cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Three dimensional simulation of fluid flow in X-ray CT images of porous media

A numerical scheme is developed in order to simulate fluid flow in three dimensional (3-D) microstructures. The governing equations for steady incompressible flow are solved using the semi-implicit method for pressure-linked equations (SIMPLE) finite difference scheme within a non-staggered grid system that represents the 3-D microstructure. This system allows solving the governing equations using only one computational cell. The numerical scheme is verified through simulating fluid flow in idealized 3-D microstructures with known closed form solutions for permeability. The numerical factors affecting the solution in terms of convergence and accuracy are also discussed. These factors include the resolution of the analysed microstructure and the truncation criterion. Fluid flow in 2-D X-ray computed tomography (CT) images of real porous media microstructure is also simulated using this numerical model. These real microstructures include field cores of asphalt mixes, laboratory linear kneading compactor (LKC) specimens, and laboratory Superpave gyratory compactor (SGC) specimens. The numerical results for the permeability of the real microstructures are compared with the results from closed form solutions. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Two drugs versus one drug in non-small-cell lung cancer: are we asking the right questions?

The treatment of oncologic diseases has evolved after decades of exhaustive, time-consuming, expensive, and frequently inefficient trial and error. With a limited arsenal of therapeutics, basic questions regarding the dose, schedule, and optimal combination of therapeutics dominated the research landscape for many years. Throughout the 20th century, cancer-drug discovery had largely occurred through serendipitous events; chief among these events included the observations of the effects of mustard gas on soldiers during World War I, the effects of folate and plant products on the growth of leukemic cells, and the death of bacterial cells in a water basin exposed to electrodes made of platinum. These observations were followed years later by a greater understanding of the mechanisms that caused this cancer-kill effect. Several key principles of treatment emerged from the successful treatment of acute leukemia that would be tested over and over again for the next four decades, namely, the most effective treatment for cancer would come from the combination of drugs that had a singleagent activity, differing mechanisms of action, nonoverlapping toxic
Long-period ground motion in the epicentral area of major earthquakes

In view of the potential importance of long-period ground motion in the design of large structures, near-field ground displacement is computed by the elastic dislocation theory for several earthquake fault models. The validity of such computations is confirmed by comparing the computed seismogram with the observed long-period seismogram of the 1923 Kanto earthquake. The ground motions are computed for three hypothetical earthquakes, a hypothetical Kanto earthquake, Tokai earthquake and Nemuro-Oki earthquake. The location and the nature of the faulting of these earthquakes are predicted by plate tectonics and precise earthquake mechanism studies. Major conclusions are: Tokyo may suffer, in the hypothetical Kanto earthquake, ground motions about half as large as those experienced in the 1923 Kanto earthquake; Hamamatsu, a large city on the Tokai coast, may experience in the hypothetical Tokai earthquake ground motions which are as large as, or even larger than, those experienced in the epicentral area of the 1923 Kanto earthquake; the hypothetical Nemuro-Oki earthquake may cause ground motions as large as those experienced in the 1968 Tokachi-Oki earthquake on the coastal cities in Hokkaido.
Visual Snippet Editor - Success With Less

Visual programming has achieved limited success when used as a general programming language. Yet it clearly has advantages in simplifying the task of expressing executable logic. We show that a visual programming metaphor can be highly appropriate and successful when focused on the smaller task of writing snippets of code. These Visual Snippets are needed to complete a larger visual modeling and editing environment. The user would otherwise be required to define the snippet in Javatrade. This Visual Snippet Editor has been successfully deployed in a major IBMreg software product. Initial customer and usability study feedback have shown that it is a highly viable alternative to writing Java. It supports several user skill bases including those with introductory Java skills and those who program infrequently
MR evaluation of femoral neck version and tibial torsion

Abnormalities of femoral neck version have been associated with a number of hip abnormalities in children, including slipped capital femoral epiphysis, proximal femoral focal deficiency, coxa vara, a deep acetabulum and, rarely, developmental dysplasia of the hip. Orthopedic surgeons also are interested in quantifying the femoral neck anteversion or retroversion in children especially to plan derotational osteotomies. Historically, the angle of femoral version and tibial torsion has been measured with the use of radiography and later by CT. Both methods carry with them the risks associated with ionizing radiation. Techniques that utilize MR are used less often because of the associated lengthy imaging times. This article describes a technique using MRI to determine femoral neck version and tibial torsion with total scan times of approximately 10 min.
Cavity-enhaced and quasi-phase-matched optical frequency doublers in surface-emitting geometry

We show that we can efficiently achieve surface-emitting second-harmonic generation in vertical and horizontal cavities. The fundamental beam is coupled into the waveguide, which consists of III–V or II–VI semiconductor multilayers or asymmetric quantum-well domain structures. The generated second-harmonic radiation propagates along the growth direction of these layers (which is normal to the propagation direction of the fundamental beam). The quasi-phase matching is achieved when second-order susceptibility is modulated along the growth direction in these structures. By the proper design of these structures, the frequency doublers based on these structures together can cover the spectrum of 0.8–2.0 μm. If the pump power density is sufficiently large, the conversion efficiency approaches saturation. The saturation power per unit waveguide width is between ~0.9 and ~435 mW/μm. At such a power density, 72% conversion efficiency can be achieved. In addition, the proposed frequency doublers are, in principle, broadband.
Where do pets fit into human quarantines

Currently, there are over 400 viral zoonoses in the world. In addition, there are numerous bacterial zoonoses. Of the emerging diseases, <75% are zoonoses. The potential for household transmission through pets is now being considered in any new disease when information is incomplete regarding potential hosts, and the risk for interspecies transmission is unknown. The possible role of household pets in disease transmission in community-based quarantines has previously been overlooked.
Formal vs. Informal Leading: A Comparative Analysis:

Executive Summary Though we recognize informal leadership and its role in small groups, little research has been done on informal leading in organizations. This exploratory national study set out t...
Effective Drug Therapies from Functional, Macromolecular Building Blocks with a Biomimetic Design

Summary: The development of suitable delivery systems for intracellular delivery of proteins, peptides and other bioactive materials opens the possibility to establish refined strategies for small drug delivery, gene delivery and vaccination. We present the assembly of advanced drug delivery systems from tailored building blocks to scaffolds and bioactive cargos to afford targeting and transport across biological barriers. In particular, the utilization of novel molecular transporter will advance the bioavailability of small and macromolecular drugs that show targeted intracellular delivery.
Microscale laser surgery reveals adaptive function of male intromittent genitalia

The leading hypothesis for the evolution of male genital complexity proposes that genital traits evolve in response to post-insemination sexual selection; that is, via cryptic female choice or sperm competition. Here, we describe a laser ablation technique for high-precision manipulation of microscale body parts of insects, and employ it to discern the adaptive function of a rapidly evolving and taxonomically important genital trait: the intromittent claw-like genital spines of male Drosophila bipectinata Duda. We demonstrate experimentally and unambiguously that the genital spines of this species function to mechanically couple the genitalia together. The excision of the spines by laser ablation sharply reduced the ability of males both to copulate and to compete against rival males for mates. When spineless males did succeed to copulate, their insemination success and fertilization rate were not statistically different from controls, at odds with the post-insemination sexual selection hypothesis of genital function and evolution. The results provide direct experimental support for the hypothesis that genital traits evolve in response to sexual selection occurring prior to insemination.
Quantitative geometric calibration & validation of the Rapideye constellation

Accurate geometric calibration of a spaceborne sensor critical to allowing the imaging system to produce hig quality image products. This paper describes the post-launc calibration techniques developed and used to characteriz the payloads on the five RapidEye satellites. It illustrat how ground-based post-launch calibration techniques can b used to mount a successful geometric calibration campaig consistent with a small-sat satellite mission.
Derivation of Theory by Means of Factor Analysis of Tom Swift and His Electric Factor Analysis Machine

Problems in the use of factor analysis for deriving theory are illustrated by means of an example in which the underlying factors are known. The actual underlying model is simple and it provides a perfect explanation of the data. While the factor analysis "explains" a large proportion of the total variance, it fails to identify the known factors in the model, The illustration is used to emphasize that factor analysis, by itself, may be misleading as far as the development of theory is concerned. The use of a comprehensive, and explicit a priori analysis is proposed so that there will be independent criteria for the evaluation of the factor analytic results.
Silver Nanoparticle Films as Sulfide Gas Sensors in Oddy Tests

The preparation and performance of a silver nanoparticle-based sensor for use in Oddy tests are reported. A suspension of spherical silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) (mean diameter of 30 nm, absorption of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) at 428 nm) in methanol was synthesized and the Ag NPs were self-assembled into monolayer films on glass slides, using polyethylenimine as a linking agent. UV-vis spectrophotometry was employed to measure the SPR intensity of the Ag NP films in order to evaluate the extent of reaction. It was observed that the Ag NP films were quite stable under Oddy test conditions in a blank test, after a brief alteration of the spectrum due to particle dispersal, with no significant decrease in the SPR intensity after 1.5 months at 60°C and 100% RH. The sensitivity of Ag NP films to sulfide gases emitted from a test wool fabric in the Oddy test was investigated. UV-vis spectra taken after the Oddy tests showed the disappearance of the Ag NP SPR peak and the growth of the UV absorption due to Ag 2 S. Elemental analysis with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy confirmed that sulfur had been incorporated into the Ag NP film. Ag NP assemblies of lower NP density were created that indicated the presence of sulfide gases prior to significant tarnishing of a Ag foil. The results demonstrate that the Ag NP films can be used as sensitive, quantitative optical sensors to replace Ag foils in the Oddy test system.
Damage Control Cultures in Elderly Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury

INTRODUCTION: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in elderly patients compromises immune function, increasing the risk for delayed death. How early infections alter mortality compared with later infections is not well described, and if mortality is increased, sending empiric cultures at admission, termeddamage control cultures,maybetter diagnose and treat these patients. The purpose of this study was to determine if an early infection predicts higher mortality in elderly TBI patients.
Exposure To Harmful Workplace Practices Could Account For Inequality In Life Spans Across Different Demographic Groups

The existence of important socioeconomic disparities in health and mortality is a well-established fact. Many pathways have been adduced to explain inequality in life spans. In this article we examine one factor that has been somewhat neglected: People with different levels of education get sorted into jobs with different degrees of exposure to workplace attributes that contribute to poor health. We used General Social Survey data to estimate differential exposures to workplace conditions, results from a meta-analysis that estimated the effect of workplace conditions on mortality, and a model that permitted us to estimate the overall effects of workplace practices on health. We conclude that 10–38 percent of the difference in life expectancy across demographic groups can be explained by the different job conditions their members experience.
Policy and Plan Convergence for Municipal Broadband Networks

It is clear that the growth of municipal wireless networks remains exponential in the US. This paper makes several observations on where municipal broadband policy is being made, what the dynamics are, what the implications are, and several ways to understand the similarity between municipal policy choices. We draw from three bodies of literature (policy transfer, policy diffusion and policy convergence) in order to understand and explain the similarity of actions and business plans of municipalities in states with no passed anti-municipal broadband legislation. Each mechanism implies a different form of motivation to the exchange of policy elements. The goal is to help researchers and policy makers begin the process of developing more robust models for analyzing the policy arena around the development and deployment of municipal broadband systems.
Potential utility of precision medicine for older adults with polypharmacy: a case series study.

Pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing has been increasingly used to optimize drug regimens; however, its potential in older adults with polypharmacy has not been systematically studied. In this hypothesis-generating study, we employed a case series design to explore potential utility of PGx testing in older adults with polypharmacy and to highlight barriers in implementing this methodology in routine clinical practice. Three patients with concurrent chronic heart and lung disease aged 74, 78, and 83 years and whose medication regimen comprised 26, 17, and 18 drugs, correspondingly, served as cases for this study. PGx testing identified major genetic polymorphisms in the first two cases. The first case was identified as “CYP3A4/CYP3A5 poor metabolizer”, which affected metabolism of eleven prescribed drugs. The second case had “CYP2D6 rapid metabolizer” status affecting three prescribed medications, two of which were key drugs for managing this patient’s chronic conditions. Both these patients also had VKORC1 allele *A, resulting in higher sensitivity to warfarin. All cases demonstrated a significant number of potential drug–drug interactions. Both patients with significant drug–gene interactions had a history of frequent hospitalizations (six and 23, respectively), whereas the person without impaired cytochrome P450 enzyme activity had only two acute episodes in the last 5 years, although he was older and had multiple comorbidities. Since all patients received guideline-concordant therapy from the same providers and were adherent to their drug regimen, we hypothesized that genetic polymorphism may represent an additional risk factor for higher hospitalization rates in older adults with polypharmacy. However, evidence to support or reject this hypothesis is yet to be established. Studies evaluating clinical impact of PGx testing in older adults with polypharmacy are warranted. For practical implementation of pharmacogenomics in routine clinical care, besides providing convincing evidence of its clinical effectiveness, multiple barriers must be addressed. Introduction of intelligent clinical decision support in electronic medical record systems is required to address complexities of simultaneous drug–gene and drug–drug interactions in older adults with polypharmacy. Physician training, clear clinical pathways, evidence-based guidelines, and patient education materials are necessary for unlocking full potential of pharmacogenomics into routine clinical care of older adults.
Imagination of Medical Anthropology in China

Medical anthropology can be simply defined as the application of anthropological theories and approaches to the researches of health, sickness, pains and medicines and treatments. To understand the development and branches of medical anthropology, the emphasis should be placed on the interconnection of medical anthropology with its parental anthropological theories and trends. “Imagination of Medical Anthropology in China” is meant in two senses: one is the American anthropologists' imagination of China's anthropological research, and the other is the imagination of future development of medical anthropology in China.
78 INHIBITING GLUCONEOGENESIS PREVENTS THE EFFECTS OF FREE FATTY ACIDS ON GLUCOSE EFFECTIVENESS.

Glucose effectiveness, the ability of hyperglycemia to suppress endogenous glucose production (EGP), is lost in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Free fatty acids (FFA) modulate the effectiveness of glucose to suppress EGP, and increased FFA contribute importantly to the loss of glucose effectiveness in T2DM. Elevating FFA levels in nondiabetic subjects increases gluconeogenesis (GNG) and impairs glucose effectiveness. However, inhibiting GNG alone does not decrease EGP under normoglycemic conditions because of compensatory increases in glycogenolysis (autoregulation). Since hyperglycemia inhibits glycogenolysis, we hypothesized that inhibiting GNG in the presence of hyperglycemia would decrease EGP and prevent the negative impact of FFA on glucose effectiveness. To determine the impact of inhibiting GNG in the presence of elevated FFA, EGP ([3-3H]-glucose) was measured during three separate 7h normoglycemic/hyperglycemic ‘pancreatic clamp’ studies in n = 7 nondiabetic subjects (1F/6M; age = 45 ± 5 years; BMI = 28 ± 3.0 kg/m2). Following an initial 210-minute interval of euglycemia (5 mM), blood glucose levels were raised to hyperglycemic levels (10 mM) from t = 210-420 minutes. The first pancreatic clamp study was a baseline study with saline infusions (Lip2/Et2) in which hyperglycemia suppressed EGP by 61%. Lipid emulsion (Liposyn 20%) was infused throughout the second and third study types (Lip+ and Lip+/Et+) to increase FFA to T2DM levels (A500 mM). After raising plasma FFA to T2DM levels, suppression of EGP by hyperglycemia was impaired in Lip+ (34% suppression) and rates of GNG increased by 67% to 1.49 ± 0.14 mg/kg.min (p = .03). In addition to Liposyn, ethanol (Et) was infused during hyperglycemia in the third study type (Lip+/Et+) to rapidly inhibit GNG (measured by deuterated water) by {223}80%. GNG inhibition significantly enhanced suppression of EGP by hyperglycemia (65.8% decrease, p = .004 vs Lip+) and thus restored glucose effectiveness (p = .6 vs Lip2/Et2). We conclude that increased FFA impair the ability of glucose to suppress EGP in large part due to FFA-induced stimulation of GNG. Inhibiting GNG with ethanol restored glucose effectiveness despite increases in FFA up to T2DM levels. Thus, inhibiting GNG is a potential approach to regulate glucose production in T2DM.
An Efficiency Evaluation of Men’s College Basketball Coaches

An ESPN panel of experts ranked the top 51 men’s college basketball coaches as of June 2014. I evaluate the production efficiency of those coaches, along with (a) 25 others who received honorable m...
Chapter 10 Experts and Information Choice

Experts respond to the same incentives as people in other areas of human action, and in the same ways. This insight is a truism: Experts are ordinary people, not otherworld creatures. The disciplined pursuit of this common sense observation helps us to reach conclusions about experts that might be surprising or counterintuitive.
The dynamics of process modeling: new directions for the use of events and rules in service-oriented computing

The introduction of service-oriented computing has created a more dynamic environment for the composition of software applications, where processes are affected by events and data changes and also pose data consistency issues that must be considered in application design and development. This chapter addresses the need to develop a more effective means to model the dynamic aspects of processes in contemporary, distributed applications, especially in the context of concurrently executing processes that access shared data and cannot enforce traditional transaction properties. After an assessment of current tools for process modeling, we outline four approaches for the use of events and rules to support dynamic behavior associated with constraint checking, exception handling, and recovery. The specific techniques include the use of integration rules, assurance points, application exception rules, and invariants. The chapter concludes with a discussion of future research directions for the integrated modeling of events, rules, and processes.
Dominação nas Organizações: Uma Análise na Empresa Tramontina TEEC S.A

O tema da dominacao acompanhou o desenvolvimento historico do universo organizacional e, ao longo dos seculos, diferentes pensadores expuseram suas concepcoes a respeito da dominacao, cada qual enfatizando uma perspectiva, seja de ordem economica, administrativa, politica ou sociologica. A partir dos conceitos de Maquiavel, Adam Smith, Marx e Weber, este artigo analisou a percepcao da gestao industrial da Tramontina TEEC S.A., sobre o tema da dominacao na organizacao. Realizou-se um estudo caso de carater qualitativo exploratorio, com entrevistas semiestruturadas desenvolvidas em novembro de 2013, na referida empresa. As entrevistas foram gravadas, transcritas e os dados analisados com as metodologias de mapas de associacao de ideias e analise de conteudo. A pesquisa apontou que os gestores nao percebem a dominacao como forma de exploracao, havendo consenso de que a racionalidade, manifestada pelo poder, pode inibir a criatividade dos colaboradores.
Spontaneous Pneumothoraces in Patients with Birt-Hogg-Dubé Syndrome.

Rationale: Spontaneous pneumothorax is a common complication of Birt–Hogg–Dube syndrome (BHD).Objectives: The optimal approach to treatment and prevention of BHD-associated spontaneous pneumothorax, and to advising patients with BHD regarding risk of pneumothorax associated with air travel, is not well established.Methods: Patients with BHD were recruited from the Rare Lung Diseases Clinic Network and the BHD Foundation and surveyed about disease manifestations and air travel experiences.Results: A total of 104 patients completed the survey. The average age at diagnosis was 47 years, with an average delay from first symptoms of 13 years. Pulmonary cysts were the most frequent phenotypic manifestation of BHD, present in 85% of patients. Spontaneous pneumothorax was the presenting manifestation that led to the diagnosis of BHD in 65% of patients, typically after the second episode (mean, 2.4 episodes). Seventy-nine (76%) of 104 patients had at least one spontaneous pneumothorax during their lifetime, and 82...
Consistency conditions for the five-brane in M-theory on orbifold

Abstract We derive some consistency conditions for the five-brane in M-theory on R 5 Z 2 orbifold from the quantization law for the antisymmetric tensor field. We construct consistent five-brane configurations in R 5 Z 2 type orbifold that exhibit the correct low energy dynamics of N = 2 SQCD in four dimensions with symplectic and orthogonal gauge groups. This leads us to propose the M-theory realization of orientifold four-planes of various types, and we study their properties by applying the consistency conditions.
Where We Are: Place, Pedagogy, and the Outer Limits

This introductory chapter begins by rooting the collection in larger scholarly discussions of place. Next, we briefly give an overview of pedagogical work rooted in a sense of place, including, but not limited to, place-based education. We then suggest that given the wide range of literature on pedagogy and place and place-based education and learning that we might expand our collective notions of place. Finally, we situate the contents of this collection within the context of that suggestion, taking note of our contributing authors who work within the framework of what might be called more “traditional” approaches to place-based education and those who play with our notions of place, expand upon them, or ask readers to creatively re-engage with place.
Ecological and phylogenetic variability in the spinalis muscle of snakes

Understanding the origin and maintenance of functionally important subordinate traits is a major goal of evolutionary physiologists and ecomorphologists. Within the confines of a limbless body plan, snakes are diverse in terms of body size and ecology, but we know little about the functional traits that underlie this diversity. We used a phylogenetically diverse group of 131 snake species to examine associations between habitat use, sidewinding locomotion, and constriction behavior with the number of body vertebrae spanned by a single segment of the spinalis muscle, with total numbers of body vertebrae used as a covariate in statistical analyses. We compared models with combinations of these predictors to determine which best fit the data among all species and for the advanced snakes only (N = 114). We used both ordinary least squares models and phylogenetic models in which the residuals were modeled as evolving by the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process. Snakes with greater numbers of vertebrae tended to have spinalis muscles that spanned more vertebrae. Habitat effects dominated models for analyses of all species and advanced snakes only, with the spinalis length spanning more vertebrae in arboreal species and fewer vertebrae in aquatic and burrowing species. Sidewinding specialists had shorter muscle lengths than non-specialists. The relationship between prey constriction and spinalis length was less clear. Differences among clades were also strong when considering all species, but not for advanced snakes alone. Overall, these results suggest that muscle morphology may have played a key role in the adaptive radiation of snakes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Earlier alcohol use onset prospectively predicts changes in functional connectivity

Half of all new alcohol initiates are between 12 and 17 years old. This is a period of intense neurodevelopment, including changes in functional connectivity patterns among higher-order function areas. It is crucial to understand how alcohol-related neurotoxicity may be influenced by drinking onset age. This study prospectively examined the effects of age of first drink on frontoparietal context-dependent functional connectivity (cdFC) during a visual working memory task. Youth 13.5 years of age (SD = 1.2) underwent a neuropsychological and neuroimaging session before drinking initiation and at follow-up 6 years later. Hierarchical linear regressions examined if youth with earlier ages of onset for first and weekly alcohol use showed higher follow-up cdFC between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and posterior parietal cortex regions of interest and whole-brain exploratory regions, controlling for pre-drinking cdFC. Higher follow-up cdFC was hypothesized to be correlated with poorer performances in neuropsychological performance. Exploratory whole-brain analyses showed that, as hypothesized, earlier ages of weekly drinking onset were associated with higher cdFC between the bilateral posterior cingulate and cortical and subcortical areas implicated in attentional processes, which was in turn associated with poorer performance on neuropsychological tasks of attention, ps < .05. No relationship between age of onset and cdFC between the two ROIs were found. Earlier ages of weekly alcohol use initiation may adversely affect neurodevelopment by reducing developmentally appropriate integration of attentional circuits during a cognitive challenge. Delaying the onset of weekly alcohol use patterns well after early adolescence may reduce the risk for harm of alcohol use on the brain.
Retropharyngeal Contralateral C7 Nerve Transfer to the Lower Trunk for Brachial Plexus Birth Injury: Technique and Results.

Purpose Brachial plexus birth injuries with multiple nerve root avulsions present a particularly difficult reconstructive challenge because of the limited availability of donor nerves. The contralateral C7 has been described for brachial plexus reconstruction in adults but has not been well-studied in the pediatric population. We present our technique and results for retropharyngeal contralateral C7 nerve transfer to the lower trunk for brachial plexus birth injury. Methods We performed a retrospective review. Any child aged less than 2 years was included. Charts were analyzed for patient demographic data, operative variables, functional outcomes, complications, and length of follow-up. Results We had a total of 5 patients. Average nerve graft length was 3 cm. All patients had return of hand sensation to the ulnar nerve distribution as evidenced by a pinch test, unprompted use of the recipient limb without mirror movement, and an Active Movement Scale (AMS) of at least 2/7 for finger and thumb flexion; one patient had an AMS of 7/7 for finger and thumb flexion. Only one patient had return of ulnar intrinsic hand function with an AMS of 3/7. Two patients had temporary triceps weakness in the donor limb and one had clinically insignificant temporary phrenic nerve paresis. No complications were related to the retropharyngeal nerve dissection in any patient. Average follow-up was 3.3 years. Conclusions The retropharyngeal contralateral C7 nerve transfer is a safe way to supply extra axons to the severely injured arm in brachial plexus birth injuries with no permanent donor limb deficits. Early functional recovery in these patients, with regard to hand function and sensation, is promising. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic V.
Does the hybrid algorithm has real impact on long-term outcomes or should only be used as a valuable approach for CTO crossing?

The hybrid algorithm to chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) ( Figure 1 ) was published in 2012 and provided a systematic, angiographybased, approach to crossing coronary CTOs in 4 steps: (I) dual coronary angiography, which is essential to determine the characteristics of the lesion, especially occlusion length and the presence of collaterals appropriate for the retrograde approach; (II) systematic review of 4 lesions characteristics (proximal cap, lesion length, quality of distal vessel, and presence of interventional collaterals); (III) initial crossing strategy selection based on the aforementioned 4 parameters; and (IV) early change if the initially selected crossing strategy fails to achieve crossing within a reasonable period of time (1).
Reducing Emissions of Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons from Coal Tar Pitches

Coal tar pitches are widely used as a binder in the production of carbon artifacts, and during baking of these artifacts significant amounts of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are emitted. This study has identified a green engineering approach to reduce the emissions of PAHs from coal tar pitches using a wide range of environmental benign polymerization additives that increase the yield of the carbon artifacts during baking. These additives have been tested against conventional sulfur additives, and an improvement of 97% in the pitch retention levels was observed. Several techniques, including pyrolysis GC/MS studies, were used to ascertain the role of the polymerization additives during the pyrolysis of coal tar pitches. It was observed that the novel additives react with the low molecular weight compounds present in the pitch.
College Admissions in Twenty-First-Century America: The Role of Grades, Tests, and Games of Chance.

In this essay, Rebecca Zwick confronts the controversy surrounding the use of standardized tests in college admissions. She examines the degree to which the SAT and its lesser known cousin, the ACT, limit access to college, particularly for racial and ethnic minorities, and considers two alternative admissions policies that do not involve tests: class rank admissions systems and admissions lotteries. She finds that these initiatives carry their own controversies and have little impact on campus diversity. Zwick notes that some small liberal arts colleges have deemphasized tests and have achieved some success in increasing campus diversity while maintaining high academic standards, but highlights the difficulty of replicating these policies at large institutions. Her analysis sheds light on the ongoing tension between maintaining college selectivity and promoting equal opportunity.
A system for creating and managing reusable learning objects

This paper describes the development and application of a system for creating and managing the Object-Based Instructional Unit (OBIU) approach to using Reusable Learning Objects (RLOs) in developing instructional programs. The OBIU model was designed by the e-Learning Design Lab at the University of Kansas in response to the need for an easy-to-use system for revising and/or structuring content when building online courses. The OBIU is also applicable to structuring content for other instructional or training formats that make use of RLOs. The OBIU includes a repository of RLOs in the form of Instructional Units (IUs) that is searchable for instructional units, customizable for instructional needs, allows for aggregating instructional units, and is usable in optional teaching formats. The repository is also expandable; that is, any user may be allowed to contribute IUs and/or resources. Further, each user is allowed to create his or her own personal account for storing, creating, and/or clustering IUs. Thus, the OBIU allows instructional units to be built, reused, and grouped so that they can be combined for teaching broader concepts or skills when more information is required than is embedded in a single instructional unit. As the IUs from the repository are used or modified, or as new IUs are created, the repository increases, thus adding to its usability. Finally, the OBIU generalizes across disciplines and levels of education.
Microstructural characteristics of DU-xMo alloys with x = 7―12 wt%

Abstract Microstructural, phase, and impurity analyses of six depleted uranium–molybdenum alloys were obtained using optical metallography, X-ray diffraction, and carbon/nitrogen/oxygen determination. Uranium–molybdenum alloy foils are currently under investigation for the conversion of high-power research reactors using high-enriched uranium fuel to accommodate the use of low-enriched uranium fuel. Understanding basic microstructural behavior of these foils is an important consideration in determining the impact of fabrication processes and in anticipating performance of the foils in a reactor. Average grain diameter decreased with increasing molybdenum content. Lattice parameter decreased with increasing molybdenum content, and no significant degree of phase decomposition or crystallographic ordering was caused by processing and post-processing conditions employed in this study. Impurity concentration, specifically carbon, inhibited the degree of microstructural recrystallization but did not appear to impact other microstructural traits, such as γ-phase retention or lattice parameter.
The Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS): Current Strengths and Opportunities for Growth

An introduction to an article focusing upon the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) in the U.S., a source of data and demographic information relating to pregnancy and birth, is presented.
Topic: Public Safety

Not feeling safe is a global concern—one that drives Central American refugees northward through Mexico toward the United States; prompts U.S. Whites to call 911 on Blacks engaged in everyday activ...
Early Steps in Bacterial Photosynthesis. Comparison of Three Mechanisms

Mechanisms for the early electron transfer steps in the bacterial photosynthetic reaction center are discussed. An internal consistency test is described which places a real constraint on the unknown parameters. A resulting possible paradox is described, together with proposed electric field measurements and an alternate mechanism.
A temporal perspective to dam management: influence of dam life and threshold fishery conditions on the energy-fish tradeoff

While hydroelectric dams play a significant role in meeting the increasing energy demand worldwide, they pose a significant risk to riverine biodiversity and food security for millions of people that mainly depend upon floodplain fisheries. Dam structures could affect fish populations both directly and indirectly through loss of accessible spawning and rearing habitat, degradation of habitat quality (e.g., changes in temperature and discharge), and/or turbine injuries. However, our understandings of the impacts of dam life span and the initial fishery conditions on restoration time and hence the dynamic hydropower (energy)-fish (food) nexus remain limited. In this study, we explored the temporal energy-food tradeoffs associated with a hydroelectric dam located in the Penobscot River basin of the United States. We investigated the influence of dam life span, upstream passage rate, and downstream habitat area on the energy-food tradeoffs using a system dynamics model. Our results show that around 90% of fish biomass loss happen within 5 years of dam construction. Thereafter, fish decline slowly stabilizes and approaches the lowest value at around the 20th year after dam construction. Fish restoration period is highly sensitive even to a short period of blockage. The biomass of alewife spawners need 18 years to recover with only 1-year of blockage to the upstream critical habitats. Hydropower generation and loss of fish biomass present a two-segment linear relationship under changes in dam life span. When the dam life span is less than 5 years, generating 1 GWh energy cause around 0.04 million kg loss of fish biomass; otherwise, the loss of fish biomass is 0.02 million kg. The loss of fish biomass could be significantly decreased with minimal energy loss through increasing upstream passage rate and/or the size of downstream habitat area.
J-dimer emission in interwoven metal-organic frameworks.

J-dimer emission is an emergent property that occurs when pairs of ground state fluorophores associate, typically in a dilute solution medium. The resulting fluorescence is shifted with respect to the monomer. J-dimer emission, however, has never been observed in concentrated dispersions or in the solid state. We posited that multivariate (MTV) MOFs with double interwoven structures would help to isolate these dimers within their crystalline matrix. Using this strategy, J-aggregate density was controlled during crystallization by following a substitutional solid solution approach. Here, we identified the presence of J-dimers over the entire composition range for interwoven PIZOF-2/NNU-28 structures with variable amounts of a diethynyl-anthracene aggregate-forming link. We produced bulk crystals that systematically shifted their fluorescence from green to red with lifetimes (up to 13 ns) and quantum yields (up to 76%) characteristic of π–π stacked aggregates. Photophysical studies also revealed an equilibrium constant of dimerization, KD = 1.5 ± 0.3 M−1, enabling the first thermodynamic quantification of link–link interactions that occur during MOF assembly. Our findings elucidate the role that supramolecular effects play during crystallization of MTV MOFs, opening pathways for the preparation of solid-state materials with solution-like properties by design.
Obstacle Course: The Everyday Struggle to Get an Abortion in America (Introduction)

It seems unthinkable that citizens of one of the most powerful nations in the world must risk their lives and livelihoods in the search for access to necessary health care. And yet it is no surprise that in many places throughout the United States, getting an abortion can be a monumental challenge. Anti-choice politicians and activists have worked tirelessly to impose needless restrictions on this straightforward medical procedure that, at best, delay it and, at worst, create medical risks and deny women their constitutionally protected right to choose. This forthcoming book tells the story of abortion in America, capturing a disturbing reality of insurmountable barriers people face when trying to exercise their legal rights to medical services. Authors David S. Cohen and Carole Joffe lay bare the often arduous and unnecessarily burdensome process of terminating a pregnancy: the sabotaged decision-making, clinics in remote locations, insurance bans, harassing protesters, forced ultrasounds and dishonest medical information, arbitrary waiting periods, and unjustified procedure limitations. Based on patients’ stories as well as interviews with abortion providers and allies from every state in the country, Obstacle Course reveals the unstoppable determination required of women in the pursuit of reproductive autonomy as well as the incredible commitment of abortion providers. Without the efforts of an unheralded army of medical professionals, clinic administrators, counselors, activists, and volunteers, what is a legal right would be meaningless for the almost one million people per year who get abortions. There is a better way—treating abortion like any other form of health care—but the United States is a long way from that ideal.
Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2)-deficiency impairs male mouse recovery from a depression-like state

Major depression is a prevalent, debilitating disease, yet therapeutic interventions for depression are frequently inadequate. Many clinical and pre-clinical studies have demonstrated that depression is associated with aberrant activation of the inflammatory system, raising the possibility that reducing inflammation may provide antidepressant effects. Using the learned helplessness mouse model, we tested if susceptibility or recovery were affected by deficiency in either of two receptors that initiate inflammatory signaling, Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) and TLR2, using knockout male mice. TLR4-/- mice displayed a strong resistance to learned helplessness, confirming that blocking inflammatory signaling through TLR4 provides robust protection against this depression-like behavior. Surprisingly, TLR2-/- mice displayed increased susceptibility to learned helplessness, indicating that TLR2-mediated signaling counteracts susceptibility. TLR2-mediated signaling also promotes recovery, as TLR2-/- mice demonstrated a severe impairment in recovery from learned helplessness. That TLR2 actually protects from learned helplessness was further verified by the finding that administration of the TLR2 agonist Pam3CSK4 reduced susceptibility to learned helplessness. Treatment with Pam3CSK4 also reversed chronic restraint stress-induced impaired sociability and impaired learning in the novel object recognition paradigm, demonstrating that TLR2 stimulation can protect from multiple impairments caused by stress. In summary, these results demonstrate that TLR2-mediated signaling provides a counter-signal to oppose deleterious effects of stress that may be related to depression, and indicate that TLR2 and TLR4 act oppositely to balance mood-relevant responses to stress.
A Data-Driven Pivot-Point-Based Time-Series Feeder Load Disaggregation Method

The load profile at a feeder-head is usually known to utility engineers while the nodal load profiles are not. However, the nodal load profiles are increasingly important for conducting time-series analysis in distribution systems. Therefore, in this paper, we present a pivot-point based, two-stage feeder load disaggregation algorithm using smart meter data. The two stages are load profile selection (LPS) and load profile allocation (LPA). In the LPS stage, a random load profile selection process is first executed to meet the load diversity requirement. Then, a few pairs of pivot points are selected as the matching targets. After that, a matching algorithm will run repetitively to select one load profile at a time for matching the reference load profile at the pivot points. In the LPA stage, the LPS selected load profiles are allocated to each load node on the feeder considering distribution transformer loading limits, load composition, and square-footage. The proposed method is validated using actual data collected in a North Carolina service area. Simulation results show that the proposed method can generate a unique load shape for each load node while match the shape of their aggregated profile with the actual feeder head load profile.
Evaluation of determinants for age disparities in the survival improvement of colon cancer: results from a cohort of more than 486,000 patients in the United States.

Over the past two decades, elderly colon cancer patients experienced less improvement in survival than their younger counterparts, yet the contributing factors remain unknown. We aimed to evaluate factors that may contribute to the age disparity of survival improvement among patients with colon cancer. Using data from the National Cancer Database, we identified patients diagnosed with colon cancer between 2004 and 2012 with follow-up data up to 2017. The hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for 5-year OS associated with study variables were estimated using multivariable Cox regression. Among 486,284 patients included in this study, elderly patients (aged ≥75) had a lower adherence to National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) treatment guidelines (% of non-adherence: 45.3%) than younger patients (aged 0.05). Several patient-related factors were identified in association with noncompliance to NCCN guidelines, including comorbidity status. However, over 60% of noncompliance elderly patients had a Charlson comorbidity score of 0. The observed age disparity in survival improvement among colon cancer patients was primarily explained by a slower improvement in adherence to NCCN treatment guidelines in elderly than younger patients. Many older adults were not receiving recommended therapies despite minimal comorbidities. Our findings call for measures to increase adherence to treatment guidelines among elderly patients to improve survival.