cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultrahigh-Pressure Watercutting Treatment of Flushed Chip Seals in the United States: Effectiveness and Durability

This paper discusses the effectiveness and durability of ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) watercutting as a preventive or corrective maintenance strategy to treat flushed chip seals in the United States. The data presented here originated from an implementation project conducted in 2011–2012 in which UHP watercutting was used to treat chip-seal-surfaced roads at 13 field sites located in four FHWA climatic regions in Texas. Initial treatment effectiveness varied depending on the site but typically was high, with an average increase in pavement texture of about 200% and an average increase in friction of about 135%. Therefore, the UHP watercutting treatment did improve pavement texture and friction. Follow-on monitoring of the field test sites over an 18-month period showed that the surface friction and texture values achieved at treatment survived at or above the desirable performance threshold for seven of 13 sites, and these values survived at or above the maintenance threshold for 12 of 13 sites. The life expe...
S&P360: Multidimensional Perspective on Companies from Online Data Sources

We introduce S&P360, a system to analyse and explore multidimensional, online data related to companies, their financial news, and the social impact of them. Our system combines official and crowd-sourced data sources to offer a broad perspective on the impact of financial newsregarding a set of companies.
Towards defining groups and crowds in video using the atomic group actions dataset

Understanding group activities is an essential step towards studying complex crowd behaviours in video. However, such research is often hampered by the lack of a formal definition of a group, as well as a dearth of datasets that concentrate specifically on Atomic Group Actions. 1 In this paper, we provide a quantitative definition of a group based on the Group Transition Ratio (G tr ); the G tr helps determine when individuals transition to becoming a group (where the individuals can still be tracked) or a crowd (where tracking of individuals is lost). In addition, we introduce the Atomic Group Actions Dataset, a set of 200 videos that concentrate on the atomic group actions of objects in video, namely the group-group actions of formation, dispersal, and movement of a group, as well as the group-person actions of person joining and person leaving a group. We further incorporate a structured, end-to-end analysis methodology, based on workflows, to easily and automatically allow for standardized testing of new group action models against this dataset. We demonstrate the efficacy of the G tr on the Atomic Group Actions Dataset and make the full dataset (the videos, along with their associated tracks and ground truth, and the exported workflows) publicly available to the research community for free use and extension at at http://research. sethi.org/ricky/datasets/.
Abstract 2976: Sildenafil Enhances Neurogenesis And Oligodendrogenesis In The Ischemic Brain Of Aged Mouse

Sildenafil enhances neurogenesis and oligodendrogenesis in the ischemic brain of aged mouse Rui Lan Zhang 1 , Michael Chopp 1,2 Cynthia Roberts 1 , Min Wei 1 , Xinli Wang 1 , Xianshuang Liu 1 , Zheng Gang Zhang 1 Departments of 1 Neurology and Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA 2 Oakland University, Physics Department, Rochester, MI, USA. Background and Purpose: Nestin lineage neural progenitor cells contribute to neurogenesis in adult rodent brain under non-ischemic and ischemic conditions. The present study investigated the effect of sildenafil, a potent phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitor, on nestin lineage neural progenitor cells in the aged mouse after stroke. Methods: Male Nestin-CreER T2 ;R26R-stop-YFP mice at age 16 months were used. Tamoxifen was daily injected for 5 days to activate Cre/loxP system under control of the nestin promoter, leading to permanent YFP labeling of nestin lineage cells. These mice were subjected to permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) 14 days after the last tamoxifen injection. Sildenafil at 10mg/kg (n=11) or saline (n=10) was aadministered daily for 7 days starting 1 day after MCAo. All mice were sacrificed 30 days after MCAo. The number of nestin lineage cells and their fate were analyzed using immunohistochemistry staining. Results: Double immunofluorescent staining confirmed YFP positive cells were nestin positive. Unbiased stereological analysis revealed that sildenafil treatment significantly increased (p Conclusion: Our data demonstrate that sildenafil enhances neurogenesis and oligodendrogenesis in the ischemic brain of the aged mouse, which could contribute sildenafil-improved neurological outcome after stroke which we have demonstrated.
Outcomes of Patients With Prolonged Intensive Care Unit Length of Stay After Cardiac Surgery.

Objective To determine in-hospital and post-discharge long-term survival in patients with prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stays after cardiac surgery. Design Retrospective, cohort study of cardiac surgery patients from May 2007 to June 2012. Setting Single-center cardiac surgery ICU. Participants Patients were grouped according to length of ICU stay: between 1 and 2 weeks, between 2 and 4 weeks, and>4 weeks. Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results Of 4,963 patients, 3.3%, 1.6%, and 2.9% of patients stayed 1 to 2 weeks, 2 to 4 weeks, and>4 weeks in the ICU, respectively. In-hospital mortality was 11.1%, 26.6%, and 31.0% for patients with 1 to 2 weeks, 2 to 4 weeks, and>4 weeks ICU stay, respectively. Patients with ICU stays between 1 and 2 weeks had 6 months, 1 year, and 2 year survival rates of 84.4%, 80.0%, and 75.3% after discharge, respectively. Patients with ICU stay between 2 and 4 weeks had similar 6 months, 1 year, and 2 year survival rates of 84.7%, 79.9%, and 74.1%, respectively. In contrast, patients with>4 week ICU stays had significantly lower postdischarge survival rates of 63.3%, 56.4%, and 41.1% at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years, respectively. Postoperative stroke conferred the greatest risk of death within 1 year after discharge (odds ratio 7.6, p = 0.0140). Conclusions In-hospital mortality rates post–cardiac surgery correlate with length of ICU stay but appear to plateau after 4 weeks. However, a>4 week ICU length of stay confers a worse long-term outcome post-hospital discharge, especially in patients with postoperative stroke.
Framework complexes of group 2 metals organized by homochiral rods and π···π stacking forces: a breathing supramolecular MOF.

The reactions of the potassium salts of the ligands (S)-2-(1,8-naphthalimido)propanoate (KLala), (S)-2-(1,8-naphthalimido)-3-hydroxypropanoate (KLser), and (R)-2-(1,8-naphthalimido)propanoate (KLala*), enantiopure carboxylate ligands containing a 1,8-naphthalimide π···π stacking supramolecular tecton, and, in the case of Lser–, an alcohol functional group with calcium or strontium nitrate under solvothermal conditions produce crystalline [Ca(Lala)2(H2O)]·(H2O) (1); [Ca(Lser)2]·(H2O)2 (2); [Sr(Lala)2(H2O)]·(H2O)3 (3); [Sr(Lala*)2(H2O)]·(H2O)3 (3*); and [Sr(Lser)2(H2O)] (5). Placing 3 under vacuum removes the interstitial waters to produce [Sr(Lala)2(H2O)] (4) in a single-crystal to single-crystal transformation; introduction of water vapor to 4 leads to the reformation of crystalline 3. Each of these new complexes has a solid-state structure based on homochiral rod secondary building unit (SBUs) central cores. Supramolecular π···π stacking interactions between 1,8-naphthalimide rings link adjacent rod SBUs...
Particle pushing via Liquid Gradient Refractive Index (L-GRIN) lens

We report an onchip particle manipulator that utilizes a tunable Liquid gradient Refractive Index optofluidic microlens to optically control the pushing the particles. Utilizing the argon laser, particle velocity is controlled via laser input power.
Identification of the Molecular Species Responsible for the Initiation of Amorphous Dithiazine Formation in Laboratory Studies of 1,3,5-Tris (hydroxyethyl)-hexahydro-s-triazine as a Hydrogen Sulfide Scavenger

Amorphous dithiazine is produced from a solution of tris-(2-hyroxyethyl)-hexahydro-s-triazine (I) that is heavily consumed by hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Previously, it has been reported that the chemical structure of amorphous dithiazine is a polymeric structure which involves opening of the dithiazine ring. Evidence is presented here that the first step in this polymerization reaction is conversion of the terminal hydroxyl functionality into a terminal thiol. Thereafter, the thiol initiates the ring opening of the dithiazine to yield a polymeric, highly insoluble material. It has been observed that the critical chemical species in the initiation of this chain reaction is the bisulfide anion. This bisulfide anion is produced from the reaction of H2S with ethanolamine liberated in the sulfur insertion reaction undergone by tris-(2-hyroxyethyl)-hexahydro-s-triazine (I). This process has been artificially induced by the reaction of monomeric or crystalline 5-hydroxyethyldithiazine (II) and ethanolammonium hydro...
Enhanced Electrical Conductivity and Nonstoichiometry in Nanocrystalline CeO2-x

Dense nanocrystalline CeO2-x. of ∼10 nm grain size exhibits enhanced, PO2-dependent electronic conductivity indicative of intrinsic nonstoichiometric behavior under conditions where coarse-grained counterparts are extrinsic. The enthalpy of reduction is lowered by over 2.4 eV per oxygen vacancy. The nanocrystals also exhibit greatly reduced grain boundary resistance, attributed to grain-size-dependent segregation. We propose that interface doping by selected low energy defect sites dominates the defect and transport properties of nanocrystalline ceria, and possibly other nanocrystalline compounds.
Religion in the Public Arena: A Paradox of Secularization

It is no exaggeration to refer to the social science understanding of secularization as a paradigm.1 A good deal of the "normal science" conducted in sociology has assumed the suitability of this model for interpreting the modern world. Whether secularization is seen primarily in terms of privatization of belief, development of denominational pluralism, the decline of what people consider sacred, or some other dimension of the process, the assumptions are the same. In the secular world, faith and daily life are increasingly divorced for modern people. Recently, however, considerable attention has been turned to the anomalous situations in which religion plays an active role in everyday social and political life. One need look no further than campaigns to reelect the president in 1984 to see numerous instances of this phenomenon. Various explanations exist to account for such recent developments as the rise of the New Christian Right (NCR) and the popular appeal of evangelical religion. The political power of religions of the right in North America could scarcely have been expected given operating assumptions about the course of secularization.2 Some would argue that circumstance and personality combined in the late 1970s to create a bizarre contradiction to the paradigm that had come to be accepted. In such a view, the New Christian Right stands as the exception that proves the rule. Others suggest that the survival of evangelicalism is attributed to the peripheral cultural location of the evangelicals.3
Intrinsic white-light emission from layered hybrid perovskites.

We report on the second family of layered perovskite white-light emitters with improved photoluminescence quantum efficiencies (PLQEs). Upon near-ultraviolet excitation, two new Pb–Cl and Pb–Br perovskites emit broadband “cold” and “warm” white light, respectively, with high color rendition. Emission from large, single crystals indicates an origin from the bulk material and not surface defect sites. The Pb–Br perovskite has a PLQE of 9%, which is undiminished after 3 months of continuous irradiation. Our mechanistic studies indicate that the emission has contributions from strong electron–phonon coupling in a deformable lattice and from a distribution of intrinsic trap states. These hybrids provide a tunable platform for combining the facile processability of organic materials with the structural definition of crystalline, inorganic solids.
Low Voltage, Hysteresis Free, and High Mobility Transistors from All-Inorganic Colloidal Nanocrystals

High-mobility solution-processed all-inorganic solid state nanocrystal (NC) transistors with low operation voltage and near-zero hysteresis are demonstrated using high-capacitance ZrO(x) and hydroxyl-free Cytop gate dielectric materials. The use of inorganic capping ligands (In(2)Se(4)(2-) and S(2-)) allowed us to achieve high electron mobility in the arrays of solution-processed CdSe nanocrystals. We also studied the hysteresis behavior and switching speed of NC-based field effect devices. Collectively, these analyses helped to understand the charge transport and trapping mechanisms in all-inorganic NCs arrays. Finally, we have examined the rapid thermal annealing as an approach toward high-performance solution-processed NCs-based devices and demonstrated transistor operation with mobility above 30 cm(2)/(V s) without compromising low operation voltage and hysteresis.
Analysis of imported plasmodium falciparum malaria cases in Taizhou Province in 2011

Objective To study epidemic characteristics of imported plasmodium falciparum malaria by case analysis in Taizhou province in 2011. Methods Data from 31 imported p. falciparum cases in Taizhou province in 2011 were reviewed and classified.Results All of 31 imported p. falciparum patients were back from Africa with obvious living experience in plasmodium falciparum endemic area. Some of the clinical symptoms were not typical, which occurred in the whole year and had no prevalent peaks. Conclusion Awareness of disease prevention should be promoted for labor exporters who are going to epidemic area. Clinic doctors should consider p. falciparum malaria at first when diagnosing undetermined fever for patients back from malaria endemic area.Moreover, good detecting capability of plasmodium is required for microscopic workers.
A Pixel Charge Sensor for Biological Processes

Sensors with micro-structures have played an important role in the studies of chemical/biological processes, and are at the heart of lab-on-a-chip devices. Notable examples are Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) and microfluidic devices.In addition to chemical content/concentration changes, chemical/biological processes often result in charge creation, neutralization and redistribution. We will present a device that can study these tiny charge changes in the system, in a continuous-time fashion with high spatial resolution, which is complementary to existing techniques and has rarely been studied.The recently developed direct charge sensor, Topmetal, originated from nuclear/particle physics, can sense tiny changes in the amount and the spatial distribution of charges as small as tens of electrons at the proximity of its surface. It is also highly pixelated to have a pitch size of 80um. The combination of fine granularity and high change sensitive makes the sensor capable of observing many biological processes involving charge at a mesoscopic length scale that are previously impossible to observe.
Health effects of anesthetic gases.

There are no national regulatory standards from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration for anesthetic gases. Moreover, there is little data to confirm that current scavenging and exhaust ventilation systems reduce exposure below recommended limits. Operating theater personnel and workers in postanesthesia units are especially at risk.
Gordiichthys combibus , a new species of eastern Pacific sand-eel (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae)

A new species of bascanichthyin ophichthid, Gordiichthys combibus, is described from shallow water along the Pacific coast of Colombia. It is the first known eastern Pacific species of Gordiichthys and is very similar to G. randalli from Puerto Rico. It differs from its other western Atlantic congeners in vertebral number and other characters. A key to the genus is provided.
Caucasus during the Mongol Period – Der Kaukasus in der Mongolenzeit

As the title suggests, this edited volume features essays devoted to various aspects of life in the Caucasus region under the Mongols. Half of the 13 essays are in English and half in German, and t...
Multiple and Possibly Conflicting Constraints

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss how to deal systematically with a variety of constraints in public policy analysis.
Interview with Poet Professor Chimalum Nwankwo

(2015). Interview with Poet Professor Chimalum Nwankwo. Journal of the African Literature Association: Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 256-268.
PREDICTORS OF OUTCOME FOLLOWING ROBOT-ASSISTED UNICOMPARTMENTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY

Introduction There are several advantages of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) in the treatment of isolated compartment osteoarthritis (OA) compared to the conventional total knee arthroplasty. Although various series report similar survivorship results, the national registries tend to show higher revision rates among the UKA. Persisting, unexplainable pain is a leading cause for UKA revision surgery. Therefore it is essential to investigate the various patient specific characteristics which might influence outcome following UKA in order to minimize revision rates and optimize clinical outcomes. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the influence of the various individual patient factors, including pre-operative radiographic parameters, on the outcome following UKA. Methods 168 consecutive patients who underwent robot assisted UKA (MAKO Tactile Guidance System, MAKO Surgical Corporation, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA) were included. The investigated pre- and/or postoperative parameters included gender, BMI, age, type of tibial implant (inlay versus onlay), laterality, state of OA (i.e. Kellgren and Lawrence grade) of the operated and non-operated compartment and mechanical axis alignment. Pre-operatively and at a minimum of 1 year (average 1.97 years, range 1 – 4.2 years) following surgery, patients were asked to complete the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) questionnaire. It is subdivided in three separate scales (i.e. pain, stiffness and function). A score of 0 represents the best possible outcome and a score of 100 the worst. A p-value Results 144 (85.7%) knees underwent medial UKA and 24 (14.3%) knees underwent lateral UKA. The average age of the patients at the time of surgery was 63.5 years (range 43.2 – 91.1 years) old. 68.9% of patients had a BMI 2 /kg and 31.3% had a BMI > 30 m 2 /kg. Tibial inlay implants were used in 40 (23.8%) cases and tibial onlay implants were used in 128 (76.2%) cases. Evaluating the separate factors, we noted no significant pre-operative WOMAC differences (figure 1). Age, KL-grade and type of tibial implant had a significant post-operative influence on outcome. Younger patients had significant inferior WOMAC scores (15.9±15.5) compared to older patients (9.9±10.4, p=0.015), including all three WOMAC domains (figure 2). Patients with an onlay implant had a significant better WOMAC score (11.8±12.1) than patients with an inlay implant (17.6±11.8, p=0.032). Furthermore, those patients experienced less pain than patients who received an inlay implant (9.5±12.6 versus 17.1±19.1, p=0.007). Patients with a more severe state of pre-operative OA of the operated compartment had significant better outcome than patients with a pre-operative mild state of OA (figure 3). All other evaluated parameters did not show any significant differences post-operatively. Conclusion Our data suggest that pre-operative care should be taken with the significant influence of age and the state of OA on the clinical results following UKA. Furthermore our data discourages the future use of tibial inlay implants.
Recent tectonic activity on Mercury revealed by small thrust fault scarps

The planet Mercury has contracted over its history. The identification of small thrust fault scarps suggests the occurrence of tectonic activity on Mercury within the past 50 million years and thus a slow-cooling planetary interior. Large tectonic landforms on the surface of Mercury, consistent with significant contraction of the planet, were revealed by the flybys of Mariner 10 in the mid-1970s1. The MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) mission confirmed that the planet’s past 4 billion years of tectonic history have been dominated by contraction expressed by lobate fault scarps that are hundreds of kilometres long2,3,4,5. Here we report the discovery of small thrust fault scarps in images from the low-altitude campaign at the end of the MESSENGER mission that are orders of magnitude smaller than the large-scale lobate scarps. These small scarps have tens of metres of relief, are only kilometres in length and are comparable in scale to small young scarps on the Moon6,7,8. Their small-scale, pristine appearance, crosscutting of impact craters and association with small graben all indicate an age of less than 50 Myr. We propose that these scarps are the smallest members of a continuum in scale of thrust fault scarps on Mercury. The young age of the small scarps, along with evidence for recent activity on large-scale scarps, suggests that Mercury is tectonically active today and implies a prolonged slow cooling of the planet’s interior.
Citizen Journalism: From Thomas in Boston to Twitter in Tamaulipas, A Case Study

As violence spiked in Mexico in clashes between drug trafficking organizations and law enforcement, news media were systematically silenced by cartels and cowed legitimate governments. Reliable information on street battles and their consequences ceased to flow through traditional channels to an anxious citizenry on the Mexican side of the U.S.-Mexico border 10 miles from McAllen, Texas. In Reynosa, Tamaulipas, a noted “plaza” territory contested by the Zetas and the Gulf Cartel, ordinary citizens became journalists in 2010, reporting under the umbrella of the pioneer #ReynosaFollow hashtag on the Twitter social media platform. This gave frightened citizens a sense of anonymity and security in disseminating their real-time warnings to others, serving as the modern-day “underground presses” of the past signaling danger and injustice. Twitter and #ReynosaFollow have gained notoriety in mainstream media on the U.S. side of the border as useful and important news sources in territory that reporters no longer cover on a daily basis out of fear for their lives. This article chronicles how citizen journalism has developed in heavily censured states of Mexico where frequent gun battles and brutal murders still occur. Special emphasis is given to a case study of Twitter in the city of Reynosa, Tamaulipas.
431 PICHIA OHMERI INFECTION IN A PEDIATRIC PATIENT: A CASE REPORT.

Introduction Although commonly considered a contaminant, there is growing evidence that Pichia ohmeri is an opportunistic pathogen increasingly being reported as a rare cause of health care-associated infections in pediatric patients. Four pediatric cases have been reported in the literature, with one fatality. We report a case of Pichia ohmeri fungemia in a 5-month-old infant. Case Report A 5-month-old Hispanic male with short gut syndrome and hepatic insufficiency was admitted to the pediatric unit with a day history of fever without other symptoms. Dependent on parenteral feedings for nutrition, he was discharged from the hospital 3 weeks earlier following a catheter-associated infection with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus and Candida albicans. He was successfully treated for that infection with linezolid, fluconazole, and removal of the infected central venous catheter before a new Broviac catheter was placed. On this admission, his temperature was 104°F, respiratory rate 40/min, heart rate 156/min, and blood pressure 86/47 mm Hg. He was icteric and moderately dehydrated with significant hepatosplenomegaly. Examination of his other organ systems yielded no significant findings. Laboratory studies revealed a white blood cell count of 6,500/mm3 with 33% neutrophils, 63% lymphocytes, 2% monocytes; hemoglobin of 6.4 g/dL, and platelet count of 85,000/mm3. His total bilirubin was 15.7 mg/dL; aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were 140 and 105 U/L, respectively. He was treated empirically with cefotaxime, linezolid, and fluconazole based on identification and susceptibility studies on previous organisms isolated from his blood. Six blood cultures obtained from both his central venous catheter and peripheral vein yielded Pichia ohmeri. Urine and cerebrospinal fluid cultures were sterile. Identification and susceptibility testing of Pichia ohmeri was performed using the Vitek closed system and database (bioMerieux, Inc., Durham, NC), and the isolate was determined to be susceptible to amphotericin B, fluconazole, voriconazole, and caspofungin. Due to persistent fever and positive blood cultures for Pichia ohmeri, the Broviac catheter was removed and his antifungal therapy was changed from fluconazole to amphotericin B deoxycholate, and he was treated for 10 days with repeat sterile cultures. Conclusion This case adds to the growing reports of invasive infection with Pichia ohmeri species in pediatric patients. Clinicians need to be aware that although species in this genus were previously considered nonpathogenic, they should be considered to have the ability to cause clinically significant opportunistic mycoses.
Promoting HPV Vaccination Online: Message Design and Media Choice.

We investigated the effects of message framing and online media channel on young adults’ perceived severity of human papillomavirus (HPV), perceived barriers and benefits of getting HPV vaccination...
Are Hospital/ED Transfers Less Likely Among Nursing Home Residents With Do-Not-Hospitalize Orders?

Abstract Objectives This study aims to examine whether an advance directive "Do Not Hospitalize" (DNH) would be effective in reducing hospital/emergency department (ED) transfers. Similar effects in residents with dementia were also examined. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting/subjects New York State (NYS) nursing home residents (n = 43,024). Measurements and analysis The Minimum Data Set 2.0 was used to address the study aims. Advance directives with an indication of DNH and Alzheimer disease/dementia other than Alzheimer disease were coded (yes vs no). Logistic regression analyses were performed to quantify the relationship between DNH orders and hospital/ED transfers while adjusting for confounders. Results Our results show that 61% of nursing home residents had do-not-resuscitate orders, 12% had feeding restrictions, and only 6% had DNH orders. Residents with DNH orders had significantly fewer hospital stays (3.0% vs 6.8%, P P = .03) in the last 90 days than those without DNH orders. Dementia residents with DNH orders had significantly fewer hospital stays (2.7% vs 6.3%, P P = .11) than those without DNH orders. After adjusting for covariates in the model, the results show that for residents without DNH orders, the odds of being transferred to a hospital was significantly higher (odds ratio = 2.23, 95% confidence interval = 1.77–2.81) than those with DNH orders. Conclusion Residents with DNH orders had significantly fewer transfers. This suggests that residents' end-of-life care decisions were respected and honored. Efforts should be made to encourage nursing home residents to complete DNH orders to promote integration of the resident's values and goals in guiding care provision toward the end of life.
Cybersecurity for the Smart Grid

Abstract We present an overview of cybersecurity principles relevant for the smart grid. We discuss cyber-physical security in general as well as specific models relevant to smart electric grids such as the Electricity Subsector Cybersecurity Capability Maturity Model. We discuss cybersecurity risk assessment and analysis including penetration testing on the Internet of Things. We also discuss a number of different methods of assessing and analyzing risk such as hazard analysis, failure modes and effects analysis, and fault tree analysis.
Light Emission in Photonic Crystal Micro-Cavities

The creation of light has pre-occupied mankind, probably ever since cave men came to control fire. Since the invention of the electric light bulb, there have already been several revolutions in our ability to control light. One of these has been stimulated emission which gave rise to lasers. There have been many other developments recently which involve control over amplitude and phase of electromagnetic waves, including for example photon number state squeezing1.
Quantification of Active Apohemoglobin Heme Binding Sites via Dicyanohemin Incorporation

Apohemoglobin (apoHb) is produced by removing heme from hemoglobin (Hb). Unfortunately, preparations of apoHb may contain damaged globins, which render total protein assays inaccurate for active apoHb quantification. Fortunately, apoHb heme-binding sites react with heme via the proximal histidine-F8 (His-F8) residue, which can be monitored spectrophotometrically. The bond between the His-F8 residue of apoHb and heme is vital for maintenance of fully functional and cooperative Hb. Additionally, most apoHb drug delivery applications facilitate hydrophobic drug incorporation inside the apoHb hydrophobic heme-binding pocket in which the His-F8 residue resides. This makes the His-F8 residue a proper target for apoHb activity quantification. In this work, dicyanohemin (DCNh), a stable monomeric porphyrin species, was used as a probe molecule to quantify active apoHb through monocyanohemin-His-F8 bond formation. ApoHb activity was quantified via the analysis of the 420 nm equilibrium absorbance of DCNh and apoHb...
Setting Fire to the Sacred: Esoteric Suicide and its Relation to Tibetan Self-Immolation

In protest to China's ongoing human rights violations in Tibet, a wave of self-immolations has rocked the Tibetan Plateau since 2009. Such acts, performed mostly by Buddhist monks and nuns, have, for the first time since the 1960's, raised questions on the spiritual validity of suicide in the Buddhist religion. The following article will explore sanctioned practices of suicide common to Tibetan Buddhism and examine their legitimacy as spiritual acts. The article consists of three major sections relevant to the problem of Tibetan self-immolation. The first addresses the importance of human life as an indispensable factor in comprehending the basis from which esoteric suicide operates. The second addresses the path of the bodhisattva and the appropriate conditions required to offer one's body in pursuit of the perfection of generosity. And the third addresses the esoteric practice of transference of consciousness as an act of suicide and its relationship with divine perception and tantric morality. Finally, the philosophical points discussed in each section will be linked with the problem of Tibetan self-immolation to offer the reader a unique understanding of the philosophical gravity and embedded meaning in the performance of such acts.
Interactions between Cocaine and the Putative Allosteric Dopamine Transporter Ligand SRI-31142

Drugs that inhibit the dopamine (DA) transporter (DAT) include both therapeutic agents and abused drugs. Recent studies identified a novel series of putative allosteric DAT inhibitors, but the in vivo effects of these compounds are unknown. This study examined the abuse-related behavioral and neurochemical effects produced in rats by SRI-31142 [2-(7-methylimidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-6-yl)-N-(2-phenyl-2-(pyridin-4-yl)ethyl)quinazolin-4-amine], one compound from this series. In behavioral studies, intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) was used to compare the effects produced by SRI-31142, the abused and nonselective DAT inhibitor cocaine, and the selective DAT inhibitor GBR-12935 [1-[2-(diphenylmethoxy)ethyl]-4-(3-phenylpropyl)piperazine]. In neurochemical studies, in vivo microdialysis was used to compare the effects of SRI-31142 and cocaine on levels of DA and serotonin in nucleus accumbens (NAc). The effects of SRI-31142 in combination with cocaine were also examined in both procedures. In contrast to cocaine and GBR-12935, SRI-31142 failed to produce abuse-related increases in ICSS or NAc DA; instead, SRI-31142 only decreased ICSS and NAc DA at a dose that was also sufficient to block cocaine-induced increases in ICSS and NAc DA. Pharmacokinetic studies suggested low but adequate brain penetration of SRI-31142, in vitro binding studies failed to identify likely non-DAT targets, and in vitro functional assays failed to confirm DA uptake inhibition in an assay of DAT-mediated fluorescent signals in live cells. These results indicate that SRI-31142 does not produce cocaine-like abuse-related effects in rats. SRI-31142 may have utility to block cocaine effects and may warrant further study as a candidate pharmacotherapy; however, the role of DAT in mediating these effects is unclear, and side effects may be a limiting factor.
Dynamic data race detection for OpenMP programs

Two concurrent accesses to a shared variable that are unordered by synchronization are said to be a data race if at least one access is a write. Data races cause shared memory parallel programs to behave unpredictably. This paper describes ROMP - a tool for detecting data races in executions of scalable parallel applications that employ OpenMP for node-level parallelism. The complexity of OpenMP, which includes primitives for managing data environments, SPMD and SIMD parallelism, work sharing, tasking, mutual exclusion, and ordering, presents a formidable challenge for data race detection. ROMP is a hybrid data race detector that tracks accesses, access orderings and mutual exclusion. Unlike other OpenMP race detectors, ROMP detects races with respect to concurrency rather than implementation threads. Experiments show that ROMP yields precise race reports for a broader set of OpenMP constructs than prior state-of-the-art race detectors.
U.S. Policy to Curb West European Nuclear Exports, 1974–1978

After India's detonation of a nuclear explosive in 1974 publicly demonstrated the proliferation risks from nuclear assistance, the U.S. government increased its efforts to control nuclear exports w...
The roles of student gender, race, and psychopathology in teachers' identification of students for services

Abstract The present study investigated whether academic, social, emotional, and behavioral factors mediated disparities in teachers' identification of boys and girls from different racial/ethnic backgrounds in need of family-based prevention services. Teachers (n = 157) from regular education classrooms at 17 public elementary schools anonymously nominated the boy (n = 157) and girl (n = 156) in their class most in need of services. An age- and grade-matched boy (n = 158) and girl (n = 156) were randomly selected from the same classrooms, resulting in a total of 627 students (Mean age = 8.37; 62% White, 8% Black, 8% Latina/o, 13% Asian-American, 9% mixed/other). Teachers rated students' aggressive behavior and depressive, generalized anxiety, inattentive, oppositional defiant, and conduct symptoms. Mediation models were tested accounting for clustering of students within classrooms. Black students were more likely to be nominated than all other groups, and Latina/o and White students were more likely to be nominated than Asian-American students. Racial/ethnic disparities were largely accounted for by inattentive symptoms and externalizing problems for boys and girls. However, Black students were still more likely to be nominated than White or Asian-American students. Consultation could prepare teachers to accurately identify and manage variations in problematic behaviors among students from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds.
Ergonomics and Biomechanics: Racquet Sensors for Monitoring Volume of Training and Competition in Tennis

Overuse injuries to the upper extremity are common in advanced tennis players. Racquet-mounted sensors designed to provide information on numbers and kinds of strokes may provide valuable data for monitoring the volume/intensity of training and competition. Initial research based on these technologies indicates accurate monitoring of tennis play activities and potential for establishing training volumes/intensity potentially related to injury. Improvements in these racquet sensor technologies and prospective studies using these sensors to adjust volume/intensity are warranted to confirm current hypotheses about training volumes and overuse injury risk.
Electrochemical cell lysis of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria: DNA extraction from environmental water samples.

Abstract Cell lysis is an essential step for the nucleic acid-based surveillance of bacteriological water quality. Recently, electrochemical cell lysis (ECL), which is based on the local generation of hydroxide at a cathode surface, has been reported to be a rapid and reagent-free method for cell lysis. Herein, we describe the development of a milliliter-output ECL device and its performance characterization with respect to the DNA extraction efficiency for gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Salmonella Typhi) and gram-positive bacteria (Enterococcus durans and Bacillus subtilis). Both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria were successfully lysed within a short but optimal duration of 1 min at a low voltage of ∼5 V. The ECL method described herein, is demonstrated to be applicable to various environmental water sample types, including pond water, treated wastewater, and untreated wastewater with DNA extraction efficiencies similar to a commercial DNA extraction kit. The ECL system outperformed homogeneous chemical lysis in terms of reaction times and DNA extraction efficiencies, due in part to the high pH generated at the cathode surface, which was predicted by simulations of the hydroxide transport in the cathodic chamber. Our work indicates that the ECL method for DNA extraction is rapid, simplified and low-cost with no need for complex instrumentation. It has demonstrable potential as a prelude to PCR analyses of waterborne bacteria in the field, especially for the gram-negative ones.
Can Virtual Reality Be Used to Track Skills Decay During the Research Years

Abstract Background Time away from surgical practice can lead to skills decay. Research residents are thought to be prone to skills decay, given their limited experience and reduced exposure to clinical activities during their research training years. This study takes a cross-sectional approach to assess differences in residents’ skills at the beginning and end of their research years using virtual reality. We hypothesized that research residents will have measurable decay in psychomotor skills when evaluated using virtual reality. Methods Surgical residents (n = 28) were divided into two groups; the first group was just beginning their research time (clinical residents: n = 19) and the second group (research residents: n = 9) had just finished at least 2 y of research. All participants were asked to perform a target-tracking task using a haptic device, and their performance was compared using Welch's t-test. Results Research residents showed a higher level of “tracking error” (1.69 ± 0.44 cm versus 1.40 ± 0.19 cm; P = 0.04) and a similar level of “path length” (62.5 ± 10.5 cm versus 62.1 ± 5.2 cm; P = 0.92) when compared with clinical residents. Conclusions The increased “tracking error” among residents at the end of their research time suggests fine psychomotor skills decay in residents who spend time away from clinical duties during laboratory time. This decay demonstrates the need for research residents to regularly participate in clinical activities, simulation, or assessments to minimize and monitor skills decay while away from clinical practice. Additional longitudinal studies may help better map learning and decay curves for residents who spend time away from clinical practice.
110th Anniversary: A Generalized Nonsmooth Operator for Process Integration

This paper presents a novel, generalized method for solving resource integration problems: the nonsmooth integration operator. Compared to current approaches, such as cascade analysis or the pinch ...
From incremental to transformative adaptation in individual responses to climate-exacerbated hazards

Building societal resilience to climate change depends on increased adaptation. In this Review of scholarship on behavioural adaptation, we find that most empirical studies focus on the affective and cognitive drivers of behaviours with largely private benefits. Few examine behaviours with collective benefits or explore the moderating role of social factors on affective and cognitive cues. We point to cultural evolution and complex adaptive systems as frameworks that can improve our understanding of behaviours that lead to greater societal resilience in the long term. Integrating such research traditions with the socio-psychological perspectives that dominate the literature will ensure that future studies better distinguish the drivers of incremental coping from transformative adaptation. Individual responses to climate hazards can contribute to long-term societal resilience. This Review finds that the literature emphasizes intrapersonal cognitive and affective drivers of adaptation behaviour rather than the interpersonal social factors that promote coordinated cooperative action.
P506 Optimizing EPT for MSM and transgender women

Background Despite increasing rates of HIV and other STIs among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW), expedited partner therapy (EPT) is not routinely offered to these priority populations. The goal of this study was to understand healthcare providers’ (HCP) views and opinions regarding the use of EPT with MSM and TW. Methods Between May and October 2018, 18 HCP in Michigan completed semi-structured interviews. The interviews covered questions about knowledge, attitudes, experiences with, and barriers and strategies for delivering EPT to MSM and TW. Results HCP (Meanage =47.4) included MDs (33%), NPs (61%), RNs (5%), and a Pharmacist (1%). The majority of HCP (94.5%) were willing to prescribe EPT for chlamydia and gonorrhea to MSM and TW. Several HCP in community health clinics were currently prescribing EPT to MSM and TW, whereas others followed CDC guidelines. Some HCP expressed concerns about the provision of EPT for individuals with multiple sexual partners, persistent/recurrent infection, and potential antimicrobial resistance; however, none of the HCP believed there was a difference in efficacy based on a client’s sexual preferences or gender identity. HCP who provided EPT described strategies to overcome these barriers, such as capitalizing on pharmacies and phone calls or videoconference calls with patients’ partners to discuss potential allergies, treatment regimens, and ensuring linkage to HIV testing. HCP described how telemedicine and the use of peer health navigators could help overcome systemic barriers to regular STI testing (e.g., transportation, delayed appointment times) and potentially overcome medical mistrust around HIV prevention and care. Conclusion The provision of EPT represents an overlooked yet important strategy to curb increasing STI rates among MSM and TW. Changing EPT legislation and CDC guidelines to include MSM and TW represents a promising avenue to link these communities to HIV and other STI prevention services. Disclosure No significant relationships.
Major quantitative trait loci influencing milk production and conformation traits in Guernsey dairy cattle detected on Bos taurus autosome 19

The goal of this study was to identify potential quantitative trait loci (QTL) for 27 production, fitness, and conformation traits of Guernsey cattle through genome-wide association (GWA) analyses, with extra emphasis on BTA19, where major QTL were observed for several traits. Animals' de-regressed predicted transmitting abilities (PTA) from the December 2018 traditional US evaluation were used as phenotypes. All of the Guernsey cattle included in the QTL analyses were predictor animals in the reference population, ranging from 1,077 to 1,685 animals for different traits. Single-trait GWA analyses were carried out by a mixed-model approach for all 27 traits using imputed high-density genotypes. A major QTL was detected on BTA19, influencing several milk production traits, conformation traits, and livability of Guernsey cattle, and the most significant SNP lie in the region of 26.2 to 28.3 Mb. The myosin heavy chain 10 (MYH10) gene residing within this region was found to be highly associated with milk production and body conformation traits of dairy cattle. After the initial GWA analyses, which suggested that many significant SNP are in linkage with one another, conditional analyses were used for fine mapping. The top significant SNP on BTA19 were fixed as covariables in the model, one at a time, until no more significant SNP were detected on BTA19. After this fine-mapping approach was applied, only 1 significant SNP was detected on BTA19 for most traits, but multiple, independent significant SNP were found for protein yield, dairy form, and stature. In addition, the haplotype that hosts the major QTL on BTA19 was traced to a US Guernsey born in 1954. The haplotype is common in the breed, indicating a long-term influence of this QTL on the US Guernsey population.
A Family of Schrödinger Operators Whose Spectrum is an Interval

By approximation, I show that the spectrum of the Schrodinger operator with potential V(n) = f (nρ (mod 1)) for f continuous and \({\rho > 0, \rho \notin \mathbb{N}}\) is an interval.
Cellular variability of nonsense-mediated mRNA decay

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is an mRNA degradation pathway that eliminates transcripts containing premature termination codons (PTCs). Half-lives of the mRNAs containing PTCs demonstrate that a small percent escape surveillance and do not degrade. It is not known whether this escape represents variable mRNA degradation within cells or, alternatively cells within the population are resistant. Here we demonstrate a single-cell approach with a bi-directional reporter, which expresses two {beta}-globin genes with or without a PTC in the same cell, to characterize the efficiency of NMD in individual cells. We found a broad range of NMD efficiency in the population; some cells degraded essentially all of the mRNAs, while others escaped NMD almost completely. Characterization of NMD efficiency together with NMD regulators in single cells showed cell-to-cell variability of NMD reflects the differential level of surveillance factors, SMG1 and phosphorylated UPF1. A single-cell fluorescent reporter system that enabled detection of NMD using flow cytometry revealed that this escape occurred either by translational readthrough at the PTC or by a failure of mRNA degradation after successful translation termination at the PTC.
Diabetes, Obesity, COVID-19, Insulin, and Other Antidiabetes Drugs.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) viral infection, like other infections, triggers an inflammatory response that is usually confined to the respiratory system. However, there is evidence that in a full-blown case, almost all systems of the body may be involved. In addition, there is the syndrome of cytokine storm, characterized by severe systemic inflammation and a massive release of proinflammatory cytokines (1). It is well established that obesity and diabetes are major risk factors for COVID-19 infections and that the morbidity and mortality in association with these conditions is markedly increased. Since both obesity and diabetes are associated with chronic inflammation, it is likely that the inflammatory response to COVID-19 in such patients is affected by the background of chronic inflammation. This review aims to elucidate some of these processes and potential strategies to combat them.
Building a Health Services Research Program

Successful research related to surgical health services and outcomes requires organized effort and infrastructure. A combination of committed and well-trained investigators, well-managed resources, and a clear mission and vision form the basis for a strong surgical health services research program.