cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LIMITING DISTRIBUTIONS OF RANDOM SUMS OF INDEPENDENT RANDOM VARIABLES

identically distributed random variables, Sn ~ Xe and a sequence of integer= / , rn valued random variables ~n, when is S( ' cn )=~Xk "near" Sn in some appropriate sense ~. 1 One way of approaehing this problem is to require the ~n to be independent of the summands. This ease was treated first by I~OBBI~S [8] and discussed fully by TATE in 1952 [9]. I t will not be considered here except as a particular ease. I t seems more interesting to allow the Tn to be dependent on the summands. In this ease the known results extend a theorem of A~SCOMBE [1] and deal with variables with finite variance, l ~ Y I proved that if rn/r~ P-~ ~ where ~ is a discrete positive variable and Sn/n 1/~ converges in law to normal, then S (Tn)/(~n) 1/2 does also [6]. This result was obtained by BLUM, I-IA~so~ and I~OSE~BLATT under the weaker assumption that ~ is an arbitrary positive random variable [2]. One possible generalization of these results is to consider random variables in the domain of attraction of some stable law and compare the normed, non-random sums with the normed random sums. However, it is not necessary to restrict our attention to normed sums. Instead, we will consider the KOL~OGORov-SMra~qOV distance, the greatest vertical distance between distribution functions, and ask, when are Sn and S(~n) dose in this sense ? This tool is particularly appropriate for our problem for several reasons. I t may happen that for no sequence of norming constants does Sn, when normed, converge to a non-degenerate law. This metric allows us to deal with such variables. Moreover, if Sn when normed does converge to some proper law and the KOL~IOGORov-S~Ia~OV distance between Sn and S('vn) tends to zero, then S(Tn) when normed will converge to the same law. With this approach in mind we pose the following questions: (1) Let XI , X2 . . . . be a sequence of independent and identically distributed random variables. Let ~l, T2 . . . . be non-negative integer-valued random variables possibly dependent on the Xe's. If, for some sequence of eonstants cn tending to infinity, ~:n/cn ~-~ 1 can we conclude that the KOLMOOOI~OV-SMm~OV distance between S[Cn]** and S(Tn) tends to zero ?
Nanometer-scale elastic modulus of surfaces and thin films determined using an atomic force microscope

A versatile acoustic method using a commercial atomic force microscope (AFM) was developed to measure surface stiffness at nanometer-scales. Calibrated measurements of acoustic reflections at interfaces between the AFM tip and the surfaces of reference and test materials yielded near-surface interfacial stiffness, from which the elastic modulus was determined using a simple contact mechanics model. The utility and versatility of this method were demonstrated by determining elastic modulus relaxation for surfaces and thin films, including a freshly exposed, reconstructing epoxy surface, and by probing depth-dependent elastic modulus for thin polystyrene films on oxidized silicon substrates.
Health-related quality of life in children with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury

Objective: To investigate health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in a sample of ethnically diverse children with traumatic brain injury (TBI).Methods: Twenty children with moderate–severe TBI and their parents were recruited from a TBI clinic at a paediatric rehabilitation hospital. Children's self-reported HRQOL was assessed with the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Parents completed a parallel proxy measure.Results: Children reported significantly lower Psychosocial HRQOL compared to their Total HRQOL, driven largely by low School HRQOL scores. Compared to other paediatric populations, children with TBI reported lower or equivalent HRQOL. Compared with children's self-reports, parents reported even lower HRQOL for their children across primary domains, with fair-to-moderate convergence between informants.Conclusions: Results provide preliminary evidence that children who have suffered moderate–severe TBI experience relatively poor HRQOL, particularly in the School domain. Limited convergence between...
What you see may not be what you get: a brief, nontechnical introduction to overfitting in regression-type models.

OBJECTIVE Statistical models, such as linear or logistic regression or survival analysis, are frequently used as a means to answer scientific questions in psychosomatic research. Many who use these techniques, however, apparently fail to appreciate fully the problem of overfitting, ie, capitalizing on the idiosyncrasies of the sample at hand. Overfitted models will fail to replicate in future samples, thus creating considerable uncertainty about the scientific merit of the finding. The present article is a nontechnical discussion of the concept of overfitting and is intended to be accessible to readers with varying levels of statistical expertise. The notion of overfitting is presented in terms of asking too much from the available data. Given a certain number of observations in a data set, there is an upper limit to the complexity of the model that can be derived with any acceptable degree of uncertainty. Complexity arises as a function of the number of degrees of freedom expended (the number of predictors including complex terms such as interactions and nonlinear terms) against the same data set during any stage of the data analysis. Theoretical and empirical evidence--with a special focus on the results of computer simulation studies--is presented to demonstrate the practical consequences of overfitting with respect to scientific inference. Three common practices--automated variable selection, pretesting of candidate predictors, and dichotomization of continuous variables--are shown to pose a considerable risk for spurious findings in models. The dilemma between overfitting and exploring candidate confounders is also discussed. Alternative means of guarding against overfitting are discussed, including variable aggregation and the fixing of coefficients a priori. Techniques that account and correct for complexity, including shrinkage and penalization, also are introduced.
Reducing configuration overhead with goal-oriented programming

The rapid increase in the number and variety of consumer-level electronic devices without the corresponding development of device management technology has lead to a configuration nightmare. We propose to use goal-oriented programming over a substrate of network-portable objects to help reduce the amount of configuration users must do in order to have their applications use their devices efficiently. We detail an architecture and describe a prototype system using existing pervasive computing technology that plays music on the most appropriate devices without requiring user interaction and configuration.
Cannibalization in a Competitive Environment

In this article, cannibalization and its effects on location decisions in a competitive retail environment is investigated. The authors analyze maximizing market share while minimizing cannibalization using the gravity (Huff) model. The efficient frontier according to these two noncompatible objectives is constructed and illustrated on an example problem. An easy to implement analysis that provides insight into management decisions is provided. To illustrate the ease of implementing the model using Excel, a description of the spreadsheet along with the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) code are provided.
Wavefront-guided versus wavefront-optimized photorefractive keratectomy: Clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction.

Purpose To compare visual outcomes following Visx Star S4 Customvue wavefront-guided and Allegretto Wave Eye-Q 400 Hz wavefront-optimized photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Setting Warfighter Refractive Eye Surgery Program and Research Center, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. Design Prospective randomized clinical trial. Methods Active-duty United States military soldiers were randomized to have wavefront-guided (Visx Star S4 Customvue) or wavefront-optimized PRK. Participants were followed up to 12 months postoperatively. Primary outcome measures were uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), and manifest spherical equivalent (SE). Secondary outcome measures included refractive astigmatism, higher-order aberrations (HOAs), contrast sensitivity, subjective visual complaints, and patient satisfaction. Results The study evaluated 108 soldiers (mean age 30.3 years ± 6.3 [SD]; mean manifest SE −3.51 ± 1.63 D). At 12 months postoperatively, achieved UDVA, CDVA, manifest SE, and refractive astigmatism were comparable between wavefront-guided and wavefront-optimized groups (P > .213). Spherical aberration and total HOAs significantly increased from baseline in both groups (P .254) were comparable between groups. There were fewer losses of photopic low-contrast visual acuity (LCVA) at 5% contrast after wavefront-guided compared to wavefront-optimized treatment (P = .003). There was no significant difference between treatment groups in visual symptoms, overall vision expectation, and satisfaction (P > .075). Conclusion Wavefront-guided treatment offered a small advantage in photopic LCVA. Refractive outcomes, HOAs, self-reported visual difficulties, overall vision expectation, and satisfaction were otherwise comparable between wavefront-guided and wavefront-optimized treatments. Financial Disclosure No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Complications of Vagotomy and Pyloroplasty

Vagotomy and pyloroplasty are associated with technical complications, the most important being rupture of the esophagus, splenic injury, leak at the pyloroplasty, and intra-abdominal bleeding. This operation can also be associated with other complications including epigastric fullness, dysphagia, vomiting of food, bilious vomiting, dumping, and diarrhea. The historical background and specific complications of each procedure are discussed.
Phase structure of one-dimensional interacting Floquet systems. I. Abelian symmetry-protected topological phases

Phases of matter are traditionally seen as families of static systems exhibiting the same long-distance and low-energy correlations. In this work, the authors propose and classify a new family of phases of matter. They are novel insofar as they are intrinsically driven and out of equilibrium --- they can only be realized in systems with time-dependent Hamiltonians. The phases we consider arise in 1D periodically driven systems, in the presence of strong disorder and interactions, and are similar to but qualitatively distinct from the symmetry-protected topological phases now well known in the equilibrium setting. In a companion paper, the authors examine similar intrinsically driven families of states with long-range order, and an order parameter that oscillates at a frequency that is robustly an integer multiple of the underlying drive frequency.
Diverging Fortunes: Racial/Ethnic Inequality in Wealth Trajectories in Middle and Late Life

The primary aim of this study is to examine whether racial/ethnic inequality in wealth dissipates or increases between middle and late life, and by how much. To address this aim, this study draws on critical race and life course perspectives as well as 10 waves of panel data from the Health and Retirement Study and growth curve models to understand racial/ethnic inequality in wealth trajectories among whites, blacks, and Mexican Americans (N = 8337). Findings show that, by midlife, significant inequalities in net worth emerge between whites and their black and Mexican American counterparts. On average, white households have amassed a net worth of $105k by midlife, compared to less than $5k and $39k among black and Mexican American families, respectively. Moreover, whites experience much more rapid rates of wealth accumulation during their 50s and 60s than their minority counterparts, resulting in increasing wealth disparities with age, consistent with a process of cumulative disadvantage. At the peak of their wealth trajectory (at age 66), whites have approximately $245k more than blacks and $219k more than Mexican Americans. A wide range of socioeconomic, behavioral, and health factors account for a portion, but not all, of racial/ethnic inequality in wealth, suggesting that unobserved factors such as parental wealth, segregation, and discrimination may play a role in the production and maintenance of wealth inequality.
Ciguatera research in Hawaii and elsewhere.

L'auteur presente une revue des recherches sur la ciguatera realisees depuis 35 ans, en particulier a l'Universite d'Hawaii, en soulignant les etapes majeures qui ont ete franchies, notamment grâce aux collaborations entre l'Universite d'hawaii, l'Universite de Tohoku au Japon et l'Institut Malarde a Tahiti. les principaux axes de recherches actuellement developpes sont abordes
The Effect of Aqueous Chemical Cleaning Procedures on Schottky Contacts to N-Type Gaas

The effect of interfacial oxides and impurities left by aqueous chemical cleaning procedures on the n-type Schottky barrier heights of various metal-GaAs contacts have been examined as a function of annealing temperature. The as-deposited barrier heights of metals which are expected to be reactive with respect to the native oxides of GaAs (Mn, Cr, Al and Ti) were the most sensitive to variations in the residual oxide thickness. Omitting the final oxide etch from the cleaning sequence resulted in a 50 to 60 meV reduction in the as-deposited barrier height of these metals. However annealing these contacts at temperatures as low as 175 °C results in a barrier height that is independent of the initial surface clean. In contrast, for metals which are expected to be unreactive with respect to the native oxides of GaAs (Ni, Au, Cu and Ag) the pre-deposition cleaning procedure had little effect on either the as-deposited or the annealed Schottky barrier heights.
Drug use update.

Drug abuse by athletes is a problem not restricted to the elite athlete. Regardless of one's specialty, physicians caring for any athlete or anyone engaged in sport activities must consider drug abuse as an integral part of their patient assessment. To diagnose drug abuse, one must think about drug abuse. The issues are complex. Admittedly it is a sad societal commentary that the physician must entertain the possibility of EPO abuse when evaluating an endurance athlete with a higher than average hematocrit, or think about clenbuterol abuse when a body-builder presents with palpitations, or think of anabolic androgenic steroid abuse when a teenager exhibits an unusual degree of acne. Drug abuse in sports, however, has been and continues to be a reality. The goal of this article was to raise the level of consciousness about the possibility of drug abuse when evaluating and treating athletes regardless of their skill level or record of achievement. History has made it abundantly clear that although drug abuse is not new to sports, the specific drugs of abuse are continuously changing. The physician must be ever mindful.
Legume shovelomics: High—Throughput phenotyping of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata subsp, unguiculata) root architecture in the field

Abstract Low phosphorus (P) availability and drought are primary constraints to common bean and cowpea production in developing countries. Genetic variation of particular root architectural phenes of common bean is associated with improved acquisition of water and phosphorus. Quantitative evaluation of root architectural phenotypes of mature plants in the field is challenging Nonetheless, in situ phenotyping captures responses to environmental variation and is critical to improving crop performance in the target environment. The objective of this study was to develop flexible high-throughput root architectural phenotyping platforms for bean and cowpea, which have distinct but comparable root architectures. The bean phenotyping platform was specifically designed to scale from the lab to the field. Initial laboratory studies revealed cowpea does not have basal root whorls so the cowpea phenotypic platform was taken directly to field evaluation. Protocol development passed through several stages including comparisons of lab to field quantification systems and comparing manual and image-based phenotyping tools of field grown roots. Comparing lab-grown bean seedlings and field measurements at pod elongation stage resulted in a R2 of 0.66 for basal root whorl number (BRWN) and 0.92 for basal root number (BRN) between lab and field observations. Visual ratings were found to agree well with manual measurements for 12 root parameters of common bean. Heritability for 51 traits ranged from zero to eighty-three, with greatest heritability for BRWN and least for disease and secondary branching traits. Heritability for cowpea traits ranged from 0.01 to 0.80 to with number of large hypocotyl roots (1.5A) being most heritable, nodule score (NS) and tap root diameter at 5 cm (TD5) being moderately heritable and tap root diameter 15 cm below the soil level (TD15) being least heritable. Two minutes per root crown were required to evaluate 12 root phene descriptors manually and image analysis required 1 h to analyze 5000 images for 39 phenes. Manual and image-based platforms can differentiate field-grown genotypes on the basis of these traits. We suggest an integrated protocol combining visual scoring, manual measurements, and image analysis. The integrated phenotyping platform presented here has utility for identifying and selecting useful root architectural phenotypes for bean and cowpea and potentially extends to other annual legume or dicotyledonous crops.
Molecular cloning,expression and antiviral activity analysis of CaIFN-γ gene of German shepherd dog

Using the total mRNA from the lymphocytes of German shepherd dog peripheral blood as the template,canine interferon-γ(CaIFN-γ) gene was cloned and amplified by RT-PCR.Sequence analysis showed that the CaIFN-γ gene was composed of 432 nucleotides encoding a mature protein of 143 amino acids and a stop codon.Highly expressed and purified recombinant protein was harvested.Antiviral assays showed that the antiviral activity was 1.33×106 U/mg in MDCK/VSV cell lines.
A New 3-PTT Three-link Parallel Grinding Machine

Structure, kinematics and dynamic behavior of 3-PTT parallel machine developed by Northeast University with horizontal slide 3-link movement freedom are introduced. The new structured parallel machine is suitable for machining long workpiece, has a good performance and wonderful application prospect. The prototype has been put into operation successfully.e_linkParallelGrind
Regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical stress response

The hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis is required for stress adaptation. Activation of the HPA axis causes secretion of glucocorticoids, which act on multiple organ systems to redirect energy resources to meet real or anticipated demand. The HPA stress response is driven primarily by neural mechanisms, invoking corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) release from hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) neurons. Pathways activating CRH release are stressor dependent: reactive responses to homeostatic disruption frequently involve direct noradrenergic or peptidergic drive of PVN neurons by sensory relays, whereas anticipatory responses use oligosynaptic pathways originating in upstream limbic structures. Anticipatory responses are driven largely by disinhibition, mediated by trans-synaptic silencing of tonic PVN inhibition via GABAergic neurons in the amygdala. Stress responses are inhibited by negative feedback mechanisms, whereby glucocorticoids act to diminish drive (brainstem) and promote transsynaptic inhibition by limbic structures (e.g., hippocampus). Glucocorticoids also act at the PVN to rapidly inhibit CRH neuronal activity via membrane glucocorticoid receptors. Chronic stress-induced activation of the HPA axis takes many forms (chronic basal hypersecretion, sensitized stress responses, and even adrenal exhaustion), with manifestation dependent upon factors such as stressor chronicity, intensity, frequency, and modality. Neural mechanisms driving chronic stress responses can be distinct from those controlling acute reactions, including recruitment of novel limbic, hypothalamic, and brainstem circuits. Importantly, an individual's response to acute or chronic stress is determined by numerous factors, including genetics, early life experience, environmental conditions, sex, and age. The context in which stressors occur will determine whether an individual's acute or chronic stress responses are adaptive or maladaptive (pathological).
In the Depths of the Mountains: Logging the Old Growth

During the Huang Tong reign period of the Jin Dynasty (AD 1141), Zhang Zhongyan was charged with the transport of timber for the reconstruction of the city of Kaifeng. Extraordinary measures were needed for such an enormous undertaking. Timber of the sizes and in the volume required could only be found in the inaccessible mountain ranges which had been harvested under similar circumstances in earlier centuries: Large timber was most abundant in the Qin Feng Mountains, but they were so rugged and precipitous that it had been impossible to get to [the timber] since the Tang and the Song Dynasties. Zhongyan spanned the precipices and yoked the ravines by building a bridge over ten li in length. Vehicles transported the timber as easily as if it had been on flat ground. (Jin Shi, ch. 17: 1789) The history of forest utilisation in China contains several examples of episodes of logging in regions whose difficult topography and distance from centres of population discouraged exploitation of the resource other than during periods of exceptional demand.
Abstract 1901: Leptin modulation of PCSC, HDAC, and microRNA in pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Background: Obesity is an important risk factor of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma (PA) and it is characterized by the accumulation of excessive body fat and a Body Mass Index (BMI) value greater than 30. Obesity is also characterized by high levels of leptin, which has been consistently associated with the development of many different cancer including PA. Leptin can induce the proliferation of Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cells (PCSC), which are responsible for chemoresistance, invasiveness and reoccurrence of PA. PCSC express specific cell markers and can form tumorspheres in vitro. Obesity can alter the DNA acetylation and microRNA activity which are also linked to PA progression. We hypothesized that high level of leptin could modulate Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) and microRNA activity in PA cells, which induce PCSC changes and tumor progression. Methods: The PA cell lines were cultured in mammocult media that contained heparin and hydrocortisone, which will allow the proliferation of tumorspheres enriched with PCSCs. The cells were cultured with leptin, chemotherapeutic drug, and leptin signaling inhibitor IONP-LPrA2. Tumorspheres formation (number and size) was determined after 1 week of treatment. Additionally, the levels of PCSC markers, HDAC1, HDAC2, HDAC3, and HDAC8 in tumorspheres were determined using flow cytometry, western blot, and RT-PCR. In addition, the effects of treatments on miR21 and miR200a/c levels were determined using RT-PCR. Results: Leptin induced PA tumorspheres formation and size, which was accompanied by higher level of PCSC markers (CD24, CD44, ESA, and ALDH1). Moreover, leptin affected the level of HDACs, miR21 and miR200a/c in PA tumorspheres. IONP-LPrA2 abrogated leptin effects and decreased PCSC which were spared by chemotherapeutics. Conclusion: Obesity signals via leptin could be involved in the increase PA aggressiveness and chemoresistance, which may be linked to the increase of PCSC. Leptin could induce PA progression and chemoresistance via modulation of HDAC and miRNA. Acknowledgement: This work was supported by the DOD W81XWH-13-1-0382; NIH/SBIR1R41CA183399-01A1; Pilot Project Award from MSM/Tuskegee University/UAB Cancer Center Partnership grant 5U54CA118638; PC SPORE Grant from UAB to RRGP; Calvin Johnson Jr. Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Research Scholarship to CITM, and facility and support services at Morehouse School of Medicine (1G12RR026250-03; NIH RR03034 and 1C06 RR18386). Citation Format: Cynthia M. Tchio, Adriana Harbuzariu, Tia Harmon, Derrick Beech, Ruben Gonzalez-Perez. Leptin modulation of PCSC, HDAC, and microRNA in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 1901.
Extraordinary local angular momentum near metallic nanoparticles (Withdrawal Notice)

Publisher’s Note: This paper, originally published on 17 September 2016, was withdrawn per author request. If you have any questions please contact SPIE Digital Library Customer Service for assistance.
Improving time to optimal Staphylococcus aureus treatment using a penicillin-binding protein 2a assay.

The penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a) assay is a quick, accurate and inexpensive test for determining methicillin susceptibility in Staphylococcus aureus. A pre–post-study design was conducted using a PBP2a assay with and without the impact of an antimicrobial stewardship intervention to improve time to optimal therapy for methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant S. aureus isolates. Our results demonstrate significantly improved time to optimal therapy and support the use of a PBP2a assay as part of an programme for all healthcare facilities, especially those with limited resources.
Chemotherapy of advanced colorectal cancer

The development of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) some 40 years ago was among the earliest events in the field of chemotherapy. Until recently, 5-FU remained the only drug of hundreds tested with reproducible activity in colorectal cancer. Many years elapsed before the palliative benefit of 5-FU in metastatic disease translated to a curative effect in Dukes C and possibly Dukes B patients. This established a paradigm in colorectal cancer by which development in the metastatic setting was viewed as conferring survival or quality-of-life benefit in these patients, but most importantly as laying the groundwork for efficacy in adjuvant therapy.
Health in the Tenderloin: A resident-guided study of substance use, treatment, and housing.

Abstract Substance use researchers recognize that environments - our homes, streets, communities, and neighborhoods - set the stage for substance use and treatment experiences by framing interactions, health options, and decision-making. The role of environment is particularly salient in places deemed disadvantaged or risky, such as parts of the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco. Since risk is historically, socially, and structurally situated, an individual's social position in a neighborhood shapes how risk environments are experienced. The purpose of this study was to explore how the environment shapes substance use and treatment experiences, described from the perspective of Tenderloin residents. I conducted docent method interviews with formerly homeless women living in supportive housing in San Francisco (N = 20). The docent method is a three-stage, participant-led, audiotaped, and photographed walking interview. As they guided me through target “sites of interest” (homes, streets, treatment programs, and safe spaces), participants discussed their experiences with substance use and treatment in the environment. First, they described that the risks of a broader drug market are concentrated in the Tenderloin, exposing residents to elevated and disproportionate risk. Second, for structural, economic, social, and physical reasons, participants described a sense of geographic or neighborhood stratification. Third, multiple levels of policing and surveillance were persistent, even in participants' homes. Fourth, despite all the challenges, participants found security and support in the Tenderloin, and considered it their home. In the discussion, I offer that the Tenderloin environment provided residents many advantages, but forms of structural and everyday violence largely defined their experiences in the neighborhood.
The Decline of Occupations

″Black Monday,″ October 19, 1987, shocked one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States. When the Dow-Jones average plummeted over 500 points, millions of workers on three continents were affected through their companies′ losses or through the investments of their pension plans and personal savings. Workers on Wall Street were affected directly: within a few months, an estimated 15,000 of them were looking for new jobs (Reflett, 1988). Black Monday and its aftermath demonstrated the vulnerability even of prestigious jobs filled by the well educated and well compensated. The nagging fear of the past decade became more openly voiced: Is no occupation safe?
Introduction to The NCMJ's Special Issue on Vision and Hearing Loss

This article introduces NCMJ's special issue on vision and hearing loss. The 13 articles are organized around four areas: 1) screening and early intervention; 2) technology; 3) prevention; and 4) accommodation, accessibility, and communication. Together the authors discuss a wide range of potential challenges. However, importantly, the authors also provide a wealth of resources for individuals, families, and health care providers.
Physical vapor deposition of multiphase materials with phase nucleation via a coupled phase-field approach

Abstract A coupled phase-field model is presented for simulating physical vapor deposition (PVD) of multi-phase materials, including the effects of phase nucleation. This model is utilized to study the role of initial substrate phase and temperature distributions, which are important experimental deposition parameters, on PVD of a generic allotropic metal with two stable phases. PVD simulations are performed for the deposition of a high temperature phase below its phase transition temperature, and for bicrystal and amorphous substrates with a Gaussian temperature distribution. Several general observations are made from these simulations. During the initial stages of PVD, the substrate phase distribution acts as a template for the growing phases. As the thin film continues to grow, the release of latent heat due to deposition creates a temperature gradient within the film, i.e., regions near the film surface become hotter than near the substrate. Additionally, a substrate with a defined temperature distribution that encompasses temperatures above and below the phase transition temperature, allows for distinguishable regions within the thin film where different phases are stable and continue to grow. Three-dimensional simulations provide additional insight into the role of substrate temperature and phase distribution on the resulting microstructure with different flux rates.
Incidence and risk factors of bacterial and fungal infection during induction chemotherapy for high-risk neuroblastoma.

High-risk neuroblastoma is an aggressive childhood cancer with poor outcomes. Treatment begins with an induction phase comprised of intense multi-agent chemotherapy with the goal of maximally reduc...
Using Text Mining to Compare Online Pro- and Anti-Vaccine Headlines: Word Usage, Sentiments, and Online Popularity

This study aims to explore differences between health misinformation and true information by comparing word usage, sentiments, and online popularity between pro- and anti-vaccine headlines (PVHs an...
Improving the performance of galloping micro-power generators by passively manipulating the trailing edge

Recent trends in distributed sensing networks have generated significant interest in the design of scalable micro-power generators. One such device exploits the galloping oscillations of a prism to harness energy from a moving fluid. Performance of galloping harvester's depends on the flow patterns around the prism, which, in turn, depend on its geometry and the Reynolds number of the flow. In this letter, we demonstrate that the useful range of the galloping instability can be extended by attaching a rigid splitter plate to the rear face of the prism. The plate provides a secondary flow reattachment point, which serves to improve the oscillation amplitude and power output of the generator. Experimental results demonstrate as much as 67% power enhancement for some prism geometries and a significant reduction in the cut-in wind speed of the generator.
Distributed Propulsion Aircraft with Aeroelastic Wing Shaping Control for Improved Aerodynamic Efficiency

This study presents an aeroelastic wing shaping control concept for distributed propulsion aircraft. By leveraging wing flexibility, wing-mounted distributed propulsion can be used to re-twist wing shapes in-flight to improve aerodynamic efficiency. A multidisciplinary approach is used to develop an aero-propulsive-elastic model of a highly flexible wing distributed propulsion transport aircraft. The conceptual model is used to evaluate the aerodynamic benefit of the distributed propulsion aircraft. The initial conceptual analysis shows that an improvement in the aerodynamic efficiency quantity of lift-to-drag ratio L/D is possible with the proposed aeroelastic wing shaping control for distributed propulsion aircraft. Two concepts are studied: single-generator configuration and dual-generator configuration with four propulsors per wing. The baseline aircraft model is NASA Generic Transport Model. A fan performance analysis is developed for propulsion sizing. Cruise performance analysis is conducted to evaluate the potential improvement in the cruise range for the configurations under study. A flutter analysis is performed to address the potential flutter issue as the propulsors are placed toward the wing tip which would cause a reduction in the wing natural frequencies. Flight control considerations are addressed in the context of the engine-out requirement, yaw and roll controls, and yaw damping augmentation using differential thrust.
A phase-field model integrating reaction-diffusion kinetics and elasto-plastic deformation with application to lithiated selenium-doped germanium electrodes

Abstract Recent experiments revealed micrometer (µm)-sized selenium (Se)-doped germanium (Ge) particles forming a network of inactive phase (Li–Ge–Se) bring superior performance in cycling stability and capacity over un-doped Ge particles. Therefore, based on two states of Li (one for diffusion and another for alloyed reaction), a phase-field model (PFM) is developed incorporating both chemical reaction and Li diffusion to investigate remaining elusive underpinning mechanism. The reaction-diffusion PFM enables us to directly determine the conditions under which the lithiation process is diffusion- and/or reaction-controlled. Moreover, coupling the elasto-plastic deformation, the model allows us to investigate the role of the inactive phase in morphology and stress variation of Se-doped Ge electrode upon lithiation. The numerical results reveal that the tensile hoop stress at the surface of the particles is significantly suppressed due to softness of the inactive Li–Ge–Se phase, in line with the experimental observation of surface fracture-free behavior. Further, we find that the soft Li–Ge–Se phase reduces a compressive mean stress at the reaction front, thus alleviating the stress retardation effect on the lithiation kinetics.
Lewin and Social Science: A Theoretical Note

Early in his career, Lewin’s statements of field theory encompassed both metatheoretical assumptions concerning the nature of concepts and causality—as in the well-known paper contrasting Aristotelian and Galileian “modes of thought”—and a small set of constructs that could represent the dynamic processes and structural relations required for a scientifically sufficient psychological explanation of human behavior. Such field constructs were used pervasively and generatively in the analysis and interpretation of the Psychologische Forschung experiments carried out during the 1920’s and early 1930’s (De Rivera, 1976). In the Iowa decade beginning in 1935, Lewin’s thinking and research moved directly into the province of social psychology, and accordingly there is a greater emphasis on constructs more suitable for representing social fields—for instance, “powerfields” and goals induced by “values.” In the final MIT period, Lewin introduced innovative conceptual tools that were never part of the original body of field theory.
MntC-Dependent Manganese Transport Is Essential for Staphylococcus aureus Oxidative Stress Resistance and Virulence.

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus is a human pathogen that has developed several approaches to evade the immune system, including a strategy to resist oxidative killing by phagocytes. This resistance is mediated by production of superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes which use manganese as a cofactor. S. aureus encodes two manganese ion transporters, MntABC and MntH, and a possible Nramp family manganese transporter, exemplified by S. aureus N315 SA1432. Their relative contributions to manganese transport have not been well defined in clinically relevant isolates. For this purpose, insertional inactivation mutations were introduced into mntC, mntH, and SA1432 individually and in combination. mntC was necessary for full resistance to methyl viologen, a compound that generates intracellular free radicals. In contrast, strains with an intact mntH gene had a minimal increase in resistance that was revealed only in mntC strains, and no change was observed upon mutation of SA1432 in strains lacking both mntC and mntH. Similarly, MntC alone was required for high cellular SOD activity. In addition, mntC strains were attenuated in a murine sepsis model. To further link these observations to manganese transport, an S. aureus MntC protein lacking manganese binding activity was designed, expressed, and purified. While circular dichroism experiments demonstrated that the secondary and tertiary structures of this protein were unaltered, a defect in manganese binding was confirmed by isothermal titration calorimetry. Unlike complementation with wild-type mntC, introduction of the manganese-binding defective allele into the chromosome of an mntC strain did not restore resistance to oxidative stress or virulence. Collectively, these results underscore the importance of MntC-dependent manganese transport in S. aureus oxidative stress resistance and virulence. IMPORTANCE Work outlined in this report demonstrated that MntC-dependent manganese transport is required for S. aureus virulence. These study results support the model that MntC-specific antibodies elicited by a vaccine have the potential to disrupt S. aureus manganese transport and thus abrogate to its virulence.
Implications of Theoretic Derivations on Empirical Passive Measurements for Effective Cyber Threat Intelligence Generation

Cyber space continues to be threatened by various debilitating attacks. In this context, executing passive measurements by analyzing Internet-scale, one- way darknet traffic has proven to be an effective approach to shed the light on Internet-wide maliciousness. While typically such measurements are solely conducted from the empirical perspective on already deployed darknet IP spaces using off-the-shelf Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), their multidimensional theoretical foundations, relations and implications continue to be obscured. In this paper, we take a first step towards comprehending the relation between attackers' behaviors, the width of the darknet vantage points, the probability of detection and the minimum detection time. We perform stochastic modeling, derivation, validation, inter-correlation and analysis of such parameters to provide numerous insightful inferences, such as the most effective IDS and the most suitable darknet IP space, given various attackers' activities in the presence of detection time/probability constraints. One of the outcomes suggests that the widely-deployed Bro IDS is ideal for inferring slow, stealthy probing activities by leveraging passive measurements. Further, the results do not recommend deploying the Snort IDS when the available darknet IP space is relatively small, which is a typical scenario when darknets are operated and employed on organizational sub-networks. We concur that the generated derivations and mathematical relations put forward a first-of-akind formal and an accurate characterization of darknet-centric notions, which possess significant implications on Internet and passive measurements. This is especially factual with the advent of evolving paradigms such as IPv6 deployments and the proliferation of highly-distributed, orchestrated, large-scale and stealthy probing botnets.
The prognostic significance of combined gleason scores and PSA values as indicators of age standardized relative five-year survival: An analysis of the SEER database 2004-2014.

e18753Background: The most common cancer in American men is adenocarcinoma of the prostate. With an enormous prognostic heterogeneity, identifying prognostic markers in this patient population beco...
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice Beneficially Alters Lung NK1R and Structural Protein Expression to Enhance Survival after Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection.

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in a murine model increases survival to a bacterial pulmonary challenge compared with blunt tail trauma (TT). We hypothesize substance P and its receptor, the neurokinin 1 receptor (NK1R; official name TACR1), play a role in the increased survival of mTBI mice. Mice were subjected to mTBI or TT, and 48 hours after trauma, the levels of NK1R mRNA and protein were significantly up-regulated in mTBI lungs. Examination of the lung 48 hours after injury by microarray showed significant differences in the expression of 433 gene sets between groups, most notably genes related to intercellular proteins. Despite down-regulated gene expression of connective proteins, the presence of an intact pulmonary vasculature was supported by normal histology and bronchoalveolar lavage protein levels. To determine whether these mTBI-induced lung changes benefited in vivo responses, two chemotactic stimuli (a CXCL1 chemokine and a live Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection) were administered 48 hours after trauma. For both stimuli, mTBI mice recruited more neutrophils to the lung 4 hours after instillation (CXCL1: mTBI = 6.3 ± 1.3 versus TT = 3.3 ± 0.7 neutrophils/mL; Pseudomonas aeruginosa: mTBI = 9.4 ± 1.4 versus TT = 5.3 ± 1.1 neutrophils/mL). This study demonstrates that the downstream consequences of mTBI on lung NK1R levels and connective protein expression enhance neutrophil recruitment to a stimulus that may contribute to increased survival.
Colonialismo y decolonialidad archipelágica en el Caribe

espanolEn este articulo, propongo una meditacion sobre como estudiar el colonialismo en el caso de territorios insulares de ultramar y cuales son las implicaciones para los debates poscoloniales y decoloniales. Utilizo el pensamiento archipielagico como un lente que informa el modo en el que concibo el Caribe como una de las multiples regiones insulares que se conciben como posesiones de ultramar. El argumento se desarrolla en tres nodos tematicos. La primera seccion estudia las representaciones imperiales y coloniales del Caribe en mapas producidos despues de 1492 y 1800. La segunda seccion revisa dos momentos historicos en los cuales el Caribe se plantea un proyecto multi-estatal alternativo al Estado nacion soberano, y analizo el contexto colonial y decolonial que posibilita y dificulta estas articulaciones politicas en los siglos diecinueve y el veinte. Y la ultima seccion reflexiona sobre la nocion colonial de territorio en el caso colonial latinoamericano y en el contexto de la expansion imperial estadounidense. EnglishIn this paper I meditate on how to study colonialism in the case of the overseas insular territories, and what are the implications for the postcolonial and decolonial debates. I use archipelagic thinking as a lens that informs my conceptualization of the Caribbean, one of the multiple insular regions that have been conceived as overseas possesions. The argument of this essay is developed in three thematic nodes. The first section studiesimperial and colonial representations of the Caribbean in maps produced between 1492 and 1800. The second section reviews two historical moments in which the Caribbean considers a multi-state project as alternative to the sovereign state, and I analyze the colonial and decolonial contexts that make possible and hinder these political articulations in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The last section analyzes the colonial notion of the territory in the Latin American and U.S. American contexts.
Racial disparities in perioperative outcomes after bariatric surgery

Abstract Background NonHispanic black patients bear a disproportionate burden of the obesity epidemic and its related medical co-morbidities. While bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for morbid obesity, black patients access bariatric surgery at lower rates than nonHispanic white patients. Objectives To examine racial differences before bariatric surgery and in short-term perioperative outcomes and complications, and the extent to which race is independently associated with perioperative morbidity and mortality. Setting Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program national database. Methods Data were extracted from the 2015 Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program Participant Use File. Multivariate analysis was used to identify differences in mortality, length of stay, readmission, and reintervention by race in patients undergoing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG). Results A total of 108,198 patients were included in the analysis. There were significant differences in perioperative disease burden. Black patients had a higher body mass index at the time they underwent surgery (laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: 48.0 versus 45.7 kg/m2; SG: 46.8 versus 44.9 kg/m2; P Conclusions We found significant racial disparities in bariatric surgery outcomes, including higher mortality in black patients undergoing SG. The specific causes of these disparities remain unclear and must be the subject of future research.
IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, THE RACIALIZATION OF LEGAL STATUS, AND PERCEPTIONS OF THE POLICE

The immigration enforcement system today affects different subgroups of Latinos; it reaches beyond the undocumented to immigrants who hold legal statuses and even to the U.S.-born. States have enacted their own enforcement collaboration agreements with federal authorities and thus Latinos may have dissimilar experiences based on where they live. This article examines the effects of enforcement schemes on Latinos’ likelihood of reporting crimes to police and views of law enforcement. It includes documented and U.S-born Latinos to capture the spillover beyond the undocumented, and it is based on four metropolitan areas—Los Angeles, Houston, Phoenix, and Chicago—to comparatively assess the effects of various enforcement contexts. Empirically, it relies on data from a random sample survey of over 2000 Latinos conducted in 2012 in these four cities. Results show that spillover effects vary by context and legal/citizenship status: Latino immigrants with legal status are less inclined to report to the police as compared to U.S.-born Latinos in Houston, Los Angeles, and Phoenix but not in Chicago. At the other end, the spillover effect in Phoenix is so strong that it almost reaches to U.S.-born Latinos. The spillover effect identified is possible due to the close association between being Latino or Mexican and being undocumented, underscoring the racialization of legal status and of immigration enforcement today.