cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chronic Migraineurs Form Carboxyhemefibrinogen and Iron-Bound Fibrinogen.

Chronic migraine (CM) is a disabling painful condition that is associated with dementia and thrombotic disease. It has been proposed that carbon monoxide (CO) and iron may play a role in CM, and CO and iron are products of the heme oxygenase system which is widespread within the brain. Further, CO and iron enhance plasmatic coagulation in part via a fibrinogen-dependent mechanism. Thus, our goal was to determine whether patients with CM had experienced carboxyhemefibrinogen formation, iron bound fibrinogen formation and plasmatic hypercoagulability. Nonsmokers with CM were recruited after informed, written consent. Blood was collected, anticoagulated with sodium citrate, and then centrifuged with plasma stored at -80oC. Carboxyhemefibrinogen formation, iron bound fibrinogen formation and coagulation kinetics were determined via thrombelastographic methods. Patient results were compared with laboratory values generated from normal control plasmas. Incidence (95% confidence intervals) of the various parameters was determined using the Clopper-Pearson method. Twenty-six CM patients (24 female) were recruited; they were 46±12 years old. With regard to fibrinogen modification, 88.5% (69.8%-97.6%) of CM patients had formation of carboxyhemefibrinogen, iron bound fibrinogen, or both. With regard to coagulation, 42.3% (23.4%-63.1%) of patients had abnormally decreased time to clot initiation, 80.8% (60.6%-93.4%) had abnormally large velocity of clot formation, and 46.2% (26.6%-66.7%) had abnormally strong clot strength. Patients with CM have a large incidence of carboxyhemefibrinogen and iron bound fibrinogen formation and hypercoagulability. Confirmatory and potential therapeutic clinical trials targeting CO and iron modified hypercoagulation as a source of pain and vascular disease in CM patients are indicated.
Repetition Without Repetition: How Bernstein Illumines Motor Skill in Music Performance

This chapter presents a basic overview of Bernsteinian motor control theory, with particular reference to the performance of classical music. Key points include contrasts with Pavlovian approaches, the interdependence of action and perception, the centrality of goals and intentions, the role of repetition, and the nature of dexterity. Specific applications to motor training for musicians are sketched.
The Semi-Constrained Court: External Influence on the U.S. Supreme Court in 'Vertical' and 'Lateral' Issues

A central question for the study of the U.S. Supreme Court is whether external forces influence the justices' decision making. Unfortunately, research on this question has provided an incomplete understanding of judicial independence because it has failed to account for the Court's differential implementation powers across various issue contexts. I argue the United States has two Supreme Courts, just as it has "two presidencies." The first, for criminal and civil liability issues, is relatively unconstrained in its decision making; the second, for all other issues, is strongly influenced by external pressures. I test this theory in two separate analyses evaluating the influence of (1) public opinion on aggregate Court decision making and (2) the influence of congressional and presidential preferences on judicial review of important federal statutes. The results provide strong support for my theoretical account and suggest that previous studies have failed to consider a critical dynamic of judicial independence.
Convergent neuromodulation onto a network neuron can have divergent effects at the network level

Different neuromodulators often target the same ion channel. When such modulators act on different neuron types, this convergent action can enable a rhythmic network to produce distinct outputs. Less clear are the functional consequences when two neuromodulators influence the same ion channel in the same neuron. We examine the consequences of this seeming redundancy using a mathematical model of the crab gastric mill (chewing) network. This network is activated in vitro by the projection neuron MCN1, which elicits a half-center bursting oscillation between the reciprocally-inhibitory neurons LG and Int1. We focus on two neuropeptides which modulate this network, including a MCN1 neurotransmitter and the hormone crustacean cardioactive peptide (CCAP). Both activate the same voltage-gated current (IMI) in the LG neuron. However, IMI-MCN1, resulting from MCN1 released neuropeptide, has phasic dynamics in its maximal conductance due to LG presynaptic inhibition of MCN1, while IMI-CCAP retains the same maximal conductance in both phases of the gastric mill rhythm. Separation of time scales allows us to produce a 2D model from which phase plane analysis shows that, as in the biological system, IMI-MCN1 and IMI-CCAP primarily influence the durations of opposing phases of this rhythm. Furthermore, IMI-MCN1 influences the rhythmic output in a manner similar to the Int1-to-LG synapse, whereas IMI-CCAP has an influence similar to the LG-to-Int1 synapse. These results show that distinct neuromodulators which target the same voltage-gated ion channel in the same network neuron can nevertheless produce distinct effects at the network level, providing divergent neuromodulator actions on network activity.
On the Accuracy of Alternative Models for Stepping-Down Multi-County Employment Projections to Counties

This paper reports on the success of twelve simple models that were used to step-down multi-county employment projections to counties in Illinois. Time series data were assembled for 32 sectors and...
Surface structures of the two allotropic phases of cobalt

The atomic surface structures of the close-packed faces of single crystalline cobalt in the bulk hcp and bulk fcc phases have been determined by low-energy electron diffraction. The two separate structures were monitored on a single-crystal sample cycled through the surface-transformation temperature of 450 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 10\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. The structure of the low-temperature phase was determined to be an hcp (0001) surface layer on an hcp bulk crystal with a top surface-layer spacing equivalent to that of the bulk 2.05 \AA{}. The surface structure of the high-temperature phase was determined to be an fcc (111) surface layer on an fcc bulk crystal with a top surface-layer spacing equivalent to that of the bulk 2.05 \AA{}.
Lipid domains in biological membranes

Abstract There is increasing appreciation for the heterogeneity that exists in the distribution of lipid and protein components within a biological membrane. This review summarizes recent contributions concerning this concept and highlights some current ideas on the existence, formation and function of lipid domains in membranes.
Wearing an Ostomy Pouch and Becoming an Ostomate: A Kairological Approach to Wearability

In both popular and scholarly discourse, wearable technologies are characterized primarily as technologies that quantify, providing wearers with new knowledge about themselves and their environments. Such limited characterizations do not fully engage technologies that are, indeed, wearable but do not simply quantify. This essay argues that wearability encompasses rhetorical work beyond that of popular, mainstream technologies like fitness trackers and sleep monitors. Using Judy Segal’s “kairology,” this essay traces five ostomy pouch narratives—focusing on narratives of empowerment and constraint and analyzing competing experiences of wearing and the divergent identifications those experiences support. The essay concludes with preliminary insights into how kairology is well-suited to help researchers tease out the dynamic processes between wearer and technology, as well as the identities that those processes make possible.
Treatment of urinary tract infections in obstetric and gynecologic patients with nitrofurantoin.

Summary Furadantin was used to treat acute and chronic urinary tract infections in 11 pregnant and 22 nonpregnant women. Sueeessful results were obtained in all pregnant patients and in all but 3 of the nonpregnant This preliminary investigation indicates that Furadantin is an effective drug and that pregnancy is not a contraindication to its use.
I Should but I Can't: Controlled Motivation and Self-Efficacy Are Related to Disordered Eating Behaviors in Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes

Abstract Purpose Among adolescents with type 1 diabetes, disordered eating behaviors (DEBs) are more prevalent and have more serious health implications than in adolescents without diabetes, necessitating identification of modifiable correlates of DEB in this population. This study hypothesized that (1) autonomous motivation and (2) controlled motivation for healthy eating (i.e., eating healthfully because it is important to oneself vs. important to others, respectively) are associated with DEB among adolescents with type 1 diabetes. The third hypothesis was that baseline healthy eating self-efficacy moderates these associations. Methods Adolescents with type 1 diabetes (n = 90; 13–16 years) participating in a behavioral nutrition intervention efficacy trial reported DEB, controlled and autonomous motivation, and self-efficacy at baseline, 6, 12, and 18 months. Linear-mixed models estimated associations of controlled and autonomous motivation with DEB, adjusting for treatment group, body mass index, socioeconomic status, age, and gender. Separate models investigated the interaction of self-efficacy with each motivation type. Results Controlled motivation was positively associated with DEB (B = 2.18 ± .33, p p p p = .11). Conclusions Findings identify controlled motivation for healthy eating as a novel correlate of DEB among adolescents with type 1 diabetes and show that self-efficacy can modify this association. Motivation and self-efficacy for healthy eating represent potential intervention targets to reduce DEB in adolescents with type 1 diabetes.
Identification and quantitation of protein S in human platelets

Gel filtered human platelets contaminated with less than 0.02% of plasma protein S contained 490 ng of protein S antigen per 3 X 10(8) platelets, equivalent to 2.5% of protein S in whole blood. Three patients with heterozygous plasma protein S deficiency, a congenital disorder associated with venous thrombotic disease, had platelet protein S antigen levels that were 40% of the mean platelet level in ten normal volunteers. In immunoblotting analysis, platelet protein S was indistinguishable from plasma protein S. Thrombin stimulation of platelets caused release of 63% of total protein S antigen and this release was abolished when platelets were preincubated with metabolic inhibitors. Thrombin effected limited proteolysis of platelet protein S and this reaction was inhibited by calcium ions. Immunofluorescent staining of platelets using protein S antibodies demonstrated that protein S colocalized with fibrinogen, an established alpha-granule protein. Thus, human platelets contain protein S in alpha granules that can be released by thrombin stimulation. The released protein S may bind to stimulated platelets and thereby promote and localize the anticoagulant activity of activated protein C on the platelet surface.
The utility of bronchial brushings in the modern era of flexible bronchoscopy.

Introduction Bronchoscopic procedures allow for the procurement of cellular material for diagnosis, molecular studies, and staging. Procurement modalities include bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), bronchial washing (BW), transbronchial ultrasound-guided needle aspiration (TBNA), transbronchial biopsy (TBBX), endobronchial biopsy (EB), and bronchoscopic brushing (BB). These specimens, taken concurrently, often circumvent the need for an open biopsy, and allow for more appropriate and efficient patient management. Although BB is a well-established method for obtaining cytologic material, it often introduces artifacts and may contain abundant material such as benign and/or metaplastic bronchial epithelium, both of which may result in atypical or false-positive diagnoses. We examined the utility of BB specimens at our institution in recent years. Methods 210 BB specimens were identified at our institution over a 2-year period, allowing for at least a 2-year follow-up period. The diagnoses were compiled and compared against results from simultaneously obtained BAL, BW, TBNA, TBBX, and EB specimens, as well as any follow-up during the subsequent 2- to 4-year period. Results BB specimens were diagnosed as malignant (n = 44), benign (130), indeterminate (30), and non-diagnostic (6). There were no false-positive diagnoses. There were 6 instances in which malignancy was not definitively diagnosed on a non-BB specimen but definitively diagnosed on BB. Conclusion BB specimens rarely provide the only diagnostic material during a bronchoscopic procedure, though they possess excellent specificity for malignancy. Indeterminate diagnoses have a positive predictive value of approximately 73%.
Development of ciprofloxacin-loaded contact lenses using fluorous chemistry

In this work, we developed a simple method to load drugs into commercially available contact lenses utilizing fluorous chemistry. We demonstrated this method using model compounds including fluorous-tagged fluorescein and antibiotic ciprofloxacin. We showed that fluorous interactions facilitated the loading of model molecules into fluorocarbon-containing contact lenses, and that the release profiles exhibited sustained release. Contact lenses loaded with fluorous-tagged ciprofloxacin exhibited antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro, while no cytotoxicity towards human corneal epithelial cells was observed. To mimic the tear turnover, we designed a porcine eye infection model under flow conditions. Significantly, the modified lenses also exhibited antimicrobial efficacy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the ex vivo infection model. Overall, utilizing fluorous chemistry, we can construct a drug delivery system that exhibits high drug loading capacity, sustained drug release, and robust biological activity.
The Roque Island Archaeological Project, Maine, USA: Methodologies and Results

Abstract Between the early 1970s and to the mid-1990s, David Sanger was largely responsible for a series of large-scale regional survey and excavation projects throughout Passamaquoddy Bay (New Brunswick) and the central/Downeast coasts of Maine. While resulting in an important understanding of the paleoenvironment and prehistoric/historic resource exploitation along the Gulf of Maine, these projects also allowed the development of a unified analytical strategy for the excavation of shell middens using column sampling, documentation, and excavation protocols, as well as sediment analysis and classification. This strategy is detailed below along with a summary of excavations from the Great Spruce Island site (61-17) in the Roque Island Archipelago, Downeast region, ME, USA. Pre-European occupation at this specific site ranges from before 3000 years B.P. to ca. 400 years B.P.
Deferoxamine Preconditioning of Irradiated Tissue Improves Perfusion and Fat Graft Retention

Background:Radiation therapy is a mainstay in the treatment of many malignancies, but collateral damage to surrounding tissue, with resultant hypovascularity, fibrosis, and atrophy, can be difficult to reconstruct. Fat grafting has been shown to improve the quality of irradiated skin, but volume ret
Who Will Lead Global Growth? Slowing Trends are the ‘New Normal’:

Focusing on the US, Japan, Germany and China—four large economies that make up almost half of the world’s GDP—this article analyses each of their growth stories independently and comparatively. Non...
Ethical considerations in the design, execution, and analysis of clinical trials of chronic pain treatments.

Introduction In the field of pain research, clinical trials may randomize over 500 subjects and include more than 150 sites spanning over a dozen countries. Methods This review examines the ethical considerations affecting clinical trial design, execution, and analysis of trials for chronic pain. The Belmont Report has been the touchstone for human studies protection efforts since 1979. Commissioned by the U.S. government in response to ethical failures in medical research, such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, the report emphasizes 3 basic principles: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. Trial design and sample size have important ethical implications. Conclusions Measures to enhance trial transparency and combat publication and many other types of bias should be implemented.
Elevated LGI1-IgG CSF index predicts worse neurological outcome.

To determine whether CSF leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1(LGI1)-IgG titer, index or IgG subclass has prognostic significance, we tested serum and CSF specimens collected concomitantly from 39 seropositive patients. LGI1-IgG index was elevated (>1) in 21 patients (54%), suggesting intrathecal synthesis. Patients with worse outcome at last follow-up (modified Rankin Scale >2) had significantly higher index (median 6.57 vs. 0.5, P = 0.048) compared to those with better outcome. Higher CSF LGI1-IgG4 subclass-specific titer and index correlated with worse outcome (P < 0.005 for both). These data suggest that evidence of intrathecal LGI1-IgG synthesis may correlate with neuronal injury and warrant consideration of aggressive immunotherapy.
Stress-sensitive consonant gemination through plural noun reduplication in Tohono O’odham

This study examines how plural noun reduplication in Tohono O’odham (TO) language is phonetically realized. To make a noun plural, the first CV sequence (i.e., base; e.g., goks “a dog” → gogoks “dogs”) or the first consonant of the base (e.g., pado “a pig” → papdo “pigs”) are reduplicated after the base (Hill & Zepeda, 1998). Base and reduplicant have been regarded phonologically equivalent (i.e., consonant gemination; Fitzgerald, 2003). In a sense that TO has the strong-weak stress pattern across syllables (e.g., towa “turkey”), stress may influence reduplicants' duration. The CV reduplicant at the second syllable with the weak stress may not be phonologically same as the base and the C reduplicant at the coda of the base with the strong stress. If CV and C reduplicants are equivalent even with stress, an additional prosodic unit (i.e., mora) may exist. The analysis of TO speech supports that the base (CV1) is longer than the reduplicant (CV2 or C2) even with other contextual variables. Reduplication process may be stress-timed, but it is unknown whether speakers equally treat base and reduplicants. This paper will also discuss a need to examine how TO speakers control the timing with rhythm between base and reduplicant.This study examines how plural noun reduplication in Tohono O’odham (TO) language is phonetically realized. To make a noun plural, the first CV sequence (i.e., base; e.g., goks “a dog” → gogoks “dogs”) or the first consonant of the base (e.g., pado “a pig” → papdo “pigs”) are reduplicated after the base (Hill & Zepeda, 1998). Base and reduplicant have been regarded phonologically equivalent (i.e., consonant gemination; Fitzgerald, 2003). In a sense that TO has the strong-weak stress pattern across syllables (e.g., towa “turkey”), stress may influence reduplicants' duration. The CV reduplicant at the second syllable with the weak stress may not be phonologically same as the base and the C reduplicant at the coda of the base with the strong stress. If CV and C reduplicants are equivalent even with stress, an additional prosodic unit (i.e., mora) may exist. The analysis of TO speech supports that the base (CV1) is longer than the reduplicant (CV2 or C2) even with other contextual variables. Reduplication pro...
Bifurcation and Void Formation in Dynamically Expanded Rings

An experimental technique which employs a rapidly expanding thin ring specimen is described as it is used to determine the nucleation parameters associated with the void growth model of ductile failure. In this configuration failure is usually preceded by well defined shear bands, and the analysis technique adopted includes the appropriate band equilibrium equations. Results obtained in this study indicate that the shear band initiation is essentially independent of the strain rate, and that the growth and coalescence of voids could come much later in the deformation process.
Participant Withdrawal as a Function of Hedonic Value of Task and Time of Semester

Undergraduates participating in experiments late in the semester generally perform more poorly on demanding tasks and withdraw more often than those participating early. To investigate effects of task aversiveness, some participants were instructed to choose brief cartoon reinforcement with a long time-out while others were instructed to choose longer cartoon reinforcement with a short time-out. Three times as many students withdrew under the unfavorable schedule but withdrawal rates were significantly higher at the end of the semester under both conditions. The Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (Zimbardo & Boyd, 1999) marginally predicted task persistence. Numerous end-of- semester obligations appear to promote withdrawals independently of task aversiveness.
Cryogenics and Liquid Hydrogen Storage

Cryogenics is the science that addresses the production and effects of very low temperatures. The word originates from the Greek words kryos meaning “frost” and genic meaning “to produce.” Using this definition, the term could be used to include all temperatures below the freezing point of water (0 °C). However, Professor Kamerlingh Onnes of the University of Leiden in the Netherlands first used the word in 1894 to describe the art and science of producing much lower temperatures. He used the word in reference to the liquefaction of permanent gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and helium. Oxygen had been liquefied at −183 °C a few years earlier in 1887 and a race was in progress to liquefy the remaining permanent gases at even lower temperatures. The techniques employed in producing such low temperatures were quite different from those used somewhat earlier in the production of artificial ice. In particular, efficient heat exchangers are required to reach very low temperatures. Over the years the term cryogenics has generally been used to refer to temperatures below approximately −150 °C (123.15 K, −238.00 °F). Cryogenic applications extends beyond its present day-to-day usage, and one important aspect of it is storage of high-density liquid hydrogen. To liquefy hydrogen, it must be cooled to cryogenic temperatures through a liquefaction process. Hydrogen is most commonly transported and delivered as a liquid when high-volume transport is needed in the absence of pipelines. Trucks transporting liquid hydrogen are referred to as liquid tankers [1].
Current Understanding and Gaps in Research of Carotid Webs in Ischemic Strokes: A Review.

Importance A succession of research has explored the linkage between carotid webs (CaWs) and ischemic strokes. Imaging and pathologic analysis have defined CaW as an intimal variant of fibromuscular dysplasia, which appears as a shelflike lesion on the posterior aspect of the carotid bulb, more specifically at the origin of internal carotid artery. Reported findings of carotid webs in young patients with recurrent ischemic strokes without an otherwise determined cause have raised questions about the mechanism, natural history, and need for intervention. This review addresses the current understanding of CaW and highlights findings that prompt further investigation into this unique vascular entity as a modifiable stroke risk factor. Observations Imaging analysis demonstrates hemodynamic disturbance in the presence of CaWs. The protuberant shelflike structure creates a pocket therein that may subsequently lead to local thrombosis and cerebral embolism. Computed tomographic angiography is an accurate and often used noninvasive diagnostic modality. Although treatment paradigms have not been systematically evaluated, antiplatelet monotherapy may not be sufficient to reduce recurrent ischemic events in the small series of patients with stroke and symptomatic CaWs. Conclusions and Relevance The limited clinical data on CaWs, although complicated by selection bias, suggest an increased prevalence of these vascular entities in cerebral ischemic events among patients younger than 60 years. Imaging suggests CaW to be a possible nidus for cerebral thromboembolism. Physicians should consider CaW as a cause of stroke in younger patients with anterior circulation ischemic strokes of an otherwise undetermined cause. Treatment options in CaWs with ischemic strokes have not been extensively investigated. Multicenter observational studies evaluating the natural history of CaW are warranted.
Lack of sexual dimorphism on the inhibitory effect of alcohol on muscle protein synthesis in rats under basal conditions and after anabolic stimulation.

Previous studies indicate women have a higher blood alcohol (i.e., ethanol) and acetaldehyde concentration after consuming an equivalent amount of alcohol, and that women are more susceptible to the long-term negative health effects of alcohol. However, there is a paucity of data pertaining to whether there is a sexual dimorphic response in skeletal muscle to alcohol. Adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were used and the primary endpoint was in vivo determined muscle (gastrocnemius) protein synthesis (MPS). The initial study indicated MPS did not differ in female rats during proestrus, estrus, metestrus, or diestrus; hence, subsequent studies used female rats irrespective of estrus cycle phase. There was no difference in MPS between male and female rats under basal fasted conditions, and the time- and dose-responsiveness of both groups to the inhibitory effect of acute alcohol did not differ. The ability of alcohol to suppress MPS was comparable in male and female rats pretreated with alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitor 4-methylpyrazol. Chronic alcohol feeding for 6 weeks decreased MPS in male but not in female rats; however, MPS was reduced in both sexes at 14 weeks. Finally, oral gavage of leucine increased MPS similarly in male and female rats and chronic alcohol feeding for 14 weeks prevented the anabolic effect in both sexes. These data suggest normal fluctuations in ovarian hormones do not significantly alter MPS in female rats, and that there is no sexual dimorphic response to the effects of acute alcohol intoxication on MPS. While chronic alcohol consumption appeared to decrease MPS at an early time point in male compared to female rats, there was no sex difference in the suppressive effect of alcohol at a later time point. Overall, these data do not support the prevailing belief that females are more susceptible than males to alcohol's catabolic effect on MPS.
Wall and boundary free energies. III. Correlation decay and vector spin systems

The asymptotic free energy of planar walls and boundaries is analyzed for scalar and vector spin systems. Under the hypothesis of correlation decay, various alternative definitions are found to be equivalent in the thermodynamic limit and independent of the “associated” walls. Furthermore, a torus, or box having periodic boundary conditions, is shown to have no boundary or surface free energy. For vector spin systems withn-component spins, existence of the thermodynamic limit is shown forn=2 and “positive” interactions.
A stable Cerberus tris(maloNHC) and its coinage metal complexes

The first trisanionic Cerberus-type maloNHC has been generated and coordinated to two different coinage metals (Au(I) and Ag(I)). The resulting triszwitterionic metal complexes have been characterized by NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and X-ray crystallography. The molecular structures of the new metal complexes reveal an average Au⋯Au and Ag⋯Ag separation of 20.89 and 21.03 A respectively, the longest distances reported to date for any related Cerberus-type NHCs.
Conjunctival mass from insect sting.

A 29-year-old female presented with a painless, enlarging right ocular growth for one month. History included an insect sting OD the day before the lesion arose. The patient described feeling a sha...
Shear Strength of a Synthetic Transparent Soft Clay Using a Miniature Ball Penetrometer Test

This article is concerned with the properties of Laponite colloids, which are being used as a transparent surrogate for soft natural clays. Laponite is a synthetic smectite clay similar to natural hectorite clay that is made of magnesium lithium phyllosilicate (MLPS). The effect of aging on the shear strength of transparent soft clay formed from MLPS and water is presented in this article. A miniature ball penetrometer (MBP) was developed for this study. MBP tests were used to measure the shear strength of samples at three different concentrations of MLPS in water. Sodium pyrophosphate was used to slow down the flocculation of MLPS by altering its rheology, thus improving the transparency of higher MLPS concentration samples. Parameters that were studied included the water quality, aging, penetration rate, penetrometer geometry, and repeatability. The strength of clays made of MLPS was found to increase with MLPS concentration, depth, and penetration rate. Water quality had little effect on strength or transparency. Equations to predict the strength of MLPS based on constituents, age, and stress, as well as the effect of rate of loading, are proposed. The performance of the MBP test was also investigated. It showed excellent repeatability, although the shear strength measured was dependent, to some degree, on the penetrometer’s dimensions as well as the rate of loading.
The Origins of Silicon Valley: Why and How It Got Started

Silicon Valley - an area that encompasses San Francisco and its extended suburbs to the south, including San Jose - is commonly known as the tech capital of the world. When most people think of the Valley, they probably think of semiconductors, personal computers, software, biotech and self-driving cars. But it was a hub for innovation long before the rise of personal computing, or even the transistor. Some consider the start of Hewlett-Packard Company as the beginning of what would become Silicon Valley; others date the start of the story to the founding of William Shockley's silicon transistor company, Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory, in Mountain View. But the seeds for what was to become Silicon Valley were actually sown 50 years earlier.
Personalized Chemotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular cancer (HCC) is an aggressive tumor that typically occurs in the setting of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. Although the mainstay of curative therapy for HCC is surgical resection and/or liver transplantation, the majority of patients are not eligible because of underlying liver dysfunction or tumor extent. A personalized approach is useful for conceptualizing the various treatment options that are available for individual patients. This Chapter first explores the underlying molecular and genetic basis of HCC, as well as virology, and other factors that influence the microenvironment of HCC. This is followed by a discussion of the role of systemic chemotherapy for patients with HCC. Among the major risk factors for HCC is infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV). These particular hepatic pathogens are involved in a multifaceted process that involves a number of alterations that are genetic and epigenetic such as the activation of cellular oncogenes and the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes. Systemic therapy with single-agent or combination chemotherapy has been studied extensively. However, cytotoxic chemotherapy traditionally has been associated with low response rates and questionable disease control. Thus, systemic chemotherapy has a limited role in HCC. Newer data on the efficacy of molecularly targeted agents have brought sorafenib to the forefront of therapy for advanced HCC. Sorafenib offers the potential for prolonged survival, although objective tumor remissions are scarce. Sorafenib is now the first line treatment in patients with HCC who are not candidates to undergo liver transplant, surgical resection, chemoembolization, or tumor ablation.
‘Globalists: the end of empire and the birth of neoliberalism’

When Quinn Slobodian began his project on the Geneva School of Neoliberals he could hardly have known that the phrase ‘globalist’ that figures so prominently in the title and throughout his wonderf...
Greening the Post-pandemic Recovery in the G20.

Rebuilding G20 economies after the COVID-19 pandemic requires rethinking what type of economy we need and want in the future. Simply reviving the existing 'brown' economy will exacerbate irreversible climate change and other environmental risks. For G20 economies, investing in a workable and affordable green transition is essential. A good place to start is learning what worked and what did not from previous efforts to green the economic recovery during the 2008-2009 Great Recession, examining the cases of the United States and South Korea. Policies for a sustained economic recovery amount to much more than just short-term fiscal stimulus. Transitioning from fossil fuels to a sustainable low-carbon economy will require long-term commitments (5-10 years) of public spending and pricing reforms. The priorities for public spending include support for private sector green innovation and infrastructure, development of smart grids, transport systems, charging station networks, and sustainable cities. Pricing carbon and pollution, and removing fossil-fuel subsidies, can accelerate the transition, raise revenues for the necessary public investments, and lower the overall cost of the green transition.
Cross-Section Tem Sample Preparation for Copper / Low-K Composite Stacks by Ion Milling

Sample preparation for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has been a source of speculation with regards to potential for the creation of artifacts which may confound data gleaned from TEM analysis. For semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) materials characterization, the most common sample preparatory methods are based on final thinning by ion beam milling. The latest shift towards Copper / low dielectric constant (k) composite systems in the semiconductor IC industry provides several challenges for TEM sample preparation resulting from differences in milling rates and materials properties for neighboring features.In conjunction with process development for integration of Cu / low-k materials, conducted at SEMATECH, we have systematically studied the effects of TEM sample preparation by ion milling in order to search for artifacts that could result from sample thinning procedures. For this purpose we have studied wafers with patterned copper lines isolated by a low-k polymer. One sample was stressed by thermal and electronic bias, while a second was subjected to only thermal stress.
Anti-cancer therapy related hand-foot syndrome in patients with systemic sclerosis: Case series and literature review

Abstract Hand-foot syndrome (HFS) is a common chemotherapy side effect, typically managed with supportive care including preemptive cooling. Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by vascular dysfunction and fibrosis of multiple organs, including the hands, which can result in acro-osteolysis and sclerodactyly. Here we discuss the management of two patients with SSc and concomitant HFS: A woman in her 70′s with pancreatic cancer treated with paclitaxel and gemcitabine, and a woman in her 40′s with breast cancer treated with capecitabine. Potential strategies for managing HFS in patients with SSc include maximizing vasodilation (with calcium channel blockers or phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors), excellent wound care and potentially antibiotics if finger ulcerations develop, considering limiting hand cooling during taxane treatments, and possible dose reduction of chemotherapy due to HFS if finger ulcerations and pain become dose-limiting.
Improved grain structure prediction in metal additive manufacturing using a Dynamic Kinetic Monte Carlo framework

Abstract This work describes a Dynamic Kinetic Monte Carlo numerical modeling framework that can predict the microstructure of metals during powder bed fusion (PBF) and directed energy deposition (DED) additive manufacturing (AM) while considering significant variations in thermal history and heat accumulation that occur during the build. Although the conventional Kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) method is well-established, it does not accommodate variation in the spatial domains of the melt pool (MP) and heat affected zone (HAZ) with time. Thus, the predicted microstructure remains relatively similar even over large AM build domains. While the existing KMC approach may suffice over spatial regions in which the MP and HAZ remain relatively unchanged, this circumstance is largely contrary to what experimentalists have recently found when imaging different regions in PBF and DED AM builds, thus raising issues with scalability and versatility of the method. The Dynamic KMC framework proposed in this work addresses these concerns by implementing discretized, spatially-varying MP and HAZ at every time increment during the grain structure prediction. The new framework operates in two stages; stage one establishes the 3D spatial MP and HAZ dimensions using either thermal finite element (FE) simulation or through experimental 3D thermal imaging; stage two subsequently integrates these time-varying MP and HAZ dimensions into the KMC algorithm at every time increment during the build. Thus, the Dynamic KMC framework captures the effects that rapid thermal cycles and heat accumulation have on grain nucleation and growth. The method is demonstrated through a case study involving a thin-walled Inconel 625 structure made by the selective laser melting (SLM) type of laser-based powder bed fusion (PBF-LB). The numerically predicted microstructures at various regions and scan layers within the build show strong agreement with experimentally observed trends reported in literature. Significant variations in grain morphology predicted by the Dynamic KMC framework can, according to specific thermal histories, provide investigators with new capabilities in assessing mechanical property variations across different regions of AM parts.
Removal of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) from waterbody using a revolving algal biofilm (RAB) reactor.

Abstract The occurrence of Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) in the aquatic environment has raised concerns due to their accumulation in the ecosystem. This study aims to explore the feasibility of using a Revolving Algal Biofilm (RAB) reactor for PPCPs removal from waterbody. Five model PPCP compounds including ibuprofen, oxybenzone, triclosan, bisphenol A and N, N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) were mixed and added to the culture medium. It shows that PPCP removal efficiencies of the RAB reactor ranged from 70% to 100%. The degradation of PPCPs by the RAB reactor contributed > 90% PPCP removal while
Ensemble Model Predictive Control: Learning and Efficient Robust Control of Uncertain Dynamical Systems

This paper presents a new robust Model Predictive Control (MPC) formulation using Ensemble Kalman Sampler to learn the parametric uncertainty of the dynamical model used for control design. It derives a polytopic model of uncertainty from data, and then uses the model to compute robust optimal trajectories while respecting input bounds and state constraints. Using linear dynamics the resulting controller can be written as a quadratic program, and under some assumptions we guarantee the constraint set forward invariant using the uncertainty model derived from data. We then describe extensions of the technique to non-linear autonomous and control-affine dynamics using Koopman spectral methods. Simulation studies of fast multirotor vertical landing illustrate the method.
Solving and estimating indeterminate DSGE models

We propose a method for solving and estimating linear rational expectations models that exhibit indeterminacy and we provide step-by-step guidelines for implementing this method in the Matlab-based packages Dynare and Gensys. Our method redefines a subset of expectational errors as new fundamentals. This redefinition allows us to treat indeterminate models as determinate and to apply standard solution algorithms. We prove that our method is equivalent to the solution method proposed by Lubik and Schorfheide (2003, 2004), and using the New-Keynesian model described in Lubik and Schorfheide (2004), we demonstrate how to apply our theoretical results with a practical exercise.
Can Blockchains Serve an Accounting Purpose

The blockchain has enabled the successful creation of decentralized digital currency networks. This success has prompted further investigation into the usefulness of blockchains in other business settings. Because of the blockchain’s use as a ledger, the question arises whether the blockchain could become a more secure alternative to current accounting ledgers. We show that this is infeasible. By casting this question in the context of the Byzantine Generals Problem that the blockchain was designed to solve, we identify multiple flaws hindering implementation of the blockchain as a financial reporting tool. Whereas blockchain-based digital currencies only exist within the blockchain, economic transactions exist outside of accounting records. This distinction prevents an acceptable level of transaction verification using the blockchain model. Additionally, the security benefits of the blockchain that render it ostensibly immutable are not fully available or reliable in an accounting setting.
Nano-size Dependence in the Adsorption by the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein over Gold Colloid.

Gold nano-particles were coated with the spike protein (S protein) of SARS-CoV-2 and exposed to increasingly acidic conditions. Their responses were investigated by monitoring the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band shift. As the external pH was gradually changed from neutral pH to pH ∼2 the peak of the SPR band showed a significant red-shift, with a sigmoidal feature implying the formation of the gold-protein aggregates. The coating of S protein changed the surface property of the gold enough to extract the coverage fraction of protein over nano particles, Θ, which did not exhibit clear nano-size dependence. The geometrical simulation to explain Θ showed the average axial length to be a = 7. 25 nm and b =8.00 nm when the S-protein was hypothesized as a prolate shape with spiking-out orientation. As the pH value externally hopped between pH∼3 and pH∼10, a behavior of reversible protein folding was observed for particles with diameters >30 nm. It was concluded that S protein adsorption conformation was impacted by the size (diameter, d) of a core nano-gold, where head-to-head dimerized S protein was estimated for d ≤ 80 nm and a parallel in opposite directions formation for d = 100 nm.
Robust and annotation-free analysis of isoform variation using short-read scRNA-seq data

Although isoform diversity is acknowledged as a fundamental and pervasive aspect of gene expression in higher eukaryotes, it is often omitted from single-cell studies due to quantification challenges inherent to commonly used short-read sequencing technologies. To address this issue, we have developed a suite of computational tools to investigate isoform variation by focusing on splice junction usage patterns, which can often be well characterized in spite of technical difficulties. Our method, which we name scQuint (Single-Cell QUantification of INTrons), can perform accurate quantification, dimensionality reduction, and differential splicing analysis using short-read, full-length single-cell RNA-seq data. Notably, scQuint does not require transcriptome annotations and is robust to technical artifacts. In applications across diverse mouse tissues from Tabula Muris and the primary motor cortex from the BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network, we find evidence of strong cell-type-specific isoform variation, complementary to total gene expression, and also identify a large volume of previously unannotated splice junctions. As a community resource, we provide ways to interactively visualize and explore these results, accessible at https://github.com/songlab-cal/scquint-analysis/ .
Clear optically matched panoramic access channel technique (COMPACT) for large-volume deep brain imaging

To understand neural circuit mechanisms underlying behavior, it is crucial to observe the dynamics of neuronal structure and function in different regions of the brain. Since current noninvasive imaging technologies allow cellular-resolution imaging of neurons only within ~1 mm below the cortical surface, the majority of mouse brain tissue remains inaccessible. While miniature optical imaging probes allow access to deep brain regions, cellular-resolution imaging is typically restricted to a small tissue volume. To increase the tissue access volume, we developed a clear optically matched panoramic access channel technique (COMPACT). With probe dimensions comparable to those of common gradient-index lenses, COMPACT enables a two to three orders of magnitude greater tissue access volume. We demonstrated the capabilities of COMPACT by multiregional calcium imaging in mice during sleep. We believe that large-volume in vivo imaging with COMPACT will be valuable to a variety of deep tissue imaging applications. COMPACT allows imaging of large volumes in the brain through a periscope-like probe inside a glass capillary.