cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phenomenological Characterization of the Fabrication of Aligned Carbon Nanotube Nanocomposites via Dielectrophoresis Under AC Electric Field

Here we use dielectrophoresis under the application of AC electric fields as the primary fabrication technique (DEPFT) for aligned carbon nanotube (CNT)-polymer nanocomposites, and generate data sets in order to develop DEPFT fabrication models for the dispersion and orientation of CNTs. While the general understanding of how CNTs form aligned filaments under the influence of the dielectrophoretic forces and moments is well established, detailed multi-CNT-filament formation predictions of microstructure evolution from a random dispersion into this ordered structure remain intractable. As such we devote considerable efforts on characterizing the processstructure-property relationships towards the development of phenomenological fabrication models for controlling local CNT dispersion and orientation as a function of applied electric field magnitude, frequency, and exposure time. In this study, 0.03 wt % SWNTs were dispersed in a photopolymerizable monomer blend (urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA) and 1,6-hexanediol dimethacrylate (HDDMA)) using ultrasonication techniques to obtain the acrylate solution (0.03 % SWNTs / UDMA /HDDMA(9/1) solution). SWNT alignment was controlled and the SWNT-filament thickness formation was explored. In order to assess key morphological features of the asproduced SWNT-acrylate nanocomposite samples such as SWNT distribution and filament thicknesses, transmission optical microscopy has been used to observe the SWNT alignment and filament formation obtained in the resulting nanocomposite samples by digital mapping of individual overlapping images, respectively. Thus, sufficient amounts of data to construct statistically meaningful distribution functions for morphological features were obtained. The electrical properties of the as-produced SWNTs-acrylate nanocomposite samples were measured to connect the resulting structures to their respective properties.
Optimization of a Virtual Power Plant to Provide Frequency Support.

Increasing the penetration of distributed renewable sources, including photovoltaic (PV) sources, poses technical challenges for grid management. The grid has been optimized over decades to rely upon large centralized power plants with well-established feedback controls, but now non-dispatchable, renewable sources are displacing these controllable generators. This one-year study was funded by the Department of Energy (DOE) SunShot program and is intended to better utilize those variable resources by providing electric utilities with the tools to implement frequency regulation and primary frequency reserves using aggregated renewable resources, known as a virtual power plant. The goal is to eventually enable the integration of 100s of Gigawatts into US power systems.
Stein Estimation and Prediction : A Synthesis

Stein (1956), in his seminal paper, came with the surprising discovery that the sample mean is an inadmissible estimator of the population mean in three or higher dimensions under squared error loss. The past five decades have witnessed multiple extensions and variations of Stein's results. Extension of Stein's results to prediction problems is of more recent origin, beginning with Komaki (2001) and George et al. (2006) and Ghosh et al. (2006). The present article shows how both the estimation and prediction problems go hand in hand under certain “intrinsic losses”, which includes both the Kullback-Leibler and Bhattacharyya-Hellinger divergence losses. The estimators dominating the sample mean under such losses are motivated both from the Bayesian and empirical Bayes point of view.
Vascular Issues in Thermal Injury

Thermal injury alone can be a devastating event with long-standing effects on wound healing. The presence of vascular disease severely complicates this already difficult clinical situation. Vascular disease, as manifested by arterial and venous insufficiency, is increasing in its prevalence and incidence. This chapter will focus on the known physiological changes in response to thermal injury in particular of the lower extremity arterial system. Initial evaluation and subsequent treatments for the patient with suspected vascular disease in the setting of thermal injury is detailed. The current state of the literature will be reviewed in regard to what is known about the alteration in vascular bed response to a thermal injury as well as the known complications of thermal injury in diabetic patients. A proposed algorithm will be detailed in terms of appropriate perfusion assessment and when a vascular consultant should be involved in the care of a thermally injured patient. Finally, a clinical case example with approach to this patient population will be detailed.
Imprecision is pragmatic: Evidence from referential processing

Gradable adjectives (GAs) provide an ideal domain for evaluating theories of the interface betwen semantic interpretation and context: relative and absolute GAs are both context dependent, but absolute adjectives can have precise meanings in a way that relative adjectives cannot. We provide processing evidence for the hypothesis that imprecision in absolute adjectives is a pragmatic phenomenon: absolute thresholds are semantically scalar endpoints, and imprecise uses are derived by a global pragmatic threshold, which specifies how much deviation from literal meaning is pragmatically ignorable in a context (see e.g. Lasersohn 1999). The evidence comes from a set of visual world eye-tracking experiments adapted from the design of Sedivy, Tanenhaus, Chambers & Carlson (1999) and Aparicio, Xiang & Kennedy (2015). We measured the time-course of reference resolution in phrases of the form the Adj Noun while varying whether Adj is relative or absolute, as well as the degree to which the intended referent (target) and a competing object exemplified Adj. We found a contrast-based processing advantage for absolute GAs when the target exemplified Adj imprecisely but the competitor exemplified Adj precisely. However, this advantage was found to be sensitive to the relative/absolute distinction, as well as to the degree to which objects in the display exemplified the relevant scalar property. Collectively, our results provide evidence for a difference in the mental processes underlying relative versus absolute threshold fixing, which we argue is best modeled by a pragmatic theory of imprecision.
The receptor function of galactosyltransferase during mammalian fertilization.

The molecular mechanisms underlying mouse sperm binding to the egg zona pellucida are being examined. A variety of studies suggest that galactosyltransferase (GalTase) on the sperm surface at least partly mediates gamete adhesion by binding to its appropriate carbohydrate substrate in the egg zona pellucida. The first indication that GalTase serves as a sperm receptor came from a biochemical analysis of sperm bearing mutant alleles of the t-complex. t-bearing sperm, which are transmitted perferentially during fertilization relative to normal sperm, have four times the surface GalTase activity of wild-type, while eight other enzyme activities are indistinguishable between normal and t-sperm populations. Interestingly, mutant t-sperm that have lost their fertilizing superiority due to genetic recombination, no longer show elevated GalTase activity. Before sperm are capable of binding to the eggs, the GalTase active site becomes exposed on the sperm surface, due to the release of a competitive substrate. When added back to sperm/zona binding assays, this GalTase substrate inhibits binding by competing for the GalTase active site. Inhibition and/or modification of the sperm GalTase with either substrate analogues or modifier proteins, produces a parallel inhibition of sperm GalTase activity and sperm binding to the zona pellucida. The presence of the second GalTase substrate, UDPGal, causes the dissociation of sperm bound to the zona pellucida. UDPGal forces catalysis to occur, thus releasing the sperm GalTase from its zona pellucida substrate. Purified GalTase inhibits sperm/-zona binding, as does galactosylation of the zona pellucida. Monospecific anti-GalTase IgG, and its Fab fragments, inhibit sperm/zona binding and GalTase catalytic activity. The sperm surface GalTase is localized by indirect immunofluorescence to the plasma membrane overlying the intact acrosome. Finally, the zona pellucida possess substrates for the sperm GalTase, and enzymatic modification of these substrates inhibits subsequent sperm binding. These studies, as well as others, all suggest that sperm GalTase serves as at least one, and possibly the principal, sperm surface receptor for binding to the zona pellucida during fertilization. Studies are in progress to identify the complementary GalTase substrate in the zona pellucida.
Tutorial: Raspberry Pi in Medical Engineering — Demonstration of non-invasive medical sensors

Raspberry Pi is a low-cost, open source, credit card size computer. Potential applications vary from supercomputing to the Internet of Things. The most notable feature of Raspberry Pi is its affordability. This tutorial introduces a configuration of Raspberry Pi with various medical sensors to scientists in Medical Engineering for advancement and exploration of their studies. A simple demonstration with some noninvasive medical sensor(s) such as ECG is arranged. A few participants may have some hands-on experiences (pending the number of devices available).
“Chinese Got Talent”: Popular Music Singing Competitions in Taiwan and China

Popular music industries in Taiwan and China were once disconnected when the Chinese Civil War separated the republican and communist leaderships. It wasn’t until 1987 that both leaders signed the agreement allowing people from opposite sides of the Taiwan Strait to reconnect. Afterward, musicians in Taiwan and China have cooperated to dominate this new Chinese mass market. However, only few musicians were able to succeed in both places. When “British got Talent,” the singing competition, became internationally popular, similar programs were replicated in Chinese society. Those competitions soon received overwhelming success in Taiwan and China because they were the first live television shows that invited singers from Taiwan and China to compete alongside one another. Consequently, more than ten million views and discussions were registered on Youtube. Furthermore, singers from those shows received rapid national success. Scrutinizing performances from those competitions, this paper discusses the way they reflect the altered social structures from Taiwan’s republican and China’s communist governments. Through categorizing those performances into: Chinese Rock, Pentatonic song, Folk music and Hip Hop, I argue that social background acts as a catalyst to transform the way singers interpret music. It also affects the way audiences respond to the live performances.
Interstitial Pneumonia With Autoimmune Features: Value of Histopathology

Context.— Patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia may display evidence of autoimmunity without meeting criteria for a defined connective tissue disease. A recent European Respiratory Society/American Thoracic Society statement proposed research criteria for interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF), which includes findings from the clinical, serologic, and morphologic domains. Objectives.— To investigate the importance of histopathologic criteria within the morphologic domain and to report our methodology for identifying these features. Design.— Patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia at the University of Chicago who underwent surgical lung biopsy or lung transplantation were assessed for IPAF histopathologic features, using the initial pathology interpretation in the electronic records. A focused rereview of available slides by a pulmonary pathologist was then performed for patients who failed to meet IPAF criteria on initial pathology assessment. Results.— Of 422 patients wi...
Early Wound Morbidity after Open Ventral Hernia Repair with Biosynthetic or Polypropylene Mesh.

Background Recently introduced slow-resorbing biosynthetic and non-resorbing macroporous polypropylene meshes are being used in hernias with clean-contaminated and contaminated wounds. However, information about the use of biosynthetic meshes and their outcomes compared with polypropylene meshes in clean-contaminated and contaminated cases is lacking. Here we evaluate the use of biosynthetic mesh and polypropylene mesh in elective open ventral hernia repair (OVHR) and investigate differences in early wound morbidity after OVHR within clean-contaminated and contaminated cases. Study Design All elective, OVHR with biosynthetic mesh or uncoated polypropylene mesh from January 2013 through October 2016 were identified within the Americas Hernia Society Quality Collaborative. Association of mesh type with 30-day wound events in clean-contaminated or contaminated wounds was investigated using a 1:3 propensity-matched analysis. Results Biosynthetic meshes were used in 8.5% (175 of 2,051) of elective OVHR, with the majority (57.1%) used in low-risk or comorbid clean cases. Propensity-matched analysis in clean-contaminated and contaminated cases showed no significant difference between biosynthetic mesh and polypropylene mesh groups for 30-day surgical site occurrences (20.7% vs 16.7%; p = 0.49) or unplanned readmission (13.8% vs 9.8%; p = 0.4). However, surgical site infections (22.4% vs 10.9%; p = 0.03), surgical site occurrences requiring procedural intervention (24.1% vs 13.2%; p = 0.049), and reoperation rates (13.8% vs 4.0%; p = 0.009) were significantly higher in the biosynthetic group. Conclusions Biosynthetic mesh appears to have higher rates of 30-day wound morbidity compared with polypropylene mesh in elective OVHR with clean-contaminated or contaminated wounds. Additional post-market analysis is needed to provide evidence defining best mesh choices, location, and surgical technique for repairing contaminated ventral hernias.
Highly absorptive nanophotonic structures on flexible substrates for infrared camouflage

In this article, we present a camouflage sheet consisting of nanophotonic structures that can manage thermal signature of objects. Photonic structures that can absorb a wide range of mid-infrared wavelengths were transferred onto flexible substrates to cover objects and absorb their infrared radiations. Transmission and reflection of surface can be reduced by silicon nanowires in the desired region of spectrum. Our images, captured by a forward looking infrared radiometer camera, show that the structures can be used for camouflage at night and low-visibility conditions. The infrared camouflage offers a viable solution to deceive thermal cameras and effectively conceal personnel and equipment.
Promoting Intra- and Intermolecular Interactions in Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering

Normal Raman and surface–enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) are powerful analytical methodologies that are complementary to infrared absorption spectroscopy and provide unique molecular fingerprint information. Vibrational energies detected using both techniques arise from quantized energy states associated with the vibrational and rotational motions of molecular bonds. If a molecule exhibits a bond strength, mass, and structure; characteristic energies will appear as vibrational energies shifted from the Rayleigh line in a Raman spectrum. Small changes in quantized energies can be related to polarizability changes that can occur in response to electromagnetic radiation, changes in the local environment, and/or intermolecular interactions.
Depositional settings and history of the Lower Miocene Fleming Group, Refugio County, Texas, as defined using seismic geomorphology

Abstract A study of the Lower Miocene Fleming Group in Refugio County, Texas from 3-D seismic and wireline-log data documents continuous strandplain and associated lower-coastal-plain fluvial systems along a wave-dominated shoreline. This study delineates and characterizes, through the interpretation of seismic attributes and seismic geomorphology maps from 15 horizons, three principal styles of stratal patterns: (1) parallel and subparallel, strike-continuous sets of beach ridge and swale deposits within a strandplain system that prograded at least 12 km, (2) sinuous channel belts in a coeval mixed-load meanderbelt system, and (3) acoustically dim, nearly featureless seismic attribute patterns that record homogenous and topographically subdued, shallow-marine mudstones associated with transgressive marine deposits and flooding surfaces. Holocene depositional analogs for these Lower Miocene sandy strandplain deposits include the Nayarit coastline in Mexico, whereas the lower coastal plain between Galveston and Corpus Christi, Texas serves as an appropriate analog for mixed-load meanderbelt systems. The Lower Miocene coastline in Refugio County consists of a regressive phase that was punctuated by two transgressive phases. These episodes of marine transgression correspond to the Anahuac Formation and the Marginulina A shale, respectively. Succeeding events record complex, amalgamated beach-ridge deposits and coeval fluvial-channel systems that exhibit patterns of channel migration, erosion, incision, and downdip fusion of channel belts. This study concludes that potential reservoir geometries and architectures in the Lower Miocene succession are much more complex than previously inferred, the result of rapidly fluctuating and evolving strike-fed shoreline systems and contemporaneous fluvial dip-dispersal systems, some manifested by shore-parallel trends confined in swales. Improved reservoir-development strategies in this prolific hydrocarbon-bearing play should be guided by distribution of sandy depositional elements and the paleogeographic setting.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common malignancy of childhood, accounting for 25–30% of all pediatric cancer cases. Leukemias arise from genetic changes that occur in a single lymphoid progenitor cell at various stages of maturation, resulting in a clonal expansion. ALL is typically classified by cell surface marker expression as either B-cell progenitor (B-ALL, approximately 85–90% of cases) or T-cell immunophenotype (T-ALL, approximately 10–15% of cases). Childhood ALL can further be subdivided into biologically and prognostically distinctive subsets on the basis of chromosomal abnormalities, molecular genetic aberrations, and early response measures. Over the last 50 years, the prognosis for children with ALL has improved dramatically, with long-term overall survival rates now approximately 90%. The increased cure rate has resulted from a number of factors including (1) development of complex chemotherapeutic regimens designed to achieve clonal eradication; (2) improvements in supportive care; (3) recognition of the central nervous system (CNS) as a sanctuary site; and (4) application and refinement of risk-adapted therapy.
Atrial fibrillation and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: Insights on a unique clinical phenotype from a nationally-representative United States cohort

Abstract Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure often occur concomitantly, representing a clinical phenotype at high-risk for poor outcomes. Differences in the characteristics, management, and in-hospital outcomes of AF among those with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and those with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) are not well characterized. Methods and results Using the National Inpatient Sample, we identified hospitalizations in 2008–2012 for HFpEF and for HFrEF, with and without AF based on ICD-9-CM codes. We examined patient characteristics, procedural rates, and in-hospital outcomes. AF was common among both HFpEF and HFrEF, and increased in prevalence over the study period. A very low proportion of the cohort underwent either direct-current cardioversion or catheter-ablation. Compared to those without AF, those with AF experienced higher in-hospital mortality regardless of heart failure subtype. In multivariable regression analysis, AF was associated with in-hospital mortality in HFpEF (OR 1.10, CI [1.08–1.11]), but not in HFrEF (OR 0.93 [0.92–0.94], p-for-interaction Conclusions Our study revealed that the prevalence and adverse impact of AF on those with HFpEF is substantial, providing a rationale to rigorously investigate strategies, such as rhythm-control, to improve outcomes for this particularly vulnerable subpopulation.
Cellular Network Design Site Selection and Frequency Planning

Deployment of cellular networks involves substantial capital investment. Competition motivates service providers to minimize these costs while maintaining service quality. We develop a cost-minimizing planning model that simultaneously determines three important variables – base station location, power level and frequency group assignments for the antennas at each selected base station. It can represent different antenna configurations and frequency groups commonly used in practice. The integer-programming problem is solved using a Lagrangian relaxation based heuristic and computational tests indicate good solution quality for reasonably large problems. We also note the appropriate role of such optimization models in the overall planning process.
How Not to Have to Navigate Through Too Many Displays

Publisher Summary The three trends in information visualization attempting to address the problems caused by large networks of displays of raw data are information animation, integrated representations, and coordination of multiple views. Coordination of multiple views is used to create a virtual perceptual field or a workspace in which practitioners carry out their work activity and is the theme of this chapter. This chapter concerns how the characteristics of computer-based networks of displays shape the cognition and performance of practitioners. The chapter reviews common findings from field studies that have shown how large networks of displays, available through a limited keyhole, can place new mental burdens on users. It also provide an overview of some of the techniques that designers can use to break down the keyhole and help users focus on the relevant portion of the data field as activities unfold. The work in human-computer interaction concerned with this level of analysis of a computer based information system often goes under labels such as navigation, browsing, hypertext, dialogue design, or window management. This chapter discusses ways in which designers can coordinate different kinds of display frames within a virtual workspace. The chapter refers to this level of analysis and design as workspace coordination—the integration of the set of displays and classes of views that can be seen together in parallel or in series as a function of context.
From the symbolic stimulus to the pathophysiological response: neurophysiological mechanisms.

The neurobiological basis of psychopathology is surveyed with emphasis upon reciprocal balances between opposing ergotropic and trophotropic systems with their central nervous system (CNS), autonomic nervous system (ANS) and neuroendocrine components. The anatomical sites, neurophysiological interconnections, and neurochemical transmitters which subserve functions of arousal, attention, perception, motion, emotion, memory, and learning are outlined. Mechanisms whereby disorders of psychophysiologic, somatopsychic and classically organic type may be triggered through such neurobiological pathways are suggested.
Multiphysics in Porous Materials

Porous materials are breeding beds of multiphysical processes due to their porous, multiphase, and multicomponent nature. This chapter is intended to explain the strong connections between multiphysics and porous materials by overviewing the history and applications of multiphysics in porous materials. We will start with the relationship between multiphysics and porous materials and then explain the reason for the existence of monolithic physics as the mainstream in traditional porous studies and the transition of these studies to multiphysics for pressing and upcoming issues. Finally, we will explain the relationships between the major multiphysics topics and common porous material studies by listing and elaborating well-known existing applications of multiphysics in porous materials.
The Role of Infrared and Raman Microspectroscopies in the Characterization of Particles on Surfaces

The nondestructive identification of particles on surfaces can be accomplished quickly and definitively using vibrational microspectroscopy. Both Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) and Raman microspectroscopies are vibrational spectroscopy methods which are now commercially available. These two techniques arfe strongly complementary for several reasons. Both methods detect vibrational energies between atoms in molecules. However, the quantum mechanical selection rules differ such that infrared spectroscopy is more sensitive to asymmetric molecular distortions and Raman spectroscopy to symmetric modes. This means that weak bands in infrared spectra are often strong in Raman spectra and vice versa. Infrared spectroscopy directly measures absorption of incident infrared radiation. However, Raman spectroscopy observes the same vibrational frequencies by measuring the differences in energy between incident and scattered visible light. This means that infrared microspectroscopy has a diffraction limitation of about 10 micrometers while the diffraction limit for Raman microspectroscopy is near 1 micrometer, so Raman microspectroscopy can be used for smaller particles.
Youth Collectivities and Adolescent Violence

Several problems confront anyone who has the audacity to tackle the topic of this chapter. The most daunting of these is the lack of a theoretically viable typology that situates gangs, or types of gangs, in a larger set of youth collectivities. If the variety of terms used by police to describe “gang groups and members” is “bewildering” and “dismaying” (Klein, 1995, pp. 102–103), definitions used by researchers and other scholars who study the phenomena loosely termed “gangs” are only slightly less so. Yet the scholarly literature on gangs continues to proliferate.
Divergent Effects of Hypoxia and Oxidants on Mitochondrial Superoxide Dismutase (MnSOD) Gene Expression

We reported previously that lung cellular hypoxia downregulated superoxide dismutase expression in alveolar type II (ATII) epithelial cells (Jackson et al. 1996). ATII cells were exposed in vitro to air (controls) or 2.5% O2 (hypoxia) for 24 hours. MnSOD mRNA and CuZnSOD mRNA expression were measured by quantitative RT-PCR. MnSOD and CuZnSOD mRNA expression in ATII cells both decreased significantly after one day in hypoxia. The decrease in MnSOD mRNA (-69%) was greater than that in CuZnSOD mRNA (-48%). ATII cell SP-A transcript expression remained constant. MnSOD (-52%) and CuZnSOD (-54%) mRNA expression decreased similarly in lung fibroblasts cultured in hypoxia. The half-life of the MnSOD mRNA measured in lung fibroblasts exposed to air or hypoxia for 24h decreased significantly from 4.8±0.4 to 3.8±0.7 hours (-21%). The half-life for the CuZnSOD decreased significantly from 4.0±0.9 to 2.3±0.2 hours (-43%). MnSOD protein expression (assessed on western blots) also decreased after exposure of the cells to hypoxia (1% O2 for 24 hours). The present studies were designed to learn whether oxidant stress upregulated expression of MnSOD gene expression in epithelial cells
Homological Description of the Quantum Adiabatic Evolution With a View Toward Quantum Computations

We import the tools of Morse theory to study quantum adiabatic evolution, the core mechanism in adiabatic quantum computations (AQC). AQC is computationally equivalent to the (pre-eminent paradigm) of the Gate model but less error-prone, so it is ideally suitable to practically tackle a large number of important applications. AQC remains, however, poorly understood theoretically and its mathematical underpinnings are yet to be satisfactorily identified. Through Morse theory, we bring a novel perspective that we expect will open the door for using such mathematics in the realm of quantum computations, providing a secure foundation for AQC. Here we show that the singular homology of a certain cobordism, which we construct from the given Hamiltonian, defines the adiabatic evolution. Our result is based on E. Witten's construction for Morse homology that was derived in the very different context of supersymmetric quantum mechanics. We investigate how such topological description, in conjunction with Gaus-Bonnet theorem and curvature based reformulation of Morse lemma, can be an obstruction to any computational advantage in AQC. We also explore Conley theory, for the sake of completeness, in advance of any known practical Hamiltonian of interest. We conclude with the instructive case of the ferromagnetic $p-$spin where we show that changing its first order quantum transition (QPT) into a second order QPT, by adding non-stoquastic couplings, amounts to homotopically deform the initial surface accompanied with birth of pairs of critical points. Their number reaches its maximum when the system is fully non-stoquastic. In parallel, the total Gaussian curvature gets redistributed (by the Gaus--Bonnet theorem) around the new neighbouring critical points, which weakens the severity of the QPT.
Managing vesicoureteral reflux in children: making sense of all the data

Current management of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in children is the result of a steady albeit controversial evolution of data and thinking related to the clinical impact of VUR and urinary tract infection (UTI) in children, the value of clinical screening, and the relative impact of testing and interventions for VUR. While controversy continues, there is consensus on the importance of bladder dysfunction on VUR outcomes, the likelihood of VUR resolution, and the fact that not all children with VUR require active treatment. Early efforts to define risk stratification hold the most promise to provide more patient-specific treatment of UTI and VUR in children.
Bank Boards: What Has Changed Since the Financial Crisis?

Abstract: We investigate how board oversight of U.S. banks has changed since the 2008 financial crisis. We review several expert reports that investigated the crisis to identify key board oversight deficiencies and group them into four categories: (i) lack of enterprise risk management, (ii) lack of risk awareness on the board, (iii) group think among bank directors and (iv) busy directors, especially the chairperson. Our empirical analysis examines improvements, if any, in each of these categories for 95 U.S. banks post-crisis (2008-2015), relative to the pre-crisis period (2000-2007). We find significant structural improvements to the banks’ enterprise risk management structure. Virtually every bank now has a Chief Risk Officer (CRO), and the number of banks with an independent risk committee and a committee devoted to reputation management has also increased significantly. With respect to risk awareness, we find that newly appointed bank directors are much more likely to have prior risk management, banking and specialty finance experience. There are also significantly more risk-related discussions within the financial statements, which indicate a heightened level of risk awareness. With respect to group think and busy board members, we find mixed evidence of progress. We document greater gender diversity and more empowered corporate governance and nominating committee after the crisis. In sum, at least some aspects of bank boards appear to have responded to the financial crisis.
Crystallization Kinetics of Cephalexin Monohydratein the Presence of Cephalexin Precursors

The solubility and crystallization kinetics of cephalexin monohydrate, an important β-lactam antibiotic, are reported for the first time for an aqueous solution. The nucleation and growth kinetics are determined with online process analytical technologies (PAT) and offline image analysis to support implementation of a continuous process. Effects of two cosolutes, 7-aminodesacetoxycephalosporanic acid (7-ADCA) and phenylglycine methyl ester (PGME), on nucleation and growth are examined. These cosolutes are precursors in the enzymatic synthesis of cephalexin. Primary nucleation of cephalexin was unaffected by the cosolutes, but 7-ADCA, even in small quantities (<10 mM), significantly decreased the cephalexin monohydrate growth rate; PGME had a less significant impact on growth rate. Possible mechanisms of growth inhibition are discussed; a model wherein cosolutes slow growth by pinning advancing growth steps and halting step advancement below a critical supersaturation best explains the data. Impact on crys...
Walking the commonplaces of paradise: Pastoral precursors in Milton’s garden of Eden

ABSTRACTThis essay draws attention to the perambulatory nature of Milton’s pastoral poetry. When read alongside the seventeenth century’s changing horticultural tastes, his revisions of pastoral co...
Distributed Weighted All Pairs Shortest Paths Through Pipelining

We present new results for the distributed computation of all pairs shortest paths (APSP) in the CONGEST model in an n-node graph with moderate non-negative integer weights. Our methods can handle zero-weight edges which are known to present difficulties for distributed APSP algorithms. The current best deterministic distributed algorithm in the CONGEST model that handles zero weight edges is the O(n^3/2)-round algorithm of Agarwal et al. [ARKP18] that works for arbitrary edge weights. Our new deterministic algorithms run in O(W^1/4⋅ n^5/4) rounds in graphs with non-negative integer edge-weight at most W, and in O(n ⋅ Δ^1/3) rounds for shortest path distances at most Δ. These algorithms are built on top of a new pipelined algorithm we present for this problem that runs in at most 2n √Δ + 2n rounds. Additionally, we show that the techniques in our results simplify some of the procedures in the earlier APSP algorithms for non-negative edge weights in [HNS17, ARKP18]. We also present new results for computing h-hop shortest paths from k given sources, and we present an O(n/e^2)-round deterministic $(1+e) approximation algorithm for graphs with non-negative poly(n) integer weights, improving results in [Nanongkai14, LP15] that hold only for positive integer weights.
Hot flashes are associated with altered brain function during a memory task.

OBJECTIVE Vasomotor symptoms (VMS) are associated with decreased memory performance and alterations in brain function. We conducted a preliminary examination of VMS and patterns of brain activity during a verbal memory task to provide insights into the VMS-related brain mechanisms that can contribute to memory problems in midlife women. METHODS Fourteen postmenopausal women (mean age 53.5, 64% African-American) with moderate-to-severe VMS (>35/wk) and not taking hormone therapy completed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) assessments during word encoding and recognition, 24-hour physiologic VMS monitoring, symptom questionnaires, and two verbal memory tests. RESULTS In regression analyses, a higher number of physiologic VMS, but not reported VMS, was associated with worse verbal memory on immediate and delayed logical memory (r = 0.53 and r = 0.72, P < 0.05). On fMRI assessments, a higher number of physiologic VMS, but not subjective VMS, was associated with greater activation in the left orbitofrontal cortex, left medial and superior frontal gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus, and right parahippocampal gyrus during the encoding task (P < 0.005). During the recognition task, physiologic VMS were associated with greater activation in the left medial and superior frontal gyrus, left parahippocampal gyrus and hippocampus, right medial and superior frontal gyrus, right parahippocampal gyrus and hippocampus (P < 0.005), and with decreased activation in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex (P < 0.005). Those associations were independent of symptoms and hormone levels. CONCLUSIONS Preliminary data suggest that VMS may contribute to memory performance through effects on the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Larger studies are warranted to determine the robustness of these initial observations. : Video Summary:http://links.lww.com/MENO/A508.
Changes in Symptoms of Midday Fogging with a Novel Scleral Contact Lens Filling Solution.

Significance Midday fogging of scleral contact lenses requires frequent lens removal and reapplication for a large portion of lens wearers. Using a lens filling solution that mimics the composition of tears is hypothesized to have an impact on the production of material trapped under a scleral lens. Purpose The purposes of this open-label study were to assess the safety of a scleral lens filling solution, which closely approximates the ionic concentration and pH of human tears, and to assess signs and symptoms of midday fogging with this formulation and with subjects' habitual sodium chloride solutions. Methods Existing scleral lens wearers with midday fogging (N = 22) were examined and completed surveys of symptoms. Subjects filled the concavity of their current lenses with test solution and were assessed immediately and approximately 4 hours later for safety monitoring. Test solution was dispensed and used for 5 to 9 days when subjects were reexamined and repeated the surveys. Biomicroscopy and anterior optical coherence tomography images were used to assess midday fogging objectively. Results The median (interquartile range) Ocular Surface Disease Index score decreased from 27.1 (21.7) U when using habitual filling solution to 9.1 (20.1) U when using the test solution (P = .006). Current Symptoms Survey findings with the test solution compared with habitual solution resulted in statistically significant decreases in burning/stinging (P = .04), grittiness/foreign body sensation (P = .01), dryness (P = .002), blurry/fluctuating vision (P = .002), and overall pain/discomfort (P = .006). Objective assessment of corneal staining and fogging revealed decreases that were not statistically significant in this small sample size. Conclusions This study establishes the safety and subject tolerance of a scleral lens filling solution that mimics the ionic composition of human tears. Significant improvements in subjective ratings, although likely biased in this unmasked trial, suggest that further studies of the effectiveness of this solution in reducing midday fogging are warranted.
Panel Survey Estimation of the Impact of Urbanization in China: Does Level of Urbanization Affect Healthcare Expenditure, Utilization or Healthcare Seeking Behavior?

With its growing economy and changing society, China experienced a dramatic increase in urbanization during the past three decades. We explored the impacts of urbanization on healthcare utilization...
Prostacyclin as a Negative Regulator of Angiogenesis in the Neurovasculature

In this study, multiple measures of angiogenic processes were assessed in murine brain endothelial (bEnd.3) cells after exposure to the stable prostacyclin analog, iloprost. Additionally, changes in the {gamma}-secretase enzyme were evaluated after activation of prostacyclin signaling using PGI2 overexpressing mouse brain tissue and immunohistology studies in bEnd.3 cells. A three-dimensional assay of tube formation revealed that iloprost inhibits normal formation by significantly reduced tube lengths and vessel mesh area. The iloprost-mediated inhibition of tube-like structures was ameliorated by a specific IP-receptor antagonist, CAY10449. Reductions in wound healing were observed with iloprost application in a dose-dependent manner and this effect was reversed using CAY10449. Iloprost did not exhibit anti-proliferative effects in the bEnd.3 cells. When subjected to a Transwell assay to evaluate changes in trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER), bEnd.3 cells displayed reduced TEER values in the presence of iloprost an effect that lasted over prolonged periods (24 hours). Again, CAY10449 was able to reverse iloprost-mediated reductions in TEER value. Surprisingly, the adenylyl cyclase activator, forskolin, produced higher TEER values in the bEnd.3 cells over the same time. The TEER results suggest that iloprost may not activating the Gs protein of the IP receptor to increase cAMP levels given by the opposing results seen with iloprost and forskolin. In terms of {gamma}-secretase expression, PGI2 overexpression in mice increased the expression of the APH-1 subunit in the hippocampus and cortex. In bEnd.3 cells, iloprost application slightly increased APH-1 subunit expression measured by western blot and interrupted the colocalization of Presenilin 1 and APH-1 subunits using immunohistochemistry. The results suggest that prostacyclin signaling within bEnd.3 cells is anti-angiogenic and further downstream events have effects on the expression and most likely the activity of the A{beta} cleaving enzyme, {gamma}-secretase.
Adolescent Mothers' Psychological Wellbeing during Pregnancy and Infant Emotional Health.

OBJECTIVE Although many studies have identified risk factors for adolescent pregnancy, much less is known about factors that support pregnant adolescents' psychological wellbeing and offspring outcomes. This study drew on strength-based frameworks to investigate family and neighborhood factors linked to social connectedness that predict psychological wellbeing during adolescent pregnancy and offspring outcomes. METHOD Participants included 135 adolescent mothers (ages 14-21; 90% Black American) assessed annually since childhood as part of a longitudinal study. During preadolescence (ages 11-13), data on contextual stressors and neighborhood support were gathered from participants' caregivers; participants also rated their perceived trust/attachment with caregivers before and during pregnancy. To assess changes in psychological wellbeing, adolescents reported positive and depressed mood before and during pregnancy. A path analysis model tested the prospective associations between family and neighborhood factors, psychological wellbeing during pregnancy, and offspring outcomes (birth outcomes; observed infant positive/negative emotions at age 3-months). RESULTS Positive mood decreased from pre-pregnancy to pregnancy, whereas depressed mood remained stable. Adjusting for pre-pregnancy mood, perceived caregiver trust/attachment during pregnancy was associated with prenatal positive mood. Prenatal positive mood, in turn, reduced risk of preterm birth and indirectly predicted positive infant emotions via birth outcomes. Neighborhood support in preadolescence predicted lower prenatal depressed mood, but depressed mood did not predict infant outcomes beyond positive mood. Contextual life stress was not associated with prenatal mood after adjusting for family and neighborhood support. CONCLUSIONS Findings highlight changes in positive-valence emotions during adolescent pregnancy that may have unique associations with birth outcomes and offspring emotions.
EVALUATING MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES

A method for developing an evaluation methodology for multimodal intercity freight transportation in a specific corridor is presented. The area from Kansas City, Miss., to Brunswick, Ga., is used as a test corridor for the application of the multimodal concept. The unique aspects of the project limited the application of previous research because: (1)The project scope; (2)the emphasis on goods movement; (3)the significance of economic development potential; and (4)the multimodal approach. A sequential decision process was used in developing the evaluation framework: (1)An initial determination of which factors to include in the analysis was made; (2)a method for screening factors considering their utility in the final evaluation scheme was developed; (3)a method permitting flexible weighing of the factors chosen was determined; and (4)a method for identifying the individuals or groups who participate in the evaluation process (i.e., whose viewpoints are to be considered) was proposed. An interactive computer system to assist in the compilation and analysis of the individual evaluations is presented.
Nonlinear axion dynamics and the formation of cosmological pseudosolitons.

The (3+1)-dimensional evolution of an inhomogeneous axion field configuration around the QCD epoch is studied numerically, including important nonlinear effects due to the attractive self-interaction. It is found that axion perturbations on scales corresponding to causally disconnected regions at [ital T][similar to]1 GeV can lead to very dense pseudosoliton configurations we call axitons. These configurations evolve to axion miniclusters with a present density [rho][sub [ital a]][approx gt]10[sup [minus]8] g cm[sup [minus]3]. This is high enough for the collisional 2[ital a][r arrow]2[ital a] process to lead to Bose-Einstein relaxation in the gravitationally bound clumps of axions, forming Bose stars.
TREATMENT OF PAINFUL CRISES OF SICKLE CELL DISEASE. A DOUBLE BLIND STUDY.

Summary Under the conditions of this double blind study, rapid infusion of sodium bicarbonate did not relieve the symptoms of painful sickle cell crises when compared to infusions of comparable quantities of saline used as control. Although in vitro and clinical studies have shown that acidosis promotes the formation of sickle cells and the onset of clinical crises, the crisis, once present, does not seem to be relieved by alkalinization of the blood of the degree achieved in this study.
Voltage scaling, wire sizing and repeater insertion design rules for wave-pipelined VLSI global interconnect circuits

This paper illustrates a method to determine the optimal voltage, wire sizing and repeater insertion design rules for a global wire routing level that uses wave-pipelined interconnect circuits. In order to balance performance, power and area, a throughput-per-energy-area (TPEA) metric is introduced to guide the design of a global wire routing level to achieve maximum throughput (i.e. bit-rate) with optimal utilization of resources. A 180 nm technology case study for a memory bus channel that requires an aggregate throughput of 332.8 Gbit/s illustrates that the optimal TPEA combination of 1 V supply, 6 repeaters per centimeter, a metal thickness to width aspect ratio of 2.5 and metal pitch to width ratio of 3 gives 12 % reduction in dynamic power and over 60 % reduction in wire area as compared to a published interconnect circuit that uses low voltage differential signaling (LVDS).
Economic Development: Economic Development in Historical Perspective

Scope of the Chapter To analyze the economics of developing countries, we need some basic facts about their growth and development, including an evolutionary biological approach to development, a sketch of economic development in ancient and medieval times (pre-15th century), world leaders in GDP capita from about 1500 to the present, the origins of modern economic growth and why it was largely confined to the West before the 20th century, non-Western (Japanese, Korean-Taiwanese, Soviet, and Chinese) growth models, the range of growth in the last 100 to 150 years, a concrete illustration of the power of exponential growth in North America in the last 125 years, the modern periods of fastest growth, the economic growth of Europe and Japan after World War II, the growth of LDCs before and after World War II, and the diverse economic performance among LDCs by country and world region. Finally, the U.N. General Assembly perceives today's major international problem as the widening income gap between rich and poor countries. Has income indeed widened, and is narrowing the gap an important goal? The last section draws on earlier sections to ask whether income levels between DCs and LDCs are converging or diverging. An Evolutionary Biological Approach to Development Chapter 13 argues against a naive association between climate and human achievement but supports a more sophisticated ecological explanation.