cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reinvention and retrenchment: Lessons from the application of the New Zealand model to Alberta, Canada

Is New Zealand a model for “reinventing” government and cutting spending? The government of Alberta, Canada, consciously replicated significant elements of the New Zealand model to attain fiscal balance and public sector reorganization, including the core element of restructuring institutions to change individual behavior. Despite broad similarities in policy content and outcome, differences in the specific content of policy and the politics of policy implementation led to differences in the sustainability of reform and the location of budget cuts. Alberta's Progressive Conservative party emphasized expenditure cuts where both the New Zealand Labour and National parties emphasized government reorganization and the introduction of market mechanisms. Contrasting these efforts to balance budgets and reinvent government suggests that there is considerable variation in the “model,” and that left governments in general are probably more likely to pursue and succeed at the reinvention of government, while stinting fiscal balance. Right governments, on the other hand, are more likely to achieve short-run fiscal balance at the expense of successful reinvention. In turn this suggests that while the partisan orientation of the reforming party matters, neither has an ideal policy mix for long-term fiscal stability. Alternation of governments may provide the best policy mix.
Targets of enteric motor neurones: smooth muscle cells.

The cellular targets of enteric motor neurones are gastrointestinal smooth muscle cells, interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), motor neurones themselves, neuroendocrine cells, mucosal secretory and absorptive cells, secretory glands, blood vessels, and immune cells.1 The effects of motor neurones on smooth muscles, particularly the circular muscle cells and ICCs, are precise in timing whereas their effects on other targets may be somewhat diffuse and long lasting. The enteric motor neurones themselves are targets for intrinsic sensory neurones, enteric interneurones, motor neurones, axons of extrinsic primary afferents, vagal-sacral preganglionic neurones, sympathetic postganglionic neurones, and local and endocrine mediators. The major physiological neurotransmitters of motor neurones are acetylcholine (ACh), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), tachykinins (substance P and neurokinin (NK) A), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-pituitary activating cyclic AMP peptide, and nitric oxide (NO).1 Release of neurotransmitter such …
The Effect of Vertical Wind Shear on Radiative-Convective Equilibrium States

Abstract Using a three-dimensional cloud ensemble model, a systematic exploration is undertaken of radiative–convective equilibrium states as a function of the structure and magnitude of an imposed background flow with vertical shear. In such simulations, mesoscale organization appears naturally, independent of the particulars of the initial condition. As the magnitude of an imposed low-level shear increases, the convection becomes increasingly organized in lines or arcs, propagating broadly downshear, as predicted by earlier work. When the shear is very strong, the convection tends to organize into lines at an angle to the shear, such that the line-normal component is not far from its theoretical optimal value. Midlevel shear favors shear-parallel lines, but if it occurs in conjunction with sufficiently strong low-level shear, the convection can become very strongly organized into lines or arcs generally orthogonal to the low-level shear. Optimal organization occurs when the depth of the shear layer is c...
Magnetic Losses in Thick Barium-Hexaferrite Films on MgO (111)

Barium hexaferrite films having thickness from 3 to 30 μm were deposited onto 0.5 mm Magnesium Oxide (111) substrates, and were examined by vibrating sample magnetometry, torque magnetometry, x-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscope measurements. Ferrimagnetic resonance measurements were taken with the magnetic field applied perpendicular to the film plane. The FMR linewidth values for as-produced 3 - 30 μm films was 0.45 - 0.70 kOe, and was reduced to 0.06 - 0.45 kOe after annealing at 1000 °C for 2 hours. Further annealing increased the linewidth. The FMR linewidth for the 30 μm thick film was also found to decrease upon mechanically removing 55 ∼ 77 % of the substrate thickness. A 6-fold in-plane anistropy symmetry in the anisotropy energy was observed in torque magnetometry measurements for films thicker than 30 μm. These results can be interpreted as due to film inhomogeneity, stress, and the growth of small regions of non c-axis textured material.
A Finite Element Theory for Predicting the Attenuation of Extended-Reacting Liners

A non-modal finite element theory for predicting the attenuation of an extended-reacting liner containing a porous facesheet and located in a no-flow duct is presented. The mathematical approach is to solve separate wave equations in the liner and duct airway and to couple these two solutions by invoking kinematic constraints at the facesheet that are consistent with a continuum theory of fluid motion. Given the liner intrinsic properties, a weak Galerkin finite element formulation with cubic polynomial basis functions is used as the basis for generating a discrete system of acoustic equations that are solved to obtain the coupled acoustic field. A state-of-the-art, asymmetric, parallel, sparse equation solver is implemented that allows tens of thousands of grid points to be analyzed. A grid refinement study is presented to show that the predicted attenuation converges. Excellent comparison of the numerically predicted attenuation to that of a mode theory (using a Haynes 25 metal foam liner) is used to validate the computational approach. Simulations are also presented for fifteen porous plate, extended-reacting liners. The construction of some of the porous plate liners suggest that they should behave as resonant liners while the construction of others suggest that they should behave as broadband attenuators. In each case the finite element theory is observed to predict the proper attenuation trend.
The role of mismatch repair in DNA damage-induced apoptosis.

DNA mismatch repair plays a critical role in maintaining genomic integrity. Defects in human mismatch repair are the primary cause of certain types of cancer, including hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer. In the past, the ability of mismatch repair proteins to correct DNA mismatches that occur during DNA replication, repair, and recombination was considered the primary mechanism by which it contributes to genomic stability. However, increasing evidence supports the idea that the mismatch repair system also contributes to genome stability by stimulating DNA damage-induced apoptosis as part of the cytotoxic response to physical and chemical agents. MutS/MutL homologues mediate the process of apoptosis by binding to DNA adducts and either provoking futile repair events or blocking steps in DNA metabolism (i.e., DNA replication and/or repair). This damage recognition step by mismatch repair (MMR) proteins stimulates a signaling cascade for apoptosis, resulting in activation of protein kinase(s) that phosphorylate p53 and/or the related protein p73. Activated p53 and p73 in turn transmit a signal to the apoptotic machinery to execute cell death. The goal of this commentary is to discuss the molecular mechanism(s) by which mismatch repair proteins stimulate apoptosis.
Role of 20-HETE in mediating the effect of dietary K intake on the apical K channels in the mTAL.

We have used the patch-clamp technique to study the effect of dietary K intake on the apical K channels in the medullary thick ascending limb (mTAL) of rat kidneys. The channel activity, defined by...
Refractory elbow arthrofibrosis. A report of four cases.

Most patients with elbow stiffness have contractures proportional in severity to the initial insult. However, there is a subset of individuals who have stiffness after relatively minor events and who experience repeated early recurrences after soft-tissue contracture release. The purpose of the present report was to describe the clinical features and outcomes for patients presenting with such a condition, which we term refractory elbow arthrofibrosis. The elbow has a certain propensity for the development of stiffness after injuries or surgery1,2. Contracture of the capsule with extensive fibrosis is a central pathologic element in most stiff elbows, but the severity of capsular fibrosis varies considerably from patient to patient. There is some association between the severity of the initial insult to the joint and the intensity of the fibrotic capsular response. Several studies have documented predictable and permanent improvements in motion when the abnormal capsule is surgically removed3-6. Over the last few years, we evaluated and managed a subset of individuals who had a severe capsular contracture that was out of proportion to the relatively benign nature of the initial insult and who had a persistent tendency to experience recurrent contractures despite repeated treatment attempts. We are unaware of other reports of this condition. We used strict criteria to include patients in this report, recognizing that there is a spectrum of severity of this condition. Although the intimate biologic mechanisms underlying this fibrotic response are yet to be elucidated, the purposes of this study were to describe the clinical features and treatment outcome of this condition, to caution against multiple surgical attempts in this patient population, and to stimulate the exploration of alternative diagnostic and potential biologic treatment modalities. Institutional review board approval was obtained. The patients were informed that data concerning their …
Directed Evolution of a Highly Specific FN3 Monobody to the SH3 Domain of Human Lyn Tyrosine Kinase

Affinity reagents of high affinity and specificity are very useful for studying the subcellular locations and quantities of individual proteins. To generate high-quality affinity reagents for human Lyn tyrosine kinase, a phage display library of fibronectin type III (FN3) monobodies was affinity selected with a recombinant form of the Lyn SH3 domain. While a highly specific monobody, TA8, was initially isolated, we chose to improve its affinity through directed evolution. A secondary library of 1.2 × 109 variants was constructed and screened by affinity selection, yielding three variants, two of which have affinities of ~ 40 nM, a 130-fold increase over the original TA8 monobody. One of the variants, 2H7, displayed high specificity to the Lyn SH3 domain, as shown by ELISA and probing arrays of 150 SH3 domains. Furthermore, the 2H7 monobody was able to pull down endogenous Lyn from a lysate of Burkitt's lymphoma cells, thereby demonstrating its utility as an affinity reagent for detecting Lyn in a complex biological mixture.
Origins and patterning of avian outflow tract endocardium.

Outflow tract endocardium links the atrioventricular lining, which develops from cardiogenic plate mesoderm, with aortic arches, whose lining forms collectively from splanchnopleuric endothelial channels, local endothelial vesicles, and invasive angioblasts. At two discrete sites, outflow tract endocardial cells participate in morphogenetic events not within the repertoire of neighboring endocardium: they form mesenchymal precursors of endocardial cushions. The objectives of this research were to document the history of outflow tract endocardium in the avian embryo immediately prior to development of the heart, and to ascertain which, if any, aspects of this history are necessary to acquire cushion-forming potential. Paraxial and lateral mesodermal tissues from between somitomere 3 (midbrain level) and somite 5 were grafted from quail into chick embryos at 3–10 somite stages and, after 2–5 days incubation, survivors were fixed and sectioned. Tissues were stained with the Feulgen reaction to visualize the quail nuclear marker or with antibodies (monoclonal QH1 or polyclonals) that recognize quail but not chick cells. Many quail endothelial cells lose the characteristic nuclear heterochromatin marker, but they retain the species-specific epitope recognized by these antibodies. Precursors of outflow tract but not atrioventricular endocardium are present in cephalic paraxial and lateral mesoderm, with their greatest concentration at the level of the otic placode. Furthermore, the ventral movement of individual angiogenic cells is a normal antecedent to outflow tract formation. Cardiac myocytes were never derived from grafted head mesoderm. Thus, unlike the atrioventricular regions of the heart, outflow tract endocardial and myocardial precursors do not share a congruent embryonic history. The results of heterotopic transplantation, in which trunk paraxial or lateral mesoderm was grafted into the head, were identical, including the formation of cushion mesenchyme. This means that cushion positioning and inductive influences must operate locally within the developing heart tubes.
Structure and Properties of a New Synthetic Tire Rubber: High-Trans SBR

Abstract Solution SBR's are presently widely used as tire rubbers, and can be tailor-made for specific property advantages. Although still at an early stage of evaluation, high-trans-1,4 SBR's (HTS...
Wien-Bridge Oscillators with Composite Operational Amplifiers: Comparison und Stability Considerations

The paper presents a theoretical and experimental comparison of Wien-Bridge Oscillators realized by some composite operational amplifiers. Emphasis is given to stability limitations, due to the composite operational amplifier parameters, and to the frequency response of the individual operational amplifiers used to construct the composite operational amplifiers. Experimental results are presented
Isosurface Extraction Method Based on Compressed Index in Second-order Tetrahedron

In order to solve the problem of isosurface topologies and the cost of triangular patches computing, storage and transmission during the visualization process in second-order 10-node tetrahedrons, the isosurface extraction method based on compressed index is proposed. To reflect the real topology of the isosurface and overcome the ambiguity, the method analyzes and simplifies the parameter interpolation function of second-order 10-node tetrahedron, proposes the matrixes of relationships between vertex, surface and cube, calculates accurate contour points in edge, extracts surface and mesh key points which can performance the geometric topological characteristics of isosurface in mesh grids, designs a key point matching rule; based on the logical relationship among the three types of interpolation critical point, it develops the isosurface triangulation and optimization rules which have accurate and unique topologies,and the split-style compress index structure of triangle to triangulation, image optimization and drawing. The experiments show that the method can describe the isosurface accurately and define an unique geometry topology within second-order tetrahedral mesh grid, the calculation and splitting optimization method based compressed index structure is simple and effective, it has the adaptability to different accuracy requirements, and can reduce the cost of computation, drawing and transmission dramatically.
Porous Poly(aryleneethynylene) Networks through Alkyne Metathesis

The development of new synthetic methods has been a central challenge in the field of organic porous materials. Herein, we present the first application of alkyne metathesis to the synthesis of highly porous poly(aryleneethynylene) (PAE) networks. The permanent porosity of as-synthesized PAEs was confirmed by N2 adsorption/desorption studies, and high Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface areas (P/P0 = 0.01–0.1) up to 2312 m2·g–1 were observed. PAE networks with the same chemical connectivity were also prepared through palladium-catalyzed Sonogashira cross-coupling under otherwise similar reaction conditions. The networks prepared through alkyne metathesis at three different temperatures (40 °C, 55 °C, and 75 °C) consistently exhibit a higher specific surface area and higher thermal stability, suggesting alkyne metathesis is advantageous in the preparation of highly porous organic materials. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of employing alkyne metathesis in the preparation of porous polymer ...
Changes in eosinophil count of mice with venisections repeated at intervals of several days.

SummaryThe numbers of circulating eosinophils in the tail blood of mice have been determined at intervals of several days. A decreasing trend in mean number of eosinophils is noted with repeated venisections for various stocks of mice. The procedural implications of the finding are discussed in the light of related data. Control of the past history of experimental animals appears to be necessary if eosinophil counts are to be evaluated quantitatively.
Degree and sensitivity: tails of two distributions

The sensitivity of a Boolean function f is the maximum, over all inputs x, of the number of sensitive coordinates of x (namely the number of Hamming neighbors of x with different f-value). The well-known sensitivity conjecture of Nisan (see also Nisan and Szegedy) states that every sensitivity-s Boolean function can be computed by a polynomial over the reals of degree poly(s). The best known upper bounds on degree, however, are exponential rather than polynomial in s. Our main result is an approximate version of the conjecture: every Boolean function with sensitivity s can be e-approximated (in e2) by a polynomial whose degree is s · polylog(1/e). This is the first improvement on the folklore bound of s/e. We prove this via a new "switching lemma for low-sensitivity functions" which establishes that a random restriction of a low-sensitivity function is very likely to have low decision tree depth. This is analogous to the well-known switching lemma for AC0 circuits. Our proof analyzes the combinatorial structure of the graph Gf of sensitive edges of a Boolean function f. Understanding the structure of this graph is of independent interest as a means of understanding Boolean functions. We propose several new complexity measures for Boolean functions based on this graph, including tree sensitivity and component dimension, which may be viewed as relaxations of worst-case sensitivity, and we introduce some new techniques, such as proper walks and shifting, to analyze these measures. We use these notions to show that the graph of a function of full degree must be sufficiently complex, and that random restrictions of low-sensitivity functions are unlikely to lead to such complex graphs. We postulate a robust analogue of the sensitivity conjecture: if most inputs to a Boolean function f have low sensitivity, then most of the Fourier mass of f is concentrated on small subsets. We prove a lower bound on tree sensitivity in terms of decision tree depth, and show that a polynomial strengthening of this lower bound implies the robust conjecture. We feel that studying the graph Gf is interesting in its own right, and we hope that some of the notions and techniques we introduce in this work will be of use in its further study.
School Dysfunction in the Adolescent

Remedial versus compensatory educational programs, stimulant drug therapy, and the role of the pediatrician in the evaluation of school dysfunction are currently matters of controversy in the continued exploration of new techniques to successfully manage the learning disabled adolescent.
A study on the role of articular cartilage soft tissue constitutive form in models of whole knee biomechanics

The mechanical behaviors of biological soft tissues are challenging to describe abstractly, with each individual tissue potentially characterized by its own unique nonlinear, anisotropic, and viscoelastic properties. These complexities are exacerbated by patient to patient variability, both mechanically and anatomically, and by inherent constitutive heterogeneity. Despite these challenges, computational models of whole knee biomechanics can be instrumental in describing the onset and progression of injury and disease. In this work, a three-dimensional whole knee computational model was developed using patient-specific anatomy, containing tissues with constitutive relationships built from relevant experimental investigations. In an effort to address the common assumption of linear elastic descriptions of articular cartilage in whole knee models, this work investigates the implications, with respect to macroscopic kinematics and local deformation, of incorporating physiologically motivated and mechanically accurate constitutive heterogeneity in articular cartilage, highlighting the sensitivities of each corresponding level of constitutive complexity. We show how the inclusion of representative cartilage material models affects deformation distributions within the joint, as well as relative joint motion. In particular, the assumption of linear elasticity in articular cartilage results in an overprediction of joint motion and significantly affects predicted local cartilage strains, while full-field, mechanically heterogeneous cartilage descriptions have a less drastic effect at both the tissue and joint levels. Nonetheless, joints containing complete descriptions of articular cartilage heterogeneity may be an integral component in building comprehensive computational tools to advance our understanding of injury and disease mechanisms.
SELF-CONSISTENT ELECTRONIC BAND STRUCTURE OF CHEVREL PHASE COMPOUNDS

Publisher Summary The Chevrel phase molybdenum chalcogenides exhibit a number of unusual properties including high-T c superconductivity and the highest upper critical fields, H c 2, known. They also exhibit magnetism and its coexistence with superconductivity and the phenomenon of re-entrant magnetism at low temperatures. From the theoretical side, the complexity of the crystal structures has made difficult even non-self-consistent energy band studies of the Chevrel phase ternaries. In this chapter, full Linear Muffin Tin Orbital (LMTO) formalism is used to obtain self-consistent band structures while for the others, canonical band calculations are used in the initial stage of self-consistency to reduce the number of required LMTO iterations. In the iterations, 10 k-points are used, while the final converged bands are determined at 35 k-points of the irreducible Brillouin zone. In this chapter, the coupling of the Eu 4f electrons to the conduction electrons is found to be very weak. All 18 atoms/unit cell are included and total and partial densities of states (DOS) are used to discuss qualitatively the origin of magnetism and superconductivity and the re-entrant state of magnetism at low temperature in ErRh 4 B 4.
Quantum-based voltage metrology with superconducting Josephson devices at NIST

Over the past three decades, the quantum behavior of Josephson junctions has been exploited to improve the accuracy of dc voltage measurements by five orders of magnitude. State-of-the-art precision voltage-standard systems based on arrays of superconductive Josephson junctions can now provide quantum-accurate, intrinsically stable, programmable voltages at amplitudes greater than 10 V for dc voltages and up to 2 V rms for synthesized ac voltages such as sine waves and arbitrary waveforms. Various measurement techniques have been developed for ac measurement applications in the audio-frequency regime and for 60 Hz power metrology. I describe the key developments in Josephson circuits and in measurement techniques, and summarize their current performance and limitations for voltage metrology applications. In particular, I emphasize how the use of quantum-based systems, even when they produce apparently low-uncertainty and reproducible results, does not guarantee that the measurements are accurate. Finally, I briefly summarize how quantum-accurate, arbitrary waveform synthesis is being used to measure Boltzmann's constant by measuring the Johnson noise of a resistor at the triple-point of water, and how a practical electronic primary temperature standard might be realized with a quantum-based Johnson noise thermometer.
Art in theory of computation

We describe a theory of computation course that includes student artwork as part of the course deliverables. Although more traditional pen-and-paper homework exercises were used in the course, the artwork served as way for students to apply their knowledge while expressing their creativity. Artwork media included comic strips, drawings, poems, paintings, sculptures, and software-produced art. Topics ranged from automata to NP-completeness. In an end-of-semester survey, students were favorable about the artwork project in terms of enjoyment, expressing creativity, and expressing knowledge.
The pathogenesis of ataxia-telangiectasia. Learning from a Rosetta Stone

Many issues in A-T research remain unresolved. However, certain common denominators are becoming clear that were not obvious just a few years ago, i.e., the relationship between double-strand break rejoining, radiosensitivity, and immunodeficiency. The downstream pathways that are activated by ATM phosphorylating p53, c-abl, chk2, Brca1, nibrin, RPA, and other proteins that contribute to cell-cycles checkpoints and DNA repair complexes, are helping to understand the cancer susceptibility of A-T patients, and perhaps of A-T heterozygotes. The identification and categorization of mutations in the ATM, NBS and Mre11 genes now allow more definitive diagnoses. Developmental studies are rapidly identifying early sites of pathogenesis that can perhaps be targeted for neural stem cell implantation therapy. If over-whelmed oxidative stress responses underlie the neurological degeneration of A-T patients, maintaining adequate therapeutic levels of free-radical scavengers, such as Vitamin E, alpha-lipoic acid, aspirin, and Coenzyme Q10, may be of some therapeutic benefit.
Complete mitochondrial genome of the freshwater red alga Lympha mucosa (Rhodophyta).

We present the complete mitochondrial genome of a newly described freshwater red alga Lympha mucosa. The genome was sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform. The circular mitochondrial genome is 25,191 bp, contains 46 genes (24 CDS, 20 tRNA, and 2 rRNA), and has an overall GC content of 27.5%. Phylogenetic analyses of the cox1 gene show the placement of Lympha mucosa within the strictly freshwater order Batrachospermales. The four mitochondrial genomes within the subclass Nemaliophycidae sequenced to date are highly conserved in terms of genome size, gene content, and gene synteny.
An Association Between Prenatal Acetaminophen Use and ADHD: The Benefits of Large Data Sets.

* Abbreviation: ADHD — : attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent disorder defined by a combination of symptoms that are likely due to malfunctions in those areas of the brain that are associated with executive functions, including the prefrontal cortex,1 caudate nucleus,2 and cerebellar vermis.3 Over the years, multiple factors have been identified that probably contribute to its possible etiology. The most prominent has been genetics; ADHD is often identified by a high familial pattern with a high concordance in twin studies.4 However, no specific gene, gene pattern, or marker gene has been able to explain all but a small amount of the variance. In addition, environmental factors both … Address correspondence to Mark L. Wolraich, MD, Pediatrics/CSC, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 1100 NE 13th St, Oklahoma City, OK 73117. E-mail: mark-wolraich{at}ouhsc.edu
A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to evaluate the risk of fatigue and pain among patients treated with ibrutinib.

213Background: Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK), a kinase downstream of the B-cell receptor, involves in the B cell survival and proliferation and has become an attractive therapeutic target. Ibrutinib is an oral potent, covalent inhibitor of BTK and hence employed in many hematologic malignancies. We performed a systematic review and pooled analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to determine the risk of fatigue and pain among patients treated with ibrutinib. Methods: We performed a comprehensive literature search using MEDLINE, EMBASE databases and meeting abstracts through December 31, 2016. RCTs that mention fatigue, arthralgia, muscle spasm, back pain, pain in extremity and myalgia as adverse effects were incorporated in the analysis. Mantel-Haenszel method was used to calculate the estimated pooled risk ratio with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Four phase 3 RCTs with a total of 1505 patients were eligible for the analysis. Studies compared Ibrutinib (I) vs ofatumumab, I vs chlorambucil...
Matrices of spin-orbit interaction in the electron configurations p2 d and p4 d

The matrices of spin-orbit interaction in the p2d and p4d electron configurations have been calculated in the LS representation. The matrices have been checked by showing that their eigenvalues, calculated by use of an IBM 7090, agree with the correct eigenvalues known from the theory of jj-coupling. For the sake of completeness, the energies of electrostatic interaction for these configurations are also given.
Invited Commentary on “The Report to Congress on the Management of Traumatic Brain Injury in Children”

Abstract The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published “The Report to Congress on the Management of Traumatic Brain Injury in Children” in the spring of 2018. The report is a call to action for professionals providing care for children with traumatic brain injury in the health, social, and educational sectors and for researchers, administrators, and agencies to develop strategies to improve outcomes. For pediatric rehabilitation providers there are clear opportunities to improve service delivery for individual patients and for the population of children after traumatic brain injury more generally. Notably there is a workforce shortage, and fragmentation exists among the various systems that serve children with traumatic brain injuries and their families.
Terrorist Network Monitoring with Identifying Code

On multiple incidences of terrorist attacks in recent times across Europe, it has been observed that the perpetrators of the attack were in the suspect databases of the law enforcement authorities, but weren’t under active surveillance at the time of the attack due to resource limitations on the part of the authorities. As the suspect databases in various European countries are very large, and it takes significant amount of technical and human resources to monitor a suspect in the database, monitoring all the suspects in the database may be an impossible task. In this paper, we propose a scheme utilizing Identifying Codes that will significantly reduce the resource requirement of law enforcement authorities, and will have the capability of uniquely identifying a suspect in case the suspect becomes active in planning a terrorist attack. The scheme relies on the assumption that, when an individual becomes active in planning a terrorist attack, his/her friends/associates will have some inkling of the individuals plan. Accordingly, even if the individual is not under active surveillance by the authorities, but the individual’s friends/associates are, the individual planning the attack can be uniquely identified. We applied our technique on two terrorist networks, one involved in an attack in Paris and the other involved in the 9/11 attack. We show that, in the Paris network, if 5 of the 10 individuals were monitored, the attackers most likely would have been exposed. If only 15 out of the 37 individuals involved in the 9/11 attack were under surveillance, specific individuals involved in the planning of the 9/11 attack would have been exposed.
Vector Transmission of Animal Viruses

Modes of vector transmission vary markedly among arboviruses. Transmission typically occurs horizontally between competent arthropod vectors and susceptible vertebrate hosts, but also can occur vertically within vector populations by transovarial, trans-stadial, or veneral passage. The force of transmission or vectorial capacity determines the case dissemination rate and depends upon vector abundance, blood meal host selection, survival, susceptibility, and virus developmental rates. Susceptibility, or vector competence, is determined in the laboratory and is determined by the ability of the vector become infected with and transmit an acquired virus. In nature, transmission typically is sporadic and consists of maintenance, amplification or epidemic, and subsidence phases. Amplification typically is asymptotic and epidemics typically are delineated by the duration of favorable environmental conditions, numbers of susceptible hosts, and the intensity or efficacy of intervention. Risk factors include age, place of residence, climate, socioeconomic status and occupation – situations that bring virus, vector, and host together in time and space.
The Philosophy of Law in The Writings of Augustine

The Christian theologian and bishop of Hippo, Augustine (Aurelius Augustinus), was born in A.D. 354 to a non-Christian father and a Christian mother in that part of Roman North Africa that is today Algeria. Despite his mother’s efforts Augustine initially found her religion uncongenial and intellectually unsophisticated. He received an education typical of ambitious, provincial Romans, becoming a student of Latin rhetoric in Carthage before he left for Rome in 383, whereafter he became a teacher of rhetoric in Milan. As had been the case during the last century of the Roman Republic, to be skilled in oratory with its uses in legal practice and local governance could lead to a civil service posting. During the late Roman Empire Augustine had considered such a career option. He had friends and contemporaries with whom he corresponded throughout his life who had chosen this path. As this chapter will show, Augustine’s familiarity with the intricacies of contemporary Roman law had important consequences for his own political theory where he expressed his views not only on what politics was for but also on the compatibility of Christianity and politics.
System Evaluation for Millimeter-Wave Radio Access Network

The abundant spectrum in millimeter wave (mmWave) bands provides an opportunity for ﬁfth generation (5G) cellular communication systems to enhance their mobile broadband services. mmWave communication is therefore considered as one of the key features of 5G cellular radio access network (RAN). However, the deployment of mmWave cellular RAN faces challenges due to mmWave radio propagation characteristics such as pathloss, blockage and penetration loss. In this paper, we investigate the performance of mmWave cellular RAN using system level simulations based on the 3GPP evaluation methodology and applying techniques such as cell densiﬁcation, wireless backhaul, and sub-6 GHz and mmWave dual access.
Abstract WP290: A Resident-Driven Intervention to Decrease Door-to-Needle Time and Increase Resident Satisfaction in a Resource-Limited Setting

Introduction: Neurology residents are often the first-line responders to emergency department (ED) stroke codes, however their role in initiating stroke systems changes is not well established. At ...
Respiratory Review: A, B, C, and P of Kids (Asthma, Bronchiolitis, Croup, and Pneumonia)

Asthma, bronchiolitis, and croup are the ABC diagnoses of the pediatric patient presenting with a respiratory complaint. This chapter highlights the evidence-based care for these specific entities, with associated helpful clinical decision scores to guide care and resource utilization. It also includes the clinical manifestations of pneumonia with age-based antibiotic therapy.
Surgical palliative care training in general surgery residency: An educational needs assessment.

Abstract Introduction There is increasing recognition that Surgical Palliative Care is an essential component of the holistic care of surgical patients and involves more than end-of-life care in the intensive care unit. General surgery residents are clinically exposed to patients with palliative care needs during each year of training, but few have a dedicated surgical palliative care curriculum. We undertook this educational needs assessment as the first step towards a longitudinal curriculum. Methods We conducted an anonymous survey of 94 general surgery residents and 115 faculty at community and university hospitals to assess their experience and comfort with surgical palliative care delivery. Residents and faculty were asked multiple choice and open-ended questions. Results There was a 55% response rate from residents and 33% response rate from faculty. The majority (77%) of respondents were junior residents (PGY1-3) and university-based faculty (66%). Approximately half of residents felt comfortable leading conversations in goals of care (58%), comfort-focused care (52%) and delivering bad news (57%), while greater than 90% of faculty agreed that chief residents needed additional training. All residents agreed they needed additional training and 85% wanted a formal curriculum. Analysis of open-ended questions suggests a deficiency in the pre-operative setting as no residents had participated in these conversations in an outpatient setting. Conclusion Residents and faculty believe trainees would benefit from further education in surgical palliative care with a dedicated curriculum. The outpatient, pre-operative counseling of patients was identified as a key learning need. These data support our ongoing work to develop a surgically pertinent palliative care curriculum.
Abstract WMP26: Using Machine Learning Pattern Recognition in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Patients to Determine Patterns in Central versus Infectious Fever

Introduction: Patients with acute neurologic injury such as aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) are at risk of central fever and infections. Fever has been found to independently increase mor...
Thoracolumbar Fusion in Extreme Obesity: Complications and Patient-Reported Outcomes.

ABSTRACT Background: Extreme obesity (class III) is defined by the Centers for Disease Control as a body mass index (BMI) value ≥40. Recent studies suggest that obese patients have poor outcomes after thoracolumbar spinal fusions. The objective of this study was to analyze 30-day adverse events and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) for this population. Patients and Methods: A retrospective chart review of spinal fusion surgeries performed at a single institution from 2006 to 2016 was executed. All patients had a preoperative BMI ≥40. Patient characteristics, including age, sex, BMI, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and others, were collected. Thirty-day adverse events (complications, readmissions, reoperations, and mortality) and PROs (Oswestry Disability Index [ODI] and visual analog scale [VAS]) were recorded. Results: Fifty-six patients were identified, including 30 men (54%). Mean age was 55.7 years (range, 31–74 years). Mean BMI was 44.2 (range, 40.0–54.7). Mean ASA was 2.7 (range, 2–3), and mean CCI was 1.1 (range, 0–6). Mean number of fused levels was 2.3 (range, 1–14). Mean length of stay was 4.4 ± 2.1 days. Mean number of complications was 0.7 ± 1.1, with 30.4% of patients having had at least 1 complication. The 30-day all-cause readmission rate was 5.4%, and 30-day reoperation rate was 3.6%. For 30 patients (54%) with 1-year PROs, mean preoperative ODI was 65.2 ± 11.1, and mean preoperative VAS was 6.6 ± 1.6. Mean ODI change was −19.9 ± 20.1 (P Conclusions: Patients with extreme obesity who undergo thoracolumbar fusion have acceptable 30-day adverse events and potentially can achieve significant improvement in pain and disability.
Biotechnology Applications in Weed Management: Now and in the Future

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the applications of biotechnology in the field of weed management. The concept of deliberately using organisms to control a pest constitutes the fundamental basis of all biological pest control systems. The bioherbicide approach employs the massive, usually annual, release of a biocontrol agent into specific weed-infested fields to infect and kill susceptible weeds. The concept of using fungi, bacteria, and even viruses as bioherbicides is biologically feasible with several host-pathogen combinations. The potential commercialization of a microbial phytopathogenic agent is dependent greatly on whether this microbe possesses properties that allow it to be handled like a chemical herbicide or not. Utilization of innovative approaches for large-scale production and stabilization under field conditions has resulted in the commercialization and registration of two fungi as mycoherbicides. Pathogen strain improvement may be also achieved by mutagenesis induced either by irradiation or by chemical treatment. This approach seems particularly promising for the selection of strains of bioherbicides that are tolerant to chemical pesticides. Increased activity of a target enzyme is a mechanism that may confer resistance to selected herbicides. The genetic manipulation of crop tolerance to herbicides is also elaborated.
Intersection to Overpass: Instance Segmentation on Filamentous Structures With an Orientation-Aware Neural Network and Terminus Pairing Algorithm

Filamentous structures play an important role in biological systems. Extracting individual filaments is fundamental for analyzing and quantifying related biological processes. However, segmenting filamentous structures at an instance level is hampered by their complex architecture, uniform appearance, and image quality. In this paper, we introduce an orientation-aware neural network, which contains six orientation-associated outputs layer. Each layer detects filaments with specific range of orientations, thus separating them at junctions, and turning intersections to overpasses. A terminus pairing algorithm is also proposed to regroup filaments from different layers, and achieve individual filaments extraction. We create a synthetic dataset to train our network, and annotate real full resolution microscopy images of microtubules to test our approach. Our experiments have shown that our proposed method outperforms most existing approaches for filaments extraction. We also show that our approach works on other similar structures with a road network dataset.
Dialogue and the Common Good: Resources and Opportunities for Hindus and Christians

Vatican II, in the document Gaudium et spes (Joy and Hope), gave special importance to our identification with the poor and our obligations to those who suffer for lack of life’s necessities. It was a major inspiration for the development of liberation theologies which emphasized an expansive understanding of liberation to include freedom from political, economic, religious and social oppression.
A 1.64mW Differential Super Source-Follower Buffer with 9.7GHz BW and 43dB PSRR for Time-Interleaved ADC Applications in 10nm

A differential buffer for high bandwidth (BW), Time-Interleaved Analog to Digital Converters (TI ADCs) is described. The buffer, nested between Track and Hold (TH) circuits, drives the ADC input signal to the individual sub ADCs. A differential, super source-follower based architecture is utilized in the buffer. This architecture features high power supply rejection ratio (PSRR) together with high BW, low power consumption and low Inter-Symbol Interference (ISI). The buffer was fabricated in 10nm Intel process as a part of a 112Gb/s SerDes receiver. A unique method was developed to accurately measure the buffer's output waveform. Measurements show a BW of 9.7GHz, PSRR of 43dB and power consumption of 1.64mW, which is a 68% power reduction compared to the prior art.
A multiplex PCR genotyping assay to distinguish XX and XY tissues in sheep

Sex is an important biological variable as many physiological as well as disease processes differ between females and males. The fundamental biological distinction between females and males starts with chromosomal sex, and the establishment of XX and XY cells and tissues. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a simple and effective method to easily determine chromosomal or genetic sex of cells and tissues. The goal of this study was to develop a simple multiplex PCR genotyping assay to distinguish XX and XY tissues in sheep. Primers were designed to amplify a fragment of the autosomal gene myogenin (MYOG) and sex determining region on the Y chromosome (SRY). PCR analysis was performed on a variety of genomic DNA samples isolated from fetal sheep skeletal muscle, brain, liver, and placenta, and revealed a single 259 bp band for MYOG in XX females, and a 259 bp band for MYOG and a 167 bp band for SRY in XY males. Amplicons were clearly distinguishable by gel electrophoresis, and their sequences revealed 100% identity to the known ovine MYOG and SRY sequence. The reported multiplex PCR genotyping assay provides a rapid means to distinguish XX and XY sheep tissues using low volume samples.
GPER1 is required to protect fetal health from maternal inflammation.

Type I interferon (IFN) signaling in fetal tissues causes developmental abnormalities and fetal demise. Although pathogens that infect fetal tissues can induce birth defects through the local production of type I IFN, it remains unknown why systemic IFN generated during maternal infections only rarely causes fetal developmental defects. Here, we report that activation of the guanine nucleotide–binding protein–coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER1) during pregnancy is both necessary and sufficient to suppress IFN signaling and does so disproportionately in reproductive and fetal tissues. Inactivation of GPER1 in mice halted fetal development and promoted fetal demise, but only in the context of maternal inflammation. Thus, GPER1 is a central regulator of IFN signaling during pregnancy that allows dynamic antiviral responses in maternal tissues while also preserving fetal health.
Large- and small-scale movement and distribution of acoustically tagged lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in eastern Lake Erie

Defining the spatial distribution, home range, and movement patterns of lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) is important to managers and decision-makers given the large migration potential and potamodromous behavior exhibited by the species. A remnant population of lake sturgeon remains in the far eastern basin of Lake Erie and although recent efforts have estimated the population size, described the age distribution, and identified a primary spawning site no study to date has examined the spatial distribution or movements of individuals within this population. Between 2014 and 2018, we acoustically tagged 59 adult lake sturgeon, captured in the Buffalo Harbor area, and monitored their large-scale movements throughout Lake Erie with the Great Lakes Acoustic Telemetry System and small-scale movements with a Vemco Positioning System in the Buffalo Harbor area. After dividing Lake Erie into seven sections, we ran a multi-state mark–recapture model to examine the movement rates into and out of the eastern most section of the lake. Within a heavily utilized lake section, in the Buffalo Harbor area, we identified home ranges with our Vemco Positioning System for each season and year using averaged Brownian bridge movement models. Although some sturgeon demonstrated large-scale movements, traversing the entirety of Lake Erie, the majority of individuals spent their time in the eastern basin of the lake. Home ranges appeared to vary among seasons, but were consistent across years with lake sturgeon selecting the northeastern, rocky, and shallow area of our array during pre-spawning and spawning seasons and leaving our array, or selecting a trough running along the northwestern portion of our array comprising sand and bedrock, in the summer and fall seasons. Documenting these large-scale movements aligns with previous findings that lake sturgeon on either end of the lake are genetically similar and demonstrates lake sturgeon in the eastern basin exhibit strong philopatry. Our small-scale movement models provide managers with spatial reference points, in the form of utilization distributions, indicating heavily used areas by lake sturgeon within seasons. Future studies should examine what parameters are driving site selection in these areas.