cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CP violation in B{s} mixing from heavy Higgs boson exchange.

The anomalous dimuon charge asymmetry reported by the D0 Collaboration may be due to the tree-level exchange of some spin-0 particles that mediate $CP$ violation in ${B}_{s}\mathrm{\text{\ensuremath{-}}}{\overline{B}}_{s}$ meson mixing. We show that, for a range of couplings and masses, the heavy neutral states in a two-Higgs doublet model can generate a large charge asymmetry. This range is natural in ``uplifted supersymmetry'' and may enhance the ${B}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\tau}\ensuremath{\nu}$ and ${B}_{s}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ decay rates. However, we point out that on general grounds the reported central value of the charge asymmetry requires new physics not only in ${B}_{s}\mathrm{\text{\ensuremath{-}}}{\overline{B}}_{s}$ mixing but also in $\ensuremath{\Delta}B=1$ transitions or in ${B}_{d}\mathrm{\text{\ensuremath{-}}}{\overline{B}}_{d}$ mixing.
Semantic multimedia authentication with model vector signature

We propose novel techniques for image/video authentication at the semantic level. These methods use statistical learning, visual object segmentation and classification schemes for semantic understanding of visual content. A public digital signature, robust to rotation, scaling, and translation, is generated. The authentication process is executed by comparing the classification result with the information carried by the digital signature. This method leads the authentication system to learn the semantic content of multimedia data and to perform the authentication task at the semantic level.
Warped supersymmetric unification with a nonunified superparticle spectrum

We present a new supersymmetric extension of the standard model. The model is constructed in warped space, with a unified bulk symmetry broken by boundary conditions on both the Planck and TeV branes. In the supersymmetric limit, the massless spectrum contains exotic colored particles along with the particle content of the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM). Nevertheless, the model still reproduces the MSSM prediction for gauge coupling unification and does not suffer from a proton decay problem. The exotic states acquire masses from supersymmetry breaking, making the model completely viable, but there is still the possibility that these states will be detected at the LHC. The lightest of these states is most likely ${A}_{5}^{\mathrm{XY}}$, the fifth component of the gauge field associated with the broken unified symmetry. Because supersymmetry is broken on the $SU(5)$-violating TeV brane, the gaugino masses generated at the TeV scale are completely independent of one another. We explore some of the unusual features that the superparticle spectrum might have as a consequence.
The Psychoanalysis of a Man with Heroin Dependence: Implications for Neurobiological Theories of Attachment and Drug Craving

Psychoanalytic treatment of a man with heroin dependence is described. The treatment had two phases. In the first, the patient’s experience that heroin use gave him pleasure was tempered by increasing awareness that using heroin was making him depressed, caused a panic attack, threatened his relationship with his girlfriend because she was becoming addicted, and undercut his ability to direct his company. He stopped using. The second phase of the treatment featured annihilation anxiety, which was experienced by the patient with the analyst. This transference was ameliorated by interpretation of early experiences of abandonment and then by an enactment where the patient insisted on controlling the degree of contact with the analyst. Having succeeded in regulating closeness to the analyst in this aggressive manner, the patient began to behave this way in other relationships. The use of opioids to regulate attachment, and the activation of endogenous opioid systems by human contact, is discussed as a likely ...
Beam Shape Distortion Caused by Transverse Wake Fields

As a particle bunch in a storage ring passes through a region with a transverse impedance it generates a transverse wake electromagnetic field that is proportional to the transverse displacement of the bunch in the region. The field acts back on the bunch which results in various effects or instabilities in the motion of the bunch. In this paper the authors study one of these effects in which a transverse impedance causes the beam to be distorted in its shape. This distortion, observed at a fixed location in the storage ring, does not change from turn to turn; rather, it remains static in time. To describe the distortion, the bunch is considered to be divided longitudinally into many slices, and the centers of charge of the slices are connected into a curve. In the absence of transverse impedance, this curve is a straight line, parallel to the direction of motion of the bunch. Perturbed by the transverse wake field, however, the curve becomes distorted; what the authors find in this paper is the shape of such a curve. The results obtained are applied to the PEP storage ring. The impedance is assumed to come solely from the RF cavities. Themore » authors find that the beam shape is sufficiently distorted and hence that loss of luminosity due to this effect becomes a possibility.« less
Social structures and speeding trucks

Abstract This study develops a Maple worksheet for experimenting with truck transportation, with incentives for speeding, and with the efficacy of various ways of controlling speeding. The model suggests that the total cost function, operating as a feedback mechanism, may influence a truck driver’s incentives for speeding and/or a firm’s incentives for encouraging or discouraging speeding.
Calculation of rate spectra from noisy time series data

As the resolution of experiments to measure folding kinetics continues to improve, it has become imperative to avoid bias that may come with fitting data to a predetermined mechanistic model. Toward this end, we present a rate spectrum approach to analyze timescales present in kinetic data. Computing rate spectra of noisy time series data via numerical discrete inverse Laplace transform is an ill-conditioned inverse problem, so a regularization procedure must be used to perform the calculation. Here, we show the results of different regularization procedures applied to noisy multiexponential and stretched exponential time series, as well as data from time-resolved folding kinetics experiments. In each case, the rate spectrum method recapitulates the relevant distribution of timescales present in the data, with different priors on the rate amplitudes naturally corresponding to common biases toward simple phenomenological models. These results suggest an attractive alternative to the "Occam's razor" philosophy of simply choosing models with the fewest number of relaxation rates.
Medical professionalism under managed care: the pros and cons of utilization review

PROLOGUE: For years physicians have decried the advance of managed care as jeopardizing their clinical autonomy and attacking the very nature of their profession. One medical journal editor recentl...
TRILLION-ATOM MOLECULAR DYNAMICS BECOMES A REALITY

By utilizing the molecular dynamics code SPaSM on Livermore's BlueGene/L architecture, consisting of 212 992 IBM PowerPC440 700 MHz processors, a molecular dynamics simulation was run with one trillion atoms. To demonstrate the practicality and future potential of such ultra large-scale simulations, the onset of the mechanical shear instability occurring in a system of Lennard-Jones particles arranged in a simple cubic lattice was simulated. The evolution of the instability was analyzed on-the-fly using the in-house developed massively parallel graphical object-rendering code MD_render.
A UML based notation for specifying abstract board games

Linguistic geometry (LG) is a theory describing how to find strategies intending to win in multi-player abstract board games with concurrent moves. So far, within LG, the game requirements (i.e., the description of the board, players, game pieces, the game rules, and the winning conditions) are described in a set-theoretical notation. Thus there is a need for a language suitable for formulating the game requirements by the end user. Since the aforementioned mathematical structures could be represented in terms of classes, objects, relations, and other object-oriented concepts in a natural way, we filled the above gap by providing a language for the game requirements on the basis of UML.
Reactions to Chronic Low Back Pain

Using a phenomenological approach, the meaning of chronic low back pain to 15 individuals was examined. Interviews were conducted and analyzed and six distinct areas were identified. The focus of this presentation is limited to altered interactions and varied psychological reactions, including a negative response toward others, a desire to maintain independence, and a belief that the pain being experienced is real. The individuals experienced social isolation, enhanced awareness of others experiencing pain, and varied psychological reactions. The presence of pain affects individuals physically, but the meaning to the individual and the impact on his or her life is more far-reaching.
Dynamic testing of a masonry structure on a passive isolation system

Lightly reinforced and unreinforced masonry buildings have not performed well in earthquakes. Evaluation of past performance of masonry structures has led to more stringent design and construction requirements in the current building codes, and has raised concerns about the performance of existing lightly reinforced and unreinforced masonry buildings in future earthquakes. Base isolation has been shown to be effective in reducing damage to large building structures, and appears to be particularly effective in protecting stiff masonry structures. Using the base isolation principle, Kansas State University’s stiffness decoupler for the base isolation of structures (SDBIS) was designed to effectively reduce the acceleration and force transferred into a building superstructure during a seismic event. The sliding system uses a passive method to provide damping and to dissipate some of the kinetic energy to reduce relative displacements. In addition, the SDBIS system includes a self-centering element that will recover the majority of the induced displacement and provide resistance to overturning. In order to apply the SDBIS system to the masonry building industry, dynamic testes were performed to evaluate the structural response of a full-size one-story masonry model that was supported by the SDBIS system. Acceleration time-history results are presented for dynamic tests using the July 21, 1952 Kern County earthquake, Station 1095 Taft Lincoln School record, the May 19, 1940 Imperial Valley earthquake, Station 117 El Centro Array #9 record, the February 9, 1971 San Fernando earthquake, Station 279 Pacoima Dam record, and the January 17, 1994 Northridge earthquake, Station 24436 Tarzana Cedar Hill record ground motions. Test results show the system is effective when used with a masonry structure.
Recent Technological Progress in CO2 Electroreduction to Fuels and Energy Carriers in Aqueous Environments

Here we review recent developments and technological advances in the field of electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide to fuels, energy carriers and precursors and other interesting building blocks for industrial applications. Synthetic hydrocarbon fuels derived from CO2/H2O are proposed as alternatives to hydrogen as an energy carrier that enables a carbon-neutral energy cycle, given their inherent advantages of high H/C ratio and convenience of storage and transportation. The electrochemical reduction of CO2 represents a feasible route for the direct generation of hydrocarbon fuels or their precursors (i.e., synthesis gas) using CO2/H2O. Such hydrocarbons fit well within the existing energy infrastructure because of their similarity to existing fossil fuels. Recently significant efforts are being devoted to the development of prototype systems, such as low- or high- temperature electrolyzers that operate as part of environmentally sustainable energy networks.
Optical Fiber Switch Based on Carbon Nanotube Actuation

Carbon nanotubes represent an attractive material option for many applications, including electromechanical actuators. Though single wall carbon nanotubes exhibit advantageous actuator properties, such as large force generation and low operating voltage, functional devices based on carbon nanotube actuation have not yet been reported. Here we describe the fabrication and performance evaluation of a 1×2 electromechanical optical fiber switch based on a carbon nanotube actuator. The side-to-side movement of the input fiber of the device between two output fibers is a result of the actuation of an assembly of carbon nanotubes that have been attached to the fiber. The intensities of optical signals exiting the two outputs are monitored, and switching times down to 30 ms are demonstrated. Initial results indicate that mechanical optical switches using carbon nanotube actuators may be preferable to switches using alternative technologies due to the inexpensive assembly, low operating power, potentially high switching speeds, and potentially low insertion loss of the carbon nanotube based devices.
Guiding Architectural SRAM Models

Caches, block memories, predictors, state tables, and other forms of on-chip memory are continuing to consume a greater portion of processor designs with each passing year. Making good architectural decisions early in the design process requires a reasonably accurate model for these important structures. Dealing with continuously changing SRAM design practices and VLSI technologies make this a very difficult problem. Most hand-built memory models capture only a single parameterized design and fail to account for changes in design practice for different size memories or problems with wire scaling. Instead, in this paper we present a high level model that can be used to make simple analytical estimates. Our model is built using the characterization of almost 60 real memory designs from the past 15 years. Our model and the presented methodology can be used to calibrate even more detailed memory models for better accuracy. Despite all of the things that could have gone wrong over the past 15 years, we show that the memory density and delay can be estimated with simple and intuitive functions and we present a technique to automatically extract important scaling trends that can be used to make accurate estimates across a variety of technology and architectural parameters.
Bioavailability of Lithium Carbonate: In Vivo Comparison of Two Products

The bioavailability of two lithium carbonate products was studied in ten healthy, normal volunteers. The results indicate that there is no significant difference in bioavailability of the two brands, but some individual differences may exist. Further study is therefore indicated in this area.
Removal of BCG Artifacts Using a Non-Kirchhoffian Overcomplete Representation

We present a nonlinear unmixing approach for extracting the ballistocardiogram (BCG) from EEG recorded in an MR scanner during simultaneous acquisition of functional MRI (fMRI). First, an overcomplete basis is identified in the EEG based on a custom multipath EEG electrode cap. Next, the overcomplete basis is used to infer non-Kirchhoffian latent variables that are not consistent with a conservative electric field. Neural activity is strictly Kirchhoffian while the BCG artifact is not, and the representation can hence be used to remove the artifacts from the data in a way that does not attenuate the neural signals needed for optimal single-trial classification performance. We compare our method to more standard methods for BCG removal, namely independent component analysis and optimal basis sets, by looking at single-trial classification performance for an auditory oddball experiment. We show that our overcomplete representation method for removing BCG artifacts results in better single-trial classification performance compared to the conventional approaches, indicating that the derived neural activity in this representation retains the complex information in the trial-to-trial variability.
Integrating multi-source remotely sensed datasets to examine the impact of tree height and pattern information on crimes in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Abstract There have been a great number of debates about the impacts of trees on crimes: some researchers believed that trees are a crime facilitator because of the concealment provision for potential criminals, while others argued that they are a crime deterrent because of the increased surveillance possibility and the therapeutic effect on psychological fatigue. To better answer this question, this study incorporated detailed tree features by using multi-source remotely sensed data at a very high resolution into environmental criminology analysis across the entire City of Milwaukee. Trees were extracted from aerial photographs, and broken down into two categories based on their heights to consider the effects of tree height on view obstruction. By controlling for confounding socioeconomic variables, the relationship between crimes and a series of composition and configuration indicators of trees with different height were investigated by using global and local spatial regressions. Results from classic and spatial statistical techniques finds complicated relationship between crimes and trees, which can be summarized in two aspects. First, the mixed effects of trees can be observed among different crime types. Second, the trends of spatial nonstationarity of the composition and configuration of trees with different heights were observed across the entire study area. The study outcomes could provide reasonable implications for making appropriate policies for crime prevention through environmental design to strengthen neighborhoods and communities in a city.
Service Retailing: Applications of a Developmental Concept

Recent studies in the retail literature have examined the "product" versus "service" marketing issue. This article addresses that issue in the framework of retailing practice and advances the argument that while products and services may or may not be different, they require essentially the same retail marketing techniques.
Programmable DNA scaffolds for spatially-ordered protein assembly.

Ever since the notion of using DNA as a material was realized, it has been employed in the construction of complex structures that facilitate the assembly of nanoparticles or macromolecules with nanometer-scale precision. Specifically, tiles fashioned from DNA strands and DNA origami sheets have been shown to be suitable as scaffolds for immobilizing proteins with excellent control over their spatial positioning. Supramolecular assembly of proteins into periodic arrays in one or more dimensions is one of the most challenging aspects in the design of scaffolds for biomolecular investigations and macromolecular crystallization. This review provides a brief overview of how various biomolecular interactions with high degree of specificity such as streptavidin–biotin, antigen–antibody, and aptamer–protein interactions have been used to fabricate linear and multidimensional assemblies of structurally intact and functional proteins. The use of DNA-binding proteins as adaptors, polyamide recognition on DNA scaffolds and oligonucleotide linkers for protein assembly are also discussed.
Childless… or Childfree?:

In the context of declining birth rates, sociologist Amy Blackstone examines the choice not to become a parent and considers social responses to that choice.
A College Counselor Performance Evaluation Method Based on VAHP-OWA

Counselors are the backbone of ideological and political education in colleges and universities.The college counselor routine performance evaluation to reflect their work performance is an important job to keep their stable development.The paper builds a counselor performance evaluation system under the development concepts which including quality indictors,duties indictors,achievements evaluating indicators,and presents a new method based on VAHP-OWA to evaluate this system.Our case study has shown that the VAHP-OWA method is easily understood and operable,which makes it a practical and effective approach for the college counselor routine performance evaluation.
Design and experiment of stable plasma arc thruster in water

To speed up the ship and lower its noise,a novel ship thruster,water jet plasma arc thruster,was developed based on the discharge principles in water.The coaxial ring-bar electrodes were adopted in the thruster.The ship model was propelled by the pressure from the expansion of plasma bubble which was produced when the working fluid between the electrodes was broken down.Since the screw propeller and other mechanical components are not used in the model,it has the advantage of low noise,and for the adoption of the linear motion the velocity of the ship is also increased.Based on the principle of traditional pulse discharge in water,the stable discharge in water was proposed and the thrusting system of the ship model was established.With the experimental system,the relationship between the velocity of the water jet plasma arc and the structure of the electrodes,water supply system were acquired.It is proved that the voltage between the electrodes and the quantity of the water supply play an important role in the thrusting effect.
Pelvic pain: A follow-up study☆

Abstract In assembling data for a previous paper15 on pelvic pain it was found that approximately one-sixth of the women who consulted physicians at the Mayo Clinic in 1936 had ailments concerned with pain in the region of the pelvis. For that study, the records of 500 of these women were analyzed and data were obtained on each patient's age and civil state, on the site and frequency of the pain, and on the physical findings and diagnosis. In this present paper the subject of pelvic pain is reviewed briefly. Then the results are given of a study concerning relief of pelvic pain following treatment. Included in the study were those of the 500 patients who were living four years or more after the time of the previous study and concerning whom information could be obtained.
Documented Outbreaks of Toxoplasmosis: Transmission of Toxoplasma gondii to Humans.

Toxoplasmosis, a disease of mammals and birds, is caused by the obligate intracellular parasite, Toxoplasma gondii . Infection by the parasite is common (35-50% of the U.S. population are infected), but the disease, toxoplasmosis, is relatively rare and outbreaks of the disease are seldom seen. Documented outbreaks of toxoplasmosis are discussed to illustrate conditions that lead to outbreaks and how T. gondii is transmitted to humans. Recommendations are made of means to prevent introduction of the parasite into the environment and food supply as well as control mechanisms to prevent infection in humans and animals.
P117 Swapping the swab for bmt confirmatory typing

Aim Our lab switched from ACD blood source to buccal swab source for confirmatory typing of HSCT (Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation). The buccal specimen source met our goals for a second sample source and determining true homozygosity versus allele drop out. We will discuss implementing the change and a case of HLA-DQB1 drop out. Methods Primary typing of HLA low resolution (Sequence Specific Oligonucleotide, One Lambda) and high resolution typing (SeCore, One Lambda) are completed on ACD blood. Implementation of the buccal swab in our lab included validation of a new extraction kit, standard operating procedural (SOP) changes, test code/resulting changes, and training. Results Validation and integration of the EZ1 DNA Tissue kit (Qiagen) were simple to complete. SOP changes and resulting added the process to include referencing the white blood count (WBC) within the week of the blood collection for the primary typing. Primary typing results homozygous at any loci accompanied with a WBC great than 10 × 10(9)/L, triggers a closer look with the buccal sample. An obstacle we encountered was the collection of the buccal leading to low amounts of DNA for testing. We provided feedback to our collection groups and have observed fewer re-collections the past year. A difference observed between blood and buccal swab was for a patient’s DQB1 locus. SSO/SeCore from blood sample demonstrated homozygous DQB1 ∗ 05. DRB1 resulted ∗ 01, ∗ 04; therefore, we more commonly expected a second DQB1 antigen other than ∗ 05. The WBC result from the blood collection date was 57.7 × 10(9)/L. We obtained DNA from buccal sample and re-tested. Assays now cleanly demonstrated heterozygous DQB1 ∗ 05, ∗ 03. Conclusion Switching sample sources created process changes for the laboratory and the collection group. Training and process flow in the lab was successful. Feedback to the collection group was needed to ensure swabbing was adequate for a good DNA yield for testing. We feel the testing algorithm provides assurance of accurate test results for HSCT patients.
A cautious approach to reliance on interpersonal communication frameworks: the importance of context in instructional communication research

Instructional communication (IC) scholars have made significant contributions to the study of educational outcomes by creating a deep understanding of the teacher–student relationship (Mottet & Bee...
Provable non-convex robust PCA

We propose a new method for robust PCA - the task of recovering a low-rank matrix from sparse corruptions that are of unknown value and support. Our method involves alternating between projecting appropriate residuals onto the set of low-rank matrices, and the set of sparse matrices; each projection is non-convex but easy to compute. In spite of this non-convexity, we establish exact recovery of the low-rank matrix, under the same conditions that are required by existing methods (which are based on convex optimization). For an m x n input matrix (m ≤ n), our method has a running time of O (r2mn) per iteration, and needs O (log(1/ ∊)) iterations to reach an accuracy of ∊. This is close to the running times of simple PCA via the power method, which requires O (rmn) per iteration, and O (log(1/ ∊)) iterations. In contrast, the existing methods for robust PCA, which are based on convex optimization, have O (m2n) complexity per iteration, and take O (1/∊) iterations, i.e., exponentially more iterations for the same accuracy. Experiments on both synthetic and real data establishes the improved speed and accuracy of our method over existing convex implementations.
Nanoparticles for siRNA-Based Gene Silencing in Tumor Therapy

Gene silencing through RNA interference (RNAi) has emerged as a potential strategy in manipulating cancer causing genes by complementary base-pairing mechanism. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is an important RNAi tool that has found significant application in cancer therapy. However due to lack of stability, poor cellular uptake and high probability of loss-of-function due to degradation, siRNA therapeutic strategies seek safe and efficient delivery vehicles for in vivo applications. The current review discusses various nanoparticle systems currently used for siRNA delivery for cancer therapy, with emphasis on liposome based gene delivery systems. The discussion also includes various methods availed to improve nanoparticle based-siRNA delivery with target specificity and superior efficiency. Further this review describes challenges and perspectives on the development of safe and efficient nanoparticle based-siRNA-delivery systems for cancer therapy.
High speed hyperspectral thermal imaging of the melt pool dynamics during metal additive manufacturing

We use high speed multiwavelength thermal imaging to quantify cooling rates and temperature gradients generated by the laser — powder interaction during a metal powder bed fusion process to understand rapidly solidified material properties.
Characterization of the Effect of Film Thickness on the Electrochemical Impedance of Nanoporous Gold

Graphs are generated characterizing the effect of fi lm thickness on the electro­ chemical impedance of nanoporous gold. Twelve-karat white gold (50% Ag, 50% Au) leaves were dealloyed to make a total of 12 nanoporous gold samples from 100­ 300 nm thick. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to determine the pore diameter distributions and an electrochemical cell was used to collect impedance data for each sample. Analysis of the SEM micrographs shows the pore morphology ranges from shallow spherical pores to deep interconnected pores, and the diameter distributions were between 10 nm and 20 nm for all of the samples. A linearized graph of impedance |Z| versus frequency shows that the breakpoint frequency decreases with increasing fi lm thickness. Below the breakpoint frequency, the data support an idealized model that assumes through-thickness pores with uniform diameters. Above the breakpoint frequency, however, the ideal model predicts a drastic imped­ance decrease, whereas the data show only a slight impedance decrease.
Maturation of Plastid c-type Cytochromes.

Cytochromes c are hemoproteins, with the prosthetic group covalently linked to the apoprotein, which function as electron carriers. A class of cytochromes c is defined by a CXXCH heme-binding motif where the cysteines form thioether bonds with the vinyl groups of heme. Plastids are known to contain up to three cytochromes c. The membrane-bound cytochrome f and soluble cytochrome c6 operate in photosynthesis while the activity of soluble cytochrome c6A remains unknown. Conversion of apo- to holocytochrome c occurs in the thylakoid lumen and requires the independent transport of apocytochrome and heme across the thylakoid membrane followed by the stereospecific attachment of ferroheme via thioether linkages. Attachment of heme to apoforms of plastid cytochromes c is dependent upon the products of the CCS (for cytochrome c synthesis) genes, first uncovered via genetic analysis of photosynthetic deficient mutants in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The CCS pathway also occurs in cyanobacteria and several bacteria. CcsA and CCS1, the signature components of the CCS pathway are polytopic membrane proteins proposed to operate in the delivery of heme from the stroma to the lumen, and also in the catalysis of the heme ligation reaction. CCDA, CCS4, and CCS5 are components of trans-thylakoid pathways that deliver reducing equivalents in order to maintain the heme-binding cysteines in a reduced form prior to thioether bond formation. While only four CCS components are needed in bacteria, at least eight components are required for plastid cytochrome c assembly, suggesting the biochemistry of thioether formation is more nuanced in the plastid system.
Practical aspects of calibrating fetal pulse oximetry

Pulse oximeters are a non-invasive means of estimating a patient’s arterial oxygen saturation, SaO2, by shining computer-controlled light from inexpensive LED’s through the tissue of an earlobe, finger or toe, or by reflecting Hght off the forehead, face, scalp or other well vascularized flat surface. A computer chip serves to coordinate the timing of Hght signals and records the changes in two or more wavelengths of hght. As each monochromatic LED is activated the transmitted light is detected as the amperage generated by a single inexpensive photoreceiving diode. The LEDs should selectively provide monochromatic hght in the region of 660 nm in the red where deoxyhemoglobin has increased absorption and 940 nm in the near infrared where oxyhemoglobin has slightly greater absorption as seen at the top of Fig. 1. The Hght transmitted varies as each pulse of blood flows through the tissue (17).
Modeling, fabrication, and characterization of SiC concentrically matched differential capacitance output pressure sensors

Abstract This paper describes modeling, optimization, fabrication, and characterization of silicon carbide (SiC) absolute pressure sensors that have concentrically matched differential capacitance output. The differential capacitance scheme is achieved by utilizing a concentric ring and a circular diaphragm to cancel out common-mode noise. The sensors have been fabricated by a surface micromachining process where SiC is chosen as the structural layer to sustain various high temperature environment conditions. Characterization is conducted in a custom-built temperature-controlled pressure chamber up to 180 ℃ that is similar to a low-temperature geothermal well. Results show that under an applied pressure range of 0.5–1.4 MPa, structures with a 160 μm-diameter diaphragm have sensitivities of 1.03 fF/kPa and 0.92 fF/kPa under the temperatures of 20 ℃ and 180 ℃, respectively. On the other hand, the mechanically much stiffer ring structure with the same device area as the circular diaphragm maintains a constant capacitance of 0.14 pF under the same pressure ranges of the two different temperatures. In addition, an array of circular capacitive pressure sensors are also fabricated to obtain higher capacitance outputs. The sensor array is also characterized up to 1.4 MPa and the sensitivities of 13.7 fF/kPa and 13.4 fF/kPa is observed at temperatures of 20 ℃ and 180 ℃, respectively.
Comparison of screwdriver tips to the resultant toolmarks

The subjective nature of correlating tools and toolmarks has been called into question since the 1993 Florida Supreme Court ruling in Daubert v Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. This has led to law enforcement agencies and officials placing an emphasis on developing objective techniques with known error rates to replace the traditional subjective comparisons. Additionally, if such objective techniques could be automated the heavy workloads currently faced by forensic examiners could be reduced. Development of a semi-automatic process that utilizes a three dimensional profilometer shows potential as a technique that may yield statistically verifiable results, removing the subjective nature currently inherent to toolmark evaluation, and be automated. This work involves characterizing a number of consecutively manufactured tools with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and comparing that tool to the resultant mark. By using software to analyze both the roughness of a tool and a toolmark— evaluated by SEM and profilometry—the two surfaces can be statistically compared and a correlation determined in a region of best fit. The project has sought to answer two distinct questions: Can a toolmark be related to a particular tool (and only that tool) on a statistical basis? Can a series of toolmarks be obtained and compared in an automated manner to yield a statistically valid match? Providing answers to these questions based upon quantitative techniques rather than subjective analysis removes the uncertainties raised by the Daubert decision. The methods employed have the potential for automation, thereby offering a means for decreasing examiner workload. Thus, successful completion of this project could lead to development of an automated system that produces statistically valid and verifiable results.
Conjugation and Broad Host Range Plasmids in Streptococci and Staphylococci

Interest in conjugal genetic exchange in gram-positive bacteria has centered on two major themes. First, such gene transfer systems offer comparative models for the study of the mechanisms and consequences of genetic exchange in this group of organisms. Second, the role of conjugative gene exchange in the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance has prompted investigation in order to understand such systems and, eventually, to prevent or control the spread of resistance phenotypes.
Penalty Methods for Constrained Problems in Nonlinear Elasticity

This paper presents a general theory of exterior penalty methods for constrained optimization problems with applications to the analysis and approximation of certain problems in linear and nonlinear elasticity. Particular attention is given to the role of a “generalized LBB-condition” which governs the behavior of penalty approximations of Lagrange multipliers.
Multimodality management of resectable gastric cancer: A review

Adenocarcinoma of the stomach carries a poor prognosis and is the second most common cause of cancer death worldwide. It is recommended that surgical resection with a D1 or a modified D2 gastrectomy (with at least 15 lymph nodes removed for examination) be performed in the United States, though D2 lymphadenectomies should be performed at experienced centers. A D2 lymphadenectomy is the recommended procedure in Asia. Although surgical resection is considered the definitive treatment, rates of recurrences are high, necessitating the need for neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy. This review article aims to outline and summarize some of the pivotal trials that have defined optimal treatment options for non-metastatic non-cardia gastric cancer. Some of the most notable trials include the INT-0116 trial, which established a benefit in concurrent chemoradiation and adjuvant chemotherapy. This was again confirmed in the ARTIST trial, especially in patients with nodal involvement. Later, the Medical Research Council Adjuvant Gastric Infusional Chemotherapy trial provided evidence for the use of perioperative chemotherapy. Targeted agents such as ramucirumab and trastuzumab are also being investigated for use in locally advanced gastric cancers after demonstrating a benefit in the metastatic setting. Given the poor response rate of this difficult disease to various treatment modalities, numerous studies are currently ongoing in an attempt to define a more effective therapy, some of which are briefly introduced in this review as well.
Explanation and Intervention in Coupled Human and Natural Systems

“Coupled human and natural systems” (CHANS) has emerged within the last two decades as a designation for interdisciplinary research focused on complex interactions between human activities and ecosystems. I examine CHANS from a manipulation approach to explanation advocated by Jim Woodward, according to which causal generalizations are distinguished by being invariant under interventions. Several philosophers object that causal generalizations about complex social and biological systems, such as CHANS, often fail to be invariant. This chapter develops the concept of a robust intervention to answer this objection, where an intervention is robust to the extent that its ability to promote the intended result is insensitive to errors in the causal model. However, this necessitates rethinking the concept of intervention used by Woodward. Whereas Woodward’s concept requires that interventions be exogenous, robust interventions are often non-exogenous insofar as involving a sequence of actions wherein later choices are conditional on the results of prior ones. I explain how robust interventions are related to adaptive policies, often discussed in relation to CHANS.
An organized approach to imaging of benign cecal pathologies.

Unique problems in cecal embryogenesis and cecal pathology can result in characteristic imaging findings. Familiarity with these findings and utilization of an organized approach help to define the...
Trauma and Intensive Care

Children admitted to pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) experience a unique set of challenges which place them at risk for trauma reactions such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. Mental health clinicians who work in the PICU have the opportunity to support pediatric patients’ physical and emotional health. In addition, clinicians often can provide emotional support to family members and facilitate communication within the family and between the family and medical team. This chapter recommends potential differential diagnoses to consider when providing psychological care for children during their PICU hospitalization and post-discharge. In addition, the chapter reviews common medical conditions that require intensive care as well as medications that are often used in the PICU. The evidence base for psychological interventions implemented in the PICU is limited but promising: this chapter provides an overview of evidence to date and offers recommendation of interventions that can be adapted for use in the PICU. Guidance on inpatient consultations in the PICU, how best to engage with families who have a child in the PICU, and consultations post-discharge is provided.
Illuminating macrophage contributions to host-pathogen interactions in vivo: the power of zebrafish

ABSTRACT Macrophages are a key cell type in innate immunity. Years of in vitro cell culture studies have unraveled myriad macrophage pathways that combat pathogens and demonstrated how pathogen effectors subvert these mechanisms. However, in vitro cell culture studies may not accurately reflect how macrophages fit into the context of an innate immune response in whole animals with multiple cell types and tissues. Larval zebrafish have emerged as an intermediate model of innate immunity and host-pathogen interactions to bridge the gap between cell culture studies and mammalian models. These organisms possess an innate immune system largely conserved with that of humans and allow state-of-the-art genetic and imaging techniques, all in the context of an intact organism. Using larval zebrafish, researchers are elucidating the function of macrophages in response to many different infections, including both bacterial and fungal pathogens. The goal of this review is to highlight studies in zebrafish that utilized live-imaging techniques to analyze macrophage activities in response to pathogens. Recent studies have explored the roles of specific pathways and mechanisms in macrophage killing ability, explored how pathogens subvert these responses, identified subsets of macrophages with differential microbicidal activities, and implicated macrophages as an intracellular niche for pathogen survival and trafficking. Research using this model continues to advance our understanding of how macrophages, and specific pathways inside these cells, fit into complex multicellular innate immune responses in vivo, providing important information on how pathogens evade these pathways and how we can exploit them for development of treatments against microbial infections.
Influence of Changes in Sedentary Time on Outcomes of Supervised Exercise Therapy in Individuals with Comorbid Peripheral Artery Disease and Type 2 Diabetes.

Background Although supervised exercise therapy (SET) is effective in improving walking distance among adults with symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD), some research suggests that individuals with comorbid PAD and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) may experience a blunted response to SET. It is unknown whether free-living sedentary time changes during SET, and if increases in sedentary time could, in part, explain poor response to SET. The purposes of this pilot study were to (1) determine if older adults with PAD (with and without T2DM) engaging in SET change their sedentary behavior and (2) examine the relationship between changes in sedentary behavior and SET outcomes. We hypothesized that decreased sedentary time during SET would be associated with greater improvements in six-minute walk test (6MWT) total distance and other key SET outcomes. Methods Participants (n = 44) initiating a 12-week SET program completed the 6MWT, Short Physical Performance Battery, Walking Impairment Questionnaire, and accelerometer-assessed sedentary behavior at SET initiation, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. Results Participants’ mean age was 72.3 (7.1) years, mean ankle-brachial index was 0.71 (0.25), and 47.7% were female. On average, sedentary time did not change after SET, although there was substantial variability (−40% to +38% change in minutes of sedentary time/day). Participants with T2DM experienced greater improvements in claudication onset distance than participants without T2DM (mean = 35 m, P = 0.044, 95% confidence interval = 1.6 to 115.4 m). Neither changes in sedentary time from baseline to 6 weeks (P = 0.419) nor T2DM (P = 0.154) predicted changes in 6MWT total distance from baseline to 12 weeks. Conclusions As SET availability increases, further examination of factors that may influence SET outcomes will help maximize benefits of this proven therapy.
RELIABILITY OF A NOVEL KOCHER CLASSIFICATION FOR OSTEOCHONDRITIS DISSECANS

Background:Current radiographic classification systems for osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the knee utilize different characteristics of lesions to rate the stability and severity of disease. Cl...
Ground state wave functions for single-band Hubbard models from the Gutzwiller conjugate gradient minimisation theory

The Gutzwiller conjugate gradient minimisation (GCGM) theory is an ab initio quantum many-body theory for computing the ground-state properties of infinite systems. Previous applications of GCGM pr...
Harsh and Sweet Sensations Predict Acute Liking of Electronic Cigarettes, but Flavor Does Not Affect Acute Nicotine Intake: A Pilot Laboratory Study in Men.

Introduction Electronic cigarette use is increasing in popularity, and thousands of flavors are available. Adolescent vaping rates in the United States have nearly doubled in the past year. Unlike combustible tobacco, added flavors are not currently regulated for some types of electronic cigarette products. Here, we investigated the role of flavor in electronic cigarette liking and acute intake. Methods Men (n = 39) aged 18-45 vaped in a controlled laboratory setting after being randomized to one of four e-liquids: 6 mg nicotine/mL cherry, 18 mg/mL cherry, 6 mg/mL chocolate, or 18 mg/mL chocolate. They completed several questionnaires, and vaped ad libitum for 10 minutes. After the first puff, participants rated sensations (sweetness, bitterness, coolness, harshness/irritation) on general labeled magnitude scales (gLMS) and rated overall liking on a generalized hedonic scale. Once the 10-minute session ended, participants made another set of ratings. Results Liking was generally stable across the vaping session and liking varied substantially across the four conditions. Across all conditions, sensory ratings predicted liking: harshness/irritation was negatively associated with first puff liking, whereas perceived sweetness was positively associated with first puff liking. First puff liking associated with increased amount of e-liquid vaped, but not total nicotine intake. Participants appeared to titrate their nicotine intake regardless of assigned condition. Conclusion Flavored e-liquids affect acute liking ratings, but not acute nicotine intake. Implications These data suggest individuals who regularly vape may titrate their nicotine intake, regardless of flavor, and contrary to expectations, acute liking did not predict total nicotine intake. However, more-liked flavors may potentially make higher nicotine levels more tolerable by adding pleasant sensations directly, rather than by perceptual masking that reduces aversive sensations.
Mouse APOBEC3 Restriction of Retroviruses

Apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme, catalytic peptide 3 (APOBEC3) proteins are critical host proteins that counteract and prevent the replication of retroviruses. Unlike the genome of humans and other species, the mouse genome encodes a single Apobec3 gene, which has undergone positive selection, as reflected by the allelic variants found in different inbred mouse strains. This positive selection was likely due to infection by various mouse retroviruses, which have persisted in their hosts for millions of years. While mouse retroviruses are inhibited by APOBEC3, they nonetheless still remain infectious, likely due to the actions of different viral proteins that counteract this host factor. The study of viruses in their natural hosts provides important insight into their co-evolution.
Management of Acute Pain from Musculoskeletal Injuries: Guidance for Family Physicians.

Primary care plays a large role in the management of acute pain; therefore, the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Family Physicians developed a clinical practice guideline for the nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic management of acute pain from non–low back, musculoskeletal injuries in adults, which is summarized in this issue of American Family Physician.