cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The measurement of accurate heat capacities by differential scanning calorimetry Comparison of d.s.c. results on pyrite (100 to 800 K) with literature values from precision adiabatic calorimetry

Abstract The heat capacity of a sample of FeS2, pyrite, has been measured from 100 to 800 K by differential scanning calorimetry (d.s.c.) as a test of the accuracy of the apparatus and methods employed. The heat capacity of the pyrite sample had previously been determined in another laboratory by precision adiabatic calorimetry; therefore, excellent literature values were available for comparison with the present results. The apparatus used was the Perkin-Elmer DSC-2, augmented by the Tektronix calculator and digital interface available from Perkin-Elmer. Two runs on pyrite were performed, using different measuring techniques. Calculator programs for these techniques are described. By either method the accuracy of the pyrite heat-capacity measurements was approximately 1 per cent over most of the temperature range, and generally within 2 per cent at the very lowest and highest temperatures. Results are presented which show that the use of liquid-nitrogen coolant with helium exchange gas in the DSC-2 is an unfavorable combination, producing distorted peak shapes for transitions. Neon is recommended as the exchange gas when liquid-nitrogen temperatures are necessary. Significant improvements in the peak shapes are then observed.
An inverted dielectrophoretic device for analysis of attached single cell mechanics

Dielectrophoresis (DEP), the force induced on a polarizable body by a non-uniform electric field, has been widely used to manipulate single cells in suspension and analyze their stiffness. However, most cell types do not naturally exist in suspension but instead require attachment to the tissue extracellular matrix in vivo. Cells alter their cytoskeletal structure when they attach to a substrate, which impacts cell stiffness. It is therefore critical to be able to measure mechanical properties of cells attached to a substrate. We present a novel inverted quadrupole dielectrophoretic device capable of measuring changes in the mechanics of single cells attached to a micropatterned polyacrylamide gel. The device is positioned over a cell of defined size, a directed DEP pushing force is applied, and cell centroid displacement is dynamically measured by optical microscopy. Using this device, single endothelial cells showed greater centroid displacement in response to applied DEP pushing force following actin cytoskeleton disruption by cytochalasin D. In addition, transformed mammary epithelial cell (MCF10A-NeuT) showed greater centroid displacement in response to applied DEP pushing force compared to untransformed cells (MCF10A). DEP device measurements were confirmed by showing that the cells with greater centroid displacement also had a lower elastic modulus by atomic force microscopy. The current study demonstrates that an inverted DEP device can determine changes in single attached cell mechanics on varied substrates.
Aversion learning can reduce meal size without taste avoidance in rats.

Objective Nausea and aversive food responses are commonly reported following bariatric surgery, along with post-surgical reduction in meal size. This study investigates whether a meal size limit can be conditioned by associating large meals with aversive outcomes. Methods In rats, the intake of meals exceeding a pre-defined size threshold was paired with lithium chloride-induced gastric illness, and the effects on self-determined food intakes and body weight were measured. Results Rats given LiCl contingent on the intake of a large meal learned to reliably reduce intake below this meal size threshold, while post-meal saline or LiCl before meals did not change meal size. It was further demonstrated that this is not a conditioned taste aversion and that this effect transferred to foods not explicitly trained. Finally, when rats received LiCl following all large meals, the number of small meals increased, but total food intake and body weight decreased. Conclusions While further work is needed, this is the first demonstration that meal size may be conditioned, using an aversion procedure, to remain under a target threshold and that this effect is distinct from taste avoidance. Corresponding reduction in food intake and body weight suggests that this phenomenon may have implications for developing weight loss strategies and understanding the efficacy of bariatric surgery.
Sol-Gel Casting of Ceramic Microcomponents

Development of ceramic microcomponents can open up the current silicon-based MEMS technology to new applications, especially for use in high temperature, chemically reactive environments. We report a study of sol-gel technologies applied to the fabrication of microcomponents. Organic/inorganic hybrid materials, particularly silica-based hybrids, were developed by sol-gel processing. A weak silica network was made possible by using acid catalyst, low functionality organic precursor in the sol preparation. Since the weak network has a high tendency to collapse, the result is a denser material. Incorporation of organic ligands modifies the surface chemistry of gel network so that a greater drying stress was developed and a denser hybrid structure was achieved without high temperature treatment. In addition, the incorporation of organic ligands prevented formation of cracks. Nanoscale oxide particles were dispersed and incorporated into the gel network by surface condensation. The incorporation of solid nanoparticles into sols greatly reduced the shrinkage of gels and enhanced the mechanical strength of the components. In addition, silica sol was applied to coat metallic microcomponents and a thin uniform was formed.
John Bale: Bibliographer between Trithemius and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Not only in the obvious places — in John Bale’s polemical and apocalyptic historical writing — but more subtly also in some of Bale’s printed bibliographical records can be discerned traces of his different personal commitments, concerns, and circumstances during his turbulent career. The present essay examines several examples in Bale’s title entries for mid-Tudor authors in the Scriptorum illustrium maioris Brytanniae & catalogus (1557–1559) that seem to betray two sets of tensions in Bale’s work as a bibliographer: firstly between his two stated purposes in this work, secondly between his bibliographical principles and his consciousness of his own and others’ situations at the time.
Medication Use by Race and Ethnicity in Women Transitioning Through the Menopause: A Study of Women's Health Across the Nation Drug Epidemiology Study.

Abstract Background: Medication utilization and costs increased over the last decade, but the effects of race/ethnicity have never been well studied in longitudinal data. We analyzed reports of prescription medication use to (1) identify trajectories of use and (2) determine predictors associated with a large increase in use. Specifically, variations in medication use by race/ethnicity were examined. Methods: We analyzed the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation cohort with a median of 14 years of follow-up. Group-based trajectory models helped distinguish women with a low use of medications versus those with heavy use. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) for each racial/ethnic group associated with heavy use, controlling for potential baseline confounders. Results: The 2,798 women sampled had a mean age of 46 years at baseline and the median number of medications at baseline was 2, increasing to 4 over the follow-up period. Trajectory models identified that 16% of participant...
Diamond-Like Carbon Films for Silicon Passivation in Microelectromechanical Devices

The surface properties of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films deposited by a vacuum arc technique on smooth silicon wafers are presented with specific emphasis given to stiction reduction in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The low deposition temperatures afforded by the vacuum arc technique should allow for easy integration of the DLC films into the current fabrication process of typical surface micromachines by means of a standard lift-off processing technique. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), contact angle analysis, and atomic force microscopy (AFM), the surface chemistry, microroughness, hydrophobicity, and adhesion forces of DLC-coated Si(100) surfaces were measured and correlated to the measured water contact angles. DLC films were found to be extremely smooth and possess a water contact angle of 87°, which roughly corresponds to a surface energy of 22 mJ/m2. It is shown that the pull-off forces measured by AFM correlate well with the predicted capillary forces. Pull-off forces are reduced on DLC surfaces by about a factor of five compared to 10 nN pull-off forces measured on the RCA-cleaned silicon surfaces. In the absence of meniscus forces, the overall adhesion force is expected to decrease by over an order of magnitude to the van der Waals attractive force present between two DLC-coated surfaces- To further improve the surface properties of DLC, films were exposed to a fluorine plasma which increased the contact angle to 99° and lowered the pull-off force by approximately 20% over that obtained with as-deposited DLC. The significance of these results is discussed with respect to stiction reduction in micromachines.
Wave velocities at depths between 50 and 600 kilometers

Wave velocities in the interior of the earth are usually calculated by means of the Wiechert-Herglotz method. Incorrect interpretation of the form of the travel time curve for a certain distance interval then leads to errors not only in results concerning the corresponding depth interval but (in decreasing amounts) also for all greater depths. A new method is described and applied to that portion of the earth's mantle in which earthquake foci exist. Values obtained with this method for velocities at various depths are independent of each other.
Stochastic shale permeability matching: Three-dimensional characterization and modeling

Abstract The recently-discovered promise of shale-gas reservoirs necessitates their characterization. As a first step, two-dimensional (2D) scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging can provide excellent view of the complexity associated with such reservoirs, and has been used in recent years to study organic materials, clays, minerals, and the pores in shales. Other important information, such as the connectivity of the pores in 3D and such macroscopic properties as the permeability are difficult to infer from 2D SEM images. Newer techniques, such as focused ion-beam SEM (FIB-SEM) have been utilized to overcome the shortcomings. The extremely small sample size and the costs associated with the FIB-SEM technique limit, however, wide use of the FIB-SEM in characterization of shale samples. An alternative approach is to use the recently developed advanced algorithms for 3D reconstruction that use one or a few 2D samples. Such methods may not, however, be able to fully reproduce the shale permeability. To accurately reproduce the permeability, we propose a new method based on a combination of the Metropolis-Hastings and the genetic algorithms. The new method learns from its own previously generated realizations of the shale and produces models that match the existing permeability data. The method is validated with the measured permeability for an actual 3D shale sample. It generates an ensemble of stochastic realizations that honor the permeability data, which may then be used for more accurate characterization of shale gas reservoir and analysis of their pore network.
Renal Disease Mortality in the U.S. General Population; Demographic, Socioeconomic, Behavioral, and Medical Risk Factors

Background: Social, behavioral, and medical factors that predict specific causes of deaths may vary across countries. Objectives: Current study aimed to determine social, behavioral, and medical characteristics that predict kidney disease mortality in general population in the United States. Methods: Data came from the Americans’ changing lives study (ACL), a nationally representative cohort, 1986 - 2011. The study followed 3,617 adults over age of 25 for up to 25 years. Main outcome was time to death due to kidney diseases, derived from death certificates and national death index. Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the associations between baseline demographic (age, gender, and race), social (education, income, employment), behavioral (exercise, drinking, smoking), and medical (hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, and self-rated health) factors and renal disease mortality. Results: In multivariable model, race, age, drinking, smoking, hypertension, and diabetes at baseline predicted deaths due to renal disease. Gender, education, income, employment, exercise, self-rated health, and depression did not predict the outcome. Conclusions: Baseline characteristics can inform who is at higher risk of renal disease mortality over the next 25 years. Race, age, drinking, smoking, hypertension, and diabetes at baseline can all inform programs to reduce burden of kidney disease.
An Epistemological Journey: The Uncertainty of Construed Realities in The Time Machine

The above utterance of the Time Traveller at about halfway through H.G. Wells’s The Time Machine signals a crucial resolution of the protagonist. After realising that his time machine has been mysteriously stolen and hidden, and therefore he is marooned in the distant future, in a completely alien and unknown environment, he forces himself to regain his composure after bouts of desperate hysteria and adopt the model attitude of the natural scientist: that of the dispassionate, detached observer, who collects sensory data about the natural phenomena around them and then ventures to set up a hypothesis in order to make sense of them. The Time Traveller’s declaration is also a classic statement of the epistemological optimism characteristic of nineteenth-century positivism: with endurance, patience and systematic work, all the mysteries of this future world will be unravelled, all will be eventually explained.1
Risk Factors Associated With Nonunion After Elective Foot and Ankle Reconstruction: A Case-Control Study

Postoperative nonunion is not uncommon in the lower extremity, and significant morbidity can be associated with nonunion of the foot and ankle after surgical reconstruction. For the purposes of the present study, we retrospectively reviewed and compared a cohort of patients who had undergone elective foot and ankle reconstruction to better assess the modifiable risk factors associated with postoperative nonunion. We hypothesized that the presence of endocrine and metabolic abnormalities are often associated with nonunion after foot and ankle surgical reconstruction. We formulated a matched case-control study that included 29 patients with nonunion and a control group of 29 patients with successful fusion to assess the prevalence of certain modifiable risk factors known to have an association with nonunion after foot and ankle arthrodesis. The modifiable risk factors assessed included body mass index, tobacco use, diabetes mellitus, vitamin D abnormality, thyroid dysfunction, and parathyroid disease. A statistically significant (p < .05) difference was found between the 2 groups for endocrine and metabolic disease diagnoses in the medical records of the 58 patients identified. Thus, 76% versus 26% (p < .05) of patients experienced nonunion in the endocrine disease group versus the nonendocrine disease group, respectively. Patients with vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency were 8.1 times more likely to experience nonunion (95% confidence interval 1.996 to 32.787). No statistically significant differences were found between the groups in terms of age, sex, tobacco use, body mass index, or procedure selection (p = .56, p = .43, p = .81, p = .28, and p = 1.0, respectively). A greater prevalence of endocrine abnormalities, in particular, vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency, was associated with nonunion after elective foot and ankle reconstruction. Patients with such abnormalities appear to have a greater risk of developing nonunion after arthrodesis procedures.
Estimates and Correlates of Engagement in Consensually Non-Monogamous Relationships

Interest in consensually non-monogamous (CNM) relationships—in which partners have explicitly agreed that pursuing other romantic or sexual partners is permitted—has grown both among the American public and among researchers and practitioners. Yet, little is known about the prevalence of CNM relationships or factors related to engagement in these relationships. In this review, we synthesize the past 5 years of research on CNM relationships to provide insight on (1) definitions of differing CNM relationships, (2) how many people are engaging in or have previously engaged in CNM relationships, and (3) which social identities and individual differences are associated with CNM engagement. Engagement in CNM relationships has been linked to positive aspects of sexual health such as open conversations about sexual needs and risk, and greater condom use. Researchers and practitioners should further address perceptions of and approaches to relationships outside the standard of monogamy.
Use of biologic mesh at ostomy takedown to prevent incisional hernia: A case series.

Abstract Introduction Incisional hernias are a relatively common occurrence after ostomy takedown with a incidence of 30–35%. The use of biologic mesh offers a means to bolster the stoma incision site with a lower risk of infection than synthetic mesh. Methods This study represents a retrospective chart review of six patients who underwent stoma takedown and had biologic mesh placed in the retrorectus position during repair from March 2015 until March 2016. Results There has been a zero-rate of hernia occurrence for the six patients who underwent stoma takedown. No incisional hernias were noted on physical exam with follow up ranging from 11 to 25 months. Conclusion We conclude that placement of biologic mesh is a safe and effective way of preventing incisional hernias at stoma sites.
Syndromic Craniosynostosis Can Define New Candidate Genes for Suture Development or Result from the Non-specifc Effects of Pleiotropic Genes: Rasopathies and Chromatinopathies as Examples

Craniosynostosis is a heterogeneous condition caused by the premature fusion of cranial sutures, occurring mostly as an isolated anomaly. Pathogenesis of non-syndromic forms of craniosynostosis is largely unknown. In about 15-30% of cases craniosynostosis occurs in association with other physical anomalies and it is referred to as syndromic craniosynostosis. Syndromic forms of craniosynostosis arise from mutations in genes belonging to the Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR) family and the interconnected molecular pathways in most cases. However it can occur in association with other gene variants and with a variety of chromosome abnormalities as well, usually in association with intellectual disability (ID) and additional physical anomalies. Evaluating the molecular properties of the genes undergoing intragenic mutations or copy number variations (CNVs) along with prevalence of craniosynostosis in different conditions and animal models if available, we made an attempt to define two distinct groups of unusual syndromic craniosynostosis, which can reflect direct effects of emerging new candidate genes with roles in suture homeostasis or a non-specific phenotypic manifestation of pleiotropic genes, respectively. RASopathies and 9p23p22.3 deletions are reviewed as examples of conditions in the first group. In particular, we found that craniosynostosis is a relatively common component manifestation of cardio-facio-cutaneous (CFC) syndrome. Chromatinopathies and neurocristopathies are presented as examples of conditions in the second group. We observed that craniosynostosis is uncommon on average in these conditions. It was randomly associated with Kabuki, Koolen-de Vries/KANSL1 haploinsufficiency and Mowat-Wilson syndromes and in KAT6B-related disorders. As an exception, trigonocephaly in Bohring-Opitz syndrome reflects specific molecular properties of the chromatin modifier ASXL1 gene. Surveillance for craniosynostosis in syndromic forms of intellectual disability, as well as ascertainment of genomic CNVs by array-CGH in apparently non-syndromic craniosynostosis is recommended, to allow for improvement of both the clinical outcome of patients and the accurate individual diagnosis.
Feeding amount significantly alters overt tumor onset rate in a zebrafish melanoma model.

ABSTRACT The manner in which zebrafish are fed may have important impacts on the behavior of disease models. We examined the effect of different feeding regimens on the rate of overt melanoma tumor onset in a p53/BRAF -dependent model, a commonly used read-out in this and many other cancer models. We demonstrate that increased feeding leads to more rapid melanoma onset. The ability to modulate overt tumor onset rates with this regimen indicates additional flexibility to ‘tune’ the system to more quickly generate tumors for study and to begin to address questions related to cancer metabolism using the zebrafish model.
Titanium-Lead System

The Ti-Pb diagram was investigated in the region 0 to 58 pet Pb and from 500°C to liquidus temperatures. Three reactions were encountered: 1—β→α+Ti4Pb at 725±10°C; 2—β+L→Ti4Pb at 1305±10°C; and 3—the possible eutectic L→Ti4Pb and γ between 1200° and 1300°C.
Myasthenic Syndromes, Congenital

Congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMSs) represent a heterogeneous group of disorders in which the safety margin of neuromuscular transmission is compromised by one or more specific mechanisms. Clinical, electrophysiological, and morphological studies have paved the way for detecting CMS-related mutations in proteins residing in the nerve terminal, the synaptic basal lamina, or in the postsynaptic region of the motor endplate. The disease proteins identified to date include choline acetyltransferase, the ColQ component of acetylcholinesterase, β2-laminin, agrin, each subunit of the acetylcholine receptor, rapsyn, muscle specific kinase, and Na v 1.4, downstream of tyrosine kinase 7, and glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate transaminase 1. Analysis of electrophysiological and biochemical properties of mutant proteins expressed in heterologous systems contributed crucially to defining the molecular consequences of the observed mutations and resulted in improved therapy of most CMSs.
A Recognition Primed Decision Model for Public Consumption of Government Data

The U.S. Census Bureau (Census) collects and maintains data on the nation’s population, neighborhoods, and economy, and shares that information with the public digitally. To successfully provide va...
Control of Volunteer Giant Reed (Arundo donax)

Giant reed (Arundo donax L.) has recently shown great potential as a feedstock for the bioenergy industry. However, before A. donax can be grown commercially, due to its invasive nature, management strategies must be developed to reduce the risk of unintended spread. This research was conducted in northeastern Oregon (USA) during two growing seasons. Nine control strategies were evaluated in a field that previously had A. donax as a crop. The control strategies included mechanical practices (stem cutting and rhizome digging), physical practices (covering with an opaque tarp), chemical practices (glyphosate applications at different rates and timings), and a combination of these practices. Spring samplings of A. donax regrowth in the season following treatments indicated that stem cutting in the spring without follow-up control practices provided no control. Covering plants with a tarp after cutting them (either with or without a glyphosate treatment after cutting) resulted in 96% control. Application of glyphosate alone also resulted in excellent control, although timing of application was an important factor for maximizing efficacy. The best results were found when the maximum dose (10.2 L ai ha−1) was split among two or three applications (>99% of control) compared with the maximum dose applied once (75% to 94%). Control was lower (73% to 89%) for two of the strategies that included mechanical practices, stem cutting + glyphosate and rhizome digging, in comparison to other strategies involving tarps and/or glyphosate applications (88% to 100%). Results indicated that it is very difficult to eradicate volunteer A. donax in 1 yr, but very good control can be achieved with several of the strategies tested.
Contextual religiosity and the risk of alcohol use disorders and suicidal thoughts among adults in the united states.

Abstract Background Suicide and alcohol use disorders (AUD) have high public health and economic costs. We investigate the relationship between religious features that are external to the individual (hereafter, contextual religiosity) and individuals’ risk of AUD and suicidal thoughts. Methods Data are from Wave 2 of the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (analytic N = 34,326). Regression analysis assessed whether contextual (i.e., Geographic state) religiosity and membership rates of Catholics and the three major Protestant traditions, are associated with DSM-IV AUD risk in the past 12 months and suicidal thoughts since last interview, controlling for individual and state-level covariates. In a secondary analysis, we test for interactions between individual race/ethnicity and contextual religiosity on the outcomes since prior work suggested differences by race and individual religiosity. Results Some contextual religious variables were significantly associated with AUD risk but not suicidal thoughts. Individuals living in a state with higher membership rates of Evangelical Protestant had higher AUD risk (Adjusted Relative Risk [ARR]=1.27, 95%CI=1.08—1.49). Individuals living in states with higher membership rates of Historically Black Protestant had a lower risk of AUD (ARR=0.83, 95% CI=0.72—0.96). The interaction between individual race and contextual-level religious variables on the outcomes were not significant. Limitations NESARC is an observational cross-sectional so causality between religiosity and the outcomes cannot be established. Conclusions The risk of AUD among individuals varies depending on the religious membership rates among Protestant groups within their geographic state of residence. Contextual religiosity may impact AUD risk above and beyond one's individual religiosity.
Cervical Myxoid Solitary Fibrous Tumor: Report of an Unusual Variant and a Brief Overview of the Literature

We present a 49 year old female with a diagnostically challenging myxoid solitary fibrous tumor arising in the soft tissue of the neck. The tumor was diffusely positive for CD34 and STAT6 on immunohistochemistry.
Dominance rank and the presence of sexually receptive females predict feces-measured body temperature in male chimpanzees.

Quantifying the costs of mating is key for understanding life-history trade-offs. As a reflection of metabolic rate, body temperature is one metric for assaying these costs. However, conventional methods for measuring body temperature are invasive and unsuitable for the study of free-living populations of endangered species, including great apes. A promising proxy for body temperature is fecal temperature, the internal temperature of fecal deposits shortly following defecation. We validated this method with humans, finding that maximum fecal temperature is a reliable proxy for rectal temperature. We then applied this method to wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda. We collected and analyzed 101 fecal temperature measurements from 43 adult chimpanzees (male: N = 28; female: N = 15). Chimpanzee fecal temperature ranged from 33.4 to 38.9 °C, with a mean of 35.8 °C. Although fecal temperature was not predicted by sex, age, or ambient temperature, male fecal temperature was 1.1 °C higher on days when sexually receptive females were present and was positively correlated with male dominance rank. Post hoc analyses showed that overall copulation rates, but not aggression rates, were positively correlated with fecal temperature, suggesting that sexual physiology and behavior best explain mating-related temperature variation. Together, these results indicate fecal temperature is a reliable proxy for core body temperature in large-bodied mammals, captures metabolic costs associated with male mating behavior, and represents a valuable noninvasive tool for biological field research. Body temperature illuminates an animal’s physiological condition and energy expenditure, but it is difficult to measure in wild animals. Consequently, basic data on body temperature and its socioecological correlates in wild animals are scant, especially when noninvasive measures must be used. To address this problem, we demonstrated that the temperatures of fecal deposits reliably estimate body temperatures in a large bodied primate and are approximately as reliable as invasive, subcutaneous transponder methods used in other mammals. We then found that fecal temperature in chimpanzees varied by ecologically and reproductively relevant variables including time of year, the presence of sexually receptive females, and dominance rank. Sexual behavior was likely responsible for increased male fecal temperature, as overall copulation frequency, but not aggression, was correlated with fecal temperature. We therefore provide evidence that fecal temperature can be used to assay body temperature and address questions regarding physiological condition and metabolic expenditure.
Adaptive optics approach to surface-enhanced Raman scattering.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy is a popular technique for detecting chemicals in small quantities. Rough metallic surfaces with nanofeatures are some of the most widespread and commercially successful substrates for efficient SERS measurements. A rough metallic surface creates a high-density random distribution of so-called “hot spots” with local optical field enhancement causing Raman signal to increase. In this Letter, we revisit the classic SERS experiment [Surf. Sci.158, 229 (1985)SUSCAS0039-602810.1016/0039-6028(85)90297-3] with rough metallic surfaces covered by a thin layer of copper phthalocyanine molecules. As a modification to the classic configuration, we apply an adaptive wavefront correction of a laser beam profile. As a result, we demonstrate an increase in brightness of local SERS hot spots and redistribution of Raman signal over the substrate area. We hypothesize that the improvement is due to optimal coupling of the shaped laser beam to the random plasmonic nanoantenna configurations. We show that the proposed adaptive-SERS modification is independent of the exact structure of the surface roughness and topography, works with many rough surfaces, and gives brighter Raman hot spots in comparison with conventional SERS measurements. We prove that the adaptive SERS is a powerful instrument for improving SERS sensitivity.
MRI findings as markers of idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

Purpose of review Negative findings on neuroimaging are part of the diagnostic criteria for idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), a syndrome characterized by increased intracranial pressure (ICP). Some positive neuroimaging findings are associated with increased ICP, but their role in diagnosis of IIH has not been established. We provide an overview of these findings and their relevance for diagnosis of raised intracranial pressure. Recent findings MRI acquisition techniques have significantly improved in the last few decades leading to better characterization of the intracranial changes associated with IIH, including empty sella turcica, optic nerve tortuosity, distension of the optic nerve sheath, posterior globe flattening, slit-like ventricles, and venous sinus stenosis. These may be MRI biomarkers of increased ICP. Prevalence difference between people with and without increased ICP, and reversibility of these MRI findings following treatment of increased ICP inform evaluation of their diagnostic potential. Summary MRI and magnetic resonance venography findings are important tools in the diagnosis of IIH. Empty sella turcica, optic nerve protrusion, distension of the optic nerve sheath, optic nerve tortuosity, posterior globe flattening, and transverse sinus stenosis have been found to be the most promising diagnostic markers for IIH, although absence of these findings does not rule out the diagnosis.
Individual- and country-level correlates of female permanent contraception use in sub-Saharan Africa

BACKGROUND Female permanent contraception is a cost-effective contraceptive method that can help clients with the desire to limit childbearing achieve their reproductive intention. However, despite its benefits, the use of FPC remains low in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and limited studies have examined the correlates of its uptake. In this study, we assessed the individual- and country-level factors associated with the use of FPC among married or in-union women using modern contraceptive methods to limit childbearing in SSA. METHODS This study was a secondary data analysis of individual- and country-level data obtained from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program and three open data repositories. The study included 29,777 married or in-union women aged 15-49 years using modern contraceptive methods to limit childbearing from DHS conducted in 33 sub-Sahara African countries between 2010 and 2018. We performed descriptive statistics and fitted multilevel logistic regression models to determine the predisposing, enabling, and need factors associated with the use of FPC. RESULTS Approximately 13% of the women used FPC. About 20% of the variance in the odds of using FPC was attributable to between-country differences. In the full model, the significant individual-level factors associated with the use of FPC compared with other modern contraceptive methods were: age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.10; 95%CI = 1.08-1.12), living children (OR = 1.11, 95%CI = 1.04-1.16), high household wealth (OR = 1.39, 95%CI = 1.18-1.64), rural residence (OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.71-0.97), joint contraceptive decision with partner (OR = 1.68, 95% = 1.43-1.99), contraceptive decision by partner and others (OR = 2.46, 95% = 1.97-3.07), and the number of living children less than the ideal number of children (OR = 1.40, 95%CI = 1.21-1.62). The significantly associated country-level factors were births attended by skilled health providers (OR = 1.03, 95%CI = 1.00-1.05) and density of medical doctors (OR = 1.37, 95%CI = 1.01-1.85). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that both individual- and country-level factors affect uptake of FPC in SSA. Increasing geographic, economic, and psychosocial access to FPC may improve its uptake in SSA.
Singing at Langemarck in the German Political Imaginary, 1914-1932

This article reconstructs the history of the famous anecdote about the battle at Langemarck, where German youth allegedly sang “Deutschland, Deutschland uber alles” as they hurled themselves against British soldiers, bayonet in hand. Variants, including in poetry and other creative genres, helped to shape a public discourse about bravery. I also reconstruct the discourse on music and war in music journals and daily newspapers, suggesting possible influences on the German High Command, where the anecdote originated. The musical establishment initially ignored this lore—so remote was music in the concert hall from community music-making, including on the battlefield. Yet the enormous weight given to propaganda efforts eventually led musicians to write about and respond compositionally to the Deutschlandlied. The article concludes by examining the conflicting political meanings of the Langemarck anecdote in the decades after World War I.
Dearomatizing spirocyclization of thioureas, ureas and guanidines

Abstract An investigation of the dearomatization reactions of benzylic thioureas, ureas and guanidines using hypervalent iodine reagents is described. Initial attempts to perform this reaction with methyl aryl ethers was compromised by electrophilic addition leading to the formation of benzo[d]thiazoles. However, inverting the direction of the process and oxidizing the corresponding phenol delivered the desired spiro fused heterocycles in moderate to good yields for all three families.
Efficient calculations of the Mode-Resolved ab-initio thermal Conductivity in nanostructures

First-principles calculations of thermal transport in homogeneous materials have reached remarkable predicting power. Modeling deterministically phonon transport in nanostructures, however, poses novel challenges; notably, it entails solving as many algebraic equations as the number of combinations of wave vectors in the discretized Brillouen and polarizations. We show that, within the relaxation time approximation of the Boltzmann transport equation (BTE), this issue is resolved by interpolating the phonon distributions in the vectorial phonon mean free paths (MFP) space. The coupling between structure and mode-resolved heat transport is investigated in terms of angular-resolved bulk thermal conductivity and phonon suppression function, the latter being associated primarily to the material's geometry. Our method, termed the anisotropic MFP-BTE (aMFP-BTE), allows for fast and accurate thermal conductivity calculations in nanomaterials regardless of the number of phonon branches and wave vectors. Furthermore, it naturally blends with first-principles thermal transport calculations, therefore allowing for multiscale, parameter-free simulations. We apply the aMFP-BTE to compute the mode-resolved effective thermal conductivity of porous Si membranes, achieving up to 50x speed with respect to the case with no interpolation. The proposed approach unlocks the engineering of novel nanostructures, with applications to thermoelectrics and heat management.
The Decline of Life: Old Age in Eighteenth-Century England

List of figures List of tables Acknowledgements List of abbreviations Introduction: old age in eighteenth-century England: no 'golden age of ageing' 1. Who was 'old' in eighteenth-century England? 2. The activities of the 'helmsman': self-reliance, work and community expectations of the elderly 3. 'The comforts of a private fire-side' 4. Independent but not alone: family ties for the elderly 5. Community assistance to the aged under the Old Poor Law 6. Continuity and change in community assistance to the elderly over the eighteenth century 7. Within workhouse walls: indoor relief for the elderly Conclusion: old age as a useful category of historical analysis Bibliography Index.
Reforming Accounting Education in a Transition Economy: A Case Study of Armenia

This paper describes and summarizes the accounting education segment of the USAID Accounting Reform project in Armenia. After a brief introduction that discusses the history and culture of Armenia, the paper goes into a discussion of the major aspects of accounting education reform. Education reform included replacing the accounting curriculum of all the major universities and institutions in Armenia as well as training existing certified accountants and auditors and enterprise accountants. Accounting training was provided for other groups as well. There is also some discussion of the new certification model, which closely parallels the ACCA model, and some of the implementation problems that arose during the course of the reforms.
Measuring spectral organization in atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common, clinically significant arrhythmia. When it becomes persistent and drug-refractory, catheter ablation is the preferred therapy. This paper proposes a new method for assessing the level of organization of the electrical activity in the atria during atrial fibrillation, which may enhance the long-term success of ablation therapy and identify those at risk of AF recurrence after therapy. The method uses independent component analysis (ICA) to extract the global atrial activity from the body surface 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG). The extracted atrial signal is subjected to bandpass filtering and spectral analysis. The resulting spectrum is assessed both for the power in its dominant frequency, and for the power associated with the harmonics of the dominant frequency. The ratio of harmonic power to dominant frequency power is assigned as an index of organization. The results show that the proposed method is predictive of AF recurrence after ablation therapy. The proposed method may provide a more objective way to assess when to terminate ablation, as well as help clinicians determine how to treat post-ablation patients.
LONG TIME OBSERVATION OF A FATIGUE DAMAGED BRIDGE

Fatigue cracking was first observed at the Yellow Mill Pond Bridge on the Connecticut Turnpike (I-95) in 1970. Fatigue crack growth resulted in complete fracture of a tension flange in one of the girders. Smaller cracks were discovered in several other beams. Fatigue cracking started at the end weld of cover plates welded on the rolled section, which form the longitudinal girders of the bridge structure. Several inspections were made between 1970 and 1979. The stress range due to the traffic was recorded in 1971, 1973 and 1976. Maximum stress ranges as high as 10.5 ksi (72.4 MPa) were measured at the end weld of the cover plates. The results from the bridge observations are compared with laboratory fatigue test data on small size and full size cover plated beams. The laboratory tests and analytical predictions of crack growth agree well with the observations made on the Yellow Mill Pond Bridge.
Ionospheric‐Magnetospheric‐Heliospheric Coupling: Storm‐Time Thermal Plasma Redistribution

Large-scale thermal plasma redistribution phenomena have been observed from the ground and space during the major geomagnetic storms of the recent solar cycle. Plasma redistribution is a multistep, systemwide process involving the equatorial, low, mid, auroral, and polar latitude regions. Penetration electric fields enhance the equatorial ionization anomaly peaks, whereas polarization electric field effects at the dusk terminator redistribute the low-latitude total electron content (TEC) in both longitude and latitude. Magnetic field geometry creates a preferred longitude for the enhancement of low- and mid-latitude TEC in the American sector at sunset. This TEC enhancement forms a localized source for the intense storm enhanced density (SED) erosion plumes that are observed over the Americas during major storms. A second set of storm-time processes leads to the erosion of the plasmasphere boundary layer, transporting the SED plumes to the noontime cusp in the ionosphere and to the dayside magnetopause at high altitudes. Ring current enhancements generate strong poleward-directed subauroral polarization stream (SAPS) electric fields in the evening sector as field-aligned currents close through the low-conductivity ionosphere. The SAPS electric field overlaps the outer plasmasphere, drawing out the SED/plasmasphere erosion plumes. These greatly enhanced fluxes of cold plasma traverse the cusp and enter the polar cap forming the polar tongue of ionization and providing a rich source of heavy ions for the magnetospheric injection and acceleration mechanisms that operate in these regions.
Are the elderly underrepresented in clinical drug trials

In many industrialized nations, the elderly comprise the fastest growing subpopulation and constitute an increasing proportion of the total population compared to other age groups. The elderly use a disproportionately larger amount of health care resources since they experience a higher incidence of disease-related morbidities, consume more drugs, are subject to more extensive multiple medication regimens, and account for more adverse drug events. In response to the great demand for geriatric pharmacotherapy, the pharmaceutical industry has targeted more drugs to the elderly. However, the elderly are too often excluded from clinical trials on drugs primarily destined for their consumption. Comprehensive analyses to assess participation of elderly subjects in clinical drug trials are needed to design and implement trials that will enhance the safety and efficacy of drugs intended for this pharmacologically sensitive subpopulation.
Societies of cores and their computing culture

The performance opportunities enabled through multi-core chips and the efficiency potential of heterogeneous ISA and structures is creating a climate for computer architecture, highly parallel processing chips, and HPC systems unprecedented for more than a decade. But with change comes the uncertainty from competition of alternatives. One thing is clear: all systems will be parallel systems and all chips will be highly parallel. If so, then, how will the parallelism be represented and controlled and what will be the roles and responsibilities for managing system wide parallelism? This presentation will address both the exciting opportunities and challenges of highly parallel processing cores on chips and describe one possible path for future parallel ISA cores, ParalleX, which may enable the synthesis of many cores into one single scalable system.
Creative Communication: Digital Creativity and Theology in Dialogue

This essay examines digital creativity from a theological perspective, focusing on its potential to serve the transmission of faith. Creativity is a contested term both in the fields of digital media scholarship and the Christian theological tradition. Some express reservation about the possibility or value of creativity in both digital communication and the theological task of the transmission of faith. On the other hand, others affirm digital creativity as the next opportunity in the long line of visual and artistic media used in the history of the Christian tradition in the service of the transmission of faith. A constructive approach to digital creativity also reveals it potential for theological education as a pedagogical approach that fosters understanding toward appropriation and the effective transmission of the content of faith.
Spectroscopic studies of the structure of the adsorption layer of thionocarbamate: I. On copper and activated zinc sulfide

Abstract The adsorption of O -isobutyl- N -ethoxycarbonylthionocarbamate on copper from aqueous solutions has been studied using various spectroscopic techniques. It was possible to derived structural information about the adsorption layer by combining data collected by infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy, standard transmission infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. At surface coverages close to monolayer, the thionocarbamate molecules are bound directly to the surface copper atoms through oxygen and sulfur linkages, while their aliphatic chains are headed toward the solution. In the second layer, the molecules are adsorbed on top of the first monolayer with inverse orientation, and they are also bound to copper, forming a 1:1 complex. The spectroscopic data suggest that the copper(I) thionocarbamate complexes formed on copper are six-membered chelates. With further increases in surface coverage, multilayers of copper(I) thionocarbamates are formed with random orientation. The thionocarbamate molecules adsorbed on copper-activated zinc sulfide at nearly monolayer coverage are also oriented with the aliphatic chains toward the solution.