cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gate length and temperature dependence of negative differential transconductance in silicon quantum well metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors

Introducing quantum transport into silicon transistors in a manner compatible with industrial fabrication has the potential to transform the performance horizons of large scale integrated silicon devices and circuits. Explicit quantum transport as evidenced by negative differential transconductances (NDTCs) has been observed in a set of quantum well (QW) transistors fabricated using industrial silicon complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor processing. Detailed gate length and temperature dependence characteristics of the NDTCs in these devices have been measured. The QW potential was formed via lateral ion implantation doping on a commercial 45 nm technology node process line, and measurements of the transfer characteristics show NDTCs up to room temperature. Gate length dependence of NDTCs shows a correlation of the interface channel length with the number of NDTCs formed as well as with the gate voltage (VG) spacing between NDTCs. The VG spacing between multiple NDTCs suggests a quasi-parabolic QW pote...
Have Secular Changes in Perinatal Risk Factors Contributed to the Recent Autism Prevalence Increase? Development and Application of a Mathematical Assessment Model

Background A 57% increase in the U.S. prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) for 8-year-old children born in 1994 versus 1998 was recently reported. Methods To quantify the possible contributions of given risk/predictive factors on the recent ASD prevalence increase, we formulated a mathematical model based on the baseline risk factor prevalence (RFP), the proportionate change in RFP (cRFP), and the magnitude of the association between the risk factor and ASD [estimated relative risk (RR)]. We applied this model to several pregnancy-related factors (preterm, very preterm, low and very low birth weight, multiple birth, cesarean delivery, breech presentation, and assisted reproductive technology use). RFP and cRFP estimates for each factor were obtained from U.S. population-based surveillance datasets. Estimated RRs were obtained from a series of systematic literature reviews. Results We estimate that each risk factor examined, alone or in various combinations, accounted for a very small proportion ( Conclusions Thus, although various pregnancy factors have been found to be associated with ASDs, the contribution of many of these factors to the recently observed ASD increase is likely minimal.
Expression of Cytokine and Chemokine Genes by Human Middle Ear Epithelial Cells Induced by Influenza A Virus and Streptococcus pneumoniae Opacity Variants

Real-time PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to evaluate the ability of influenza A virus and Streptococcus pneumoniae opacity variants, either alone or in combination, to induce cytokine and chemokine genes in primary cultures of human middle ear epithelial (HMEE) cells. Following treatment with influenza A virus, the induction of gene expression, which occurred in a dose- and time-dependent manner, was strong for macrophage inflammatory protein 1 alpha (MIP-1 alpha) and MIP-1 beta; moderate for tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-8; and weak for IL-1 beta and monocyte chemotactic peptide 1 (MCP-1). Except for TNF-alpha, all the gene products were detected in the cell culture supernatants. In contrast, infection of HMEE cells with S. pneumoniae alone induced low levels of mRNA expression of MIP-1 alpha and MIP-1 beta and did not significantly induce the transcription of the other cytokines and chemokines examined. However, both S. pneumoniae opacity variants increased mRNA expression of MIP-1 alpha, MIP-1 beta, IL-6, and MCP-1 in HMEE cells activated by a prior influenza A virus infection compared to levels in cells treated with either agent alone. Up-regulation of IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 mRNA expression and production by the virus in combination with opaque S. pneumoniae was two- to threefold higher than that induced by the virus combined with the transparent S. pneumoniae variant. These data indicate that the activation of HMEE cells by influenza A virus enhances the induction of cytokine and chemokine gene transcripts by S. pneumoniae and that this effect appears to be most pronounced when S. pneumoniae is in the opaque phase.
Gender affects calf venous compliance at rest and during baroreceptor unloading in humans

Leg venous compliance is a determinant of peripheral venous pooling during orthostatic stress such that high venous compliance could contribute to reduced orthostatic tolerance. We tested the hypot...
Natural Capital, Total Wealth and Sustainable Development in Namibia

A country’s income and economic well-being depend on its wealth, where wealth is defined in the broadest sense to include produced, natural, human and social capital. Recognising this, international agencies have begun to shift their emphasis from economic development as Gross National Product (GNP) growth to economic development as a process of ‘portfolio management’ that seeks to optimise the management of each asset and the distribution of wealth among different kinds of assets. In resource-rich economies such as Namibia, building national wealth requires that natural capital be transformed into other forms of capital. However, there has been growing concern that economic growth, especially in resource-rich developing countries, has been achieved by liquidation of natural capital without adequate provision for replacement of these assets for future generations. Several studies have attempted to measure total national wealth or changes in wealth but have been seriously hampered by a lack of data, especially for natural and human capital. Using newly available accounts for natural capital in Namibia, total national wealth accounts are constructed and used to assess its development paths, comparing it to its neighbour, Botswana, for which total wealth are also available, albeit not for as long a time series. In Namibia’s pre-independence period (before 1990), there was significant liquidation of capital, natural and produced. With new policies and a new investment environment since independence, Namibia has slowly started to rebuild its national wealth although per capita wealth has not recovered to the level of 1980.
Sex differences in violent versus non-violent life-threatening altruism

Many studies on Hamilton's (1964) inclusive fitness theory have used the burning house and kidney donation examples of life-threatening altruism. However, these examples may not be sufficiently exhibiting the risk involved with life-threatening altruism that would have occurred in hunter-gatherer societies, such as fighting off attackers and/or predators. The present study examined participants' estimated likelihood to perform altruistic acts for specific kin members/friends in two violent life-threatening situations (i.e., being mugged and being chased) and two non-violent life-threatening situations (i.e., the burning house and kidney donation examples). Participants were 216 undergraduate students who completed a questionnaire on altruism toward an actual kin member/friend. Each questionnaire contained four life-or-death scenarios (two violent and two non-violent) in which either the participant's sibling, cousin, or best friend was in danger and needed help. Results indicated that people were more lik...
Was Heinz's Two-Step Redemption a Sham?

Heinz's wholly owned subsidiary purchased on the market over $131 million worth of Heinz's common shares. A few months later, the subsidiary sold 95% of the Heinz shares to Heinz, and sold the 5% balance to an unrelated third party. Heinz claimed a $124 million tax loss from this series of transactions, even though it suffered no corresponding economic loss. The Court of Federal Claims held that the series of transactions was a sham and, in the alternative, should be recharacterized under the step-transaction doctrine. This Article critiques the parties' arguments and the court's analysis. The two key take-aways are (1) that Heinz's transaction did not yield the tax benefit claimed for technical reasons that the government (inexplicably) didn't raise at trial and (2) that it is ambiguous whether the Court of Federal Claims properly applied the judge-made substance-over-form principles it relied on in its judgment, so reversal is a real possibility (unless the Federal Circuit agrees to take notice of the transaction's technical defect for the first time on appeal).
Designing Radiology Outcomes Studies—Essential Principles

Health outcomes research is essential to align radiology with current standards of high-value patient care, through the assessment of end results of diagnostic tests, interventions, or policy on patient health. To bridge studies of diagnostic test accuracy and health outcomes research, key considerations include: (1) how to determine when a diagnostic test merits evaluation of impact on outcomes, (2) when study of intermediate/surrogate outcomes can be useful, (3) how to consider the possible harms as well as potential benefits of a test, and (4) how to integrate evidence of an imaging test's efficacy/effectiveness with clinical data to assess outcomes. Due to challenges in conducting studies of long-term outcomes consequent to imaging use, intermediate health outcomes may capture a test's impact on successful diagnosis and therapy, and can provide readily measurable, incremental insights into the role of imaging in health-care delivery and efficiency. In an era marked by recognition of quality and value of care, outcomes research will provide essential evidence to inform radiologists' guidance of imaging use toward improved patient care, creation of clinical guidelines, and policy decisions.
Managing Federalism Through Metropolitan Human Services Intergovernmental Bodies

This article examines the emerging role of metropolitan intergovernmental human services bodies (IGBs). As a result of changes in federalism during the past few decades, a growing number of metropolitan areas have found the need to replace their defunct health and welfare planning councils with new metropolitan groups involving local governments as well as private sector funders. These human services bodies, comprised of top level elected and appointed decisionmakers, conduct interjurisdictional planning and policymaking focused on social problems and also perform other intergovernmental roles. In dealing with social problems locally, they access federal and state programs, match them with localfunds and services, and thus manage federalism from a community perspective. This article focuses on nine of the twenty-five known IGBs. How are social problems attacked within the complex array of programs and jurisdictions in metropolitan areas? The short answer is, with considerable difficulty. A more involved answer may be: through the concerted efforts of local governments to forge interjurisdictional mechanisms. In a growing number of metropolitan areas, intergovernmental bodies have been formed by jurisdictional representatives and area funders to develop responses to human problems. These structures have become important vehicles for matching federal and state programs with local efforts and priorities. These groups are learning how to focus on specific problems, meet federal mandates, and deal with local concerns. Moreover, these groups are able to provide perspectives on social needs that transcend individual jurisdictions. Most important, intergovernmental bodies are vehicles for metropolitan-wide policy development. Intergovernmental bodies (IGBs) are established by mutual agreement of
The use of chloretone as an anesthetic for paramecium.

The described methods for quieting paramecia by using formaldehyde, quince seed jelly, cotton fibers, etc., are by no means satisfactory, if observations are to extend over more than a few minutes....
Recent progress of the analysis of sodium cyclamate

A review on the recent progress of the analysis of sodium cyclamate in more than a decade dealing mainly with the determination method by gas chromatography,thin-layer chromatography,high performance liquid chromatography,ion chromatography,ultraviolet spectrophotometry,single-sweep oscillopolarography is presented in this paper with some references.
Survival of Bacterial Indicator-Species on Environmental Impervious Surfaces

Because of historic difficulties in the measurement of sewage-borne pathogens, the microbiological quality of stormwater runoff is often characterized on the b…
Data and Safety Monitoring Boards

Data and safety monitoring has become an integral part clinical research studies. It plays important roles in reviewing accumulating data. Their primary function is ensuring the safety of the trial participants. They also help ensure study integrity. Consequently, the concept of the data and safety monitoring board (DSMB) was developed. The DSMBs uses numerous statistical and non-statistical approaches. The DSMB typically gets two types of reports to review. One involves process, the other outcome. Many issues, such as, repeated testing for statistical significance, asymmetry in data monitoring, and use of external information, are of particular concern in data monitoring. There is no substitute for the discussions that consider these complex issues.
Planting the Seeds: ‘Wild Bill’ Donovan’s Two European Missions, 1940–41, and their Impact on Anglo-American Intelligence Cooperation

In likening the impact of William ‘Wild Bill’ Donovan’s two European missions (1940–41) on the development of Anglo-American intelligence cooperation to the ‘planting of seeds which later bore fruit,’ Allen Dulles, former OSS operative and CIA director, captured the essence of what was to become a truly ‘special relationship.’ This transatlantic bond was perhaps unique in modern history,2 with one sovereign Great Power at war agreeing to tutor another sovereign Great Power at peace in the ways of the spy and saboteur, which had hitherto remained private and subject to the most closely observed rules of national secrecy. This relationship developed over the course of the war into a true partnership, breaking down many of the barriers of secrecy between Britain and America and in so doing facilitating the Allied victory over the Axis powers and serving a useful purpose to the present day.
Rethinking Tilt Testing

Tilt was used physiologically, 1930s–1970s, becoming a clinical diagnostic test for syncope in 1980s. Tilt has been criticized recently for failing to discriminate between reflex and more sinister syncope. Studies on possible benefit of pacing for older reflex syncope patients (2012–2014) yielded unexpected results. Patients with electrocardiogram implantable loop recorder (ILR) documented asystole and negative tilt, despite history strongly suggestive of reflex syncope, did well with pacing having syncope recurrence similar to that in paced His-Purkinje disease, while those with identical ILR findings and positive tilt did little better than those without pacing. These findings prompted explanation. The hypothesis hinged on tilt revealing a hypotensive/vasodepressor tendency rather than defining vasovagal syncope. Support was drawn from literature demonstrating good test sensitivity and specificity but no clinical value in arrhythmic, unexplained, or structural cardiovascular disease syncope. Further, in carotid sinus syndrome, another reflex syncope, the same pattern of disappointing pacing results was seen when tilt was positive but lack of syncope when tilt was negative. Thus, rethinking tilt testing is required to portray it in reflex, arrhythmic, unexplained, and cardiovascular syncope as having value in demonstrating risk of recurrence rather than being diagnostic. Its value in diagnosis of orthostatic hypotension (immediate/delayed), psychogenic pseudosyncope, and postural orthostatic tachycardia remains important and unchanged. The hypothesis has additional implications for management of hypertensive patients with syncope where medication may exacerbate symptoms requiring reduction/discontinuation. Tilt testing has greater value now than that claimed at its 1986 introduction.
Thermal side-channel forensics in additive manufacturing systems: poster abstract

Additive manufacturing systems leak cyber-related information (such as G-code, M-code, etc.) from the side-channels (such as acoustic, power, thermal, etc.). In our work, we have successfully demonstrated the vulnerability of additive manufacturing to thermal side-channel attacks, where confidentiality can be breached to steal the Intellectual Property (IP) in the form of 3D design and printing parameters. We introduce a novel methodology to reverse engineer the thermal images acquired from the thermal side-channel to extract specific information (such as speed, temperature, axis of movement, etc.) present in the cyber-domain. To the best of our knowledge, this kind of forensics has not yet been explored in additive manufacturing systems.
What Predicts Performance? A Multicenter Study Examining the Association Between Resident Performance, Rank List Position, and United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 Scores.

Abstract Background Each application cycle, emergency medicine (EM) residency programs attempt to predict which applicants will be most successful in residency and rank them accordingly on their program's Rank Order List (ROL). Objective Determine if ROL position, participation in a medical student rotation at their respective program, or United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 rank within a class is predictive of residency performance. Methods All full-time EM faculty at Los Angeles County + University of Southern California (LAC + USC), Harbor–UCLA (Harbor), Alameda Health System–Highland (Highland), and the University of California–Irvine (UCI) ranked each resident in the classes of 2013 and 2014 at time of graduation. From these anonymous surveys, a graduation ROL was created, and using Spearman's rho, was compared with the program's adjusted ROL, USMLE Step 1 rank, and whether the resident participated in a medical student rotation. Results A total of 93 residents were evaluated. Graduation ROL position did not correlate with adjusted ROL position (Rho = 0.14, p = 0.19) or USMLE Step 1 rank (Rho = 0.15, p = 0.14). Interestingly, among the subgroup of residents who rotated as medical students, adjusted ROL position demonstrated significant correlation with final ranking on graduation ROL (Rho = 0.31, p = 0.03). Conclusions USMLE Step 1 score rank and adjusted ROL position did not predict resident performance at time of graduation. However, adjusted ROL position was predictive of future residency success in the subgroup of residents who had completed a sub-internship at their respective programs. These findings should guide the future selection of EM residents.
Machine learning-based methods for analyzing grade crossing safety

A grade crossing is defined as an intersection between a roadway and a railway at the same elevation or grade. Multiple new prevention measures have been implemented to reduce the number of train-vehicle collisions; however, crossing safety remains a major issue as accidents still frequently occur. The push for machine learning-based model to analyze risks at grade crossings has also increased to keep up with new technologies. There are many different protection types (gates with bells, cross-buck, stop-sign, mirrors and etc.) that serve to warn or stop oncoming traffic. Many attributes have an inherent impact on accident frequency, including the protection type, train speed, traffic volume and etc. To find out which factors are most important, we propose a machine learning-based method to effectively analyze the impact of multiple factors that affect crossing safety and subsequently provide scientific insight for key factors for enhancing crossing safety. In this work, the Canadian crossing accident database from 2004 to 2013 was used with additional generated features to enhance the performance of models. These include features that were computed using geographical information systems (GIS) and sightline measurements. Based on the performance, the machine learning algorithm, RandomForest is used to rank and analyze 21 attributes for each protection type. From the analysis results it is possible to identify which key factors have the highest influence on improving safety and collision prediction at grade crossings.
Biological Roles of Protein Hyperstability: Implications for Biotechnology

Although most proteins in nature are marginally stable, some proteins are hyperstable, as indicated by their resistance to degradation, even under relatively harsh conditions. The hyperstability of such proteins is usually under kinetic control due to a high-energy barrier for unfolding that virtually traps them in a specific conformation. Although the protective role of protein kinetic stability is well established, relatively little is known about the extent of biological roles related to this biophysical property. We have demonstrated a correlation between kinetic stability and a protein's resistance to the denaturing detergent SDS, and have developed electrophoresis assays that in combination with proteomics analysis allow the identification of kinetically stable proteins in complex biological samples. We have applied these methods to discover hyperstable proteins in diverse systems, including mesophilic and thermophilic bacteria, beans, and human plasma. The results of these studies have revealed novel insight about the biological significance and roles of protein kinetic stability. In addition, the analysis of a growing list of SDS-resistant proteins generated from these studies is enhancing our understanding of the structural basis of protein kinetic stability.
Natural Genetic Variation in the Caenorhabditis elegans Response to Pseudomonas aeruginosa .

Caenorhabditis elegans responds to pathogenic microorganisms by activating its innate immune system, which consists of physical barriers, behavioral responses, and microbial killing mechanisms. We examined whether natural variation plays a role in the response of C. elegans to Pseudomonas aeruginosa using two C. elegans strains that carry the same allele of npr-1, a gene that encodes a G-protein-coupled receptor related to mammalian neuropeptide Y receptors, but that differ in their genetic backgrounds. Strains carrying an allele for the NPR-1 215F isoform have been shown to exhibit lack of pathogen avoidance behavior and deficient immune response toward P. aeruginosa relative to the wild-type (N2) strain. We found that the wild isolate from Germany RC301, which carries the allele for NPR-1 215F, shows an enhanced resistance to P. aeruginosa infection when compared with strain DA650, which also carries NPR-1 215F but in an N2 background. Using a whole-genome sequencing single-nucleotide polymorphism (WGS-SNP) mapping strategy, we determined that the resistance to P. aeruginosa infection maps to a region on chromosome V. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the mechanism for the enhanced resistance to P. aeruginosa infection relies exclusively on strong P. aeruginosa avoidance behavior, and does not involve the main immune, stress, and lifespan extension pathways in C. elegans. Our findings underscore the importance of pathogen-specific behavioral immune defense in the wild, which seems to be favored over the more energy-costly mechanism of activation of physiological cellular defenses.
Abstract 332: Deletion of ADAMTS7 in Mice Reveals a Role in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Response to Injury

The zinc metalloprotease ADAMTS7 was recently shown by GWAS to be a locus on chr15 for human coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the molecular mechanisms tying ADAMTS7 function to atherosclerosis are unknown. We hypothesized that ADAMTS7 may promote atherosclerosis by facilitating vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation and migration in vivo. We obtained mice containing an exon-trapping cassette between exon 4 and 5 of Adamts7, leading to premature termination of the mRNA and a grossly truncated protein. These mice bred normally and did not display any obvious phenotype. The exon trapping cassette also contained a LacZ reporter construct, allowing for XGal staining to determine gene expression. We assessed Adamts7 gene expression via XGal staining in multiple tissues of interest, including the heart, lungs, liver, and spleen. We also confirmed KO of the gene message through TaqMan rtPCR in additional tissues. We performed wire injury and sham surgeries of femoral arteries in adult Adamts7+/+ and -/- mice (N=4 and 5, respectively) and investigated lesion formation at 28 days. Adamts7 -/- mice showed reduced neointima formation (64%), intima-to-media ratio (47%) and percent stenosis (61%) as compared to wild type. By immunohistochemistry and Trichrome staining we observed trends toward reduced VSMC proliferation (Ki67), reduced collagen IV and fibronectin matrix staining, and less disruption of laminin in ADAMTS7 -/- injured arteries. Finally, ADAMTS7 immunofluorescence of human primary aortic SMCs revealed colocalization to cortactin domains at the leading edge of migrating SMCs as well as to cytoskeletal filaments. In summary, Adamts7 deletion attenuates the VSMC and matrix responses to arterial injury suggesting a role for ADAMTS7 in VSMC migration in atherosclerotic lesion initiation and progression.
A Mnemonic for Pharmacists to Ensure Optimal Monitoring and Safety of Total Parenteral Nutrition: I AM FULL.

Objective: To present a guideline-derived mnemonic that provides a systematic monitoring process to increase pharmacists’ confidence in total parenteral nutrition (TPN) monitoring and improve safety and efficacy of TPN use. Data Sources: The American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) guidelines were reviewed. Additional resources included a literature search of PubMed (1980 to May 2016) using the search terms: total parenteral nutrition, mnemonic, indications, allergy, macronutrients, micronutrients, fluid, comorbidities, labs, peripheral line, and central line. Articles (English-language only) were evaluated for content, and additional references were identified from a review of literature citations. Study Selection and Data Extraction: All English-language observational studies, review articles, meta-analyses, guidelines, and randomized trials assessing monitoring parameters of TPN were evaluated. Data Synthesis: The ASPEN guidelines were referenced to develop key components of the mn...
Engaging decentralization in an uncertain political context: Lessons from Liberia

This study uses a Diagnostic Framework for Local Governance (Yilmaz et al 2008) to evaluate the current capacity for administrative decentralization at the county level in Liberia, as well as to identify political economy challenges and opportunities surrounding decentralization. Applying the Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) framework to our findings, we offer recommendations for moving decentralization reform forward. We find strong demand for administrative decentralization among local officials, and propose decentralization reform can be enhanced through incremental implementation that focuses on strengthening the existing structures and capacity of local administration, and through creation of stronger accountability and participatory mechanisms. The triangulated research design includes focus group and interview data in 8 Liberian counties, analyzed using NVivo Qualitative Data Analysis Software. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Investigation of Solid Electrolyte Interphase Formed on Si Nanoparticle Composite Electrodes Using Hyperpolarized 129Xe Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) plays an important role in determining electrochemical performances of Li-ion batteries. The ideal SEI layer protects the electrolyte from being further reduced on the electrode surface and allows Li-ion diffusion in and out of electrodes without any consumption. However, degradation of the SEI layer over time, which contributes to the thickening of the SEI layer, is a leading pathway for gradual capacity fade. In this study, a hyperpolarized (HP) 129Xe nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique was applied for the first time to probe changes in porosity and connectivity in Si nanoparticle composite electrodes as a result of the SEI formation. Nanopores are present in nanocomposite electrodes as a result of aggregation of the constituting nanoparticles. The connectivity among nanopores greatly affects the ion transport property of the electrode materials, which has a substantial influence on the overall energy output of Li-ion batteries. In this work, information on thic...
Amyloid Cardiomyopathy: Disease on the Rise.

Amyloidoses represent a group of human degenerative diseases characterized by the deposition of aggregates of abnormally folded proteins in single or multi-organs. Whereas neurological amyloidoses, such as Alzheimer and Parkinson disease, have received the greatest recognition, there also exists many systemic amyloidoses that affect many target organs, including the heart. Cardiac amyloidosis is primarily associated with the systemic production and release of many amyloidogenic proteins, notably immunoglobulin light chain or transthyretin (TTR). AL (light chain amyloidosis) is the result of a clonal plasma cell dyscrasia and production of amyloidgenic light chain proteins. TTR amyloidosis may result from normal wild-type amyloidogenic TTR protein as seen in the elderly (known as senile systemic amyloidosis or ATTRwt) or from mutations in the TTR protein (ATTRm) as in familial amyloid cardiomyopathy.1,2 Cardiac deposition of amyloidogenic proteins often results in an aggressive form of heart disease with resulting cardiac failure that is largely resistant to many common heart failure therapies. Although once thought to be a rare disease, cardiac amyloidosis is more recently acknowledged to be much more common. For instance, AL amyloidosis, the most frequent cause of systemic amyloidosis in the developed world, has an incidence similar to that of Hodgkin lymphoma or chronic myelogenous leukemia and was widely underdiagnosed because of its ambiguous presentation and rapid mortality. Similarly, autopsy studies have identified significant cardiac deposition of wild-type TTR deposition in over 25% of individuals >80 years of age.3 Physician education, along with now widely accessible assays for diagnosis and monitoring (such as the Freelite serum-free LC assay), and improved cardiac imaging have contributed to the increase in diagnosis. In addition to ultrasound echocardiography and late gadolinium enhancement by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging,4 newer imaging modalities with 99mTc-pyrophosphate4,5 and florbetapir6 have improved detection, monitoring …
System Diagnosability Analysis Using p-slop MAP.

Researchers have reported successful deployments of diagnosis decision support systems based on Bayesian networks. However, the methodology for evaluating the diagnosability for such systems has not been sufficiently addressed, which consequently hinders the pace of full embracement of such systems. In this paper, we propose a methodology to analyze diagnosability for diagnosing multiple faults for systems with multi-valued discrete variables. Our analysis procedure is based on computing the configurations, p-slop MAP, for the top p percent of posterior joint distribution for faults given evidence. p-slop MAP enables us to extend diagnosability measures beyond those developed in system diagnosis literature. Our analysis results can help not only design for diagnosability, but also for developing new diagnostic procedures for systems in service.
Security and privacy trade-offs in CPS by leveraging inherent differential privacy

Cyber-physical systems are subject to natural uncertainties and sensor noise that can be amplified/attenuated due to feedback. In this work, we want to leverage these properties in order to define the inherent differential privacy of feedback-control systems without the addition of an external differential privacy noise. If larger levels of privacy are required, we introduce a methodology to add an external differential privacy mechanism that injects the minimum amount of noise that is needed. On the other hand, we show how the combination of inherent and external noise affects system security in terms of the impact that integrity attacks can impose over the system while remaining undetected. We formulate a bilevel optimization problem to redesign the control parameters in order to minimize the attack impact for a desired level of inherent privacy.
Calculating Blast Loads for Civil Engineering Structures

A brief overview of the state of the art of computing blast loads on civil engineering structures is given. The general problem setting, requirements, main physical phenomena and timescales, as well as suitable numerical methods are described. Several examples show the power of blast loads calculations for civil engineering structures.
The human microbiome in evolution.

The trillions of microbes living in the gut—the gut microbiota—play an important role in human biology and disease. While much has been done to explore its diversity, a full understanding of our microbiomes demands an evolutionary perspective. In this review, we compare microbiomes from human populations, placing them in the context of microbes from humanity’s near and distant animal relatives. We discuss potential mechanisms to generate host-specific microbiome configurations and the consequences of disrupting those configurations. Finally, we propose that this broader phylogenetic perspective is useful for understanding the mechanisms underlying human–microbiome interactions.
City of Discontent? The Influence of Perceived Organizational Culture, LMX, and Newcomer Status on Reported Bullying in a Municipal Workplace

Workplace bullying is a counterproductive behavior that has captured the attention of researchers in recent years. The extent of reported bullying behavior in US organizations varies however; it is estimated to affect 15% to 50% of workers with projected annual costs of over $40 billion including direct and indirect costs. Workplace bullying poses a serious ethical challenge by sending messages about appropriate conduct within the organization’s culture. In this study, we focus on environmental factors as predictors of self-reported bullying in a public-sector organization. Specifically, the factors of interest are organizational culture, commitment to change, and leader-member exchange (LMX). We also investigate newcomer status and its relationship to reported bullying. Findings demonstrated perceived stability in the organization and higher levels of LMX showed lower levels of workplace bullying. Further, an organizational culture that emphasizes rewards lead to higher levels of bullying and newcomers are subjected to more bullying than longer service workers.
Benefit requirements for substance use disorder treatment in state health insurance exchanges

ABSTRACTBackground: Established in 2014, state health insurance exchanges have greatly expanded substance use disorder (SUD) treatment coverage in the United States as qualified health plans (QHPs) within the exchanges are required to conform to parity provisions laid out by the Affordable Care Act and the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). Coverage improvements, however, have not been even as states have wide discretion over how they meet these regulations. Objective: How states regulate SUD treatment benefits offered by QHPs has implications for the accessibility and quality of care. In this study, we assessed the extent to which state insurance departments regulate the types of SUD services and medications plans must provide, as well as their use of utilization controls. Methods: Data were collected as part of the National Drug Abuse Treatment System Survey, a nationally-representative, longitudinal study of substance use disorder treatment. Data were obtained from state Department...
A Reformed Liberalism: Michael McConnell’s Contributions to Christian Jurisprudence

Michael McConnell is one of the most influential constitutional scholars of the past thirty years. He has written a great deal about religious liberty, but relatively little about how his own religious beliefs may relate to his constitutional jurisprudence. This essay is the first to explore the connection between McConnell’s religious views and scholarship. The essay engages with a short piece by McConnell that sketches the outlines of a “reformed liberalism.” McConnell argued that reformed Christian theology is compatible with the classical liberalism that animated the framing of the U.S. Constitution. Though he did not develop this account into a full-blown theory, McConnell’s view deserves to be considered alongside others, whether they are liberal theories that downplay the importance of religion, or Christian political theologies that reject liberalism. McConnell’s view also illuminates his scholarship on religious liberty, religion in public discourse, and judicial humility.
Electoral ripples: The social life of lies and mistrust in an Indian village election

Anthropologists who study elections tend to restrict their analysis to the run-up to and conduct of an election and only its immediate aftermath. This article suggests that this approach misses the...
The Weak Burnside Problem

In 1902 Burnside wrote “A still undecided problem in the theory of discontinuous groups is whether the order of a group may be not finite while the order of every operation it contains is finite”. He tacitly assumed that the groups involved are all finitely generated.
Socioeconomic Disparities and Early English Education: A Case in Changzhou, China

As English has increasingly come to be seen as a lingua franca and a means towards success in a globalizing world, considerable time, effort and resources are being invested in teaching and learning English around the world. In East Asia, the seemingly excessive zeal for learning English has been referred to as English fever, and in recent years it appears to have spread among even young learners. The zeal may potentially have a significant impact on local linguistic ecologies and a substantial societal cost. Drawing from a case study of the wider social and linguistic contexts for English learning among young learners in Changzhou, China, this chapter illustrates how parental socio-economic status (SES) and parental behaviors and beliefs about their children’s English learning influence their children’s English performance at the early stages of their English learning. The chapter also describes Changzhou’s recent policy efforts to minimize achievement gaps by SES while at the same time trying to meet increasingly diverse student needs, and addresses the potential impact of these policies on the local linguistic ecology.
Brief of Professors of Conflict of Laws As Amici Curiae in Support of Appellants, in Re. Irving H. Picard, Trustee for the Liquidation of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC

This amicus brief was filed with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in the Madoff bankruptcy case. The brief was written by Professor William S. Dodge and joined by Professors George A. Bermann, Hannah L. Buxbaum, Zachary D. Clopton, Anthony J. Colangelo, Maggie Gardner, Ralf Michaels, Aaron D. Simowitz, and Christopher A. Whytock. The question on appeal is the geographic scope of Bankruptcy Code § 550(a), which allows a trustee to recover the property of an avoided transfer not just from the initial transferee but also from “any immediate or mediate transferee of such initial transferee.” Many of the investments in Madoff Investment Securities were made through feeder funds. Some of these funds withdrew money in New York, which they subsequently distributed to their own customers. The Trustee seeks to recover payments made to the subsequent transferees. The bankruptcy court dismissed most of the Trustee’s claims against subsequent transferees based on the choice-of-law analysis adopted in Maxell Communications (which the court called “international comity”) and the presumption against extraterritoriality. The amicus brief argues that under the presumption against extraterritoriality, Section 550(a) applies to the subsequent transferees for two reasons. First, the property to which Section 550(a) refers includes property “wherever located,” providing an affirmative indication that Section 550(a) applies extraterritorially. Second, and in the alternative, the focus of Section 550(a) is the initial transfer that depleted the estate in the United States. The amicus brief also argues that application of Section 550(a) is reasonable under Maxwell Communications because the debtor is American, the initial transfer depleted the estate in the United States, and there are no parallel foreign proceedings.
Old English Philology: Studies in Honour of R.D. Fulk

For a dead methodology, Philology sure is productive.The decline in the academic power and prestige of the discipline, which J.R.R. Tolkien noted soon after World War I and later lamented in his 19...
Identification of Chemotype Agonists for Human Resolvin D1 Receptor DRV1 with Pro-Resolving Functions.

Summary Resolution of acute inflammation is governed, in part, by specialized pro-resolving mediators, including lipoxins, resolvins, protectins, and maresins. Among them, resolvin D1 (RvD1) exhibits potent pro-resolving functions via activating human resolvin D1 receptor (DRV1/GPR32). RvD1 is a complex molecule that requires challenging organic synthesis, diminishing its potential as a therapeutic. Therefore, we implemented a high-throughput screening of small-molecule libraries and identified several chemotypes that activated recombinant DRV1, represented by NCGC00120943 (C1A), NCGC00135472 (C2A), pMPPF, and pMPPI. These chemotypes also elicited rapid impedance changes in cells overexpressing recombinant DRV1. With human macrophages, they each stimulated phagocytosis of serum-treated zymosan at concentrations comparable with that of RvD1, the endogenous DRV1 ligand. In addition, macrophage phagocytosis of live E. coli was significantly increased by these chemotypes in DRV1-transfected macrophages, compared with mock-transfected cells. Taken together, these chemotypes identified by unbiased screens act as RvD1 mimetics, exhibiting pro-resolving functions via interacting with human DRV1.
A New Power Analysis Attack and a Countermeasure in Embedded Systems

Recent works on embedded system security, which is becoming increasingly important, claim that dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) supports a natural defense against power analysis attacks. In this paper, however, we design a new DVFS-aware attack that 1) identifies the voltage and frequency values used for DVFS and 2) performs power analysis to extract cryptographic keys. Further, we propose a simple yet effective defense against DVFS-aware power analysis attacks: we generate noise against power analysis attacks by running random cryptographic instructions in slack time (if any) generated when a real-time task (e.g., an engine control task) finishes earlier than its worst-case execution time. To analyze the effectiveness of the new proposed attack and defense technique, we undertake a simulation study using a cycle-accurate micro-architectural simulator and an advanced power model. In the simulation study, our DVFS-aware power analysis attack increases the accuracy of secret key extraction by 1-22% compared to most existing power analysis attacks unaware of DVFS. Moreover, our defense policy decreases the success rate of the DVFS-aware power analysis attack by 2-22% compared to state-of-the-art approaches that use DVFS as a countermeasure against power analysis attacks.
Clinicians’ Guide to Cannabidiol and Hemp Oils

Cannabidiol (CBD) oils are low tetrahydrocannabinol products derived from Cannabis sativa that have become very popular over the past few years. Patients report relief for a variety of conditions, particularly pain, without the intoxicating adverse effects of medical marijuana. In June 2018, the first CBD-based drug, Epidiolex, was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treatment of rare, severe epilepsy, further putting the spotlight on CBD and hemp oils. There is a growing body of preclinical and clinical evidence to support use of CBD oils for many conditions, suggesting its potential role as another option for treating challenging chronic pain or opioid addiction. Care must be taken when directing patients toward CBD products because there is little regulation, and studies have found inaccurate labeling of CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol quantities. This article provides an overview of the scientific work on cannabinoids, CBD, and hemp oil and the distinction between marijuana, hemp, and the different components of CBD and hemp oil products. We summarize the current legal status of CBD and hemp oils in the United States and provide a guide to identifying higher-quality products so that clinicians can advise their patients on the safest and most evidence-based formulations. This review is based on a PubMed search using the terms CBD, cannabidiol, hemp oil, and medical marijuana. Articles were screened for relevance, and those with the most up-to-date information were selected for inclusion.
“Fight, Don’t Fold”: The Poker Mindset and the Rise of Trumpism

Manno argues that Donald Trump embodies the values of the Poker Mindset in a particularly striking way. The chapter draws upon research about Trump voters during the 2016 election, Trump’s campaign as outsider candidate, and both Trump’s and Trump voters’ authoritarian tendencies. Further, Manno makes the case that Trump’s lies and deceptions, focus on independent action, penchant for revenge, desire to “fight, not fold,” history of corruption, and accusations of sexual harassment and assault powerfully demonstrate over-conforming to the values of the Poker Mindset.
A Mysterious Antithesis: capitalism and suicidality

This article examines persistent deathly and suicidal thought images across Karl Marx’s oeuvre and argues that capitalism has transformed our preoccupations about subjection into anxieties about our being itself. One form such anxieties take has been suicidality, and I argue that our modern tendency toward suicidality has cometo name both a way of avowing the violent conditions of our estranged life under capitalism and a way of affirming the possibility of imagining new forms of social reproduction.
Leptomeningeal Disease as a Rare Complication of Primary Penile Urethral Cancer

Primary penile urethral cancer is a rare genitourinary malignancy arising from the epithelial lining of the urethra. Our patient is a 63-year-old male with newly diagnosed penile urethral carcinoma who presented with headache and was found to have leptomeningeal disease on imaging and cerebral spinal fluid analysis. He was treated with systemic and intrathecal chemotherapy with some response and improvement in symptoms. This is the first reported case of leptomeningeal disease as a complication of penile urethral carcinoma. Recognition and prompt treatment are important; however, overall prognosis of this entity remains poor.
Association between chronological age and geriatric assessment (GA) to identify deficits in elderly adults with cancer: Findings from the Care Registry.

12048Background: Although ASCO and NCCN guidelines recommend that adults with cancer diagnosed at age ≥65y undergo a GA, the association between chronologic age and GA identified deficits remains u...