cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PREDICTING PHONON PROPERTIES FROM EQUILIBRIUM MOLECULAR DYNAMICS SIMULATIONS

The objective of this chapter is to describe how equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations (with the help of harmonic lattice dynamics calculations) can be used to predict phonon properties and thermal conductivity using normal mode decomposition. The molecular dynamics and lattice dynamics methods are reviewed and the normal mode decomposition technique is described in detail. The application of normal mode decomposition is demonstrated through case studies on crystalline, alloy, and amorphous Lennard-Jones phases. Notable works that used normal mode decomposition are presented and the future of molecular dynamics simulations in phonon transport modeling is discussed.
Radiation-Induced Chemical Changes to Iron Oxides.

The radiolysis of a variety of iron oxide powders with different amounts of associated water has been performed using γ rays and 5 MeV 4He ions. Adsorbed water was characterized by both temperature-programmed desorption and diffuse reflection infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy to reveal a variety of active sites on the surface. Molecular hydrogen production was found only from water adsorbed on Fe2O3, and the yield was several orders of magnitude greater than that of bulk water. Aqueous slurries of FeO, Fe3O4, and Fe2O3 examined as a function of water fraction gave different yields of H2 depending on the oxide type and the amount of water. Examination of the iron oxide powders following irradiation by X-ray diffraction showed no change in crystal structure. Raman spectroscopy of the oxides revealed the formation of islands of Fe2O3 on the surfaces of FeO and Fe3O4. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of the oxides revealed the general formation of oxygen species following radiolysis.
Study on Chemical Stability of NEPE Solid Propellant (II)——Autoignition Test

The behaviors of thermal autoignition of NEPE propellant under different storage conditions were studied. The relationship between storage condition and autoignition time of sample was obtained as follows: the shortest autoignition time decreases with the temperature rise under the same sample size and the storage conditions. The open and airproof storage conditions have strong influence on the autoignition of the propellant. The shortest autoignition time varies with the sample size in open storage condition. Comparing the changes of nitric acid ester content with the time in open and airproof conditions, it is considered that the difference of the shortest thermal autoignition times of NEPE propellants between open and airproof condition has a close relation to volatilization of nitric acid ester.
Gene expression changes in oral tissues following black raspberry exposure: Interim Affymetrix array analysis of a Phase 1 clinical trial.

A129 INTRODUCTION: Chemoprevention is "the prevention, inhibition, or reversal of carcinogenesis by administration of one or more chemical entities, either as individual drugs or as naturally occurring constituents of the diet." (GD Stoner, MA Morse, GJ Kelloff. EHP 105 Suppl 4:945,1997). The aim of this Phase 1 Clinical Trial was to evaluate molecular changes in oral cavity tissues after oral exposure to lyophilized black raspberries (LBR). Biopsy-confirmed oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients were administered three LBR troches four times each day (4.3g cumulative dose) between pre-surgical enrollment and their normally scheduled surgery. Tissue biopsies were obtained from tumor (T1) and distant normal tissues (N1) at enrollment and during surgical resection (T2,N2), an exposure range of 7-34 days. An interim cohort of 10 patients was characterized by Affymetrix HG-U133 Plus 2.0 Arrays ("Affymetrix Arrays";1,300,000 unique oligonucleotide features, >47,000 transcripts, ~39,000 genes). METHODS: Four Affymetrix Arrays (N1,T1,N2,T2) were analyzed for each patient. Baseline pre-surgical tumor (T1) and distant normal (N1) tissues were collected at enrollment. After LBR troche administration, post-surgical tumor (T2) and distant normal (N2) tissues were obtained. Affymetrix Arrays were processed by The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center Microarray Shared Resource (OSUCCC MASR). Affymetrix CEL files were processed by DNA-Chip Analyzer (dChip) Software and analyses performed using custom statistical routines. Patient covariates included treatment duration, lesion site, tumor staging, and age. RESULTS: As expected, significant differences were readily detected between normal and tumor tissues, both before (T1/N1) and after (T2/N2) LBR exposure. Significant differences were also detected between normal tissues (N2/N1) and tumors (T2/T1) before and after LBR exposure. Importantly, significant differences were revealed when duration of LBR exposure was examined as a covariate among the 10 patient cohort. The data from this interim Phase 1 analysis provide substantial insight into possible biomarkers of oral cancer, and specifically of LBR-responsive genes in the normal and tumor tissues of OSCC patients. Furthermore, additional validation of these possible biomarkers may reveal detailed mechanistic, functional, prognostic, or diagnostic roles for these statistically significant modulated transcripts. SUPPORT: NIH/NCI R21DE016361, ACS RSGT-06-126-01-CNE
Hemodynamic and pathologic evaluation of a unileaflet pericardial bioprosthetic valve

This study investigated the in vivo hemodynamics and pathologic changes of a unileaflet pericardial bioprosthetic valve 3 to 5 months after implantation in juvenile sheep. Group 1 had 10 sheep with tricuspid valve replacement. Group 2 had nine sheep with mitral valve replacement. Group 3 served as a control with 10 sheep that had tricuspid valve replacement with a trileaflet porcine bioprosthesis. Hemodynamic performance was satisfactory in all three groups despite prominent pathologic changes, particularly in unileaflet valves. Intrinsic cuspal calcification was present in 66% of the unileaflet tricuspid, 88% unileaflet mitral, and 25% porcine tricuspid valves. Neither cuspal tearing nor perforations were found. However, cuspal stretching and redundancy of the mobile cusp was present in six tricuspid, seven mitral unileaflet valves, and no porcine valves. Gross pericardial redundancy correlated with the microscopic appearance of distorted and separated collagen bundles. These findings suggest that multiple modes of primary tissue failure may limit the durability of this unileaflet pericardial valve.
Oil and Strategic Planning Since 1973

There is a long-standing Anglo-American, and to a lesser extent, a continental European tradition of defending, at the very least, critical portions of the international trade structure (including lines of communication) for resources. In a sense, the reliance on overseas trade has been treated as a historically accepted vulnerability. The period 1973 to the present has seen a series of crises posing actual or potential threats to Western access to oil supplies. The ‘oil shocks’ of 1973–74 and 1979–80, coupled with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the recent war in the Persian Gulf, have given rise to a very substantial amount of comment concerning oil and security, often giving the impression that oil vulnerability is something new on the strategic scene. Clearly, this is far from being the case. Nevertheless, while resource vulnerabilities have been an enduring concern of political and military leaders, the events in the Middle East and Southwest Asia over the past two decades have caused such perceptions of vulnerability to reassert themselves strongly in Western, and particularly American, strategy.
Myeloperoxidase Inhibition Increases Neurogenesis after Ischemic Stroke

The relationship between inflammation and neurogenesis in stroke is currently not well understood. Focal ischemia enhances cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the neurogenic regions, including the subventricular zone (SVZ), dentate gyrus, as well as the non-neurogenic striatum, and cortex in the ischemic hemisphere. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a potent oxidizing enzyme secreted during inflammation by activated leukocytes, and its enzymatic activity is highly elevated after stroke. In this study, we investigated whether the inhibition of MPO activity by a specific irreversible inhibitor, 4-aminobenzoic acid hydrazide (ABAH) (MPO-/- mice) can increase neurogenesis after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in mice. ABAH administration increased the number of proliferating bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-positive cells expressing markers for neural stems cells, astrocytes, neuroprogenitor cells (Nestin), and neuroblasts (doublecortin) in the ischemic SVZ, anterior SVZ, striatum, and cortex. MPO inhibition also increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, phosphorylation of cAMP response element-binding protein (Ser133), acetylated H3, and NeuN to promote neurogenesis in the ischemic SVZ. ABAH treatment also increased chemokine CXC receptor 4 expression in the ischemic SVZ. MPO-deficient mice treated with vehicle or ABAH both showed similar effects on the number of BrdU+ cells in the ischemic hemisphere, demonstrating that ABAH is specific to MPO. Taken together, our results underscore a detrimental role of MPO activity to postischemia neurogenesis and that a strategy to inhibit MPO activity can increase cell proliferation and improve neurogenesis after ischemic stroke.
Advances in OLED/OPD-based sensors and spectrometer-on-a-chip(Conference Presentation)

We describe ongoing advances toward achieving all-organic optical sensors and a spectrometer on a chip. Two-dimensional combinatorial arrays of microcavity OLEDs (μcOLEDs) with systematically varying optical cavity lengths are fabricated on a single chip by changing the thickness of different organic and/or spacer layers sandwiched between two metal electrodes (one very thin) that form the cavity. The broad spectral range is achieved by utilizing materials that result in white OLEDs (WOLEDs) when fabricated on a standard ITO substrate. The tunable and narrower emissions from the μcOLEDs serve as excitation sources in luminescent sensors and in monitoring light absorption. For each wavelength, the light from the μcOLED is partially absorbed by a sample under study and the light emitted by an electronically excited sample, or the transmitted light is detected by a photodetector (PD). To obtain a compact monitor, an organic PD (OPD) or a perovskite-based PD is integrated with the μcOLED array. We show the potential of encompassing a broader wavelength range by using WOLED materials to fabricate the μcOLEDs. The utility of the all-organic analytical devices is demonstrated by monitoring oxygen, and bioanalytes based on oxygen detection, as well as the absorption spectra of dyes.
Capture of Elemental and Organic Iodine from Dilute Gas Streams by Silver-exchanged Mordenite☆

Abstract The treatment of off-gas streams arising from reprocessing of used nuclear fuel (UNF) is an area of active study by the U.S. Department of Energy. Such off-gas streams contain volatile fission products, including long-lived 129I. Although 129I is released into the off-gas at multiple points within the chemical reprocessing flowsheet, previous research has focused on removal from the dissolver off-gas stream (DOG). The DOG is expected to contain up to 98% of iodine in UNF at ppm levels within the stream. Other off-gas streams will also contain iodine but at substantially lower concentrations. Recent work has shown that compliance with U.S. regulations will likely require capture of iodine from these dilute streams in addition to capture from DOG. In particular, the vessel off-gas (VOG) stream is expected to contain 1-3% of the total iodine inventory at ppb concentrations. A review of literature also indicates that the speciation of iodine in the VOG stream will differ from that of the DOG, with the DOG containing primarily I2 and the VOG containing a mixture of I2 and organic iodine species. Silver-exchanged mordenite (AgZ) has been identified for use in the removal of iodine from off-gas streams. It is an effective capture material for I2 at the concentrations expected in the DOG, but little is known about its performance in gas streams that may contain both I2 and organic iodides at very dilute concentrations. The experiments to be described were designed to separately characterize the adsorption of I2 and methyl iodide on AgZ through extended duration testing. Simulated vessel off-gases containing low levels of either I2 or methyl iodide were contacted with AgZ sorbent beds for up to four months. Through the use of sorbent beds in series and varied sampling times, key parameters such as adsorption rate, decontamination factor, and performance over time could be determined for the capture of each species by AgZ. This paper will discuss the literature relating to the speciation of iodine in the VOG and will discuss the results of adsorption experiments. An examination of the difference between capture of I2 and organic iodides will be conducted, and the impacts of those results on future iodine removal work will be considered.
Remote malignant intravascular thrombi: EUS-guided FNA diagnosis and impact on cancer staging

Background and Aims Malignant vascular invasion usually results from gross direct infiltration from a primary tumor and impacts cancer staging, prognosis, and therapy. However, patients may also develop a remote malignant thrombi (RMT), defined as a malignant intravascular thrombus located remote and noncontiguous to the primary tumor. Our aim was to compare EUS, CT, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of RMT and to explore the potential impact on cancer staging. Methods Patients with RMT were identified from a prospectively maintained EUS database. Retrospective chart review was performed to obtain EUS, CT/MRI, clinical, and outcome data. Results A median of 3 FNAs (range, 1-8) was obtained from RMT in 17 patients (60 ± 14.1 years, 56% men) between April 2003 and August 2016, with the finding of malignant cytology in 12 patients (70.6%; 10 positive, 2 suspicious). CT/MRI detected the RMT in 5 patients (29.4%), 4 of whom had positive or suspicious EUS-FNA cytology. Among the 8 newly diagnosed pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PaC) patients, CT did not detect the RMT in 5 (63%), of whom 3 patients had positive or suspicious intravascular EUS-FNA cytology. For newly diagnosed PaC patients (n = 8), the EUS-FNA diagnosis of a biopsy specimen–proven RMT upstaged 3 patients (37.5%) and converted 2 patients (25%) from CT resectable to unresectable disease. No adverse events were reported. The mean follow-up was 18.9 ± 27.7 months. Conclusions Our study demonstrates the ability and potential safety of intravascular FNA to detect radiographically occult RMT, which substantially impacts cancer staging and resectability.
Comment on Kahan and Corbin: Can polarization increase with actively open-minded thinking?:

Kahan and Corbin suggest that the cognitive capabilities that constitute actively open-minded thinking (AOT) are used in the defense of favored positions, thus leading to polarization concerning gl...
Stress fractures of the foot and ankle, part 2: site-specific etiology, imaging, and treatment, and differential diagnosis

Stress fractures of the foot and ankle are a commonly encountered problem among athletes and individuals participating in a wide range of activities. This illustrated review, the second of two parts, discusses site-specific etiological factors, imaging appearances, treatment options, and differential considerations of stress fractures of the foot and ankle. The imaging and clinical management of stress fractures of the foot and ankle are highly dependent on the specific location of the fracture, mechanical forces acting upon the injured site, vascular supply of the injured bone, and the proportion of trabecular to cortical bone at the site of injury. The most common stress fractures of the foot and ankle are low risk and include the posteromedial tibia, the calcaneus, and the second and third metatarsals. The distal fibula is a less common location, and stress fractures of the cuboid and cuneiforms are very rare, but are also considered low risk. In contrast, high-risk stress fractures are more prone to delayed union or nonunion and include the anterior tibial cortex, medial malleolus, navicular, base of the second metatarsal, proximal fifth metatarsal, hallux sesamoids, and the talus. Of these high-risk types, stress fractures of the anterior tibial cortex, the navicular, and the proximal tibial cortex may be predisposed to poor healing because of the watershed blood supply in these locations. The radiographic differential diagnosis of stress fracture includes osteoid osteoma, malignancy, and chronic osteomyelitis.
Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia in rheumatic disease: a 20-year single-centre experience

OBJECTIVES Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PJP) is an opportunistic infection with high mortality among patients with underlying rheumatologic conditions. Given the paucity of prospective data to guide treatment, clinical guidelines to initiate PJP prophylaxis are based on expert opinion and identify patients on ≥20 mg daily prednisone for ≥4 weeks duration for treatment. Herein we describe the PJP experience in rheumatic disease over a 20-year period at a single academic medical centre to investigate this 20 mg threshold and risk associated with lymphocyte counts, co-existing lung disease and immunosuppressive medications. METHODS We conducted a retrospective review of all admitted patients who received a PJP or PCP ICD-9 code (136.3) from January 1996 through October 2015. RESULTS Twenty-one cases of confirmed PJP (by immunofluorescence or polymerase chain reaction) were reviewed, averaging to one case/year. The most common underlying rheumatologic conditions were inflammatory myopathy, lupus, and granulomatosis with polyangiitis. None of these 21 patients was receiving PJP prophylaxis upon admission. Eighteen (86%) were receiving ≥20 mg prednisone daily at the time of PJP diagnosis. Of the 3 treated with <20 mg prednisone, all received concomitant immunosuppressive medications, 2 with cyclophosphamide. Overall, there was a 43% (9/21) mortality rate. Immunosuppressant medication use, interstitial lung disease, or lymphocyte count did not impact mortality risk. CONCLUSIONS PJP portends high mortality yet is a largely preventable complication of rheumatic disease treatment. Consideration to initiate prophylaxis should be made for patients exceeding the daily 20 mg prednisone threshold, and those receiving cyclophosphamide.
Planarity considerations in SADP for advanced BEOL patterning

In this paper, the impact of gap-fill planarity on Multi-Self-Aligned Block, SADP (self-aligned double patterning) process for advanced optical technology nodes (7 nm/5 nm) interconnects was studied through process emulations. This study specifically focuses on the insertion of an etch stop layer (ESL) between two coatings of organic planarization layer (OPL), referred to as the tri-layer PM (pattern mask), which enables a thinner OPL for pattern transfer while adding topography correction for non-mandrel block patterning processes. This scheme reduces pillar aspect ratio for improved CD control and flop-over mitigation, as well as topography correction to mitigation false metal patterns in field regions. However, ESL could cause CD variation if it was deposited on the sidewall of spacer where it is a function of the conformality of ESL deposition.
A Conversation with Judge Posner

In 2008, Judge Posner published “How Judges Think”, that takes up the prevailing theories about what motivates judges’ decisions and adds his own, heavily grounded in the notion that judges’ experiences and backgrounds play a large role where decision outcomes are uncertain. Judges — at least the vast majority — are pragmatists according to this view, and they seek to maximize various goals within a legal tradition that imposes its own vision of what it is to be a “good judge.” What follows below is an edited account of a conversation that Judge Posner had with a class on the study of judicial behavior at Duke Law School a few years ago. The class had read the book as part of a year-long review of the empirical literature on judicial decisionmaking. Their conversation with Judge Posner ranged over various topics, including reaction to the book from other judges, Posner’s own experience as a judge, and future directions for empirical studies of the judiciary.
Dynamic Resource Caching in the IoT Application Layer for Smart Cities

We propose to apply constrained application protocol publish/subscribe to cache popular Internet of Things (IoT) resources in a broker to reduce the energy consumption of servers (which host these popular resources) and the average delay for delivering the IoT resources’ contents to the clients. We provide the smart parking application in smart cities as an example to demonstrate the benefit for conducting popular IoT resource caching. However, caching popular IoT resources in the broker may not always be the optimal choice, i.e., the broker may be congested by caching too many IoT resources, and so the average delay for enabling the broker to deliver contents of the IoT resources may be unbearable. Thus, we propose a novel energy aware and latency guaranteed dynamic resource caching (EASE) strategy to enable the broker to cache suitable popular resources such that the energy savings from the servers are maximized, while the average delay for publishing the contents of the resources to the corresponding clients is minimized. We demonstrate the performances of EASE via simulations as compared to other two baseline IoT resource caching strategies.
The Divination Contest of Calchas and Mopsus and Aristophanes’ Knights

Misuse of divination links Cleon to tyrants, and the Cyclic tale of Calchas and Mopsus informs the competition between Paphlagon and the Sausage Seller that structures the plot of the play.
Simulation in Neurosurgery and Neurosurgical Procedures

With recent advancement in medical technology, surgical training has evolved as well. The classical teaching is being challenged by legal and ethical concerns for patient safety, work hour restrictions, and the cost of operating room time. Surgical simulation and skill training offer an opportunity to teach, rehearse, and practice advanced techniques before attempting them on patients. Simulation training available in the neurosurgical field includes the simple straightforward principle of using real instruments and video equipment to manipulate simulated “tissue” in a box trainer, to more advanced computer-based virtual reality (VR) simulators. Early systems have demonstrated their effectiveness and discriminative ability. Newer systems enable the development of comprehensive curricula and full procedural simulations. Surgical organizations are calling for methods to ensure the maintenance of skills, advance surgical training, and credential surgeons as technically competent. The application of VR simulation in neurosurgery training has evolved over the last decade from data visualization, including stereoscopic evaluation, to more complex augmented reality models. With the revolution of computational analysis abilities, fully immersive VR models are currently available in neurosurgery training. Ventriculostomy catheter insertion and endoscopic and endovascular simulations are used in neurosurgical residency training centers across the world. Recent studies have shown the coloration of proficiency with those simulators and levels of experience in the real world.
A Novel Role of Ring Chromosomes as Evolutionary Drivers of Herbicide Resistance.

In eukaryotes, chromosomes are linear structures; in contrast, a ring-shaped chromosome is a rare structure that results from the fusion of broken ends of linear chromosomes. Ring chromosomes may be induced by radiation or may occur spontaneously. In humans, ring chromosomes occur in approximately 1
Jointed Goatgrass (Aegilops cylindrica): A Review

In 1994, the National Jointed Goatgrass Research Program was initiated with funding from a special USDA grant. The 15-yr program provided $4.1 million to support jointed goatgrass (Aegilops cylindrica Host.) research and technology transfer projects in 10 western states. These projects resulted in approximately 80 refereed manuscripts, including journal articles and extension publications. The research covered various topics related to the biology and ecology of jointed goatgrass as well as its management and control in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production systems. This review summarizes the research on jointed goatgrass published after Donald and Ogg's 1991 review, most of which was conducted as part of the USDA-funded National Jointed Goatgrass Research Program. Specific topics that were studied and reviewed here include A. cylindrica genetics, especially as it relates to gene flow and hybridization rates with wheat and fertility of the resulting hybrids; vernalization requirements; seed dormancy, longevity, and germination requirements; competitiveness with wheat; and herbicide resistance acquired through evolution or gene flow from wheat. With respect to management, a wide variety of practices were evaluated, including various tillage types and frequencies; crop rotations, especially diversified wheat production systems that include spring-seeded annual crops; competitive wheat cultivars, seeding dates, seeding density, and row spacing; fertility management, including nitrogen application timing and placement; and field burning. Finally, many studies evaluated the use of herbicides, especially the introduction of imazamox in imidazolinone-resistant wheat cultivars, as well as comparison of adjuvant systems and application timings. In addition to the many management practices that were studied individually, several integrated management systems were evaluated that combined crop rotations, tillage, and herbicide programs. Between 1993 and 2013, weed scientists in 14 western states estimated that jointed goatgrass infestations decreased by 45% to 55% and attributed the reduction to the implementation of more diverse crop rotations, improved cultural practices, and use of imazamox-resistant wheat technology. This is evidence that the practical implications of the National Jointed Goatgrass Research Program have been successfully implemented by growers throughout the western United States.
Spin Valve Giant Magnetoresistive Sensor Materials for Hard Disk Drives

Today virtually all recording heads in hard disk drives (HDD) use spin valve structures that employ giant magnetoresistance (GMR) to read back the magnetic information recorded in magnetic transitions on the hard disk. Introduced into products in 1997, remarkably soon after the discovery of the effect in 1988, they are produced economically by the hundreds of millions annually, and were a key factor in making possible the rapid storage areal density increase in HDD of the last 5 years. Spin valve structures are layered structures with layers only a few nanometers thick, and consist of a free magnetic layer, a conducting spacer layer, and a second magnetic layer whose magnetization is pinned by an antiferromagnet. Relative resistance changes in excess of 10% or larger are typical for spin valves used in devices. The fundamental physics of spin valves, structural details, operation and a variety of variants are discussed [6.1].
Targeting gC1qR Domains for Therapy Against Infection and Inflammation

The receptor for the globular heads of C1q, gC1qR/p33, is a widely expressed cellular ­protein, which binds to diverse ligands including plasma proteins, cellular proteins, and microbial ligands. In addition to C1q, gC1qR also binds high molecular weight kininogen (HK), which also has two other cell surface sites, namely, cytokeratin 1 and urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR). On endothelial cells (ECs), the three molecules form two closely associated bimolecular complexes of gC1qR/cytokeratin 1 and uPAR/cytokeratin 1. However, by virtue of its high affinity for HK, gC1qR plays a central role in the assembly of the kallikrein–kinin system, leading to the generation of bradykinin (BK). BK in turn is largely responsible for the vascular leakage and associated inflammation seen in angioedema patients. Therefore, blockade of gC1qR by inhibitory peptides or antibodies may not only prevent the generation of BK but also reduce C1q-induced or microbial-ligand-induced inflammatory responses. Employing synthetic peptides and gC1qR deletion mutants, we confirmed previously predicted sites for C1q (residues 75–96) and HK (residues 204–218) and identified additional sites for both C1q and HK (residues190–202), for C1q (residues 144–162), and for HIV-1 gp41 (residues 174–180). With the exception of residues 75–96, which is located in the αA coiled-coil N-terminal segment, most of the identified residues form part of the highly charged loops connecting the various β-strands in the crystal structure. Taken together, the data support the notion that gC1qR could serve as a novel molecular target for the design of antibody-based and/or peptide-based therapy to attenuate acute and/or chronic inflammation associated with vascular leakage and infection.
Flame retardancy testing and regulation of soft furnishings

Abstract: Over the past three decades, the landscape of soft furnishing-related fires has significantly changed. New fire performance regulations and standards have been mandated to reduce the fire threat of soft furnishings. New materials, constructions, and designs have been used to meet the consumers changing comfort, aesthetic needs, and regulatory requirements. This chapter focuses on soft furnishing flammability regulations and their impact on fire statistics, factors contributing to flammability of soft furnishings, and various fire blocking technologies used to reduce fire threat of soft furnishings. Fire barrier fabrics are expected to play an increasingly important role in complying with existing and proposed soft furnishing flammability regulations. Various fire blocking technologies are discussed in this report with respect to material type, fiber content, and fire blocking mechanisms. Future trends in fire blocking materials are also briefly described.
Security Assessment of Micro-Electrode-Dot-Array Biochips

Digital microfluidic biochips (DMFBs) are versatile, reconfigurable systems for manipulating discrete fluid droplets. Building on the success of DMFBs, platforms based on “sea-of-electrodes,” the micro-electrode-dot-array (MEDA), has been proposed to further increase scalability and reconfigurability. Research has shown that DMFBs are susceptible to actuation tampering attacks which alter control signals and result in fluid manipulation; such attacks have yet to be studied in the context of MEDA biochips. In this paper, we assess the security of MEDA biochips under such attacks, and further argue that it is inherently a more secure platform than traditional DMFBs. First, we identify a new class of actuation tampering attacks specific to MEDA biochips: the micro-droplet attack. We show that this new attack is stealthy as it produces a subtler difference in results compared to traditional DMFBs. We then illustrate our findings through a case study of an MEDA biochip implementing a glucose measurement assay. Second, we enumerate the system features required to secure an MEDA biochip against actuation tampering attacks and show that these features are naturally implemented in MEDA.
From Airbnb to Solar: Toward a Transaction Cost Model of a Retail Electricity Distribution Platform

Digital technologies have reduced transaction costs and led to platform business models and the sharing economy. Platform business models are increasingly part of policy debates in electricity distribution and retail due to the proliferation of digital and distributed energy resource (DER) technologies, such as residential rooftop solar. What are the implications of falling transaction costs and platform business models in electricity distribution and retail, and in the burgeoning markets for DERs? Our core insight is that excess capacity is variable, and varies inversely with transaction costs. Digital platform business models enable asset owners to rent out this excess capacity. Here we propose a two-stage transaction cost model to represent the effects of transaction cost-reducing innovation on two aspects of such transactions: gains from trade in sharing, and the margin that divides renters from owners. We analyze the equilibrium comparative statics of the model to derive observable predictions, and find that the rental market option makes the opportunity cost of excess capacity salient. As peer-to-peer transactions in energy capacity become more feasible, our results suggest that ownership of DER capacity will be driven less by one's expected intensity of use and more by relative price concerns and subjective preferences for energy self-sufficiency or environmental attributes.
Evaluation of an in vitro mouse testis organ culture system for assessing male reproductive toxicity.

Background Development of an in vitro system capable of producing mature sperm remains a challenging goal, with only few successes reported. Such a system, could be used to test agents for potential toxicity to the male reproductive system; to explore this, we exposed immature mouse testis fragments in culture to ethinylestradiol (EE), a well-known testicular toxicant in vivo. Methods Testis fragments from postnatal day 5 mice were cultured in Albumax I medium. After 24 hr of culture, fragments were treated with 0.01, 0.1 or 1 nM EE, then harvested after 20 days in culture and examined for histology or gene expression measures by quantitative PCR. Results There was substantial variability between fragments in the degree of spermatogenesis observed. The percentage of seminiferous tubules containing any dead germ cells increased as a result of EE exposure in a dose dependent fashion. This was accompanied with a decreased percentage of tubules with round spermatids. Expression of estrogen receptor 1, cytochrome P450, family 11, subfamily a, and polypeptide 1 also was reduced, depending on the dose. Conclusion These gene expression changes in the testis fragments are similar to those seen after animals have been exposed to EE. Gene expression changes in testis fragments are encouraging, but the variability across samples will need to be reduced for this in vitro system to become a generally applicable method for assessing testicular toxicants.
Fast and Reliable Motion Model for Articulated Wheeled Mobile Robots on Extremely Rough and Rocky Terrains

Articulated wheeled mobile robots (AWMRs) have reconfigurable body structures that permit them to traverse rough terrains. Predicting trajectories of these robots on a rough surface is vital to carry out path planning. Several model-based approaches have been proposed in the past to predict these trajectories, but the existing work has been mostly focused on soft soil, or hard terrains with a smoothly changing surface. In the future, AWMRs would likely be sent to challenging scenarios that are rocky. Hence, a novel model for AWMRs has been proposed that extends existing Kineto-static motion models to consider multiple points of contacts for each of the wheels of the robot, which is vital for rocky terrains. Simulations are carried out based upon the COLE VII robot to compare the proposed method with state-of-the-art Kineto-static and differential algebraic equation based constraint dynamics models. The accuracy of these techniques and the proposed method is benchmarked against the popular open dynamics engine. Two-way analysis of variance is performed and it is shown that accounting for wheel width and multiple points of contact does not have a significant impact on the simulation results on smoothly undulating terrain, whereas, it does on a rocky terrain. Moreover, accounting for wheel width and multiple points of contact does not significantly impact the run time of the underlying dynamics algorithm for fast collision checking.
Systemic approach to study the crosstalk between EGF, IGF, and Insulin Pathways - computational and experimental analysis

3509 Signal transduction is the primary mechanism used by cells to respond to external stimuli. Defects of signaling pathways cause perturbation in signal flow leading to pathological states including cancer. New targeted therapies are being developed to correct such defects by either selective blocking of pro-survival or activation of pro-apoptotic pathways. However, individual signaling pathways do not act in isolation. They interact with each other, forming complex signaling networks that respond to diverse, often contradictory, stimuli. Therefore, a systems level understanding of signaling network is needed to improve the outcome of targeted therapies. Our efforts focus on the signaling network formed by the interaction of three signaling pathways: Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF), Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF), and Insulin (Ins). All three pathways are pro-survival and have been experimentally linked to cancer. Here we report, to our best knowledge, the first computational and experimental analysis of the crosstalk occurring between these three pathways. First, using STKE data base, we created network encompassing EGF, IGF and Ins receptor pathways. The network was represented as a weighted directed graph with two types of edges: activation and inhibition edges. To determine the role of each signaling molecule in signal transduction, we introduced two measurements: pathway crosstalk and network crosstalk. Based on the static analysis of the network, we selected 13 molecules with grater than zero network and pathway crosstalk value: MAPK, Grb2, c-Src, Raf-1, Akt1, Shc, PI3/4//5/P3, PKC, JNK, CREB, p70S6K, PI3K Ia, Rho. All these molecules were dynamically tested using a simple computational model. The effects of changes in activation of three receptors: EGF receptor, IGF1 receptor, and Ins receptor on signal transduction through the selected molecules was simulated. The results showed that each tested molecule has its unique activation pattern. Partial in vitro validation of the obtained results was performed using ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3 expressing all three receptors. Serum starved cells were differentially stimulated with EGF, IGF and Insulin, reflecting simulation conditions. Resulting changes in the activation of pro-survival and pro-proliferation pathways were monitored by measurement of phosphorylation of Akt1 and Erk1/2, respectively, using MSD biomarker detection assay. Obtained results indicated that even in its simplest version, the model was able to predict some (although not all) experimentally observed trends and thus it is a good starting point for our iterative model building procedure.
Use of position tracking to infer social structure in rhesus macaques

Rhesus Macaques have clearly defined social dominance hierarchies that can be identified from human observations of social interactions, but determining these social structures through real-time observation is expensive and time consuming. Automating both the observation of animal behavior and inference of social structure reduces the requirement for human observation while providing a greater breadth of data. Automatic tracking of individuals allows researchers to continuously collect data on research animals without requiring expensive real-time observation by trained coders, and eliminates missed observations due to limits in coder attention and reaction time. Our approach works by detecting key events in the tracking data which roughly correspond to behavioral events coded by trained observers. In this work we compare the results obtained by our tracking and analysis methods with a trained human observer, both in terms of events recorded and in the determined dominance hierarchy.
Humor in library instruction: a narrative review with implications for the health sciences

Objective: The review sought to gain a better understanding of humor’s use and impact as a teaching and learning strategy in academic library and health sciences instruction and to determine if the most common techniques across both disciplines can be adapted to increase engagement in medical libraries’ information literacy efforts. Methods: This narrative review involved retrieving citations from several subject databases, including Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts; Information Science & Technology Abstracts; Library & Information Science Source; PubMed; and CINAHL. The author limited her review to those publications that explicitly addressed the use of humor in relation to some form of academic library or health sciences instruction. Studies examining use of humor in patient education were excluded. Results: Scholars and practitioners have consistently written about humor as an instructional strategy from the 1980s onward, in both the library literature and health sciences literature. These authors have focused on instructors’ attitudes, benefits to students, anecdotes, and best practices summaries. Overall, both librarians and health sciences educators have a positive opinion of humor, and many instructors make use of it in their classrooms, though caution and careful planning is advised. Conclusions: Commonalities between the library and information science literature and health sciences literature provide a cohesive set of best practices and strategies for successfully incorporating comedy into library instruction sessions. Health sciences librarians can adapt several of the most commonly used types of instructional humor (e.g., silly examples, cartoons, storytelling, etc.) to their own contexts with minimal risk.
Diffusion of fluoroquinolones into equine fetal fluids did not induce fetal lesions after enrofloxacin treatment in early gestation

Abstract While recent work demonstrated that enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin reach the fetoplacental unit without causing obvious lesions in the 9-month-old equine fetus or resulting foal, many practitioners still hesitate to prescribe a fluoroquinolone during pregnancy. Since early gestation is a critical time for fetal skeletal development, if fluoroquinolones are chondrotoxic to the fetus at any point during gestation, this period would be important. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of 2 weeks’ exposure to enrofloxacin on the equine fetus between 46 and 60 days gestation. Twelve pregnancies from nine healthy mares were allocated into two groups: untreated (n = 7), or treatment (7.5 mg/kg enrofloxacin, PO × 14 days, n = 6). Abortion was induced with prostaglandin 24 h after the last enrofloxacin dose, or on the equivalent day of gestation for untreated mares. Four of nine mares were rebred for a second cycle and were assigned to the opposite treatment to serve as their own controls. Fetal fluids from treated mares were analysed for enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin concentrations. Fetal organs (heart, lungs, spleen, kidney, and liver) and limbs were examined histopathologically. Enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin diffused to the fetal fluids during early gestation and did not result in detectable abnormalities in the fetus after 14 days of treatment. While current research does not determine long-term foal outcomes, enrofloxacin may be useful for select bacterial infections in pregnant mares.
When the Data Are Out: Measuring Behavioral Changes Following a Data Breach

As the quantity and value of data increase, so do the severity of data breaches and customer privacy invasions. While firms typically publicize their post-breach protective actions, little is known about the social, behavioral, and economic aftereffects of major breaches. Specifically, do individual customers alter their interactions with the firm, or do they continue with “business as usual”? We address this general issue via data stemming from a matchmaking website, one for those seeking an extramarital affair, that was breached. The data include de-identified profiles of paying male users from the United States, and their activities on the website since joining, and up to 3 weeks after, the disclosure of the data breach. A challenge in making causal inference(s) in the setting of a massive and highly publicized data breach is that all users were informed of the breach at the same time. In such cases of “information shock”, there is no obvious control group. To resolve this problem, we propose Temporal Causal Inference: for each group of users who joined in a specific time period, we create an appropriate control group from the set of all users who had joined in prior ones. This procedure helps control for, among other elements, potential trends in both individual and temporal site usage that broadly fall under the rubric of “normal” usage trajectories. Following construction of suitable control groups, we apply and extend several causal inference approaches. In particular, we adapt Athey, Tibshirani and Wager’s (2019) Causal Forests (among other forest-based methods) into Temporal Causal Forests, to better align ‘temporal’ inference settings. The combination of Temporal Causal Inference and Temporal Causal Forests methods allows us to extract insights regarding the homogenous (average) treatment effect, along with nontrivial heterogeneity in responses to the data breach. Our analyses reveal that there is a decrease in the probability of being active in searching or messaging on the website, and a notable increase in the probability of deleting photos, ostensibly to avoid personal identification. We investigate several potential sources of heterogeneity in response to the breach announcement, and conclude with a discussion of both managerial consequences and policy considerations.
Twice as Nice? Sustained Exposure to a Universal Social–Emotional Learning Program Across Multiple Grades

Although universal social–emotional learning programs are increasingly implemented across the USA, few studies have examined the effects of sustained exposure to the same program across multiple grade levels. As such, the goal of this study was to isolate the effects of sustained exposure to a universal social–emotional learning program (Elliott & Gresham, Social skills improvement system: classwide intervention program [SSIS-CIP]. NCS Pearson, Bloomington, MN, 2007), on elementary students’ social, behavioral, and academic outcomes. Compared to students who experienced the SSIS-CIP in second grade only (N = 218), students exposed to the SSIS-CIP in first and second grade (N = 181) showed further gains in several social skill domain areas as well as academic engagement at the end of second grade. Interactions, however, indicated that some effects were potentially moderated by student or class-level skills at the beginning of second grade. Future research considerations and practical implications for universal social–emotional learning programming are discussed.
Infinitesimal quantum group from helicity in fluid mechanics

Arnold showed that the Euler equations of an ideal fluid describe geodesics in the Lie algebra of incompressible vector fields. We will show that helicity induces a splitting of the Lie algebra int...
Preference for Telehealth Sustained Over Three Months at an Outpatient Center for Integrative Medicine

BackgroundIntegrative medicine is a key framework for the treatment of chronic medical conditions, particularly chronic pain conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted rapid implementation of teleh...
Examining an Alternative Scoring Procedure for a Clinical Working Memory Measure.

The Digit Span test is a widely used working memory measure. However, when using standardized scoring procedures, previous studies have demonstrated inconsistent relationships between Digit Span su...
Did pre-WTO agreements curb corruption?

Using country-level panel data, this study tests whether a country’s decision to join a preferential trade agreement (PTA) or existing participation in one affects its corruption levels. The sample for this study pertains mostly to first-generation PTAs that arose prior to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The results suggest that member nations that entered into pre-WTO PTAs exhibited higher levels of corruption. This claim is general and is not indicative of the undesirability of trade agreements. Nevertheless, the findings reveal interesting factors related to trade agreements in the pre-WTO period.