cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nanoclay-modified asphalt materials: Preparation and characterization

Abstract The objective of this study is to review existing literature in the area of nano-modification of asphalt and proceed to apply nano-materials to asphalt to improve the performance. This study integrates literature review, preparation, and characterization of nano-modified asphalt materials. In the experimental testing montmorillonite, nanoclay at 2% and 4% by weight of asphalt was blended in asphalt binder at a high temperature to exfoliate the nanoclay within the asphalt. The asphalt binder was then characterized using the Superpave™ rotational viscosity, dynamic shear modulus, and direct tension test. The rotational viscosity results indicate that the addition of the two types of nanoclay, Nanoclay A and Nanoclay B, increased the rotational viscosity by an average of 41% and 112%, respectively, across test temperatures 80, 100, 130, 135, 150 and 175 °C. It was found that the dynamic shear complex modulus ( G *) value increases significantly across a range of testing temperatures (from 13 to 70 °C) and loading frequencies (0.01–25 Hz). With 2% Nanoclay A reinforcement in the asphalt binder, the complex shear moduli generally increased by 66% while the 4% Nanoclay A reinforcement in the asphalt binder generally increased the shear complex moduli by 125%. The 2% and 4% Nanoclay B increased the shear complex moduli by 184% and 196%, respectively. In terms of direct tension strength, the use of Nanoclay A and Nanoclay B reduced the strain failure rate of the original binder while the secant or direct tension moduli showed increase with the addition of the nanoclays. In furtherance of this research, nanoclay-modified asphalt is being tested at percentages higher than 4% to underscore the fact that nanoclays may have the potential to reduce rutting and cracking.
Metabolic replacement of kidney function in uremic animals with a bioartificial kidney containing human cells

Current renal substitution therapy with hemodialysis or hemofiltration has been an important life-sustaining technology, but it still has suboptimal clinical outcomes in patients with end-stage renal disease or acute renal failure. This therapy replaces the small solute clearance function of the glomerulus but does not replace the metabolic and endocrinologic functions of the tubular cells. This article shows that the combination of a synthetic hemofiltration cartridge and a renal tubule cell assist device (RAD) containing human cells in an extracorporeal circuit replaces filtration, metabolic, and endocrinologic functions in acutely uremic dogs. The RAD maintained excellent performance and durability characteristics for 24 hours of continuous use in the uremic animals. The RAD increased ammonia excretion, glutathione metabolism, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 production. Cardiovascular stability in the animals was documented in these studies during this extracorporeal treatment. With these results, clinical evaluation of this device in the treatment of severely ill patients with acute renal failure in an intensive care unit has been initiated.
Is There a Slippery Slope from Suicide, to Assisted Suicide, to Consensual Euthanasia?

In the Supreme Court decisions (Washington v. Glucksberg and Vacco v. Quill, 1997), Chief Justice Rehnquist wrote that “opposition to and condemnation of suicide and, therefore, of assisting suicide are consistent and enduring themes of our philosophical, legal, and cultural heritages.” While one might question this with regard to our philosophical heritage, Rehnquist is certainly right in the implied judgment that opposition to suicide is ipso facto opposition to assisted suicide. What I want to consider is the other side of the coin. I want to consider whether acceptance of suicide commits one to acceptance of assisted suicide (AS).1 Further, I want to consider whether acceptance of AS commits one to acceptance of euthanasia (EU).2 For many fear there is a slippery slope here. They fear that if assisted suicide becomes acceptable, society will be led inexorably to accept euthanasia as well. To those who oppose euthanasia, that would be a bad thing. To those who support euthanasia it would be a good thing. But whether or not both sides can be brought into agreement on that issue, they should, in principle, be able to agree on whether there is a slippery slope here.3
Who Was John Howard

John Howard was an 18th-century English philanthropist who made significant contributions in prison reform. Despite personal tragedy and an oppositional social climate, he became an early promoter of humane treatment for prisoners. Other reformers followed John Howard, making valuable contributions, but many challenges remain in the management of forensic hospitals and prison systems. Howard's legacy is not only the modernization of prison structures and programs, but also the work of numerous worldwide societies and associations that provide services for communities and prisoners.
Enzymatic photoreactivation: overview.

Photoreactivation—a reduction in the effect of ultraviolet irradiation by subsequent exposure to longer wavelengths—stems from at least two different kinds of processes. The first is direct, photoenzyme-mediated repair of ultraviolet radiation damage to DNA, while the second (“indirect photoreactivation”) is an enhancement of light-independent repairs due to physiological changes induced in cells by light.1 These two kinds of processes can be distinguished by their different wavelength and temperature dependences (Jagger and Stafford, 1965). Since indirect photoreactivation is merely one aspect of recovery through mechanisms able to act in the dark, it is best discussed in that context. We are concerned in this section only with the direct photoenzymatic process.
Mechanisms by which cocoa flavanols improve metabolic syndrome and related disorders

Dietary administration of cocoa flavanols may be an effective complementary strategy for alleviation or prevention of metabolic syndrome, particularly glucose intolerance. The complex flavanol composition of cocoa provides the ability to interact with a variety of molecules, thus allowing numerous opportunities to ameliorate metabolic diseases. These interactions likely occur primarily in the gastrointestinal tract, where native cocoa flavanol concentration is high. Flavanols may antagonize digestive enzymes and glucose transporters, causing a reduction in glucose excursion, which helps patients with metabolic disorders maintain glucose homeostasis. Unabsorbed flavanols, and ones that undergo enterohepatic recycling, will proceed to the colon where they can exert prebiotic effects on the gut microbiota. Interactions with the gut microbiota may improve gut barrier function, resulting in attenuated endotoxin absorption. Cocoa may also positively influence insulin signaling, possibly by relieving insulin-signaling pathways from oxidative stress and inflammation and/or via a heightened incretin response. The purpose of this review is to explore the mechanisms that underlie these outcomes, critically review the current body of literature related to those mechanisms, explore the implications of these mechanisms for therapeutic utility, and identify emerging or needed areas of research that could advance our understanding of the mechanisms of action and therapeutic potential of cocoa flavanols.
Modeling Pancreatic Cancer in Animals to Address Specific Hypotheses

Multiple experimental approaches have been employed to study exocrine pancreatic cancer, including the use of animals as surrogates for the human disease. Animals have the advantage that they can be manipulated to address specific hypotheses regarding mechanisms underlying this disease. Implicit in this opportunity is the necessity to match the question being asked with an appropriate animal model. Several approaches to modeling pancreatic cancer have been established that involve animals. First, xenogeneic cell transplantation, generally into immunocompromised rodent subcutis or pancreas, allows examination of (1) the effect of host environment on human or rodent pancreatic cancer cells, (2) whether specific genetic changes in donor cells correlate with certain cancer cell behaviors, and (3) novel approaches to cancer therapy or imaging of tumor growth. Second, carcinogen administration, typically to hamster or rat, allows examination of whether specific genetic, biochemical, cellular, and tissue phenotypic changes, including progression to neoplasia, accompany exposure to a particular chemical. Third, genetically engineered animals, usually transgenic or gene targeted mice, allow examination of (1) whether genetic changes, including oncogene overexpression/mutation or tumor suppressor gene loss, can increase the risk for neoplastic progression, (2) whether specific genetic changes can cooperate during pancreatic carcinogenesis, and (3) how the genetic signature of a neoplasm correlates with particular biological aspects of tumor initiation and progression. Collectively, these experimental approaches permit detailed exploration of pancreatic cancer genetics and biology in the whole animal context, thereby mimicking the environment in which human disease occurs.
Changes in Spectral Acuity following Laser Irradiation

Maximal visual acuity and normal color vision are closely associated with foveal receptor function. When the fovea is destroyed or altered by intense laser irradiation, severe and sometimes permanent losses in visual acuity ensue. In this paper we have shown that the threshold for long-term functional alterations in the fovea is determined not only by the wavelength and corneal exposure power of a laser flash but also by the types of performance criteria used to assess visual functioning. Chromatic acuity provides a much lower threshold for permanent alterations (Krypton -- 6 mW; Argon -- 3 mW) as opposed to achromatic targets (HeNe -- 11 mW). Further, the use of chromatic acuity to assess post-exposure functioning can more accurately delineate the specific cone process most affected by the exposing source. The data from these studies also suggest that some relatively long-term (24 h) cumulative process within the retina is occurring which obviously will affect any threshold value determined. Language: en
Automatic Gleason grading of prostate cancer using SLIM and machine learning

In this paper, we present an updated automatic diagnostic procedure for prostate cancer using quantitative phase imaging (QPI). In a recent report [1], we demonstrated the use of Random Forest for image segmentation on prostate cores imaged using QPI. Based on these label maps, we developed an algorithm to discriminate between regions with Gleason grade 3 and 4 prostate cancer in prostatectomy tissue. The Area-Under-Curve (AUC) of 0.79 for the Receiver Operating Curve (ROC) can be obtained for Gleason grade 4 detection in a binary classification between Grade 3 and Grade 4. Our dataset includes 280 benign cases and 141 malignant cases. We show that textural features in phase maps have strong diagnostic values since they can be used in combination with the label map to detect presence or absence of basal cells, which is a strong indicator for prostate carcinoma. A support vector machine (SVM) classifier trained on this new feature vector can classify cancer/non-cancer with an error rate of 0.23 and an AUC value of 0.83.
Optically Active Sum Frequency Generation Microscopy for Cellular Imaging

Optically active sum-frequency generation microscopy was applied to imaging cells, utilizing the intrinsic chirality of biological macromolecules as the contrast mechanism.
Introduction of Indian Food Safety Administration System

The functions of Indian food safety administration and standard bureau, the executive procedures about the laws and punishments on illegal crime in foods were introduced. The characteristics of reform on food safety administration system under the new laws frame of food safety in India were analyzed. The advice were put forward to further optimize the model of food safety administration from the legislation, system and mechanism, in comparison with reform process of food safety administration system between India and China.
Analysis on epidemiological characteristics of injuries among rural residents in Kunming

Objective To study the prevalence and character of injuries among rural residents in Kunming in order to provide effective preventive measures.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 5423 rural permanent residents in Kunming.Results The injury prevalence rate was 4.92%.The prevalence rate of men(6.42%)was much higher than that of women(3.46%)(χ2=25.404,P0.01).Falls,traffic accidents and animal bite were the top three types of injury in rural residents.Conclusions It is necessary to take effective measures to prevent and control injury among rural residents.
Demonstration of the analgesic activity of human β-endorphin in six patients

It has been demonstrated that the untriakontapeptide β-endorphin produces more potent analgesia in animals than morphine, on a molar basis (Loh et al. 1976; Tseng etal. 1976a; Meglio et al. 1977; Feldberg and Smyth, 1976). The present study was undertaken in an attempt to show a similar mode of action of β-endorphin in humans.
Gadda’s Pasticciaccio and the Knotted Posthuman Household

The celebrated final scenes of Carlo Emilio Gadda’s novel, “Quer pasticciaccio brutto de via Merulana”, find detective Ingravallo pursuing a clue as he investigates the brutal murder of Liliana Balducci, an upper-middle-class inhabitant of an apartment on the street of the novel’s title. The location for the book’s concluding showdown is a dilapidated house, or an “oikos”, to borrow from the Greek, into which the Investigator, an outsider, is introduced. “Oikos”, which became the prefix “eco” in both “economics” (literally, law of the house) and “ecology” (or, study of the house) here provides a dynamic lens for the final scenes of the Pasticciaccio, and for viewing its unremitting tension between singularity and generality, interiority and exteriority, anthropic and geological time, human and posthuman. Our article proposes the space of the impoverished Roman household as a key to entering the Gaddian narrative architecture, a space that resonates with what Jeffery Jerome Cohen describes as “the tangled, fecund, and irregular pluriverse humans inhabit along with lively and agency-filled objects, materials, and forces” (Prismatic Ecology, xxiii). The dwelling on Via Merulana, and even more distinctly the house (or hovel) in which the novel ends, challenge our notions of domestic spaces, their porosity, and their proper inhabitants. In fact, in the narrative’s exploration of these two houses and their occupants, we find intriguing portraits of the tensions that trouble the supposed borders of the human and the posthuman. The “Pasticciaccio”, as we argue, closes (or opens) the door on a narrative architecture of polarity, where material and ontological tensions lead to both human and posthuman conclusions.
Subchannel Void Fraction Prediction via Drift-Flux Analysis

Void fraction calculations have been performed using the subchannel drift-flux code CANAL. Using void and flow distributions in rod bundle geometry, a value of C0 has been estimated for bundle-aver...
Increasing comorbidity is associated with worsening physical function and pain after primary total knee arthroplasty

Previous studies suggested that pre-operative comorbidity was a risk factor for worse outcomes after TKA. To our knowledge, studies have not examined whether postoperative changes in comorbidity impact pain and function outcomes longitudinally. Our objective was to examine if increasing comorbidity postoperatively is associated with worsening physical function and pain after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We performed a retrospective chart review of veterans who had completed Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and Short Form-36 (SF36) surveys at regular intervals after primary TKA. Comorbidity was assessed using a variety of scales: validated Charlson comorbidity index score, and a novel Arthroplasty Comorbidity Severity Index score (Including medical index, local musculoskeletal index [including lower extremity and spine] and TKA-related index subscales; higher scores are worse ), at multiple time-points post-TKA. We used mixed model linear regression to examine the association of worsening comorbidity post-TKA with change in WOMAC and SF-36 scores in the subsequent follow-up periods, controlling for age, length of follow-up, and repeated observations. The study cohort consisted of 124 patients with a mean age of 71.7 years (range 58.6–89.2, standard deviation (SD) 6.9) followed for a mean of 4.9 years post-operatively (range 1.3–11.4; SD 2.8). We found that post-operative worsening of the Charlson Index score was significantly associated with worsening SF-36 Physical Function (PF) (beta coefficient (s) = -0.07; p < 0.0001), SF-36 Bodily Pain (BP) (s = -0.06; p = 0.002), and WOMAC PF subscale (s = 0.08; p < 0.001; higher scores are worse) scores, in the subsequent periods. Worsening novel medical index subscale scores were significantly associated with worsening SF-36 PF scores (s = -0.03; p = 0.002), SF-36 BP (s = -0.04; p < 0.001) and showed a non-significant trend for worse WOMAC PF scores (s = 0.02; p = 0.11) subsequently. Local musculoskeletal index subscale scores were significantly associated with worsening SF-36 PF (s = -0.05; p = 0.001), SF-36 BP (s = -0.04; p = 0.03) and WOMAC PF (s = 0.06; p = 0.01) subsequently. None of the novel index subscale scores were significantly associated with WOMAC pain scores. TKA complications, as assessed by TKA-related index subscale, were not significantly associated with SF-36 or WOMAC domain scores. Increasing Charlson index as well as novel medical and local musculoskeletal index subscale scores (from novel Arthroplasty Comorbidity Severity Index) post-TKA correlated with subsequent worsening of physical function and pain outcomes post-TKA. Further studies should examine which comorbidity management could have the greatest impact on these outcomes.
Decentralized voltage stability monitoring and control in the smart grid using distributed computing architecture

To manage the smart electric grid of the future, fundamental changes are required in the system operational paradigm. Availability of high-resolution data at faster speed and advanced computational advancements provide opportunities to bring this fundamental change. Monitoring and control algorithms need to be evolved to match the transition of centralized generation to distributed generation. Intermittency of renewable generation and push towards real time control requires faster control actions, which is possible with decentralized power grid applications. With integration of distributed energy resources (DERs), the stability assessment application need to handle a large number of data points in real time. This requires massive computing resources, and requirements will increase for possible real time control action. Decentralized applications need to be coordinated and manged with existing centralized applications. This paper addresses the development of a fault-tolerant distributed computing architecture (DCBlocks) for implementing a decentralized voltage stability monitoring and control application. Results for IEEE 30 bus system have been provided to validate the developed architecture. Distributed computing algorithms are implemented using open source platform Akka Java and DeterLab test bed.
CLARINET: WAN-aware optimization for analytics queries

Recent work has made the case for geo-distributed analytics, where data collected and stored at multiple datacenters and edge sites world-wide is analyzed in situ to drive operational and management decisions. A key issue in such systems is ensuring low response times for analytics queries issued against geo-distributed data. A central determinant of response time is the query execution plan (QEP). Current query optimizers do not consider the network when deriving QEPs, which is a key drawback as the geo-distributed sites are connected via WAN links with heterogeneous and modest bandwidths, unlike intra-datacenter networks. We propose CLARINET, a novel WAN-aware query optimizer. Deriving a WAN-aware QEP requires working jointly with the execution layer of analytics frameworks that places tasks to sites and performs scheduling. We design efficient heuristic solutions in CLARINET to make such a joint decision on the QEP. Our experiments with a real prototype deployed across EC2 datacenters, and large-scale simulations using production workloads show that CLARINET improves query response times by ≥ 50% compared to state-of-the-art WAN-aware task placement and scheduling.
Quantitative Proteomics Based on Optimized Data-Independent Acquisition in Plasma Analysis.

The advent of high-resolution and frequency mass spectrometry has ushered in an era of data-independent acquisition (DIA). This approach affords enormous multiplexing capacity and is particularly suitable for clinical biomarker studies. However, DIA-based quantification of clinical plasma samples is a daunting task due to the high complexity of clinical plasma samples, the diversity of peptides within the samples, and the high biologic dynamic range of plasma proteins. Here we applied DIA methodology, including a highly reproducible sample preparation and LC–MS/MS analysis, and assessed its utility for clinical plasma biomarker detection. A pancreatic cancer-relevant plasma spectral library was constructed consisting of over 14 000 confidently identified peptides derived from over 2300 plasma proteins. Using a nonhuman protein as the internal standard, various empirical parameters were explored to maximize the reliability and reproducibility of the DIA quantification. The DIA parameters were optimized bas...
Analysis of exhaled breath from cigarette smokers using CMV-GC/MS

Abstract The aim of this research was to investigate the potential of a novel preconcentration device, capillary micro-extraction of volatiles (CMV), for the application of breath analysis. The CMV offers dynamic sampling of volatile to semi-volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by the simple coupling of an adapter to a GC inlet for GC/MS analysis, in comparison to the expensive thermal desorption units needed for sorbent tubes. It additionally offers an increased surface area over a single SPME fiber. The CMV was used to sample and extract 108 compounds from the breath of 11 self-reported cigarette smokers and 7 non-smokers. Twelve (12) compounds were determined to be statistically significant between the groups. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) were used to distinguish the groups, resulting in 100% correct classification of all non-smokers. In some cases, nicotine was not detected in smokers and therefore some of those smokers were confused with the non-smokers. Nicotine was detected in the breath of 64% of all cigarette smokers with an average mass of 143 ± 31 pg from the approximate 5-liter breath sample collected within 1 h after smoking. The successful use of the CMV sampler for preconcentration of breath to distinguish between smokers and non-smokers serves as a proof of concept for future applications of the CMV for detection of marijuana smokers’ breath for impaired driver management.
Systemic solutions for systemic problems

The systems sciences and cybernetics emerged in the years after World War II. These fields created many new approaches to engineering and management and contributed new ideas to existing academic fields. The new fields also identified similar concepts across a range of fields and began to create a general theory of systems. In addition the systems sciences created a variety of methods for managing complex systems, for example logistics, operations research and computer simulations. In the 1970s there was concern about population and environment balance. Currently there is increasing concern with governance, since the rate of presentation of problems seems to be greater than the ability of our institutions to manage them. This paper will discuss the history of systems science and cybernetics, the questions formulated and the solutions proposed, the difficulties encountered in finding a home within contemporary universities and some exciting lines of research now underway.
State feedback control for single-phase grid-connected inverter under weak grid

Investigated in this paper is the use of state variable feedback control combined with a PI controller for a single-phase grid-connected inverter with an LC filter operating under weak grid conditions. This condition is characterized by a grid impedance much larger than the inductance in the LC filter. Under weak grid conditions, variations in the grid impedance can degrade the performance of the inverter. State feedback control offers full controllability, which can enhance stability and increase damping to reduce the LC filter resonance. Therefore, state feedback control combined with a PI controller has been utilized to maintain inverter performance under weak grid conditions. The impact of grid impedance variations on the closed-loop system has been analyzed. Circuit parameter sensitivity analysis is also performed to verify the robustness of this method to parameter uncertainty. Compared with conventional current feedback control (PI control, PR control), the proposed method is more robust to the grid impedance variation even under a distorted grid. Analysis and experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control method. Also, the harmonic rejection ability is analyzed.
LIVE DEMONSTRATION OF ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

In this manuscript we summarize many of the aspects of a typical diagnostic echocardiographic examination that were presented during a live demonstration at the plenary session of the 23rd Annual Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation. Ultrasonic imaging of the heart (echocardiography) has become an important tool in the diagnosis of heart disease. Currently most heart patients undergo an echocardiographic examination as part of their diagnostic evaluation. This method of imaging offers the physician a rapid, quantitative, and cost-effective assessment of cardiac anatomy arid function. Below we present some of the typical images obtained and discuss some of the measurements performed for diagnostic use in a clinical echocardiographic exam.
Electoral Cycle Fluctuations in Partisanship: Global Evidence from Eighty-Six Countries

Elections are defining elements of democracy but occur infrequently. Given that elections evoke mass mobilization, we expect citizen attachments to political parties to wax during election season a...
Multi-terminal memtransistors from polycrystalline monolayer molybdenum disulfide

Memristors are two-terminal passive circuit elements that have been developed for use in non-volatile resistive random-access memory and may also be useful in neuromorphic computing. Memristors have higher endurance and faster read/write times than flash memory and can provide multi-bit data storage. However, although two-terminal memristors have demonstrated capacity for basic neural functions, synapses in the human brain outnumber neurons by more than a thousandfold, which implies that multi-terminal memristors are needed to perform complex functions such as heterosynaptic plasticity. Previous attempts to move beyond two-terminal memristors, such as the three-terminal Widrow-Hoff memristor and field-effect transistors with nanoionic gates or floating gates, did not achieve memristive switching in the transistor. Here we report the experimental realization of a multi-terminal hybrid memristor and transistor (that is, a memtransistor) using polycrystalline monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) in a scalable fabrication process. The two-dimensional MoS2 memtransistors show gate tunability in individual resistance states by four orders of magnitude, as well as large switching ratios, high cycling endurance and long-term retention of states. In addition to conventional neural learning behaviour of long-term potentiation/depression, six-terminal MoS2 memtransistors have gate-tunable heterosynaptic functionality, which is not achievable using two-terminal memristors. For example, the conductance between a pair of floating electrodes (pre- and post-synaptic neurons) is varied by a factor of about ten by applying voltage pulses to modulatory terminals. In situ scanning probe microscopy, cryogenic charge transport measurements and device modelling reveal that the bias-induced motion of MoS2 defects drives resistive switching by dynamically varying Schottky barrier heights. Overall, the seamless integration of a memristor and transistor into one multi-terminal device could enable complex neuromorphic learning and the study of the physics of defect kinetics in two-dimensional materials.
Myelin: Structure, Function, Pathology, and Targeted Therapeutics

Abstract Since the first description of myelin by Virchow as neuroglia or nerve glue, many breakthroughs have been made that have changed the perception of myelin from a static insulating structure to a dynamic multilamellar structure serving several functions in the nervous system. Myelination in the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system is accomplished by oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells, respectively, involving complex interaction between axon and glia through a network of transcription and neurotrophic factors. Transgenic mouse models have revealed the role of these specialized cells in not only initiating and maintaining the functional integrity of the myelin sheath but also in the function and survival of underlying axons. This information reveals new possibilities for treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases with myelin abnormalities. This chapter presents an overview of myelin structure and function and its communication with axons it ensheaths. The chapter also describes the current understanding of axoglial communications and the role of glial cells in myelin disorders.
A computational investigation and smooth-shaped defect synthesis for eddy current testing problems using the subregion finite element method

ABSTRACTEddy Current Testing (ECT) plays a key role in detecting cracks and defects in conductors. The present study examines for the first time how the subregion method as an effective mathematical and computational technique can be admixed with Finite Element Method (FEM) to study multiple defects parameters for ECT issues. Separating a defect region from the entire domain in any computational technique will save both time and storage space. Examples of different types of defects are presented in this article . A tangible result of processing time reduction by 90% has been achieved which has led us to consider the subregion FEM method as an effective method in solving different Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) problems. An agreement between our results and others using classical FEM has been achieved which could lead to using this technique in online and field testing problems. The presented subregion FEM algorithm was verified experimentally with good agreement by testing Aluminum (T6061-T6) samples wit...
Algoritmo matemático de la separación de un sistema binario mediante electrodiálisis

Electrodialysis is a used separation technique for water desalination and recovery of salts, acids and aqueous mixtures bases. This paper aims to implement a mathematical model using theoretical models and simplifications, can represent a separation by electrodialysis for a binary aqueous solution. Equations raised model phenomena mass transfer occurring along the electrodialysis module considering some simplifying assumptions in order to facilitate the modeling process. The model also contains equations describing energy consumption of the separation, which, along with the purity obtained for the solute, allows to estimate the viability of the technique.
Empowering mechanochemistry with multi-mechanophore polymer architectures

The development of multi-mechanophore polymers (MMPs) has empowered new methodologies for observing, quantifying, and exploiting mechanochemical transformations. For example, techniques such as single molecule force spectroscopy and pulsed ultrasound can be used to induce and observe up to hundreds of chemical reactions within a single polymer, enabling mechanistic insights into mechanochemical reactivity. At the same time, MMPs allow for the substantial mechanochemical remodeling of polymers and associated changes in material properties. This minireview presents synthetic approaches that have been used to make MMPs, methods that have been developed to probe and characterize their reactivity, and changes in properties that have been observed through their mechanochemical response.
CONVECTIVE MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC FLOW IN A VERTICAL CHANNEL.

An analysis is presented for the combined forced and free convective magnetohydrodynamic flow in a vertical, finite rectangular channel that is subjected simultaneously to a pressure gradient and a temperature gradient. Exact solutions are found for electrically nonconducting channel walls and perfectly conducting walls. In particular, the case of heating from below is examined and discussed.
The Arctangent Survival Distribution

We present a two-parameter survival distribution that has an upside-down bathtub (UBT, or humped-shaped) hazard function. This distribution provides biostatisticians, reliability engineers, and other statisticians with a second two-parameter UBT model w..
Development of an On-Board Wide-Band Processor for Radio Frequency Interference Detection and Filtering

The demand for microwave spectrum for commercial and industrial use has been increasing rapidly over the last decade, putting stress on the limited spectral resources for passive microwave remote sensing. Radio frequency interference from man-made sources is expected to become worse over the coming years. At 1.4 GHz, the SMAP mission has implemented and demonstrated advanced interference detection algorithms for its microwave radiometer. This scheme will not be feasible at higher microwave frequencies (above 6 GHz) due to much larger radiometer bandwidths used and the limited downlink data volume available to implement RFI filtering algorithms in the ground processing. In this paper, we present the design, development, and test of an advanced on-board interference detection and RFI filtering digital back-end that is capable of operation for a 1 GHz-radiometer bandwidth. We describe the combined RFI detection algorithms implemented in the digital backend’s firmware and the on-board RFI filtering of interference-corrupted data that will be necessary to limit downlink rate requirements for future high-frequency microwave missions.
Development of a Small, Low-Cost, Networked Buoy for Persistent Ocean Monitoring and Data Acquisition

The modern ocean environment is rapidly emerging as the next medium for big data analytics. Oceanographers, environmentalists, and maritime professionals alike are increasingly demanding real-time sensor information. The most valuable currency in this modern era is filtered oceanographic data, such as quantitative sea-state information, sea-surface temperatures, salinity, large-area current behaviors, and observed vessel traffic patterns. Recent research at the United States Naval Academy (USNA) has focused on the design, development, and deployment of a small, low-cost, free-floating, networked buoy to provide such real-time, in-situ data. This paper focuses on the full spectrum of present-day research/prototyping activity, including the design of a watertight, rapidly configurable buoy body; the integration of associated electronic systems using low-cost, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technology; and the development of onboard data processing and data transmission algorithms. The final buoy design features a cylindrical PVC structure, an ARDUINO-based control system, a variety of unique sensors, and IRIDIUM-based satellite connectivity.
Timing and Duration of Gbx2 Expression Delineates Thalamocortical and Dopaminergic Medial Forebrain Bundle Circuitry

SUMMARY Gene expression is a dynamic process, which is highly coordinated during development to ensure the proper allocation and identity of neuronal cell types within the brain. Equally important during neurodevelopment is how cohorts of neurons establish axonal projections that innervate terminal target sites. We sought to bridge the temporal dynamics of gene expression, within a specific genetic lineage, to the establishment of neuronal circuits derived from cohorts of the lineage-specific progenitors. A central goal was to be able to accomplish genetic inducible circuit mapping non-invasively and with commonly available CreER/loxP technology. Specifically, we genetically marked thalamic neuron progenitors that expressed the transcription factor Gbx2 at an early embryonic stage and tracked the formation of lineage-derived thalamocortical axons during embryogenesis. We then assessed the neural circuitry at an early postnatal stage. We show that the temporal specificity of lineage marking provides a high degree of clarity for following neural circuit development. We also determined that the onset and duration of gene expression can delineate subsets of neural circuits derived from a common lineage. For example, we uncovered a novel contribution of Gbx2-expressing progenitors to midbrain dopamine neurons and dopaminergic axons of the medial forebrain bundle. We anticipate that this system can be instructive in elucidating changes in neural circuit development in both normal development and in mutant mice in which neural circuit formation is altered.
The emergence and prevalence of hearing loss in children with homozygous sickle cell disease.

Abstract Objectives Many children with sickle cell disease (SCD) experience the effect of cochlear insult due to hemolytic anemia and vaso-occlusion that accompanies the disease. As a result, hearing sensitivity eventually decreases. The purpose of this study was to investigate the emergence of hearing loss and the prevalence of such in children with homozygous SCD. Methods A large pediatric database was utilized to gather audiometric outcomes in children with homozygous SCD. Children were identified by primary diagnosis ICD codes. Demographic and audiometric data was drawn to determine presence, type, degree, and laterality of hearing loss. Hearing loss was defined as an elevated audiometric threshold >15 dB HL for pure tone air conduction audiometry or >20 dB HL minimal response level for sound-field testing. Results One hundred and twenty-eight children were identified. The prevalence of hearing loss ranged from 28.8% to 50.8% depending on the calculation method (i.e., individual vs. ear specific prevalence and any elevated threshold vs. a three-frequency pure tone average). Conductive hearing loss and bilateral loss were most prevalent. The degree of hearing loss ranged from slight to profound. The mean age of identification of sensorineural hearing loss was 9.6 years. Conclusion The prevalence of hearing loss in children with homozygous SCD is higher than in normal children. Regular hearing assessments of children with SCD is warranted and should be advocated in early infancy and as part of their ongoing care.
Cohort selection for clinical trials: n2c2 2018 shared task track 1

OBJECTIVE Track 1 of the 2018 National NLP Clinical Challenges shared tasks focused on identifying which patients in a corpus of longitudinal medical records meet and do not meet identified selection criteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS To address this challenge, we annotated American English clinical narratives for 288 patients according to whether they met these criteria. We chose criteria from existing clinical trials that represented a variety of natural language processing tasks, including concept extraction, temporal reasoning, and inference. RESULTS A total of 47 teams participated in this shared task, with 224 participants in total. The participants represented 18 countries, and the teams submitted 109 total system outputs. The best-performing system achieved a micro F1 score of 0.91 using a rule-based approach. The top 10 teams used rule-based and hybrid systems to approach the problems. DISCUSSION Clinical narratives are open to interpretation, particularly in cases where the selection criterion may be underspecified. This leaves room for annotators to use domain knowledge and intuition in selecting patients, which may lead to error in system outputs. However, teams who consulted medical professionals while building their systems were more likely to have high recall for patients, which is preferable for patient selection systems. CONCLUSIONS There is not yet a 1-size-fits-all solution for natural language processing systems approaching this task. Future research in this area can look to examining criteria requiring even more complex inferences, temporal reasoning, and domain knowledge.
Correction: Differential Fuel Requirements of Human NK Cells and Human CD8 T Cells: Glutamine Regulates Glucose Uptake in Strongly Activated CD8 T Cells.

CD8 T cells and NK cells are the two major cytotoxic lymphocytes that carry out cell-mediated immunity and regulate other immune responses. However, we do not completely understand human CD8 T cell and NK cell metabolic requirements and they have not been compared in the same experiments. We activated human CD8 T cells by two anti–CD3/CD28 mAb methods, and we stimulated both CD8 T cells and NK cells with IL-12/IL-18. When glucose (Glc) could not be used, human CD8 T cells either died or became hypofunctional, depending upon the anti–CD3/CD28 activation method. In contrast, Glc starvation did not decrease the percentage of IL-12/IL-18–stimulated human NK cells that made IFN-γ. NK cells were relatively fuel resilient and used Glc, glutamine (Gln), fatty acid, or acetate to power IFN-γ expression. Surprisingly, strongly activated human CD8 T cells required Gln for glycolysis and Glc uptake. We showed that human CD8 T cells regulate Glc uptake by a novel mechanism related to the TXNIP pleiotropic protein. These conditions may be relevant to septic patients who have high blood Glc but low Gln. Under the conditions tested, Gln did not change human NK cell TXNIP expression. Our experiments reveal fundamental differences in human CD8 T cell and NK cell metabolism and the fuels needed for IFN-γ production.
Deep Bayesian U-Nets for Efficient, Robust and Reliable Post-Disaster Damage Localization

Post-disaster inspections are critical to emergency management after earthquakes. The availability of data on the condition of civil infrastructure immediately after an earthquake is of great importance for emergency management. Stakeholders require this information to take effective actions and to better recover from the disaster. The data-driven SHM has shown great promises to achieve this goal in near real-time. There have been several proposals to automate the inspection process from different sources of input using deep learning. The existing models in the literature only provide a final prediction output, while the risks of utilizing such models for safety-critical assessments should not be ignored. This paper is dedicated to developing deep Bayesian U-Nets where the uncertainty of predictions is a second output of the model, which is made possible through Monte Carlo dropout sampling in test time. Based on a grid-like data structure, the concept of semantic damage segmentation (SDS) is revisited. Compared to image segmentation, it is shown that a much higher level of precision is necessary for damage diagnosis. To validate and test the proposed framework, a benchmark dataset, 10,800 nonlinear response history analyses on a 10-story-10-bay 2D reinforced concrete moment frame, is utilized. Compared to the benchmark SDS model, Bayesian models exhibit superior robustness with enhanced global and mean class accuracies. Finally, the model's uncertainty output is studied by monitoring the softmax class variance of different predictions. It is shown that class variance correlates well with locations where the model makes mistakes. This output can be used in combination with the prediction results to increase the reliability of this data-driven framework in structural inspections.
Nonparametric, data-based kernel interpolation for particle-tracking simulations and kernel density estimation

Abstract Traditional interpolation techniques for particle tracking include binning and convolutional formulas that use pre-determined (i.e., closed-form, parameteric) kernels. In many instances, the particles are introduced as point sources in time and space, so the cloud of particles (either in space or time) is a discrete representation of the Green’s function of an underlying PDE. As such, each particle is a sample from the Green’s function; therefore, each particle should be distributed according to the Green’s function. In short, the kernel of a convolutional interpolation of the particle sample “cloud” should be a replica of the cloud itself. This idea gives rise to an iterative method by which the form of the kernel may be discerned in the process of interpolating the Green’s function. When the Green’s function is a density, this method is broadly applicable to interpolating a kernel density estimate based on random data drawn from a single distribution. We formulate and construct the algorithm and demonstrate its ability to perform kernel density estimation of skewed and/or heavy-tailed data including breakthrough curves.
Teoría ascendente del poder, contrato colonial y literatura nacional. Las clases bajas porteñas y la narrativa portuaria de Valparaíso como disidencia política y cultural

In this article, a genealogy is made of the configuration of "national literature" as opposed to "regional literatures" and "marginal literatures". This effort is based on a genealogy of the formation of the lower classes in Chile as an expression of the emancipatory political power that is mobilized in modernity from the deployment of the ascendant theory of power and Hispanic municipalism. Important is to highlight the processes of political and cultural organization of the lower classes expressed in writings which are marginalized from the national literary canon in the formation of the Republic of Chile and of Chilean sociability from the perspective of the social history and the theory of the colonial contract. Finally, this analyze on marginal literature will be fundamental to understand the literary representation of a port geopoetics and of the lower class from a position of dissident minority in Valparaiso.