cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Liver Physiology and Disease Acute Cholestasis in Patients with Toxic-Shock Syndrome

Serum liver function tests were performed in 22 females fulfilling the criteria for toxic-shock syndrome. All patients showed evidence of hepatic dysfunction during their hospital course. These findings included hyperbilirubinemia in the absence of laboratory evidence for significant hemolysis, mild elevation of the transaminases, threefold increase in their serum bile salt concentration, and hypoalbuminemia. These findings are best explained by hypoperfusion of the liver and a canalicular injury secondary to staphylococcal exotoxin. Cholestasis appears to be a universal finding in toxic-shock syndrome.
What Scientific Journals Can Do to Improve the Peer Review Process:Rewarding the Reviewer!

Since its first application back in the 17th century[1], peer-review of scientific publications has become an essential process to increase trustworthiness of scientific discoveries. In general, editors of scientific journals send the submitted manuscript to 2 or 3 reviewers. They are scientists with expertise in the subject of the scientific article and have the task of providing a thorough review. The report of the review should help the editor to decide if the article can be considered suitable for publication (based on scientific merit, proper literature review, adherence to objective(s), proper methods, and interpretation of results), but also should provide helpful suggestions to the authors to improve the manuscript. A peer review, when done well, should benefit the scientific journal by avoiding publication of articles with a low scientific standard, and the author(s) by helping to improve the manuscript and providing the peace of mind that what is published is scientifically sound.
Insomnia Treatment Experience and Preferences Among Veterans Affairs Primary Care Patients

ABSTRACT Insomnia is common, but undertreated, among primary care patients. Within the Veterans Health Administration (VA), increasing attention has been given to the treatment of insomnia within primary care settings, but little research has examined Veterans' treatment preferences. We examined preferences for sleep treatment among VA primary care patients. Participants (N = 126: 98% male, 89% white; M age = 60 years) completed a brief survey. On the basis of Insomnia Severity Index scores, 22% reported subthreshold and 13% moderate insomnia. Fifty percent reported having issues with sleep (falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much) in the past 12 months; among these, only 44% reported any discussion of medication (34%) or other strategies (32%) to improve sleep with medical providers. The most preferred treatment approach was to work it out on one's own, followed by consulting the primary care provider (PCP). The most preferred modality was a one-on-one meeting with the PCP, followed by a one...
Studies on Papua New Guinea Chiggers (Acari: Trombiculidae): XII. A new species of Gahrliepia from the Long-footed Melomys

Gahrliepia (Walchia) lorentzi is described as new from specimens collected from the Long-footed Melomys, Melomys lorentzi , taken in Papua New Guinea. A key to the species of Cahrliepia in Papua New Guinea is given.
Graphene FETs with Low-Resistance Hybrid Contacts for Improved High Frequency Performance

This work proposes a novel geometry field effect transistor with graphene as a channel—graphene field-effect transistor (GFET), having a hybrid contact that consists of an ohmic source/drain and its extended part towards the gate, which is capacitively coupled to the channel. The ohmic contacts are used for direct current (DC) biasing, whereas their capacitive extension reduces access region length and provides the radio frequency (RF) signal a low impedance path. Minimization of the access region length, along with the paralleling of ohmic contact’s resistance and resistive part of capacitively coupled contact’s impedance, lower the overall source/drain resistance, which results in an increase in current gain cut-off frequency, fT. The DC and high-frequency characteristics of the two chosen conventional baseline GFETs, and their modified versions with proposed hybrid contacts, have been extensively studied, compared, and analyzed using numerical and analytical techniques.
Pectin Methylesterification Impacts the Relationship between Photosynthesis and Plant Growth

Photosynthesis occurs in mesophyll cells of specialized organs such as leaves. The rigid cell wall encapsulating photosynthetic cells controls the expansion and distribution of cells within photosynthetic tissues. The relationship between photosynthesis and plant growth is affected by leaf area. However, the underlying genetic mechanisms affecting carbon partitioning to different aspects of leaf growth are not known. To fill this gap, we analyzed Arabidopsis plants with altered levels of pectin methylesterification, which is known to modulate cell wall plasticity and plant growth. Pectin methylesterification levels were varied through manipulation of cotton Golgi-related (CGR) 2 or 3 genes encoding two functionally redundant pectin methyltransferases. Increased levels of methylesterification in a line over-expressing CGR2 (CGR2OX) resulted in highly expanded leaves with enhanced intercellular air spaces; reduced methylesterification in a mutant lacking both CGR-genes 2 and 3 (cgr2/3) resulted in thin but dense leaf mesophyll that limited CO2 diffusion to chloroplasts. Leaf, root, and plant dry weight were enhanced in CGR2OX but decreased in cgr2/3. Differences in growth between wild type and the CGR-mutants can be explained by carbon partitioning but not by variations in area-based photosynthesis. Therefore, photosynthesis drives growth through alterations in carbon partitioning to new leaf area growth and leaf mass per unit leaf area; however, CGR-mediated pectin methylesterification acts as a primary factor in this relationship through modulation of the expansion and positioning of the cells in leaves, which in turn drive carbon partitioning by generating dynamic carbon demands in leaf area growth and leaf mass per unit leaf area.
Spectrally dependent fluctuations of thermal photon sources

Many current quantum optical systems, such as microcavities, interact with thermal light through a small number of widely separated modes. Previous theories for photon number fluctuations of thermal light have been primarily limited to special cases that are appropriate for large volumes or distances, such as single modes, many modes, or modes of uniform spectral distribution. Herein, a theory for the general case of spectrally dependent photon number fluctuations is developed for thermal light. The error in variance of prior art is quantitatively derived for an example cavity in the case where photon counting noise dominates. A method to reduce the spectral impact of this variance is described.
Conclusion: Nothing Satisfies Like Meaningful Work

Thomas Edison once said, “I’ve never worked a day in my life. It was all fun.” Personally, I think he was lying (either to himself or to the reporter who jotted down the comment or both). No matter how much you love what you do, work is not endless fun. And in any career there are sure to be hours or days or weeks or months or even years of drudgery that can at best be considered merely “acceptable” as you seek out your initial funding, work through difficult experiments with conflicting results, have what you consider a great and important paper being rejected repeatedly, and work in deteriorating conditions because of a change in leadership in your department.
Online Optimal Feedback Control of Polymerization Reactors: Application to polymerization of acrylamide-water-potassium persulfate (KPS) system

This paper deals with the design and implementation of optimal real-time control strategies for controlling polymerization reactors in free radical polymerization processes. A multiobjective optimization problem is first formulated to determine optimal trajectories for a range of target products. A tailor-made control module is then formulated and implemented in python for controlling the weight-average molar mass (Mw) to robustly achieve the desired polymer molar mass distribution (MMD). Multiple control case studies are discussed and applied to force the system along the optimal targets. Performance of the controller is evaluated in each case using Automatic Continuous Online Monitoring of Polymerization reactions (ACOMP). Results are provided through investigations into the free radical polymerization of the acrylamide in water using potassium persulfate (KPS) as an initiator.
Thermal biology of Osmia cornifrons (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) eggs and larvae

Temperature plays an important role in the growth and development of insects, and the temperature at which an insect develops can affect both behavior and reproduction in adult insects. This study was conducted to determine the effects of temperature on development and survival in the egg and larval stages of Osmia cornifrons Radozskowski (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) over a broad range of temperatures. O. cornifrons individuals were placed in environmental chambers at 5, 13, 21, 29, 37, and 45 °C and their development was tracked daily. Developmental data was modelled using the Briere function and simulated by incorporating the developed model and Weibull function. Models were validated with developmental data from randomly selected bees at sites in Morgantown (n = 28) and Kearneysville (n = 78), West Virginia, USA. Osmia cornifrons eggs survived at 13, 21, and 29 °C, but were unable to survive at other temperatures. Larvae survived at 21 and 29 °C, with 88.5 and 45.5% survival, respectively. The thermal w...
Globus: Research Data Management as Service and Platform

Globus offers a suite of data and user management capabilities to the research community, encompassing data transfer and sharing, user identity and authorization, and data publication. Globus capabilities are accessible via both a web browser and REST APIs. Web access allows Globus to address the needs of research labs through a software-as-a-service model; the newer REST APIs address the needs of developers of research services, who can now use Globus as a platform, outsourcing complex user and data management tasks to Globus cloud-hosted services. Here we review Globus capabilities and outline how it is being applied as a platform for scientific services.
Perceptions of Divorce, Closeness, Marital Attitudes, Romantic Beliefs, and Religiosity Among Emergent Adults From Divorced and Nondivorced Families

ABSTRACTThis article analyzes 401 college students’ perceptions of love, romance, parent–child closeness, and religiosity. Results revealed that college students from divorced homes were not as close with their parents and reported decreased religiosity compared to participants from nondivorced homes, and that these factors are associated with young adults’ views and expectations on romantic relationships. The work presented here provides implications for future studies in understanding the beliefs about and effects of divorce for adult children. Further, results from this study suggest that college students have different expectations regarding love, romance, and marriage based on a number of family relation factors. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
The baubellum is more developmentally and evolutionarily labile than the baculum.

Understanding the evolutionary forces that influence sexual dimorphism is a fundamental goal in biology. Here, we focus on one particularly extreme example of sexual dimorphism. Many mammal species possess a bone in their penis called a baculum. The female equivalent of this bone is called the baubellum and occurs in the clitoris, which is developmentally homologous to the male penis. To understand the potential linkage between these two structures, we scored baculum/baubellum presence/absence across 163 species and analyzed their distribution in a phylogenetic framework. The majority of species (N = 134) shared the same state in males and females (both baculum and baubellum present or absent). However, the baubellum has experienced significantly more transitions, and more recent transitions, so that the remaining 29 species have a baculum but not a well-developed baubellum. Even in species where both bones are present, the baubellum shows more ontogenetic variability and harbors more morphological variation than the baculum. Our study demonstrates that the baculum and baubellum are generally correlated across mammals, but that the baubellum is more evolutionarily and developmentally labile than the baculum. The accumulation of more evolutionary transitions, especially losses in the baubellum, as well as noisier developmental patterns, suggests that the baubellum may be nonfunctional, and lost over time.
Invited Commentary: Gaze Aversion and Unnoticed Phenomena

Child abuse is a social phenomenon that has been underresearched and undersupported. The scale of the problem is large, with over 3 million US children reported for abuse or neglect each year. An estimated 15% of confirmed victims may be placed in out-of-home care to ensure their safety. Studies have not previously examined the impact of losing a child into foster care on maternal health and mortality. Family and maternal risk factors, such as teen pregnancy, intimate partner violence, or drug and alcohol abuse, have been well documented as risk factors for maltreatment. The findings of Wall-Wieler et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2018;187(6):1182-1188) are not so much unexpected as they are surprising in that the impact of foster care on maternal health has heretofore been largely unexamined. The innovative use of maternal sisters with children not in foster care as controls provides a powerful control for family genetics, and family environment with likely common early life experiences, in the mortality of the mothers whose children were removed. With over 3 million children reported for suspected maltreatment each year, the related health and social outcomes for both children and their families require more careful examination using public health methods.
Alterations of ocular surface gene expression in Sjögren's syndrome.

Sjogren’s syndrome (SS), an idiopathic autoimmune disorder primarily affecting the lacrimal and salivary glands, leads to characteristic ocular surface changes within the conjunctival epithelium including lymphocytic infiltration, squamous cell metaplasia, epithelial hyperplasia, and a reduction in goblet cell number. We have previously reported that molecular markers of the inflammatory cascade, including two cell surface markers [class II MHC antigen (HLA-DR) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1)] and the inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-6 (IL-6), are expressed at elevated levels in SS conjunctival epithelium.1 As a result of these studies, we have proposed that in addition to mechanical surface abrasion secondary to aqueous tear deficiency, local inflammatory processes likely contribute to the ocular surface disease associated with SS.
Dialogue Concerning Natural Appropriation

Two utilitarian defenses, traceable to Bentham and Mill, arecommonly offered for patents. It is contended that patents induce innovation, and thatpatents induce disclosure of innovation. Patents on some or all of the human genomepose particular challenges for these defenses. In the first instance, patents on nucleotidesequences entail the perverse notion of human reproduction qua infringement. In the second place, when such patents are available (as is presently the case), the two defenses involve a counterfactual claim, viz., that if there were no such patents, biotechnological progress would wane. Even if these challenges are met, concerns about respect for humanity generate opposition to property interests in compounds manipulated outside the human body but significantly homologous to compounds found in humans. This stance about things human might appear to commit the fallacy of division. In a dialogue between a Kantian and a utilitarian, arguments for and against property interests in the human genome are presented.
The Early Politics of Shoreham

The first local reaction to LILCO’s proposal to build Shoreham was favorable. But a movement against nuclear power on Long Island shortly emerged, first forming outside of the Shoreham area. Partly by design and partly through chance, the anti-Shoreham movement delayed the project at critical early points, with lasting consequences.
Cooperative games in marketing: a differential game approach

Cooperation is not applicable in a constant-sum differential game because there is no possibility of mutual gain from cooperation. However, in other types of games cooperation is possible. The fate of a game being noncooperative or cooperative is generally determined by the 'scope' of the game, which means how many people will be included in the game, and the status of the players. In reality it is possible to have both cooperative and noncooperative games, or just one of them, in different situations/phases of the same game. In this paper we will set up a cooperative differential game model for competition in marketing. There are many ways to define the solution of a cooperative differential game. Different definitions of 'solution' will precipitate totally different models. After defining the solution for our cooperative differential game model, we develop an algorithm based on the idea of evolutionary computation, and then draw conclusions about general cooperative differential games.
Upper Mississippi River Flow and Sediment Characteristics and Their Effect on a Harbor Siltation Case

AbstractUpper Mississippi River flow and sediment characteristics downstream of St. Louis are presented in this study. Available and measured data were used to assess a harbor siltation case and dr...
Photographing the End of the World: Capitalist Temporality, Crisis, and the Performativity of Visual Objects

The Depression Era collective started as several photographers and video artists joined forces in March of 2011 to create an archive of photographic images about the Greek economic crisis, amidst the social and political upheaval provoked by ongoing austerity impositions of the EU on the Greek economy. In this essay, I examine selected images from Depression Era, including images from Marinos Tsagkarakis’s series Non-Places of Transition , Yannis Hadjiaslanis’s series After Dark , Pavlos Fisakis’s series Nea Elvetia , and Georges Salameh’s series Spleen . Bringing together Marxist philosophical approaches to aesthetics, via Walter Benjamin and Jean Luc-Nancy, I argue that these photographers’ work is a performative undoing of capitalist understandings of linear time that capture and foster desires for alternative radical temporalities, for non-capitalist senses of time. I discuss how these works disrupt linear notions of time as progress, and as measure of productivity and economic growth, which are intrinsic to modernity, and the creation of financial debt. Against capitalist linear temporality, these Depression Era photographs enable a performative encounter, a realm of visual experimentation in which the spectator is invited to feel time differently, to imagine different alternative temporalities that emerge from the collapse of capitalism.
Antibiotics and Antibiotic Resistance: Closing the Loop Between Hospitals and the Environment

Abstract Antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest human health challenges of the 21st century. Antibiotic resistance occurs when pathogens acquire genes that enable them to survive antibiotic therapy. This is a growing global health threat that will increasingly affect not only our ability to treat disease but also the effective preventative use of antibiotics for major procedures such as implants. While significant efforts have been placed toward combatting antibiotic resistance in the clinical realm, for example, through comprehensive monitoring and hygiene programs, it is also necessary to increase efforts to prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in order to optimize the lifespan of effective antibiotic drugs. In particular, environmental sources of antibiotic resistance are likely to be an important link in the spread of antibiotic resistance and have only relatively recently begun to receive attention. Wastewater treatment plants, which receive sewage from hospital individuals undergoing antibiotic therapy, and livestock feedlots, which administer significant quantities of antimicrobials, are two potential environmental sources that may stimulate the spread of antibiotic resistance and ultimately influence human health. This chapter examines the interplay of clinical and environmental sources of antibiotic resistance and discusses management options that may be effective for limiting the spread of resistance and advancing the lifespan of antibiotics for protecting human health.
High photoresponsivity and light-induced carrier conversion in RGO/TSCuPc hybrid phototransistors

Reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and its composites have a great potential for their applications in optoelectronic devices. In particular, small molecules can be used for tailoring optoelectronic properties of RGO. Here, we report the fabrication of a hybrid RGO/tetrasulfonate salt of the copper phthalocyanine (RGO/TSCuPc) nanocomposite phototransistor. The device shows p-type transistor behavior in the dark which changes to ambipolar behavior at the lower light intensity, and then shows a complete n-type property at the higher light intensity. The photoresponsivity of the device can be tuned by gate voltages, and the best photoresponsivity is recorded to be as high as ∼4.6 A/W for positive gate voltage and ∼6.3 A/W with a negative sign for negative gate voltage under solar light irradiation. The observations suggest that the photogenerated free electrons of TSCuPc molecules can be injected efficiently onto RGO sheets, resulting in increases in electron conduction and hole quenching.
Vaccines and Breastfeeding

Smallpox and yellow fever vaccinations should not be given to women who are currently breastfeeding. However, these vaccines are not routinely recommended to the general population in the United States. Other vaccines that are currently routinely recommended for the general population in the U.S. do not affect the safety of breastfeeding for women or their infants.
Expanding the lithographer's toolkit to reduce variability: filtration considerations

There are many points in the photochemical ecosystem where variability can be addressed with chemistry and hardware solutions. From the purification of resist components to the final post develop rinse, there are many points at which defects can be created or eliminated. As the possible combinations of chemistries increase to achieve ever-shrinking nodes, the portfolio of photochemical filtration to reduce defects, variability, and downtime must also grow. Suppliers to OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and photochemical manufacturers are constantly innovating to ensure their solutions address new defect challenges. In the 1980s, when the minimum feature size was approaching 1.0 μm, 0.2 μm filters were used to eliminate the largest particles in photochemical manufacturing. As the industry pursues the sub-7 nm node, conventional filtration technology is challenged to meet industry needs. Membrane pore size reduction alone is no longer a tenable approach to meet evolving process requirements, and creative approaches to eliminate defects must be developed to meet these challenges. This overview will provide process engineers insight into the complexity of filtration to reduce defect variability and downtime. The many factors that impact filtration efficacy will be reviewed, including complete filter design, material selection, membrane morphology, wettability, and fluid dynamics. New technological approaches under consideration will be discussed. Data will be presented to demonstrate promise of these new approaches and where they could lead us in the future.
Development and Reliability Testing of the Sweeney-Clark Simulation Evaluation Rubric©

Abstract Background Simulation is an educational modality used in both academic and health care service arenas. Ranging from technology-rich high-fidelity simulation scenarios to isolated skills training using task-trainer devices, simulation provides robust, effective learning opportunities. However, simulation is a growing field with limited validated formative and summative evaluation tools/instruments. Development of the Sweeney-Clark Simulation Evaluation Rubric© resulted from the need to evaluate student learning across health care education and to show value for investment in a new undergraduate nursing simulation program. Method The rubric is a tool overlaying Benner's novice to expert framework and Bloom's taxonomy. The tool underwent reliability testing and expanded interrater reliability testing, producing favorable results. Results and Conclusion This validated, user-friendly, one-page simulation performance evaluation rubric was designed for academic venues but has also found use in service arenas.
Characterization of TCF3 rearrangements in pediatric B-lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma by mate-pair sequencing (MPseq) identifies complex genomic rearrangements and a novel TCF3/TEF gene fusion

The TCF3/PBX1 gene fusion is a recurrent genetic abnormality in pediatric B-lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (B-ALL/LBL). While dual-color, dual-fusion fluorescence in situ hybridization (D-FISH) probes can detect TCF3/PBX1 fusions, further characterization of atypical TCF3 FISH patterns as indicated by additional or diminished TCF3 signals is currently limited. Herein we describe the use of a next-generation sequencing assay, mate-pair sequencing (MPseq), to characterize typical and cryptic TCF3/PBX1 fusions and to identify TCF3 translocation partners based on results obtained from our laboratory-developed TCF3/PBX1 D-FISH probe set. MPseq was performed on 21 cases of pediatric B-ALL/LBL with either TCF3/PBX1 fusion, or no TCF3/PBX1 fusion but with additional or diminished TCF3 signals obtained by our PBX1/TCF3 D-FISH probe set. In addition, MPseq was performed on one pediatric B-ALL/LBL case with an apparently normal karyotype and abnormal TCF3 break-apart probe results. Of 22 specimens successfully evaluated by MPseq, 13 cases (59%) demonstrated TCF3/PBX1 fusion, including three cases with previously undescribed insertional rearrangements. The remaining nine cases (41%) harbored various TCF3 partners, including six cases with TCF3/ZNF384, and one case each with TCF3/HLF, TCF3/FLI1 and TCF3/TEF. Our results illustrate the power of MPseq to characterize TCF3 rearrangements with increased precision and accuracy over traditional cytogenetic methodologies.
The aporia of ἢ ἐϰ παντὸς in Posterior Analytics II.19

Abstract This article sketches, and works to motivate, a controversial approach to Posterior Analytics II.19. But its primary goal is to recommend a novel solution to one particular interpretive aporia that’s especially vexed recent scholars working on Post. An. II.19. The aporia concerns how to understand the enigmatic ē ek pantos... (≈ “or from all...”) in the genealogical account of foundational knowledge at II.19 100a3-9. Our proposed solution to the aporia is discussed in connection with a number of larger philosophical issues concerning Aristotle’s theory of epistē mē.
Bioprinting with bioactive glass loaded polylactic acid composite and human adipose stem cells

Abstract Cellularized scaffolds fabricated with hydrogel do not possess sufficient strength to act as stand-alone implant devices for hard tissue repair and regeneration. A thermoplastic polymer support structure typically provides the structural integrity to scaffolds while cells and growth factors in hydrogel provide biological stimulation for tissue formation. In this research, we investigated the viability of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) mixed in an alginate-gelatin (1:1) hydrogel (bioink) that is deposited between polylactic acid (PLA)-borate glass composite filaments. Bioactive borate glass (13–93B3, also called B3 glass) is a rapidly dissolving biomaterial, and the physiologically relevant ionic dissolution products are known to stimulate cells in vitro and endogenous tissues in vivo. B3 glass was added to PLA in two different weight ratios (50% and 33%) to form PLA ​+ ​B3 glass composites, and the weight loss over time of the 3D printed composite scaffold, pH change of the surrounding media, and mechanical properties were investigated. Physical assessment of the composite scaffolds indicated improved mechanical properties and complete glass dissolution within two weeks. Cellularized scaffolds were bioprinted in three configurations: Bioink only, PLA ​+ ​Bioink, and PLA ​+ ​B3 glass ​+ ​Bioink, and cultured in dynamic conditions to investigate ASC viability. The results indicated a non-uniform cell viability along the scaffold thickness, with hypoxic-like conditions and lower viability at the bottom region to higher viability in the top layers of the scaffold.
Disparities in Diabetes Technology Use Among US Military Dependents with Type 1 Diabetes within an Equal Access Healthcare System

Background: Disparities in the care of type 1 diabetes, manifested as differences in glycemic control, are well established. Differences persist even in the Military Healthcare System (MHS) despite equal access and full coverage of healthcare for all military service members and their families. There has been an increase in the available technology for the management of diabetes, with some studies reporting significantly better glycemic control with the use of technology. We sought to determine if within the MHS, disparities may also exist in the use of diabetes technology (insulin pumps and …
Demonstrating Advanced Machine Learning and Neuromorphic Computing Using IBM’s NS16e

The human brain can be viewed as an extremely power-efficient biological computer. As such, there have been many efforts to create brain-inspired processing systems to enable advances in low-power data processing. An example of brain-inspired processing architecture is the IBM TrueNorth Neurosynaptic System, a Spiking Neural Network architecture for deploying ultra-low power machine learning (ML) models and algorithms. For the first time ever, an advanced scalable computing architecture was demonstrated using 16 TrueNorth neuromorphic processors containing in aggregate over 16 million neurons. This system, called the NS16e, was used to demonstrate new ML techniques including the exploitation of optical and radar sensor data simultaneously, while consuming a fraction of the power compared to traditional Von Neumann computing architectures. The number of applications that have requirements for computing architectures that can operate in size, weight and power-constrained environments continues to grow at an outstanding pace. These applications include processors for vehicles, homes, and real-time data exploitation needs for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. This research included the successful exploitation of optical and radar data using the NS16e system. Processing performance was assessed, and the power utilization was analyzed. The NS16e system never used more than 15 W, with the contribution from the 16 TrueNorth processors utilizing less than 5 W. The image processing throughput was 16,000 image chips per second, corresponding to 1,066 image chips per second for each watt of power consumed.
Converting 2D Nanofiber Membranes to 3D Hierarchical Assemblies with Structural and Compositional Gradients Regulates Cell Behavior

New methods are described for converting 2D electrospun nanofiber membranes to 3D hierarchical assemblies with structural and compositional gradients. Pore-size gradients are generated by tuning the expansion of 2D membranes in different layers with incorporation of various amounts of a surfactant during the gas-foaming process. The gradient in fiber organizations is formed by expanding 2D nanofiber membranes composed of multiple regions collected by varying rotating speeds of mandrel. A compositional gradient on 3D assemblies consisting of radially aligned nanofibers is prepared by dripping, diffusion, and crosslinking. Bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on the 3D nanofiber assemblies with smaller pore size show significantly higher expression of hypoxia-related markers and enhanced chondrogenic differentiation compared to BMSCs cultured on the assemblies with larger pore size. The basic fibroblast growth factor gradient can accelerate fibroblast migration from the surrounding area to the center in an in vitro wound healing model. Taken together, 3D nanofiber assemblies with gradients in pore sizes, fiber organizations, and contents of signaling molecules can be used to engineer tissue constructs for tissue repair and build biomimetic disease models for studying disease biology and screening drugs, in particular, for interface tissue engineering and modeling.
Panpsychism as an Observational Science

The metaphysical concept of panpsychism defines a field of proto-consciousness that is present at all levels in the universe. An observational indication that this concept might be correct is self-organization on all levels from the molecular to the galactic. In 2011, an investigation into the validity of author Olaf Stapledon’s concept that a portion of stellar motion is volitional led to a consideration of an observational stellar kinematics anomaly dubbed Parenago’s Discontinuity. Data available at the time indicated that cooler, less massive stars (such as the Sun) revolve a bit faster around the center of the Milky Way galaxy than hotter, more massive stars, at least in a sphere with a radius of ~260 light years centered on the Sun. The spectral signature of this discontinuity becomes evident at about the point in the stellar population where molecules can form in stellar photospheres, which supports a published model of molecular consciousness. A mechanistic explanation for Parenago’s Discontinuity requires interaction between star fields and dense diffuse nebulae that might drag less massive stars faster than more massive stars. Reference to three major catalogs of deep-sky objects reveals that nebulae large enough to drag stars over a radius of ~260 light years are very rare. In 2016, the European Space Agency (ESA) released the first data set from the Gaia space observatory. It now appears clear that Parenago’s Discontinuity is a non-local phenomenon. An unexpected and provocative aspect of the reduced Gaia observations is an indication that stars within >500 light years of the Sun apparently accelerate in the direction of their galactic revolution as they age. Other published supporting work includes a demonstration that certain binary stars are similar in many respects to biological organisms. A well-developed model of quantum consciousness supports the concept that neutron stars are conscious. It has been noted that spiral galaxies such as our Milky Way retain their shape after absorbing smaller satellite galaxies, which also supports panpsychism or self-organization at the highest levels. Another research team has reported that the apparent fractal arrangement of galaxy clusters and voids is also in congruence with some form of universe self-organization. The work of two separate researchers who are contemplating methods of communicating with stellar-level consciousness indicates that experimental astro-panpsychism may be possible as well as observational astro-panpsychism. It is becoming evident that panpsychism may be moving from the realm of metaphysics to the domain of observational astrophysics.
Different biases in meta-analyses of case-control and cohort studies: an example from genomics and precision medicine.

Abstract Purpose Meta-analyses of observational studies reduce the role of chance but also introduce bias because the individual component studies are not randomized. Further, it is plausible that the bias may be different in case-control and cohort studies. We explored these issues in meta-analyses of observational studies of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). Methods From a systematic literature review of 152 published meta-analyses, 11 fulfilled the initial inclusion criteria of observational studies of OUD. Of these, 9 were meta-analyses of case-control studies and 2 were meta-analyses of cohort studies but only 4 (3 case-control and 1 cohort) targeted more than one specific chromosomal location. Results The meta-analyses of the 3 case-control studies, which included 13 individual studies, identified 12 different single nucleotide polymorphisms on 6 different genes on 5 different chromosomes. None was the same as the gene on Chromosome 15 identified from the meta-analysis of the cohort studies. Conclusions These data, from genetic studies, suggest biases are different in meta-analyses of case-control and cohort studies, perhaps due to greater selection bias in case-control studies. These observations have potential importance in the application of meta-analyses to many common and serious diseases, as well as genomics and precision medicine, including OUD.
Clinical classification of pneumonias in cattle

More beef cattle develop and subsequently die from respiratory diseases than from all other causes. In cattle under close confinement respiratory diseases cause 75% of the illnesses and 64% of the deaths. Pneumonias constitute 75% of the diagnoses of respiratory diseases. Epizootics of respiratory disease are recognized by cattle owners who request and expect accurate diagnosis, but veterinarians experience difficulties making definitive diagnoses because of the similarity of signs in sick cattle and the many viral and bacterial pathogens recovered at necropsy. Since a specific clinical diagnosis may be difficult to make in the field, the purpose of this paper is to simplify diagnoses by recommending a classification of pneumonias based on pathogenesis where major signs in each pneumonia are different and distinguishable. To clarify this classification, each pneumonia will be discussed in relationship to etiology, pathogenesis, pathology, and clinical signs.
Channel Combining for Nonstationary Polarization on Erasure Channels

The problem of channel polarization for an arbitrary sequence $\{W_{i}\}_{i=0}^{n-1}$ of $n$ independent channels, referred to as a nonstationary sequence of channels, is considered. Also, each of the channels is used only once for communication. We consider a general framework for polarization of non-stationary channels and aim at optimizing the framework toward obtaining the best polarization. This framework includes permuting channels before Arikan's pairwise channel combining operations are applied at each polarization level and skipping certain combining operations. We define an explicit optimization problem with the objective of finding the best permutation and indices of skipped operations in order to minimize a certain measure of polarization in one-level polarization. We then provide a complete solution to this optimization problem in the case of non-stationary binary erasure channels (BECs). We also propose a greedy method for polarizing non-stationary BECs, based on our solution for one-level polarization. Numerical results confirm the superiority of our method, in terms of various performance metrics, for constructing polar codes in certain non-stationary settings compared to prior work.
Fully integrated 5.35-GHz CMOS VCOs and prescalers

Two 5.35-GHz monolithic voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs) and two prescalers have been fabricated in a digital 0.25-/spl mu/m CMOS process. One VCO uses p/sup +//n-well diodes, while the other uses MOS varactors, Q of 57 at 5.5 GHz and 0 V bias (low-Q condition) for a p/sup +//n-well varactor has been achieved. For an MOS varactor, it is possible to achieve a quality factor of 140 at 5.5 GHz. The tuning ranges of the VCOs are >310 MHz, and their phase noise is <-116.5 dBc/Hz at a 1-MHz offset while consuming /spl sim/7 mW power at V/sub DD/=1.5 V. The low phase noise is achieved by using only PMOS transistors in the VCO core and by optimizing the resonator layout. The prescalers utilize a variation of the source-coupled logic. The power consumption is 4.1 mW at 1.5-V V/sub DD/ and 5.4 GHz. By widening the transistors in the first three divide-by-two stages, the maximum operating frequency is increased to 9.96 GHz at V/sub DD/=2.5 V.
Back-hopping phenomenon in perpendicular mangetic tunnel junctions

This study shows a clear correlation between back hopping, write error rate, bias-dependent coercivity (Hc) and the switching phase diagram (SPD) of p-MTJs. Data support that the bias-induced fieldlike torque, in addition to the Slonczewski anti-damping torque, at higher bias voltages in dual-MgO p-MTJ, and a thinner MgO capping layer may suppress the occurrence of back hopping.
Assessment of cyclooxygenase inhibitors using in vitro assay systems

Various inhibitors of cyclooxygenase are known to mediate cancer chemopreventive effects. We currently describe two in vitro assay systems for measuring cyclooxygenase activity. These assays can be used in combination and thereby provide a rapid, reliable, and economical approach that is applicable for large-scale evaluation of test samples. This approach employs peroxidase co-substrate oxidation and oxygen consumption assays. The former system, adapted to a 96-well plate format, detects inhibitors that function as a radical scavengers or interact with the enzyme directly. The latter system specifically monitors cyclooxygenase inhibitors that interact with the enzyme itself. Thus, the peroxidase co-substrate oxidation assay serves as a pre-screening method, whereas the oxygen consumption assay is used subsequently to investigate the mode of action mediated by samples which test positive.
When is a Verb not a Verb

Changes are proposed to the categorial status traditionally accorded to Aux-related and verbal elements in the clause, and the new taxonomy is applied in implementing the old insight that be should be analyzed as the default, semantically empty verb. The central issue is when a verb-like element does (not) count as categorially a V for distributional purposes. The major proposals are: 1) to remove be and have from the category Aux and treat them as Vs; 2) to separate out participles from genuine tensed and bare verbs; 3) to group do with modals, rather than with have and be , into a category Mood that also includes a null indicative morpheme. This scheme is used to account for the entire distribution of the forms of be just by treating it as V with no properties. Be fulfills two requirements that cannot always be met by contentful verbs: first, it satisfies the syntactico-semantic need for Tense to c-command a clause-mate V (the “V Requirement”); second, it satisfies the morphosyntactic need for participial affixes ( -ing, -en ) to have hosts. It is shown how the former requirement derives the exceptionally high position of finite be by base-generating it above negation etc., rather than raising it across. VP-ellipsis data provide independent support for this treatment. Finally, some tentative suggestions are offered for how the V Requirement might be derived from deeper principles, while still allowing for the fact that it is apparently not fully enforced in languages with null copulas.
The highly modified membrane of cornified cells in stratified squamous epithelia: a comparison of heterogeneous deposits in keratinized and nonkeratinized epithelia.

The chemical nature of the thickened plasma membrane of cornified cells in stratified squamous epithelium was investigated in comparison with that in noncornified epithelium. Localizations of transglutaminase, molecular weight 92000 daltons, and detection of epidermal cysteine proteinase inhibitor were effected with a monoclonal antibody and a monospecific rabbit anti-inhibitor immunoglobulin, respectively, directed to the antigens. N-(7-dimethylamino-4-methylcoumarinyl) maleimide was used to demonstrate S-S cross-linking. In all keratinizing epithelia, the enzyme and inhibitor were deposited on membranes of granular cells. S-S bonds were formed in cornification with the appearance of electron-dense material by the inner leaflet. Both enzyme and inhibitors occurred on the corneal epithelium, but S-S linkage and the thickened plasma membrane did not form even at the last stage of maturation. On the other hand, the internal vaginal epithelium in the proestrous stage without keratinization contained the enzyme, but neither inhibitor nor S-S linkage. Both antigens and S-S bonds were detected when keratinization proceeded during estrus. The staining patterns in the epithelium near the vaginal introitus were identical to those in the skin. Cuboidal and simple epithelia exhibited none of those constituents. The findings indicated that heterogenous components contribute to modification of the plasma membrane of cornified cells, but S-S cross-linkages are associated exclusively with formation of the ultrastructurally unique membrane structure. In addition, findings suggested hormonal regulation in the chemical modification of the membrane in estrogen-sensitive internal vaginal epithelium.
An evaluation of strain measuring devices for ceramic composites

A series of tensile tests were conducted on SiC/RBSN composites using different methods of strain measurement. The tests were used to find the optimum strain sensing device for use with continuous fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composites in ambient and high temperature environments. Bonded resistance strain gages were found to offer excellent performance for room temperature tests. The clip-on gage offers the same performance but significantly less time is required for mounting it to the specimen. Low contact force extensometers track the strain with acceptable results at high specimen temperatures. Silicon carbide rods with knife edges are preferred. The edges must be kept sharp. The strain measuring devices should be mounted on the flat side of the specimen. This is in contrast to mounting on the rough thickness side.
Bubble column reactors and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis

Abstract Three-phase slurry bubble column reactors have been used extensively in a number of chemical, petrochemical, and biochemical process engineering applications. For the success of these operations and their large scale industrial exploitation, it is essential that their transport and chemical characteristics be adequately understood on a mechanistic basis so that appropriate design criteria and optimum operating conditions can be established. It is the purpose of this review to present such available knowledge in relation to chemical catalytic operations. The mass transfer characteristics, catalytic activity, and mixing patterns of different phases necessitate a detailed understanding of the hydrodynamic behavior and catalyst dispersion in slurry bubble column reactors. The current status of these aspects is presented, discussed, and assessed in this review. Chemical and biochemical reactions are exothermic in nature and hence efficient heat removal devices must be installed in the reactor to prese...
Dietary lipids induce Phase 2 enzymes in rat small intestine

Abstract We examined the role of dietary lipids in determining the activities of glutathione S-transferase (GST) and UDPglucuronosyltransferase (UGT) in rat small intestine. Male Wistar rats were fed a fat-free (FF) diet or isocaloric control diet containing 5% corn oil (CO) or 5% fish oil (FO) for 3 weeks. The activities of these enzymes were about 2-fold higher in rats fed the FO diet vs. the FF diet. Intermediate levels of enzyme activity were found in rats fed the CO diet. Diet-induced differences in enzyme levels were shown by immunoblotting. The highest levels of glutathione S-transferase and UDPglucuronosyltransferase were detected in rats fed the FO diet. The lowest levels of these enzymes were found in rats fed the FF diet. Intermediate levels-of enzyme were detected in rats fed the CO diet. Thus, diet-induced differences in enzyme activities were paralleled by changes in enzyme levels. Fatty acid analysis of mucosal lipids showed that the FF and FO diets were associated with decreased levels of linoleic and arachidonic acids as compared with the CO diet.