cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reliability Evaluation of Phased-Mission Systems With Imperfect Fault Coverage and Common-Cause Failures

This paper proposes efficient methods to assess the reliability of phased-mission systems (PMS) considering both imperfect fault coverage (IPC), and common-cause failures (CCF). The IPC introduces multimode failures that must be considered in the accurate reliability analysis of PMS. Another difficulty in analysis is to allow for multiple CCF that can affect different subsets of system components, and which can occur s-dependently. Our methodology for resolving the above difficulties is to separate the consideration of both IPC and CCF from the combinatorics of the binary decision diagram-based solution, and adjust the input and output of the program to generate the reliability of PMS with IPC and CCF. According to the separation order, two equivalent approaches are developed. The applications and advantages of the approaches are illustrated through examples. PMS without IPC and/or CCF appear as special cases of the approaches
Strategic alliances as social capital: a multidimensional view

Defining social capital in terms of the information benefits available to a firm due to its strategic alliances we present a theory of social capital that conceptualizes it as a multidimensional construct. We draw from the literature to argue that social capital yields three distinctly different kinds of information benefits in the form of information volume, information diversity, and information richness. This extends current theoretical and empirical research by specifying and empirically demonstrating three interrelated yet distinct dimensions of social capital. Firms vary in their levels of social capital not just on their structural position in an alliance network but also in the dynamics that underlie alliance formation and maintenance. More importantly, the different dimensions of social capital theoretically provide differential benefits. We establish the construct validity of our proposed three-dimensional conceptualization of social capital using longitudinal data on the population of strategic alliances formed during the period 1980–94 by firms in the global steel industry. In addition, we establish predictive validity by demonstrating that the information dimensions have differential effects on firm performance, using firm nationality as a contingency. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Development of a high performance UAV for flight control research

This paper summarizes the Phase I Airframe Development of an undergraduate research project for the Raptor 90 remote-controlled helicopter. The purpose of the project is to introduce the fundamentals of dynamics and control for rotorcraft to undergraduate engineers interested in control system theory. Follow on research for the Raptor 90 will include instrumentation and flight-testing for data collection. Controller development will be investigated using a dynamic model simulation of the Raptor 90 helicopter.
Epidemiology of Peripheral Artery Disease

New data on the epidemiology of peripheral artery disease (PAD) are available, and they should be integrated with previous data. We provide an updated, integrated overview of the epidemiology of PAD, a focused literature review was conducted on the epidemiology of PAD. The PAD results were grouped into symptoms, diagnosis, prevalence, and incidence both in the United States and globally, risk factors, progression, coprevalence with other atherosclerotic disease, and association with incident cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The most common symptom of PAD is intermittent claudication, but noninvasive measures, such as the ankle-brachial index, show that asymptomatic PAD is several times more common in the population than intermittent claudication. PAD prevalence and incidence are both sharply age-related, rising >10% among patients in their 60s and 70s. With aging of the global population, it seems likely that PAD will be increasingly common in the future. Prevalence seems to be higher among men than women for more severe or symptomatic disease. The major risk factors for PAD are similar to those for coronary and cerebrovascular disease, with some differences in the relative importance of factors. Smoking is a particularly strong risk factor for PAD, as is diabetes mellitus, and several newer risk markers have shown independent associations with PAD. PAD is strongly associated with concomitant coronary and cerebrovascular diseases. After adjustment for known cardiovascular disease risk factors, PAD is associated with an increased risk of incident coronary and cerebrovascular disease morbidity and mortality.
Flow variations of the Antarctic ice sheet from comparison of modern and historical satellite data

Since 1962, high quality satellite images of Antarctica have been acquired. The earliest images, from the Corona Program, have only recently become available to the science community. They reveal a rich variety of details about the ice sheet, ice shelves, grounding lines, and rocky areas. The most recent high-resolution images covering all of Antarctica were collected by the Canadian Radarsat-1 in September and October of 1997. That activity, a collaboration between NASA and the Canadian Space Agency, has resulted in the first, complete, high resolution SAR mapping of the Antarctic. The Radarsat images are also spectacular and graphically portray Antarctic ice streams, outlet glaciers, calving margins, and mountains. This paper examines how different Antarctic flow regimes have changed over the 35-year interval between Corona and Radarsat. Study areas focus on the Ross Ice Shelf and Crary Ice Rise. The comparison reveals dramatic variations in ice flow, particularly around Crary Ice Rise-an area of long standing glaciological interest because of its potential for retarding upstream flow.
Comprehension Monitoring in ESL Reading: A Neglected Essential

Successful reading comprehension depends not only on readers' ability to access appropriate content and formal schemata. It also depends on their ability to monitor what they understand and to take appropriate strategic action. L2 reading research and pedagogy might fruitfully be expanded to explore how different kinds of L2 students can be helped to monitor their reading comprehension. Suggestions in this article include how to introduce students to the concept and language of routine monitoring and, from L1 training studies, how to teach specific monitoring and repair strategies to individuals with special reading problems (reciprocal teaching—Palincsar & Brown, 1984) and to larger, more “average” groups (a think-aloud procedure—Bereiter & Bird, 1985). Our underlying knowledge about such monitoring behaviors might be viewed as strategy schemata, which, in addition to schemata for content and form, influence how we understand what we read. Learning to articulate this knowledge is thought to enhance learning, at least in the classroom context. Applications to the many L2 contexts remain to be explored.
Electrical conduction and T.S.D.C. of la1-x Ba x F3-x solid solutions

Abstract The small-signal a.c. response of cells with LaF3 or a solid solution La1-xBa x Fa-x (0≤x≤0.104) and ionically blocking electrodes has been measured in the frequency range 10-2 to 105 Hz, and for temperatures from 293 to 1300 K. At low and moderate temperatures the a.c. bulk response can be modeled with a Debye circuit. We have studied localized motions in LaF3 and the solid solutions using thermal depolarization techniques (T.S.D.C.) in the region 4 to 300 K. The T.S.D.C.-spectra reveal at least two dipolar relaxations, three other relaxations, and a peak due to relaxation of macroscopic space-charge.
The Weyl Operator

There are a number of ways one can define the Weyl operator but we choose the standard one and indeed it is the way Weyl did it [89]. The fundamental idea is to associate an operator, A(X,D), with the ordinary function, a(x, p), called a symbol or c-function.
Prevalence and characteristics of pancreatic cancer in families with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations

A growing body of research describes cancers other than breast and ovarian in families with BRCA1/2 mutations, but the prevalence and characteristics of pancreatic cancer in these families has not been well described. This study was designed to: (1) estimate the prevalence of pancreatic cancer in BRCA1/2 positive families; (2) ascertain age of onset and gender distribution of pancreatic cancer in this cohort; and (3) compare age and gender characteristics of pancreatic cancer in BRCA1/2 positive families with those of the general population. Within the UCSF Cancer Risk Program cohort, 24/219 (11.0%) BRCA1 and 17/156 (10.9%) BRCA2 families had at least 1 individual with pancreatic cancer. In the 24 BRCA1 families, median age of diagnosis was 59 (range 45-80) in males, and 68 (range 38-87) in females (male:female ratio = 2.00). In the 17 BRCA2 families, median age of diagnosis was 67 (range 39-78) in males and 59 (range 46-81) in females (male:female ratio = 1.11). The SEER database, which describes cancer characteristics in a representative sample of the US population, reports a median age of 70 in males and 74 in females (male:female ratio = 0.96) over the same time period. Additionally, mean ages of diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in BRCA1/2 families differ significantly from the SEER mean (P = 0.0014 for BRCA1 and P = 0.011 for BRCA2 by unpaired t-test). Our findings suggest that families with early onset pancreatic cancer and features of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer should be considered for BRCA1/2 testing.
Fast spectral domain algorithm for hybrid finite element/boundary integral modelling of doubly periodic structures

A fast integral equation algorithm is used for an efficient evaluation of the boundary integral (BI) termination in hybrid finite element (FE)/BI methods, as applied to three-dimensional doubly periodic structures. The method is referred to as a fast spectral domain algorithm (FSDA) since it uses the spectral Green's function representation to evaluate the matrix-vector products carried out within an iterative solver. The FSDA avoids explicit generation of the usual fully populated method of moments matrix. Instead, at each iteration, the actual current distribution is summed up in the spectral domain, and the spectral Floquet mode series (in the evaluation of the BI) is carried out only once per testing function. Thus, the FSDA leads to substantial central processing unit time and memory savings when applied within the FE/BI method for the analysis of infinite periodic structures. This is demonstrated by validation and timing results for a variety of array configurations, which are compared with results obtained using a conventional BI formulation and a BI formulation based on the adaptive integral method.
Scale-Dependent Habitat Selection of Nesting Great Egrets and Snowy Egrets

Abstract Foraging habitat selection of nesting Great Egrets (Ardea alba) and Snowy Egrets (Egretta thula) was investigated within an estuary with extensive impounded salt marsh habitat. Using a geographic information system, available habitat was partitioned into concentric bands at five, ten, and 15 km radius from nesting colonies to assess the relative effects of habitat composition and distance on habitat selection. Snowy Egrets were more likely than Great Egrets to depart colonies and travel to foraging sites in groups, but both species usually arrived at sites that were occupied by other wading birds. Mean flight distances were 6.2 km (SE = 0.4, N = 28, range 1.8-10.7 km) for Great Egrets and 4.7 km (SE = 0.48, N = 31, range 0.7-12.5 km) for Snowy Egrets. At the broadest spatial scale both species used impounded (mostly salt marsh) and estuarine edge habitat more than expected based on availability while avoiding unimpounded (mostly fresh water wetland) habitat. At more local scales habitat use match...
Regulator of G Protein Signaling 7 (RGS7) Can Exist in a Homo-oligomeric Form That Is Regulated by Gαo and R7-binding Protein

RGS (regulator of G protein signaling) proteins of the R7 subfamily (RGS6, -7, -9, and -11) are highly expressed in neurons where they regulate many physiological processes. R7 RGS proteins contain several distinct domains and form obligatory dimers with the atypical Gβ subunit, Gβ5 They also interact with other proteins such as R7-binding protein, R9-anchoring protein, and the orphan receptors GPR158 and GPR179. These interactions facilitate plasma membrane targeting and stability of R7 proteins and modulate their activity. Here, we investigated RGS7 complexes using in situ chemical cross-linking. We found that in mouse brain and transfected cells cross-linking causes formation of distinct RGS7 complexes. One of the products had the apparent molecular mass of ∼150 kDa on SDS-PAGE and did not contain Gβ5 Mass spectrometry analysis showed no other proteins to be present within the 150-kDa complex in the amount close to stoichiometric with RGS7. This finding suggested that RGS7 could form a homo-oligomer. Indeed, co-immunoprecipitation of differentially tagged RGS7 constructs, with or without chemical cross-linking, demonstrated RGS7 self-association. RGS7-RGS7 interaction required the DEP domain but not the RGS and DHEX domains or the Gβ5 subunit. Using transfected cells and knock-out mice, we demonstrated that R7-binding protein had a strong inhibitory effect on homo-oligomerization of RGS7. In contrast, our data indicated that GPR158 could bind to the RGS7 homo-oligomer without causing its dissociation. Co-expression of constitutively active Gαo prevented the RGS7-RGS7 interaction. These results reveal the existence of RGS protein homo-oligomers and show regulation of their assembly by R7 RGS-binding partners.
Disease Ecology Meets Ecosystem Science

Growing evidence indicates that parasites—when considered—can play influential roles in ecosystem structure and function, highlighting the need to integrate disease ecology and ecosystem science. To strengthen links between these traditionally disparate fields, we identified mechanisms through which parasites can affect ecosystems and used empirical literature searches to explore how commonly such mechanisms have been documented, the ecosystem properties affected, and the types of ecosystems in which they occur. Our results indicate that ecosystem-disease research has remained consistently rare, comprising less than 2% of disease ecology publications. Existing studies from terrestrial, freshwater, and marine systems, however, demonstrate that parasites can strongly affect (1) biogeochemical cycles of water, carbon, nutrients, and trace elements, (2) fluxes of biomass and energy, and (3) temporal ecosystem dynamics including disturbance, succession, and stability. Mechanistically, most studies have demonstrated density-mediated indirect effects, rather than trait-mediated effects, or direct effects of parasites, although whether this is representative remains unclear. Looking forward, we highlight the importance of applying traits-based approaches to predict when parasites are most likely to exert ecosystem-level effects. Future research should include efforts to extend host–parasite studies across levels of ecological organization, large-scale manipulations to experimentally quantify ecosystem roles of parasites, and the integration of parasites and disease into models of ecosystem functioning.
Acute coronary syndrome in the older adults.

Coronary heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the developed world. Advanced age is the single strongest risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) and independent predictor for poor outcomes following an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). ACS refers to a spectrum of conditions compatible with acute myocardial ischemia and/or infarction due to various degrees of reduction in coronary blood flow as a result of plaque rupture/erosion and thrombosis formation or supply and demand mismatch. Unstable angina and non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction are often continuous and clinically indistinguishable, collectively referred as non-ST elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS). An abrupt total occlusion of a coronary artery causing transmural myocardial ischemia/necrosis and displaying ST segment elevation or new left bundle branch block on a12-lead ECG leads to the diagnosis of ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). NSTE-ACS and STEMI require acute cardiac care. Professional societies have established guidelines for high quality contemporary care for ACS patients, i.e., American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology guidelines for STEMI and NSTE-ACS, European Society of Cardiology guidelines for STEMI and NSTE-ACS, and the United Kingdom National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines for STEMI and NSTE-ACS.[1]–[6] Implementation of evidence-based therapies has significantly decreased mortality and morbidities of ACS.[3],[7],[8] However, these advancements in ACS management have not equally improved outcomes for older adults. Vulnerable older patients continue to be at high risk of poor outcomes, are less likely to receive evidence based care, and have high mortality rates regardless of treatments given.[9],[10] These disparities and challenges in caring for ACS in older adults are well recognized.[11]–[13] This review summarizes the increasing burden and persistent unfavorable outcome of ACS in older adults, and discusses the clinical presentation, diagnosis and strategies for medical and invasive therapy.
The Cesàro Kernel Transformation

(1942). The Cesaro Kernel Transformation. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 49, No. 5, pp. 296-301.
Pharmacologic Cardiovascular Support

Inotropic drugs are administered to improve cardiac performance and increase oxygen delivery to the tissues. These agents, however, also possess a variety of adverse effects. This article discusses the role of phosphodiesterase inhibitors, digitalis, beta-adrenergic agonists (dopamine, epinephrine, and dobutamine), alpha-adrenergic agonists, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and thyroid hormone in the treatment of impaired cardiac contractility during critical illness.
Net neutrality, Facebook, and India’s battle to #SaveTheInternet:

In August 2013, Facebook, in a partnership with a few other companies, launched Internet.org—a new service that aimed to bring low cost and subsidized access to a few selected Internet services to ...
Statistical Studies of Induced and Triggered Seismicity at The Geysers, California

This study considers the statistics of fluid-induced and remotely triggered seismicity at The Geysers geothermal field, California. Little seismicity was reported before steam extraction began in 1960. Beginning in 1980 the residual water associated with power generation was re-injected, producing induced seismicity. Beginning in 1997 large-scale injections of cold water began to enhance the generation of steam. This led to an increase in M 6.02 South Napa earthquake triggered an M ≈ 4.38 event as well as some 80 other M > 1.25 events. The GR and decay statistics are given. However, to separate aftershocks from remotely triggered earthquakes, an additional triggered sequence is studied. The M = 7.2 4/4/10 Baja earthquake triggered some 34 M > 1.25 earthquakes at The Geysers in the first hour including an M = 3.37 event. We conclude that the remotely triggered seismicity is dominated by local aftershocks of the larger remotely triggered earthquakes.
Health, the Environment, and the Urban Community

The health of a community must be viewed from a three-dimensional perspective: (a) personal health, (b) environmental health, and (c) social conditions related to health. Not only are the physical, chemical, and biological components of the environment significant determinants of community health, but the problems of poverty, substandard housing, stressful occupational environments, and unemployment are also integrated constituents of health and well-being. Accordingly, health service programs cannot be compartmentalized; they must reflect the three-dimensions of health and they must be designed to achieve the goals and objectives necessary to improve community health.
The Relevance of Ultrasound Imaging of Suspicious Axillary Lymph Nodes and Fine-needle Aspiration Biopsy in the Post-ACOSOG Z11 Era in Early Breast Cancer

Rationale and Objectives Evaluation of nodal involvement in early-stage breast cancers (T1 or T2) changed following the Z11 trial; however, not all patients meet the Z11 inclusion criteria. Hence, the relevance of ultrasound imaging of the axilla and fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNA) in early-stage breast cancers was investigated. Materials and Methods In this single-center, retrospective study, 758 subjects had pathology-verified breast cancer diagnosis over a 3-year period, of which 128 subjects with T1 or T2 breast tumors had abnormal axillary lymph nodes on ultrasound, had FNA, and proceeded to axillary surgery. Ultrasound images were reviewed and analyzed using multivariable logistic regression to identify the features predictive of positive FNA. Accuracy of FNA was quantified as the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve with axillary surgery as reference standard. Results Of 128 subjects, 61 were positive on FNA and 65 were positive on axillary surgery. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of FNA were 52 of 65 (80%), 54 of 63 (85.7%), 52 of 61(85.2%), and 54 of 67 (80.5%), respectively. After adjusting for neoadjuvant chemotherapy between FNA and surgery, a positive FNA was associated with higher likelihood for positive axillary surgery (odds ratio: 22.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.2–71.3, P P Conclusions Ultrasound imaging and FNA can play an important role in the management of early breast cancers even in the post-Z11 era. Higher weightage can be accorded to cortical thickness and hilum during ultrasound evaluation.
Rationality, Dispositions, and the Newcomb Paradox

Soulevant l'ambiguite de la description du jeu dans le paradoxe de Newcomb, d'une part, et soulignant la difficulte liee a l'utilisation du terme rationnel, d'autre part, l'A. etudie les solutions respectives apportees par D. Gauthier et D. Parfitt, qui different en fonction de la version adoptee - celle du cas de la surprise ou celle du cas de l'attente - et en fonction des dispositions adoptees par les agents en termes d'idealisations du probleme
Clinical implications of the melanopsin-based non–image-forming visual system

Since the discovery of the non-image-forming visual system, tremendous research efforts have been dedicated to understanding its mechanisms and functional roles. Original functions associated with the melanopsin system include the photoentrainment of circadian sleep-wake cycles and the pupillary light reflex. Recent findings, however, suggest a much broader involvement of this system in an array of physiologic responses to light. This newfound insight into the underlying function of the non-image-forming system has revealed the many connections to human pathology and attendant disease states, including seasonal affective disorder, migraine, glaucoma, inherited mitochondrial optic neuropathy, and sleep dysregulation of aging. In this review, the authors discuss in detail the clinical implications of the melanopsin system.
INDUCTION OF N- AND C-HYDROXYLATIONS OF 2-ACETYLAMINOFLUORENE IN RAT HYPERPLASTIC LIVER NODULES AND HEPATOMAS

The 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) induction of both C- and N-hydroxylations of 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) was measured in normal rat liver, established hepatoma cell lines, and during the development of chemically initiated rat hepatoma. The induction of C-hydroxylation (principally 7- and 5-hydroxylations) of AAF was maintained in the early hyperplastic nodules whereas the induction of N-hydroxylation was rapidly decreased during the course of hyperplastic liver nodules formation. The TCDD induction of C- and N-hydroxylations of AAF in the hepatoma cell lines differed according to the differentiation sites of the cells. It is concluded that the regulation of monooxygenase induction by TCDD in premalignant rat liver tissue and hepatoma cell lines is under similar control as observed in fetal and neonatal liver.
The Biology of Stricture Formation After Esophageal Atresia Repair

An anastomotic stricture after an apparent satisfactory repair of esophageal atresia (EA) can be a vexing problem for all concerned. Post-repair strictures are common and vary widely in severity; nevertheless, they are important enough that their formation and treatment have been studied by pediatric surgeons and GI specialists. The basic science of wound healing and contraction has been a fertile research area, very applicable to the clinical situation. Whether from clinical sources or studies of cellular events, the information can provide helpful guidance for the treatment of strictures.
Analysis of Time Delay Attacks against Power Grid Stability

The modern power grid, as a critical national infrastructure, is operated as a cyber-physical system. While the Wide-Area Monitoring, Protection and Control Systems (WAMPCS) in the power grid ensures stable dynamical responses by allowing real-time remote control and collecting measurement over across the power grid, they also expose the power grid to potential cyber-attacks. In this paper, we analyze the effects of Time Delay Attacks (TDAs), which disturb stability of the power grid by simply delaying the transfer of measurement and control demands over the grid's cyber infrastructure. Different from the existing work which simulates TDAs' impacts under specific scenarios, we come up with a generic analytical framework to derive the TDAs' effective conditions. In particular, we propose three concepts of TDA margins, TDA boundary, and TDA surface to define the insecure zones where TDAs are able to destabilize the grid. The proposed concepts and analytical results are exemplified in the context of Load Frequency Control (LFC), but can be generalized to other power control applications.
Adjunct steroids in the treatment of peritonsillar abscess: A systematic review

Objectives This study systematically reviews the existing literature on the efficacy of adjuvant corticosteroids in improving clinical outcomes after peritonsillar abscess (PTA) drainage. Study Design Systematic review. Methods We performed a literature search of MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to June 2016. Inclusion criteria included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating adjuvant corticosteroids after PTA drainage. Data were systematically collected on study design, patient demographics, and clinical characteristics. Two independent investigators reviewed all manuscripts and summarized the data. Results Three RCTs comprising 153 patients were included. The results were not pooled due to heterogeneity in the method in which outcomes were measured and reported. The trials also varied on the type of steroid (dexamethasone, methylprednisolone) administered and method of drainage (incision, aspiration). All three RCTs reported statistically significant improvement in body temperature from adjuvant steroid administration compared to placebo. Pain scores, mouth opening, time to painless oral intake, and duration of hospitalization were significantly improved in only one or two of the three RCTs between the steroid and control group. No adverse side effects from steroid administration were reported. Conclusions Steroids as an adjunct therapy to the treatment of PTA may result in faster recovery. However, further investigation with larger RCTs and standardized outcomes are warranted. Level of Evidence 1a. Laryngoscope, 128:72–77, 2018
Women as Outsiders: Princesses, Defilement, and Buddhist Salvation

This chapter examines the consequences for women arising from the fact that the Chinese patrilineal imaginary is organized around a model-cum-fantasy of agency or subjectivity based on a son’s filial action. A well-known mythic narrative—the story of Princess Miaoshan—serves as a starting point for the analysis. The story focuses on a vexed daughter–father relationship and is thus in some respects complementary to the story of Nezha. Women constitute a problem for patriliny’s defining conceit—to wit, that son-agents invoke transcendent father figures in fantasies of self-production. The chapter also complicates a widely noted assumption to the effect that Buddhism and Confucianism conflict with respect to family values, arguing for a deeper congruence with respect to women. In addition to mythic narrative, the chapter discusses ethnobiological beliefs, gender ideologies, funerary practices, ideas about female pollution, cults of female deities, and depictions of family dynamics.
Electrospray mode transition of microdroplets with semiconductor nanoparticle suspension.

Electrosprays operate in several modes depending on the flow rate and electric potential. This allows the deposition of droplets containing nanoparticles into discrete nanodot arrays to fabricate various electronic devices. In this study, seven different suspensions with varying properties were investigated. In the dripping mode, the normalized dropsize decreases linearly with electric capillary number, Ca e , (ratio of electric to surface tension forces) up to Ca e ≈ 1.0. The effect of viscous forces is found to be negligible in the dripping mode since the capillary number is small. For flow rates with low Reynolds number, the mode changes to microdripping mode, and then to a planar oscillating microdripping mode as Ca e increases. The normalized dropsize remains nearly constant at 0.07 for Ca e > 3.3. The microdripping mode which is important for depositing discrete array of nanodots is found to occur in the range, 2 ≤ Ca e ≤ 2.5. The droplet frequency increases steadily from dripping to microdripping mode, but stays roughly constant in the oscillating microdripping mode. This work provides a physical basis by which the flow rate and the voltage can be chosen for any nanosuspension to precisely operate in the microdripping mode at a predetermined dropsize and droplet frequency.
Psychotropic Medications for Youth in Child Welfare: Developing and Pilot-Testing A Field Guide for Team Decision-Making

High rates of children involved with the child welfare system are prescribed psychotropics. In response, federal legislation has mandated state child welfare agencies to develop policies to improve...
Developments in Particle Physics

Leptons and quarks (the only known fermions) come in families, each consisting of fifteen chiral fields. Today, there are two known families which are complete, and an incomplete third one. Only the top quark remains to be discovered, and we will have three complete families. Toponium has not yet been discovered, so that the top quark must weigh more than 18 GeV. I have predicted that it weighs 20 GeV, and this prediction will be put to the test in the near future at PETRA. My prediction follows from a single simple and plausible but not certain hypothesis: that the matrices describing the masses of up quarks, down quarks, and charged leptons are linearly dependent. Are there more than three families in Nature ? Each known family contains a massless or nearly massless neutrino. There cannot be many of these, we are assured by the astrophysicists. They affect the expansion rate of the universe at the time of helium synthesis. We cannot exclude the possible existence of a fourth family, but there surely cannot be ten families with ten very light neutrinos. When LEP is built, we can measure directly the number of neutrinos. Then, perhaps, we shall know how many fermion families there are. Why do all the fermion families transform as equivalent 15-dimensional representations of SU(3) × SU(2) × U(l), the gauge group of strong and electroweak interactions ? We do not know. Other representations are conceivable: quixes and quaits have been discussed by theorists. Here are more questions we cannot answer: why are most (if not all) of the fermions so light ? There is a natural mass scale, MF = 250 GeV, which characterizes the electroweak interaction and which provides the source of fermion masses through the intervention of Yukawa couplings of Higgs bosons. For the electron, the coupling constant is only 2 × 10−6. Why is it so small ? Should not the W and Z have fermionic cousins with comparable masses ? To find out, we shall need a 10 TeV high-luminosity hadron collider.
Fair Division of a Random Harvest: The Finite Case

A resource such as an orchard is owned jointly by m agents, the t'th agent's share of the resource being θi,. The yield of the resource (the harvest) and the utilities of each agent are functions of the state of nature. A fair distribution scheme is one that is (1) (Pareto) optimal and that (2) gives each agent an expected consumption proportional to his share of the resource. We show that with the usual concavity assumptions on utilities, there always exists one and only one fair distribution scheme. The proof is achieved by constructing a suitable social welfare function which is maximized at the desired distribution scheme.
Multivariate Morphometrics of Bottlenecked Populations

In one way or another population bottlenecks and/or founder events have played critical roles in theories of speciation, including those of Mayr (1954, 1970, 1982), Carson (1968, 1975, 1982) and Templeton (1980a,b). In Mayr’s view (1954) the internal genetic change fostered by these founder events is “the most drastic change (except for polyploidy and hybridization) which may occur in a natural population, since it may affect all loci at once.” Basically, these speciation models envisage founder events as disruptive to established genetic relationships among polygenic traits, thereby creating opportunity for establishing new polygenic balances. In Carson’s founder flush theory, for example, he suggests that the genetic architecture can be viewed as containing “open” and “closed” portions. The “open” portion would largely have an additive genetic basis, be responsive to selection, and account for variation within species, while the “closed” portion would largely have a nonadditive genetic basis, be unresponsive to selection, and account for variation between species. Bottlenecks would then “unlock” the closed genetic system and allow for divergence of polygeneic traits in ways that would not normally occur within species.
The Ideal Photon Detector

We now treat the optical and infrared detection process by postulating the ideal photon detector. This is a device that samples the incident radiation and produces a current proportional to the total power incident upon the the detector surface. We first consider the fundamental principles of detection, then the noise associated with the detection process, and, finally, analyze two limiting forms of detection, signal-noise limited and background-noise limited. In the latter case, we shall use the results of Chapter 1 to find the limiting sensitivity in the presence of thermal radiation. The treatment in this section ignores noise from the following amplifier stages as well as noise sources peculiar to real devices; however, the results set the absolute limits of sensitivity for a device that exhibits ideal behavior.
Uncertainty, type-2 fuzzy sets, and footprints of uncertainty

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the effects of four kinds of uncertainties that can occur in type-2 fuzzy logic systems. The chapter defines type-2 fuzzy set terms and provides a small catalog of footprint of uncertainty (FOU). The nature of these uncertainties is captured in FOU of a type-2 membership function. The original fuzzy logic (FL), founded by Lotfi Zadeh, has been around for more than 37 years, as of the year 2002, and yet it is unable to handle uncertainties. An expanded FL—type-2 FL—is now able to handle uncertainties because it can model them and minimize their effects and if all uncertainties disappear, type-2 FL reduces to type-1 FL in much the same way that if randomness disappears probability reduces to determinism. A rule-based fuzzy logic system (FLS) contains four components—rules, fuzzifier, inference engine, and output processor—that are inter-connected. This kind of FLS is very widely used in many engineering applications of FL, and known as 2i fuzzy controller, fuzzy system or fuzzy model. Optimizing the Membership functions (MF) parameter values of type-2 fuzzy sets can minimize the effects of these uncertainties.
Fault tolerant one-sided matrix decompositions on heterogeneous systems with GPUs

Current algorithm-based fault tolerance (ABFT) approach for one-sided matrix decomposition on heterogeneous systems with GPUs have following limitations: (1) they do not provide sufficient protection as most of them only maintain checksum in one dimension; (2) their checking scheme is not efficient due to redundant checksum verifications; (3) they fail to protect PCIe communication; and (4) the checksum calculation based on a special type of matrix multiplication is far from efficient. By overcoming the above limitations, we design an efficient ABFT approach providing stronger protection for one-sided matrix decomposition methods on heterogeneous systems. First, we provide full matrix protection by using checksums in two dimensions. Second, our checking scheme is more efficient by prioritizing the checksum verification according to the sensitivity of matrix operations to soft errors. Third, we protect PCIe communication by reordering checksum verifications and decomposition steps. Fourth, we accelerate the checksum calculation by 1.7x via better utilizing GPUs.
Mesenteric Ischemia: When to Operate, What to Resect, and When to Reoperate

Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) is a rare and a notoriously difficult diagnosis to make, as presentation can be non-specific and there are no reliable biochemical markers specific to the diagnosis. A high level of clinical suspicion along with imaging findings help are the most helpful in diagnosing this disease with a high mortality rate. This chapter aims to highlight the classification of acute mesenteric ischemia—arterial embolism, arterial thrombosis, non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia, and venous thrombosis—as well as the management options of each type of AMI, which differs depending on etiology.
Conformational Change and Assembly through Edge β Strands in Transthyretin and Other Amyloid Proteins

Numerous diseases are characterized by the formation of insoluble, amyloid protein fibrils. Intensive investigations are beginning to unravel the detailed molecular and structural principles that underlie the spontaneous formation of these fibrils. The amyloid protein transthyretin serves as an excellent system for dissecting the conformational changes and ensuing subunit-subunit associations that lead to amyloid. One working model for tranthyretin amyloid involves the exposure of an "unprotected" edge beta strand, followed by symmetric assembly of subunits to give head-to-head and tail-to-tail protofibrils. The models and principles emerging from studies on transthyretin lead to connections to other amyloid systems.
The Moderating Impact of Quantitative Information on the Relationship between Source Credibility and Persuasion: A Persuasion Knowledge Model Interpretation

An experiment manipulated source expertise, source bias, and message format. The findings reveal that expert sources are expected to quantify message claims whereas non-expert sources are not. Persuasion is greater when these expectations are met versus when the source and the message format are incongruent, but only when the source also has self-interest in the advocacy. It appears that source-message incongruity and source bias focus attention on the source and, in combination, lead to negative inferences about the source's manipulative intent. This interpretation is consistent with the Persuasion Knowledge Model (Friestad and Wright 1994).
A Dual-Lumen Bicaval Cannula for Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Background Single-site, dual-lumen venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation ECMO) facilitates mobilization, reduces recirculation, and mitigates insertion and infectious risks of an additional access site. This study reports the experience with a bicaval dual-lumen cannula that comprises a robust physical design allowing for easy and safe cannulation, precise positioning and monitoring, and appropriate physiologic support for patients with acute respiratory failure. Methods Statistical analysis was performed from data gathered retrospectively from the electronic medical records of 20 adult patients who were cannulated for ECMO with this bicaval dual-lumen cannula from August 2018 through May 2019. Results Gas exchange and blood flow were optimized in all patients after cannulation (median pH, 7.42 [interquartile range {IQR}, 7.39, 7.44], ratio of arterial partial pressure of oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen, 186.5 [Pa o 2:Fi o 2, 116.5, 247.0]; pump flow, 3.9 L/min [IQR, 3.1, 4.3]). Eleven patients (55%) were able to be freed from mechanical ventilation after cannulation, 9 (45%) patients underwent a tracheostomy procedure while undergoing ECMO, and no patients required reintubation. No morbidity or mortality was related to the cannulation strategy or the catheter. Two patients required cannula repositioning. Survival to decannulation was 90%, and survival to hospital discharge was 80%. Conclusions The bicaval dual-lumen cannula maintains the advantages of upper body single-site configuration to provide the adjunctive respiratory support necessary to facilitate awakening and rehabilitation while minimizing the use of invasive mechanical ventilation. This cannula introduces design qualities that may offer advantages for acute respiratory failure requiring venovenous ECMO.
Anti-abortion Policymaking and Women’s Representation:

To what extent and under what conditions do women in elective office lead the way on conservative women’s interests? The few existing studies find that, contrary to most research on women’s descrip...
Impact of Diabetes Mellitus on Stroke and Survival in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.

Although diabetes mellitus (DM) has been established as a risk factor for developing atrial fibrillation (AF) and is a known risk factor for stroke, it is unclear whether the presence or duration of DM is the primary adverse influence on the clinical course of AF. We retrospectively analyzed patients diagnosed with incident AF to examine the impact of DM on ischemic stroke and all-cause mortality. The diagnosis of DM was established by ICD-9 codes and review of medical records. To account for the significant differences in baseline characteristics of patients with and without diabetes, we matched 909 AF patients with DM with 909 AF patients without DM using propensity score matching based on 26 baseline variables. Cox regression analysis was used to identify independent factors associated with ischemic stroke and mortality. The mean age of the propensity matched cohort was 74 ± 11.5 years and 55.4% were male. Over a median follow-up period of 5.4 years (maximum 23.9 years), cumulative survival was significantly lower for patients with DM than those without DM; Log-rank p
Morel-Lavallée lesions (internal degloving injuries) of the lower extremity in the pediatric and adolescent population.

To describe the largest case series of lower extremity traumatic internal degloving injury, i.e. Morel-Lavallee lesion (MLL) in the pediatric and adolescent population, its treatment and outcomes. ...
Endoscopic anterior-posterior cricoid split to avoid tracheostomy in infants with bilateral vocal fold paralysis.

Abstract Introduction Infants with bilateral vocal fold paralysis (BVFP) can present with stridor and respiratory distress necessitating tracheostomy. The endoscopic anterior-posterior cricoid split (APCS) with balloon dilation procedure has been described as an alternative to tracheostomy in these patients. Here, we report our institution's preliminary experience with APCS and evaluate patient factors that may predispose to the success or failure of this procedure in infants with BVFP. Methods Electronic charts of patients who underwent APCS with balloon dilation at a single institution were reviewed for the following variables: patient demographics, comorbidities, etiology of vocal fold paralysis, symptoms at presentation, need for respiratory support, intra-operative findings, duration of intubation, perioperative medical treatments, subsequent airway management, and findings of follow-up evaluations. APCS was considered successful if the patient did not undergo tracheostomy. Results Six patients underwent APCS with balloon dilation between August 2014 and October 2019. Four patients (66.7%) were male, and 5 of 6 (83.3%) were born full term. The etiology of vocal fold paralysis was idiopathic in four patients (66.7%) and associated with a neuromuscular disorder and hydrocephalus in the remaining two patients. Mean age at the time of the procedure was 10.3 weeks. Three infants (50%) avoided tracheostomy and had marked alleviation of airway symptoms. Three patients who required tracheostomy had more severe respiratory symptoms pre-operatively, requiring either intubation or positive pressure support. Among all patients, there were no mortalities in our series. Conclusion APCS is safe and may be effective at the elimination of airway symptoms in select infants with BVFP, avoiding the need for tracheostomy, however more investigation is needed to establish its precise role in this patient population.
Analysis of Glucose Levels in Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19 During the First Phase of This Pandemic in West Texas.

Background:Patients with hyperglycemia during hospitalization, especially during ICU hospitalizations, often have worse outcomes, even if they do not have a premorbid diagnosis of diabetes. High gl...
The Type 1 Diabetes Composite Score: An Innovative Metric for Measuring Patient Care Outcomes Beyond Hemoglobin A1c.

Introduction Patient outcomes resulting from optimal type 1 diabetes (T1D) care have historically focused on driving a single metric, hemoglobin A1c. Our objectives were to design, build, and launch an aggregate clinical indicator that comprehensively reflects patient management status beyond hemoglobin A1c alone. This project aimed to show proof of principle that an aggregate score comprised of T1D outcome metrics could be built to track quality performance. Methods We established an electronic medical record-based diabetes registry and utilized its population health modules to design and build this diabetes care metric. Elements representing optimal diabetes management, as defined by current guidelines and expert opinion, were identified. Nine elements fall into categories of management tools, care assessments, and complications risk. The Type 1 Diabetes Composite Score (T1DCS) aggregates these outcome measures to reflect the overall diabetes care status for each patient. Higher scores suggest better management and overall improved patient health. Results We launched this metric build in November 2018 and applied the scoring to our T1D population (≈1,900 patients). The T1DCS quickly provides a summary of current diabetes management status. T1DCS viewed over the registry cohort demonstrates a normal distribution, and scores improved from March to September 2019, reflecting better care and outcomes, and illustrating the potential to track program effectiveness. Conclusions The T1DCS is a useful metric to evaluate the clinical status of T1D patients, assess the capability of a clinical program to achieve optimal diabetes outcomes, identify patient diversity opportunities, and document outcome improvement as a novel comprehensive quality measure.