cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Forecast of CO2 Emissions From the U.S. Transportation Sector: Estimation From a Double Exponential Smoothing Model

This study examines whether the decreasing trend in U.S. CO2 emissions from the transportation sector since the end of the 2000s will be shown across all states in the nation for 2012‒2021. A double exponential smoothing model is used to forecast CO2 emissions for the transportation sector in the 50 states and the U.S., and its findings are supported by the validity test of pseudo out-of-sample forecasts. We conclude that the decreasing trend in transportation CO2 emissions in the U.S. will continue in most states in the future.
Current Research on the Structure and Function of the Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone Receptor

Growth hormone releasing hormone receptor (GHRH-R) is a family B1 G-protein coupled receptor found predominantly on pituitary somatotrophs. In the adults it is required for the normal synthesis and release of growth hormone (GH) from the pituitary. During development it is required for the normal proliferation and maturation of somatotrophs within the pituitary. Mutations of this receptor in mouse and man are associated with GH deficiency, short stature and pituitary hypoplasia. This signaling system plays important roles in growth and development, metabolism of muscle and fat, and is implicated in the regulation of cardiac and immune function, wound healing, tumor growth and the aging process. Current areas of active research discussed here include: studiesof the structure of the receptor binding site and its interaction with GHRH, alternative splice variants of the GHRH-R which appear to promote tumor proliferation, truncated receptor isoforms that act as dominant negative inhibitors of wild type receptor, and the unclear physiologic role of the GHRH system in birds and fishes. (J Kor Soc Endocrinol 21:173~183, 2006)
Aging, Social Developmental, and Cultural Factors in Changing Patterns of Religious Involvement Over a 32-Year Period: An Age–Period–Cohort Analysis of 80 Countries

Religious change has been studied from the perspectives of both individual development and societal progress, but a lack of long-term longitudinal data has limited the capacity to examine them simultaneously. This study uses repeated cross-sectional data from the World Values Survey/European Values Study, covering 80 nations over the period from 1981 to 2013 to estimate age, period, and cohort effects on mean changes in the subjective importance of God and attendance at religious services. A cross-classified mixed model approach was used, examining both random effects indicating between-country differences in these changes and fixed factors unifying them in a broader framework. Older age was associated with greater personal and organizational religious involvement in a large majority of societies, but the strength of this association differed by culture, with the largest mean effects occurring in Western nations. Period effects were detected in many cultural areas but were very heterogeneous in direction ...
TEMPORAL CENTERING

We present a semantic and pragmatic account of the anaphoric properties of past and perfect that improves on previous work by integrating discourse structure, aspectual type, surface structure and commonsense knowledge. A novel aspect of our account is that we distinguish between two kinds of temporal intervals in the interpretation of temporal operators --- discourse reference intervals and event intervals. This distinction makes it possible to develop an analogy between centering and temporal centering, which operates on discourse reference intervals. Our temporal property-sharing principle is a defeasible inference rule on the logical form. Along with lexical and causal reasoning, it plays a role in incrementally resolving underspecified aspects of the event structure representation of an utterance against the current context.
Independency Or Correlation? The GCC Stock Markets, Interest Rates, And Oil Prices: Against All Financial Rules

This paper examines the relationship(s) that exist among the four GCC stock markets: Kuwait, Saudi, UAE, and Oman. We observed and measured how and up to which extent oil prices, gold prices, and US interest rates affect these markets for the period 2005. We noticed a positive relationship between these markets and each factor and a perfect positive correlation between the Kuwaiti and Saudi markets.
The Returns to Quality in Graduate Education.

ABSTRACTThis paper estimates the monetary return to quality in US graduate education, controlling for cognitive ability and self-selection across award level, program quality, and field-of-study. In most program types, I cannot reject the hypothesis of no returns to either degree completion or program quality. Important exceptions include master's programs in health science, where completion substantially increases earnings, and in MBA and professional degree programs, where program quality has a positive influence on earnings. I explore the job characteristics that predict greater earnings among students with tertiary education, and I estimate the returns to quality in terms of non-monetary job benefits.
Effect of Network Chain Length on the Tearing Energy Master Curves of Poly(Dimethyldiphenyl Siloxane)

Etude de l'energie de dechirement en fonction de la densite de reticulation de PDMDPS termines par des groupes vinyliques reticules par le tetrakis (dimethylsilyloxy) silane
Single-Dispersive-Element Pulse Compressor

We introduce an ultrashort-laser-pulse compressor that is compact and automatically aligned for distortion-free output. It uses a single prism and a single grating, and it compensates for significant material dispersion up to third order.
The Fontan Liver after Cardiac Transplantation

Purpose Fontan associated liver disease (FALD) is a serious complication of Fontan physiology. In those requiring heart transplant (HT), risk stratification related to liver impairment remains challenging. This multi-center study sought to characterize survival and the natural history of FALD after HT alone. Methods Biochemical, imaging and pathologic data were collected retrospectively for all Fontans who underwent HT at 11 pediatric institutions from 2001-2019. Statistical analysis included Wilcoxon signed rank test and univariate Cox proportional hazard regression. Two blinded radiologists reviewed all imaging for consistency. Results Of 109 transplanted Fontan pts, 56% had decreased ventricular function and 31% had protein losing enteropathy; pts had HT at a median age of 13.7 yrs (IQR 9.5, 17.7), and were 9.9 yrs (4.6, 13.9) out from Fontan operation. Median Fontan pressure pre-HT was 16 mmHg (14, 19) and cardiac index 3 L/min/m2 (2.6, 3.5). Of 100 pts with pre-HT liver imaging (91 ultrasounds, 37 CTs, 18 MRIs), 78% had abnormalities, including nodular contours, hyper enhancing lesions, and fibrotic/cirrhotic changes. Endoscopy noted varices in 5 of 12 pre-HT pts screened, and evidence of sinusoidal dilation/bridging fibrosis in all 12 liver biopsies. Pre-HT lab values were mostly normal and did not differ significantly at 1 yr follow-up except total bilirubin decreased (Table 1). Post-HT imaging in 80 pts frequently showed persistent abnormalities without progression (72%). Eighteen pts died (median time to death from HT 0.6 yrs [0.1, 3.4]) with 2 deaths possibly related to FALD; 1 pt suffered a GI bleed 6 wks after HT, while a second died at 2 months with portal hypertension and pulmonary AVMs. No abnormal lab values, cath hemodynamics or imaging were associated with death. Conclusion FALD at the time of HT was not a significant cause of early mortality in this cohort. Abnormal liver features persisted on early post HT follow-up imaging without progression of disease or associated lab aberrations indicating HT may improve long term prognosis.
Comparasion between 2 modules of biochemical analyzer to detect rat serum biochemical results

Objective To discuss the differences obtained from two modules of biochemical analyzer to detect rat serum. Methods Under the same operating environment in one laboratory,the 2 different modules: D and P of HITACHI 7600 biochemical analyzer were used to detect uric acid( UA),total cholesterol( TC),triglyceride( TG) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol( HDL-C). Results The detection results of all items showed no significant difference between the two modules of biochemical analyzer of rat serum( UA t =1. 751,TC t =-1. 318,TG t =-1. 472,HDL-C t = 1. 941,P 0. 05),the correlation coefficients were 0. 993,0. 992,0. 999 and 0. 996 respectively. Conclusions The results consistency is acceptable from the two modules( D and P) of Hitachi 7600 biochemistry analyzer to detect rat serum UA、TC、TG and HDL-C.
Review: magnesium is effective and safe for acute management of rapid atrial fibrillation.

Source Citation Onalan O, Crystal E, Daoulah A, et al. Meta-analysis of magnesium therapy for the acute management of rapid atrial fibrillation. Am J Cardiol. 2007;99:1726−32. 17560883
Crisis Resolution, December 1976 — January 1977: ‘It is Mad but we have No Alternative’

The sustained crisis of confidence that had put downward pressure on sterling throughout 1976 was resolved only with the Government’s capitulation to external pressures for change, in which its policy autonomy was explicitly bound for almost the entirety of its remaining term of office. Although the IMF’s demands vis-a-vis public expenditure were reduced by £500 million at the eleventh hour and the Cabinet left-wing was able to defeat demands for a reduction in the level of social benefits, these were small victories at the margins of a larger and more significant defeat in which the Cabinet acceded to demands that were contrary to its initial assessment of what was appropriate. The Cabinet debates were intense and soul-searching; the Government was on the verge of collapse and the Prime Minister wondered repeatedly whether it would survive (Callaghan 1987: 437–8). Visitors from abroad including US Treasury Secretary William Simon and the IMF Managing Director Johannes Witteveen arrived in London for clandestine meetings with British authorities in which ‘parameters’ were set (Whitehead 1985: 197–8). In the end, the Government survived only with the sacrifice of its own policy judgment in favor of the judgment of its external critics who were lending it money — specifically, the IMF and the US Treasury. As Foreign Secretary Tony Crosland reportedly commented when he reluctantly shifted his position on the IMF package from opposition to support, ‘it is mad but we have no alternative’ (Whitehead 1985: 199; Benn 1989: 685).
Discovering Cortical Folding Patterns in Neonatal Cortical Surfaces Using Large-Scale Dataset

The cortical folding of the human brain is highly complex and variable across individuals. Mining the major patterns of cortical folding from modern large-scale neuroimaging datasets is of great importance in advancing techniques for neuroimaging analysis and understanding the inter-individual variations of cortical folding and its relationship with cognitive function and disorders. As the primary cortical folding is genetically influenced and has been established at term birth, neonates with the minimal exposure to the complicated postnatal environmental influence are the ideal candidates for understanding the major patterns of cortical folding. In this paper, for the first time, we propose a novel method for discovering the major patterns of cortical folding in a large-scale dataset of neonatal brain MR images (N = 677). In our method, first, cortical folding is characterized by the distribution of sulcal pits, which are the locally deepest points in cortical sulci. Because deep sulcal pits are genetically related, relatively consistent across individuals, and also stable during brain development, they are well suitable for representing and characterizing cortical folding. Then, the similarities between sulcal pit distributions of any two subjects are measured from spatial, geometrical, and topological points of view. Next, these different measurements are adaptively fused together using a similarity network fusion technique, to preserve their common information and also catch their complementary information. Finally, leveraging the fused similarity measurements, a hierarchical affinity propagation algorithm is used to group similar sulcal folding patterns together. The proposed method has been applied to 677 neonatal brains (the largest neonatal dataset to our knowledge) in the central sulcus, superior temporal sulcus, and cingulate sulcus, and revealed multiple distinct and meaningful folding patterns in each region.
CIB1 Is Required for FAK Activation during Outside-in Signaling through Platelet Integrin αIIbβ3

Platelets play an important role in the processes of hemostasis and thrombosis. Platelet integrin αIIbβ3 mediates bi-directional signaling during these processes. Agonist-dependent activation of integrin αIIbβ3 through inside-out signaling results in high-affinity binding of soluble ligands, such as fibrinogen. Fibrinogen binding induces a cascade of signaling through the integrin, termed outside-in signaling that results in platelet aggregation and clot retraction. Previously, we have characterized CIB1, a calcium- and integrin-binding protein that specifically interacts with the cytoplasmic domain of αIIb. Previous reports using in vitro and ex vivo studies implicated that CIB1 is involved in 1. maintaining αIIbβ3 in its resting state, 2. agonist-induced activation of the integrin, and 3. outside-in signaling resulting in platelet spreading. Here, we show that platelet filopodia formation induced by fibrinogen binding to integrin αIIbβ3 needs Ca2+, but is independent of the Ca2+-dependent interaction of CIB1 with αIIb. Additionally, dynamic rearrangement of the cytoskeleton is required for the recruitment of FAK to the CIB1-αIIb complex at the filopodia and FAK activation. Moreover, disruption of the association of CIB1 and αIIb by incorporation of αIIb peptide or CIB1 antibody inhibited FAK activation. Furthermore, Cib1 null platelets acquired a spiky morphology and failed to fully spread on immobilized fibrinogen. Interestingly, FAK activation was significantly reduced in Cib1 null platelets exposed to immobilized fibrinogen. Our results suggest that during outside-in signaling, a rise in the intracellular Ca2+ level and filopodia formation occurs prior to the interaction of CIB1 with αIIb. Additionally, Ca2+ bound CIB1 recruits FAK to the αIIbβ3 complex at the filopodia, where FAK is activated, resulting in platelet spreading. Thus, our results have provided a mechanism through which CIB1 regulates outside-in signaling through integrin αIIbβ3.
Authoritarian “Rule of Law” and Regime Legitimacy:

A prominent hypothesis to explain the durability of authoritarian regimes focuses on the official adoption of law and legal institutions. The present study offers a novel empirical approach to test...
The stability of clinochlore +quartz at low pressure

The univariant dehydration reaction which defines the maximum thermal stability of the assemblage clinochlore * quartz, 6MguAl,SLO'(OHh + 29SiO, = SMgsSi,O,o(OH), clinochlore qtartz talc * 3MgrSirA.lnO,e.n HrO + (16 - 3r)HrO Corolelte vapor has been bracketed, with reversed experiments at Pr"o = Ptotar. A smooth curve drawn between the brackets passes through the coordinates 0.5 kbar, 482'; I kbar, 500'; 2 kbar, 527';3 kbar, 551'; 4 kbar, 574"C. The position of the curve is probably within t 7'C of the stated temperature at each pressure. Synthetic clinochlore, talc, cordierite, and natural quartz mixed in the appropriate proportions with an excess of distilled deionized water were used as starting materials for the bracketing experiments. Reversibility was established by determining the relative growth or diminution (as judged by examining relative intensities of X-ray reflections) of the high with respect to the low temperature assemblage. The established curve lies 55"C below the synthesis point at P'p = 2 kbar established by Fawcett and Yoder for Mg-chlorite + quartz and 50'C below the reversed bracket at PH2o : I kbar established by Velde for clinochlore. Phase relations in the water-saturated, silica-rich portion of the system KrO-MgO-AlrOs-SiOr-HrO are more complex than had been suspected, due to the intersection ofthe phase boundary for the reaction above with the phase boundary for the reaction muscovite * clinochlore * quartz : cordierite + phlogopite + HrO.
Two sides of the same coin: The New Communities’ Program, grassroots organizations, and leadership development in two Chicago neighborhoods

Studies on community development have demonstrated that the presence of local nonprofits with ties to political and economic power holders may lead to a silencing of community voices or a narrowing...
Technetium Oxidation State Adjustment for Hanford Waste Processing

Technetium, as the pertechnetate anion (TcO4 −), is a very mobile species in the environment.1 This characteristic, along with its long half-life, (99Tc, t1/2 = 213,000 a) makes technetium a major contributor to the long-term hazard associated with the storage of low level waste (LLW) forms.2 Thus, technetium partitioning from nuclear waste stored at DOE sites (Hanford, Savannah River, Melton Valley, etc.) may be required so that the LLW forms meet the DOE performance assessment criteria for storage.
Composted manure application promotes long-term invasion of semi-arid rangeland by Bromus tectorum

Nutrient-rich organic waste derived from sewage treatment facilities or livestock manure is often applied to rangelands of western North America to increase soil fertility, forage production, forage quality, and soil carbon storage. This practice can have a number of undesirable side effects, however, including plant invasion. While characteristics of both rangeland ecosystems and invasive plants suggest that organic waste application might often promote invasion, results to date are mixed, perhaps due in part to the paucity of long-term studies. Here, we describe the long-term (22 yr) effects of three types of organic waste—composted biosolids, composted cattle manure, and fresh cattle manure—on plant productivity and invasion in native mixed-grass prairie. Although composted manure and biosolids increased plant productivity and forage quality in the second year of the study, these effects did not persist. In contrast, Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass), which invaded the study site over the course of the experiment, was strongly facilitated by composted manure addition, with particularly large effects observed in years 17 and 22. These results show that nutrient-rich organic waste can favor invasive species even in the relatively invasion-resistant grasslands of the western Great Plains. They also demonstrate that effects of organic waste on invasion can become apparent quite gradually and persist for decades following the initial organic waste application. Together, results from experimental additions of organic and inorganic nutrients to native rangelands suggest that the risk of promoting invasive species is significant, and should be considered in programs that apply organic waste to rangelands of western North America.
A Phenomenological Theory of Ecological Responsibility and Its Implications for Moral Agency in Climate Change

In a recent article appearing in this journal, Theresa Scavenius compellingly argues that the traditional “rational-individualistic” conception of responsibility is ill-suited to accounting for the sense in which moral agents share in responsibility for both contributing to the causes and, proactively, working towards solutions for climate change. Lacking an effective moral framework through which to make sense of individual moral responsibility for climate change, many who have good intentions and the means to contribute to solutions for climate change tend to dismiss or put off addressing the root causes. With this tendency arises the practical problem that climate change calls for urgent global collective action, both in terms of mitigation (addressing the root causes, especially by reducing GHG emissions) and adaptation, in order to prevent global temperature rise from exceeding 2C and avoid worst case climate scenarios. In this paper, I develop a phenomenological theory of ecological responsibility which addresses the conceptual problem Scavenius brings out and contributes to clarifying the sense in which moral agents share responsibility for both the causes and solutions for climate change. To develop this theory, I draw from, combine, and transform insights from the late work of Husserl on open horizons, transcendental intersubjectivity, and genetic phenomenology with breakthroughs from Emmanuel Levinas in articulating an original, asymmetrical theory of unlimited, diachronic responsibility. In drawing from Husserl, I show how what Levinas describes as the source of a demand for unlimited, diachronic responsibility (an encounter with the infinity of the other) can be phenomenologically reinterpreted in terms of a horizon of indeterminacy. I then show how horizons of indeterminacy arise in phenomenological descriptions of both human and nonhuman entities in such a way that discloses the demand for responsibility as a broad-ranging demand for unlimited, diachronic ecological responsibility. An important implication of this phenomenological theory of ecological responsibility is that it contributes to clarifying the sense in which individual moral agents share in responsibility for long range collective moral problems such as climate change.
Africa’s Evolving Employment Trends

Using nationally representative data from nine countries, we document demographic and employment trends in Africa’s workforce based on full-time labour equivalents (FTE). The FTE approach takes acc...
Reach to Recovery

Reach to Recovery is a program created especially to help psychologically and physically the woman who has just has breast surgery. To accomplish this, Reach to Recovery uses as volunteers only women who have themselves had a mastectomy and who have overcome the problems which often follow. These volunteers are specially trained for this delicate role, and they serve as positive proof of the possibility of complete adaptation. They are there to answer the questions the patient might hesitate to ask her doctor or her friends.
The Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenge of Anal Intraepithelial Neoplasia

No single modality of care serves as the defined best practice for the treatment of anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN). This review aims to present the common treatment modalities germane to AIN while considering evolving evidence. AIN affords an opportunity to evaluate and treat patients before the development of invasive diseases. Efforts to screen for AIN have yielded mixed results. The major available pharmacotheraputic and surgical options offer efficacious options to reduce the bioburden of disease but can be met with high levels of recurrent disease. None affords a predictably durable response in severe disease. Vaccination as primary prevention will likely reduce the overall upward trend in AIN. Evidence suggests vaccination also affords improvement in recurrent disease. Early evidence reveals potential benefit in multimodal approaches to control AIN. Valuable data is anticipated from the phase III, randomized ANCHOR study evaluating the management of high-grade AIN in HIV +patients.
Media Disaster Reporting Effects on Public Risk Perception and Response to Escalating Tornado Warnings: A Natural Experiment

Previous research has evaluated public risk perception and response to a natural hazards in various settings; however, most of these studies were conducted either with a single scenario or after a natural disaster struck. To better understand the dynamic relationships among affect, risk perception, and behavioral intentions related to natural disasters, the current study implements a simulation scenario with escalating weather intensity, and includes a natural experiment allowing comparison of public response before and after a severe tornado event with extensive coverage by the national media. The current study also manipulated the display of warning information, and investigated whether the warning system display format influences public response. Results indicate that (1) affect, risk perception, and behavioral intention escalated as weather conditions deteriorated, (2) responses at previous stages predicted responses at subsequent stages of storm progression, and (3) negative affect predicted risk perception. Moreover, risk perception and behavioral intention were heightened after exposure to the media coverage of an actual tornado disaster. However, the display format manipulation did not influence behavioral responses. The current study provides insight regarding public perception of predisaster warnings and the influence of exposure to media coverage of an actual disaster event.
Mental Health Mobile Phone App Usage, Concerns, and Benefits Among Psychiatric Outpatients: Comparative Survey Study.

Background: Despite the popularity of mental health apps, it is unknown if they are actually used by those with mental illness. This study assessed whether differences in clinic setting may influence the use of mental health apps and which factors influence patient perception of apps. Objective: The objective of this study was to gain an understanding of how individuals with mental illness use their mobile phones by exploring their access to mobile phones and their use of mental health apps. Methods: A single time point survey study was conducted over a 2-week period in February 2018 at two nearby outpatient psychiatry clinics: one serving largely mood and anxiety disorder patients with private insurance staffed by both faculty and residents and the other serving largely psychotic disorder patients in a state Department of Mental Health (DMH) setting. A total of 25 patients at the state DMH clinic also consented for a single time point observation of apps currently installed on their personal mobile phone. Results: A total of 113 patients at the private insurance clinic and 73 at the state DMH clinic completed the survey. Those in the private insurance clinic were more likely to download a mental health app compared to the state DMH clinic, but actual rates of reported current app usage were comparable at each clinic, approximately 10%. Verifying current apps on patients’ mobile phones at the state DMH clinic confirmed that approximately 10% had mental health apps installed. Patients at both clinics were most concerned about privacy of mental health apps, although those at the state DMH clinic viewed cost savings as the greatest benefit while those at the private clinic reported time as the greatest benefit. Conclusions: High interest in mental health apps does not automatically translate into high use. Our results of low but similar rates of mental health app use at diverse clinics suggests DMH patients with largely psychotic disorders are as interested and engaged with apps as those in a private insurance clinic treating largely mood and anxiety disorders. Results from our study also highlight the importance of understanding how actual patients are using apps instead of relying on internet-based samples, which often yield higher results due to their likelihood of being selected.
Surface Modification of Concrete Fiber Additives Using Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jets

Cement is a commonly employed building material used by the construction industry. It is the basic binding ingredient used in concrete and it is hailed for its high strength, low cost, and ease of use. It is a versatile material and is currently implemented across the world in building foundations, roadways, and even as load bearing walls. However, for all its strength, cement is brittle and cracks easily. To combat this problem it is often mixed with a fiber additive, such as nylon and polypropylene, to take advantage of the composite material properties. By adding fibers to the cement, the flexibility and overall effective strength and durability increases.
Licht- und elektronenmikroskopische Studien an kernhaltigen Erythrocyten

Das Cytoplasma der kernhaltigen Erythrocyten enthalt einige Mitochondrien von rundlicher oder irregularer Form in Nahe der Kernmembran. Das endoplasmatische Reticulum erscheint sparlich in Form kleiner Blaschen. Der nicht stark entwickelte Golgiapparat besitzt die Form rundlicher Vakuolen. Das Plasmalemm erscheint als doppelte osmiophile Membran von 90–100 A Dicke.
Attack and Defense of Dynamic Analysis-Based, Adversarial Neural Malware Detection Models

Recently researchers have proposed using deep learning-based systems for malware detection. Unfortunately, all deep learning classification systems are vulnerable to adversarial learning-based attacks, or adversarial attacks, where miscreants can avoid detection by the classification algorithm with very few perturbations of the input data. Previous work has studied adversarial attacks against static analysis-based malware classifiers which only classify the content of the unknown file without execution. However, since the majority of malware is either packed or encrypted, malware classification based on static analysis often fails to detect these types of files. To overcome this limitation, anti-malware companies typically perform dynamic analysis by emulating each file in the anti-malware engine or performing in-depth scanning in a virtual machine. These strategies allow the analysis of the malware after unpacking or decryption. In this work, we study different strategies of crafting adversarial samples for dynamic analysis. These strategies operate on sparse, binary inputs in contrast to continuous inputs such as pixels in images. We then study the effects of two, previously proposed defensive mechanisms against crafted adversarial samples including the distillation and ensemble defenses. We also propose and evaluate the weight decay defense. Experiments show that with these three defenses, the number of successfully crafted adversarial samples is reduced compared to an unprotected baseline system. In particular, the ensemble defense is the most resilient to adversarial attacks. Importantly, none of the defenses significantly reduce the classification accuracy for detecting malware. Finally, we show that while adding additional hidden layers to neural models does not significantly improve the malware classification accuracy, it does significantly increase the classifier's robustness to adversarial attacks.
Behavioral stereotypy and some ecological consequences of entrance-shaft placement of the domichnium Sanctum laurentiensis in Ordovician trepostomate Bryozoa

The ichnofossil Sanctum laurentiensis from the Late Ordovician (Cincinnatian) of Laurentia is a domichnium tunneled into live colonies of ramose and frondose trepostome Bryozoa. A preferred entranc...
Regulatory concerns regarding microwave packaging

Abstract This chapter reviews the primary regulations in the United States with regard to packaging to be utilized for microwaveable products. It discusses their development and the current situation in such areas as safety and food contact materials.
Left Atrial Strain in Evaluation of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction.

Background Patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) may have elevated left ventricular filling pressure with exercise (LVFP-ex), despite normal LVFP at rest. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic value of resting left atrial strain (LAS) in detecting elevated LVFP-ex in patients with dyspnea evaluated on exercise stress echocardiography. Methods Two-dimensional speckle-tracking analysis for LAS was performed in 669 consecutive patients (mean age, 64 ± 14 years; 53% men) who underwent treadmill echocardiographic evaluation and had left ventricular ejection fractions ≥ 50%. Assessment of LVFP at rest LVFP-ex was based on the 2016 American Society of Echocardiography guidelines for diastolic function assessment. An E/e′ ratio ≥ 15 after exercise is considered to indicate elevated LVFP-ex. A continuous diagnostic score of HFpEF was calculated on the basis of the European Society of Cardiology HFA-PEFF diagnostic algorithm. Results LASreservoir was lowest in patients with elevated LVFP at rest (n = 81) and lower in those with normal resting filling pressure who developed elevated LVFP-ex (n = 108) compared with those who maintained normal LVFP-ex (29.0 ± 5.2% vs 33.1 ± 5.0% vs 39.3 ± 4.8%, P Conclusions LASreservoir has potential to identify patients with intermediate scores for HFpEF who may develop elevated LVFP-ex only and is therefore a promising alternative to aid in diagnosis when exercise testing is not feasible.
TECNOLOGÍAS DE ARCHIVO, DISPOSITIVOS DE PRIVATIZACIÓN Y PRÁCTICAS ANARCHIVISTAS DEL CONOCIMIENTO. SOBRE LAS MUTACIONES UNIVERSITARIAS DEL SIGLO XXI

This article looks into some of the transformations that affect the contemporary university, underlining their close relationship with the emergence of digital archiving technologies. It is postulated that the process of massification and globalization of the university is inseparable from the development of new knowledge registration technologies. Moreover, contrary to the celebratory discourses of digital networks, we seek to highlight the role of such technologies in the configuration of devices for knowledge privatization, which subdue research and academic production to a new regime of capitalist data accumulation. We also set forth the forms of resistance against the new archontic power that manages knowledge records using archival technologies subversively. Thus, it is concluded that the struggle for the university must also be understood as a struggle for the collectivization of knowledge registration technologies.
The Business Roundtable and the politics of U.S. manufacturing decline in the global 1970s

As the ‘golden age of American capitalism’ drew to a close in the 1970s, major U.S. manufacturing companies mobilised politically to defend their long-standing hegemony. Despite notable policy vict...
The educational incorporation of DACA recipients in multilayered immigration policy contexts

This analysis examines how multilayered policy contexts of reception shape the educational experiences in higher education of the recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) pro...
Impact of 18-French Rectal Tube Placement on Image Quality of Multiparametric Prostate MRI.

This study compared prostate multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) performed using an 18-French rectal tube in place throughout the examination after initial placement by a technologist (n = 97) with mpMRI p...
Photoporomechanics: An Experimental Method to Visualize the Effective Stress Field in Fluid-Filled Granular Media

Effective stress governs the mechanical behavior of porous media. In this study, we use photoelasticimetry to visualize the evolving effective stress field in fluid-filled granular media in processes that couple fluid flow and mechanical deformation. We refer to this experimental method as photoporomechanics. We develop a fabrication process to produce millimeter-scale residual-stress-free photoelastic spheres with high geometric accuracy. We use color to quantify the forces acting on the particles over a wide range of forces, while using light intensity for a small range of forces. We then provide an application of photoporomechanics to illustrate the evolution of effective stress during one-dimensional consolidation: a process by which the stresses caused by a sudden load are gradually transmitted through a fluid-filled granular pack as the fluid drains and excess pore pressures dissipate. Our technique provides a powerful experimental model system to study the grain-scale underpinning of coupled solid-fluid processes in granular media.
Capturing the Most Active State of a Palladium(0) Cross-Coupling Catalyst

Zerovalent palladium complexes are ubiquitous active species in modern cross-coupling reactions that comprise many premier methods for the construction of C–C and C–heteroatom bonds in organic synthesis. While palladium(0) complexes stabilized by two or more dative ligands are widely known, the most active form of Pd(0) coordinated by a single ancillary ligand (“monoligated Pd(0)”) has long eluded direct characterization. We report the synthesis and unambiguous solution- and solid-state characterization of functionally 12-electron Pd(0) complexes coordinated by a single tri(1-adamantyl)phosphine (PAd3) ligand. Access to these fleeting intermediates was achieved by enabling B-to-Pd transmetalation reactions that occur at cryogenic temperature. This work opens new avenues to experimentally interrogate highly reactive on-cycle Pd(0) catalysts and their structure-dependent reactivity and speciation, which should be broadly informative in continuing studies of catalytic processes featuring the prevalent Pd(0)/Pd(II) redox couple.
When Love Comes Calling: Measuring Sexual Selection on Sagebrush Crickets

Male sagebrush crickets exhibit differential mating success based on their previous mating experience: virgin males have a higher probability of obtaining a mating than do non-virgin males. Measures of lifetime mating success in male sagebrush crickets have revealed that the median mating frequency is one, with many males failing to secure a mate at all and a small minority obtaining two to four mates. The purpose of this study was to investigate the acoustic and morphological characteristics that make male sagebrush crickets attractive to females. Male crickets were captured from Deadmanâs Bar in Grand Teton National Park and their songs were recorded on subsequent evenings. Five song characteristics were measured including pulse duration, interpulse duration, dominant frequency, train duration, and intertrain duration. Multivariate selection analysis revealed significant linear and nonlinear selection on male song, with each of the five measured song characters contributing to male attractiveness. There was significant directional selection favoring longer pulse durations and shorter interpulse durations, which could be an honest indicator of male quality because these song characters likely impose high energetic costs. Significant stabilizing selection favored males with ~ 13.2 kHz calls and intermediate intertrain durations, which may be imposed by the auditory sensitivity of females.
Digital logic and signal processing computations with molecular reactions

Just as electronic systems implement computation in terms of voltage (energy per unit charge), molecular systems compute in terms of chemical concentrations (em molecules per unit volume ). Broadly, the field strives for molecular implementations of computational processes – that is to say processes that transform input concentrations of chemical types into output concentrations of chemical types. In this dissertation, we present methodologies to implement digital signal processing (DSP) operations, such as filtering and signal transformation, and digital logic operations, such as latching and flip-flopping, with molecular reactions. Molecular reactions that produce time-varying output quantities of molecules as a function of time-varying input quantities are designed according to a DSP or logic specification. Unlike all previous schemes for molecular computation, the methodology produces designs that are dependent only on coarse rate categories for the reactions ("fast" and "slow"). Given such categories, the computation is exact and independent of the specific reaction rates. We first present a methodology for implementing DSP through a globally synchronous, locally asynchornous scheme we call the RGB scheme. We then present a general methodology for implementing synchronous sequential computation. We generate a four-phase clock signal through robust, sustained chemical oscillations. We implement memory elements by transferring concentrations between molecular types in alternating phases of the clock. Thirdly, we propose a general methodology for implementing asynchronous sequential computation, including a method to schedule data flow for feed-forward systems and a method to implement systems with feedback loops. Finally, we present a methodology for systematic synthesis of various types of sequential digital logic. Given a system specification, a chemical reaction network is synthesized to perform the input/output logic functions. Synthesized systems are concise and robust in that computation accuracy does not depend on specific values of rate constants. All designs are mapped into DNA strand displacement reactions and validated through transient simulations of the chemical kinetics at the DNA reactions level.
Photon statistics of a single mode of spontaneous Raman scattering in a distributed Raman amplifier

Experimental measurement of spontaneous noise statistics from a distributed Raman amplifier has been achieved with single-mode and single-photon resolution. The results agree with quantum theoretical predictions of a Bose-Einstein probability distribution. Distributed Raman amplification is becoming increasingly important in today's optical communication systems. It improves the optical signal-to-noise ratio by providing optical gain inside the transmission fiber.
Towards allele-level human leucocyte antigens genotyping - assessing two next-generation sequencing platforms: Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine and Illumina MiSeq.

Summary Human leucocyte antigens (HLA) typing has been a challenge due to extreme polymorphism of the HLA genes and limitations of the current technologies and protocols used for their characterization. Recently, next-generation sequencing techniques have been shown to be a well-suited technology for the complete characterization of the HLA genes. However, a comprehensive assessment of the different platforms for HLA typing, describing the limitations and advantages of each of them, has not been presented. We have compared the Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine (PGM) and Illumina MiSeq, currently the two most frequently used platforms for diagnostic applications, for a number of metrics including total output, quality score per position across the reads and error rates after alignment which can all affect the accuracy of HLA genotyping. For this purpose, we have used one homozygous and three heterozygous well-characterized samples, at HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C, HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1. The total output of bases produced by the MiSeq was higher, and they have higher quality scores and a lower overall error rate than the PGM. The MiSeq also has a higher fidelity when sequencing through homopolymer regions up to 9 bp in length. The need to set phase between distant polymorphic sites was more readily achieved with MiSeq using paired-end sequencing of fragments that are longer than those obtained with PGM. Additionally, we have assessed the workflows of the different platforms for complexity of sample preparation, sequencer operation and turnaround time. The effects of data quality and quantity can impact the genotyping results; having an adequate amount of good quality data to analyse will be imperative for confident HLA genotyping. The overall turnaround time can be very comparable between the two platforms; however, the complexity of sample preparation is higher with PGM, while the actual sequencing time is longer with MiSeq.
Nonlinear Functionals of Empirical Measures and the Bootstrap

This paper aims at extending the theory of differentiable statistical functionals in connection with empirical processes and the bootstrap.
Protein Z-Dependent Regulation of Coagulation

Protein Z (PZ) is a 62 kDa vitamin K-dependent plasma protein that serves as a cofactor for the inhibition of factor Xa by protein Z-dependent protease inhibitor (ZPI). ZPI is a recently identified 72 kDa member of the serpin superfamily of proteinase inhibitors that contains a tyrosine at its reactive center. PZ circulates in plasma in a complex with ZPI. Inhibition of factor Xa by ZPI in the presence of phospholipids and Ca++ is enhanced 1000-fold by PZ, but ZPI also inhibits factor XIa in a process that does not require PZ, phospholipids or Ca++. ZPI activity is consumed during coagulation through proteolysis mediated by factor Xa with PZ and factor Xla. Concomitant PZ deficiency dramatically increases the severity of the prothrombotic phenotype of factor VLeiden mice. Studies to determine the potential roles of PZ and ZPI deficiency in human thrombosis are in progress.
Advancing pain care--core competencies for pain management.

The various unpleasant sensations that collectively are known as pain are among the most important means by which the body signals that it is hurt or malfunctioning, and everyone experiences pain in one form or another at least occasionally. Regrettably, many people experience pain as a regularly recurring or continuous part of their lives as a result of advanced age, injury, or chronic illness, among other reasons. Because pain so often accompanies injury or illness, it is the overall most common symptom that causes people to consult a physician or other health care provider. And because pain is such a common and important symptom, much time and attention in health care professional training is devoted to understanding the various types of pain and to learning to recognize the diagnostic significance of the anatomic location, character, frequency, intensity, and other characteristics of pain. Indeed, we are taught that the nature of one's pain in and of itself can be largely diagnostic of some conditions. In stark contrast, relatively scant attention in health care professional training is given to understanding how to successfully manage pain in its many forms and contexts. The lack of attention to managing pain in health care professional training is perplexing given the frequency of pain as a symptom and the large …
Instrument for calibrating atomic force microscope standards

To facilitate the use of AFMs for manufacturing we have initiated a project to develop and calibrate artifacts which can in turn be used to calibrate a commercial AFM so that subsequent AFM measurement are accurate and traceable back to the wavelength of light. We plan to calibrate our artifacts using a specially designed AFM system which we call the Calibrated AFM (C-AFM). The C-AFM has been constructed as much as possible out of commercially available components. We use a flexure stage driven by piezoelectric transducers for scanning; a heterodyne interferometer to measure the X-Y position of the sample; a capacitance sensor to measure the Z position of the sample; and a commercially available AFM control system. The control system has two feedback loops which read from the X and Y interferometers, respectively, and adjust the piezoelectric voltages to keep the X-Y scan position accurate. The critical electromechanical and metrology issues involved in the construction and operation of such a system are discussed in detail.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Thermal expansion of ferroelectric TGS in the presence of a uniform electric field

Abstract We have measured the b-axis thermal expansion coefficient, α, of ferroelectric tri-glycine sulfate (TGS) near its Curie temperature in the presence of uniform d.c. fields along the same axis. The results show qualitative agreement with scaling.