cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design of a digital fuzzifier based on successive approximation

In this paper, we present a design of a digital dynamic fuzzifier based on successive approximation. It is suitable for on-line training or on-line adaptive fuzzy control systems. With the parameters of the triangle or trapezoid membership functions and the number to be fuzzified as the inputs, it automatically calculated the proper membership values for the fuzzy control systems. The chip is designed with a standard cell approach and implemented in the MOSIS CMOS 2 /spl mu/m technology. For 4-bit inputs, there are 1,744 transistors in the chip and the size of the chip is 1,515 /spl mu/m by 1,088 /spl mu/m. From the hspice simulation results with 4-bit numbers as inputs, the maximum delay is 30 ns for a two-bit output.
Varicella Zoster Virus Infections in the Pediatric Stem Cell Transplant Patient

Varicella zoster virus (VZV), a member of the human herpesvirus family, causes the clinical syndromes of chickenpox during primary infection and shingles on later reactivation. In immunocompromised patients, including those undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, VZV can produce life-threatening infections. The most serious forms of VZV infection involve hematogenous dissemination of the virus to vital organs, such as the lung, brain, and liver. Advances in immunoprophylaxis, antiviral chemotherapy, and vaccine development have provided effective tools to limit the morbidity and mortality previously associated with VZV infection in hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients. In this review, we discuss virologic aspects of VZV, pathogenesis of VZV infection, methods of viral diagnosis, clinical manifestations of infection in both normal and immunocompromised patients, and available preventative and therapeutic measures.
Children's conceptions of medical procedures

Children's ideas about needles, stethescopes, and X rays can be ordered in the same manner as their ideas about number seriation, conservation of weight, or projective space.
Phasic EMG inhibition and spinal reflex modulation during synchronized sleep in the cat.

Abstract Phasic inhibition of the neck or submental musculature during bursts of eye movements (man and cat) and lateral geniculate spikes (cat) during desynchronized sleep is accompanied by spinal monosynaptic reflex inhibition. Phasic EMG suppressions also occur during synchronized sleep in both species, and in man these suppressions are accompanied by total inhibition of the monosynaptic H-reflex. Modulation of spinal monosynaptic activity during phasic EMG suppressions in slow wave sleep has not been studied in the cat, and the present investigation examines this relationship. Electroencephalographic, electromyographic (posterior cervical or orbicularis oris muscles), and lateral geniculate activity were recorded from four adult unrestrained, unanesthetized cats. Electrical stimulation of the tibial nerve via implanted cuff electrodes elicited reflex responses which were recorded from the flexor digitorum brevis. Recordings began one week after implantation. Electrographic data were recorded on paper writeout and magnetic tape, and reflex responses were monitored on an oscilloscope as well. Phasic EMG suppressions were observed in all animals, but reflex responses coincided with these inhibitions in only three cats. Unlike those in man, reflex responses occurring with EMG suppressions during slow wave sleep in the cat were not totally inhibited. In the samples recorded, no significant reflex amplitude modulation during the EMG suppression could be demonstrated, either with respect to immediately adjacent responses or relative to another randomly selected sample of responses occurring during sustained EMG activity. These findings are related to previous observations in the human being, and the relationship between lateral geniculate spike activity and EMG suppressions in the cat is discussed.
Perspectives on Smoking Cessation in Northern Appalachia

This study applies qualitative research methods to explore perspectives on cessation among smokers/former smokers recruited from an area of Northern Appalachia. Six focus groups, stratified by age group (18-39 years old and 40 years and older), were conducted among participants (n = 54) recruited from community settings. Participants described varied interest in and challenges with quitting smoking. Smokers 40 years and older more readily endorsed the health risks of smoking and had greater interest in quitting assistance. Participants expressed frustration with the US government for allowing a harmful product (e.g., cigarettes) to be promoted with minimal regulation. Use of social media was robust among both age groups; participants expressed limited interest in various social media/technology platforms for promoting smoking cessation. Findings from this understudied area of northern Appalachia reflect the heterogeneity of this region and contribute novel information about the beliefs, attitudes, and experiences of current and formers smokers with regard to cessation.
Dietary habits during pregnancy

Abstract The dietary habits of 25 individuals are described and compared. The variation in intake of a given food item or group of food items from one week to another is largely dependent upon the average quantity (number of servings) eaten in a week. It is pointed out that this fact may have some bearing on the question of changes in dietary habits during pregnancy. A system whereby the quantity of calcium, phosphorus, protein, ect., eaten is estimated from daily qualitative records of the food items eaten by an individual has been described and evidence is given to show that the system is reliable within such limits as are frequently desirable for certain types of group dietary studies.
Prevalence and characteristics of Enterobius vermicularis of children in city and rural of Chongqing city

Objective To understand the prevalence and characteristics of Enterobius vermicularis infection in city and rural areas of Chongqing city. Methods 1 rural county and 1 urban district were selected. Children aged 3～12 years from 5 different towns were investigated. 150 children were randomly selected from each town. The eggs of Enterobius vermicularis from the fecal materials of children were examined by the adhesive cellophane anal swab method. The prevalence and characteristics of Enterobius vermicularis infection in the rural and urban areas were analyzed. Results The infection rate in the urban areas (2.14%) was lower than the rural areas (12.13%) (χ2=62.14,P0.01). There was no significant difference in the infection between male and female in both the city and rural areas (P0.05), but there was a significant difference in the infection of subjects of the same sex(P0.01). There was a significant difference in the infection of among different aged groups (χ2city=12.65,χ2rural=34.22, P0.01). There was also a significant difference in the infection of subjects of the same aged group, except for the age 11～12 years old(P0.01). There was no significantly difference in the infection in all age group in the city (χ2trend=0.89, P0.05), but there was a difference in the rural areas (χ2trend=3.36,P0.01). The education background of the parents has an influence on the infection rate. Conclusion To control the transmission of Enterobius vermicularis, suitable measures should be made in different areas.
The prevalence and distribution of proliferative and metaplastic changes in normal appearing canine bladders.

The prevalence and distribution of Brunn's nests, simple hyperplasia, simple squamous metaplasia, cystitis glandularis/cystica, atypical hyperplasia, and lymphocytic infiltration were studied by multiple histologic sections in 30 grossly normal urinary bladders obtained from a controlled population of dogs ranging in age from two to 14 years. The data were statistically analyzed using Fisher's exact test and logistic regression. A comparison of urothelial changes was made between dog and human. Brunn's nests were the most prevalent urothelial change and were observed at one or more locations in 80% of the cases. Simple hyperplasia was the second most common proliferative change and was observed at one or more locations in 66.7% of all cases. Brunn's nests (p less than 0.0001) and simple hyperplasia (p = .003) were significantly more likely to be found in the trigone. Simple squamous metaplasia was observed at one more more locations in 23.3% of all cases. Lymphocytic infiltration was observed in 20% of the animals; however, there was no statistically significant correlation between it and the urothelial changes. The trigone was by far the most common site (86.6% of all cases) for one or more lesions to be found. There was no evidence that inflammation was the cause of these urothelial changes. The data supports the concept that Brunn's nests, simple hyperplasia, and simple squamous metaplasia are normal variants of bladder urothelium in dogs and further that they are not precancerous changes. There was a similarity in prevalence, distribution, and significance of many urothelial changes between the dog and human which indicates that the dog is a good comparative model for studying diseases of the urinary bladder.
The study of social-demographic and other determinants of hypertension in a rural population of North India, Delhi, India -

Background: Hypertension is emerging as a major public health problem in India and also increasing in rural population. Methods: The Community based Cross-sectional study was carried out during the year 2014 in rural area of Delhi, with the objectives to estimate the prevalence of Hypertension and to identify associated socio-demographic and other determinants. Results: Prevalence of Hypertension in rural population was found to be 21.2%; in men was 23.1% and in women it was 19.2% in the population age 20 years and above. Age, BMI, high salt-Intake, alcohol consumption, family history of hypertension was found to be significantly associated with hypertension. Conclusions: Based on high prevalence, it is recommended that a basic protocol for screening of hypertension should be made for rural population which can be used for prevention, early diagnosis, and for prevention of complications.
A mixed-methods study of smoking attitudes and behaviors among dual-smoker stroke survivor–caregiver dyads:

Although cigarette smoking is a major contributor to continued health problems after stroke, the majority of stroke survivors do not quit smoking. This may be due in part to the high rate of smoking among committed partners of stroke survivors. This study investigated the experiences of 11 dual-smoker stroke survivor–caregiver dyads, identifying themes which may be useful for understanding this entrenched population: managing the addiction as a dyad; conflicting feelings about whether smoking is an individual versus mutual concern; and dyad-level barriers and facilitators of quitting. We also present specific cessation strategies that dual-smoker dyads participating in the study described.
The Political Strategies of Social Movements: A Comparison of the Women’s and Environmental Movements

AbstractThe women’s and environmental movements illustrate how these two social movements initially took advantage of favorable social and political conditions and later adjusted to unfavorable circumstances to become influential actors in American politics. The cases suggest that movements achieve success largely because their loose organization and membership allow them to adapt quickly to certain types of political environments. In periods of social and political flux, movements have the potential to respond to changing conditions more quickly and frequently more effectively than structured groups such as political parties.Movements are also significantly limited as durable instruments for representing their previously under-represented interests. The initial emergence of a new movement requires an infrequent coincidence of favorable societal and political conditions. Even after movements institutionalize as interest groups, they need hospitable political events to keep their issue agendas before the p...
The Influence of Student Characteristics and the Community College on Bachelor’s Degree Attainment

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to investigate differences in baccalaureate degree attainment among transfer students with associate’s degrees, transfer students without associate’s degrees, and university-native students. The study also investigated if demographic characteristics or academic preparation characteristics (i.e., transfer cumulative grade point average [GPA], transfer hours earned, cumulative overall grade point average, and cumulative credit hours earned) predicted graduation rates. Participants included transfer students from all community colleges and native students from one university in one southeastern state. The study utilized a causal-comparative research design. The chi-square test of independence was used to determine if differences in graduation rates existed, and logistic regression was used to determine if demographic characteristics and academic preparation predicted graduation rates. Community college students graduated at higher rates than native students. The academic...
Reliability of the depth-dependent high-resolution BOLD hemodynamic response in human visual cortex and vicinity

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) often relies on a hemodynamic response function (HRF), the stereotypical blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) response elicited by a brief (<4s) stimulus. Early measurements of the HRF used coarse spatial resolutions (≥3mm voxels) that would generally include contributions from white matter, gray matter, and the extra-pial compartment (the space between the pial surface and skull including pial blood vessels) within each voxel. To resolve these contributions, high-resolution fMRI (0.9-mm voxels) was performed at 3T in early visual cortex and its apposed white-matter and extra-pial compartments. The results characterized the depth dependence of the HRF and its reliability during nine fMRI sessions. Significant HRFs were observed in white-matter and extra-pial compartments as well as in gray matter. White-matter HRFs were faster and weaker than in the gray matter, while extra-pial HRFs were comparatively slower and stronger. Depth trends of the HRF peak amplitude were stable throughout a broad depth range that included all three compartments for each session. Across sessions, however, the depth trend of HRF peak amplitudes was stable only in the white matter and deep-intermediate gray matter, while there were strong session-to-session variations in the superficial gray matter and the extra-pial compartment. Thus, high-resolution fMRI can resolve significant and dynamically distinct HRFs in gray matter, white matter, and extra-pial compartments.
The design of molecular switches for biosensors

A biosensor is a device which incorporates a biological sensing element near to or integrated with a physical signal transducer The sensing elements accomplish recognition from the binding which occurs between bio recognition molecules and target analytes Transduction is the physicochemical perturbation caused by this binding that enables recognition of the triggered change by some device To detect a small number of binding events a single binding event must be amplified Here we design a molecular switch capable of converting a single binding event into the movement of about one million ions per second In this switch a single binding amplified by the release of the stored free electrochemical energy leads to a dynamic signal that is large compared to the noise in the measuring system This approach is adapted from biological receptors which convert chemical signals into currents in ion channels The molecular switches in this work are artificial ion channels constructed by modular design from molecular pores and gates The currents through these channels can be registered by conventional methods The molecular switches can be triggered by various sensing elements such as antibodies antibody fragments polypeptides DNA RNA and ion sensitive molecules The small size and planar architecture of the molecular switches allow them to become components of a microelectronic circuit The switches can be used for detection of proteins toxins viruses bacteria and ions
Why Temporary Filters Are Not Removed: Clinical Predictors in 1,000 Consecutive Cases

Background Compared to permanent inferior vena cava (IVC) filters, higher complication rates occur with long-term use of temporary IVC filters. We aimed to identify patient clinical factors at the time of placement that could predict failure to remove a temporary IVC filter. Methods A retrospective review was performed of both vascular surgery and interventional radiology prospective databases between December 2008 and December 2013. We analyzed a total number of 1,024 consecutive, temporary IVC filters stratified by whether retrieval was attempted or made permanent. Univariate, multivariate, and prediction modeling analyses with internal validation were performed on abstracted data, which included risk factors, treatment modalities, and indications for IVC filter placement. Results Of 1,024 temporary IVC filters, removal was attempted in 60% and no attempt at removal (kept permanent) in 40%. Of the 619 with attempted removal, the overall successful retrieval rate was 95%. The majority of filters were not attempted to be removed because of persistent filter indications (360 cases). Risk factors associated with IVC filter permanence included male sex, older age, history, or indication of venous thromboembolism (VTE) with inability to anticoagulate, malignancy, and neurologic condition. Risk factors most predictive of permanence in the multivariate model were malignancy (odds ratio [OR]: 3.0, P P = 0.0005). Validation revealed our model had a sensitivity of 60.4% and specificity of 69.9%. Conclusions Our study shows that patients who are more likely to have a temporary IVC filter kept permanent are more likely to be older males with a history of malignancy, neurologic condition, or VTE. These factors are also predictive of permanence and can be used in our predictive model to provide insight into the significant preoperative risk factors that should play into the decision-making process.
“Thick” States and “Thin” States, in a New Era of Merchant Power

Merchant capitalism has returned to the world stage. First apparent during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, merchant capitalism is a form of market exchange, primarily in commodities, in which traders, shippers, merchants, and financiers play key roles over and above the commodity producers themselves or the nascent manufacturers of their time. It was superseded during the late nineteenth century by industrial capitalism, which became associated with strong states, powerful manufacturing enterprises, and then in the twentieth century with big unions, economic regulation, and the entire political culture that characterizes social democracy. But the big-box anchored supply chains of recent decades have ushered in a new era of commodity exchange whose global reach, political agenda, and labor relations bulwark the conservative, neo-liberal turn that has shifted politics and culture to the right throughout those North Atlantic nation-states which once seemed so firmly on the road to social democracy. This chapter historicizes neo-liberal globalization by demonstrating that its material and structural roots lie in the resurgent merchant capitalism of our time.
The bias of a two-dimensional view: comparing two-dimensional and three-dimensional mesophyll surface area estimates using noninvasive imaging

The mesophyll surface area exposed to intercellular air space per leaf area (Sm ) is closely associated with CO2 diffusion and photosynthetic rates. Sm is typically estimated from two-dimensional (2D) leaf sections and corrected for the three-dimensional (3D) geometry of mesophyll cells, leading to potential differences between the estimated and actual cell surface area. Here, we examined how 2D methods used for estimating Sm compare with 3D values obtained from high-resolution X-ray microcomputed tomography (microCT) for 23 plant species, with broad phylogenetic and anatomical coverage. Relative to 3D, uncorrected 2D Sm estimates were, on average, 15-30% lower. Two of the four 2D Sm methods typically fell within 10% of 3D values. For most species, only a few 2D slices were needed to accurately estimate Sm within 10% of the whole leaf sample median. However, leaves with reticulate vein networks required more sections because of a more heterogeneous vein coverage across slices. These results provide the first comparison of the accuracy of 2D methods in estimating the complex 3D geometry of internal leaf surfaces. Because microCT is not readily available, we provide guidance for using standard light microscopy techniques, as well as recommending standardization of reporting Sm values.
Widespread Degradation of a Vernal Pool Network in the Southeastern United States: Challenges to Current and Future Management

Vernal pools are small, ephemeral wetlands that act as distinct aquatic “islands” of biodiversity embedded in the Cumberland Plateau landscape of the southeastern United States. Specifically, many amphibian species in the region are dependent on the maintenance of these pools within the surrounding terrestrial habitat in order to complete their complex life cycles. Because vernal pools are small in size (generally less than 0.5 ha), they are often overlooked in land management decisions, which means that wetland loss is coupled with forest loss in this region. Using high resolution, leaf-off imagery, we mapped the locations and surrounding forest cover of 2399 vernal pools on the Cumberland Plateau across a 719,540 ha, three-state study area (Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia) and assessed habitat loss and conservation status. Most of pools (93%) were located on unprotected lands and only 37% of these pools had a native forest cover >75% within a 300 m buffer. Forest cover around pools steadily declined between 1981 and 2010. In the absence of effective federal or state policies to protect the terrestrial and aquatic habitats associated with pools on private land, these wetlands will continue to become more disconnected.
Prevalence and Cost Analysis of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS): A Role for Neuromodulation.

Objective The diagnosis and treatment of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is challenging and there is a paucity of data describing its overall cost burden and quantifying its impact on the US healthcare system. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and healthcare utilization costs associated with CRPS. Materials and Methods A retrospective longitudinal study was performed using the Truven MarketScan® database to identify patients with a new indexed diagnosis of CRPS (Type I, II, or both) from 2001 to 2012. We collected total, outpatient, and pain prescription costs three years prior to CRPS diagnosis (baseline), at year of CRPS diagnosis, and eight-year post-CRPS diagnosis. A longitudinal multivariate analysis was used to model the estimated total and pain prescription cost ratios comparing patients diagnosed before and after CRPS. Results We included 35,316 patients with a newly indexed diagnosis of CRPS (Type I: n = 18,703, Type II: n = 14,599, Unspecified: n = 2014). Baseline characteristics were similar between the CRPS cohorts. Compared to two- and three-year baseline costs, one-year prior to diagnosis for all CRPS patients yielded the highest interquartile median [IQR] costs: total costs $7904[$3469, $16,084]; outpatient costs $6706[$3119, $12,715]; and pain prescription costs $1862[$147, $7649]. At the year of CRPS diagnosis, the median [IQR] costs were significantly higher than baseline costs: total costs $8508[$3943, $16,666]; outpatient costs $7251[$3527, $13,568]; and pain prescription costs $2077[$140, $8856]. Over the eight-year period after CRPS diagnosis, costs between all the years were similar, ranging from the highest (one-year) to lowest (seven-years), $4845 to $3888. The median total cumulative cost 8-years after CRPS diagnosis was $43,026 and $12,037 for pain prescription costs. [Correction added on 06 November 2017 after first online publication: the preceding sentence has been updated to demonstrate the median cumulative cost in replacement of the additive cumulative mean costs.]. During the CRPS diagnosis period, patients are expected to have a total cost 2.17-fold and prescription cost 2.56-fold of their baseline cost annually. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that there is a significant increase in cost and healthcare resource utilization one-year prior to and around the time of CRPS diagnosis. Furthermore, there is an increased annual cost post-diagnosis compared to baseline costs prior to CRPS diagnosis.
An extremely rare case of concurrent BRAF V600E mutation driven hairy cell leukemia and melanoma: case report and review of literature.

BRAF protein is a serine/threonine kinase with 766 amino acids. Approximately 15% of human cancers harbor BRAF mutations as well as other BRAF anomalies (amplifications, fusions). Somatic mutations mainly occur in the catalytic kinase domain (CR3), and the predominant mutation is p.V600E which is the substitution of glutamic acid (E) for valine (V) as result of a mutation at codon 600 of the kinase domain. To our knowledge, the vast majority of the cancers have non-germline BRAF mutations. Here we describe a case of a 60-year-old female with a history of hairy cell leukemia (HCL) who presented with aphasia and forgetfulness. A follow-up Brain CT scan showed three distinct brain lesions which were found to be diagnostic of melanoma (confirmed by immunohistochemistry) with no evidence of a concurrent brain involvement by a B-cell neoplasm. Molecular studies confirmed the same BRAF p.V600E mutation in both malignancies (hairy cell leukemia and melanoma). Thereafter the patient was started on BRAF inhibitor treatment and is now symptom-free after one year of follow up. Having two concurrent malignancies with a shared BRAF mutation is extremely rare and makes this an excellent example of a genomic marker-driven treatment in two histologically and immunophenotypically distinct tumors
Who is Right? – What Students’ and Prospective Teachers’ Responses to Scripted Dialog Reveal About Their Conceptions of Proof

This chapter explores the potential of using scripted student responses, embedded in a task titled Who is right?, as a tool to diagnose argumentation and proof-related conceptions of high-school students and pre-service mathematics teachers (PSTs). The data, collected in two separate studies, were examined for evidence of participants’ conceptions of the role of examples in proving and refuting universal statements. Additional analysis explored what types of criteria are used by the high-school students and the PSTs when evaluating scripted arguments, as well as whether participants were consistent in their evaluations across the collection of arguments. The data revealed that, when evaluating scripted arguments, high-school students used mainly mathematical criteria and strived to maintain consistency in their evaluations across the collection of arguments. On the contrary, PSTs applied both mathematical and pedagogical considerations in their evaluations, thus judging multiple, and even contradictory arguments as correct.
Origin of flight: Could 'four-winged' dinosaurs fly?

Arising from: X. Xu et al. Nature 421, 335–340 (2003); F. Zhang & Z. Zhou Nature 431, 925 (2004); X. Xu et al. reply ; F. Zhang et al. reply Our understanding of the origin of birds, feathers and flight has been greatly advanced by new discoveries of feathered non-avian dinosaurs, but functional analyses have not kept pace with taxonomic descriptions. Zhang and Zhou describe feathers on the tibiotarsus of a new basal enantiornithine bird from the Early Cretaceous of China1. They infer, as did Xu and colleagues from similar feathers on the small non-avian theropod Microraptor found in similar deposits2, that these leg feathers had aerodynamic properties and so might have been used in some kind of flight.
Uptake of L-maurocalcine in DAOY cells and bio-distribution in mice by SPECT/CT imaging

Background: Cell permeable peptides (CPP) are a new class of carrier molecule to deliver biomolecules, radio-nucleotide and drugs that is gaining momentum. CPP are capable of entering into the cells by breaking the resistance of the membrane barrier and thus can be used universally in many cell types, which renders it an efficient carrier for both in-vitro and in-vivo use. Methods: L-Maurocalcine (L-MCa), a peptide derived from scorpion venom was radiolabeled with 125I using the lactoperoxidase method. We achieved a specific activity of 45Mbq/nmole. In vitro studies with 125I-L-MCa in DAOY cells (human medulloblastoma) were studied in order to analyze the uptake of the peptide. 125I-L-MCa was injected intravenously in mice through tail vein and bio-distribution was studied using single photon emission tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT). Results: The cellular uptake of the 125I-L-MCa in DAOY cells was time and dose dependent suggesting that the radiolabeled peptide retains the biological property after radiolabeling. We have observed no loss of cell viability upon uptake of 125I-L-MCa, favoring that this peptide has potential for use in in vivo studies. The distribution of the 125I-L-MCa in mice revealed its uptake in the liver, kidney and stomach. Interestingly the 125I-L-MCa was cleared from the circulation 24h post injection, thus providing another advantage for its use in in vivo studies. Conclusions: In the present study we have shown the uptake of 125I-L-MCa in DAOY cells. Further, the 125I-L-MCa when injected in mice localized to the liver, kidney and stomach as revealed by SPECT/CT. Cells labeled with 125I-L-MCa can possibly be tracked to their target site.
High Areal Energy Density 3D Lithium-Ion Microbatteries

Summary Three-dimensional (3D) microbatteries offer an opportunity to provide mobile power at dimensions that are comparable with those of the actuators, sensors, and other internet-connected devices that constitute the internet of things (IoT). To overcome the difficulties of assembling these architectures, we developed an entirely new fabrication route based on semiconductor processing methods. The use of partially lithiated (10% of theoretical capacity) silicon as the negative electrode keeps the volume change suitably controlled so that the Si array registry is maintained during charge and discharge. Photopatterning of SU-8 photoresist creates a conformal solid electrolyte coating around the high-aspect-ratio Si arrays. Rechargeable 3D microbatteries prepared on a 3 mm × 3 mm footprint have an areal capacity of nearly 2 mAh cm−2, operate at current densities up to 0.66 mA cm−2, and withstand 100 cycles. The combination of semiconductor-based processing and photopatternable electrolytes holds great promise for the further development of 3D microbatteries for IoT applications.
Unsolved Medical Issues and New Targets for Further Research in Viral Myocarditis and Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Meaningful advances have been made in understanding the mechanisms that contribute to dilated cardiomyopathy and myocarditis. Our data confirmed the hypothesis that there is an interaction of genetic predisposition and acquired factors, in that both can affect the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex. We could show that dystrophin deficiency increases susceptibility to viral infection. Our experiments addressed the role of coxsackievirus in the pathogenesis of cardiomyopathy, while other viruses may be involved, such as adenovirus, parvovirus, influenza virus, etc. Furthermore, we could demonstrate that cardiac myocyte-specific transgenic expression of SOCS1 inhibited coxsackievirus-induced signaling of Janus kinase (JAK) and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT), with accompanying increases in viral replication, cardiomyopathy, and mortality in infected mice. Future treatment strategies may include the development of coxsackie-adenovirus receptor (CAR) inhibitors and enteroviral protease 2A inhibitors. Additional studies are ongoing to determine the effectiveness of these inhibitors on viral infection in culture and in the intact heart.
The IT Entrepreneur in SMEs

Throughout the book, we have referred to the leaders of SMEs without actually saying much about such individuals. There is, of course, much more to understanding leadership in SMEs who engage in IT innovation. In this conclusion, we explore the key characteristics of IT entrepreneurs who have created successful SMEs. For example, entrepreneurs usually have a high need for achievement as well as a great deal of self-confidence. Successful entrepreneurs are also quite knowledgeable with regard to the technical content of their organization’s product or service. But entrepreneurs whose organizations are successful over the long run also share a set of characteristics that define exceptional organizational leaders. So what sort of person is the “IT entrepreneur?”
A Selected Bibliography of Local Induction

This bibliography attempts to include the most important works on, or related to, local induction. However, its scope is far from being exhaustive. For more comprehensive bibliographies the reader is referred to R. L. Slaght’s in Swain [8] (which also mentions significant reviews) and of course Kyburg’s [15] and [16].
Hypothesis Testing and Confidence Intervals

The concepts of hypothesis testing and confidence intervals are presented, and their use and interpretation are discussed with some specific examples. Hypothesis testing (point estimation approach) and confidence intervals (interval estimation approach) are closely related concepts and procedures widely used in substantive research. In recent years, there has been more emphasis on the use of interval estimation in educational research, as the interval estimation approach provides more information. Statistical inferential errors (type I and type II) and the concept of statistical power are also discussed in this context.
Public Engagement Exercises with Racial and Cultural “Others”: Some Thoughts, Questions, and Considerations

Concerns about the inadequacy of using dialogue to address the material realities of race and racism motivate this essay. Hence, I reflect on the current state of conversations on race, diversity, and inclusion from the standpoint of cultural and racial “others.” To orient my reflections, I first unpack assumptions about what might constitute “productive” public deliberation on race. I argue that productive public engagement exercises on race (a) move participants into praxis, (b) require participants to consider cultural identity differences, and (c) demand an understanding of how social forces such as racism and whiteness hinder and/or enable public engagement processes. I then reconsider public engagement from a cultural lens and rethink intercultural communication as publicly deliberating highly charged topics such as race. Finally, I caution against relying on cookie-cutter formulas to address complex issues such as race and recommend utilizing the strategy of counter-storytelling in public engagement exercises on race.
Oropharyngeal swallow physiology and swallowing-related quality of life in underweight patients with concomitant advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background Swallowing impairment (dysphagia) has been associated with COPD and may contribute to exacerbations of this chronic and progressive disease. Further, risk of mortality increases with concomitant presence of cachexia in the COPD population. The purpose of this prospective study was to depict oropharyngeal swallowing physiology in underweight patients with stable but advanced-stage COPD. Patients and methods Ten underweight patients with stable but advanced COPD underwent a modified barium swallow study. Analysis of oropharyngeal swallowing function was completed using the standardized Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile and the Penetration-Aspiration Scale. Scores from the Dysphagia Handicap Index and 10-item Eating Assessment Tool were collected to assess patient perception of swallowing difficulty. Findings were compared to age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Results Significantly higher MBSImP oral total scores (P=0.007) were observed in COPD patients compared to matched controls, but no difference was observed in pharyngeal total scores (P=0.105). Patients with COPD had significantly higher maximum PAS scores compared with controls (P=0.030). There was no significant difference in EAT-10 or DHI scores between patients with COPD and controls (P=0.41 and P=0.08, respectively). Conclusion Underweight patients with severe but stable COPD present with dysphagia that may not be recognized by the patient. Further investigation is needed to elucidate the interaction between the respiratory-swallowing systems, how muscular weakness may contribute to swallowing impairment, and responsiveness to swallowing treatment.
ATP hydrolysis-coupled peptide translocation mechanism of Mycobacterium tuberculosis ClpB

The protein disaggregase ClpB hexamer is conserved across evolution and has two AAA+-type nucleotide-binding domains, NBD1 and NBD2, in each protomer. In M. tuberculosis (Mtb), ClpB facilitates asymmetric distribution of protein aggregates during cell division to help the pathogen survive and persist within the host, but a mechanistic understanding has been lacking. Here we report cryo-EM structures at 3.8- to 3.9-A resolution of Mtb ClpB bound to a model substrate, casein, in the presence of the weakly hydrolyzable ATP mimic adenosine 5′-[γ-thio]triphosphate. Mtb ClpB existed in solution in two closed-ring conformations, conformers 1 and 2. In both conformers, the 12 pore-loops on the 12 NTDs of the six protomers (P1–P6) were arranged similarly to a staircase around the bound peptide. Conformer 1 is a low-affinity state in which three of the 12 pore-loops (the protomer P1 NBD1 and NBD2 loops and the protomer P2 NBD1 loop) are not engaged with peptide. Conformer 2 is a high-affinity state because only one pore-loop (the protomer P2 NBD1 loop) is not engaged with the peptide. The resolution of the two conformations, along with their bound substrate peptides and nucleotides, enabled us to propose a nucleotide-driven peptide translocation mechanism of a bacterial ClpB that is largely consistent with several recent unfoldase structures, in particular with the eukaryotic Hsp104. However, whereas Hsp104’s two NBDs move in opposing directions during one step of peptide translocation, in Mtb ClpB the two NBDs move only in the direction of translocation.
Eikonal and asymptotic fits to high-energy data for σ , ρ , and B : An update with curvature corrections

We update our eikonal fit and comprehensive asymptotic fits to high-energy data on proton-proton and antiproton-proton scattering for ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{tot}}$, ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{elas}}$, ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{inel}}$, $\ensuremath{\rho}$, and $B$. The fits include the new TOTEM values of the total proton-proton cross section, $\ensuremath{\rho}$, and $B$ at $W=\sqrt{s}=13\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{TeV}$, the Telescope Array value of the total proton-proton cross section at $W=\sqrt{s}=95\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{TeV}$, and data from the latest measurements of the inelastic cross sections at $W=8\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{TeV}$ (by TOTEM and ATLAS) and 13 TeV (by CMS, ATLAS, and TOTEM). An important new feature of this work is the correction of the data to include the effects of curvature in $\mathrm{ln}(d\ensuremath{\sigma}/dt)$ on the values of $B$, $d\ensuremath{\sigma}/dt$ at $t=0$, and ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{tot}}$ obtained by extrapolation from the larger values of $t$ where the differential cross section is measured, The effects are significant. The stability of the fits is excellent, and the new results agree well with the predictions of earlier fits. This work again confirms the evidence for the proton asymptotically becoming a black disk of gluons.
Experimental implementation of a joint statistical image reconstruction method for proton stopping power mapping from dual-energy CT data

PURPOSE To experimentally commission a dual-energy CT (DECT) joint statistical image reconstruction (JSIR) method, which is built on a linear basis vector model (BVM) of material characterization, for proton stopping power ratio (SPR) estimation. METHODS The JSIR-BVM method builds on the relationship between the energy-dependent photon attenuation coefficients and the proton stopping power via a pair of BVM component weights. The two BVM component images are simultaneously reconstructed from the acquired DECT sinograms and then used to predict the electron density and mean excitation energy (I-value), which are required by the Bethe equation for SPR computation. A post-reconstruction image-based DECT method, which utilizes the two separate CT images reconstructed via the scanner's software, was implemented for comparison. The DECT measurement data were acquired on a Philips Brilliance scanner at 90 and 140 kVp for two phantoms of different sizes. Each phantom contains 12 different soft and bony tissue surrogates with known compositions. The SPR estimation results were compared to the reference values computed from the known compositions. The difference of the computed water equivalent path lengths (WEPL) across the phantoms between the two methods was also compared. RESULTS The overall root-mean-square (RMS) of SPR estimation error of the JSIR-BVM method are 0.33% and 0.37% for the head- and body-sized phantoms, respectively, and all SPR estimates of the test samples are within 0.7% of the reference ground truth. The image-based method achieves overall RMS errors of 2.35% and 2.50% for the head- and body-sized phantoms, respectively. The JSIR-BVM method also reduces the pixel-wise random variation by 4-fold to 6-fold within homogeneous regions compared to the image-based method. The average differences between the JSIR-BVM method and the image-based method are 0.54% and 1.02% for the head- and body-sized phantoms, respectively. CONCLUSION By taking advantage of an accurate polychromatic CT data model and a model-based DECT statistical reconstruction algorithm, the JSIR-BVM method accounts for both systematic bias and random noise in the acquired DECT measurement data. Therefore, the JSIR-BVM method achieves good accuracy and precision on proton SPR estimation for various tissue surrogates and object sizes. In contrast, the experimentally achievable accuracy of the image-based method may be limited by the uncertainties in the image formation process. The result suggests that the JSIR-BVM method has the potential for more accurate SPR prediction compared to post-reconstruction image-based methods in clinical settings.
Community Perspectives on Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Little is known about community attitudes toward adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and what factors lead to more positive attitudes. Using a cross-sectional design with a quantitative corr...
Halley’s minimal kinetic energy problem for projectile motion with drag quadratic in speed

In papers published in the Philosophical Transactions in the late 1600s, Edmond Halley highlighted the problem of delivering a projectile to its intended target with minimal kinetic energy upon impact. Halley accounted for the force of gravity acting on the projectile, but ignored the retarding effect of air resistance. In this article, we revive the optimization problem raised by Halley, here allowing for drag that is quadratic in speed. It turns out that there are remarkable parallels between the optimal flight curve in the case of no air resistance and that in which air resistance is quadratic in speed.
Resolving Spurious Correlations in Causal Models of Environments via Interventions.

Causal models could increase interpretability, robustness to distributional shift and sample efficiency of RL agents. In this vein, we address the question of learning a causal model of an RL environment. This problem is known to be difficult due to spurious correlations. We overcome this difficulty by rewarding an RL agent for designing and executing interventions to discover the true model. We compare rewarding the agent for disproving uncertain edges in the causal graph, rewarding the agent for activating a certain node, or rewarding the agent for increasing the causal graph loss. We show that our methods result in a better causal graph than one generated by following the random policy, or a policy trained on the environment's reward. We find that rewarding for the causal graph loss works the best.
Manipulating the TCR signaling network for cellular immunotherapy: Challenges & opportunities.

T cells can help confer protective immunity by eliminating infections and tumors or drive immunopathology by damaging host cells. Both outcomes require a series of steps from the activation of naive T cells to their clonal expansion, differentiation and migration to tissue sites. In addition to specific recognition of the antigen via the T cell receptor (TCR), multiple accessory signals from costimulatory molecules, cytokines and metabolites also influence each step along the progression of the T cell response. Current efforts to modify effector T cell function in many clinical contexts focus on the latter - which encompass antigen-independent and broad, contextual regulators. Not surprisingly, such approaches are often accompanied by adverse events, as they also affect T cells not relevant to the specific treatment. In contrast, fine tuning T cell responses by precisely targeting antigen-specific TCR signals has the potential to radically alter therapeutic strategies in a focused manner. Development of such approaches, however, requires a better understanding of functioning of the TCR and the biochemical signaling network coupled to it. In this article, we review some of the recent advances which highlight important roles of TCR signals throughout the activation and differentiation of T cells during an immune response. We discuss how, an appreciation of specific signaling modalities and variant ligands that influence the function of the TCR has the potential to influence design principles for the next generation of pharmacologic and cellular therapies, especially in the context of tumor immunotherapies involving adoptive cell transfers.
Photons vs. firewood: female (dis)empowerment by solar power in India

Renewable energy transitions are accelerating in the Global South. Yet many large-scale renewable energy infrastructures are developed on public lands with unknown impacts on commons access and usa...