cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Engineering Principles in Everyday Life for Non-Engineers

Abstract This book is about the role of some engineering principles in our everyday lives. Engineers study these principles and use them in the design and analysis of the products and systems with which they work. The same principles play basic and influential roles in our everyday lives as well. Whether the concept of entropy, the moments of inertia, the natural frequency, the Coriolis acceleration, or the electromotive force, the roles and effects of these phenomena are the same in a system designed by an engineer or created by nature. This shows that learning about these engineering concepts helps us to understand why certain things happen or behave the way they do, and that these concepts are not strange phenomena invented by individuals only for their own use, rather, they are part of our everyday physical and natural world, but are used to our benefit by the engineers and scientists. Learning about these principles might also help attract more and more qualified and interested high school and colleg...
Holism and Time Symmetry

Quantum mechanics is often taken to entail holism. I examine the arguments for this claim, and find that although there is no general argument from the structure of quantum mechanics to holism, there are specific arguments for holism available within the three main realist interpretations (Bohm, Ghirardi-Rimini-Weber and many-worlds). However, Evans, Price and Wharton's sideways Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen-Bell example challenges the holistic conclusion. I show how the symmetry between the sideways and standard Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen-Bell set-ups can be used to argue against holism. I evaluate the prospects for extending this insight to more general quantum systems, with a view to producing a genuinely time-symmetric hidden variable theory. I conclude that, although this extension undermines the analogy between the sideways and standard cases, quantum mechanics without holism remains a live possibility. Quanta 2016; 5: 85–92.
Electroless deposition of Nickel-Palladium-Gold for high reliability and power application: Cost and performance progress

Electroless deposited metal stacks of Nickel-Palladium-Gold (ENEPIG) or Nickel-Palladium (ENEP) are frequently used in modern advanced packaging technologies. Main application for this metal stack is the under bump or pad metallization (fig1.). The surface of this specific metal stack allows for reliable wire bonding including thick Copper wire bonding as well as for soldering on the die. This technology has been successfully adopted by automobile suppliers as well as power chip manufacturers. Recently it has been introduced for housing redistribution layers of Copper (see fig. 2). In this paper we are presenting the latest improvements over the entire ENEP(IG) process leading to a substantial Cost of Ownership (CoO) reduction. Improvements span chemistry control, manufacturing process, the plating process itself and tool layout. We are discussing how this has been achieved and how strong this is influencing the cost for the overall process steps. Different tool concepts for the ENEPIG process will be discussed, with a focus on benefits of specific spray pre-treatment as this is a key enabler for fine line applications.
Phase slips in superconducting weak links

Superconducting vortices and phase slips are primary mechanisms of dissipation in superconducting, superfluid, and cold-atom systems. While the dynamics of vortices is fairly well described, phase slips occurring in quasi-one-dimensional superconducting wires still elude understanding. The main reason is that phase slips are strongly nonlinear time-dependent phenomena that cannot be cast in terms of small perturbations of the superconducting state. Here we study phase slips occurring in superconducting weak links. Thanks to partial suppression of superconductivity in weak links, we employ a weakly nonlinear approximation for dynamic phase slips. This approximation is not valid for homogeneous superconducting wires and slabs. Using the numerical solution of the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equation and bifurcation analysis of stationary solutions, we show that the onset of phase slips occurs via an infinite period bifurcation, which is manifested in a specific voltage-current dependence. Our analytical results are in good agreement with simulations.
Putting US Foreign Policy in a Theoretical Perspective

This chapter positions US foreign policy in an offensive realist theoretical perspective. It starts by analyzing the importance of theory and different theories of international relations and foreign policy. While recognizing that no theory can and should explain everything, it proposes offensive realism as a theoretical framework that focusses exclusively on great powers politics and on issues involving national security and geostrategic interests of the US. Offensive realism is suitable to explain US foreign policy because of its aggressive behavior to maintain the status as the only regional hegemon in the international system. The chapter concludes by discussing the comparative case study methodology through which the data will be collected and the theoretical claims will be tested.
High voltage capacitors environmental testing

In an era when vehicle weight is very important to mission success, non-traditional technology must be developed to provide protection without adding parasitic weight to a vehicle, such as added by heavy armor packages. Electromagnetic Armor (EMA) is one possible technology that may lead to the realization of achieving lighter weight with equal or greater protection levels. We conducted a 1,000 mile simulation of a combat vehicle terrain vibration test with high voltage, pulse forming capacitors for EMA applications at TARDEC. The test results confirmed that high voltage pulse forming polypropylene (PP) capacitors were durable and could withstand vibrations from various types of terrain in a real battlefield environment. We also conducted temperature tests with high voltage, pulse forming PP capacitors at TARDEC. High voltage and high frequency capacitor tests were conducted at the Army Research Laboratory (ARL). The test results indicated that high voltage pulse forming PP capacitors were durable and could probably withstand environmental changes, within operational range, in a real battlefield environment.
Rupture of an Occult Intracranial Mycotic Aneurysm after Intravenous Thrombolysis with Recombinant Tissue Plasminogen Activator for Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Abstract Background The treatment of acute ischemic stroke with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) has become the mainstay of treatment, but its use carries a risk of subsequent intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). Guidelines have been developed to aid in the selection of the appropriate candidates to treat with rtPA to reduce this risk. We present a case of a stroke patient who was an appropriate candidate and was treated with rtPA who experienced a fatal subarachnoid hemorrhage due to a ruptured mycotic aneurysm (MA). Case Report A 51-year-old man presented to the Emergency Department with acute neurological symptoms concerning for acute ischemic stroke. His National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 22. Emergent noncontrast head computed tomography (CT) revealed no sign of hemorrhage. The patient received intravenous rtPA, and about 1 h after the infusion was started, he had an acute deterioration in his mental status. Repeat CT scan revealed a large subarachnoid hemorrhage, and the patient was later found to have two intracranial aneurysms consistent with a ruptured MA that were related to his remote history of infective endocarditis. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? The majority of MAs are caused by infective endocarditis. In patients presenting with acute neurologic symptoms with a history of infective endocarditis, emergency physicians should strongly consider obtaining CT angiography to rule out MA prior to treating presumed acute ischemic stroke with rtPA.
The Supreme Court, Endrew, and the Appropriate Education of Students With Disabilities:

In this article, we analyze the Supreme Court’s decision in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District RE-1 (2017), interpreting the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and its provisions creating a right of every student with a disability to have an appropriate education. We compare the Endrew decision with IDEA and the Court’s previous appropriate education decision, Board of Education of the Hendrick Hudson Central School District v. Rowley (1982), on four key concepts: educational program, reasonably calculated, progress, and child’s circumstances. We discuss the case’s implications for systems capacity development and interpret Endrew as a narrative about students’ ethical claim to dignity.
Exosomes: biology, therapeutic potential, and emerging role in musculoskeletal repair and regeneration

Exosomes are nanovesicles secreted from cells that play key roles in intercellular communication. They carry unique content derived from parental cells and are capable of transferring this cargo between cells. The role and function of exosomes largely depends on the origin and functional status of the parental cells. Emerging evidence indicates that exosomes are associated with biological processes and pathogenesis of certain diseases. These nanovesicles offer great potential as biomarkers, enabling the monitoring and diagnosis of various diseases in a noninvasive manner. Furthermore, as an efficient vehicle of biomolecular intercellular transfer, exosomes are under intensive investigation for their potential for drug delivery and carriers for gene therapy. Here, we first summarize the basic biology and function of exosomes, followed by a discussion of their clinical potential, including the use of exosomes for disease diagnosis, treatment, and drug delivery. The review will highlight the potential of exosomes derived from stem cells in regenerative medicine, with a focus on musculoskeletal tissues. We conclude by sharing our views on the challenges, opportunities, and future directions for the use of exosomes as a therapeutic treatment for the repair and regeneration of musculoskeletal tissues.
Challenges for Training Translational Researchers in the Era of Ubiquitous Data

Our ability to collect data at every stage of the translational pipeline creates great opportunities for formulating hypotheses both "upstream" (towards clinical implementation) and "downstream" (back to basic discovery). Translational researchers therefore must integrate information at multiple scales to both generate and test hypotheses-to some extent they must all be comfortable with the basics of "big data" analyses. This increased focus on data-driven science requires an understanding of basic experimental and clinical data collection-understanding that likely cannot efficiently be gathered through traditional apprenticeship models. Thus, new curricula are required to ensure that next-generation scientists have a new combination of skills required for integrating data to catalyze discovery.
Glenohumeral osteoarthritis: frequency of underlying diagnoses and the role of arm dominance—a retrospective analysis in a community-based musculoskeletal practice

Patients with shoulder pain are commonly seen in adult primary care, and are typically referred to musculoskeletal specialists when their symptoms are persistent. Rotator cuff disorders (RCD) most commonly underlie non-traumatic shoulder pain in adults, and glenohumeral osteoarthritis (GHOA) has been considered to be relatively uncommon (Nakagawa et al., J Shoulder Elb Surg 8:580–584, 1999). Our impression has been that GHOA affects significant numbers of patients, is less well studied, and may be under recognized. Among adults referred to a musculoskeletal practice for shoulder pain evaluation, we determined the relative numbers of patients with a clinical diagnosis of RCD and GHOA by age and by gender, assessed the role of handedness in GHOA, and the proportion of patients with underlying conditions (versus primary or idiopathic GHOA). We also assessed the frequency of progression to operative management over a defined time interval. This is a retrospective case series of patients presenting to a musculoskeletal referral practice for shoulder pain. Patients with a clinical diagnosis of GHOA were identified with electronic medical records, and then assessed for demographic data, physical measures, comorbidities, and progression to surgical intervention within 2 years. Among non-traumatic shoulder pain patients presenting to our practice during a 9-month period in 2013, RCD was diagnosed in 984 patients, and GHOA was diagnosed in 209 patients. 152 of the GHOA patients (73%) had primary (idiopathic) GHOA, without associated inflammatory conditions or cuff arthropathy. Primary GHOA affected the dominant arm in 38.7%, the non-dominant arm in 33.8%, and was bilateral in 27.5%. Patients diagnosed with primary GHOA were older than those with RCD (69.8 ± 12.2 vs 57.1 ± 15.1; p = 0.0001). Women represented 54% of cases of primary GHOA, and their presentation age was older than men (72.9 ± 11.2 vs 66.1 ± 12.4; p = 0.0005). Primary GHOA patients had a mean BMI of 31.0 ± 6.3, 48.7% had hyperlipidemia and 57.2% had hypertension. 24.3% were treated surgically within 2 years of follow-up. GHOA is a significant cause of shoulder pain in older age groups, and the majority of these patients have primary (idiopathic) GHOA. Primary GHOA affects dominant and non-dominant arms at similar rates, suggesting that anatomical and/or systemic factors are more important than overuse in GHOA pathogenesis. Given the prominence of GHOA in older age groups, changes in population demographics, and limitations of non-operative treatment, continued increases in shoulder replacement surgery are likely. Efforts to further understand GHOA pathogenesis and develop new, more effective therapies are advocated.
The Duties and Liabilities of an Iowa Corporate Director

This Article covers the basic statutory and fiduciary duties of a director of an Iowa corporation. The Article describes the corporate director’s duties as defined by the Iowa Business Corporation Act and Iowa case law, and the claims and defenses that typically arise when a party asserts that the director breached those duties. All pertinent IBCA provisions and the most significant modern Iowa Supreme Court decisions regarding director duties are included.
The alien tort statute of 1789 and international human rights violations: Kiobel v. royal dutch petroleum co.

Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum Co. involves an action under the Alien Tort Statute (ATS). The case was brought in the United States, Southern District of New York, by the widow of Dr. Barinem Kiobel, a Nigerian activist and member of the Ogoni tribe, and others for human rights violations committed in the Niger River Delta. Defendants include Royal Dutch Petroleum, Shell Transport and Trading Co., and Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria. Although the human rights violations including murder and torture were allegedly committed by the Nigerian military government, it is claimed that the Royal Dutch Petroleum defendants aided and abetted the Nigerian military in the human rights violations. The plaintiffs had engaged in protests about the environmental damage caused by the Royal Dutch Petroleum defendants in the area of the Niger Delta and the plight of the Ogoni people in Ogoniland. At the trial level, the court decided that certain claims involving violations of the Law of Nations could be heard by the court. However, the case was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which decided that there is a presumption against extraterritoriality in the application of the ATS, and that “mere presence” of a defendant corporation in the United States is insufficient for a court to assume jurisdiction. However, the question remains: What corporate presence would serve as a sufficient basis for a court to assume jurisdiction under the ATS? Given the possibility that corporations could, and perhaps in the future will, be found liable for human rights violations occurring in foreign locales even after Kiobel, prudent risk management behooves corporations and their counsel to monitor whether human rights violations are occurring in connection with their operations, even when those human rights violations are committed by foreign governments or their agents.
Optical zone diameters for photorefractive corneal surgery.

PURPOSE: To examine the physiological optics of photorefractive corneal surgery and to study the effect on glare production of the optical zone diameter. METHODS: An optical analysis computer program was used to generate rays that define the edge of the optical zone for any given pupil size and glare-free field. RESULTS: The optical zone diameter must be based on the postoperative corneal curvature because the determines magnification of the pupil. The minimal optical zone diameter of uniform optical power was determined both for myopic and hyperopic surgery and for two values of anterior chamber depth. CONCLUSIONS: Optical zone diameters must be at least as large as the entrance pupil diameter to preclude glare at the fovea, and larger than the entrance pupil to preclude parafoveal glare.
Changes in synaptic structure affecting neural transmission in the senescent brain.

Neural transmission involves electrochemical interactions between two neurons along a region of interneuronal contact known as a synapse. In vertebrate nervous systems these interactions are mediated by transmitter substances, which react with receptor sites on synaptic membranes affecting their permeability to various ions. Synaptic membranes are modified segments of neuronal plasma membranes, and their properties vary in different types of synapses.
Effect of Hydrostatic Pressure, Boundary Constraints and Viscosity on the Vaporization Threshold of Low-Boiling-Point Phase-Change Contrast Agents.

Abstract The vaporization of low-boiling-point phase-change contrast agents (PCCAs) using ultrasound has been explored in vitro and in vivo. However, it has been reported that the pressure required for activation is higher in vivo, even after attenuation is accounted for. In this study, the effect of boundary constraints, hydrostatic pressure and viscosity on PCCA vaporization pressure threshold are evaluated to explore possible mechanisms for variations in in vivo vaporization behavior. Vaporization was measured in microtubes of varying inner diameter and a pressurized chamber under different hydrostatic pressures using a range of ultrasound pressures. Furthermore, the activation threshold was evaluated in the kidneys of rats. The results confirm that the vaporization threshold is higher in vivo and reveal an increasing activation threshold inversely proportional to constraining tube size and inversely proportional to surrounding viscosity in constrained environments. Counterintuitively, increased hydrostatic pressure had no significant effect experimentally on the PCCA vaporization threshold, although it was confirmed that this result was supported by homogeneous nucleation theory for liquid perfluorocarbon vaporization. These factors suggest that constraints caused by the surrounding tissue and capillary walls, as well as increased viscosity in vivo, contribute to the increased vaporization threshold compared with in vitro experiments, although more work is required to confirm all relevant factors.
Electrophoretically Deposited Copper Manganese Spinel Coatings for Prevention of Chromium Poisoning in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Cr2O3 scales formed on ferritic steel interconnects in intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stacks have the problem of Cr-poisoning that can deteriorate cell performance. Applying a protective coating on the surface of the interconnects is an effective strategy to solve this problem. (CuMn)3O4 spinel is a potential candidate-coating material. In this study, the performance of the CuMn1.8O4 at 750 °C, the conductivities of the reaction layer formed between the coating and Cr2O3 scale, and the reduction of Cr ion diffusivity in Ni-doped (CuMn)3O4 were explored. CuMn1.8O4 coatings were found to be good Cr diffusion barriers at 750 °C, with the coatings also acting as an excellent Cr getter. The conductivities of the reaction layer were found to be at least two orders of magnitude higher than that of Cr2O3, indicating the formation of the reaction layer is favorable compared to the thickening of the Cr2O3 scale at the coating/alloy interface. Ni-doped of (CuMn)3O4 decreased the diffusivity of Cr, making (CuMnNi)3O4 a promising candidate-coating material.
Fatty Acid Storage from Systemic FFA and VLDL-triglyceride Between Visceral and Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Depots in Morbid Obesity (OR09-06-19)

Understanding both systemic and cellular factors that govern lipid storage in different tissue depots may be essential for understanding the genesis of differences in body fat distribution. We assessed fatty acid (FA) storage in upper body subcutaneous adipose (UBSQ), visceral (omental) adipose (VAT), and liver from systemic free fatty acids (FFA) using [9,10–³H] palmitate tracer and from very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) triglycerides (TG) using autologous [1–¹⁴C]VLDL-TG tracers combined with carefully timed biopsies in patients undergoing bariatric surgery. We measured the activity of 4 enzymes that regulate adipocyte FA storage: lipoprotein lipases (LPL) – an extracellular enzyme, and 3 intracellular enzymes - acyl-CoA synthase (ACS), glycerol-3-phospate acyltransferase (GPAT) and diacylglycerol transferase (DGAT). Finally, we examined systemic factors (fasting plasma insulin and resting energy expenditure (REE)) that might relate to lipid storage. Storage of systemic FFA was well correlated between VAT and UBSQ (r = 0.53, P < 0.006), UBSQ and liver (r = 0.69, P = 0.0003), but not between VAT and liver. Storage of VLDL-TG was positively correlated between all three depots. Fasting LPL activity was positively correlated with storage of VLDL-TG in VAT (r = 0.47, P < 0.05) but not UBSQ. Fasting palmitate was correlated with storage rates of systemic FFA in both VAT (r = 0.45, P < 0.03) and UBSQ (r = 0.48, P < 0.03). The activities of intracellular storage enzymes (ACS, DGAT, and GPAT) were unrelated to UBSQ storage of systemic FFA or VLDL-TG. None of the intracellular enzymes correlated with storage of systemic FFA in VAT; only ACS (r = 0.50, P < 0.03) was positively correlated with VLDL-TG storage; DGAT and GPAT tended to correlate (P = 0.056 and P = 0.0719, respectively). Plasma insulin was unrelated to storage of either lipid in both depots. Interestingly, REE was negatively correlated to VAT storage of VLDL-TG (r = 0.45, P < 0.03) but not systemic FFA, whereas REE was negatively correlated to UBSQ storage of systemic FFA (r = 0.50, P < 0.05) but not VLDL-TG. In morbid obesity, differences in cellular and systemic factors contribute to variations in storage of VLDL-TG versus systemic FFA between VAT and UBSQ; however, within each subject there is no preferential partitioning of FA to either VAT or UBSQ. DK40484, DK45343, DK50456.
Hazardous air pollutants and telomere length in the Sister Study.

Background Telomeres are vital for genomic integrity and telomere length has been linked to many adverse health outcomes. Some hazardous air pollutants, or air toxics, increase oxidative stress and inflammation, two possible determinants of shortened telomere length. No studies have examined air toxic-telomere length associations in a non-occupational setting. Methods This study included 731 Sister Study participants (enrolled 2003-2007) who were randomly selected to assess telomere length in baseline blood samples. Multiplex qPCR was used to determine telomere to single copy gene (T/S) ratios. Census tract concentration estimates of 29 air toxics from the 2005 National Air Toxics Assessment were linked to baseline residential addresses. Air toxics were classified into tertile-based categories of the exposure. Multivariable linear regression was used to estimate β coefficients and 95% confidence intervals (CI) in single pollutant models. Multipollutant groups were identified with regression trees. Results The average T/S ratio was 1.24. Benzidine (T3vsT1 β= -0.08; 95% CI: -0.14, -0.01) and 1,4-dioxane (T3vsT1 β= -0.06; 95% CI: -0.13, 0.00) in particular, as well as carbon tetrachloride, chloroprene, ethylene dibromide, and propylene dichloride, were associated with shorter relative telomere length. Benzidine (p=0.02) and 1,4-dioxane (p=0.06) demonstrated some evidence of a monotonic trend. The regression tree identified age, BMI, physical activity, ethylene oxide, acrylonitrile, ethylidene dichloride, propylene dichloride, and styrene in multipollutant groups related to telomere length. Conclusions In this first study of air toxics and telomere length in a non-occupational setting, several air toxics, particularly 1,4-dioxane and benzidine, were associated with shorter relative telomere length.
Weighted Parabolic Aleksandrov Estimates: PDE and Stochastic Versions

We prove several pointwise estimates for solutions of linear parabolic equations with measurable coefficients in smooth cylinders through the weighted Ld+1-norm of the free term. The weights allow the free term to blow up near the lateral boundary. These are the first such results for parabolic equations with measurable coefficients. We also present the corresponding weighted estimates for occupation times of diffusion processes.
Discovering Community Structure in Networks- A Comparative Study

Community detection is an active field of research in Network Science. It aims at understanding the structure and gaining insight into the dynamics of real networks. We have recently developed a community structure algorithm that approaches the problem from the perspective of statistical physics to propose a density driven formulation for community detection- the Community Density Rank (CDR) algorithm. Here we compare the performance of the CDR against state-of-the-art community detection algorithms, namely Infomap, Louvain, Fast-greedy and Walktrap. LFR benchmark networks with up to 40K nodes, and mixing parameter, μ up to 0.9 are used for this comparative study. We find that the CDR outperforms these comparison algorithms for a variety of network sizes, and community structures that vary from completely separable, to highly mixed. The CDR's ability to accurately discover communities in comparison to extant techniques, and its capability to unveil true hierarchical relations within the communities makes it a powerful technique for extracting community structures from data.
Bodyminds reimagined: (dis)ability, race, and gender in black women’s speculative fiction

Black feminist theory and disability studies come together in Sami Schalk’s Bodyminds Reimagined. Schalk demonstrates how the two fields are invaluable to each other and the potential of looking at...
Abstract P503: Continuous Diurnal Patterns of Atrial Fibrillation Onset by Chronic Kidney Disease Status: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (aric) Study

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with atrial fibrillation (AF); however, most studies have looked at its presence or occurrence as a dichotomous outcome, and diurnal patterns ...
Maximum Vasoactive Inotropic Score in the 48 Hours Post-LVAD Implantation Correlates with Early Severe Right Ventricular Failure

Purpose Right ventricular failure (RVF) remains a significant source of post-LVAD implantation morbidity despite advances in these mechanical circulatory support devices. The vasoactive inotropic score (VIS) is an emerging novel way to estimate total inotropic and vasotropic support, and we believe the post-operative VIS score could correlate with severe RVF post-LVAD implantation. Methods We performed a single-center retrospective study of 240 patients who received a continuous-flow durable LVAD between Jan 1st, 2006 through Dec 31st, 2017. Patients who were less than 18 years old, who underwent LVAD exchange, and who received a planned BiVAD were excluded. The VIS score was calculated as: dobutamine (mcg/kg/min) + 10 x milrinone (mcg/kg/min) + dopamine (mcg/kg/min) + 100 x epinephrine (mcg/kg/min) +100 x norepinephrine (mcg/kg/min) + 10,000 x vasopressin (mcg/kg/min). The VIS score at 6, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively were calculated and then the maximum VIS score within 48 hours for each patient used to stratify the cohort into quartiles. Severe RVF was defined as meeting clinical RVF and having inotropes >14 days after implant, RVAD placement during implant admission, or death from RVF during implant admission. Results In our 240-patient cohort, the VIS quartiles groups were 0-10, 11-15, 16-22, and 23-87. Patients in quartile 4 were older, had a higher CVP and INTERMACS level (Table 1). In our univariate analysis, quartile 4 was associated with severe RVF (OR 3.62, CI [1.37-9.56], p = 0.009). The multivariable model (which included age, INTERMACS level, total bilirubin over 2.5 mg/dL, RV dysfunction on echocardiogram, and gender) found that maximum VIS score within 48 hours for quartile 4 independently correlated with severe RVF (OR 3.04, CI [1.5 - 8.83], p = 0.04). The ROC-curve for this model had an AUC of 0.68. Conclusion Our results demonstrate that the highest VIS score within the first 48 hours after LVAD implantation correlates with severe RVF.
Crop biotechnology and the future of food

The global population continues to rise, as does the likelihood of reduced yields of major food crops due to the changing climate, thus making the development of genetically improved, stress-resilient crops a research priority. The convergence of low-cost genome sequencing with improved computational power and high-throughput molecular phenotyping technologies has accelerated the identification of genes underlying important agronomic traits relevant to food production and quality. Here, we discuss the evolution of plant improvement, and how researchers leverage genomic analyses and revolutionary new plant breeding technologies like site-directed nucleases to enhance food crop traits through agricultural biotechnology. Deployment of these products from the laboratory to the field remains hindered by biological and regulatory bottlenecks that require further development. Crop yield is stagnating in many parts of the world, and climate change threatens the worldwide agricultural system. This Review presents a comprehensive overview of current development leveraging genomic analyses and revolutionary new plant breeding technologies to enhance food crop traits through agricultural biotechnology.
Bayesian Machine Learning Approach to the Quantification of Uncertainties on Ab Initio Potential Energy Surfaces

This work introduces a novel methodology for the quantification of uncertainties associated with potential energy surfaces (PESs) computed from first-principles quantum mechanical calculations. The methodology relies on Bayesian inference and machine learning techniques to construct a stochastic PES and to express the inadequacies associated with the ab initio data points and their fit. By combining high fidelity calculations and reduced-order modeling, the resulting stochastic surface is efficiently forward propagated via quasi-classical trajectory and master equation calculations. In this way, the PES contribution to the uncertainty on predefined quantities of interest (QoIs) is explicitly determined. This study is done at both microscopic (e.g., rovibrational-specific rate coefficients) and macroscopic (e.g., thermal and chemical relaxation properties) levels. A correlation analysis is finally applied to identify the PES regions that require further refinement, based on their effects on the QoI reliability. The methodology is applied to the study of singlet (11A') and quintet (25A') PESs describing the interaction between O2 molecules and O atoms in their ground electronic state. The investigation of the singlet surface reveals a negligible uncertainty on the kinetic properties and relaxation times, which are found to be in excellent agreement with the ones previously published in the literature. On the other hand, the methodology demonstrated significant uncertainty on the quintet surface, due to inaccuracies in the description of the exchange barrier and the repulsive wall. When forward propagated, this uncertainty is responsible for the variability of 1 order of magnitude in the vibrational relaxation time and of factor four in the exchange reaction rate coefficient, both at 2500 K.
Is Less Really More? Economic Evaluation of Minimally Invasive Surgery.

Study Design:Review.Objective:A comparative overview of cost-effectiveness between minimally invasive versus and equivalent open spinal surgeries.Methods:A literature search using PubMed was perfor...
Fecal Microbiota Transplant in Cirrhosis Reduces Gut Microbial Antibiotic Resistance Genes: Analysis of Two Trials

Antibiotic resistance leads to poor outcomes in cirrhosis. Fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) is associated with reduction in antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) burden in patients without cirrhosis; however, the impact in cirrhosis is unclear. We aimed to study the effect of capsule and enema FMT on ARG abundance in fecal samples, which were collected during two published FMT trials in patients with cirrhosis on rifaximin, lactulose, and proton pump inhibitors. ARGs were identified using metagenomics and mapped against the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database. Changes in ARG abundance were studied within/between groups. The capsule FMT trial involved a one-time FMT or placebo capsule administration with stool collection at baseline and week 4 postintervention. Antibiotics+enema FMT included preprocedure antibiotics followed by FMT enema versus standard-of-care (SOC). Stool was collected at baseline, postantibiotics, and day 7/15 postintervention. Both trials included 20 patients each. There was no safety/infection signal linked to FMT. In the capsule trial, beta-lactamase (OXY/LEN) expression decreased post-FMT versus baseline. Compared to placebo, patients who were post-FMT had lower abundance of vancomycin (VanH), beta-lactamase (ACT), and rifamycin ARGs; the latter was associated with cognitive improvement. No changes were seen within patients treated with placebo. In the antibiotics+enema trial for postantibiotics at day 7 versus baseline, there was an increase in vancomycin and beta-lactamase ARGs, which decreased at day 15. However, quinolone resistance increased at day 15 versus baseline. Between SOC and FMT, day 7 had largely lower ARG (CfxA beta-lactamase, VanW, and VanX) that continued at day 15 (cepA beta-lactamase, VanW). No changes were seen within the SOC group. Conclusion: Despite differences in routes of administration and preintervention antibiotics, we found that ARG abundance is largely reduced after FMT compared to pre-FMT baseline and non-FMT groups in decompensated cirrhosis.
Tumors masquerading as type 2 papillary renal cell carcinoma: pathologists' ever-expanding differential diagnosis for a heterogeneous group of entities

Although papillary renal cell carcinoma has historically been classified as either type 1 or type 2, data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) has demonstrated significant genomic heterogeneity in tumors classified as "type 2 papillary renal cell carcinoma" (T2PRCC). Papillary renal cell carcinoma is expected to have a favorable clinical course compared to clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC). However, tumors with poor outcome more similar to CCRCC were included in the T2PRCC cohort studied by the TCGA. The differential diagnosis for T2PRCC includes a variety of other renal tumors, including aggressive entities such as TFE3 translocation-associated renal cell carcinoma, TFEB-amplified renal cell carcinoma, fumarate hydratase-deficient renal cell carcinoma, high-grade CCRCC, and collecting duct carcinoma. Accurate classification of these tumors is important for prognostication and selection of therapy.
Health and education passport and the role of the foster care public health nurse.

Aim The aim of this study is to explore the practical use of Health and Education Passport (HEP) for children in foster care and the role of the Foster Care Public Health Nurse (FCPHN) in tracking health and education records. Background Children in foster care have complex health problems and experience frequent changes in home and school placements that result in gaps documentation. California mandates an HEP for every child in foster care. Design Utilizing an online survey, PHNs describe their agency's use of the HEP, reported how they obtain health and education records for the HEP. Results Social workers, PHNs and mental health providers were main HEP users, less so for foster parents and youth who age out of foster care. The HEP was used at medical and dental visits. PHNs reported little to no participation in updating educators. The HEP may be most useful when the child moves to a new placement or school. Conclusion The HEP is a critical document that ties a fragmented health history together. Relevance to clinical practice This study describes the foster care PHN role in updating the HEP and accessing health services and establishing a medical home.
Abstract 157: Validation Of Quantitative Eeg In The Assessment Of Cerebral Vasodilatory Reserve In Patients With Severe Stenosis Of Intracranial Internal Carotid Or Middle Cerebral Artery

Background and aim: Estimation of cerebral vasodilatory reserve (CVR) provides important information about the adequacy of autoregulatory mechanisms in patients with severe steno-occlusive disease of intracranial internal carotid (ICA) or middle cerebral artery (MCA). Acetazolamide-challenged HMPAO-SPECT (Az-SPECT) is an established method of assessing CVR. Owing to the high cost and some radiation exposure, it cannot serve as the primary screening tool to select high-risk patients. Transcranial Doppler (TCD), often used as a screening tool, may be limited by insufficient temporal acoustic windows in a considerable proportion of patients. Quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) monitors electrical brain activity with excellent temporal resolution. This pilot study aimed to study the feasibility of QEEG in assessing CVR in our cohort of ICA or MCA stenosis and its correlation with Az-SPECT. Methods: Consecutive symptomatic patients with severe steno-occlusive disease of ICA/MCA and impaired CVR on Az-SPECT were evaluated with QEEG. QEEG was recorded during breath-holding and hyperventilation, with 5minutes rest in between. The composite alpha index (CAI), which unifies fluctuations in alpha band power and its variablility, was calculated. An inter-hemispheric difference of more than 50% was deemed significant, with lower CAI indicating impaired CVR. Each modality was independently evaluated, with each cerebral hemispheres graded as having either impaired or preserved CVR. Results: 14 patients (10 males, mean age 59yrs, range 42-73years) were included. There was good correlation between the grades assigned to each hemisphere based on QEEG and SPECT. (Spearman’s correlation, r=0.67, p=0.008). Conclusion: Our preliminary data suggests that QEEG reliably detects impaired CVR in patients with severe intracranial stenosis. It may be used as a primary screening tool in patients unsuitable for TCD evaluations or as a complementary test in identifying patients at high-risk for cerebral ischemia and candidates for possible revascularization procedures.
Rapidity Gaps and BFKL Tests at D

Studies of hard color singlet exchange processes and BFKL tests in \(p\bar p\) collisions are presented.
29 – Selective Neuronal Vulnerability and Infarction in Cerebrovascular Disease

Publisher Summary This chapter begins with a discussion of clinically relevant brain ischemia and reviews the relative importance of ischemia severity versus its anatomical distribution. It then discusses the histopathological changes that characterize the different injury types and the respective temporal profiles for the development of such injury. Distinct biochemical properties among the different populations of brain cells combined with the spatial and temporal dynamics of cerebral ischemia create a pathophysiologic process that leads to several histologically discrete injuries in postischemic brain. Gradations in the severity of ischemia invoke distinct pathophysiological mechanisms and different histological outcomes. Clinically relevant focal brain ischemia is encountered usually as a thromboembolic or atherothrombotic occlusion of an extracranial or intracranial cerebral blood vessel. Such occlusions rarely if ever produce a complete loss of blood flow to the involved vascular territory. Global brain ischemia is clinically encountered most frequently in patients who have suffered cardiac arrest caused by ventricular fibrillation or asystole. Selective ischemic necrosis is characterized by irreversible injury limited to specific populations of brain neurons that have been empirically identified as vulnerable to hypoxia/ischemia.
Fine-grain abstraction and sequential do not cares for large scale model checking

Abstraction refinement is a key technique for applying model checking to the verification of real-world digital systems. In previous work, the abstraction granularity is often limited at the state variable level, which is too coarse for verifying industrial-scale designs. In this paper, we propose a finer grain abstraction in which intermediate variables are selectively inserted to partition large combinational logic cones into smaller pieces; these intermediate variables, together with the state variables, are then treated as "atoms" in abstraction refinement. With this fine-grain approach, refinement is conducted in two different directions, sequential and Boolean. We propose a SAT-based method for predicting the appropriate refinement direction, and apply greedy minimization in both directions to keep the refinement set small. We also explore the use of approximate reachable states of the remaining submodules to help verifying the abstract model. Experimental studies show that the proposed techniques significantly improve the performance of abstraction refinement, and therefore increase the model checker's ability to handle large designs.
Depression in HIV-infected patients: allopathic, complementary, and alternative treatments.

Objectives: The purpose of this review article is to synthesize the current knowledge related to depression and HIV disease. Methods: The research literature was critically evaluated for several selected therapies that are prescribed for HIV-infected persons to treat depression. These therapies included pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, alternative, and complementary therapies. Results: Several therapies are currently available for the treatment of depression in HIV disease. When prescribing treatments, clinicians should be aware of problems associated with diagnoses, drug–drug interactions, and the benefits of some of the new therapies that are now available. Treatment regimes should be carefully designed to meet the individual needs of the patient and will optimally include a combination of approaches including psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, education, and/or complementary therapies. Conclusions: Although HIV is now a treatable disease, the prevalence of depression in the HIV population remains high and should be continually addressed.
Fundamentals of Human Mating Strategies

In this chapter, evidence is reviewed regarding the reproductive strategies—and specialized mating psychologies—fundamental to humans. Cross-species comparisons and ethnological patterns observed across foraging cultures help to clarify our most basic human mating adaptations. Overall, extant evidence suggests there is no single mating strategy in humans. Humans evolved a pluralistic mating repertoire that is facultatively responsive to sex, temporal contexts, personal characteristics such as mate value and ovulatory status, and evocative features of culture and local ecology. Keywords: human mating strategies; reproductive behavior; facultative adaptations
Can Voice Be Given If No One is Listening

A commentary on “Men and Abortion Decisions,” by John Hardwig, in the March-April 2015 issue.
St. Thomas Aquinas on death and the separated soul

Since St. Thomas Aquinas holds that death is a substantial change, a popular current interpretation of his anthropology must be mistaken. According to that interpretation – the ‘survivalist’ view – St. Thomas holds that we human beings survive our deaths, constituted solely by our souls in the interim between death and resurrection. This paper argues that St. Thomas must have held the ‘corruptionist’ view: the view that human beings cease to exist at their deaths. Certain objections to the corruptionist view are also met.
Catalytic C-H bond silylation of aromatic heterocycles

This protocol describes a method for the direct silylation of the carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bond of aromatic heterocycles using inexpensive and abundant potassium tert-butoxide (KOt-Bu) as the catalyst. This catalytic cross-dehydrogenative coupling of simple hydrosilanes and various electron-rich aromatic heterocycles enables the synthesis of valuable silylated heteroarenes. The products thus obtained can be used as versatile intermediates, which facilitate the divergent synthesis of pharmaceutically relevant compound libraries from a single Si-containing building block. Moreover, a variety of complex Si-containing motifs, such as those produced by this protocol, are being actively investigated as next-generation therapeutic agents, because they can have improved pharmacokinetic properties compared with the original all-carbon drug molecules. Current competing methods for C-H bond silylation tend to be incompatible with functionalities, such as Lewis-basic heterocycles, that are often found in pharmaceutical substances; this leaves de novo synthesis as the principal strategy for preparation of the target sila-drug analog. Moreover, competing methods tend to be limited in the scope of hydrosilane that can be used, which restricts the breadth of silicon-containing small molecules that can be accessed. The approach outlined in this protocol enables the chemoselective and regioselective late-stage silylation of small heterocycles, including drugs and drug derivatives, with a broad array of hydrosilanes in the absence of precious metal catalysts, stoichiometric reagents, sacrificial hydrogen acceptors or high temperatures. Moreover, H2 is the only by-product generated. The procedure normally requires 48-75 h to be completed.
Recent Trends in the Identification of Incidental Pulmonary Nodules

Rationale: Pulmonary nodules are common incidental findings, but information about their incidence in the era of computed tomography (CT) is lacking.Objectives: To examine recent trends in pulmonary nodule identification.Methods: We used electronic health records and natural language processing to identify members of an integrated health system who had nodules measuring 4 to 30 mm. We calculated rates of chest CT imaging, nodule identification, and receipt of a new lung cancer diagnosis within 2 years of nodule identification, and standardized rates by age and sex to estimate the frequency of nodule identification in the U.S. population in 2010.Measurements and Main Results: Between 2006 and 2012, more than 200,000 adult members underwent 415,581 chest CT examinations. The annual frequency of chest CT imaging increased from 1.3 to 1.9% for all adult members, whereas the frequency of nodule identification increased from 24 to 31% for all scans performed. The annual rate of chest CT increased from 15.4 to 2...