus presenting global access problems, but courses are being developed in other languages, such as Spanish, Chinese, French and Arabic.
High-risk obstetrics. IV. Estrogen-creatinine ratios in routine urine samples as a method of screening a high-risk obstetric population.

Abstract The value of urinary estrogen excretion determinations in high-risk pregnancies is well established. Methodologic and motivational factors, however, often contribute to making serial 24 hour excretion measurements impractical. An alternate approach of potential significance utilizes estrogen/creatinine ratios in single voided specimens. If the validity of single specimen estrogen/creatinine ratios can approach that reported for 24 hour estriol excretion, the technique can be of major clinical importance. In the present study, 42 24 hour specimens were obtained from 16 high-risk adolescent patients antepartally, and 392 single voided specimens were obtained from 84 similar patients. Twenty-four hour collections were frequently inaccurate and even falsified. Where accurate, values were consistent with those reported for more adult patients. The curves for estrogen/creatinine ratios for single voided specimens throughout pregnancy closely approximated, in direction and slope, those previously found for 24 hour urinary estriol excretion. The normal hormonal patterns obtained seemed correctly to have forecast the favorable obstetric outcome achieved in this group of closely supervised teen-age gravidas.
Soil Water Content Sensor Response to Organic Matter Content under Laboratory Conditions

Studies show that the performance of soil water content monitoring (SWCM) sensors is affected by soil physical and chemical properties. However, the effect of organic matter on SWCM sensor responses remains less understood. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to (i) assess the effect of organic matter on the accuracy and precision of SWCM sensors using a commercially available soil water content monitoring sensor; and (ii) account for the organic matter effect on the sensor’s accuracy. Sand columns with seven rates of oven-dried sawdust (2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 10%, 12% and 18% v/v, used as an organic matter amendment), thoroughly mixed with quartz sand, and a control without sawdust were prepared by packing quartz sand in two-liter glass containers. Sand was purposely chosen because of the absence of any organic matter or salinity, and also because sand has a relatively low cation exchange capacity that will not interfere with the treatment effect of the current work. Sensor readings (raw counts) were monitored at seven water content levels (0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.08, 0.12, 0.18, 0.24, and 0.30 cm3 cm−3) by uniformly adding the corresponding volumes of deionized water in addition to the oven-dry one. Sensor readings were significantly (p 0.05 cm3 cm−3). A new polynomial calibration equation that uses raw count and organic matter content as covariates improved the accuracy of the sensor (RMSE = 0.01 cm3 cm−3). Overall, findings of this study highlight the need to account for the effect of soil organic matter content to improve the accuracy and precision of the tested sensor under different soils and environmental conditions.
INTRODUCTION: DOES THE WELFARE STATE HURT EMPLOYMENT?

The employment performance of European economies has not fared particularly well in recent years. In most countries unemployment has risen to historically unprecedented levels, in some cases surpassing in relative terms the level of unemployment experienced during the Great Depression. In addition to unemployment, other labor market indicators also show signs of troublesome deterioration. Labor force participation rates of elderly workers have continued to decline in many countries despite policy makers' efforts to reverse the trend toward “early exit” from the labor market. Young workers and first-time job seekers have experienced disproportionately high levels of unemployment, and most policy efforts to integrate this group into the labor market have remained unsuccessful. Long-term unemployment as a percentage of total unemployment has been on the rise in many countries, transforming the long-term unemployed into a group permanently excluded from the labor market. In addition, overall labor force participation rates have stagnated or declined in several economies, despite an increase in the labor force participation rates of women. In troubled times such as these, it can be hard to distinguish good news from bad news. Even sudden economic recoveries in the midst of decade-long recessions have frequently been characterized by jobless growth. The slow real growth experienced in the mid-1990s did not result in increased employment; unemployment levels continued to rise after each economic recovery. Thus, in the first decade of a new century, it appears that current levels of high unemployment are here to stay.
The Institutionalization of Heroism in Britain

A rather obvious question in dealing with the creation of a new thing is ‘why?’ In the case of the Victoria Cross the obvious answer is that it was created in recognition of the sacrifices made by the soldiers and sailors of the Crimean War. This is true insofar as the war served as a catalyst for change, but the change could not have occurred without some necessary preconditions. Hegel’s Zeitgeist was in motion; changes had occurred in society, were reflected in politics, and were brought to a head through a combination of Romanticism, pragmatism, and personal ambition.
OpTrust: Validity of a Tool Assessing Intraoperative Entrustment Behaviors.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to establish evidence to support the validity of a novel faculty-resident intraoperative assessment tool for entrustment known as OpTrust. BACKGROUND Recently, the landscape of surgical training has been altered, in part, because of resident work-hour changes and increased supervision requirements. To address these concerns, a new model for assessment of teaching and learning in surgical residencies must be anchored on progression through milestones and entrustment. METHODS OpTrust was designed to assess the faculty-resident dyad in the operating room and measure the entrustment exhibited during intraoperative interactions across 5 domains: (i) types of questions asked, (ii) operative plan, (iii) instruction, (iv) problem solving, and (v) leadership by the surgical resident. After initial pilot testing and refinement of OpTrust, 5 individual raters underwent rater training sessions; 49 individual operating room observations were completed based on 28 cases. RESULTS OpTrust, as a tool for assessing intraoperative entrustment, is supported by strong validity evidence. In part, it demonstrates strong interrater reliability across all faculty domains as measured by intraclass correlation 1 (ICC1) (0.81-0.93). For resident domains the results were similar with ICC1 (0.84-0.94). Cronbach alpha was 0.89 and 0.87 for faculty and resident entrustment respectively, signifying the 5 domains could be combined into a single construct of entrustment. A high correlation existed between faculty and resident scores (Pearson r = 0.94, P < 0.001) indicating a strong positive linear relationship between faculty and resident mean entrustment scores across all scale domains. CONCLUSIONS OpTrust successfully assesses behaviors associated with entrustment during intraoperative faculty-resident interactions, and has the potential to be adopted across other procedural-based specialties to promote autonomous training progression.
Chemical and Biological Integrity in Natural Products Screening

Due to pressure from combinatorial chemistry and the streamlining of the drug discovery process through automated high-throughput screening technologies, pharmaceutically based natural products programs are under increasing scrutiny. However by taking advantages of technologies originally developed for high-throughput screening and combinatorial chemistry and applying them to processes considered as bottlenecks in classical natural products chemistry (purification, structure elucidation, sample availability) it is our opinion that natural products can still contribute to the effective discovery of novel bioactive and pharmaceutically relevant metabolites. We describe here several such strategies that if universally implemented, will demonstrate i) whether chemical diversity is truly being accessed, ii) that novel metabolites can be formatted in a manner appropriate for modern screening paradigms, and iii) that natural products can be rapidly identified not only for novelty and pharmaceutical relevance but to assess their true biological origin.
Synthesis and analysis of separation networks for the recovery of intracellular chemicals generated from microbial-based conversions

Bioseparations can contribute to more than 70% in the total production cost of a bio-based chemical, and if the desired chemical is localized intracellularly, there can be additional challenges associated with its recovery. Based on the properties of the desired chemical and other components in the stream, there can be multiple feasible options for product recovery. These options are composed of several alternative technologies, performing similar tasks. The suitability of a technology for a particular chemical depends on (1) its performance parameters, such as separation efficiency; (2) cost or amount of added separating agent; (3) properties of the bioreactor effluent (e.g., biomass titer, product content); and (4) final product specifications. Our goal is to first synthesize alternative separation options and then analyze how technology selection affects the overall process economics. To achieve this, we propose an optimization-based framework that helps in identifying the critical technologies and parameters. We study the separation networks for two representative classes of chemicals based on their properties. The separation network is divided into three stages: cell and product isolation (stage I), product concentration (II), and product purification and refining (III). Each stage exploits differences in specific product properties for achieving the desired product quality. The cost contribution analysis for the two cases (intracellular insoluble and intracellular soluble) reveals that stage I is the key cost contributor (>70% of the overall cost). Further analysis suggests that changes in input conditions and technology performance parameters lead to new designs primarily in stage I. The proposed framework provides significant insights for technology selection and assists in making informed decisions regarding technologies that should be used in combination for a given set of stream/product properties and final output specifications. Additionally, the parametric sensitivity provides an opportunity to make crucial design and selection decisions in a comprehensive and rational manner. This will prove valuable in the selection of chemicals to be produced using bioconversions (bioproducts) as well as in creating better bioseparation flow sheets for detailed economic assessment and process implementation on the commercial scale.
Seeing a Bigger Picture

The publication of Gary T. Marx’s (2016), Windows into the Soul, comes at a good time. As the study of surveillance continues to grow in the social sciences, scholars will benefit from the disciplinary rigor of the book, which encourages a broader consideration of the contexts in which surveillance occurs and a deeper recognition of its dynamism as a social practice. In this brief essay on Marx’s grand work, I reflect on how these insights could be extended by more critically considering the cultural contexts of surveillance studies and the potential points of connection with research on materiality.
Lazarsfeld and Adorno in the United States: A Case Study in Theoretical Orientations

During the years 1938 to 1941, two European scholars of differing viewpoints—Paul Lazarsfeld and Theodor Adorno—worked for the Office of Radio Research in the United States of America. The inabilit...
A Mobile Application for Monitoring and Management of Depressed Mood in a Vulnerable Pregnant Population

Objective:This study tested whether a mood tracking and alert (MTA) mobile application (app) improved mental health care delivery in a high-risk obstetric population.Methods:Pregnant women with depressive symptomatology at <32 weeks gestation were followed for eight weeks after randomization to a control patient portal (PP) app alone or with the MTA app. The MTA app monitored activity, assessed mood, and alerted obstetric providers of signs of worsening mood.Results:Seventy-two women enrolled (PP, N=24; MTA, N=48). MTA users had significantly more contacts addressing mental health, and as gestational age increased, they rated ability to manage their own health significantly better than women in the control group. Women who received telephone contact from a provider triggered by an MTA app alert were significantly more likely to receive a mental health specialist referral.Conclusions:A mobile MTA app improved service delivery and patient engagement among patients with perinatal depression symptoms.
Seroma or Hygroma Formation After Implantation of an Intrathecal Drug Delivery System or a Spinal Cord Stimulator

Seromas and hygromas may form after implantation of an intrathecal drug delivery system or spinal cord stimulator. A seroma is a subcutaneous collection of serous fluid; a hygroma contains cerebrospinal fluid. Both appear as a cystic swelling along a surgical incision site. In most situations, they resolve spontaneously, but careful observation is recommended as they may become infected. With a hygroma, ongoing leakage of cerebrospinal fluid may result in neurological compromise.
Critical Loss of Control

This chapter applies principal-agent theory to the problem of proxy warfare, highlighting the various monitoring and control challenges that are inherent in the way the U.S. government has approached PMOs in the past. There are two sets of principals (Congress and White House) and three sets of agents (national security bureaucracy, partner states, and proxy forces) in a contractor, subcontractor, and sub-subcontractor relationship, which creates severe difficulties for control. The chapter outlines the motivations and moral hazards for the principals and agents to demonstrate the difficulty of keeping all principals and agents working towards the same goal. Finally, the chapter discusses control strategies of principals in PMOs and their pitfalls.
Bilirubin Oxidation Products and Cerebral Vasoconstriction

Key evidence in support of the hypothesis that bilirubin oxidation products (BOXes) contribute to the vasoconstriction associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) are the (1) presence of BOXes in cerebral spinal fluid from SAH patients and (2) ability of one or more BOXes to elicit vasoconstriction. We critically evaluate this key evidence, detail where gaps remain, and describe recent approaches that will address these gaps.
A Move Toward Specificity: Examining Urban Disadvantage and Race-and Relationship-Specific Homicide Rates

The purpose of this research is to estimate the differential impact of structural conditions on race- and relationship-specific homicide rates for U.S. cities in 1990. The structural conditions commonly employed in race-specific homicide research are examined, such as job accessibility, economic deprivation, racial segregation, and racial inequality. Furthermore, four relationship categories of homicide—acquaintance, family, stranger, and intimate—are disaggregated by racial group. The detailed relationship-specific homicide rates are compared to a baseline homicide rate to determine whether structural factors associated with urban disadvantage similarly influence homicide rates across relationship types. The results indicate that differences emerge in the impact of structural conditions on homicides disaggregated by race- and relationship-specific categories. Theoretical explanations consistent with criminology and race-relations literature are discussed, as well as the potential benefits and implications for studies that pursue more meaningful and detailed classifications in homicide offending.
A Large-Scale Analysis of the Reasons Given for Excluding Articles that are Retrieved by Literature Search During Systematic Review

Objective A literature search to identify relevant studies is one of the first steps in performing a systematic review (SR) in support of evidence-based medicine. To maximize efficiency, the search must find practically all relevant studies and retrieve few that are irrelevant; however, this level of precision is seldom attained. Therefore, many articles must be manually examined for relevance. To better understand the limitations of current search tools as applied to SR, we characterized the most common reasons that papers retrieved by SR searches were excluded from the review. Methods The textual reasons given for retrieved but excluded articles were extracted from 6,743 SRs performed by 54 Cochrane Collaboration review groups. The frequencies of different exclusion reasons were analyzed, and we developed a taxonomy summarizing these reasons. Results Almost 65% of articles were excluded because the means of comparison were inappropriate. Of these, about 72% were due to the randomized controlled trial (RCT) design being required but not employed by the excluded study. Mismatching interventions and outcomes and incorrect population characteristics were also common reasons for exclusion. Conclusions Currently available search methods do not adequately address the most common exclusion reasons for systematic review, even those based primarily on study design.
High dose-rate tandem and ovoid brachytherapy in cervical cancer: dosimetric predictors of adverse events.

Brachytherapy (BT) is a vital component of the curative treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer. The American Brachytherapy Society has published guidelines for high dose rate (HDR) BT with recommended dose limits. However, recent reports suggest lower doses may be needed to avoid toxicity. The purpose of this study is to investigate incidence and predictive factors influencing gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) toxicity following HDR intracavitary brachytherapy for locally advanced cervical cancer. We retrospectively evaluated a cohort of patients with locally advanced cervical cancer who received CT-based HDR BT. Cumulative doses were calculated using the linear-quadratic model. Statistical analyses were used to investigate clinical and dosimetric predictors of GI and GU toxicity following HDR brachytherapy according to CTCAE v4.0 grading criteria. Fifty-six women with FIGO IB1 – IVA cervical cancer were included. The overall rate of any GU adverse event (Grade 1+) was 23.3% (n = 13) and severe adverse events (Grade 3+) was 7.1% (n = 4). Of those, the bladder equivalent dose in 2- Gray (Gy) fractions (EQD2) D2cc was ≥80 for three of the four patients. The overall rate of any GI adverse event was 26.8% (n = 15) and the rate of severe adverse events was 14.3% (n = 8). Of those, six of the eight patients had a rectal EQD2 D2cc ≥ 65 Gy and seven patients had a sigmoid D2cc ≥ 65 Gy. Amongst clinically meaningful factors for development of adverse events (i.e. diabetes, smoking status, ovoid size, and treatment duration), there were no statistically significant prognostic factors identified. Severe adverse events are observed even with adherence to current ABS guidelines. In the era of recent multi-institutional study results, our data also supports more stringent dosimetric goals. We suggest cumulative D2cc dose limits of: less than 80 Gy for the bladder and less than 65 Gy for the rectum and sigmoid.
Ponciano Del Pino. En nombre del Gobierno. El Perú y Uchuraccay: un siglo de política campesina

Resena del libro "En nombre del Gobierno. El Peru y Uchuraccay: un siglo de politica campesina".
Improvement in Functional Outcome Scores Despite Persistent Pain With 1 Year of Nonsurgical Management for Acetabular Labral Tears With or Without Femoroacetabular Impingement.

Background:Acetabular labral tears are increasingly recognized as a source of hip pain in a younger active population. Given the significant focus on surgical intervention, there has been limited i...
Toward CMOS like devices from two-dimensional channel materials

This research update explains in detail the critical aspects of Schottky barrier (SB) field-effect transistors (FETs) for circuit implementations. In particular, it focuses on two-dimensional (2D) channel materials such as black phosphorus. After an initial tutorial about the operation of SB-FETs, this article discusses various scaling approaches and how proper unipolar device characteristics from 2D layered materials can be obtained. Various transistor layouts described in the literature are evaluated in terms of the achieved device performance specs, and the most advanced experimental approach is presented that combines proper scaling, source/drain work function engineering, and gating. This article closes by highlighting the performance of an inverter obtained from properly designed BP-based n-type and p-type transistors.
Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Process Automation: Existing Knowledge Frontier and Way Forward for Mining Sector

Machine learning and artificial intelligence are the two fields of computer science dealing with the innovative idea of inducing smartness and intelligence in machines and automating complex tasks and operations through modern learning algorithms. While the rest of the operational fields have been diligent in developing new technologies, the mining industry has been lacking when it comes to applying these innovative methodologies to achieve operation autonomy with intelligence. However, this trend is beginning to change with a few researchers adopting the fields of machine learning and artificial intelligence to improve the existing technologies. This study was an attempt to review and analyze all the recent automation related work in every sector of the mining industry including mineral prospecting and exploration, mine planning, equipment selection, underground and surface equipment operation, drilling and blasting, mineral processing, etc., for establishing the existing frontiers of technological advancement. Shortcomings and challenges were identified within the current research work. Recommendations were provided to progress the existing technology by implementing deep learning, machine learning, and artificial intelligence for smart and intelligence-based evolution in the mining sector. With all of this innovative development and implementation of smart automation systems, the foundation for the mine of the future could be built, thus creating efficient, effective, and safer machines with sustainable mining operations.
Who is Taking Care of Central American Immigrant Youth? Preliminary Data on Caregiving Arrangements and Emotional-Behavioral Symptoms Post-Migration

Migrant youth are at increased risk for mental health problems. Given increases in families migrating to the U.S. and family separations at the U.S.-Mexico border, understanding migrant youth home environments and impacts of family disruption are growing concerns. This study assessed caregiver arrangements and reports of youth emotional and behavioral symptoms from recently immigrated adolescents (N = 111) and respective caregivers (n = 64). 47.7% of youth indicated living with their mother, father, or both; 24.3% another relative, 2.7% a non-relative, and 25.2% reported no caregiver. 25% indicated caretaking responsibilities of their own. Caregiving arrangements were related to emotional and behavioral symptoms. Caregiver documentation status was related to caregiver-reported conduct problems, prosocial behavior, and total symptoms. The migration process is disruptive for youth and home environments. Many youth experience disrupted caregiving post-migration and caregiver features are significant to youth emotional and behavioral symptoms—which were elevated in this sample. The study provides novel insight into effects of family disruption on migrant youth post-migration.
Si-based materials for lithium-ion batteries XI. 70% surface-modified Si/C/perfluorooctene-carbon black/lithiated polyacrylic acid electrode

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to analyze a 70% Si/C/perfluorooctene-carbon black/lithiated polyacrylic acid electrode fabricated at the Cell Analysis, Modeling, and Prototyping (CAMP) Facility, Argonne National Laboratory. The spectra were obtained using incident monochromatic Al Kα radiation at 1486.6 eV (0.83 401 nm). A survey spectrum together with O 1s, C 1s, and Si 2p are presented. The spectra indicate the principal core level photoelectron and Auger electron signals with only minor sodium, copper, calcium, and lithium signals and show the expected silicon-carbon, carbon-fluorine, and silicon-fluorine species related to the surface modification process in addition to oxidized carbon and silicon due to atmospheric exposure.
Chronic systemic injection of DREADD agonists Clozapine-N-oxide and Compound 21 does not change behavior relevant to locomotion, exploration, anxiety, or affect in male mice

Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs) are a chemogenetic tool commonly-used to manipulate rodent brain circuit activity. The most widely-used synthetic ligand for DREADDs is Clozapine-N-oxide (CNO). However, CNO is back-metabolized to clozapine, which itself activates numerous endogenous receptors and therefore may influence rodent behavior. To eliminate potential off-target effects of CNO, a new DREADD agonist, Compound 21 (C21), has been proposed as an alternative as it lacks active metabolites. The literature is mixed on whether acute administration of CNO or C21 changes mouse behavior. In contrast, there is no substantial literature on whether chronic administration of CNO or C21 changes mouse behavior. Here we tested whether chronic injections of these two distinct DREADD agonists change key behaviors in non-designer receptor-expressing mice relative to Vehicle (Veh)-injected control mice. Mice (CamKIIα-icre males) were injected i.p. with Veh (0.5% dimethyl sulfoxide in 0.9% saline, 5ml/kg), CNO (0.2mg/ml, 1mg/kg), or C21 (0.2mg/ml, 1mg/kg) 5 days a week for 16 weeks. All three groups had similar weight gain over the 16 week-experiment, and showed similar measures in behaviors assessed during week 3 (beam breaks in a 30-min locomotion task, time in center of open field or open arms of elevated plus maze) and week 14-16 (ambulatory distance during 240-min activity monitoring, percent marbles buried, grooming time during the sucrose splash test). These data show chronic injections of CNO or C21 do not affect key behaviors as compared to chronic injections of Veh, and may be helpful for behavioral neuroscientists when study design requires repeated injection of these DREADD agonists.
'Trumping' Affirmative Action

This Essay examines the Trump administration’s actions to eliminate affirmative action, along with the broader ramifications of these actions. While former-President Trump’s judicial appointments have garnered much attention, the Essay focuses on the actions of his Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division. It lays out the Department of Justice’s investigations of Harvard and Yale, highlighting how they have augmented recent lawsuits challenging race-conscious admissions policies by Students for Fair Admissions. It considers the timing of the DOJ’s actions, particularly with respect to Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College. It examines the strategies used by Students for Fair Admissions and the Department of Justice—how they have used Asian American plaintiffs and forced universities to reveal information about their admissions processes—and considers the broader social and political impact of these strategies. The Essay also analyzes how the litigation challenging affirmative action has employed ambiguities in prior cases involving race-conscious university admissions. Although President Joe Biden’s administration can undo some of the Department of Justice’s actions, these actions have set the stage for affirmative action to be “trumped.”
Ultrasound guided axillary vein access: An alternative approach to venous access for cardiac device implantation.

INTRODUCTION Ultrasound guided axillary vein access (UGAVA) is an emerging approach for cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) implantation not widely utilized. METHODS AND RESULTS This is a retrospective, age and sex-matched cohort study of CIED implantation from January 2017 to July 2019 comparing UGAVA before incision to venous access obtained after incision without ultrasound (conventional). The study population included 561 patients (187 with attempted UGAVA, 68 ± 13 years old, 43% women, body mass index (BMI) 30 ± 8 kg/m2 , 15% right-sided, 43% implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, 15% upgrades). UGAVA was successful in 178/187 patients (95%). In nine patients where UGAVA was abandoned, the vein was too deep for access before incision. BMI was higher in abandoned patients than successful UGAVA (38 ± 6 vs. 28 ± 6 kg/m2 , p < .0001). Median time from local anesthetic to completion of UGAVA was 7 min (interquartile range [IQR]: 4-10) and median procedure time 61 min (IQR: 50-92). UGAVA changed implant laterality in two patients (avoiding an extra incision in both) and could have prevented unnecessary incision in four conventional patients. Excluding device upgrades, there was reduced fluoroscopy time in UGAVA versus conventional (4 vs. 6 min; IQR: 2-5 vs. 4-9; p < .001). Thirty-day complications were similar in UGAVA versus conventional (n = 7 vs. 26, 4 vs. 7%; p = .13, p = .41 adjusting for upgrades), partly driven by a trend towards reduced pneumothorax (n = 0 vs. 3, 0 vs. 1%; p = .22). CONCLUSIONS UGAVA is a safe approach for CIED implantation and helps prevent an extra incision if a barrier is identified changing laterality preincision.
Is This AI an Emergency

Aortic insufficiency (AI) is frequently encountered in echocardiography; regardless of its cause (e.g., valvular, aortic root pathology, etc.), accurate quantification of AI severity is essential for prognostication and treatment planning. Special attention should be paid to parameters that suggest hemodynamically significant AI with increased LV end-diastolic pressure; these may be signs of impending hemodynamic collapse and may necessitate prompt intervention. While often severity and hemodynamic significance go hand in hand, there can be physiologic reasons or technical reasons for the AI to appear less than severe, yet with signs of significant hemodynamic consequences. The importance of identifying these signs cannot be overemphasized; timely intervention may be lifesaving and echocardiographic findings may precede clinical deterioration.
Ignition Time and Transport Properties of Inductively Coupled Plasmas Using Low-High Pulsed Power

Inductively coupled plasmas (ICPs) are widely used for etching in semiconductor device fabrication. The use of pulse power - alternating periods of power-on and power-off at pulse repetition frequencies (PRF) of up to 10s kHz - is becoming more common. The process often uses highly attaching halogen gases in which the electrons are nearly fully convert to negative ions during the power-off period. The low electron density at the start of the next pulse can produce instabilities, E-H transitions and ignition delays. To address these issues, a low-level power could be maintained to limit the minimum plasma density. The remaining electrons can then seed the next plasma ignition, thereby reducing the ignition delay and enhancing the plasma stability.
The Myth of Orality and Literacy

In my research on discourse over the last few years, I became aware that theoretical work done in the fields of anthropology, rhetoric, and psychology on oral and literate tradition sheds light on a variety of discourse phenomena. In investigating how this is so, I concluded that it is not orality and literacy per se that accounts for the findings of the oral/literate research, but rather that typically oral and typically written discourse reflects relatively more focus on interpersonal involvement and content, respectively. However, there is something very tantalizing about dichotomies, and something catchy about the notion of orality versus literacy. People continued to walk away from my talks and my articles with the oral/ literate split more prominent in their minds than what I intended as my main idea: that it is not orality vs. literacy per se that is the key distinction, but relative focus on involvement vs. content.
Molecular Structure from Scattering Phenomena

We noted in Chapter 6 that when waves interact there will be interference that is either constructive or destructive. All waves, whether of sound, water, or light, will exhibit spatial interference patterns. If two point sources are each generating coherent (in-phase) waves, patterns of brightness and darkness will be seen coinciding with the constructive and destructive interference of the waves, respectively (Fig. 29.1). The reason for the interference pattern can be physically appreciated by an experiment in which a single source of sine waves (such as a sound) is played into two tubes of different length that terminate at a microphone that displays the arriving waves on an oscilloscope. At the beginning of the tubes, each wave is in phase with the other. But though the waves start in phase, when they reach the ends the tubes, because of the different path lengths, they will not necessarily still be in phase. If the two paths are equal, then the wave peaks will reach the microphone at the same time, and they will interfere constructively. If the length is different, then interference will also occur, but whether it is destructive or constructive will depend on the difference in length \(L_2 - L_1 = \Delta L\) of the path. If \(\Delta L = \lambda /2\) then a wave peak and trough will reach the microphone simultaneously, the phase difference will be 90° and the interference will be completely destructive. Any length in between will give an intermediate amplitude. For the two extreme conditions of interference:
Inflammasomes are critical for the host protection during bacterial urinary tract infection (INM6P.328)

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are the second most common infection in the US. Gram-negative uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) is the principal causative agent of UTI. The main goal of our work is to gain molecular insights into the role of cytoplasmic pattern recognition receptors, namely inflammasomes, in the protection of urinary tract during the course of bacterial UTI. Inflammasomes are multiprotein complexes made of ASC adaptor protein that facilitates interaction between NOD-like receptors with procaspase-1. Stimulation of caspase-1 activates IL-1b and IL-18. Since, the rapid induction of caspases and IL-1b are important hallmarks of UPEC-induced UTI, we hypothesized that the inflammasomes are critical for protection of the urinary tract during UPEC infection. To address this hypothesis, we challenged female WT (C57Bl6/J) and ASC-/- mice with UPEC strain CFT073 via transurethral catheterization. We observed increased bacterial burden in the bladders of ASC-/- mice as compared to the WT. In comparison to WT mice, CFT073 infection did not induce IL-1b production in the bladders of ASC-/- mice. Taken together these observations suggest for the first time that ASC-inflammasomes play a critical role in the protection of urinary tract during UPEC infection by modulating important innate immune cascades.
Object Oriented Approach to the Simulation of Shipboard Electric Power Systems

An object oriented approach for time domain simulations of shipboard electric power systems is proposed. It offers a flexible, user friendly alternative to conventional simulators, allowing design and operation analysis under a variety of operating conditions and topologies. The most general model of an electric power system consists of a set of nonlinear differential equations subject to algebraic constraints, which describes the evolution of the System, following certain contingencies. The algorithm presented adopts an object oriented approach by decomposing the system into its underlying components/devices, developed and maintained independent of one another. The differential equations are solved on the device level using a waveform representation of variables, which exploit both partitioning and parallel processing features. The ideas presented are tested on different test cases and conclusions are drawn.
Probing the tides in interacting galaxy pairs.

Detailed spectroscopic and imaging observations of colliding elliptical galaxies revealed unmistakable diagnostic signatures of the tidal interactions. It is possible to compare both the distorted luminosity distributions and the disturbed internal rotation profiles with numerical simulations in order to model the strength of the tidal gravitational field acting within a given pair of galaxies. Using the best-fit numerical model, one can then measure directly the mass of a specific interacting binary system. This technique applies to individual pairs and therefore complements the classical methods of measuring the masses of galaxy pairs in well-defined statistical samples. The 'personalized' modeling of galaxy pairs also permits the derivation of each binary's orbit, spatial orientation, and interaction timescale. Similarly, one can probe the tides in less-detailed observations of disturbed galaxies in order to estimate some of the physical parameters for larger samples of interacting galaxy pairs. These parameters are useful inputs to the more universal problems of (1) the galaxy merger rate, (2) the strength and duration of the driving forces behind tidally stimulated phenomena (e.g., starbursts and maybe quasi steller objects), and (3) the identification of long-lived signatures of interaction/merger events.
Categorical semantics of control

In this talk, I will describe the categorical semantics of Parigot’s λμ-calculus [7]. The λμ-calculus is a proof-term calculus for classical logic, and at the same time a functional programming language with control operators. It is equal in power to Felleisen’s C operator 2, 1, except that it allows both a call-by-name and call-by-value semantics. The connection between classical logic and continuation-like control operators was first observed by Griffin [4].
Results Motivated by Partial Differential Equations

The Cauchy-Kowalewsky Theorem is perhaps the most general result in the theory of partial differential equations. The theory needed to state and prove that theorem is entirely elementary. While the specific constant coefficient partial differential equations of mathematical physics — Poisson’s equation, the heat equation, and the wave equation — can be dealt with by specific elementary methods, the development of the general theory of linear partial differential operators with constant coefficients is tied to the more advanced and abstract theory of distributions introduced by Laurent Schwartz (see [SCH1]). One important conjecture in the theory of distributions (see [SCH2]) concerned the problem of finding a distribution S that solves the equation $$\Phi \cdot S = T$$ (**) for a given distribution T and a given testing function Φ. (One can think of this as dividing T by Φ.) This question arises from investigations, using techniques of Fourier analysis, of the solvability of a partial differential equation $$\rho \left( {\frac{\partial }{{\partial x}}u = f} \right) $$ with constant coefficients. (Here P is a polynomial in several variables.) If the Fourier transform is applied to this equation it gives rise to an equation of the form (**).