cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Actuators For A Segmented Mirror Control System

The active control of segmented mirrors requires actuators to move the segments in response to perturbations. Each segment of the University of California Ten Meter Telescope has three of its six rigid-body degrees of freedom actively controlled; piston and tilt about two axes. The system design requires the actuator to carry a load that varies as the telescope moves from zenith to horizon. The maximum load is one third of the segment mass, about 150kg. The system design also needs actuator adjustment resolution less than 20nm over a range of 3mm with a 2µm/sec response rate. Actuators which satisfy these requirements have been designed, built, and tested. A torque motor turns a screw shaft whose axial load is taken by a roller thrust bearing. Simultaneously the screw drives a roller nut to position the mirror segment. The roller screw converts rotary to linear motion with nanometer smoothness over a large dynamic range. A stick-slip behavior in the thrust bearing makes the mechanical system non-linear for small motions. Each actuator has a microprocessor-controlled servo loop and the servo loop algorithm compensates for this non-linear behavior. The actuator design and servo loop algorithm are described and the results of servo loop performance tests are given.
Are nursing students’ clinical skills competency and self-confidence levels improved via video iPods? A randomized controlled pilot study

Background: Mobile technologies allow students the opportunity to enhance learning while away from the traditional classroom setting. However, educational outcome research is lacking in the use of mobile health (m-health) applications in healthcare professional practice development. Objectives: The aim of this pilot study was to discover whether male and female urinary catheter insertion videos delivered via iPods increases students’ skills competency and self-confidence levels. Methods: A prospective replicated study including second year, semester two, undergraduate nursing student participants (NSP) (N=16) was conducted: nine control participants (no video iPods) and seven intervention participants (video iPods). Nursing students attending a mandatory skills class in a learning resource center (LRC) in a School of Nursing located in Northern California were asked to participate in the study. NSP completed a questionnaire regarding previous clinical exposure to urinary catheterizations and levels of competency and confidence in performing the skills prior to taking a required skills course. Directly following the completion of the questionnaire, the participants’ viewed a professional video and a clinical faculty demonstrating the skills. Thereafter the NSP were provided practice time with evaluative feedback. At the completion of the class, the intervention group was provided video iPods and the control group was afforded no technology for a period of two weeks. Following the two weeks, the NSP completed a follow-up questionnaire and a clinical evaluation of their urinary catheterization skills in the LRC. Results: Close to zero variation in urinary catheterization competency scores were determined because all of the NSP scored high in this area and, therefore meaningful comparisons were not determined. The confidence levels for performing the catheterization skills did not significantly change by group, procedure, or time and neither were the two-way interactions between group and time, nor between procedure and time significant. Conclusions: Video iPods may be used to enhance nursing skills. However, the results of this pilot study do not suggest a significant change in competency or confidence levels in performing the clinical skills. Further investigation is necessary because increasing the number of participants, video-viewing time, and monitoring the length of time-on-learning may have a positive influence on future student affect and learning outcomes.
Limiting rate behavior and rate allocation strategies for average consensus problems with bounded convergence

Average consensus algorithms are gossiping protocols for averaging original sensor measurements via near neighbor communications. In this paper, we consider the average consensus algorithm under communication rate constraints. Without any communication rate restrictions, the algorithm ideally allows every node state to converge to the initial average in the limit. Noting that brute force quantization does not guarantee convergence due to error propagation effects, in our recent work we proposed two source coding methods which use side information (predictive coding and Wyner-Ziv coding) to achieve convergence with vanishing quantization rates in the case of block coding. In this work, we focus on a simplified predictive coding scheme with variable quantization rates over the iterations and on a communication network with regular topology. We characterize the asymptotic rate which allows to achieve a bounded convergence in terms of the initial conditions (i. e, the rate at the first iteration, and the initial state correlation), and the connectivity of the network. Moreover, we study the optimal rate allocation among the average consensus iterations subject to the constraints that the total number of quantization bits is fixed.
A simulation study of the communications performance of the Federal Aviation Administration Mode Select Beacon System for air traffic control

The systems is an integrated aircraft surveillance and communications system which is being implemented by the Federal Aviation Administration for use in air traffic control in the 1990s. The study was initiated in order to study the interaction of network layer entities within the Mode S system and to quantify the effect of higher-layer communication protocols on the performance of the system. In addition, the study investigates the impact of operational scenarios and data transfer techniques on the performance characteristics of the system. Simulation results are used to estimate system behavior under various air traffic conditions and confirm the suitability of the communications system to the projected air traffic environment. It is concluded that the capacity of the Mode S data link will support the projected operating scenarios. >
The requirement of iron transport for lymphocyte function

Iron is essential in multiple cellular processes and is especially critical for cellular respiration and division. A new study identified a mutation affecting the iron import receptor TfR1 as the cause of a human primary immunodeficiency, illuminating the importance of iron in immune cell function.
Investigation of Hierarchical Architecture of Human Guidance Behavior for Skill Analysis

This paper builds on a concept in our previous work that humans achieve efficient organization of guidance behavior by employing a hierarchical architecture that unifies planning, perceptual guidance and motor control. Human guidance behavior can be described as a motion planning problem subject to agent-environment constraints and constraints imposed by human biophysical limitations. This paper presents a mathematical formulation of the hierarchical architecture that decomposes the global problem into multiple levels of lower dimension local optimization problems. A simulation model implementing the hierarchical architecture is conducted as a validation of the framework and a platform to interpret human guidance behavior. This simulation model also provides insights into skill development and skill assessment.
Intracellular acidosis activates c-Src

The purpose of the present studies was to determine whether acidosis activates protein tyrosine kinase pathways. Incubation of MCT cells, a renal proximal tubule cell line, in acid media caused increased phosphotyrosine content of 60- to 70- and 120-kDa cytosolic proteins. Media acidification induced a twofold increase in c-Src activity that occurred within 30 s. Significant activation occurred with media pH changes as small as 0.07 pH unit accompanied by cell acidification of 0.06 pH unit. Sodium propionate addition, NH4Cl prepulse, and nigericin addition, maneuvers that decrease intracellular pH in the absence of changes in extracellular pH, activated c-Src. Significant activation by sodium propionate was seen with cell pH changes as small as 0.07 pH unit. Sodium orthovanadate, a protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, prevented c-Src activation by media acidification but did not prevent protein tyrosine phosphorylation. In summary, decreased intracellular pH activates c-Src. Acid activation of c-Src represents a novel mechanism of c-Src activation that may be relevant to many cellular responses to acidosis.
Academic jeopardy

A simple Java application is presented that can assist an instructor to carry on a review of a linked set of topics in a fun way. It encourages students to express the necessary ideas in their own words. It is available from the author.
Application of GC/MS/AMDIS to analysis and confirmation of 17 organochlorine and pyrethroid pesticide residue in tea

Objective:To explore the application of automatic mass spectral deconvolution and identification system(AMDIS) to the analysis 17 organochlorine and pyrethroid pesticide residues in tea.Mthods:AMDIS system,PBM of Agilent data processing system and NIST2005 MS search system were used to analyze and compare the data from full scan mode in different concentration.Results:The results showed that the effect of AMDIS was ideal with the low concentration of pesticides in complex samples.Conclusion:The system procedure of AMDIS was automation and rapid,which could be applied to analysis of pesticide residue.
Disenfranchising the Enfranchised: Exploring the Relationship Between Felony Disenfranchisement and African American Voter Turnout

Felony disenfranchisement is the removal of the right to vote following a felony conviction. Although it is clear that felony disenfranchisement constitutes diminished political capacity for citizens with felony convictions, what is not clear is the extent to which disenfranchisement reduces participation among those who are eligible to vote; particularly among African Americans who are overrepresented in the disenfranchised citizen population. In assessing the relationship between felony disenfranchisement policy and political participation, scholars have argued that socialization is the primary mechanism linking felony disenfranchisement to the political behavior of voting eligible citizens, finding that in the most policy severe states, turnout is lower. However, what the policy-severity-based perspective fails to acknowledge is changes to disenfranchisement policy that affect the restoration of civil rights; changes that often occur without affecting the severity of felony disenfranchisement policy wh...
Associations Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Emotion Dysregulation, and Alcohol Dependence Symptoms Among Inner City Females.

Objective The purpose of this study was to examine how emotion dysregulation (ED) might help explain the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol dependence (AD) symptoms in females. Method Participants included 260 women from primary, diabetes, and gynecological clinics of an urban public hospital. This is a primarily African American sample (96.9%), including individuals reporting exposure to at least 1 traumatic event. We examined the associations and predictability patterns between severity of PTSD symptoms, ED, and AD symptoms. Results Using linear regression analyses, PTSD avoidance and numbing symptoms and ED were significant predictors of AD symptoms. When looking at specific dimensions of ED, one's inability to engage in goal-directed behavior under strong emotional influences showed a full indirect effect on the relationship between PTSD avoidance and numbing symptoms and AD symptoms. Conclusion Our findings suggest that having poor emotion regulation skills may help explain why females with PTSD become dependent on alcohol.
Mapping Single Molecule Receptor Binding to Early Cellular Activation in Living Primary T Cells

T-cells play a prominent role in initiating adaptive immune responses, but the exact requirements for cellular activation are poorly understood. T-cell activation is governed by T-cell receptor (TCR)-ligand interactions at the junction between T-cells and antigen presenting cells. The binding of only a few foreign (agonist) peptide ligands, among thousands of endogenous (self) peptides ligands, is enough to trigger an immunoresponse. Furthermore, T-cells are highly selective and can respond differently to ligands with slightly different affinities. Although various mechanisms of T-cell triggering have been proposed based on correlations between binding kinetics and activation, there is currently no single prevailing mechanism. Current proposed mechanisms are derived from binding statistics, which are ensemble averages compiled from a large number of TCR-ligand interactions across multiple cells. Since only a few TCR binding events are sufficient for activation, a single cell does not sample the entire distribution of binding kinetics before committing to trigger. Thus, the mechanism by which T-cells distinguish rare agonist ligands from kinetically similar self ligands, while maintaining single molecule sensitivity, remains unclear. To understand signal accumulation in T-cells, we must directly observe all TCR-ligand interactions prior to cellular activation on a single cell level. Within the same cell, we monitor early cellular activation while simultaneously tracking single molecule TCR-ligand complexes at the interface between a supported lipid membrane and live T-cell. By recording the entire history of TCR-ligand interactions for a single cell in space and time, we characterize the interactions that contribute to early T-cell activation. By studying TCR binding and early cellular triggering of three peptides with vastly different binding affinities, we find that the number of binding events, accumulative dwell times, and spatial-temporal cooperativity determine T cell activation.
Physiologic Repair of Congenitally Corrected Transposition of the Great Arteries

Surgery for congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (ccTGA) has evolved overtime. Anatomical repair of ccTGA is now performed with quite satisfactory outcomes in children. The double switch operation has become the preferred surgical procedure in selected cases. Nevertheless, a number of patients with ccTGA still require physiological repair due to complex cardiac associations or impaired systemic ventricular function. This chapter outlines the mechanisms of right ventricular failure in ccTGA. Several “old techniques of repair” were abandoned. The introduction of PA banding has reduced the occurrence of tricuspid regurgitation and has allowed, in some cases, anatomical repair after proper LV retraining. The indications for TV repair and replacement, the place of the Fontan operation or heart transplantation are discussed. The decision to proceed with physiologic versus anatomic repair and the timing of operation is individualized.
Change in Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System Characterization of Focal Liver Lesions Using Gadoxetate Disodium Magnetic Resonance Imaging Compared With Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography

Purpose The aim of this study was to determine whether gadoxetate-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) improves lesion characterization in patients at risk for hepatocellular carcinoma compared with computed tomography (CT). Materials and methods Forty-nine patients with indeterminate lesions found at contrast-enhanced CT were prospectively enrolled and imaged using gadoxetate-enhanced hepatobiliary phase (HBP) MRI within 30 days of their initial CT. Three readers graded each lesion at CT and MRI using the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) v2014 major criteria and HBP characterization as an ancillary feature. Patients were followed for an average of 1.8 years to document growth or stability of each lesion. Results The Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System categorization changed for 71% (52/73) of lesions based on HBP MRI compared with CT, with 30% (22/73) of lesions upgraded and 41% (30/73) of lesions downgraded. There was almost perfect agreement between readers for arterial phase hyperintensity and HBP hypointensity, with lower interreader agreement for washout and capsule appearance. On the basis of composite clinical follow-up, lesions that were subsequently classified as hepatocellular carcinoma were assigned a higher LI-RADS category on HBP MRI when compared with CT. Conclusions For patients with indeterminate lesions seen on contrast-enhanced CT, HBP MRI using gadoxetate improves lesion characterization when using LI-RADS v2014 criteria.
How Stable Is China’s Economy?

Paul Armstrong-Taylor focuses on the risk of rising debt in China. He explains that China’s economic growth has been based on investment and exports. To support growth the government has distorted financial markets by keeping interest rates low. This has caused rapid growth in debt, particularly in the shadow banking sector. The risks are manageable, provided that China actually moves to a more sustainable, if slower, growth path.
Reversibility of Severe Cerebral Magnetic Resonance Imaging Changes Associated with Ethylene Glycol Toxicity

Ethylene glycol (EG), commonly found in antifreeze and deicing solutions, continues to be a cause of morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population. EG metabolism produces toxins that cause metabolic acidosis and calcium oxalate deposition throughout the body. Deposition in the central nervous system is associated with significant neurologic sequelae, including altered mental status, seizures, and cerebral edema. We present a case of intentional EG poisoning in a 17-year-old male with resulting cerebral edema and coma. Neuroimaging studies were initially normal but eventually demonstrated diffuse abnormalities on both cranial computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The patient ultimately made a complete recovery with resolution of the MRI abnormalities noted at the peak of illness. While neuroimaging is often incorporated into the management of EG poisoning, this is the first case report to show the evolution of EG-related MRI changes before, during, and after the resolution of EG-induced intracranial hypertension.
THE EVOLUTION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE US FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD AND THE INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTING STANDARD SETTERS: 1973–2008

ABSTRACT Utilizing archival materials as well as personal interviews and correspondence with personnel of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and International Accounting Standards Committee/Board (IASC/B), including former Board chairmen and staff members, this paper examines the development of the working relationships between the FASB and the IASC/B from their earliest interactions in 1973 through the transformation of the IASC into the IASB and the Convergence Program rooted in the 2002 Norwalk Agreement up to 2008.
Civil Unrest in the Context of Chronic Community Violence: Impact on Maternal Depressive Symptoms

Objectives. To examine changes in maternal–child health surrounding the April 2015 civil unrest in Baltimore, Maryland, following Freddie Gray’s death while in police custody.Methods. We conducted cross-sectional Children’s HealthWatch surveys January 2014 through December 2015 in pediatric emergency departments and primary care clinics on maternal–child health and June 2015 through October 2015 on daily and community routines. We used trend analysis and piecewise logistic regression to examine effects of time, residential proximity moderation, and mediation analysis to assess proximity and maternal–child health relations via maternal concerns.Results. Participants comprised 1095 mothers, 93% of whom were African American and 100% of whom had public or no insurance; 73% of participants’ children were younger than 24 months. Following the unrest, prevalence of maternal depressive symptoms increased significantly in proximal, but not distal, neighborhoods (b = 0.41; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.03, 0.79...
Abstract 4004: Rapamycin selectively targets obesity-polarized macrophages in the prostate tumor microenvironment

Background: Obesity is associated with prostate cancer progression and mortality. Previous studies in our laboratory suggest that obesity drives prostate cancer progression in part by increasing macrophage recruitment and by polarizing macrophages in the tumor microenvironment into a tumor promoting M2/TAM phenotype. Rapamycin, a mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor, has been used for several decades in transplant patients, and in the last several years has been shown to be an effective disease suppressor in certain cancer types. Intriguingly, mTOR has been shown to be especially important for M2 polarization and stabilization. Hypothesis: Based upon published data and our preliminary studies, we hypothesize that rapamycin will selectively target obesity-polarized macrophages and will provide a survival benefit to the obese prostate cancer patient. Methods: To address this hypothesis, we used our in vitro model of obesity-induced macrophage polarization that includes two different prostate cancer cell lines, macrophages, and sera from obese and non-obese men. qPCR was used to measure expression levels of markers associated with an M2/TAM phenotype. MTT assays were conducted to measure cell viability, and flow cytometry and Western blot analyses were used to determine cell cycle status and apoptosis. Results: Obese conditions increased expression of M2/TAM markers in macrophages and rapamycin selectively decreased viability of obesity-activated M2/TAMs compared to M1 macrophages. Conclusions: Our in vitro study suggests that obesity promotes a tumor-associated phenotype in macrophages and that the mTOR pathway is involved in the survival of M2/TAM macrophages. This study offers a novel mechanistic approach to treat obese patients with prostate cancer. Citation Format: Gloria C. Galvan, Tommy Pham, Brittany Harlow, Christian Johnson, Riddhi Patodia, Duan Quach, Michael A. Liss, Linda A. deGraffenried. Rapamycin selectively targets obesity-polarized macrophages in the prostate tumor microenvironment [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4004. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-4004
American Fiction After Mulvey

This chapter considers the careers of two acclaimed contemporary novelists, Philip Roth and Robert Stone. Readings of their work in this chapter demonstrate the extent to which each writer was responding to late twentieth-century and early twenty-first-centuryfeminist criticism in general and to “male gaze” theorizing in particular. This chapter includes readings of such texts as Goodbye Columbus, Sabbaths’s Theater, The Human Stain, The Dying Animal, Portnoy’s Complaint, Everyman, Exit Ghost, I Married a Communist, Outerbridge Reach, Bay of Souls, ﻿Death of the Black-Haired Girl, Dog Soldiers, Damascus Gate, A Flag for Sunrise, and Children of Light.
The effect of the Great Flood of 1993 on subsequent suspended sediment concentrations and fluxes in the Mississippi River Basin, USA

During the spring/summer of 1993, the upper Midwestern USA experienced unusually heavy precipitation (200-350% above normal). More than 500 gauging stations in the region were simultaneously above flood stage, and nearly 150 major rivers and tributaries over-topped their banks. This was one of the costliest floods in the history of the USA, and came to be known as the Great Flood of 1993. An examination of the long-term daily sediment record for the Mississippi River at Thebes, Illinois (representing the middle, or lower part of the upper basin), indicates that the flood had a severe and long-lasting impact on subsequent suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) and annual suspended sediment fluxes in the basin. At Thebes, pre-1993 (1981-1992) median discharge and SSC were about 5400 m 3 s -1 and 304 mg L -1 , respectively; whereas, post-1993 (1994-2004) median discharge and SSC were about 5200 m 3 s -1 and 189 mg L -1 , respectively. Clearly, the 1993 flood removed substantial amounts of stored bed sediment and/or readily erodible flood plain deposits, eliminating a major source of SSC for the Thebes site. Examination of additional, but discontinuous sediment records (covering the period from 1981-2004) for other sites in the basin indicates that current post-flood declines in SSC and suspended sediment fluxes range from a low of about 10% to a high of about 36%.
Adding Value in Student-Managed Funds: Benchmark and Sector Selection

Student-managed portfolios offer a practical learning environment but often miss opportunities for outperformance. The authors provide several recommendations for structuring fund trades to enhance the pedagogical experience for the students in addition to generating alpha. A strategy that targets midcap stocks offers favorable risk–return characteristics and focuses on a market capitalization category that receives relatively less attention from professional money managers. Furthermore, a formal sector allocation strategy provides an additional source of portfolio outperformance when using a metric that is robust to differences in companies across sectors. The authors document the high relative return dispersion among sectors in midcap stocks and show that enterprise value/EBITDA is a consistently effective ratio in identifying both undervalued and overvalued stocks.
AngleNav: MEMS Tracker to Facilitate CT-Guided Puncture.

As a low-cost needle navigation system, AngleNav may be used to improve the accuracy, speed, and ease of CT-guided needle punctures. The AngleNav hardware includes a wireless device with a microelectromechanical (MEMS) tracker that can be attached to any standard needle. The physician defines the target, desired needle path and skin entry point on a CT slice image. The accuracy of AngleNav was first tested in a 3D-printed calibration platform in a benchtop setting. An abdominal phantom study was then performed in a CT scanner to validate the accuracy of the device’s angular measurement. Finally, an in vivo swine study was performed to guide the needle towards liver targets (n = 8). CT scans of the targets were used to quantify the angular errors and needle tip-to-targeting distance errors between the planned needle path and the final needle position. The MEMS tracker showed a mean angular error of 0.01° with a standard deviation (SD) of 0.62° in the benchtop setting. The abdominal phantom test showed a mean angular error of 0.87° with an SD of 1.19° and a mean tip-to-target distance error of 4.89 mm with an SD of 1.57 mm. The animal experiment resulted in a mean angular error of 6.6° with an SD of 1.9° and a mean tip-to-target distance error of 8.7 mm with an SD of 3.1 mm. These results demonstrated the feasibility of AngleNav for CT-guided interventional workflow. The angular and distance errors were reduced by 64.4 and 54.8% respectively if using AngleNav instead of freehand insertion, with a limited number of operators. AngleNav assisted the physicians to deliver accurate needle insertion during CT-guided intervention. The device could potentially reduce the learning curve for physicians to perform CT-guided needle targeting.
Systems Design Approach to Low-Cost Coinage Materials.

A systems approach within an integrated computational materials engineering framework was used to design three new low-cost seamless replacement coinage alloys to reduce the raw material cost of the current US coinage alloys. Maintaining compatibility with current coinage materials required matching the currently used alloy properties of yield strength, work-hardening behavior, electrical conductivity, color, corrosion resistance, and wear resistance. In addition, the designed alloys were required to use current production processes. CALPHAD-based models for electrical conductivity and color were developed to integrate into the system design. Three prototype alloys were designed, produced, and characterized. The design process highlighted the trade-off between minimizing the raw material costs and achieving the desired color properties. Characterization of the three prototype alloys showed good agreement with the design goals.
'Wisconsin Works'?: Race, gender and accountability in the workfare era

This Book offers an evaluative analysis of the Wisconsin Works (W-2) program as the model initiative within national welfare reform strategies. The purpose of W-2 presents mothers receiving welfare with alternatives to dependency. The mothers of this study offer insights from their perspectives and experiences that take this claim, by W-2, to task. The Author explores a series of issues including: How do the mothers evaluate the transition from welfare to the W-2 Program? What is the central goal of self-sufficiency mean to them? What does welfare reform in general mean? And, finally, is anyone listening? The research question is what happens when we place the actual voices of Black mothers living through the transition from welfare to work in the model state of Wisconsin at the center of analysis and interrogate how these experiences might challenge a statistical assessment of Wisconsin's reported success. Most mothers in this study voice concerns about the inability of W-2 to directly address their specific needs or take into account their specific conditions. In order to both contextualize and fully develop this theory, the Author 1) analyzes the racial and gendered discourse surrounding the development and implementation of the Wisconsin Works Program; and 2.) examines specifically how welfare to work laws/policies affected the lives of Black mothers in Milwaukee since Wisconsin's transition from AFDC to W-2 in 1997. What emerges from these evaluations are three dominant clusters that best describe how mothers receiving W-2 benefits evaluate the program: paternalistic essentialism, work first principle, and privatization. Embedded within these clusters are many sub-themes. While, these three concepts in no way fully encapsulate the range of experiences encountered by W-2 participants, they still give us a powerful understanding about the overarching negotiations taking place between citizen actors, state policy, and market power within the world of W-2.
The Impact of the Social Fabric Matrix in Analysis and Policy Advice

The social fabric matrix (SFM) has been used in policy analysis for some 25 years. Several examples of SFM analysis are included within this volume. This chapter looks at these and other works and asks two simple questions. First, has the SFM shown itself to be a useful tool for policy analysis? Second, has SFM-based research and policy advice exercised real-world policy influence? Several examples are used to demonstrate that the answer to both of these questions is a qualified yes. The SFM fills an important role in the policy analysis toolbox and has in some cases had significant but hard won influence on actual policy.
Epigenetics: Genetics Versus Life Experiences

Epigenetics is the field of research that examines alterations in gene expression caused by mechanisms other than changes in DNA sequence. ADHD is highly heritable; however, epigenetics are considered relevant in potentially explaining the variance not accounted for by genetic influence. In this chapter, some of the well-known processes of epigenetics, such as chromosome organization, DNA methylation, and effects of transcriptional factors are reviewed along with studies examining the role of these processes in the pathophysiology of ADHD. Potential epigenetic factors conferring risk for ADHD at various developmental stages, such as alcohol, tobacco, toxins, medications, and psychosocial stressor are discussed. Animal studies investigating ADHD medications and changes in CNS Gene/Protein Expression are also explored since they provide insight into the neuronal pathways involved in ADHD pathophysiology. The current limited data suggest that identification of the epigenetic processes involved in ADHD is extremely important and may lead to potential interventions that may be applied to modify the expression of deleterious, as well as protective, genes.
A hidden aspect of the U.S. opioid crisis: Rise in first-time treatment admissions for older adults with opioid use disorder.

Abstract Background Older adults with opioid use disorder (OUD) are a medically complex population. The current study evaluated trends in older adults seeking treatment for OUD, with a focus on primary heroin versus prescription opioid use. This study also compared older adults with OUD to the younger OUD population on demographics and drug use behaviors. Methods Publicly available data from state-certified addiction treatment centers were collected via the Treatment Episode Data Set – Admissions (TEDS-A) between 2004–2015. This study utilized Joinpoint Regression to conduct a cross-sectional, longitudinal analysis of trends in first-time treatment admissions for OUD in adults 55 and older (older adults; n = 400,421) versus adults under the age of 55 (n = 7,795,839). Given the rapid increase in older adults seeking treatment for OUD between 2013–2015, secondary outcomes include changes in demographics and drug use between 2012 (as a baseline year) and 2015. Results The proportion of older adults seeking treatment for OUD rose steadily between 2004–2013 (41.2% increase; p-trend = 0.046), then rapidly between 2013–2015 (53.5% increase; p-trend = 0.009). The proportion of older adults with primary heroin use more than doubled between 2012–2015 (p Conclusions There has been a recent surge in older adults seeking treatment for OUD, particularly those with primary heroin use. Specialized treatment options for this population are critically needed, and capacity for tailored elder care OUD treatments will need to increase if these trends continue.
Salvage treatment for radio-recurrent prostate cancer: a review of literature with focus on recent advancements in image-guided focal salvage therapies.

Biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer occurs in 25–33% of patients who undergo radiation therapy (RT). Unfortunately, greater than 90% of patients with radiation recurrence undergo androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), despite the detrimental side effect profile and the lack of supporting evidence for ADT use in local recurrence. In patients who experience recurrence after treatment with RT, options for treatment include salvage radical prostatectomy (SRP), salvage cryotherapy (SCT), salvage brachytherapy (SBT), and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). These salvage treatments provide recurrence-free survival in almost half of the patients with an acceptable safety profile. However, it is important to note that approximately 20–40% of radio-recurrent prostate cancers are isolated and local. Recent studies have shown salvage focal treatments to have encouraging outcomes with significantly less side effects. This article summarizes the outcomes of currently used salvage treatment options for radio-recurrent prostate cancer and focuses on recent advancements in image-guided focal salvage therapies.
Oxidative Breakers Can Stimulate Halogenation and Competitive Oxidation in Guar-Gelled Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids.

A number of flowback samples derived from horizontally drilled hydraulic fracturing (HDHF) operations reveal consistent detections of halogenated organic species , yet the source of these compounds...
Measurement and simulation of comminution rate in granular materials subjected to creep tests

The subcritical growth of intra-particle cracks and their consequent rupture are often cited among the processes responsible for creep in granular solids. However, classical testing procedures do not involve measurements of grain size distribution, thus preventing a connection of creep strains to delayed breakage. Here, a rate-dependent Breakage Mechanics framework inspired by the physics of delayed crack growth is used to interpret creep measurements through continuum variables reflecting the release of elastic energy during comminution. Creep experiments were conducted on water-saturated materials with different particle size and shape. Each specimen was subjected to stages of oedometric compression and creep at stress levels sufficient to induce grain fracture. During each test, the evolution of the grain size distribution was monitored to quantify the progression of comminution. The experiments were finally interpreted and simulated with a breakage kinetics model characterized by a power law expression similar to those used in subcritical crack growth theories. The results show that the proposed model is able to replicate the phenomenology of delayed breakage. The power law coefficient linking the breakage growth rate to the elastic stored energy was found independent of the size of the grains and characterized by values within the range reported for the stress corrosion index of quartz. By contrast, the calibration of the breakage model revealed that the timescale of comminution was size-dependent, thus signaling an increase of elapsed creep time in materials with larger grains. This finding suggests that samples consisting of larger grains may require longer time until all particles contributing to creep strain attain failure, thus stressing the connection between the processes occurring at the grain scale and those measurable at the continuum scale.
A combined pretreatment, fermentation and ethanol-assisted liquefaction process for production of biofuel from Chlorella sp.

Abstract A combined pretreatment, fermentation and ethanol-assisted liquefaction approach was investigated to produce biofuel and biochemicals from freshwater microalga Chlorella sp. Microalgal biomass was pretreated with dilute sulfuric acid in different acid concentration (1–3 wt.%), biomass concentration (40–150 g/L) and pretreatment time (15–60 mins) to observe the effects on carbohydrate yield. The glucose concentration of 10.88 g/L was obtained with a glucose yield of 90.7% from biomass loading of 80 g/L pretreated with 3% (wt%) dilute sulfuric acid at 121 °C for 60 min. The usability of the pretreated hydrolysate as fermentation medium was determined using two yeast species– Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia stipitis. Similar ethanol yields were obtained from both yeasts at lower biomass loading of 40 g/L. However, at increased biomass loading of 100 g/L, P. stipitis obtained higher ethanol yield of 74.73% with higher glucose and xylose utilization compared to ethanol yield of 68.59% from S. cerevisiae. Following fermentation, liquefaction assisted with 15% (v/v) ethanol at 265 °C converted fermented microalgae to crude biodiesel, aqueous products and solid residue. This newly developed process could increase the crude biodiesel yield by 40.7%, compared to liquefaction of original microalgae. The main advantage of this combined approach is the utilization of fermented algae in essential ethanol production within the process to enhance the crude biodiesel yield by ethanol-assisted liquefaction.
Learnability Can Be Independent of ZFC Axioms: Explanations and Implications.

In Ben-David et al.'s "Learnability Can Be Undecidable," they prove an independence result in theoretical machine learning. In particular, they define a new type of learnability, called Estimating The Maximum (EMX) learnability. They argue that this type of learnability fits in with other notions such as PAC learnability, Vapnik's statistical learning setting, and other general learning settings. However, using some set-theoretic techniques, they show that some learning problems in the EMX setting are independent of ZFC. Specifically they prove that ZFC cannot prove or disprove EMX learnability of the finite subsets on the [0,1] interval. Moreover, the way they prove it shows that there can be no characteristic dimension for EMX; and, hence, for general learning settings. Here, I will explain their findings, discuss some limitations on those findings, and offer some suggestions about how to excise that undecidability. Parts 2-3 will explain the results of the paper, part 4-5 will discuss some limitations and next steps, and I will conclude in part 6.
Impact of Frictional Interactions on Conductivity, Diffusion, and Transference Number in Ether- and Perfluoroether-Based Electrolytes

Author(s): Grundy, LS; Shah, DB; Nguyen, HQ; Diederichsen, KM; Celik, H; Desimone, JM; McCloskey, BD; Balsara, NP | Abstract: There is growing interest in fluorinated electrolytes due to their high-voltage stability. We use full electrochemical characterization based on concentrated solution theory to investigate the underpinnings of conductivity and transference number in tetraglyme/LiTFSI mixtures (H4) and a fluorinated analog, C8-DMC, mixed with LiFSI (F4). Conductivity is significantly lower in F4 than in H4, and F4 exhibits negative cation transference numbers, while that of H4 is positive at most salt concentrations. By relating Stefan-Maxwell diffusion coefficients, which quantify ion-solvent and cation-anion frictional interactions, to conductivity and transference number, we determine that at high salt concentrations, the origin of differences in transference number is differences in anion-solvent interactions. We also define new Nernst-Einstein-like equations relating conductivity to Stefan-Maxwell diffusion coefficients. In H4 at moderate to high salt concentrations, we find that all molecular interactions must be included. However, we demonstrate another regime, in which conductivity is controlled by cation-anion interactions. The applicability of this assumption is quantified by a pre-factor, β+-} which is similar to the "ionicity"pre-factor that is often included in the Nernst-Einstein equation. In F4, β+-} is unity at all salt concentrations, indicating that ionic conductivity is entirely controlled by the Stefan-Maxwell diffusion coefficient quantifying cation-anion frictional interactions.
Percutaneous Ultrasound-Guided Superior and Inferior Mesenteric Vein Access for Portal Vein Recanalization–Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt: A Case Series

To describe the technique and outcomes of mesenteric access under ultrasound guidance to perform portal vein recanalization–transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (PVR-TIPS). Four patients (3 male: 1 female, mean age: 46.2 years; range 38–64 years) with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) and cavernous transformation were eligible for PVR-TIPS. Due to inaccessible splenic vein (one patient with history of splenectomy and 3 patients with unavailable splenic vein during the procedure), noninvasive direct puncture of superior (n = 3) and inferior (n = 1) mesenteric vein was conducted under ultrasound guidance to obtain access for PVR-TIPS. Trans-mesenteric access and PVR-TIPS were successful in all patients at first attempt. No immediate complication was observed following the procedures. Follow-up imaging with computed tomography (CT) scan and Doppler ultrasound revealed patent TIPS and portal venous vasculature in all patients. Percutaneous noninvasive transmesenteric access is a feasible approach for PVR-TIPS in patients with inaccessible splenic veins. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
Bone Health and Osteoporosis

Low bone density disorders lead to significant morbidity and mortality. In this chapter, we review the physiology of bone formation and remodeling along with the pathological changes that lead to osteopenia and osteoporosis. Screening guidelines aid clinicians in determining when to assess bone density and how often to repeat bone density testing after baseline testing is obtained. A number of illness states may accelerate bone loss, and clinicians must keep these in mind when considering the timing of bone density screening and the approach to the management of results. For patients found to be at risk for fragility fracture, a number of treatments are available to reduce the risk of hip fracture, subsequent mobility loss, and mortality.
Aquagenic wrinkling in children under two years of age: Could this be a potential clinical referral tool for cystic fibrosis among non-screened populations?

Abstract Background Early diagnosis via newborn screening is crucial to improve clinical outcomes in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). In resource-limited areas where newborn screening is unavailable and CF-related morbidity is high, clinical tools such as palmar aquagenic wrinkling (AW) have been considered. We report the utility of AW for possible early identification of CF in children Methods This pilot case-control study included 55 total children, 20 with confirmed CF, 10 CF carriers, and 25 healthy controls. The time to wrinkling (TTW) after hand immersion in water was recorded, and relationships between TTW, demographic and clinical variables, and validated diagnostic tests were analyzed. Results Wrinkling was observed in children Conclusion Our data confirm the role of AW in CF, validate test utility among young children, and analyze relationships between TTW, immunoreactive trypsinogen, sweat chloride levels, and CF-causing mutations. Despite test limitations, in children with suspected CF from non-screened populations, utility of AW in enabling early referral and diagnosis needs further exploration.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery to Prevent Local Recurrence of Brain Metastasis After Surgery: Neoadjuvant Versus Adjuvant.

Over the past 15–20 years, stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has become the dominant method for treating patients with brain metastases (BM). The role of surgery for management of large tumors also remains important. Combining these two treatment modalities may well achieve the best local control, safety, and symptomatic relief in cases of neoplasms for which resection is desirable. After 10 years of retrospective studies that suggested patients might do better if surgery were followed by early adjuvant SRS, a prospective, randomized, controlled trial was conducted to compare such treatment with postoperative observation after tumor removal, and it showed significantly better local control in the former cohort, especially in smaller lesions, but no difference in overall survival. On the other hand, in the past 5 years, some groups have argued that neoadjuvant SRS before resection of BM might be superior to adjuvant SRS, while no clinical trial has yet been concluded that compares these two treatment strategies. For now, adjuvant and neoadjuvant SRS show evidence of utility in achieving better local control after surgical removal of BM in comparison with surgery alone, but no specific guidelines exist favoring one method over the other, and both should be considered beneficial in clinical care.