cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Growth, Structure, and Thin Film Stress in TiAl and Ti 3 Al Films

Thin films of Ti, Al, TiAl and Ti3Al were deposited by dc magnetron sputtering onto 2″ dia. oxidized Si wafers and their mechanical properties were studied by measuring the internal stress in the films. Ti and Ti3Al films show hexagonal structure with preferred orientation in the (0002) direction. TiAl is tetragonal, nanocrystalline, and (111) oriented; AI is random fcc polycrystalline in nature. Young’s modulii of thin films of these materials were calculated from the stress temperature plots. The E values of TiAl and Ti3Al thin films were found to be significantly higher than those of the bulk materials.
The College Teacher of Mathematics Looks at Teacher Training

(1939). The College Teacher of Mathematics Looks at Teacher Training. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 46, No. 4, pp. 213-224.
Power transfer for a flexible gastric stimulator

Gastroparesis is a disorder reported to be prevalent among 30–50% of diabetics. Gastric electrical stimulation (GES) to the stomach has been used to treat the symptoms of gastroparesis. It usually consists of a large stimulator implanted inside the abdominal cavity with electrodes attached to the stomach tissues. In this work, we have designed, developed and tested a wirelessly powered gastric stimulator based on a flexible substrate that can be rolled into a capsule for endoscopic delivery and implantation. The stimulator can be conformed to the stomach curvature and attached onto the tissues. Characterization of transmitter and receiver antennas to wirelessly power the implant devices was conducted with near-field inductive coupling. Power transfer efficiency of the system was found to be 14 % at an antenna separation distance of 4 cm.
Production of R-CHBE using two recombinants carrying aldehyde reductase coupling GDH gene

R-Ethyl-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate(R-CHBE)is used as a chiral building block for the synthesis of pharmaceutical target compounds. R-CHBE can be produced by the asymmetric reduction of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoat(eCOBE). However,effective cofactor regeneration is a key step for the application of most oxidoreductases. In this research,the NADPH-dependent aldehyde reductase gene(alr)was cloned from the genome of Sporobolomyces salmonicolor ZJU010,and the recombinant E.coli BL21/pET-alr strain was constructed. Asymmetric reduction of COBE to CHBE was performed using the recombinant E.coli BL21/pET-alr coupling with E.coli BL21/pET-gdh. The highest reduction activity was obtained by recombinant resting cells at 6∶1 weight ratio of E.coli BL21/pET-alr with E.coli BL21/pET-gdh. Yield and the enantiomeric excess(ee)of R-CHBE reached to 95.88% and 96%,respectively,after 22h bioconversion without adding coenzyme NADPH or NADP+. R-CHBE could be effectly produced using the recombinant E.coli BL21/pET-alr coupling with E.coli BL21/pET-gdh for NADPH regenerantion.
Analytics A Catalyst for Stagnant Science

Although scientific research can be done in many ways, some often-used academic templates emphasize elaborate (yet difficult to validate) theories and a-priori empirical tests. But research is not confined only to academic ivory towers. Consultants and practitioners engage in research as well and may do so in a less conventional manner. In this article, I discuss how analytics (the scientific process of transforming data into insight to make better decisions) sidesteps some theory- and methods-related issues. I also speculate on how analytics may catalyze what some see as a stagnant, constricted, way of “doing science.”
Bone Marrow and Peripheral Blood Globin Synthesis in an American Black Family With Beta Thalassemia

Synthesis of globin chains in bone marrow and peripheral blood samples from a black family with mild beta thalassemia was compared with similar studies in white people. Blood and bone marrow were incubated with 14C-leucine, globin chains were isolated, and β /α and γ/α ratios were calculated. The results of studies of globin synthesis in homozygotes of different races were similar, despite the differences in severity of clinical disease. In the heterozygotes, there was a significant defect in beta synthesis in the peripheral blood of white subjects, while in two of three black patients the β /α ratio was in the normal range. Although there was no evidence of segregation of an alpha thalassemia gene in this black family to explain the unusual β /α ratios, the presence of such a gene in the heterozygotes could not be excluded.
Comparing longevity of Pseudacteon species of different sizes: effect of sugar feeding

Sugar feeding is known to enhance lifespan in many parasitoid species. Several species of phorid flies in the genus Pseudacteon (Diptera: Phoridae) have been introduced in the Southern U.S.A. for the biological control of imported fire ants of Solenopsis species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Pseudacteon species are short-lived flies and little is known about their nutritional ecology. Results from previous studies in our laboratory show that one of the introduced species, Pseudacteon tricuspis Borgmeier, is capable of feeding on sugar sources with a significant increase in lifespan. However, in Pseudacteon phorid flies, the degree to which sugar feeding can enhance the lifespan of other species is not clear, nor is it known whether there is a relationship between body size and longevity. In the present study, the effect of sugar feeding on the survival of three phorid fly species of different body sizes, Pseudacteon cultellatus Borgmeier, Pseudacteon curvatus Borgmeier and Pseudacteon obtusus Borgmeier, is investigated. For all three species, flies continuously provided with 40% or 20% sucrose solution live longer than individuals provided water only or 40% sucrose solution only on the first day of adult life. However, the degree to which sugar feeding enhanced longevity varies by species and is highest for P. obtusus. The data also indicate that longevity in Pseudacteon phorid flies is related to body size: the largest species (P. obtusus) lives significantly longer than the smaller species (P. cultellatus and P. curvatus). These results suggest that adults of all three Pseudacteon species are capable of feeding on sucrose solution and that sugar feeding can enhance their longevity. The significance of these results is discussed in relation to the field performance of Pseudacteon phorid flies as biological control agents of imported fire ants.
Building Discretionary Authority in a Teacher Education Program

ABSTRACTThis article reports on a teacher education program’s use of teaching rounds and action research to build teacher candidates’ discretionary authority, the confidence to make their own teaching decisions rather than model their classroom choices solely on a mentor teacher’s classroom pedagogy. Discretionary authority is promoted by many contemporary business and government organizations as a central feature of the transformational leadership that Burns long ago contrasted with transactional leadership. The impact of candidates’ discretionary authority is validated by the top marks awarded by their principals and mentors on the NC Department of Public Instructions IHE Performance Report. Their independence of mind is further corroborated by the important accomplishments they achieved in their first 5 years of teaching.
Policy watch. 25 years and counting.

This column was written in May, the month of this year that marks 25 years since the identification of the virus we now know as HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus.
PROCESSING OF BACTERIOPHAGE T7 RNAs BY RNase III

Publisher Summary This chapter describes processing of bacteriophage T7 RNAs by RNase III. RNase III of Escherichia coli (E.coli) was originally described as an enzyme that nonspecifically degrades double-stranded RNA, but its physiological role appears to be as an RNA processing enzyme. In uninfected E. coli, RNase III specifically cuts primary transcripts for ribosomal RNAs, some tRNAs, and perhaps other RNAs. Cutting by RNase III in vivo is very rapid and specific. In cells that have normal levels of RNase III, no uncut precursor RNAs are observed even with short pulses of label, indicating that the cuts are made as soon as cleavage sites are exposed during transcription. Only five sites are cut in the 7000-base long T7 early messenger RNA, and only a few sites are cut in the primary transcript for E. Coli ribosomal RNAs. These are also the preferred cleavages in vitro by purified RNase III and are referred to as primary cuts. However, at low ionic strength, the purified enzyme will also cut at secondary sites. These are also specific, but are cut much less efficiently than primary sites. Purified RNase III acts directly on purified RNA, requiring neither DNA nor auxiliary proteins.
The Navigation of Feeling: Detailed Review of Anomalous Cases from the Gazette des Tribunaux Sample

case no. 5. creditors of sandriE-vincourt v. the governing board of the paris brokers association . Sandrie-Vincourt, a licensed broker (agent de change) of the Paris Bourse (stock and bond market), ceased payments on his debts in 1823 after illegally trading on his own account, with the backing of a number of private lenders who were promised huge profits. The brokers' Governing Board (Chambre syndicale) stepped in to prevent legal proceedings, took control of Sandrie-Vincourt's assets, and began making what payments it could to his creditors. But Sandrie-Vincourt fled the country, and not long afterward, the Governing Board dropped its role in his affairs, forcing creditors to sue in the courts, with little hope of collecting. The creditors therefore sued the Governing Board as well as Sandrie-Vincourt, claiming that the Board had implicitly accepted liability for the bankrupt broker's debts. But the court ruled that the Governing Board, chartered by the state, did not represent, or engage the liability of, the members of the brokers' association, and was not itself a legal entity capable of incurring debts. The debates focused at times on this technical issue, at times on the feelings of betrayal of the creditors when the Board dropped its involvement in the affair, at times on the question of the honor of the Paris brokers' association, and at times on the morality of speculation. Dupin, arguing for the Board, denounced the calumnious charge of bad faith leveled by the creditors. They were nothing but usurers.
Operative Time Affects Short-Term Complications in Total Joint Arthroplasty

Abstract Background Increased operative time has been associated with increased complications after total joint arthroplasty (TJA). The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of operative time on short-term complications after TJA while also identifying patient and operative factors associated with prolonged operative times. Methods The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried from 2011-2013 to identify all patients who underwent primary total hip or knee arthroplasty. Patients were stratified by operative time, and 30-day morbidity and mortality data compared using univariate and multivariable analyses. Results We identified 99,444 patients who underwent primary TJA. The overall incidence of complications after TJA was 4.9%. Overall complications were increased in patients with operative times >120 minutes (5.9%) as compared to patients with operative times P 120 minutes. In a multivariable analysis, operative time exceeding 120 minutes remained an independent predictor of any complication and wound complication, with each 30-minute increase in operative time beyond 120 minutes further increasing risk. Patient age ≤65 years, male sex, black race, body mass index ≥30 kg/m 2 , and an American Society of Anesthesiologists classification of 3 or 4, predicted operative times >120 minutes. Conclusion We found that operative time >120 minutes was associated with increased short-term morbidity and mortality after primary TJA. Younger age, male sex, black race, obesity, and increased comorbidity were risk factors for operative time exceeding 120 minutes.
The Effects of Race and Ethnicity on the Risk of Large-for-Gestational-Age Newborns in Women Without Gestational Diabetes by Prepregnancy Body Mass Index Categories

Objectives Children born large for gestational age (LGA) are at risk of numerous adverse outcomes. While the racial/ethnic disparity in LGA risk has been studied among women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM), the independent effect of race on LGA risk by maternal prepregnancy BMI is still unclear among women without GDM. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the association between maternal race/ethnicity and LGA among women without GDM. Methods This was a population-based cohort study of 2,842,278 singleton births using 2012 U.S. Natality data. We conducted bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to assess the association between race and LGA. Due to effect modification by maternal prepregnancy BMI, we stratified our analysis by four BMI subgroups. Results The prevalence of LGA was similar across the different racial/ethnic groups at about 9%, but non-Hispanic Asian Americans had slightly higher prevalence of 11%. After controlling for potential confounders, minority women had higher odds of birthing LGA babies compared to non-Hispanic white women. Non-Hispanic Asian Americans had the highest odds of LGA babies across all BMI categories: underweight (aOR = 2.67; 95% CI: 2.24, 3.05); normal weight (aOR = 2.53; 2.43, 2.62); overweight (aOR = 2.45; 2.32, 2.60) and obese (aOR = 2.05; 1.91, 2.20). Conclusions for practice Racial/ethnic disparities exist in LGA odds, particularly among women with underweight or normal prepregnancy BMI. Most minorities had higher LGA odds than non-Hispanic white women regardless of prepregnancy BMI category. These racial/ethnic disparities should inform public health policies and interventions to address this problem.
Specific release of neutrophillic- and eosinophilic-stimulating factors from sensitized lymphocytes

Mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes recently have been shown to release colony-stimulating activity (CSA), a stimulator of granulopoiesis in vitro. Whether CSA release is a result of specific antigen-lymphocyte interactions has been investigated by determining the ability of spleen lymphocytes isolated from Trichinella spiralis and Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) infected mice to release CSA. Lymphocytes were incubated with different antigens to obtain conditioned media (CM). Conditioned media prepared from Trichinella-sensitized lymphocytes incubated with Trichinella antigen (CM-1) resulted in a fourfold increase in the number of colonies from murine marrow cultured in methylcellulose as compared to controls. The addition of Trichinella antigen to either nonsensitized or BCG-sensitized lymphocytes did not stimulate CSA release. Similar results were obtained with lymphocytes from BCG- infected mice. Liquid cultures stimulated with CM resulted in an increase in 3h-thymidine incorporation and cell numbers. Using CM-1 to stimulate marrow from Trichinella-infected mice resulted in a three- to fourfold increase in the number of eosinophils present after 4 days. All other CMs tested stimulated only neutrophil production...
Block-fading broadcast channel with hybrid CSIT and CSIR

The broadcast channel under delayed, mixed, hybrid, or no CSIT Is a subject of much Interest but has been studied only under i.i.d. fading and perfect CSIR for all users. Models that go beyond i.i.d. fading and perfect CSIR are of practical Importance since users may experience unequal fading block-length (coherence time) and unequal CSIR availability due to different mobility and scattering environment. This paper studies a two-user MISO broadcast channel with hybrid CSIR, where one static user (with slower fading) has CSIR and one dynamic user (with faster fading) does not have free CSIR. Under this hybrid CSIR condition, the paper studies the degrees of freedom under various CSIT scenarios: no, delayed, and hybrid CSIT. For no CSIT, we provide an outer bound that meets the achievable degrees of freedom region when the coherence times of the users are the same. For both delayed and hybrid CSIT, the achievable regions partially meet their corresponding outer bounds, and furthermore the corresponding gaps decrease with the dynamic user coherence time.
A survey of recent contributions on low power NoC architectures

The Network-on-Chip (NoC) paradigm has been herald as the solution to the communication limitation that System-On-Chip (SoC) poses. However, power Consumption is one of its major defects. To ensure that a high performance architecture is constructed, analyzing how power can be reduced in each area of the network is essential. Power dissipation can be reduced by making adjustments to the elements in routers. The architecture itself and the Links. This paper will entail a survey conducted on recent contributions on NoC. As well as the techniques employed by researchers towards the reduction of power in the router architecture, network architecture and the links.
Conscious Experience and the Non-Triviality Principle

L'A. defend la these selon laquelle le fonctionnalisme viole le principe des exigences dynamiques de l'experience consciente definissant la complexite non-triviale de tout systeme engage dans le processus d'une telle experience a un instant T, et montre ainsi que le fonctionnalisme ne peut proposer une approche plausible de l'experience consciente. Soulevant le paradoxe du fonctionnalisme concernant le mental et de la croyance dans les qualites de l'experience consciente telle que l'experience visuelle, l'A. montre qu'on ne peut adopter a la fois le fonctionnalisme et la croyance dans les qualia pour deux systemes isomorphiques ou des machines de Turing
Mirroring the Canadas: Mavis Gallant's fiction

La metaphore politique de la deterritorialisation du Canada postcolonial dans Its Image on the Mirror de M. Gallant
Synchronization of Mammalian Cell Cultures by Serum Deprivation

Mammalian cells are amenable to the study of regulatory mechanisms dictating cell cycle progression in vitro by shifting them into the same phase of the cycle. Procedures to arrest cultured cells in specific phases of the cell cycle may be termed in vitro synchronization. The procedure described here was developed for the study of primary astrocytes and a glioma cell line, but is broadly applicable to other mammalian cells. Its application allows astrocytes to re-enter the cell cycle from a state of quiescence (G0) under carefully defined experimental conditions to move together into subsequent phases such as the G1 and S phases. A number of methods have been established to synchronize mammalian cell cultures, which include counterflow centrifugal elutriation, mitotic shake off, chemically induced cell cycle arrest, and newer live cell methods, such as cell permeable dyes. Yet, there are intrinsic limitations associated with these methods. In the present protocol, we describe a simple, reliable, and reversible procedure to synchronize astrocyte and glioma cultures from newborn rat brain by serum deprivation. The procedure is similar, and generally applicable, to other mammalian cells. This protocol consists essentially of two parts: (1) proliferation of astrocytes under optimal conditions in vitro until reaching desired confluence; and (2) synchronization and G0 phase arrest of cultures by serum down-shift. This procedure has been utilized to examine cell cycle control in astroglioma cells and astrocytes from injured adult brain. It has also been employed in precursor cloning studies in developmental biology, suggesting wide applicability.
Error correction coding for frequency-hopping multiple-access spread spectrum communication systems

A communication system which would effect channel coding for frequency-hopped multiple-access is described. It is shown that in theory coding can increase the spectrum utilization efficiency of a system with mutual interference to 100 percent. Various coding strategies are discussed and some initial comparisons are given. Some of the problems associated with implementing the type of system described here are discussed.
Occupational traumatic injuries among offshore seafood processors in Alaska, 2010–2015

Abstract Introduction The U.S. Coast Guard and Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration have identified the Alaskan offshore seafood processing industry as high-risk. This study used Coast Guard injury reports to describe patterns of traumatic injury among offshore seafood processors, as well as identify modifiable hazards. Methods From the reports, we manually reviewed and abstracted information on the incident circumstances, injury characteristics and circumstances, and vessel. Traumatic injury cases were coded using the Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System, and a Work Process Classification System. Descriptive statistics characterized worker demographics, injuries, and fleets. Results One fatal and 304 nonfatal injuries among processors were reported to the Coast Guard during 2010–2015 across multiple fleets of catcher-processor and mothership vessels. The most frequently occurring injuries were: by nature of injury, sprains/strains/tears (75, 25%), contusions (50, 16%), and fractures (45, 15%); by body part affected, upper extremities (121, 40%), and trunk (75, 25%); by event/exposure resulting in injury, contact with objects and equipment (150, 49%), and overexertion and bodily reaction (76, 25%); and by source of injury, processing equipment and machinery (85, 28%). The work processes most frequently associated with injuries were: processing seafood on the production line (68, 22%); stacking blocks/bags of frozen product (50, 17%); and repairing/maintaining/cleaning factory equipment (28, 9%). Conclusions Preventing musculoskeletal injuries, particularly to workers' upper extremities and trunks, is paramount. Some injuries, such as serious back injuries, intracranial injuries, and finger crushing or amputations, had the potential to lead to disability. Practical applications Safety professionals and researchers can use the study findings to inform future intervention efforts in this industry. Hazard control measures should target: (a) overexertion from lifting and lowering objects and equipment; (b) equipment and boxes falling and striking workers; (c) workers being caught in running machinery during regular operations; and (d) slips, trips, and falls.
People’s explanatory preferences for scientific phenomena

Previous work has found that people are drawn to explanations of psychological phenomena when these explanations contain neuroscience information, even when that information is irrelevant. This preference may be due to a general preference for reductive explanations; however, prior work has not investigated whether people indeed prefer such explanations or whether this preference varies by scientific discipline. The current study asked 82 participants to choose which methods would be most appropriate for investigating topics in six scientific fields. Participants generally preferred methods that either matched the field of investigation (e.g., biology for biology) or that came from the immediately more reductive field (e.g., chemistry for biology). Both of these patterns were especially evident for the pairing of psychology and neuroscience. Additionally, participants selected significantly more methods as being useful for explaining neuroscience phenomena. These results suggest that people’s sense of the relations among scientific fields are fairly well calibrated but display some general attraction to neuroscience.
Force from Motion: Decoding Control Force of Activity in a First-Person Video

A first-person video delivers what the camera wearer (actor) experiences through physical interactions with surroundings. In this paper, we focus on a problem of Force from Motion —estimating the active force and torque exerted by the actor to drive her/his activity—from a first-person video. We use two physical cues inherited in the first-person video. (1) Ego-motion: the camera motion is generated by a resultant of force interactions, which allows us to understand the effect of the active force using Newtonian mechanics. (2) Visual semantics: the first-person visual scene is deployed to afford the actor's activity, which is indicative of the physical context of the activity. We estimate the active force and torque using a dynamical system that can describe the transition (dynamics) of the actor's physical state (position, orientation, and linear/angular momentum) where the latent physical state is indirectly observed by the first-person video. We approximate the physical state with the 3D camera trajectory that is reconstructed up to scale and orientation. The absolute scale factor and gravitation field are learned from the ego-motion and visual semantics of the first-person video. Inspired by an optimal control theory, we solve the dynamical system by minimizing reprojection error. Our method shows quantitatively equivalent reconstruction comparing to IMU measurements in terms of gravity and scale recovery and outperforms the methods based on 2D optical flow for an active action recognition task. We apply our method to first-person videos of mountain biking, urban bike racing, skiing, speedflying with parachute, and wingsuit flying where inertial measurements are not accessible.
Secure Sharing of Private Locations through Homomorphic Bloom Filters

Location information is becoming increasingly popular in online social networks, vehicle networks, and online games. In this paper, we develop a distributed protocol that allows one party to determine, in a private and secure manner, whether or not the trajectory of a second party has an intersection with specific locations of interest. Our design is fully flexible, meaning that each user is able to specify what kind of datasets they would like to make visible, and be queried by other users. The methodology is based on developing a generalized set membership check approach, using an advanced data structure called the bloom filter. To demonstrate its feasibility and usability, we offer three working prototypes, which are implemented on the open-source homomorphic libraries. Our preliminary results illustrate the performance and overhead of the proposed approaches as well as the security of the protocol designs.
On rights, ruins and returns: Rachel Tzvia Back’s Israeli anglophone lyric palimpsest

ABSTRACTWritten at the height of the Second Intifada, Israeli anglophone poet Rachel Tzvia Back’s On Ruins & Return uncovers the politics of Palestinian indigeneity and the material realities of oc...
Profit Shifting and Offshoring in the New International Tax Regime (Presentation Slides)

This presentation examines the profit shifting and offshoring incentives in the new international tax regime. It concludes that the new regime makes policy choices that unnecessarily incentivize the offshoring of real assets, while largely preserving profit shifting. The slides were presented at an event held at the Economic Policy Institute on May 7, 2018.
Spectral Analysis of Backbone Networks Against Targeted Attacks

Network science has been a central focus to correctly model and study resilience characteristics of communication networks. There have been many metrics used to represent connectivity of graphs; however, they do not suffice to compare networks with different numbers of nodes and links. The normalized Laplacian spectra enables network scientists to analyze network structures beyond what traditional graph metrics lacks. In this paper, we study the normalized Laplacian spectra of five backbone networks against targeted attacks. The physical and logical level of four commercial and one research backbone provider networks is studied. The intelligent attacks are modeled based on important graph centrality metrics of betweenness, closeness, and degree. Our results indicate that spectra of eigenvalues converge to zero after attacks. Moreover, we also identify that while in some scenarios different centrality-based attack strategies yield identical eigenvalue distribution, in other scenarios different attacks yield different eigenvalue distributions.
Quantitative approaches for the evaluation of implementation research studies

Implementation research necessitates a shift from clinical trial methods in both the conduct of the study and in the way that it is evaluated given the focus on the impact of implementation strategies. That is, the methods or techniques to support the adoption and delivery of a clinical or preventive intervention, program, or policy. As strategies target one or more levels within the service delivery system, evaluating their impact needs to follow suit. This article discusses the methods and practices involved in quantitative evaluations of implementation research studies. We focus on evaluation methods that characterize and quantify the overall impacts of an implementation strategy on various outcomes. This article discusses available measurement methods for common quantitative implementation outcomes involved in such an evaluation-adoption, fidelity, implementation cost, reach, and sustainment-and the sources of such data for these metrics using established taxonomies and frameworks. Last, we present an example of a quantitative evaluation from an ongoing randomized rollout implementation trial of the Collaborative Care Model for depression management in a large primary healthcare system.
Assessing the potential to mitigate climate-related expansion of largemouth bass populations using angler harvest

Climate-related changes in fish communities can present new challenges for fishery managers who must address declines in cool- and cold-water sportfish while dealing with increased abundance of war...
Predicting 2,4-dintroanisole (DNAN) sorption on various soil “types” using different compositional datasets

Abstract Soil heterogeneity is a major contributor to the uncertainty in predicting the environmental fate of data-scare contaminants. For this paper, we focused on research designed to predict the soil environmental fate of the new munition compound, called 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN) -a compound increasingly employed by the U.S. and international militaries in the next-generation, insensitive explosive formulations. Here, we employed multivariate statistical correlation models to predict DNAN sorption among different soil “types” seeking to reduce the uncertainty common in all contaminant sorption models by using soil taxonomic designation as a calibrant. We collected composite soils classified under the Ultisols taxonomic Order in the U.S. National Resource Conservation Service soil classification system and quantified their properties via physical and chemical characterizations. Using multivariate statistical modeling modified for compositional data analysis (CoDa), we developed quantitative analogies of the Ultisols by partitioning the characterization data up into four different compositions: Water-extracted, Mehlich-III (referring to the weak acid) extracted, particle-size distribution, and solid-phase carbon‑nitrogen‑sulfur compositions. DNAN sorption was measured in batch soil suspensions and distribution coefficients (KD) were calculated using linear regression modeling. Prediction models testing the correlation of the DNAN KD values to the centered logratio -transformed compositions were calculated using CoDa-modified multilinear regression. Results showed that DNAN sorption was only predictable by dissolved organic carbon, pH, and the exchangeable cations Ca and K within the water-extracted composition. Analogies for DNAN sorption were the most discriminating at the Suborder level because of the inherent ambiguity in the Hapludults class at the Great Group level.
Overcoming platinum resistance in ovarian cancer by targeting pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A

Objectives Inhibition of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), an upstream activator of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) pathway, is known to augment sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy. This study further tests the efficacy of PAPP-A inhibition with a monoclonal antibody inhibitor (mAb-PA) in ovarian cancer (OC) platinum-resistant patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. Methods PAPP-A expression was quantitated in platinum-resistant PDX models by ELISA. A subset with High (n = 5) and Low (n = 2) expression were revived in female SCID/beige mice for studies with either saline, carboplatin/paclitaxel (CP) + mAb-PA, or CP + IgG2a. The primary endpoint was tumor area by ultrasound on day 28 relative to baseline. Conversion to platinum-sensitive was defined by average tumor regression below baseline. Statistical analyses included linear mixed effects modeling and Kaplan Meier curves. Response to therapy was correlated with changes in the ratio of phosphorylated/total AKT and ERK 1/2 using Wes analysis. Results The addition of mAb-PA to CP induced tumor regression below baseline in one High PAPP-A PDX model; another three models exhibited notable growth inhibition relative to CP + IgG2a. None of the Low PAPP-A PDX models regressed below baseline. The PDX model with the greatest magnitude of tumor regression from baseline after combination therapy was maintained on single agent mAb-PA or IgG2a, but no benefit was observed. Decreased phosphorylation of ERK1/2 correlated with conversion to platinum-sensitive. Conclusions The addition of mAb-PA to CP overcame platinum-resistance in one of five High PAPP-A PDX models; three other models demonstrated improved platinum-response. This supports further clinical development of this novel therapeutic.
Mismatch responses mediated by adaptation and deviance detection have complementary functional profiles that point to different auditory short-term memory systems

Mismatch negativity (MMN) is a macroscopic EEG deflection in response to rare or unexpected sounds. It has provided important insights into auditory short-term memory, pre-attentive guidance of attention, and their alteration in conditions such as schizophrenia. It remains unclear if MMN is caused by passive adaptation, active memory-comparison processes (deviance detection; DD), or a mix of both. To answer this question, macaque monkeys listened to a new paradigm that quantified both components of MMN. Micro- and macroscopic mismatch responses in the rhesus were dominated by adaptation at short latencies but included a smaller contribution of deviance detection at longer latencies. Most importantly, we show that mismatch responses mediated by adaptation have a short temporal scope and narrow frequency tuning while mismatch responses mediated by deviance detection have a longer temporal scope but broader frequency tuning. The different functional profiles point to the involvement of two distinct auditory short-term memory systems and complementary roles in the pre-attentive guidance of attention.
Design of Residual-Stress-Compensating Molds for Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing Applications

A methodical procedure for designing molds for cold spray additive manufacturing has been developed and validated. In a preliminary trial, a cold-sprayed part was shown to deform beyond the spatial tolerances of its defined shape. Based on these data and utilizing a linear elastic model of deformation, a new “compensated” mold with a modified shape was generated. The shape of the part deposited onto the compensated mold was measured to have, at maximum, approximately half the error as in the original trial, demonstrating the potential of such mold compensation as a means of achieving the final dimensional accuracy requirements of cold-sprayed parts.
A preliminary systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials of cognitive remediation therapy for anorexia nervosa.

Abstract Cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) for anorexia nervosa (AN) was developed as an adjuvant treatment to target set-shifting and central coherence inefficiencies important in AN and to ultimately improve clinical outcomes of those with AN. The primary aim of this preliminary systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the effect of CRT for AN relative to control treatments in randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) on neuropsychological inefficiencies at end-of-treatment. Secondary aims were to assess the effect of CRT for AN on dropout, eating-disorder-related, and other psychological outcomes at end-of-treatment. Systematic review and meta-analytic procedures were conducted in accordance with PRISMA Guidelines. RCTs evaluating CRT for AN compared to a control treatment were identified via ProQuest, PsycINFO, PubMed, and SCOPUS. Seven RCTs and one quasi-RCT of CRT for AN were included. RCT quality ratings ranged from fair (n = 3) to good (n = 4). Random-effects meta-analysis was conducted using Hedge's g. Study heterogeneity was assessed using I2 and publication bias was assessed with Begg's adjusted-rank correlation and the trim-and-fill method. CRT was not associated with improvement in central coherence compared to control treatments at end-of-treatment (g = 0.25, 95% CI = −0.35, 0.85, k = 3). Set-shifting outcomes were mixed due to heterogeneity of set-shifting measures across studies. CRT may prevent dropout; yet, more studies are needed to draw conclusions. CRT did not confer advantage over control treatments for eating-disorder-related and other psychological outcomes at end-of-treatment. Future RCTs of CRT for AN should use precise measures to assess constructs (particularly for set shifting), increase sample size, and implement longitudinal follow-up. (Word Count: 247 words).
SpiderBoost and Momentum: Faster Stochastic Variance Reduction Algorithms

SARAH and SPIDER are two recently developed stochastic variance-reduced algorithms, and SPIDER has been shown to achieve a near-optimal first-order oracle complexity in smooth nonconvex optimization. However, SPIDER uses an accuracy-dependent stepsize that slows down the convergence in practice, and cannot handle objective functions that involve nonsmooth regularizers. In this paper, we propose SpiderBoost as an improved scheme, which allows to use a much larger constant-level stepsize while maintaining the same near-optimal oracle complexity, and can be extended with proximal mapping to handle composite optimization (which is nonsmooth and nonconvex) with provable convergence guarantee. In particular, we show that proximal SpiderBoost achieves an oracle complexity of $\mathcal{O}(\min\{n^{1/2}\epsilon^{-2},\epsilon^{-3}\})$ in composite nonconvex optimization, improving the state-of-the-art result by a factor of $\mathcal{O}(\min\{n^{1/6},\epsilon^{-1/3}\})$. We further develop a novel momentum scheme to accelerate SpiderBoost for composite optimization, which achieves the near-optimal oracle complexity in theory and substantial improvement in experiments.
Structure, energetics and thermodynamics of PLGA condensed phases from Molecular Dynamics

Abstract Poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) is a biodegradable co-polymer with common use in nanoparticle drug encapsulation. Although well studied experimentally, the mechanical behavior of PLGA is not well understood at the atomic level. Here, we develop atomic charges for the all-atom Generalized Amber Force Field (GAFF) and conduct all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of PLGA with a 50:50 ratio between its two constituent monomers for five samples of the polymer condensed phases that span 1579 u to 20183 u in molecular weight. We predict several PLGA properties that will improve the knowledge of its atomistic organization in the glassy solid, rubber, and liquid states. We report the impact of molecular weight on cohesive energy, solubility, thermodynamic response properties, structural properties related to chain entanglement, and glass transition temperatures. Properties are compared against known experimental values when available. We find that the restrained electrostatic potential atomic charges are better for simulating the caloric curve leading to the glass transition temperature, which agrees very well with experiments.
Fentanyl contaminated "M30" pill overdoses in pediatric patients.

Abstract Background Fentanyl is a high potency opioid that has become an increasingly large proportion of the illicit drug supply. Fentanyl overdoses and deaths, including in pediatric patients, has concomitantly increased. Purpose To describe two cases of pediatric fentanyl overdoses via “M30” pills illicitly sold as oxycodone. Basic procedures Two cases of pediatric opioid toxicity reportedly from oxycodone are presented in which mass spectrometry was used to confirm fentanyl and not oxycodone exposure. Main findings Both pediatric patients required naloxone and admission to the intensive care unit following exposure. Both had urine drug screens that did not show the presence of opioids but mass spectrometry testing confirmed fentanyl exposure. Conclusions Providers should be aware of these illicit tablets, know not to assume they are pharmaceutical, and consider the risk they pose to pediatric patients through exploratory ingestion or misuse. Further inquiry, including social investigation, should be considered for pediatric patients presenting with reported oxycodone ingestion, especially blue “M30” pills.
David Oliver: Consulting on uniform while ignoring PPE failings insults NHS staff

On 12 April, NHS Supply Chain (NHSSC) launched a seven week consultation with NHS staff on a “potential standardised national uniform for NHS staff working in clinical roles in England.”1 NHSSC is responsible for managing the sourcing, delivery, and supply of healthcare products, services, and food for NHS trusts in England and Wales. It’s been criticised by opponents of NHS privatisation for awarding numerous contracts and subcontracts to private sector organisations, all taking a slice of profit as part of their business model.2 NHSSC also attracted considerable criticism during the covid pandemic, not least from the National Audit Office3 and the Public Accounts Committee,4 for conspicuous failings over stocks, timely supply, availability, and quality of personal protective equipment (PPE) for the very same NHS clinical staff it now wants …
Evaluation of the diffuse mismatch model for phonon scattering at disordered interfaces

Diffuse phonon scattering strongly affects the phonon transport through a disordered interface. The often-used diffuse mismatch model assumes that phonons lose memory of their origin after being scattered by the interface. Using mode-resolved atomistic Green's function simulation, we demonstrate that diffuse phonon scattering by a single disordered interface cannot make a phonon lose its memory and thus the applicability of the diffusive mismatch model is limited. An analytical expression for diffuse scattering probability based on the continuum approximation is also derived and shown to work reasonably well at low frequencies.
Bruton’s Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors: A New Generation of Promising Agents for Multiple Sclerosis Therapy

B cells play a central role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), as demonstrated through the success of various B cell-depleting monoclonal antibodies. Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) is a critical molecule in intracellular signaling from the receptor of B cells and receptors expressed in the cells of the innate immune system. BTK inhibitors may be a non-cell-depleting alternative to B cell modulation. In this review, the structure, signaling, and roles of BTK are reviewed among the different inhibitors assayed in animal models of MS and clinical trials.
Identification of the Mind Bomb1 Interaction Domain in Zebrafish DeltaD

Ubiquitylation promotes endocytosis of the Notch ligands like Delta and Serrate and is essential for them to effectively activate Notch in a neighboring cell. The RING E3 ligase Mind bomb1 (Mib1) ubiquitylates DeltaD to facilitate Notch signaling in zebrafish. We have identified a domain in the intracellular part of the zebrafish Notch ligand DeltaD that is essential for effective interactions with Mib1. We show that elimination of the Mind bomb1 Interaction Domain (MID) or mutation of specific conserved motifs in this domain prevents effective Mib1-mediated ubiquitylation and internalization of DeltaD. Lateral inhibition mediated by Notch signaling regulates early neurogenesis in zebrafish. In this context, Notch activation suppresses neurogenesis, while loss of Notch-mediated lateral inhibition results in a neurogenic phenotype, where too many cells are allowed to become neurons. While Mib1-mediated endocytosis of DeltaD is essential for effective activation of Notch in a neighboring cell (in trans) it is not required for DeltaD to inhibit function of Notch receptors in the same cell (in cis). As a result, forms of DeltaD that have the MID can activate Notch in trans and suppress early neurogenesis when mRNA encoding it is ectopically expressed in zebrafish embryos. On the other hand, when the MID is eliminated/mutated in DeltaD, its ability to activate Notch in trans fails but ability to inhibit in cis is retained. As a result, ectopic expression of DeltaD lacking an effective MID results in a failure of Notch-mediated lateral inhibition and a neurogenic phenotype.
SETTLEMENTS OF IMMERSED TUNNELS

Most immersed tunnels are placed in underwater trenches and add little net load to the foundation soils. Reloading settlements, compression of foundation courses and construction activities can nonetheless result in appreciable settlements of tunnel elements which can threaten tunnel alignments, joints between individual elements, or the structural integrity of the tunnel elements. This paper describes the design and construction of the Second Hampton Roads Tunnel. It provides assessment of tunnel displacements and describes the settlement performance of the tunnel. For example, settlement data from the First Hampton Roads Tunnel correlate well with those from the second tunnel. Rational methods for forecasting total and differential tunnel settlements are shown to produce reasonably reliable results when construction factors are fairly considered. Soil compressibility data for reloading are essential for such settlement analyses.
A surprising function for SRP RNA

The crystal structure of the universal ribonucleoprotein core of the signal recognition particle suggests that the RNA moiety has been evolutionarily conserved because it plays an important role in signal sequence recognition.
Influence of dose and intensity of 6 months of aerobic exercise training on body composition and lipid profiles in participants with pre-diabetes (272.2)

The Studies Targeting Risk Reduction Intervention through Defined Exercise (STRRIDE) compared exercise of varied dose/intensity to the “gold standard” of diet + exercise as used in the Diabetes Pre...
An Evaluation of Earthquake Hazards of the Grand Teton National Park Emphasizing the Teton Fault

Documentation of the location, age and relationship of surface trace of the Teton fault zone to other geologic features is a prerequisite to a full understanding of seismic hazards associated with the fault. The University of Utah's mapping py David Sussong during the summer of 1987 documented the central portion of the fault trace. However, the northern and southern ends of the fault zone still required detailed mapping. Determination of the character of the fault in the areas south of Phillips Canyon and north of Webb Canyon can help to evaluate how movement on the fault would effect these areas, i.e., better evaluation of the relative seismic risk. Unfortunately, the extreme fire situation (the Huck fire started at the location of mapping) and the excessive time demands of the surveying reduced the amount of field mapping that we had planned for detailed geologic mapping. John Byrd, however, was able to do reconnaissance mapping in the Steamboat Mountain and Lizard Point area. In this area there is good evidence for the existence of several faults that are most likely splays of the Teton fault, that cross Jackson Lake and extend northward on the east side of the valley. Additional mapping is planned in this area next year.