cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Solution-Processed ZnO Nanowire Network Thin Film Transistors for Transparent Electronics

We describe a process to grow ZnO nanowires in solution to obtain a network of nanowires 0.5–1.5μm long. The growth was initiated on ZnO nanoparticles spun-cast onto thermal SiO2. We demonstrate bottom-gate FET structures formed using these nanowire networks as channel layers with gold (Au) and aluminum (Al) source/drain pads. Resulting transistors are well-behaved with on-off ratios >104 and mobility >10−2 cm2/V-s, calculated without accounting for actual surface coverage of nanowires. Actual nanowire mobility is therefore substantially higher, attesting to the potential for this technique as a method for realizing low-cost, high-brightness displays.
Neutron Star Science with the NuSTAR

The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), launched in June 2012, helped scientists obtain for the first time a sensitive high-­energy X-­ray map of the sky with extraordinary resolution. This pioneering telescope has aided in the understanding of how stars explode and neutron stars are born. LLNL is a founding member of the NuSTAR project, with key personnel on its optics and science team. We used NuSTAR to observe and analyze the observations of different neutron star classes identified in the last decade that are still poorly understood. These studies not only help to comprehend newly discovered astrophysical phenomena and emission processes for members of the neutron star family, but also expand the utility of such observations for addressing broader questions in astrophysics and other physics disciplines. For example, neutron stars provide an excellent laboratory to study exotic and extreme phenomena, such as the equation of state of the densest matter known, the behavior of matter in extreme magnetic fields, and the effects of general relativity. At the same time, knowing their accurate populations has profound implications for understanding the life cycle of massive stars, star collapse, and overall galactic evolution.
Pathophysiology and Treatment of Orthostatic Hypotension in Parkinsonian Disorders

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is defined as a sustained pathological reduction in blood pressure within 3 min after orthostatic stress such as tilt-table testing or active standing. Non-neurogenic OH is caused by either decreased cardiac output or impaired vasoconstriction without a primary autonomic disorder whereas neurogenic OH results from inadequate release of norepinephrine in the vasomotor sympathetic system. Once non-neurogenic causes of OH such as medications and cardiac problems are ruled out, neurogenic OH can be considered. Neurogenic OH can accompany parkinsonian diseases in different stages and is associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality. The pathophysiology of neurogenic OH in parkinsonian diseases includes sympathetic neurocirculatory failure and impaired cardiovagal activity. The inadequate release of peripheral norepinephrine upon orthostatic stress is a final pathologic pathway for neurogenic OH and is important for many therapeutic interventions. With mild or early autonomic failure, OH that occurs beyond 3 min of standing (defined as delayed OH) can result in orthostatic intolerance. Supine hypertension and postprandial hypotension are frequent comorbidities and may exacerbate orthostatic hypotension. The non-pharmacologic therapies should be tried initially, followed by pharmacologic treatments. Common medications used in the treatment of OH include fludrocortisone, midodrine, pyridostigmine, and droxidopa. Only midodrine and droxidopa have received FDA approval for the treatment of orthostatic hypotension.
Establishing the Mechanism of Certified Professional Geologists in Accordance with Market Ecnomical Systems of China

Establishing the mechanism of Certified Professional Geologists in accordance with market ecnomical systems of China is an indispensable key link of the commercial geological work. It's a allround-related and complicated system engineering. The paper thinks that it is necessary to solve the following 5 key questions for establishing the mechanism: clear and definite responsibility of Certified Professional Geologists, their working independence, supervisory control on certification, working norm establishment and the creation of favourable developing conditions for the work of certified professional geologists on the basis of commercial geological work, so as to establish the effective mechanism of Certified Professional Geologists in accordance with market ecnomical systems of China.
Psychological Climate in the Work Setting

Psychological climate is defined as employees' perceptions of their work environment and has been the focus of considerable research in organizational psychology. Measures of psychological climate are intended to assess work environments as they are cognitively represented in terms of their psychological meaning and significance to the individual. Examples of psychological climate dimensions include, but are not limited to, role clarity, job importance, leader support, and workgroup cooperation. This article examines the development of psychological climate research from its conception in the early 1960s to its current state with an emphasis on recent research (e.g., whether a hierarchical structure of psychological climate exists) and probable future research directions in this area.
Chemotherapy in the elderly: pharmacologic considerations.

BACKGROUND The aging of the population has focused interest on the care of elderly cancer patients. A better understanding of the effects of chemotherapeutic agents on older patients with cancer will help to determine the appropriate use of chemotherapy for this age group. METHODS The authors review recent studies and present pharmacokinetic data on several chemotherapeutic agents, particularly those that have recently become available. RESULTS Agents such as gemcitabine, vinorelbine, the taxanes, anthracyclines, platinum compounds, topoisomerase I and II inhibitors, and the oral fluoropyrimidines appear to have a beneficial therapeutic index in elderly patients. CONCLUSIONS Careful attention to the physiologic changes associated with aging, along with dose adjustments for end-organ dysfunction (eg, renal and hepatic), is necessary to ensure the safe administration of antitumor chemotherapy to the elderly.
Caregivers and Stress

Abstract Family care of a person with chronic physical or mental health problems is an increasingly common, and often stressful situation. Caregivers in intensive care situations, such as assisting a relative with dementia, often experience high levels of emotional distress and are at increased risk of illness. Stress models describe an unfolding process whereby illness-related stressors and caregivers' subjective experience of them can spill over to affect work, family relationships, and other areas of the caregiver's life. These stressors in turn affect critical physiological processes, health, and well-being. Skill-building interventions that improve caregivers' abilities in managing stressors show considerable promise in lowering subjective stress and improving well-being. Respite interventions, such as adult day services lower stressor exposure and lead to better regulation of stress responses at biological and psychological levels.
Patient travel for bariatric surgery: does distance matter?

Abstract Background Increasingly, patients are faced with greater travel distances to undergo bariatric surgery at high-volume centers. Objectives This study sought to evaluate the impact of travel distance on access to care and outcomes after bariatric surgery. Setting Patients who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass at an academic bariatric surgery center from 1985 to 2004 were examined and stratified by patient travel distance. Methods Univariate analyses were performed for preoperative risk factors, 30-day complications, and long-term (10-yr) weight loss between "local," defined as 1 hour of travel time. Survival analysis was performed with Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards models. Results A total of 650 patients underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, of whom 316 (48.6%) traveled 1 hour. Median body mass index was equivalent between the groups (local, 52.9 kg/m 2 ; regional, 53.2 kg/m 2 ; P = .76). Patients who traveled longer distances had higher rates of preoperative co-morbidities, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes, and sleep apnea (all P P = .0002). Conclusions A majority of patients who underwent bariatric surgery at our center traveled>1 hour. Despite longer travel time for care, 30-day complications and long-term weight loss were equivalent with that of local patients. As expected, patients who lived in close proximity were more likely to adhere to yearly follow-up in surgery clinic. Travel time was an independent predictor of risk-adjusted reduced long-term survival.
"Opt Out" and Access to Anesthesia Care for Elective and Urgent Surgeries among U.S. Medicare Beneficiaries.

Background:In 2001, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a rule allowing U.S. states to “opt out” of the regulations requiring physician supervision of nurse anesthetists in an effort to increase access to anesthesia care. Whether “opt out” has successfully achieved this goal remain
Role of Intrinsic Factors in the Growth of Transplanted Organs Following Transplantation

Shortages in the availability of transplantable organs have forced the transplant community to seek alternative methods to increase the supply of available organs. In our recent study following α-1,3-galactocyltransferase knockout (GalT-KO) pig-to-baboon kidney xenotransplantation, we found that certain recipients developed increased serum creatinine, possibly due to the rapid growth of orthotopic pig grafts in smaller baboon recipients. To test our hypothesis, we assessed whether the growth of outbred (Yorkshire) organ transplants (kidney and lung) in miniature swine was regulated by intrinsic (graft) factors. Yorkshire kidneys reached 3.7x their initial volume over 3 months vs. 1.2x for miniature swine kidneys over a similar time period. A similar pattern was seen in porcine lung allografts as well. Following xenotransplantation, a review of our results suggests that there is a threshold for kidney graft volume of 25 cm3/kg of recipient body weight at which cortical ischemia is induced in transplanted GalT-KO kidneys in baboons. These results suggest that intrinsic factors are in part responsible for the growth of donor organs and this should be taken into consideration for growth-curve-mismatched transplants.
Abdominal surgery induced gastric ileus and activation of M1-like macrophages in the gastric myenteric plexus: prevention by central vagal activation in rats.

MHCII+/CD206− (M1) and MHCII−/CD206+ (M2) constitute two distinct populations of macrophages that are in close apposition to the cholinergic neurons in the rat gastric myenteric plexus (MP). Abdomi...
Impact of multiple micronutrient versus iron-folic acid supplements on maternal anemia and micronutrient status in pregnancy.

BackgroundMultiple micronutrient supplements could increase hemoglobin and improve micronutrient status of pregnant women more than iron supplements alone or iron with folic acid.ObjectiveTo compare the effects of multiple micronutrients with those of iron supplements alone or iron with folic acid, on hemoglobin and micronutrient status of pregnant women.MethodsStudies were identified in which pregnant women were randomized to treatment with multiple micronutrients, or with iron with or without folic acid. A pooled analysis was conducted to compare the effects of these supplements on maternal hemoglobin, anemia, and micronutrient status. Effect size was calculated for individual and combined studies, based on mean change from baseline to final measure in the group receiving iron, with or without folic acid, minus the mean change in the group, divided by the pooled standard deviation of the two groups. The effect on the relative risk of anemia or iron deficiency was calculated as the probability of anemia ...
Colonial art as ethnic unifier

The use of religious art and architecture for building community among immigrant communities in the United States is a well-documented phenomenon. But how is the use of religious culture adapted fo...
Science and the Law: A Muddled Interface

All disciplines, in fact all thinkers, encounter a similar problem: the difficulty of sorting out their perceptions of the world from the biases inherent in their theoretical orientation, preferred means of investigation, and previous experiences. Ethologists, it seems, deal with the problem by tackling it head- on: explicitly acknowledging this difficulty and deliberately carrying out their endeavors in a manner that at least partially justifies a claim to an “open-minded and clear-headed style.” (See Preface.)
Diffusion-weighted MRI characteristics associated with prognostic pathological factors and recurrence risk in invasive ER+/HER2- breast cancers.

Background Hormone receptor-positive breast cancer is the most common subtype; better tools to identify which patients in this group would derive clear benefit from chemotherapy are needed. Purpose To evaluate the prognostic potential of diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) by investigating associations with pathologic biomarkers and a genomic assay for 10-year recurrence risk. Study type Retrospective. Subjects In all, 107 consecutive patients (from 2/2010 to 1/2013) with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive/HER2neu-negative invasive breast cancer who had the 21-gene recurrence score (RS) test (Oncotype DX, Genomic Health). Field strength/sequence Each subject underwent presurgical 3T breast MRI, which included DWI (b = 0, 800 s/mm2 ). Assessment Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were measured for each lesion by a fifth year radiology resident. Pathological markers (Nottingham histologic grade, Ki-67, RS) were determined from pathology reports. Medical records were reviewed to assess recurrence-free survival. Statistical tests RS was stratified into low ( 30)-risk groups. Associations of DWI characteristics with pathologic biomarkers were evaluated by binary or ordinal logistic regression, as appropriate, with adjustment for multiple comparisons. Post-hoc comparisons between specific groups were also performed. Results ADCmean (odds ratio [OR] = 0.61 per 1 standard deviation [SD] increase, adj. P = 0.044) and CNR (OR = 1.76 per 1-SD increase, adj. P = 0.026) were significantly associated with increasing tumor grade. DWI CNR was also significantly associated with a high (Ki-67 ≥14%) proliferation rate (OR = 2.55 per 1-SD increase, adj. P = 0.026). While there were no statistically significant linear associations in ADC (adj. P = 0.80-0.85) and CNR (adj. P = 0.56) across all three RS groups by ordinal logistic regression, post-hoc analyses suggested that high RS lesions exhibited lower ADCmean (P = 0.037) and ADCmax (P = 0.004) values and higher CNR (P = 0.008) compared to lesions with a low or moderate RS. Data conclusion DWI characteristics correlated with tumor grade, proliferation index, and RS, and may potentially help to identify those with highest recurrence risk and most potential benefit from chemotherapy. Level of evidence 3 Technical Efficacy Stage 3 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017.
Outcomes of Radiofrequency Ablation Therapy for Large Benign Thyroid Nodules: A Mayo Clinic Case Series

Abstract Objective To assess the effectiveness, tolerability, and complications of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in patients with benign large thyroid nodules (TNs). Patients and Methods This is a retrospective review of 14 patients with predominantly solid TNs treated with RFA at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, from December 1, 2013, through October 30, 2016. All the patients declined surgery or were poor surgical candidates. The TNs were benign on fine-needle aspiration, enlarging or causing compressive symptoms, and 3 cm or larger in largest diameter. We evaluated TN volume, compressive symptoms, cosmetic concerns, and thyroid function. Results Median TN volume reduction induced by RFA was 44.6% (interquartile range [IQR], 42.1%-59.3%), from 24.2 mL (IQR, 17.7-42.5 mL) to 14.4 mL (IQR, 7.1-19.2 mL) ( P Conclusion In this population, RFA of benign large TNs performed similarly to the reports from Europe and Asia. It induces a substantial volume reduction of predominantly solid TNs, improves compressive symptoms and cosmetic concerns, and does not affect normal thyroid function. Radiofrequency ablation has an acceptable safety profile and should be considered as a low-risk alternative to conventional treatment of symptomatic benign TNs.
Pore Morphology Effects on the Fibrovascular Tissue Growth in Porous Polymer Substrates

The feasibility of developing biodegradable polymer scaffolds to engineer tissues was investigated by studying the effects of pore size on the dynamics of fibrovascular tissue ingrowth. Tissue advanced into amorphous poly(L-lactic acid) porous substrates faster as the pore diameter increased. Porous cylindrical devices of 13.5 mm diameter, 5 mm thickness, and approximately 500 microns pore size were filled completely by tissue 5 days postimplantation. Although prevascularized devices possessed minimal void volume for cell seeding to regenerate metabolic organs, they hold promise in the regeneration of tubular tissues by relying on the epithelization of prevascularized grafts.
Intrinsic performance limits of linear feedback control

Nevanlinna-Pick interpolation techniques are employed in this paper to derive for multivariable systems exact expressions and bounds for the best attainable H ∞ norms of the sensitivity and complementary sensitivity functions. These results improve the previously known performance bounds and provide intrinsic limits on the performance of feedback systems irreducible via compensator design, leading to new insights toward the understanding of fundamental limitations in feedback control. It becomes clear that in a multivariable system the best achievable performance is constrained by plant nonminimum phase zeros and unstable poles, and additionally, is dependent on the mutual orientation of the zero and pole directions.
Aflatoxin Biotransformation and Toxicology

Aflatoxins represent a group of closely related mycotoxins produced by the common fungal molds, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus (Figure 1). The major host crops for aflatoxigenic Aspergillus strains are corn, peanuts and cottonseed. In corn, con tamination occurs most commonly in insect-damaged ears, and growth in all crops is fa vored by high heat and humidity.1
Grain Boundaries In Ceramic Materials

This paper reviews the importance of grain boundaries in controlling the properties of a wide variety of ceramic materials. It includes results of original research in the effect of grain boundaries on the ductility of cubic ionic solids as a function of crystallographic orientation through the use of optical birefringence and transmission electron microscopic techniques.
SECOND-DEGREE METHODS

This chapter discussess the convergence properties of second-degree methods and presents a direct comparison with the corresponding semi-iterative methods. By the use of a second-degree method one is able to accelerate the convergence of any iterative method with real eigenvalues, which are less than unity by an amount comparable to that attainable by using the optimum. It does not seem to be generally recognized that in many cases, in particular for the symmetric successive overrelaxation(SSOR)–stationary iterative method, a semi-iterative method can be replaced by a stationary second-degree method without a significant loss in convergence speed. It is possible that though this simplification is perhaps more apparent than real, it might lead to a more serious consideration of the SSOR method as a practical procedure in some cases.
Automatic Detection of Needle Puncture in a Simulated Cannulation Task

Cannulation for hemodialysis is the process of inserting a tube into the body for removal or delivery of fluids. The cannulation process can cause several problems if the bottom of the arteriovenous fistula (AVF) or graft vessel wall is punctured by the dialysis needle. One of the main reasons for improper cannulation is the lack of skill in performing the various steps of cannulation: palpation to diagnose fistula health, needle entry, obtaining blood into cannula (termed “flashback”), and threading the needle. In this paper, we introduce a method for automatic detection of needle insertion in a simulated fistula that can be used for assessment and training of cannulation skills. Initial validation studies suggest that the algorithm is successful in detecting puncture within 0.1s on average and within 0.5s in the worst case. In the future, we will incorporate needle insertion detection into a simulator for objectively examining assessment and training of hemodialysis cannulation skills.
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Oral and Intravenous Omadacycline

Oral and intravenous (IV) omadacycline formulations are approved in the United States for treating acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections and community-acquired bacterial pneumonia in adults. Oral omadacycline bioavailability is 34.5%; similar exposures are obtained following 300 mg oral and 100 mg IV doses. Oral administration should be in a fasted state, with dairy products, antacids, or multivitamins avoided for ≥4 hours after dosing. Low protein binding (21%), large volume of distribution (190 L), low systemic clearance (10 L/hour), and long elimination half-life (16-17 hours) support once-daily dosing. Omadacycline is excreted unchanged in feces (81.1%) and urine (14.4%), with low potential for drug-drug interactions. Dose adjustments are unnecessary for age, sex, and renal or hepatic impairment. Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic studies identify fAUC0-24/MIC ratio as the parameter that correlates with in vivo efficacy. Systemic exposure of omadacycline in epithelial lining fluid is greater than/equal to plasma concentrations in healthy adults.
Inner Speech in Aphasia: Current Evidence, Clinical Implications, and Future Directions

Purpose Typical language users can engage in a lively internal monologue for introspection and task performance, but what is the nature of inner speech among individuals with aphasia? Studying the ...
Effects of cation composition on carrier dynamics and photovoltaic performance in Cu2ZnSnSe4 monocrystal solar cells

Abstract Understanding the relationship of doping density, carrier lifetime, and interface recombination to device performance is critical to designing solar cells with high power conversion efficiency (PCE). In turn, it is necessary to understand how bulk material composition determines doping density and carrier lifetime. The most efficient kesterite Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) thin film solar cells have had Cu-poor, Zn-rich compositions, while more stoichiometric compositions have lower PCEs. However, thin films are grown under highly non-equilibrium conditions, complicating fundamental studies. Here we report on a set of CZTSe monocrystals with varied cation stoichiometry, enabling correlation of bulk composition to material and device properties without the complication of grain boundaries or secondary phases. Copper-poor, zinc-rich compositions (Cu/(Zn + Sn) = 0.77–0.90 and Zn/Sn = 1.17–1.25) yield bulk carrier lifetimes longer than 200 ps and PCE >5%. In contrast, near-stoichiometric compositions, with Cu/(Zn + Sn) > 0.90 and Zn/Sn V O C ) on doping density, carrier lifetime and interface recombination. For a crystal with low doping density of 1015 cm−3, the maximum V O C is limited by the bulk lifetime. Higher V O C can be attained with higher doping density, but interface recombination becomes more significant with increased lifetime and doping density. These simulations indicate limitations and potential pathways to high performance.
Sexual violence as a mediator of sexual orientation disparities in alcohol use, suicidality, and sexual-risk behaviour among female youth.

Sexual violence exposure represents a serious public health issue among female youth given its association with female youths’ engagement in health-risk behaviours. Sexual minority female youth are...
Predictors of Whole Breast Radiation Therapy Completion in Early Stage Breast Cancer Following Lumpectomy

Abstract Background Whole breast radiation therapy (RT) has become standard of care in early stage breast cancer treatment following lumpectomy. Predictors of RT completion have been sparsely studied, with no previous nationwide examination of the impact of fractionation regimen on completion rate. Patients and Methods The National Cancer Database identified patients with early stage breast cancer having undergone lumpectomy and RT from 2004 through 2015. Fraction size of 1.8-2.0 Gray (Gy) was defined as standard fractionation (SFRT); 2.66-2.70 Gy/fraction as hypofractionation (HFRT). RT completion was defined as receipt of at least 46 Gy for SFRT and 40 Gy for HFRT. A multivariable logistic regression model characterized RT completion predictors. Results A total of 100,734 patients were identified where fraction size could be reliably characterized as above; more than 87% completed RT. Of these, 66.8% received SFRT, yet HFRT use significantly increased over time (5.2% increase/year; P Conclusions SFRT remained the majority of RT fractionation in the studied time period, although HFRT use has increased over time. Patients residing > 10 miles from a treatment facility or of African-American race had lower odds of completing RT, as were patients treated with SFRT versus HFRT. These findings suggest compliance advantages of HFRT for patients with early stage breast cancer having undergone lumpectomy.
Larry Alexander and Kimberly Kessler Ferzan on Omissions and Normative Ignorance: A Critical Reply

Reflections on Crime and Culpability seeks to elaborate, extend, and occasionally qualify the insights reached by Larry Alexander and Kim Ferzan in their influential prior collaboration, Crime and Culpability. They deftly explore any number of new issue that all criminal theorists should be encouraged to address. In my essay, I discuss and challenge their positions on omissions as well as on moral ignorance. Their treatment of the latter issue is a clear improvement over that in their earlier book. But their views on omissions suggest to me that they should have had reservations about some of the most fundamental claims of their overarching theory.
Sing This at My Funeral: A Memoir of Fathers and Sons: Sing This at My Funeral: A Memoir of Fathers and Sons By David Slucki. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2019. Pp. 280. US$27.99 paper.

David Slucki’s memoir of fathers and sons is simultaneously a still raw highly personal and unfiltered expression of grief at the untimely loss of a ‘larger than life’ father with whom he shared an...
DeepOpt: Optimized Scheduling of CNN Workloads for ASIC-based Systolic Deep Learning Accelerators

Scheduling computations in each layer of a convolutional neural network on a deep learning (DL) accelerator involves a large number of choices, each of which involves a different set of memory reuse and memory access patterns. Since memory transactions are the primary bottleneck in DL acceleration, these choices can strongly impact the energy and throughput of the accelerator. This work proposes an optimization framework, DeepOpt, for general ASIC-based systolic hardware accelerators for layer-specific and hardware-specific scheduling strategy for each layer of a CNN to optimize energy and latency. Optimal hardware allocation significantly reduces execution cost as compared to generic static hardware resource allocation, e.g., improvements of up to 50× in the energy-delay product for VGG-16 and 41× for GoogleNet-v1.
Statistical Inference for Cox Proportional Hazards Models with a Diverging Number of Covariates

For statistical inference on regression models with a diverging number of covariates, the existing literature typically makes sparsity assumptions on the inverse of the Fisher information matrix. Such assumptions, however, are often violated under Cox proportion hazards models, leading to biased estimates with under-coverage confidence intervals. We propose a modified debiased lasso approach, which solves a series of quadratic programming problems to approximate the inverse information matrix without posing sparse matrix assumptions. We establish asymptotic results for the estimated regression coefficients when the dimension of covariates diverges with the sample size. As demonstrated by extensive simulations, our proposed method provides consistent estimates and confidence intervals with nominal coverage probabilities. The utility of the method is further demonstrated by assessing the effects of genetic markers on patients' overall survival with the Boston Lung Cancer Survival Cohort, a large-scale epidemiology study investigating mechanisms underlying the lung cancer.
Machine learning and computation-enabled intelligent sensor design

Over the past several decades the dramatic increase in the availability of computational resources, coupled with the maturation of machine learning, has profoundly impacted sensor technology. In this Perspective, we discuss computational sensing with a focus on intelligent sensor system design. By leveraging inverse design and machine learning techniques, data acquisition hardware can be fundamentally redesigned to ‘lock-in’ to the optimal sensing data with respect to a user-defined cost function or design constraint. We envision a new generation of computational sensing systems that reduce the data burden while also improving sensing capabilities, enabling low-cost and compact sensor implementations engineered through iterative analysis of data-driven sensing outcomes. We believe that the methodologies discussed in this Perspective will permeate the design phase of sensing hardware, and thereby will fundamentally change and challenge traditional, intuition-driven sensor and readout designs in favour of application-targeted and perhaps highly non-intuitive implementations. Such computational sensors enabled by machine learning can therefore foster new and widely distributed applications that will benefit from ‘big data’ analytics and the internet of things to create powerful sensing networks, impacting various fields, including for example, biomedical diagnostics, environmental sensing and global health, among others. Traditional sensing techniques apply computational analysis at the output of the sensor hardware to separate signal from noise. A new, more holistic and potentially more powerful approach proposed in this Perspective is designing intelligent sensor systems that ‘lock-in’ to optimal sensing of data, making use of machine leaning strategies.
Confucianism and the Philosophy of Well-Being By R. Kim (2020)

Confucianism and the Philosophy of Well-Being By R. Kim (2020) New York: Routledge, ix + 119pp.
A preliminary classification of different tasks that make use of uncertainty visualizations

Individuals often struggle with tasks that involve uncertainty. Uncertainty visualizations are a type of cognitive aid that provides uncertainty information to help people with performing these tas...
Tunable magnetic skyrmions in ferrimagnetic Mn4N

Thin films of ferrimagnetic Mn4N are candidate materials to host magnetic skyrmions that have demonstrated thermal stability up to 450 °C. However, there are no experimental reports observing skyrmions in this system. Here, we discuss the results of sputter grown 15–17 nm Mn4N thin films on the MgO substrate capped with Pt1−xCux layers. Vibrating sample magnetometry measurement of out-of-plane hysteresis loops confirmed that magnetic properties are insensitive to the cap layer composition. Imaging based on magnetic force microscopy measurements observed 300–50 nm sized skyrmions, as the Cu concentration was increased from x = 0–0.9. We performed density functional theory calculations and found that the interfacial Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interactions (iDMI) follow a trend: Mn4N/MgO(001) < Cu/Mn4N(001) < Pt/Mn4N(001). We infer from these calculations that x in the Pt1−xCux capping layer can serve as a robust tuning knob to tailor the iDMI and control the skyrmion size. This work provides guidance to achieve smaller Neel-type skyrmions in Mn4N thin films, which is an important step forward for building thermally stable skyrmionic devices.
American Indian and Alaska Native Health Services as a System of Rural Care

With few exceptions (Thornton, Sandefur, & Grasmick, 1982), Indian* life in the Americas has always been rural, a mode that continued with settlement on reservations in the 19th century (Figure 1). Many Native Americans today continue subsistence living—that is, hunting and gathering, and farming—and as will be noted later, many Indian communities are actually frontier in nature. Even with considerable migration to urban areas, especially during and after the Second World War, reservations remained the site of tribal governments. Combined with the strong impulse of Indian people to remain in their local communities, this has resulted basically in a rural setting for Indians, who receive most of their health care from the federal government. The challenges in integrating health programs among small numbers of individuals residing in remote locations are great indeed.
Goldman v. Weinberger: Religious Freedom Confronts Military Uniformity

In 1986, the United States Supreme Court handed down a 5-4 decision ruling that Air Force regulations prohibiting Simcha Goldman from wearing a yarmulke while in uniform did not violate Goldman’s First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion. The Court’s majority opinion, which accepted the government’s assertion that allowing Goldman to wear a yarmulke would unduly upset important military interests, drew unusually harsh responses from both dissenting justices and legal scholars. Yet, upon closer examination, perhaps what stands out most about the events surrounding the Goldman decision is the untold story of the case, which differs in significant respects from the official version of both the facts of the dispute and the ensuing litigation. The official narrative characterizes the facts as simply presenting a dispute between a Jewish soldier wanting to wear his yarmulke during work and a commanding officer demanding strict adherence to the military uniform protocol. However, the unofficial narrative demonstrates how much of the story was the result of personal factors, such as personal animosity between parties and passionate opinions from judges, that seemed to drive each stage of the legal process.
Sustainable Development and the Marrakech Accords

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP) in Marrakech drafted a legal and institutional structure to govern various market-based mechanisms to limit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This governance instrument incorporated both economic and environmental considerations at every stage of the decision-making process. The Marrakech Accords operational guidelines govern three alternative market-based approaches: Clean Development Mechanism; Joint Implementation; and Emissions Trading. The Marrakech Accords require the development of principles and rules for measuring emission baselines and additionality which define what is a valid GHG emission reduction, the degree sustainability influences project approval, and overall transparency. Several standards have been proposed. These are analyzed and compared in this article. To date, the WWF Gold Standard offers the most efficient and commercially viable methods to achieve global sustainability.
Iris Melanomas: Diagnostic Problems

Purpose: To illustrate some management problems with pigmented iris tumors. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of 234 iris tumors managed by one of the authors. Five patients were selected whose clinical courses and pathologic data illustrate diagnostic problems that can occur with these tumors. Results: In the patients described, diagnostic problems were noted. In two patients, glaucoma specialists were unable to correctly diagnose an iris melanoma before filtration. One patient had a 3-clock-hour iris biopsy that was not diagnostic for malignancy, yet the enucleated eye showed melanoma. One patient with a clinically stable iris tumor had a mixed-cell melanoma. Conclusions: Most iris-pigmented tumors have a benign disease course. In some cases, despite little clinical evidence of disease activity or progression, a melanoma, often with epithelioid cells, may be present and neither a fine-needle nor an open biopsy is always diagnostic.
The Roth Versus The Traditional IRA: A Comparative Analysis

This study provides economic analyses that allow wealth accumulation comparisons between a traditional IRA and Roth IRA. We performed economic analyses involving an investor with fixed pre-tax earnings or wealth available to invest in either the traditional or the Roth IRA, but not both. These analyses have shown that the traditional IRA has significant wealth accumulation advantages over the Roth IRA in all but rare circumstances. In our analyses, the traditional IRA outperforms the Roth IRA by accumulating more wealth available at retirement. Thus, our findings demonstrate that the Roth IRA is inferior to the traditional IRA as a wealth accumulation vehicle in all but rare circumstances.
Ultrashort-laser-pulse measurement at the sample medium: transient-grating frequency-resolved optical gating in air

Summary form only given. Measurement techniques operate as separate apparatuses and measure neither the pulse distortion effects in the experiment nor those of the pulse-measurement apparatus. These effects can become significant when extremely short pulses are used. In this work, we show that, unlike other full-pulse-characterization methods, frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG), can easily be performed within transient-grating experiments to yield the pulse at the sample medium without the need for corrections.
Applications to Classes of Scalar Linear Differential Equations

In this chapter we are interested in scalar dth-order linear difference equations (also called linear recurrence relations) of the form \(\displaystyle{ y(n + d) = c_{1}(n)y(n) +\, \cdots +\, c_{d}(n)y(n + d - 1),\qquad n \in \mbox{ $\mathbb{N}$}, }\)
Neurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction: How, When, and with Which Patients Do We Use Urodynamics?

Neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) affects many patients and requires close monitoring. Initial studies establishing patients at risk for upper tract disease revealed that high detrusor leak point pressures were predictive of upper tract disease. Urodynamics in patients with NLUTD have specific challenges. Initial studies in patients after an acute injury should be delayed until after the spinal shock phase. In children with spinal dysraphism, studies should be done early to established potential risk. The goals are maintaining low bladder pressures, decreasing risk of infection, and maintaining continence.
Purification procedure for δ15N, δ18O, Δ17O analysis of nitrate

A solid phase extraction technique has been developed for purification of nitrate in environmental solutions for isotopic analysis. Three materials, C18, silica gel and cross linked poly-vinylpyrrolidone, were used to remove non-polar, slightly polar and humic compounds from solutions with high dissolved organic loads. The clean up procedure does not impact the isotopic composition of the nitrate analyte for samples in the 2–6 mg ( ) range and improves accuracy and precision of the oxygen and nitrogen isotope analysis using the AgNO3 decomposition and thermal conversion elemental analysis techniques.
Spatial variations in earthquake source characteristics within the 2011 Mw = 9.0 Tohoku, Japan rupture zone

[1] The great Mw = 9.0 2011 Tohoku earthquake appears to have complex rupture characteristics, with slower rupture velocity during the early portion of the rupture and spatial variations in the radiation frequency content. These spatial and temporal variations suggest that the subduction zone fault has spatially varying friction conditions that led to differences in the 2011 rupture characteristics, conditions that might also affect other earthquakes within the rupture zone. We find spatial variations for source parameters of 90 relocated earthquakes between 1992 and 2011 along northern Japan, with longer durations observed in shallow near trench events relative to shorter duration deeper events. A majority of these events do not lie within the high slip zone of 2011, however, and occur instead in the region of the 1896 tsunami earthquake to the north. We also find correlation between the longest duration event locations and low seismic velocities based on recent tomography models.
Complex transactions: Community development financial institutions lending to ethnic entrepreneurs in Los Angeles

Despite federal and state efforts to ensure equal access to credit, ethnic disparities in financial capital remain. Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) represent one type of instit...
The relationship between eosinophilic leukocytes and phospholipase B activity in some rat tissues

Spleen, peritoneal fluid, uterus and bone marrow of the rat have been studied for their content in phospholipase B (E.C. 3.1.1.5) and the presence of eosinophilic leukocytes. A close correlation has been found between cell counts performed on fixed and stained histological sections or cell suspensions and enzymatic activity of the same preparations. Equivalent values of phospholipase B activity per unit cell are found in spleen, uterus and peritoneal fluid. A lower average value is indicated for the bone marrow eosinophils. A tentative explanation for this discrepancy is offered on the basis of histochemical evidence showing that a fraction of the eosinophilic cells do not stain for phospholipase B activity. The number of these cells is approximately equal to that of the precursor immature cells of the eosinophilic leukocyte system. The evidence indicates that in normal conditions a major portion, if not all, of the phospholipase B activity of the organs studied is contributed by the eosinophilic leukocytes present in the tissue.
Astrocytic localization of kynurenine aminotransferase II in the rat brain visualized by immunocytochemistry.

Kynurenic acid (KYNA), a metabolite of the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan degradation, is a neuroinhibitory agent present in the mammalian brain. Endogenous KYNA preferentially affects the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine (α7nACh) receptor and, possibly, the glycine co-agonist (glycineB) site of the NMDA receptor. Functionally relevant fluctuations in brain KYNA occur under both physiological and pathological conditions, affecting cholinergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission. Kynurenine aminotransferase II (KAT II), the major biosynthetic enzyme of KYNA in the rat brain, catalyzes the irreversible formation of KYNA from its immediate bioprecursor, kynurenine. We now purified rat kidney KAT II to homogeneity, generated a polyclonal rabbit anti-rat KAT II antibody, and purified the antibody using routine biochemical methods. The antibody selectively recognized KAT II by Western blot analysis and in immunotitration experiments. Used for immunocytochemistry, the antibody revealed discrete, specific staining of KAT II-positive astrocyte-like cells throughout the adult rat brain. The presence of KAT II in astrocytes was confirmed by double fluorescence immunostaining with an antibody against the astrocyte-specific marker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). No specific labeling was detected in neurons or microglia. However, KAT II-positive astrocytes were intimately associated with select neuron populations, supporting a neuromodulatory role of KYNA. Intense staining was frequently seen around brain capillaries, with astrocytic end feet contacting the capillary wall. This may explain the rapid access of blood-derived kynurenine to KAT II-containing astrocytes. The new anti-KAT II antibody should be useful in the further elucidation of the presumed role of KYNA in brain physiology and pathology. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Ecophysiology of Anopheles gambiae s.l.: Persistence in the Sahel

The dry-season biology of malaria vectors is poorly understood, especially in arid environments when no surface waters are available for several months, such as during the dry season in the Sahel. Here we reappraise results on the dry-season physiology of members of the Anopheles gambiae s.l. complex in the broad context of dormancy in insects and especially in mosquitoes. We examine evidence on seasonal changes in reproduction, metabolism, stress tolerance, nutrition, molecular regulation, and environmental conditions and determine if the current results are compatible with dry-season diapause (aestivation) as the primary strategy for persistence throughout the dry season in the Sahel. In the process, we point out critical gaps in our knowledge that future studies can fill. We find compelling evidence that members of the An. gambiae s.l. complex undergo a form of aestivation during the Sahelian dry season by shifting energetic resources away from reproduction and towards increased longevity. Considering the differences between winter at temperate latitudes, which entails immobility of the insect and hence reliance on physiological solutions, as opposed to the Sahelian dry season, which restricts reproduction exclusively, we propose that behavioral changes play an important role in complementing physiological changes in this strategy.
Regional brain metabolic responsivity to the muscarinic cholinergic agonist arecoline is similar in young and aged Fischer-344 rats

In order to determine whether a functional deficit in brain cholinoception accompanies the reported loss of muscarinic receptors with age, local cerebral glucose utilization (LCGU) was measured in awake 3- and 24-month-old rats after the administration of the muscarinic cholinergic agonist arecoline. Awake, male Fischer-344 rats received isotonic saline or arecoline (0.05-50 mg/kg), i.p., and LCGU was measured in 95 regions with the [14C]2-deoxy-D-glucose technique. Plasma and brain pharmacokinetics of arecoline in rats of both ages were measured in a separate experiment and were found not to differ between the two age groups. Peak cerebral cortex arecoline concentrations, at 3 min after the administration of 5 mg/kg, i.p., were 1558 +/- 588 and 1830 +/- 317 ng/g in 3- and 24-month-old rats, respectively. LCGU effects were dose-dependent, with fewer regions activated by smaller doses. In 24-month-old rats, arecoline in one or more doses elevated LCGU significantly in 94% of the regions examined; no declines in LCGU were found. Increases in whole brain glucose utilization produced by all doses of arecoline, compared to control values, were similar in 3- and 24-month-old rats. After one or more doses, the rise in LCGU in 24-month-old animals, compared to that in 3-month rats, was not significantly different in 75 brain regions, greater in 13 and smaller in 7. These findings demonstrate that the functional responsivity of brain regions to a cholinergic agonist is, for the most part, age-invariant in the rat, implying that the function of muscarinic receptor and postreceptor mechanisms remains intact despite reported age-related losses of muscarinic receptors.