cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Material Strengthening Mechanisms and Their Contribution to Size Effect in Micro-Cutting

The specific cutting energy in machining is known to increase nonlinearly with decrease in uncut chip thickness. It has been reported in the literature that this phenomenon is dependent on several factors such as material strengthening, ploughing due to finite edge radius, and material separation effects. This paper examines the material strengthening effect where the material strength increases nonlinearly as the uncut chip thickness is reduced to a few microns. This increase in strength has been attributed in the past to various factors such as strain rate, strain gradient, and temperature effects. Given that the increase in material strength can occur due to many factors, it is important to understand the contributions of each factor to the increase in specific cutting energy and the conditions under which they are dominant. This paper analyzes two material strengthening factors, (i) the contribution of the decrease in the secondary deformation zone cutting temperature and (ii) strain gradient strengthening, and their relative contributions to the increase in specific cutting energy as the uncut chip thickness is reduced. Finite element (FE)-based orthogonal cutting simulations are performed with Aluminum 5083-H116, a work material with a small strain rate hardening exponent, thus minimizing strain rate effects. Suitable cutting conditions are identified under which the temperature and strain gradient effects are dominant. Orthogonal cutting experiments are used to validate the model in terms of cutting forces. The simulation results are then analyzed to identify the contributions of the material strengthening factors to the size effect in specific cutting energy.
On the capacity of Gaussian broadcast channels that receive interference

The capacity of a network in which a Gaussian broadcast channel receives interference from a single-user channel is studied. Inner and outer bounds on the capacity region are derived for various scenarios. Conditions for these bounds to be tight are obtained.
DIRECT DETERMINATION AND INDIRECT EVALUATION OF RELATIVE DENSITY AND ITS USE ON EARTHWORK CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

RELATIVE DENSITY IS OFTEN USED AS THE CRITERION FOR CONTROLLING THE QUALITY OF COMPACTED GRANULAR FILL. THE DIRECT AND INDIRECT METHODS AVAILABLE TO DETERMINE IN SITU RELATIVE DENSITY ARE CONSIDERED ALONG WITH THE DIFFICULTIES ASSOCIATED WITH THESE METHODS. DATA ARE PRESENTED WHICH INDICATE THE DEGREE OF ERROR THAT CAN BE EXPECTED WHEN MAKING IN SITU DETERMINATIONS OF RELATIVE DENSITY. CORRELATIONS ARE PRESENTED WHICH RELATE IN SITU DATA OBTAINED BY THE MOST COMMONLY USED FIELD TECHNIQUES EMPLOYED IN THE DETERMINATION OF RELATIVE DENSITY. /AUTHOR/
Motor timing variability increases in preclinical Huntington's disease patients as estimated onset of motor symptoms approaches.

Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder diagnosed clinically with the development of choreiform movements. However, neuropsychological studies have demonstrated cognitive and psychiatric changes during the preclinical phase (pre-HD) prior to formal diagnosis. Previous studies have demonstrated the sensitivity of time reproduction tasks to basal ganglia pathology, as seen in clinical HD and Parkinson's disease. In this study, 29 pre-HD participants, ranging from 3 to 39 years from estimated onset (YEO) of HD based on genetic testing and chronological age, were administered the paced finger-tapping task using target intervals of 600 and 1200 ms. Mean inter-response interval, a measure of timing accuracy, did not systematically deviate from the target interval as a function of YEO. In contrast, timing variability increased curvilinearly as a function of YEO, but not with chronological age alone. Motor timing variability, but not accuracy, may serve as a marker to define the earliest behavioral changes in HD. The present study is among the first to examine the relationship between behavioral measures and YEO in pre-HD. (JINS, 2007, 13, 539–543.)
The caspase 1 inflammasome is not required for control of murine Lyme borreliosis.

The contribution of the inflammasome to the development of immune responses and disease during infection with the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, is not well defined. Host defense against the spirochete is severely impaired in mice deficient in the adaptor molecule myeloid differentiation antigen 88 (MyD88), which is required not only for Toll-like receptor-mediated responses but also for the production of the proforms of interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and IL-18. These cytokines are released in active forms after cleavage by the inflammasome-associated enzyme caspase 1. To investigate the contribution of the inflammasome to host defense against B. burgdorferi, we examined Lyme borreliosis in mice deficient in either caspase 1 or apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a C-terminal caspase recruitment domain (ASC), a molecule upstream of caspase 1 in the inflammasome signaling cascade. We found that caspase 1-deficient mice had a mild transient elevation in pathogen burden and a trend toward an increase in the prevalence of arthritis early in infection, but these differences resolved by day 14 postinfection. Caspase 1 deficiency had no effect on B. burgdorferi-induced humoral immunity, T-cell responses, or the abilities of macrophages to ingest and degrade spirochetes. The absence of the ASC protein had no effect on the control of the spirochete or the development of immune responses and disease. These findings reveal that the caspase 1 inflammasome is not critical to host defense against the extracellular pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi.
Multiple Connexins Form Gap Junction Channels in Rat Basilar Artery Smooth Muscle Cells

Abstract —Three connexins, Cx43, Cx40, and Cx37, have been found by protein or mRNA analysis to be prominent in mammalian blood vessels, but electrophysiological characterization of gap junction channels in freshly isolated vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) has not previously been reported. We used a dual-perforated patch-clamp technique to study gap junction conductances in SMC pairs from rat basilar arteries. Macroscopic junctional conductance ( G j) measured in 98 cell pairs with either Cs+ or K+ ranged between 0.68 and 24.8 nS. In weakly coupled cells ( G j 300 pS, were identified that have not been previously reported in vascular SMCs. Macroscopic recordings revealed currents that deactivated incompletely over a broad range of transjunctional potentials. In about half of the pairs, we identified macroscopic as well as single-channel currents that exhibited marked voltage asymmetry, consistent with nonhomotypic, ie, either heterotypic or heteromeric channels. Our data indicate that basilar artery SMCs are coupled in vivo in a richly complex manner, involving Cx43, Cx40, and other large-conductance channels, and that a significant number of couplings involve putative nonhomotypic channels.
Blockade of IL-6 Trans Signaling Attenuates Pulmonary Fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a lethal lung disease with progressive fibrosis and death within 2–3 y of diagnosis. IPF incidence and prevalence rates are increasing annually with few effective treatments available. Inhibition of IL-6 results in the attenuation of pulmonary fibrosis in mice. It is unclear whether this is due to blockade of classical signaling, mediated by membrane-bound IL-6Rα, or trans signaling, mediated by soluble IL-6Rα (sIL-6Rα). Our study assessed the role of sIL-6Rα in IPF. We demonstrated elevations of sIL-6Rα in IPF patients and in mice during the onset and progression of fibrosis. We demonstrated that protease-mediated cleavage from lung macrophages was important in production of sIL-6Rα. In vivo neutralization of sIL-6Rα attenuated pulmonary fibrosis in mice as seen by reductions in myofibroblasts, fibronectin, and collagen in the lung. In vitro activation of IL-6 trans signaling enhanced fibroblast proliferation and extracellular matrix protein production, effects relevant in the progression of pulmonary fibrosis. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the production of sIL-6Rα from macrophages in the diseased lung contributes to IL-6 trans signaling that in turn influences events crucial in pulmonary fibrosis.
Concomitant Endovascular Repair of Descending Thoracic and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

An 81-year-old man was referred with a 65-mm descending thoracic aneurysm (Figure 1A⇓) and a 60-mm abdominal aortic aneurysm (Figure 1B⇓) found on …
Bacterial control of silicon regeneration from diatom detritus: Significance of bacterial ectohydrolases and species identity

Bacteria (and possibly archaea) accelerate silica dissolution in the sea by colonizing and enzymatically degrading the organic matrix of diatom frustules. We tested whether colonizer species composition and ectohydrolase profiles critically control silicon regeneration by allowing diatom (Thalassiosira weissflogii and Chaetoceros simplex) detritus to be colonized by natural bacterial assemblages and 12 phylogenetically characterized marine isolates. We characterized the colonizers' ectohydrolase profiles and rates of silicon regeneration. The colonizers' cell-specific protease activity was consistently the dominant ectohydrolase, and it strongly correlated with silica dissolution rates. Cell-specific glucosidase, lipase, and chitinase activities showed no correlation with silicon regeneration. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA genes was used to monitor colonization of detritus by natural microbial assemblages and to identify colonizing phylotypes. Representatives from gammaproteobacteria and sphingobacteria-flavobacteria classes dominated colonizer populations by comprising 65% and 25% of detected phylotypes, respectively. Archaea were not detected among colonizer populations. All bacterial isolates accelerated silica dissolution, but individual rates varied by >300%. Significant variability was observed within the Alteromonadaceae, which indicates different abilities to process diatom organic matter. Isolates that displayed enhanced colonization and protease activities were the most effective at regenerating silicon. The most effective isolate belonged to the sphingobacteria-flavobacteria, a group specialized in colonizing marine particles. Other effective isolates grouped with Pseudoalteromonas, Alteromonas, and Vibrio genera. One isolate caused intense aggregation of diatom detritus, significantly reducing silicon regeneration. Our results indicate that bacterial species identity strongly controlled silicon regeneration by influencing the colonization potential and ectohydrolytic profiles of bacteria as well as aggregate formation. Mechanistic models of oceanic silica cycling should incorporate species composition and ectohydrolase profiles of bacteria involved in silicon regeneration.
Private Equity and Venture Capital: What's the Difference?

On March 6, 2012, the University of Colorado Law School’s Silicon Flatirons Center convened an invitation-only private Roundtable discussion with nationally prominent venture capitalists, private equity managers, deal attorneys, investment advisors, and professors to discuss private equity and venture capital (the “Roundtable”). Moderated by Brad Bernthal, an Associate Professor at Colorado Law School, the Roundtable considered key questions about the differences and similarities between private equity and venture capital, including (a) how the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank”), in particular section 203(l)-1, will impact private investment funds and capital deployment and to what extent it will constrain firms’ operational flexibility; (b) whether PE and VC are “as different as night and day” (culturally or otherwise) or if they exist on a spectrum; and (c) what is next in terms of regulatory treatment implicating definitional challenges surrounding PE and VC.
Enzymatic E-colicins bind to their target receptor BtuB by presentation of a small binding epitope on a coiled-coil scaffold.

Toxins and viruses often initiate their attacks by binding to specific proteins on the surfaces of target cells. Bacterial toxins (e.g. bacteriocins) and viruses (bacteriophages) targeting Gram-negative bacteria typically bind to outer membrane proteins. Bacterial E-colicins target Escherichia coli by binding to the outer membrane cobalamin transporter BtuB. Colicins are tripartite molecules possessing receptor-binding, translocation, and toxin domains connected by long coiled-coil -helices. Surprisingly, the crystal structure of colicin E3 does not possess a recognizable globular fold in its receptor-binding domain. We hypothesized that the binding epitope of enzymatic E-colicins is a short loop connecting the two -helices that comprise the coiledcoil region and that this flanking coiled-coil region serves to present the loop in a binding-capable conformation. To test this hypothesis, we designed and synthesized a 34-residue peptide (E-peptide-1) corresponding to residues Ala 366 –Arg 399 of the helix-loop-helix region of colicin E3. Cysteines placed near the ends of the peptide (I372C and A393C) enabled crosslinking for reduction of conformational entropy and formation of a peptide structure that would present the loop epitope. A fluorescent analog was also made for characterization of binding by measurement of fluorescence polarization. Our analysis shows the following. (i) E-peptide-1 is predominantly random coil in aqueous solution, but disulfide bond formation increases its -helical content in both aqueous buffer and solvents that promote helix formation. (ii) Fluorescein-labeled E-peptide-1 binds to purified BtuB in a calcium-dependent manner with a Kd of 43.6 4.9 nM or 2370 670 nM in the presence or absence of calcium, respectively. (iii) In the presence of calcium, cyanocobalamin (CN-Cbl) displaces E-peptide-1 with a nanomolar inhibition constant (Ki 78.9 5.6 nM). We conclude that the BtuB binding sites for cobalamins and enzymatic E-colicins are overlapping but inequivalent and that the distal loop and (possibly) the short -helical flanking regions are sufficient for high affinity binding.
The Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Industry

Pharmaceutical industry presents many career paths for physicians and many opportunities to evolve and grow within a company. Career paths for physicians include basic science and basic or clinical research, policy development, government affairs, medical relations, or a combination thereof. Experience in basic or clinical scientific research, pharmacology, physiology, and patient care can be very helpful for a successful career in the pharmaceutical and medical device industry.
DNA structural changes caused by microwave radiation.

SummaryNon-thermal levels of microwave exposure can produce single- and double-strand breaks in DNA in solution.
The Entity Concept and Corporations: Preserving the Alienability of Collective Property

Much confusion has arisen in corporate law because collective ownership presents a little-recognized threat to alienability. The application of legal principles developed for solely owned property, in particular the principle that owners manage, will often make collectively owned property inalienable because the class of decision makers will be too large. This problem is ameliorated by treating a corporation as an entity separate from its owners and by assigning decision rights to the board of directors. Many seemingly unrelated corporate doctrines, including limited liability, rejection of shareholder democracy, the business judgment rule, and the disclosure requirements of the Williams Act are logical extensions of the much-criticized but 2,000-year-old entity concept. The entity concept and its related doctrines help to preserve the alienability of corporate property. Recent legal changes, however, have eroded the alienability of corporate property.
Anomalous Flow of Polyisobutylene

Abstract This work began as a study of shear degradation in a polymer melt subjected to a uniform shear field. A new type of biconical rotor rheometer was designed and constructed for it. Early in the investigation, however, phenomena were observed which led our efforts away from the original objectives. Viscosity data on a polyisobutylene melt have been obtained which indicate the presence of two flow regions, having significantly different flow activation energies. Normal entanglement flow is encountered in one, the other is apparently dominated by a different mechanism, which results in lower flow activation energies. A mechanism involving rotating flow units is proposed and applied to describe this region.
Oxygen Uptake of Blood Serum.

SummaryAn O2 uptake is observed when the pH of normal human blood serum or its dialysate is lowered. Heated dialysate shows the same O2 uptake as unheated dialysate. All of the material oxidized at acid reaction is dialyzable.
Technological selection: A missing link

Vaesen's description of uniquely human tool-related cognitive abilities rings true but would be enhanced by an account of how those abilities would have evolved. I suggest that a process of technological selection operated on the cognitive architecture of ancestral hominids because they, unlike other tool-using species, depended on tools for their survival.
Analysis of Fluid Flow in Axial Re-entrant Grooves with Application to Heat Pipes

Thefullydevelopedlaminar∞owwithinare-entrantgroovehasbeenanalyzedusing a flnite element model. Re-entrant grooves have been used in both axially-grooved heat pipes and in monogroove heat pipes. The main beneflt to using this type of wick structure is the reduction of the liquid pressure drop along the length of the grooveduetocountercurrentliquid-vaporinteractionatthemeniscus. Allprevious researchers assumed that the pressure drop within the liquid could be modelled as ∞ow within a smooth tube, but the results of the current analysis show that this assumption can lead to signiflcant errors in the pressure drop prediction. An extensive literature survey was completed and the results of flve previous studies were used to validate the current numerical model. It was found that the present flnite element model is both more accurate and consumes less computer resources than a flnite difierence based model developed previously by one of the authors of the current manuscript. A parametric analysis was carried out to determine the Poiseuille number, Po = fRe, the dimensionless mean velocity, v ⁄ , and the dimensionlessvolumetric∞owrate, _ V ⁄ ,asfunctionsofthegeometryofthere-entrant groove (groove height 1:0 • H ⁄ • 4:0, slot half-width 0:05 • W ⁄ =2 • 0:9, flllet radius 0:0• R ⁄ •1:0),andtheliquid-vaporshearstress(0:0•i? ⁄ lv •2:5). Itwasdetermined that the ∞ow variables were strongly afiected by the groove height, slot half-width and liquid-vapor shear stress, but were relatively unafiected by the flllet radius. The case in which the meniscus recedes into the re-entrant groove was examined, whichcouldbearesultofevaporatordry-outorinsu‐cientliquidflllamount. The cross-sectionalareaoftheliquidinthegroove, A ⁄ ,themeniscusradius, R ⁄,andthe above-mentioned∞owvariableswerecalculatedasfunctionsofthemeniscuscontact angle(0 ‐ • `•40 ‐ )andmeniscusattachmentpoint(0:0• H ⁄
The cyclic-2,3-diphosphoglycerate fromMethanobacterium thermoautotrophicum is thed enantiomer

The cyclic pyrophosphate obtained fromMethanobacterium thermoautotrophicum was converted tosn-glycerol 3-phosphate by a stereospecific route. This conversion establishes the structure as cyclic-2,3-diphospho-d-glycerate. The same method was used to determine the cellular content of this metabolite under two conditions: batch culture in a medium containing 2 mM inorganic phosphate and continuous culture with 0.1 mM phosphate in the inflowing medium. The values found were 194±13 and 27.5±1.1 μmol/g dry weight, respectively. Computer modeling indicated that the pyrophosphate group cannot adopt a staggered conformation.
Establishment of Electronic Health Records of Rural Residents

Objective To explore the collection and application of electronic health records of rural residents,analyze the methods and difficulties of establishing electronic health records system in rural area.Methods Setting remote rural areas of Sichuan province as a pilot,using centralized screening and supplementary examination to establish electronic health records of rural residents.Results Check-up and health surveys of 10 067 residents in Butuo county had been accomplished,as well as the electronic health records.Conclusion Establishing electronic health records of rural residents has positive effects on creating health care network,improving health services quality and integrating health resources.It proposes solutions of existing problems in establishing electronic health records of rural residents.
Newer Microbial Agents in Diarrhea

In recent years the roster of microorganisms causing acute enteritis has been considerably expanded, and the pathogenic mechanisms for the diarrheas caused by Escherichia coli have been largely clarified. Although it is too soon to know how large a share of the total etiology the newer agents represent, awareness of their role and improvements in diagnostic methodology promise to strengthen the clinician's hand.
3 Lessons of Genetic Algorithms for Computational Innovation

For some time, I have been struck by the connection between the mechanics of innovation and genetic algorithms (GAs)-search procedures based on the mechanics of natural selection and genetics. In this short paper, I explore those connections by invoking the fundamental metaphor of innovation as an explanation for GA power of effect. Thereafter, I reverse the argument, by setting out to construct competent GAs-GAs that solve hard problems quickly, reliably, and accurately-through a combination of effective (1) design methodology, (2) design theory, and (3) design. While, we won’t have the opportunity to review the technical lessons in detail, the abstract does examine three crucial qualitative issues: (1) the key race between selection and the innovation operators, (2) the idea of a control map that helps us understand the genetic algorithm’s sweet spot, and (3) the primary hurdle or impediment to competent GA design, a hurdle that has been overcome by three different algorithms that obey the same principle: the need to identify important substructures before deciding among them. The implications of these lessons in practical GA design and the construction of a computational theory of innovation are briefly explored.
Response prompting and fading methods: A review.

Teachers of individuals with severe handicaps typically use response prompts, such as verbal instructions, modeling, and physical guidance, to encourage correct responding. However, the goal of instruction is to have the individual respond to natural stimuli rather than response prompts. Therefore, these response prompts must be faded. Currently there are four methods for systematically fading response prompts: increasing assistance, decreasing assistance, graduated guidance, and time delay. An overview of each method as well as a review of comparative investigations involving these methods of fading response prompts was presented. Recommendations for practitioners and for future research were included.
How Brazilian Vocational Education Reduces Poverty — Even If No One Wants to Hire the Trainees

One of the most important public policies for the reduction of unemployment is the promotion of job training and vocational education. Of all the O’Connorian state interventions, Vocational training is one of the most appealing. Education is clearly correlated with favorable labor market outcomes; workers with more education are consistently more likely to be employed and more likely to enjoy higher incomes. (Becker 1964, Blau and Duncan 1967)
Women in Prison: An Insight into Captivity and Crime

Women in Prison takes a look at the multiple specificities that bring women into the prison system. Drawing on empirical sources and original research, and relying primarily on interviews of women inmates, this book explores the contexts of female crime and punishment in India and looks at gendered disciplinary mechanisms that are used to control women inmates. The work invokes not only a sense of history in understanding womens crimes and imprisonment, but also engages in a critical dialogue in terms of gender, caste, culture and sexuality. Unique in its analysis of the lives of women prisoners within social and legal contexts, the book is a major contribution to international literature on womens offences and their experience of imprisonment.
Allergic sensitization and objective measures of sleep in urban school-aged children with asthma

Abstract Background Allergic sensitization is associated with increased child asthma morbidity and decreased pulmonary function. Nocturnal symptoms and/or awakenings typically are measured by self-report from diary data, whereas objective assessments of sleep in child asthma studies are lacking. Objective To investigate the association between increased allergic sensitization (number of positive allergy test results measured by skin prick test or specific immunoglobulin E) and sleep outcomes (sleep efficiency, sleep duration, and mean number of awakenings measured by actigraphy) in urban schoolchildren with persistent asthma. Methods One hundred ninety-six children with persistent asthma (7–9 years old) attending public school in 1 of 4 large urban school districts completed allergy testing during a study clinic visit. Forced expiratory volume in 1 second was monitored at home using a handheld spirometer. Sleep outcomes were measured with a wrist Actiwatch during a 1-month period in the fall and winter seasons. Results Number of positive allergy test results significantly predicted mean sleep efficiency ( P = .02), such that children with more positive test results experienced less efficient sleep. Number of positive allergy test results significantly predicted mean number of night awakenings ( P = .05), such that children with more positive allergy test results experienced more night awakenings. Variability in forced expiratory volume in 1 second was a significant moderator in the association between number of positive allergy test results and variability in sleep efficiency ( P = .04). Racial and ethnic differences in allergic sensitization and sleep outcomes were found between African Americans and Latinos. Conclusion More positive allergy test results were associated with poorer sleep outcomes measured objectively in this sample of urban children. Implications for environmental control interventions and asthma treatments in different racial and ethnic groups are discussed.
Research Techniques Made Simple: Pharmacoepidemiology Research Methods in Dermatology.

Clinical trials have several important limitations for evaluating the safety of new medications, leading to many adverse events not being identified until the postmarketing period. Descriptive studies, including case reports, case series, cross-sectional, and ecologic studies, help identify potential safety signals and generate hypotheses. Further research using analytic study methods, including case-control studies and cohort studies, are necessary to determine if an association truly exists and to better understand the potential for causation. Pharmacoepidemiology research examines the use and effects of drugs when used in large populations of patients, using a variety of study designs and biostatistical techniques to reduce the confounding and systematic error associated with observational research. Understanding the strengths and limitations of pharmacoepidemiology research techniques is necessary to interpret the validity of drug safety studies, guiding both individual patient decisions and broader public health decisions.
Disruptive behavior disorders: Taking an RDoC(ish) approach

The disruptive behavior disorders include Conduct Disorder (CD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). These disorders are highly comorbid with each other as well as with mood and anxiety disorders and personality disorders (particularly borderline personality disorder). The goal of this chapter is to consider these disorders from an RDoC(ish) approach. In other words, we will outline four functional processes and the behavioral implications of dysfunction within these processes. Moreover, we will briefly consider how dysfunction in one might increase the risk for the development of rather different behavioral problems that have been previously associated with rather different disorders. Our goal is to identify neurocognitive-based functional targets for treatment.
Assessing Accuracy in Postcensal Estimates: Statistical Properties of Different Measures

When developing new estimation or projection methods or assessing current techniques, demographers must deal with evaluating several options for constructing estimates for national and sub-national areas, such as states, counties, tracts, etc. Assessing an option for the estimation involves evaluating the estimates as a set rather than one at a time. A technique often used is to compare the estimates against a standard, such as recent census counts, believed to be more accurate than the estimates under evaluation. To do this, it is necessary to summarize the errors into performance measures that can be applied to a sub-national level. These measures need to reflect the different uses of the estimates. Usually several measures need to be examined because a single one is not able to capture all the different accuracy requirements for the varied uses of the estimates, such as fixed pie allocations or absolute numbers of the population. Different measures have evolved to reflect the accuracy requirements, some focus on the accuracy of the distribution of the population across areas while others focus on numerical accuracy in the sub-national areas. Some measures give all component error estimates equal weight while others weight the error estimate by population size. This paper presents a systematic overview of these methods. It explores the relationship between the population estimates and their important uses, such as fund allocations. Included is a demonstration of the properties of the measures and an illustration of the necessity of understanding the role of error in the standard of comparison when forming the measures. Finally, the paper presents a method to facilitate comparisons across measures when assessing a set of population estimates or studying a proposed estimation methodology.
Ku70: A Candidate Tumor Suppressor Gene for Murine T Cell Lymphoma

Abstract We present evidence that inactivation of the Ku70 gene leads to a propensity for malignant transformation both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, Ku70 −/− mouse fibroblasts displayed an increased rate of sister chromatid exchange and a high frequency of spontaneous neoplastic transformation. In vivo, Ku70 −/− mice, known to be defective in B but not T lymphocyte maturation, developed thymic and disseminated T cell lymphomas at a mean age of 6 months with CD4 + CD8 + tumor cells. These findings directly demonstrate that Ku70 deficiency facilitates neoplastic growth and suggest a novel role of the Ku70 locus in tumor suppression.
Cyanobacterial Biomass by Reuse of Wastewater-Containing Hypochlorite

Abstract Spirulina (Arthrospira) are cyanobacteria with high potential to use waste as a substrate for conversion into products such as biofuels and biopolymers. This study aims to investigate the ...
Clinical outcomes and patterns of care in the treatment of carcinosarcoma of the breast.

PURPOSE Carcinosarcoma of the breast is a rare yet highly aggressive tumor accounting for <1% of all breast cancers, for which guidance on optimal management and prognosis are sparse. The purpose of this study was to investigate population-based treatment patterns and overall survival (OS) outcomes in patients with this diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS We queried the National Cancer Database for patients diagnosed with carcinosarcoma of the breast. All patients included were treated with surgery in the form of mastectomy or lumpectomy, with or without chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. Patients with metastatic disease were excluded. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate OS. Univariate and multivariable Cox analyses were used to determine predictive factors of OS. RESULTS A total of 329 patients from 2004 to 2012 were identified. Median age at diagnosis was 58 years (range, 24-90). Patients had T1 (21%), T2 (44%), T3 (25%), or T4 disease (10%). Most patients were node-negative at diagnosis (77%). Breast conservation surgery was utilized in 33% of patients. Chemotherapy was used in 66% of patients. Less than half (44%) of patients received radiation therapy to a median dose of 50.4 Gy (range 35-56 Gy), with a median 10 Gy boost used in 76%. With a median follow-up of 40.0 months, 3- and 5-year OS for all patients was 74% and 60%, respectively. Kaplan-Meier estimates revealed the 3-yr OS was 80% in patients receiving chemotherapy vs 59% without chemotherapy (P < 0.001). The 3-yr OS was 82% in patients receiving RT vs 66% without RT (P = 0.001). On multivariable analysis, OS was significantly influenced by Charlson-Deyo comorbidity index, insurance status, clinical T stage, surgical margin status, and treatment group, with trimodality therapy (HR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.27-0.78; P = 0.004) and surgery plus CT (HR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.33-0.90; P = 0.02) being associated with the greatest OS. Logistic regression revealed only younger patients were more likely to receive trimodality therapy. CONCLUSIONS Carcinosarcoma of the breast is associated with relatively poor rates of OS. The addition of CT and RT to surgery improves OS. Trimodality therapy and surgery plus CT were associated with the greatest OS compared to surgery alone.
Reliability-Aware FinFET Design

The endless demand for high performance and low power CMOS devices at extremely scaled cell dimensions led the semiconductor industry to migrate to FinFET structures. This evolution has brought higher integration complexity and has forced the reliability engineers to be aware of interrelation among process conditions affecting electrical degradation and failure. In this work, major integration steps which impact FEOL/MOL reliability are discussed, and guidance is provided for reliability-aware FinFET design.
Dynamic Response Modeling of High-Speed Planing Craft with Enforced Acceleration

Abstract An approach is investigated in this study for structural dynamic analysis of a high-speed planing hull, in which the pointwise acceleration data collected from sea trials are enforced as base excitation. The paper first performed the full boat analysis of an 11-meter high speed craft for a period of one wave impact selected from each of nine seakeeping runs. The sea trial acceleration data collected from 11 accelerometers placed close to the centerline and the keel are enforced as input, while those from 3 accelerometers placed around the pilot cabin are selected for validation. The substructure dynamic analysis of the isolated pilot cabin was then conducted and validated, in which 7 pointwise enforced accelerations are selected from the simulation output of the full boat dynamic analysis. The substructure dynamic analysis enables detailed investigation of local stress concentrations where critical equipment and personnel are located. The proposed approach can be extended to rigid-flexible body coupling analysis of a high-speed craft when it is running with large pitching and yawing motion.
Effects of Pre-Charged Hydrogen on the Mechanical and Thermal Behavior of Zr-Ti-Ni-Cu-Be Bulk Metallic Glass Alloys

The effects of pre-charged hydrogen on the deformation, fracture and thermal behavior of a Zr-Ti-Ni-Cu-Be bulk metallic glass were investigated. The glass transition and crystallization temperatures were shifted to higher values with increasing hydrogen charging indicating sluggish kinetics. Flow stress was increased and fracture toughness was degraded after hydrogen charging. The atomic jump process which underlies the plastic deformation is believed to be retarded by hydrogen resulting in embrittlement.
Nearly 90% Circularly Polarized Emission in Monolayer WS2 Single Crystals by Chemical Vapor Deposition

Monolayer transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) in the 2H-phase are promising semiconductors for opto-valleytronic and opto-spintronic applications because of their strong spin-valley coupling. Here, we report detailed studies of opto-valleytronic properties of heterogeneous domains in CVD-grown monolayer WS2 single crystals. By illuminating WS2 with off-resonance circularly polarized light and measuring the resulting spatially resolved circularly polarized emission (Pcirc), we find significantly large circular polarization (Pcirc up to 60% and 45% for α- and β-domains, respectively) already at 300 K, which increases to nearly 90% in the α-domains at 80 K. Studies of spatially resolved photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Kelvin-probe force microscopy, and conductive atomic force microscopy reveal direct correlation among the PL intensity, defect densities, and chemical potential, with the α-domains showing lower defect densities and a smaller work function by 0.13 eV than the β-domains. This work function difference indicates the occurrence of type-two band alignments between the α- and β-domains. We adapt a classical model to explain how electronically active defects may serve as nonradiative recombination centers and find good agreement between experiments and the model. Scanning tunneling microscopic/spectroscopic (STM/STS) studies provide further evidence for tungsten vacancies (WVs) being the primary defects responsible for the suppressed PL and circular polarization in WS2. These results therefore suggest a pathway to control the opto-valleytronic properties of TMDCs by means of defect engineering.
400Gbps Fully Integrated DR4 Silicon Photonics Transmitter for Data Center Applications

A 400Gbps PAM-4 fully integrated DR4 silicon photonics transmitter with four heterogeneously integrated DFB lasers has been demonstrated for data center applications over a temperature range of 0∼70°C and a reach of up to 2km
Science Communication Meets Consumer Relations: An Analysis of Twitter Use by 23andMe:

For-profit organizations play a considerable role in the dissemination of scientific research and information. In the case of direct-to-consumer genetic testing, this is important because how consu...
StormSim-CHRPS: Coastal Hazards Rapid Prediction System

Torres, M.J.; Nadal-Caraballo, N.C.; Ramos-Santiago, E.; Campbell, M.O.; Gonzalez, V.M.; Melby, J.A., and Taflanidis, A.A., 2020. StormSim-CHRPS: Coastal Hazards Rapid Prediction System. In: Malvarez, G. and Navas, F. (eds.), Global Coastal Issues of 2020. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 95, pp. 1320-1325. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.Recent advances in high-performance computing and numerical modeling have resulted in the development of high-fidelity storm surge and wave simulation models that produce accurate and detailed representation of physical (hydrodynamic) processes that can support high-accuracy forecasting applications. Unfortunately, the computational demand of these high-fidelity models makes practical application for real-time emergency management and operations challenging. However, metamodeling of storm response has matured to the point of application and has the advantage of extremely fast simulation with only minor degradation of accuracy. The StormSim Coastal Hazards Rapid Prediction System (StormSim-CHRPS) performs rapid prediction of coastal storm hazards, including real-time hurricane-induced flooding and risk assessment. Its enhanced computational efficiency was developed using a machine learning method called Gaussian process metamodeling (GPM). As a result, StormSim-CHRPS predictions preserve the accuracy of the high-fidelity hydrodynamic numerical models archived and distributed through the Coastal Hazards System (CHS). A hurricane parametrization approach employed in coastal hazard studies, known as the joint probability method (JPM), provides the input to the GPM. Possible GPM outputs include a wide range of coastal hazards, including storm surge, wave height, period, and direction, currents, wind, and rainfall. The implementation of GPM allows StormSim-CHRPS to efficiently and accurately predict the response of a hurricane ensemble in a matter of a few seconds and tens of thousands of different hurricane scenarios in a few minutes, within a probabilistic rapid prediction framework, making it an ideal technology for real-time hazard prediction and long-term risk assessment applications.
Frequency shapes the quality of tactile percepts evoked through electrical stimulation of the nerves

Abstract The quality of tactile percepts evoked by skin vibrations depends on the frequency of stimulation: as frequency increases, the vibrotactile “pitch” increases. In the present study, we assessed the degree to which the quality of tactile percepts evoked via electrical stimulation of the somatosensory nerves is shaped by the frequency of the pulse train (PF). Participants with chronically-implanted peripheral nerve interfaces rated the quality of electrical pulse trains that varied in both PF and pulse width (PW) along a single continuum and also described the subjective quality of the sensory experience using perceptual descriptors. We found that increases in PF led to systematic increases in perceived frequency independent of PW, up to about 50 Hz, at which point perceived frequency leveled off or decreased. PF discrimination matched its vibrotactile counterpart, yielding a Weber fraction of ∼0.2 at low frequencies, but discrimination performance was abolished above 50 Hz. Finally, we found that PF systematically shaped quality as characterized by verbal descriptors at low but not high frequencies. Furthermore, even when probed in this complex, multi-dimensional space defined by descriptors, PF modulated tactile quality along a single perceptual continuum. In conclusion, we show that quality can be shaped by imposing temporal patterns on a fixed neural population, highlighting the importance of spike timing in the peripheral nerve. However, this temporal patterning can only be resolved up to about 50 Hz when stimulation is applied to populations of tactile nerve fibers.
Efficacy and acceptability of mindfulness-based interventions for military veterans: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Background Military veterans report high rates of psychiatric and physical health symptoms that may be amenable to mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). Inconsistent prior findings and questions of fit between MBIs and military culture highlight the need for a systematic evaluation of this literature. Objective To quantify the efficacy and acceptability of MBIs for military veterans. Data sources We searched five databases (MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO) from inception to October 16th, 2019. Study selection Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) testing MBIs in military veterans. Results Twenty studies (k = 16 unique comparisons, N = 898) were included. At post-treatment, MBIs were superior to non-specific controls (e.g., waitlist, attentional placebos) on measures of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, general psychological symptoms (i.e., aggregated across symptom domains), quality of life / functioning, and mindfulness (Hedges' gs = 0.32 to 0.80), but not physical health. At follow-up (mean length = 3.19 months), MBIs continued to outperform non-specific controls on general psychological symptoms, but not PTSD. MBIs were superior to specific active controls (i.e., other therapies) at post-treatment on measures of PTSD and general psychological symptoms (gs = 0.19 to 0.25). Participants randomized to MBIs showed higher rates of attrition than those randomized to control interventions (odds ratio = 1.98). Several models were not robust to tests of publication bias. Study quality and risk of bias assessment indicated several areas of concern. Conclusions MBIs may improve psychological symptoms and quality of life / functioning in veterans. Questionable acceptability and few high-quality studies support the need for rigorous RCTs, potentially adapted to veterans.
The X-ray emission of cerium oxide

Abstract Using a combination of spectral simulation with FEFF and experimental data for metallic Ce, it has been possible to extract the Cerium Oxide-only M4,5 X-ray Emission Spectrum (XES) from an experimental result, which had been produced utilizing a combined CeOxide/Ce sample. It is shown that the XES emission for CeOxide-only is significantly different for the M4 and M5 edges, with the M4 XES consistent with normal XES and the M5 XES exhibiting a continued enhancement associated with a threshold effect, connected to Resonant Inverse Photoelectron Spectroscopy (RIPES).
Reply to Pessoa, P.; Arderucio Costa, B. Comment on "Tsallis, C. Black Hole Entropy: A Closer Look. Entropy 2020, 22, 17".

In the present Reply we restrict our focus only onto the main erroneous claims by Pessoa and Costa in their recent Comment (Entropy 2020, 22, 1110).
Publish or Perish: British Medical Journal Theme Issue, New England Journal of Medicine Series

“Publish or perish!” The governing principle of academia. Trite though it may be, true it also is. At any research university—and that is where medical schools are and where those who do research in patient safety work—you do not get promoted if you don’t publish.
New Statistics, Old Schools: An Overview of Current Introductory Undergraduate and Graduate Statistics Pedagogy Practices:

BackgroundA philosophical shift in statistics regarding emphasis on “New Statistics” (NS; Cumming, G. (2014). The new statistics: Why and how. Psychological Science, 25(1), 7-29.) over conventional...
Substrate selection for heterotrophic bacterial growth in the sea

Abstract Growth of heterotrophic microbes requires the extraction of energy, electrons, carbon, and nutrients from a complex and dynamic reservoir of potential substrates. We employed a matrix of selected organic substrates with varying characteristics, and experimentally followed the kinetics of assimilation and respiration to explore the basic principles that govern selection and preferential use based on carbon, nitrogen, and energy content. We further competed these substrates in a combinatorial fashion to evaluate preferential substrate utilization in natural microbial assemblages. Several substrates displayed biphasic kinetic responses and variable respiration: assimilation ratios. Amino acids had the shortest turnover times and were taken up preferentially at ambient concentrations. We also identified a linear relationship between substrate uptake rates and affinity, suggesting that the microbial community optimizes the relative abundances of membrane transporters according to substrate demand. When competed against one another at saturating concentrations, substrate assimilation and respiration rates were enhanced or inhibited by up to two orders of magnitude, compared to competitor-free controls. Further, we describe an unexpected trend between the substrate energy density and turnover times, with more energetic, reduced carbon substrates turning over more slowly than more oxidized substrates.
Overview of non-swimming aquatic research

Research from 1967 through 1994 on non-swimming aquatic exercise has been reviewed to determine the physiologic parameters involved. The literature is replete with studies that deal with swimming but few have demonstrated the efficacy of non-swimming activity in an aquatic environment. The results of the review indicate that aquatic exercise performed in warm water-given the proper parameters of warm-up, intensity, duration, frequency, mode of training, and cool down-can influence maximal oxygen consumption, heart rate at rest and during exercise, upper body strength, and muscular endurance. It has also been noted that there is a paucity of clinical studies; therefore the need for application of this physiologic data appears paramount. As more clinical studies are performed, physicians can feel confident in referring their patients to aquatic physical therapists and other licensed professionals.