cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
X‐ray microtomography studies of nascent polyolefin particles polymerized over magnesium chloride‐supported catalysts

Drastic changes occur during the initial stages of the α-olefin polymerization over heterogeneous catalysts. Fragmentation of the support takes place as polymer is formed at the active sites within the voids of the support/catalyst. Magnesium chloride-supported titanium catalyst/polymer particles have been analyzed employing high-resolution computed microtomography (CMT) using synchrotron radiation at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The changes in morphology, the spatial distribution of the support/catalyst fragments, porosity, and polymer distribution in single growing polypropylene and polyethylene particles have been studied. These studies documented considerable macroporosity ( > 2 μm in size) within the growing catalyst/support/polymer particles. The largest pores may be due to agglomeration of smaller subparticles. Our results confirm that the initial fragmentation of the support proceeds readily and uniformly to yield a multi-grain growth of subparticle agglomerates. The support/catalyst fragments appear to be distributed relatively uniformly within the growing polymer particle. The surface of the subparticle agglomerates is accessible through the void-space between growing catalyst/particle grains. This may facilitate monomer transport to the activate sites through the polymer/catalyst particles. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
International assignment experience at the top can make a bottom-line difference

This article addresses the question of whether international assignment experience in the top management team makes a bottom-line difference. Based on the premise and observations that executive international assignment experience is rare, valuable, and hard to imitate, we suggest that in the right organizational context, it can create competitive advantage. The authors show how such experience can benefit companies and executives financially and discuss how companies can help ensure a supply of internationally seasoned candidates for future executive positions. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Creating Jobs Via the 2009 Recovery Act: State Medicaid Grant Compared to Broadly-Directed Spending

Researchers have used cross-state differences to assess the jobs impact of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (the Recovery Act). Existing studies find that the Act's broadly-directed spending (i.e. excluding tax cuts) increased employment, at a cost-per-job of roughly three to five times that of typical employment compensation in the U.S. Other research finds that a particular component of the Act ─ emergency Medicaid grants to states ─ created jobs at a cost of 12% to 20% that of broadly-directed spending. This paper shows that these differences across the components' impacts can be explained by omitted variables in the existing work on the emergency Medicaid grants. Adjusting for the omissions, the jobs effect of the Act's Medicaid grants becomes substantially weaker. The omissions are: (i) not controlling the degree of (non-Recovery Act) federal dependency, (ii) not duly controlling for pre-Act housing and labor market conditions, and (iii) not conditioning on Recovery Act funding beyond that from the Act's Medicaid grants. Adjusting for any one of these omissions, by itself, results in a substantial increase in the cost of job creation and/or no statistically significant jobs effect.
Increased levels of nuclear factor κB and Fos-related antigen 1 in lung tissues from patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Abstract Context.—Both nuclear factor κB and Fos-related antigen 1 have been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory lung diseases, including acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome. Objective.—To evaluate lung tissues from patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome for presence of nuclear factor κB and Fos-related antigen 1. Design.—Lung tissue sections from 5 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome and sections of normal lung tissues of 4 patients were stained with antibodies against epithelial cell marker (surfactant protein B) and nuclear factor κB or Fos-related antigen 1. Samples were analyzed using confocal laser microscopy. Results.—We have detected significantly increased levels of activated nuclear factor κB and Fos-related antigen 1 in lung tissues from patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome compared with control tissues, suggesting that these transcription factors undergo activation in lungs of patients suffering from acute respiratory distress ...
Nanoparticle Ligands and Pyrolized Graphitic Carbon in CZTSSe Photovoltaic Devices

Thin-film photovoltaic (PV) devices can be fabricated using a solution-based synthesis procedure in which metal-chalcogenide nanocrystals with aliphatic coordinating ligands are suspended in a solvent to produce a printable ink (NC-ink). However, the aliphatic ligands that are used to solubilize and stabilize the nanocrystals operate as a significant source of carbon impurities that are incorporated into the final device absorber layer. Despite the ubiquity of this technique and the fact that carbon defects have been reported to be found across a spectrum of devices, the structure, properties, and influence of the carbon on PV device performance remain relatively unexplored. Our findings indicate that these organic ligands undergo a pyrolysis reaction during annealing, producing an electrically conductive, graphitic carbon that also reacts with chalcogens (S or Se) to produce heterocyclic moieties. In this work, we used oleylamine (OLA) and dodecylamine (DDA) to fabricate Cu2ZnSn(SxSe1–x)4 (CZTSSe) photov...
Enhanced Luminance of Electrochemical Cells with a Rationally Designed Ionic Iridium Complex and an Ionic Additive.

Light-emitting electrochemical cells (LEECs) offer the potential for high efficiency operation from an inexpensive device. However, long turn-on times and low luminance under steady-state operation are longstanding LEEC issues. Here, we present a single-layer LEEC with a custom-designed iridium(III) complex and a lithium salt additive for enhanced device performance. These devices display reduced response times, modest lifetimes, and peak luminances as high as 5500 cd/m2, 80% higher than a comparable device from an unoptimized complex and 50% higher than the salt-free device. Improved device efficiency suggests that salt addition balances space charge effects at the interfaces. Extrapolation suggests favorable half-lives of 120 ± 10 h at 1000 cd/m2 and 3800 ± 400 h at 100 cd/m2. Overall, complex design and device engineering produce competitive LEECs from simple, single-layer architectures.
An Ecological Perspective of Latina/o College Student Ethnicity.

ABSTRACTAlthough Latinos are the largest minority population in the United States and the largest minority population on American campuses, there is little research concerning Latino college student ethnic identity. This study incorporates an ecological model to examine the levels of influence of different settings and backgrounds of Latino college students. The findings show that Latinos from different countries of origin and within the same countries of origin identify their ethnic identity differently depending on several factors including generation, immigration status, country of origin, language preferences, and discrimination.
Health Care Utilization and Satisfaction Concerning Gender-Specific Health Problems among Military Women

There is growing concern regarding the quality of gender-specific health care for military women in general and for female veterans of the Persian Gulf War in particular. This paper reports on health care utilization rates for gender-specific problems and describes differences in these rates among age, rank, and component groups of a randomly selected sample of military women. Study findings provide preliminary evidence for a closer examination of health care services for women within the armed forces, particularly within specific cohorts, to better target both services and policy.
Maple Syrup Urine Disease and Cerebral Edema

Cerebral edema causing death in four children with maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is reported from St.
Microbiological Quality of Catfish Frames Treated with Selected Phosphates

This study examined the effects of trisodium phosphate (TSP), sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), and sodium metaphosphate (SMP) dipping solutions on the microbiological quality of catfish frames (the carcasses remaining after skinless boneless fillets are removed). Frames were dipped for 5 min in 10% phosphate solutions at 5°C, drained for 2 min, and analyzed for aerobic plate counts and total coliform counts. TSP reduced aerobic plate and total coliform counts by 1.0 and 2.5 log CFU/ml of rinse buffer, respectively. STPP reduced aerobic plate and total coliform counts by 0.3 and 1.0 logs, respectively. SMP did not reduce aerobic plate counts, but did decrease total coliform counts by 0.7 logs. The microbiological shelf life (time to reach 10 7 CFU/ml) of the frames treated with TSP was 3 days longer than controls. Rinsing frames in water after phosphate treatment reduced the effectiveness of the dips. The results demonstrate that TSP was more effective than either STPP or SMP in reducing microbial numbers on the surface of the frames and provided a subsequent shelf life extension.
Agreement between cytotechnologists and cytopathologists as a new measure of cytopathologist performance in gynecologic cytology

BACKGROUND Although objective measures of cytotechnologist (CT) and cytopathologist (CP) performance exist, challenges remain. Two assumptions deserve examination: CPs' interpretations are correct, and CTs and CPs render interpretations independently of each other. This study presents a CT-CP interpretation comparison and provides insight into these assumptions. METHODS Every gynecologic cytology specimen examined by both a CT and a CP from December 2004 to March 2015 was extracted from the laboratory information system; glandular interpretations were excluded. Excel and SAS were used for CT-CP pair analysis. CT-CP pairs with fewer than 32 specimens (the lowest quartile) were excluded. For the remaining CT-CP pairs, 30 specimens or 10% of the specimens (whichever was higher) were randomly selected for comparison by a weighted κ statistic. κ values greater than 0.6 represented good agreement within CT-CP pairs. RESULTS This study evaluated 7116 of 53,241 gynecologic cytology specimens (13.4%) that received CT and CP interpretations. This resulted in 155 pair-specific κ values from 15 CTs and 16 CPs. In aggregate, the κ values had a mean of 0.64, a standard deviation of 0.14, a median of 0.65, and a range of 0.27 to 0.91. Nine CTs exhibited good agreement in the majority of their pair-specific κ values with CPs (high-concordance CTs; 88 pair-specific κ values). This allowed us to identify outlier CPs who did not demonstrate good agreement with high-concordance CTs (16 of 88 pair-specific κ values [18.2%]). CONCLUSIONS Laboratories can use this κ to determine when CP levels of agreement with CTs depart from those of their peers. Adding this to established metrics can give a more nuanced impression of CP performance. Cancer Cytopathol 2017;125:576–80. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Extinction selectivity among marine fishes during multistressor global change in the end-Permian and end-Triassic crises

Author(s): Vazquez, P; Clapham, ME | Abstract: Ancient mass extinction events such as the end-Permian and end- Triassic crises provide analogues for multistressor global change of ocean warming, pH reduction, and deoxygenation. Organism physiology is hypothesized to be a key trait influencing vulnerability to these stressors, but it is not certain how physiology predicts survival over evolutionary time scales and when organisms are faced with opposing or synergistic stressors. Fishes (bony fishes and chondrichthyan fishes) are active organisms with high aerobic scope for thermal tolerance and well-developed acid-base regulation, traits that should confer resilience to global change. To test this, we compiled a database of fossil marine fish occurrences to quantify extinction rates during background and mass extinctions from the Permian through Early Jurassic, using maximum likelihood estimation to compare extinction trajectories with marine invertebrates. Our results show that fewer chondrichthyan fishes underwent extinction than marine invertebrates during the end-Permian crisis. End-Triassic chondrichthyan extinction rates also were not elevated above background levels. In contrast, bony fishes underwent an end-Triassic extinction comparable to that of marine invertebrates. The differing responses of these two groups imply that a more active physiology can be advantageous during global change, although not uniformly. Permian-Triassic chondrichthyan fishes may have had broader environmental tolerances, facilitating survival. Alternatively, the larger offspring size of chondrichthyan fishes may provide greater energy reserves to offset the demands of warming and acidification. Although more active organisms have adult adaptations for thermal tolerance and pH regulation, some may nevertheless be susceptible to global change during early life stages.
Early clinical xenotransplantation experiences—An interview with Thomas E. Starzl, MD, PhD

Dr Thomas E. Starzl, who died on March 4, 2017, was one of the great pioneers of organ transplantation. He was also a pioneer in the field of xenotransplantation. In 1964, he carried out baboon kidney transplants in six patients with terminal renal disease for whom no living or deceased donor became available; graft survival was for 19-60 days, the grafts being lost largely through continuous complement activation. Between 1966 and 1974, he carried out one ex vivo liver perfusion and three orthotopic liver transplants using chimpanzees as sources of organs; graft survival was for <14 days. In 1992 and 1993, his team carried out baboon liver transplantation in two patients with cirrhosis from hepatitis B infection; graft survival was for 70 and 26 days, respectively. This early clinical experience is briefly discussed. Toward the end of his life, Dr Starzl was somewhat disillusioned by what he considered excessive regulation of medical research in the United States and believed that new advances were now likely to take place in countries such as China, where the regulatory framework is less developed.
Increased Coronary Tortuosity Is Associated with Increased Left Ventricular Longitudinal Myocardial Shortening

Background The mechanistic basis for tortuosity of the coronary arteries (TCA) is unclear. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the relative degree of systolic longitudinal shortening of the left ventricle that deforms coaxially oriented coronary arteries is associated with TCA. Methods Adult subjects undergoing coronary angiography and comprehensive echocardiography within 3 months were classified dichotomously as with ( n = 32) or without ( n = 42) TCA defined on the basis of number and severity of coronary angles. Systolic left ventricular (LV) longitudinal deformation was determined by mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE) from both B-mode displacement and tissue Doppler time-velocity integral; data were indexed to LV diastolic long-axis length. Results There were no differences between groups with respect to age, gender, hypertension, or coronary artery disease. Patients with TCA had significantly ( P P P Conclusions TCA is not associated with increased LV mass but rather with smaller hearts that have greater relative longitudinal shortening of the left ventricle. This finding suggests that TCA could represent an adaptive response to longitudinal systolic distortion of coaxially oriented coronary arteries that dynamically produce shear stresses associated with expansive coronary remodeling.
Reducing Redundant Anaerobic Therapy Through Spaced Education and Antimicrobial Stewardship Interventions.

Background Decreasing the use of redundant anaerobic therapy is a key target for antimicrobial stewardship. Education techniques that optimize knowledge retention could be an important component of reducing these regimens. Methods We implemented a quality improvement project that incorporated spaced education to reduce the use of redundant anaerobic therapy. The initial interventions (November through December 2015) included education in a hospital-wide newsletter and review of redundant anaerobic regimens by the antimicrobial stewardship program. A spaced education module was then developed with the gastroenterology (GI) service, which had a relatively high rate of redundant anaerobic therapy use. Ten questions with teaching points were delivered to GI physicians at spaced intervals over 2 to 4 weeks (February through March 2016). Knowledge scores were compared at initial and final question presentation using generalized estimating equations. Interrupted time-series analysis was used to compare the rates of redundant-metronidazole-days per 1000 patient-days among patients in the patients admitted to the GI service and those in the non-GI group before and after the intervention. Results Of 66 GI physicians, 56 (85%) participated in the spaced education activity. After the intervention, their knowledge scores on all the questions improved, and their mean knowledge score increased from 57% to 86% (P < .001). Nearly all (91%) of the participants were very or generally satisfied with the activity. In the GI group, the rate of redundant-metronidazole-days decreased from 26.2 to 13.0 per 1000 patient-days (relative risk [RR], 0.45 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.27-0.73]; P = .001). This rate in the non-GI group also decreased from 5.47 to 2.18 per 1000 patient-days (RR, 0.47 [95% CI, 0.36-0.60]; P < .001) after our interventions. Conclusions Spaced education is an effective approach for teaching antimicrobial stewardship topics. Focused provider education was associated with a sustained reduction in the use of redundant anaerobic therapy.
Comparison of dual structure axial flux-switching permanent magnet machines

This paper presents a new study on the comparison of dual-rotor single-stator (DRSS) and dual-stator single-rotor (DSSR) axial flux-switching permanent magnet (AxFSPM) machines. The DRSS and DSSR AxFSPM machines have the same dimensions except for stator and rotor yoke lengths. 3-D finite element analysis (FEA) and experimental verification are used for the comparison study. The comparison results show that the DRSS AxFSPM machine reduces leakage flux in both airgap and housing compare to the DSSR AxFSPM machine. For this reason, the DRSS AxFSPM machine achieves higher fundamental back-EMF and average torque than those of the DSSR AxFSPM machine. The DRSS AxFSPM machine also achieves higher efficiency than that of the DSSR AxFSPM machine because of lower housing loss and higher output power. The DRSS AxFSPM machine suffers severe pulsating z-axis force at rotor fixture.
An on-chip resonant-gate-drive switched-capacitor converter for near-threshold computing achieving 70.2% efficiency at 0.92A/mm 2 current density and 0.4V output

Near-threshold computing (NTC) is a promising approach to address the increasing demand for energy efficiency in computing platforms. In NTC, the supply voltage is scaled down to realize quadratic energy savings while degrading the operating frequency only linearly, which can be compensated by using many-core architectures. However, practical implementation of many-core NTC systems requires a large number of on-chip DC-DC converters to provide each core with independent voltages and fast dynamic voltage scaling at a reduced cost. Moreover, these converters must support heavy loads (a few hundreds of milliamps) to supply the current required per core, or cluster of cores, while occupying minimal area (i.e. high current density) and achieving high power-conversion efficiency at low output voltages.
Invasive meningococcal disease without meningitis: a forgotten diagnosis

Neisseria meningitidis, a Gram-negative diplococcus, is an uncommon cause of pneumonia. There have been only about 344 cases reported worldwide from 1906 to 2015. To our knowledge, there have been only 3 cases reported in the USA in the past 2 decades. We present a case of a 72-year-old male with a past medical history of severe COPD, obstructive sleep apnea, and stage I lung cancer status post-stereotactic body radiation therapy 1 year ago, who was admitted with a 6-day history of productive cough with yellowish sputum, shortness of breath, extreme myalgias, and fatigue. Chest X-ray revealed an infiltrative process in the left lower lung field and left-sided pleural effusion. Blood cultures grew beta-lactamase-negative N. meningitidis after 24 hours. Our patient was initially treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics, which were later switched to amoxicillin to complete a total of 14 days of antibiotics. Diagnosing meningococcal pneumonia requires a high level of suspicion, as sputum cultures may be falsely positive due to asymptomatic carriage of the organism in the upper respiratory tract in up to 10% of outpatient population. We highlight this case as early recognition and treatment is critical. The case fatality rate for N. meningitidis pneumonia has been reported to be higher compared with meningococcal meningitis.
The yype I IFN pathway in C. difficile infection: impact on morbidity and mortality in mice (MPF4P.737)

Infections with C. difficile are increasingly prevalent in individuals in health care settings and are becoming a concern in food animals. C. difficile is a gram positive, anaerobic bacteria known for its ability to form spores that are exceedingly difficult to kill. Disruption of the normal gut microbiota allows C. difficile spores to germinate, divide and produce toxins that compromise the intestinal barrier resulting in extreme inflammation. Currently, little is known about the innate immune response in Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). We hypothesized that type I IFNs may play a crucial role in innate protection from CDI. We found that IFNAR-deficient mice succumbed to CDI more rapidly compared to wild type mice. In addition, wild type mice treated with type I IFN-inducing dsRNA mimetic, polyIC, had delayed onset of symptoms compared to mice treated with saline. Since type I IFNs can block damaging inflammasome activity, this potential mechanism was explored. Wild type and IFNAR-deficient mice were treated with DMSO or the inflammasome-blocking agent, Glibenclamide. Glibenclamide-treated IFNAR-deficient mice faired better than all groups. This finding suggests that type I IFN signaling may protect from CDI in part by blocking the inflammasome. Considering that recombinant type I IFN is already used clinically, investigation of this pathway may present new treatment options for this emerging infection.
FRANSYS: A Software System for the Simulation of Crack Propagation in Three Dimensions

The FRacture ANalysis SYStem (FRANSYS) is a collection of programs developed and/or integrated into one cohesive package. The purpose of this package is to allow a person knowledgeable about fracture mechanics and numerical stress analysis to perform simulations of the behavior of structures containing cracks. This system is suitable for the simulation of structures which are three-dimensional in nature and which may exhibit changes in geometry and topology during the course of the simulation. These simulations may account for time dependent and/or nonlinear material responses.
Plasma clearance rates of coagulation factors VIII and IX in factor-deficient individuals.

The plasma clearance rates of factors IX and VIII were determined in patients with hemophilia A and B who had received factor replacement by prolonged, continuous infusion of factor concentrates. The clearance rates were calculated by dividing the factor infusion rates by the steady-state plasma factor activities corrected for base-line factor activities. The mean factor IX clearance rate in eight factor IX- deficient patients was 233 mL/h (range 159 to 340 mL/h). The mean normalized clearance rate was 3.4 mL/h/kg. The mean factor VIII clearance rate in eight factor VIII-deficient patients was 294 mL/h (range 229 to 361 mL/h) and the mean normalized rate was 5.0 mL/h/kg. Both factors show linear relationships between the factor infusion rates and the steady-state plasma factor activities achieved.
Case 1: 14-month-old Boy with Refusal to Bear Weight.

1. Kaylee M. Struewing, DO* 2. Erich Maul, DO, MPH* 1. *Department of Pediatrics, University of Kentucky, Kentucky Children’s Hospital, Lexington, KY A 14-month-old boy presents with fever; a swollen, erythematous left leg; and refusal to bear weight. Swelling and bruising were noted in the foot, ankle, and knee after being picked up from child care. He was febrile up to 100.9°F (38.3°C) at home. He has had cough and congestion for the past week with clear rhinorrhea. He was born at 36 weeks' gestation and has a history of chronic otitis media, which resolved with tympanostomy tube placement 2 months ago. His vital signs are as follows: blood pressure, 105/53 mm Hg; heart rate, 152 beats/min; respiratory rate, 17 breath/min; and temperature, 98.2°F (36.8°C). The boy is sleepy but well-appearing and in no acute distress. He has normal range of motion of all joints, with minimal pain on manipulation of the left ankle. There is erythema over the lateral aspect of the ankle and the dorsum of the foot without fluctuance. He has no pain with passive motion of the hip or knee joints bilaterally. There is drainage from the left ear, suggesting acute otitis media. Laboratory evaluation demonstrates a white blood cell (WBC) count of 16,200/μL (16.2×109/L), a C-reactive protein (CRP) level of 2.7 mg/L (25.71 nmol/L) (reference range, 0–10 mg/L [0–95 nmol/L]), and an erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) of 27 mm/h. Radiographs of the tibia and fibula are …
Improved utilization of waist-to-height ratio in cardiometabolic risk counselling in children: Application of DMAIC strategy.

Rationale, aims, and objectives Waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) are superior surrogate markers of central obesity than body mass index. However, WC is not measured routinely in paediatric clinics. The objective of this study was to implement measurement of WC during routine assessment of children in an ambulatory outpatient clinic setting and subsequent dissemination of cardiometabolic risk counselling in children with central obesity (defined as WHtR ≥0.5). Method Prospective cohort of patients aged 6 to 20 years. Study period was divided into three phases: baseline (3 months), process improvement (2 months), and implementation (6 months). Define-Measure-Analyse-Improve-Control (DMAIC) strategy was applied. Measurement of WC was implemented as a component of the physical examination in patients. Outcome measures were (1) improvement in frequency of WC measurement and (2) utilization of WHtR in cardiometabolic risk counselling. Results Waist circumference was not measured in any patient during baseline phase (n = 551). During process improvement phase, of the total 347 patients, WC was measured in 35% vs target of 30%. In the implementation phase, WC was measured in 37% patients (365 out of 964). Of these 365 patients, 175 (48%) had elevated WHtR, and 73% of them (n = 128) were counselled about their increased cardiometabolic risk. Conclusions Application of an evidence-based DMAIC protocol led to significant improvement in assessment for central obesity in an ambulatory clinic practice and appropriate counselling regarding cardiometabolic risk reduction in children and adolescents with central obesity over an 8-month period. Meticulous planning and execution, frequent reinforcement, and integrating feedback from the involved multi-disciplinary team were important factors in successful implementation of this quality improvement project.
Determinants of Vietnamese Colleges’ Academic Performance: The Second Stage Bootstrapping DEA Approach

This paper aims to examine the determinants of the academic performance of 141 colleges in Vietnam in 2011/12–2013/14. The second-stage bootstrapping data envelopment analysis is proposed to estimate performance of colleges and investigate the effects of environmental factors on their performance. The findings reveal that colleges in the surveyed sample are not technically efficient in their operations. To obtain the full efficiency of unity, colleges could potentially improve their efficiencies, on average, 37.7 per cent for colleges. However, inefficiencies of colleges are not entirely a result of managerial performance. Instead, external factors including location, age, and ownership are presented as key influencers on inefficiencies of colleges. Our results are expected to provide more understanding of the operational efficiencies of colleges for educational managers and policy makers on the way seeking possible solutions to enhancing innovation in performance of Vietnamese colleges.
School-Based Weekend Feeding Program: A Comparison Group Design Documents Selection Efficacy and Appreciable Effects on School Attendance

Food insecurity is experienced by one in five children in the United States. Weekend feeding programs administered in schools are designed to alleviate food insecurity and rely on the ability of sc...
Tidying Up Your Early Childhood Repertoire List

Using the popular book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, I propose several steps an early childhood music teacher can undertake in “tidying up” one’s repertoire list. These incl...
Hitting a ball on a spring: a simple model for understanding decoherence with wavefunctions

The typical approach to studying decoherence begins by examining a combined system and interacting environment (termed bath), and then deriving a master equation to examine the behavior of the density matrix after tracing over the bath, typically by invoking the Markovian approximation. This approach is quite successful for a large variety of systems however is frequently a non-intuitive picture that can mask the fundamental behavior of the system. We examine here a simple model that captures the essence of decoherence and study it using the wavefunction picture, invoking the analytic concepts of the correspondence principle, the method of images, the phase jitter concept, and the scattering matrix formalism. We complement this with a numerical study using the split operator FFT method, the forced harmonic oscillator method, and the thawed Gaussian approximation.
Utopian Thought and the Meeker Massacre of 1879

Nathan Meeker is the only nineteenth-century utopianist to have been murdered by the community he attempted to transform. In 1879, he was Agent to the White River Utes of northwestern Colorado, and there he was killed by a band of Utes. Eerily, Meeker came close to predicting his demise years earlier, in a novel about an American sea captain, shipwrecked on an island, who embarks on a utopian project among the natives. They reject his civilizational mission, and he barely escapes with his life. The Meeker Massacre, on the other hand, precipitated the forced removal of the Utes from Colorado to Utah. This chapter addresses conceptions of Native Americans, and the different ways social theories configured interactions between Utes and government officials.
Novel Self‐Report Tool for Cardiovascular Risk Assessment

Background The currently used atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk calculator relies on several measured variables and does not incorporate some well‐established risk factors such as family ...
Shoot the Messenger! A New Phage Weapon to Neutralize the Type III CRISPR Immune Response.

Athukoralage et al. (2020) identify a new anti-CRISPR (Acr) that degrades cA4, a cyclic oligo-adenylate second messenger produced during the type III CRISPR immune response. This provides an effective way by which invaders can bypass downstream CRISPR effectors that rely on this signaling molecule.
A Standard Test Method for Initial Efficiency Measurements on Flatsheet Filter Media

Reproducible initial efficiency measurements on flat sheet filter media in air, require well controlled test aerosols for particle count and particle size resolution. This Test Standard drafted by ASTM F21.20 Subcommitteeon Gas Filtration utilized the atomization of monodispersed latex spheres and particle counting by Optical Particle Counters to measure the initial, particle size efficiencies of flatsheet filter media. A test system and procedure is defined that can provide a ′1% reproducibility on initial penetration in the particle size range of 0.5 to 5 μm at a 95% confidence level.
iNO Stewardship Utilizing Evidence-Based Medicine to Reduce Ineffective Use and Improve Expenditure

Background: In 2017 UC Davis Health contract with Mallinckrodt was insufficient to meet our growing demand for inhaled nitric oxide (iNO). A mid-contract review was performed and renegotiated in September of 2017. Efforts began in earnest to evaluate stewardship of iNO to reduce ineffective use while improving expenditure of this medical gas. Trending data allowed for an in-depth usage review to guide stewardship. Widespread and largely unregulated use in the adult population was noted upon evaluation, indicating potential ineffective use. Daily reporting also allowed for identification of opportunities to leverage for negotiation of future contract terms. With a Children’s Hospital Nitric Oxide Stewardship Team in place, UC Davis Health embarked on an effort to utilize evidence-based medicine to reduce ineffective use and improve expenditure of iNO. Methods: Stewardship of iNO in all demographics (adult, pediatric and neonatal) was moderated by Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, which received monthly reports on iNO use during initial phase. In this forum, a Children’s Hospital Nitric Oxide Stewardship Team comprised of Pediatric Pharmacy, Pediatric Cardiology, Neonatology, and Pediatric Critical Care was developed. A highly involved Chief Medical Officer held accountable adult ICU medical directors. Policy changes to reflect the involvement of the Children’s Hospital Nitric Oxide Stewardship Team were made, and additional policy edits outlined on-label/off-label indications, responsiveness, weaning strategies, and the need for continuation of iNO order to be written every 24 hours. Initiation of iNO was updated to require attending physician approval. An RT directed weaning approach in the NICU was adopted and added to policy. Results: In 2017 UC Davis Health used 27,432 hours of iNO, and before renegotiating at the mid-contract review, was on pace to spend approximately $2,974,890 for the year. At the mid-contract review, a more favorable contract structure was adopted, which resulted in an actual spend of $2,307,362 – an approximate savings of over $660,000. After the first year of development and implementation of stewardship, UC Davis Health saw a decrease in utilization of iNO: 19,544 hours in 2018, and 15,776 hours in 2019. Conclusions: iNO Stewardship utilizing evidence-based medicine reduced ineffective use and thus, cost. Trending data assists in identifying opportunities for accountability and education and allows for a better negotiating position when approaching contract renegotiation.
Novel insights in the pathophysiology of α-synuclein dysregulation on D2 receptor activity contributing to the vulnerability of dopamine neurons

Pathophysiological damages and loss of function of dopamine neurons precedes their demise and contributes to the early phases of Parkinson9s disease. The presence of aberrant intercellular pathological inclusions of the protein α-synuclein within ventral midbrain dopaminergic neurons is one of the cardinal features of Parkinson9s disease. We employed multiple complementary approaches in molecular biology, electrophysiology, and live-cell imaging to investigate how excessive α-synuclein levels alters multiple characteristics of dopaminergic neuronal dynamics and dopamine transmission prior to neuronal demise. These studies demonstrate that α-synuclein dysregulation of D2 receptor autoinhibition contributes to the vulnerability of dopaminergic neurons, and that modulation thereof can ameliorate the resulting pathophysiology. These novel findings provide mechanistic insights in the insidious loss of dopaminergic function and neurons that characterize Parkinson9s disease progression with significant therapeutic implications.
R-Ras Deficiency in Pericytes Causes Frequent Microphthalmia and Perturbs Retinal Vascular Development.

PURPOSE The retinal vasculature is heavily invested by pericytes. Small GTPase R-Ras is highly expressed in endothelial cells and pericytes, suggesting importance of this Ras homolog for the regulation of the blood vessel wall. We investigated the specific contribution of pericyte-expressed R-Ras to the development of the retinal vasculature. METHODS The effect of R-Ras deficiency in pericytes was analyzed in pericyte-targeted conditional Rras knockout mice at birth and during the capillary plexus formation in the neonatal retina. RESULTS The offspring of these mice frequently exhibited unilateral microphthalmia. Analyses of the developing retinal vasculature in the eyes without microphthalmia revealed excessive endothelial cell proliferation, sprouting, and branching of the capillary plexus in these animals. These vessels were structurally defective with diminished pericyte coverage and basement membrane formation. Furthermore, these vessels showed reduced VE-cadherin staining and significantly elevated plasma leakage indicating the breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier. This defect was associated with considerable macrophage infiltration in the retina. CONCLUSIONS The normal retinal vascular development is dependent on R-Ras expression in pericytes, and the absence of it leads to unattenuated angiogenesis and significantly weakens the blood-retinal barrier. Our findings underscore the importance of R-Ras for pericyte function during the normal eye development.
Utilizing Passive Intermodulation Response of Frequency-Modulated Continuous-Wave Signal for Target Identification and Mapping

In this paper, a passive-intermodulation-based tracking system working with a frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) is proposed for target identification and localization. Signals in the microwave range are chosen to realize ranging purposes for the benefits of small device size, lightweight, and wide available bandwidth. Depending on whether the nonlinear properties of electrical components, such as diodes, transistors, and mixers, are exploited, the tracking systems can be categorized as linear and nonlinear systems. By nature, the linear tracking methods are vulnerable to surrounding clutter, such as furniture, walls, and other objects, since the reflection signals from clutter are of the same nature as the target. In comparison, the nonlinear detection methods are attractive owning to the fact that the majority of the clutter does not possess nonlinear properties. Hence, the nonlinear detection system does not “see” the linear clutter and only senses the target exhibiting nonlinear responses. Among all the nonlinear technologies, the intermodulation-based tracking and mapping approach has less path loss than the harmonic-based, smaller circuit size than the subharmonic-based, and simpler tag design and fewer signal licenses required than both of its counterparts. Therefore, in this work, the intermodulation-based technology is adopted, and a new nonlinear tracking system is designed to track the distance of the target in a complex indoor scenario crowded with unwanted objects.
Quantum dot thin film imaging enables in situ, benchtop analysis of ligand exchange at the solution-film interface

Abstract This paper discusses experiments using benchtop video imaging to track the contraction of PbS quantum dot (QD) thin films supported on a liquid subphase during ligand exchange of the native oleate (C17H33O2−) ligands with various primary carboxylic acids (CnH2n+1CO2H; n = 0–5), thiols (CnH2n+1SH; n = 2–6), and amines (CnH2n+1NH2; n = 2–6). While widely used in the preparation of research-grade photovoltaics and thin-film transistors, this ligand exchange process at the thin film/solution interface has not been studied in situ and in real time with sufficient time resolution to distinguish fast ligand exchange processes from slower, destructive processes such as surface etching. Effective ligand shell lengths Le calculated from film areas were consistent with previous TEM studies, so film area measurements determined from video images effectively track changes in interparticle spacing on the nanoscale. Le values distinguished ligands that generated high degrees of oleate displacement (carboxylic acids and thiols) from those that generated low degrees of oleate displacement (amines). Displacement of the native ligand was found to limit the rate of film contraction, so contraction rates serve as a probe of underlying ligand exchange dynamics. When the entering ligand was in excess, the film contraction rate displayed a sublinear dependence on its concentration. This was explained in terms of a two-step mechanism involving the pre-equilibrium association of the entering ligand with the QD surface followed by dissociation of oleate. Thiols and carboxylic acids produced faster oleate displacement than did amines, but ligand length was not observed to have any consistent effect on the oleate displacement rate. The ability of carboxylic acids and thiols to promote oleate dissociation through proton transfer was proposed as an explanation of this rate difference as 1H NMR spectra of colloidal-phase samples showed carboxylic acids and thiols generated protonated oleic acid while amines did not. These experiments demonstrate the utility of video imaging of QD thin films suspended on a liquid subphase as a simple and rapid benchtop technique for monitoring chemical and structural variables relevant for QD-based device preparation in situ.
Curvature of Space and Time, with an Introduction to Geometric Analysis

Over a century has passed since Einstein formulated general relativity, a remarkable theory of gravitation about which he grappled for about a decade following his theory of special relativity. The...
Half a century of free radical chemistry

This book describes the experience over 25 years of the senior author with the chemistry of organic free radicals. It begins with a mechanistic study of industrial importance on the pyrolysis of chlorinated alkanes. It continues with a theory on the biosynthesis of phenolate derived alkaloids involving phenolate radical coupling. There follows 20 years of practical work to prove the theory correct, especially in the case of morphine alkaloids. The book then describes the work on nitrile photolysis (Barton reaction) which involved the invention of new radical chemistry leading to a simple synthesis of the important hormone, aldosterone. There follows a description of the invention of an important new method for the deoxygenation of biologically important molecules, especially sugars and nucleosides, using radical chemistry applied to thiocarbonyl derivatives. Some years later, in a logical extension to carboxylic acids, another new reaction was invented which provides carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and other radicals under mild conditions. A final chapter summarizes recent applications of thiocarbonyl group derived radical reactions by other authors.
Flexible Nucleobase Analogues: Novel Tools for Exploring Nucleic Acids

Flexible nucleosides such as Holý’s sugar-modified acyclics have seen great utility in antiviral therapeutics. Another area of modification to the nucleoside scaffold that has only recently garnered attention involves imparting flexibility to the nucleobase instead of the sugar moiety. This flexibility can be achieved by splitting the purine base into its respective imidazole and pyrimidine components or by increasing the number of aromatic rings. These modifications also allow installation of additional substituents to the nucleobase scaffold that can potentially enhance biological activity and enzyme recognition. Nucleobase flexibility can also provide other advantages such as enhancing fluorescence properties that can be utilized for bioprobes as well as to assist in exploring the effects of the nucleobase on RNA and DNA helix stability.
Ribonuclease V of Escherichia coli: V. Requirement for ribosome translocation, but not for polypeptide formation

Abstract The activity of RNase V, an exonuclease dependent on ribosomes and most of the other components required for protein synthesis, can continue in some conditions where protein formation is blocked: using ribosomes heated at 54 °C for 15 minutes before the assay, or using uncharged transfer RNA.
The topological structure of $4$ manifolds with effective torus actions (II)

Torus actions on orientable 4-manifolds have been studied by F. Raymond and P. Orlik [8] and [9]. The equivariant classification problem has been completely answered there. The problem then arose as to what can be said about the topological classification of these manifolds. Specifically, when are two manifolds homeomorphic if they are not equivariantly homeomorphic? In some cases this problem was answered in the above mentioned papers. For example, if the only nontrivial stability groups are finite cyclic, then the manifolds are essentially classified by their fundamental groups. In the presence of fixed points, a connected sum decomposition in terms of S4, S2 X S2, cp2 Cp-2, SI X S3, and three families of elementary 4-manifolds, R(m, n), T(m, n; m', n'), L(n; p, q; m) has been obtained (where m, n, m', n', p, and q are integers). In addition, a stable homeomorphic relation for the manifolds R(m, n) and T(m, n; m', n') can also be found in [9]. But the topological classification of R's, T's, and especially L's were still unsolved problems. Furthermore, the connected sum decomposition of a manifold with fixed points, even in the simply connected case, is not unique. In this paper, we completely classify the manifolds with fixed points. For the manifolds R's and T's, the above mentioned stable homeomorphic relation is proved to be the topological classification. The manifolds L(n;p, q; m) form a very interesting family of 4-manifolds. They behave similarly to lens spaces. For example, the fundamental group of L(n; p, q; m) is finite cyclic of order n. And it is proved that ,r(L(n;p,q;m)) and irj (L(n; p',q';m')) act identically on the second cohomology of their common universal covering space, (S2 X S2) # ... # (S2 X S2) (n 1 copies), even though L(n; p, q; m) and L(n; p', q'; m') are not homotopically equivalent for some (n;p',q'; m')'s. This family of manifolds is explicitly constructed and completely classified. In addition, a normal form is imposed on a connected sum decomposition mentioned above. These nromal forms are unique. Most of the material of this paper appeared first in the author's doctoral dissertation. The author would like to thank his thesis advisor Professor F. Raymond for his help and encouragement.
Speaking of—and as—Stigma: Performativity and Parkinson's in the Rhetoric of Michael J. Fox

In this essay, I utilize the intersections between disability theory and rhetorical theory to identify two key and interconnected stages of actor and activist Michael J. Fox's performativity of disabled identity: first, a rhetoric of passing and second, a rhetoric of masquerade . Ultimately, I claim that Fox as a visibly disabled rhetor speaks both as stigma—because his rhetoric issues from and through his body as he experiences Parkinso'’s disease—and of stigma—because he performs disability not just to provide an exigency for research into cures but also to challenge the cultural norms that dehumanize the disabled subject.