cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Medical Management of Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors: Current Strategies and Future Advances

Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors are relatively rare neoplasms, characterized by a propensity to secrete hormones that cause distinct clinical syndromes. During the past decade, the systemic treatment landscape has improved significantly: new options include everolimus, an inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin; sunitinib, an angiogenesis inhibitor; and cytotoxic regimens such as capecitabine and temozolomide. Moreover, the recent approval of the radiolabeled somatostatin analog 177Lu-DOTATATE has had a significant impact on management of neuroendocrine malignancies. In this review, we discuss advances in the medical management of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors within the context of the larger multidisciplinary approach to these diseases.
Dynamic reconfiguration of two-dimensional lattices with bistable springs

This study focuses on wave propagation and reconfiguration in two-dimensional square mass-spring lattices that include bistable springs. Due to the presence of directional and/or omnidirectional bandgaps in stable deformed configurations in which some of the bistable springs are in a deformed equilibrium, these lattices have the ability to serve as reconfigurable wave filters and wave guides. In this work, we study non-linear wave propagation in response to stimulus of large amplitude. Mechanical stimuli of large amplitudes have the capability of causing a dynamic reconfiguration of the lattice to a configuration of lower potential energy, which dramatically affect wave propagation. Using numerical simulations, the influence of the stimulus amplitude, duration, and location of the applied stimulus on the reconfiguration is analyzed. The ability to alter in a predictable manner wave propagation in these lattices offers new opportunities for tunable phononic crystals.
The Use and Relevance of Reacting LES in Engineering Design Cycle

Application of large-eddy simulation (LES) to actual hardware design still remains to be demonstrated for a variety of reasons. Key among these are the lack of confidence in the accuracy and/or the ability of LES, the enormous computational effort involved that makes parametric simulations difficult, if not impossible, and the lack of accurate models that can capture the fundamental physics of turbulent combustion in these complex configurations. Recent efforts to address these concerns are described here using examples of a micro-engine that employed LES results to improve its design and a swirl stabilized gas turbine engine in which active control of swirl is being explored to optimize lean combustion performance. Finally, the development of a computationally and memory efficient Artificial Neural Network (ANN) for including finite-rate kinetics within a LES model is described.
A state-based approach to modeling general aviation accidents

Abstract This paper develops a state-based accident model that we apply to General Aviation (GA) accidents recorded in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident database. We demonstrate our approach on 6180 helicopter accidents that occurred in the United States between 1982 and 2015, with emphasis on inflight loss of control (LOC-I) accidents. Our model helps remove the redundancies in the NTSB coding system by logically grouping various NTSB accident codes that convey the same meaning. Further, this model checks for logical gaps or omissions in NTSB accident records, and potentially fills the omissions in. This approach uses NTSB coding data to define a set of states (safe or hazardous) for a system and triggers that move the system into (or out of) these states. We identify the most frequent triggers for LOC-I and compare the results from the state-based approach with those obtained from a conventional analysis of NTSB accident codes.
Case study on data communication in microservice architecture

Microservice Architecture is becoming a design standard for modern cloud-based software systems. However, data communication management remains a challenge. This is especially apparent when migrating from an existing monolithic system into microservices. In this paper, we report on data synchronization and improvement of the data-source performance. We faced these challenges in production-level development. Two case studies illustrate and describe our approach. To address data synchronization we propose using an automated data streaming system between databases. To improve the performance of a data-source we introduced a solution with the distributed cache. We discuss the balance between the performance and coupling and point out situations where our architectures are appropriate.
Surgery of the face

Abstract In the last 40 years, several methodologies for monitoring the intracranial and extracranial segments of the facial nerve (FN) have been developed and established. The surgeon and the neurophysiologist must choose the most appropriate methodology for each surgical procedure. In this chapter, we will list the available methodologies for monitoring the intra- and extracranial segments of the FN, but we will focus in discussing the advantages and disadvantages of those methodologies used particularly for monitoring the extracranial segment of the FN. We will also explain in detail a compound muscle action potential (CMAP)–based methodology for monitoring the FN in surgeries of the face where preserving the function of the FN takes precedence over any other concern, particularly in surgeries of benign lesions such as vascular malformations. After years of technical improvement the application of this comprehensive CMAP-based methodology has almost reached its optimal level. No complications associated with this methodology have been reported.
A Systematic Review of Barriers to Formal Help Seeking for Adult Survivors of IPV in the United States, 2005–2019:

For individuals experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV), formal services, including community agencies, health services, or the criminal justice system, are critical resources. Understanding the specific barriers that hinder or prevent survivors from seeking help from formal services could reveal important implications for the development of services for IPV as well as for members of other organizations who encounter survivors. The authors conducted a systematic review of the literature to identify barriers to help-seeking from formal services for survivors. Ten electronic databases were searched for key terms related to IPV, help seeking from formal services, and barriers to help seeking. Articles were included in the review if they were U.S.-based, contained samples that were adults who had experienced IPV, and discussed barriers to seeking help from formal services. An initial search yielded 1,155 articles and after screening, 29 articles were included in the review. Data were extracted to reveal the state of the literature regarding help-seeking barriers for survivors. Six barriers to help seeking were identified as follows: (1) lack of awareness, (2) access challenges, (3) consequences of disclosure, (4) lack of material resources, (5) personal barriers, and (6) system failures. These findings demonstrate the need for continued education surrounding available services for IPV as well as the continued development of resources that can mitigate personal barriers that survivors may face. Furthermore, these findings illuminate the necessity to increase the access of services, particularly for non-English speakers, immigrants and refugees, individuals with disabilities, men, and LGBTQIA identified individuals.
Was It Worth It? Using Student Loans to Finance a College Degree.

This qualitative study explores the perceptions of value added to the lives of graduates who borrowed money to fund their college educations. Through the lens of cognitive dissonance theory, five themes emerged. Overall, the study participants agreed that the ability to take on student loans to fund their education was worth it, but on the other hand feel overburdened with the cost of paying back their loans. This paper also provides a foundation for future research and identifies public policy shortcomings and suggests solutions.
Landscape Arch, Delicate Arch, and Double Arch in Arches National Park, Southeastern Utah

Arches National Park in southeastern Utah has the greatest concentration of natural rock arches in the world. The park is located in a geologic region called the Paradox fold and fault belt in the northern Paradox Basin and showcases spectacular and classic Colorado Plateau geology with its colorful sedimentary rocks, ancient sand dunes, cliffs, domes, fins, and pinnacles, as well as the arches. The arches in the park and the surrounding region were formed by a unique set of circumstances involving Middle Pennsylvanian (about 308 million years ago [Ma]) to Late Triassic (200 Ma) movement of subsurface salt layers, Middle Pennsylvanian to Late Cretaceous (about 70 Ma) deposition, and Tertiary and Quaternary (23 Ma to the present) folding, faulting, erosion, and salt dissolution. Massive, hard, brittle sandstones jointed by folding, resting on or containing soft layers or partings, and located near fold structures such as salt-cored anticlines undergoing dissolution, and a dry climate, all favor the formation of arches. Rarely do all these phenomena occur in one place, but they do in Arches National Park.The Natural Arch and Bridge Society (NABS) stated, “A natural arch is a rock exposure that has a hole completely through it formed by the natural, selective removal of rock, leaving a relatively intact frame.” They also make it clear that a natural bridge (which is at least partially formed by flowing water) is one type of natural arch (NABS website) (see A Bit of Perspective, below, for more explanation). Using their own criteria, Stevens and McCarrick (1988) catalogued over 2000 natural arches in Arches National Park; most have unique characteristics that could qualify them as geosites. However, the three most famous arches in the park, and perhaps the world, are Landscape Arch, Delicate Arch, and Double Arch, and thus these were selected as the geosites for this paper.
Effect of Laminate Thickness and Specimen Configuration on the Fracture of Laminated Composites

Attention is given to the effect of laminate thickness on graphite/epoxy laminates in the present measurements of fracture toughness in center cracked tension specimens, compact tension specimens, and three-point bend specimens. Crack tip damage development prior to fracture is also studied. The results obtained show fracture toughness to be a function of laminate thickness, being in all cases independent of crack size. The fracture surface of all thick laminates was uniform in the interior and self-similar with the starter notch. With only one exception, the fracture toughness of the thicker laminates was relatively independent of specimen configuration.
Multilateral Missile Defense: A National Security Application for Rapid Transmission Control Systems

In the mode of Vannever Bush’s “As We May Think,” Atlantic (1945), rapid transmission control systems today have promising applications. Such systems might, someday soon, supply technical solutions to jump start negotiations between NATO and Russia on Phase IV missile defense for Europe.
Lidocaine patches for postcesarean pain control in obese women: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Background Obesity increases the risk of opioid-related morbidity. Lidocaine patches have been shown to reduce postoperative pain after noncesarean surgeries. Objective This study aimed to determine whether the application of lidocaine patches around the cesarean incision in women with obesity reduces the total dose of opioids administered in the first 24 hours after cesarean delivery. Study Design This was a pilot single-blind randomized controlled trial of 61 women with obesity undergoing cesarean delivery at a community tertiary referral hospital staffed by academic physicians. After cesarean delivery, the allocated patches (either 5% lidocaine patches or placebo patches) were applied superior and lateral to the incision dressing and remained in place for 12 hours. The average cumulative opioid dose received within the first 24 hours after cesarean delivery was measured in morphine milligram equivalents. We also assessed pain and patient satisfaction. A sample size of 60 (30 per group) was determined to be adequate to inform a future appropriately powered randomized controlled trial. The primary outcome of morphine milligram equivalents was compared using the Student t test, and pain scores were compared using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Results Of the 146 women screened between February 2019 and September 2019, 61 consented and were analyzed: 30 women were allocated to lidocaine patch and 31 were allocated to placebo (hydrocolloid patch). Women who were allocated to the lidocaine patch used an average of 87.0 (standard deviation, 35.8) morphine milligram equivalents of opioids in the first 24 hours compared with an average of 83.9 (standard deviation, 27.5) morphine milligram equivalents among women who were allocated to the placebo patch (P=.702). Women who were allocated to the lidocaine vs placebo patches reported median pain scores of 3.0 (interquartile range, 2.1–4.9) and 3.5 (interquartile range, 2.5–5.0), respectively (P=.217). The time to the first dose of opioids, total number of opioid doses, and total morphine milligram equivalents in 48 hours and for the entire hospital stay did not differ. Patient satisfaction with both patches was high and not statistically different. Conclusion This pilot suggests that 5% lidocaine patches applied superior and lateral to the cesarean incision are not effective at reducing the average total dose of morphine milligram equivalents administered in the first 24 hours after cesarean delivery among women with obesity, and they did not seem to improve median pain scores. An appropriately powered randomized trial would not be expected to demonstrate reduction in opioid use or pain.
Female Education, Fertility Decisions, and Infant Health: Evidence from China's Compulsory Education Law

This is the first study to analyze the causal effect of female education on fertility and infant health in China. I use Regression Discontinuity and Instrumental Variable methods and study the national Compulsory Education Law, which created a natural entrance threshold date that results in an exogenous variation in the timing of females’ primary school entry. Using data from the China Family Panel Studies, I find that on average, females born right after the threshold date enter school 0.25 years older in age and obtain 0.47 more completed years of schooling compared to their counterparts born right before the threshold. Starting school one year later reduces infant low birth weight by about 8 percent. However, it does not have a significant effect on fertility outcomes, such as the probability of becoming mother and age at first birth.
Use of Modeling to Inform Decision-Making During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study

BackgroundThe COVID-19 Pandemic has popularized computer-based decision-support models as a tool for decision-makers to manage their organizations. It is unclear how decision-makers have considered these models to inform COVID-19-related decisions. MethodsWe interviewed decision-makers from North Carolina across diverse organizational backgrounds to assess major decision-making processes during COVID-19, including the use of modeling as an input to inform decision-making. ResultsInterviewees were aware of models during COVID-19, with some depending upon multiple models. Models were used to compare trends in disease spread across localities, allocate scarce resources, and track disease spread within small geographic areas. Decision-makers desired models to project disease spread within subpopulations and estimate where local outbreaks could occur as well as estimate the outcomes of social distancing policies, including consequences beyond typical health-related outcomes. Challenges to the use of modeling included doubts that models could reflect nuances of human behavior, concerns about the quality of data used in models, and the limited amount of modeling at the local level. ConclusionsThroughout COVID-19, decision-makers perceived modeling as valuable for understanding disease spread within their communities and to inform organization decisions, yet there were variations in organizations ability and willingness to use models for these purposes.
Detection and Analysis of Respiratory Pathogens in Hospitalized Children with Acute Respiratory Tract Infections by a Multiplex-PCR Assay Based on the Genetic Analyzer Platform

Background: Despite the considerable incidence of acute respiratory tract infections (ARTI) among children in Henan province, detailed epidemiological information is limited. Objectives: Following a retrospective design, the current study aimed to analyze the epidemiological trends of respiratory pathogens in children hospitalized at Henan Children’s Hospital. Methods: A total of 11306 children (age range, 4 days to 15 years) diagnosed with ARTI admitted to Henan Children’s Hospital from March 1, 2019, to February 29, 2020, were enrolled. Nasopharyngeal swabs, alveolar lavage fluid, or sputum samples were analyzed for the presence of 12 pathogens via a multiplex-PCR assay based on the Genetic Analyzer platform. Data of 11306 samples were eligible for analysis. Results: The total positive rate was 78.1% (8831/11306). Of 8831 positive samples, 7017 (79.5%, 7017/8831) had a single pathogen and 1814 (20.5%, 1814/11306) had multiple pathogens. Human rhinovirus was the most common pathogen (25.4%, 2874/11306), followed by mycoplasma (18.1%, 2050/11306) and human respiratory syncytial virus (15.8%, 1783/11306). There was no significant difference concerning the positive rate of respiratory pathogens between boys and girls (χ2 = 0.286, P = 0.593). Children were more likely to be infected in autumn and winter than in spring and summer (9722 vs. 1584, respectively). Conclusions: Human rhinovirus and mycoplasma were the most commonly detected pathogens. The positive rate of chlamydia was independent of the season, while positive rates of other pathogens were season-related. The positive rate of influenza A (H1N1) was independent of age, while for other pathogens, it was age-dependent. This study demonstrated species-level information on the pathogens, which can improve the prevention and treatment of hospitalized children with ARTI.
Into the Unknown: A Case of New-Onset Cardiomyopathy in a Patient Treated With Recently Approved Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor, Pralsetinib

With the rapid development and adoption of novel anti-cancer therapeutics, physicians commonly encounter cancer patients on regimens with recently approved drugs for which information about rare or long-term side effects may not be available. In this case, we present a young woman with cholangiocarcinoma who was treated with the rearranged during transfection (RET)-selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), pralsetinib, and presented to the hospital with shortness of breath. We review her diagnosis of new-onset systolic dysfunction as a possible sequela of her TKI therapy to encourage ongoing efforts to enhance provider familiarity with the side effects of this important and increasingly prescribed drug class.
Rapid dissipation of a Loop Current eddy due to interaction with a severe Gulf of Mexico hurricane

Loop Current Eddies (LCEs) are warm-core, anticyclonic rings that shed from the Loop Current and migrate westward providing kinetic and potential energy to the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Typically, LCEs dissipate through interaction with the western shelf slope, other mesoscale eddies, and diapycnal mixing. Here, we explore a case where a LCE, Eddy Poseidon, encountered Hurricane Harvey in the northwest GoM in August 2017 causing its rapid dissipation. This interaction significantly reduced Poseidon’s areal extent, dynamic height, heat content, and kinetic energy. Using in situ observations and numerical model output, we explore Poseidon’s dissipation and show it was caused by a combination of processes. A rigorous cold wake formed along Poseidon’s east, strong hurricane-induced surface currents transported shelf water towards the eddy on its north and west sides, and heat was lost throughout the water column from Poseidon’s southern edge. Horizontal advection was greatest at the surface and decreased with depth—27% of heat lost from Poseidon occurred in the top 100 m and 47% from the top 200 m.
Supporting Students While Shifting to Online Learning During COVID-19: Community College Feedback from Several Computing Courses

The shift in educational strategies and modalities brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the need for innovative teaching methods. Both students and educators faced numerous challenges caused or exacerbated by the shift to different learning modalities and compounded by limited services and other restrictions. Adding to this complexity is the diversity in student skillset and technology literacy within the community college environment. At the same time, instructors had to manage their own issues related to the pandemic while juggling critical changes in their courses. In this paper, the authors discuss challenges in teaching several computing courses during the shift to an online format during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several challenges and strategies for supporting students in the computer science/information technology department at a large community college will be discussed, in addition to initial feedback gained from students.
Limited variation between SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals in domain specificity and relative potency of the antibody response against the spike glycoprotein

ABSTRACT The spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 is arranged as a trimer on the virus surface, composed of three S1 and three S2 subunits. Infected and vaccinated individuals generate antibodies against spike, which can neutralize the virus. Most antibodies target the receptor-binding domain (RBD) and N-terminal domain (NTD) of S1; however, antibodies against other regions of spike have also been isolated. The variation between infected individuals in domain specificity of the antibodies and in their relative neutralization efficacy is still poorly characterized. To this end, we tested serum and plasma samples from 85 COVID-19 convalescent subjects using 7 immunoassays that employ different domains, subunits and oligomeric forms of spike to capture the antibodies. Samples were also tested for their neutralization of pseudovirus containing SARS-CoV-2 spike and of replication-competent SARS-CoV-2. We observed strong correlations between the levels of NTD- and RBD-specific antibodies, with a fixed ratio of each type to all anti-spike antibodies. The relative potency of the response (defined as the measured neutralization efficacy relative to the total level of spike-targeting antibodies) also exhibited limited variation between subjects, and was not associated with the overall amount of anti-spike antibodies produced. Accordingly, the ability of immunoassays that use RBD, NTD and different forms of S1 or S1/S2 as capture antigens to estimate the neutralizing efficacy of convalescent samples was largely similar. These studies suggest that host-to-host variation in the polyclonal response elicited against SARS-CoV-2 spike is primarily limited to the quantity of antibodies generated rather than their domain specificity or relative neutralization potency. IMPORTANCE Infection by SARS-CoV-2 elicits antibodies against various domains of the spike protein, including the RBD, NTD and S2. Different infected individuals generate vastly different amounts of anti-spike antibodies. By contrast, as we show here, there is a remarkable similarity in the properties of the antibodies produced. Different individuals generate the same proportions of antibodies against each domain of the spike protein. Furthermore, the relationship between the amount of anti-spike antibodies produced and their neutralization efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 is highly conserved. Therefore, the observed variation in the neutralizing activity of the antibody response in COVID-19 convalescent subjects is caused by differences in the amounts of antibodies rather than their recognition properties or relative antiviral activity. These findings suggest that COVID-19 vaccine strategies that focus on enhancing the overall level of the antibodies will likely elicit a more uniformly efficacious protective response.
Dry Cow Therapy and Mastitis Control, An Observational Study

A cross-sectional study involving 1032 dairy farms in Ohio was conducted with the objective to evaluate the effectiveness of mastitis control measures in a contemporary dairy environment. Recently published observational studies have found varying effectiveness of common mastitis control practices, particularly nonlactating cow therapy (dry cow therapy, DCT).
Architecting for Artificial Intelligence with Emerging Nanotechnology

Artificial Intelligence is becoming ubiquitous in products and services that we use daily. Although the domain of AI has seen substantial improvements over recent years, its effectiveness is limite...
Brighter is better: bill fluorescence increases social attraction in a colonial seabird and reveals a potential link with foraging

Crested auklets (Aethia cristatella) are colonial seabirds with brilliant orange bills during the breeding season. We characterized the bill pigment with spectroscopy methods (resonance Raman, fluorescence, absorbance). We excluded carotenoids as a possible chromophore and showed that the pigment most closely resembles pterins. Like pterins, the bill pigment fluoresces, and it occurred in two phenotypes that may differ geographically, perhaps due to environmental heterogeneity. The pigment is unique in the genus Aethia, and its spectra did not match any known molecule. The UV–Vis absorbance spectrum of the bill pigment overlaps with the extracted pigment of euphausiids, a favored food of crested auklets. A color preference associated with prey may have favored characteristics of the crested auklet’s accessory bill plates. Crest size, a signal of dominance, tended to correlate positively with the highest fluorescence in the single-band phenotype. Brighter bills may function in self-advertisement and verify the status signal of the crest ornament. We tested for a behavioral preference using identical decoys that differed only in bill fluorescence. Crested auklets approached models with fluorescent bills at a higher frequency. In cases where the sex of crested auklets was known, males responded at a higher frequency to fluorescent bills, but females did not. In an evolutionary context, bill fluorescence could have conferred an advantage in social interactions, e.g., in dimly lit rock crevices. Bill brightness and color may communicate success in foraging and may function as an honest signal of mate quality. Preferences embedded in sensory systems may influence the evolution of ornamental traits. Overlap in chemical properties of zooplankton and brilliant orange bills suggests that crested auklets prefer a bill pigment patterned on a food preference. The pigment is unique in its genus, but occurs in two fluorescent phenotypes that may vary geographically, possibly due to environmental heterogeneity. The pigment resembles a class of compounds known as pterins but could be novel. Rictal plates are bill plates that flare out from the corners of the mouth, and they tend to be brighter in crested auklets with larger feather crests. Birds with larger crests are more attractive and dominant. Brighter bills may advertise foraging success and verify status. Bill fluorescence is attractive to crested auklets. Crested auklets approached decoys with fluorescent bills at a higher frequency.
Transcriptome-wide association and prediction for carotenoids and tocochromanols in fresh sweet corn kernels

Sweet corn is consistently one of the most highly consumed vegetables in the U.S., providing a valuable opportunity to increase nutrient intake through biofortification. Significant variation for carotenoid (provitamin A, lutein, zeaxanthin) and tocochromanol (vitamin E, antioxidants) levels is present in temperate sweet corn germplasm, yet previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of these traits have been limited by low statistical power and mapping resolution. Here, we employed a high-quality transcriptomic dataset collected from fresh sweet corn kernels to conduct transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) and transcriptome prediction studies for 39 carotenoid and tocochromanol traits. In agreement with previous GWAS findings, TWAS detected significant associations for four causal genes, β-carotene hydroxylase (crtRB1), lycopene epsilon cyclase (lcyE), γ-tocopherol methyltransferase (vte4), and homogentisate geranylgeranyltransferase (hggt1) on a transcriptome-wide level. Pathway-level analysis revealed additional associations for deoxy-xylulose synthase2 (dxs2), diphosphocytidyl methyl erythritol synthase2 (dmes2), cytidine methyl kinase1 (cmk1), and geranylgeranyl hydrogenase1 (ggh1), of which, dmes2, cmk1, and ggh1 have not previously been identified through maize association studies. Evaluation of prediction models incorporating genome-wide markers and transcriptome-wide abundances revealed a trait-dependent benefit to the inclusion of both genomic and transcriptomic data over solely genomic data, but both transcriptome- and genome-wide datasets outperformed a priori candidate gene-targeted prediction models for most traits. Altogether, this study represents an important step towards understanding the role of regulatory variation in the accumulation of vitamins in fresh sweet corn kernels.
Optical and spectroscopic characterization of crystalline structures in cannabis extracts

Marijuana and hemp represent two broad classes of Cannabis sativa plants that are distinguished based on the concentration of the psychoactive cannabinoid delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9 -THC). In this work, solvent extracts derived from marijuana and hemp were characterized using optical and spectroscopic techniques. The crystalline components of the solvent extracts were first analyzed using polarized light microscopy to determine optical properties, namely, crystal system, optical sign, and principle refractive indices. Crystals from the marijuana-derived extracts exhibited an orthorhombic crystal system and were optically negative, with nβ between 1.6320 and 1.6330 ± 0.0002. In contrast, crystals from hemp-derived extracts exhibited a monoclinic crystal system and were optically positive, with nβ between 1.600 and 1.6040 ± 0.0002. Crystals were further distinguished through infrared spectroscopy, which highlighted structural differences between the two sample types, primarily based on differences in O-H stretching. Finally, single-crystal X-ray diffraction was used to definitively identify the crystalline components, confirming the presence of tetrahydrocannabinolic acid in marijuana-derived extracts and cannabidiol in hemp-derived extracts. Given the differences in crystal structure identified between marijuana-derived and hemp-derived solvent extracts, optical characterization provides a screening method to differentiate visually similar samples prior to confirmatory analysis.
‘Even with the best intentions’: The misreading of Sarah Baartman's life by African American writers

abstract On her return to South Africa in March 2002, many African American women began to claim Sarah Baartman as their ‘mother Africa’1 and used her plight as an exploited woman to reclaim the black body and voice. Through investigating three texts, this briefing concludes that in the need to claim Sarah as their own, these women oversimplify and ultimately sexualise her in the same ways that her colonial masters did in 1810. The authors ultimately relegate her as a drunk and an accomplice to her own demise, confirming age-old European racist, sexist stereotypes. They are unable to recognise Sarah's unique Africanness; rather her context as black [read Western] woman. As there remains no evidence of Sarah's voice, her life is open to interpretation. In claiming her as a form of defiance, in the end many African American women continue to silence her experiences as a Khoisan woman within a Southern African context.
Selecting Four-Leg Intersections for Crossing Elimination in Evacuations

This study investigates the implementation of crossing elimination configurations at intersections, by neighborhood characteristics; a "neighborhood" is defined by its surrounding intersections and by supply and demand situations to identify evacuation travel time impacts and situations and crossing elimination configurations that should be considered and further investigated for implementation in practice or should be avoided in practice. A hypothetical network of 41 signalized intersections modeled in microscopic simulation software was used to test 104 scenarios. On the basis of the analyses, crossing elimination should be considered and should be further investigated for evacuations with high demand and when the evacuation flow is asymmetric but oriented with the major roads. Crossing elimination should generally be avoided or carefully implemented when the evacuation flow is asymmetric but oriented with the minor roads and when destinations aligned with major roads (rather than minor ones) are unreachable (in at least one of the two directions). This latter situation is the one exception to the high demand recommendation. Pairing of intersection location and crossing elimination configuration is more complicated in terms of the effects on total travel times across scenarios.
Freedom of Expression

Freedom of expression is a definitional challenge because it is not easily definable. While “freedom” is the central issue, “expression” is relevant to what deserves protection. Free expression as a human right is not fully understood without its theoretical and conceptual framework. Given that freedom of expression is not absolute, free expression is balanced with its conflicting interests. Electronic media and internet law issues highlight the pervasive impact of new communication technologies on freedom of expression. This article identifies and examines various key legal issues, whether content or process related. While using an international and comparative law perspective, the entry notes American experience with freedom of expression as a possible point of reference for the world of the global twenty-first century. Keywords: censorship; defamation; first amendment; freedom of information; human rights; journalist's privilege; net neutrality; prior restraint
Introducing abstractions via rewriting

Mechanically assisted proofs of properties of a complex system require an accurate formal model of the system. If the model is too detailed the proof becomes intractible. We outline techniques for automatically “retrofitting” a detailed low-level model with abstractions that facilitate reasoning about the properties of a model. The abstractions are introduced through semantics-preserving rewrite rules. We have applied this technique to the Rockwell-Collins AAMP7 processor model and been able to improve significantly the analyzability of the model.
Simulation of thermal pulse evolution during laser debonding

Temporary wafer bonding and debonding techniques are becoming ubiquitous in the world of 2.5D and 3D technology. After a decade of research and development, two room-temperature debonding techniques have emerged as industry front-runners: laser-assisted debonding, and mechanical peeling, each having its particular strength. Mechanical debonding depends on proper engineering of the relative strengths of adhesion between the handler, the release layer, the adhesive and the device wafer. Once separation is initiated at a wafer edge, the handler is peeled away leaving the adhesive layer on the either the handler or the device wafer depending on the location of the release layer. Ultraviolet (UV) laser ablation using an excimer source in combination with an x-y scanning stage, or a solid-state laser paired with an optical scanner, has likewise been shown to be an effective debonding technique. In the case of laser-assisted debonding, questions arise as to the effectiveness of absorption in the material being ablated, the magnitude of the thermal pulse generated at the handler-release layer interface and its evolution as it transits the adhesive layer to reach the device wafer surface. In this paper, we apply time-dependent thermal finite element modeling to predict the duration of heating and maximum temperature excursion during the thermal evolution of the bonding structure including the silicon BEOL and device regions. The laser input is modeled as a distributed thermal pulse load determined by the input pulse energy, spatial distribution and laser absorption depth. We find that for optimized release layer, adhesive layer, laser wavelength and power level the majority of the heat flux flows into the handler wafer and heating of the device layers can be well below device limits. The effects of laser absorption depth in the release and adhesive layers, their thickness and material properties will be discussed.
Brave New World: a literature review of emerging donors and the changing nature of foreign assistance.

In this paper we look at the scale and scope of emerging donors many of which are developing economies themselves. On the basis of a survey of the literature we find that estimates of annual aid flows from new donors (so-called non-DAC donors) vary greatly and are somewhere between $11 billion and $41.7 billion or 8 and 31 percent of global gross ODA. We find that new donors are not a monolithic group but instead represent three distinct models of aid delivery which we describe as the DAC Model the Arab Model and the Southern Model. While we see the need to increase transparency and accountability of aid flows across these delivery models we do not see a convergence to the DAC model. Rather emerging donors may follow different paths in accordance with their own traditions and standards. We argue that encouraging aid transparency especially reporting data on project-level assistance must be the core focus of the aid community. To engage the non-DAC donors the forum for international aid coordination might need to be moved away from the OECD-DAC platform; DAC could instead serve as one donor caucus within a larger international system of aid reporting.
INCIDENCE OF MATERNAL AND FETAL COMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH RUPTURE OF THE MEMBRANES BEFORE ONSET OF LABOR.

Abstract 1. 1. 7,637 consecutive deliveries have been studied to determine the effect of spontaneous rupture of the membranes before the onset of labor. 2. 2. Fetal loss increased as the time interval between spontaneous rupture of membranes and onset of labor increased. 3. 3. Incidence of maternal infection also increased with this time interval. It was five times greater in Negroes. 4. 4. Cases of maternal deaths during this period have been outlined.
Adaptive systems as optimal processors

This paper suggests that adaptive filters can be the direct results of optimization problems, if a suitable optimization criterion is used, together with a practical set of constraints. That idea is different from traditional concepts, where adaptive algorithms are used as "real-time" approximations to an "optimal" processor. By allowing the optimal processor to be a stochastic operator, adaptive systems are introduced into the optimization process.
Four-dimensional symmetry from a broad viewpoint

We propose a finite and unitary quantum «elecweakdynamics» with the «SU2×U1 structure» which may not have the full gauge symmetry. The Higgs scalar fields are not necessary. Gaugeboson massesMW andMZ can be generated by kinematical symmetry-breaking due to the coupling of vacuum fields and gauge fields. It is a local interaction theory formulated on the basis of i) a new principle of universal probability distributionP(p, m) for field oscillators of all fields and ii) the new four-dimensional symmetry framework of «common relativity». We do not employ the four-dimensional framework of special relativity because it is too restrictive to allow the universal probability principle. This principle introduces a radical lengthR into physics and changes drastically the high-energy behaviour of propagators. It makes the theory finite without upsetting unitarity. We show how scattering cross-sections, static electric potential and particle decay in flight are affected by the universal probability principle. These modifications can be tested experimentally.
Temporal relationship between infective endocarditis and stroke.

Objective: Stroke frequently complicates infective endocarditis (IE). However, the temporal relationship between these diseases is uncertain. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of adult patients hospitalized for IE between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2011, at nonfederal acute care hospitals in California. Previously validated diagnosis codes were used to identify the primary composite outcome of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke during discrete 1-month periods from 6 months before to 6 months after the diagnosis of IE. The odds of stroke in these periods were compared with the odds of stroke in the corresponding 1-month period 2 years earlier, which was considered the baseline risk of stroke. Results: Among 17,926 patients with IE, 2,275 strokes occurred within the 12-month period surrounding the diagnosis of IE. The risk of stroke was highest in the month after diagnosis of IE (1,640 vs 17 strokes in the corresponding month 2 years prior). This equaled an absolute risk increase of 9.1% (95% confidence interval 8.6%–9.5%) and an odds ratio of 96.5 (95% confidence interval 60.1–166.0). Stroke risk was significantly increased beginning 4 months before the diagnosis of IE and lasting 5 months afterward. Similar temporal patterns were seen when ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes were considered separately. Conclusions: The association between IE and stroke persists for longer than previously reported. Most diagnoses of stroke and IE are made close together in time, but a period of heightened stroke risk becomes apparent several months before the diagnosis of IE and lasts for several months afterward.
Obesity Increases Stroke Risk in Young Adults Opportunity for Prevention

See related article, p 1690. A debate has been smoldering over the meaning of obesity in reducing the world burden of stroke. Like so many debates in medicine, it begins with disagreements about the interpretation of evidence, the meaning of statistical test results, and the role of bias. In one camp, are those who see that obesity is associated with increased risk for stroke and say that it as an important target for primary and secondary prevention. In the other, are those who agree that obesity increases stroke but say that it is more effective to treat the consequence of obesity that are responsible for stroke risk (ie, hypertension and dyslipidemia) than obesity itself. What everyone can agree on is that obesity is epidemic. In the United States, the prevalence of obesity (ie, body mass index [BMI] > 30 kg/m2) increases with age from 17% for children aged 30 kg/m2 have about a 70% increased risk for ischemic stroke compared with patients with a BMI <25 kg/m2.4,5 In this issue of Stroke , Mitchell et al6 raise further concern about obesity by showing an association with increased stroke risk in a study composed exclusively of young adults. Mitchell et al6 studied men and women …
Optimizing Flow-based Modularization by Iterative Centroid Search in Protein Interaction Networks

The systematic analysis of protein-protein interactions is a fundamental step for understanding of cellular organization, processes and functions. Functional modules can be identified from the protein interaction networks. However, current unreliable interaction data and complex connectivity of interaction networks have made it challenging. We propose a novel metric, called semantic interactivity, to measure the reliability of protein-protein interactions using gene ontology (GO) annotation data. The protein interaction networks can be converted into a weighted graph representation by assigning the reliability to each edge as a weight. We present an iterative centroid search (ICES) algorithm for optimizing the flow-based modularization method and identifying functional modules in a weighted interaction network. It iteratively performs two procedures: centroid search and flow simulation. Our experimental results show that the accuracy of modules is enhanced during the iteration.
X-Ray-Induced Photostimulated Conductivity in Magnesium Oxide

Single crystals of MgO luminesce under x-ray excitation with a multiband spectrum. The 3.6-ev band exhibits a long-time phosphorescence accompanied by an induced photoconductivity. Photostimulation of crystals previously x-ray-irradiated produces a sizable photoconductivity during the excitation. This, together with the phosphorescence, decays with time. Remote hole trapping may account for these observations.
Mitochondrial Genome Sequence of the Legume Vicia faba.

The number of plant mitochondrial genomes sequenced exceeds two dozen. However, for a detailed comparative study of different phylogenetic branches more plant mitochondrial genomes should be sequenced. This article presents sequencing data and comparative analysis of mitochondrial DNA of the legume Vicia faba. The size of the V. faba circular mitochondrial master chromosome of cultivar Broad Windsor was estimated as 588,000bp with a genome complexity of 387,745bp and 52 conservative mitochondrial genes; 32 of them encoding proteins, three rRNA and 17 tRNA genes. Six tRNA genes were highly homologous to chloroplast genome sequences. In addition to the 52 conservative genes, 114 unique ORFs were found, 36 without significant homology to any known proteins and 29 with homology to the Medicago truncatula nuclear genome and to other plant mitochondrial ORFs, 49 ORFs were not homologous to M. truncatula but possessed sequences with significant homology to other plant mitochondrial or nuclear ORFs. In general, the unique ORFs revealed very low homology to known closely related legumes, but several sequence homologies were found between V. faba, Beta vulgaris, Nicotiana tabacum, Vitis vinifera and even the monocots Oryza sativa and Zea mays. Most likely these ORFs arose independently during angiosperm evolution (Kubo and Mikami, 2007; Kubo and Newton, 2008). Computational analysis revealed in total about 45% of V. faba mtDNA sequence being homologous to the Medicago truncatula nuclear genome (more than to any sequenced plant mitochondrial genome), and 35% of this homology ranging from a few dozen to 12,806 bp are located on chromosome 1. Apparently, mitochondrial rrn5, rrn18, rps10, ATP synthase subunit alpha, cox2 and tRNA sequences are part of transcribed nuclear mosaic ORFs.