cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microelectronics fabrication training using multimedia and the Web

Integrated circuits are the driving force behind technological breakthroughs and innovative product development in electronics today. ICs are fabricated by a sophisticated series of steps that range in number from dozens to hundreds, depending on the complexity of the circuit function. Although comprehensive training in the field of semiconductor manufacturing requires thorough understanding of all phases of the fabrication process, the study of IC fabrication requires an unusually diverse familiarity with physics, inorganic chemistry, semiconductor devices, and statistics. To alleviate impediments resulting from resource constraints as well as to enhance students' educational experience, we are developing ways to teach microelectronic processing using interactive multimedia at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Our overall vision is to develop a Virtual Cleanroom, in which a student can use a high-performance multimedia workstation (equipped with the necessary audio, video, and graphics capabilities) to follow a semiconductor wafer through a complete processing sequence-from bare silicon to finished IC.
Social Factors in Cross-National Adjustment: Subjective Well-Being Trajectories Among Chinese International Students

We examined how social factors (i.e., social connection, social self-efficacy, and comfort with disclosing distress) and English proficiency predicted two subjective well-being trajectories (i.e., negative affect and satisfaction with life). The sample of this four-wave longitudinal study (across pre-arrival and first three semesters) included 411 Chinese international students studying in the United States. Four distinct trajectory classes were identified for negative affect and satisfaction with life. The classes generally included individuals who had (a) consistently high well-being, (b) experienced some degree of culture shock, (c) enhanced well-being, and (d) low well-being. Social connection with mainstream society was a better predictor of satisfaction with life trajectories than social connection with one’s ethnic community. Comfort with disclosing distress and self-perceived English proficiency were significant predictors only for the satisfaction with life trajectories. The important role of soc...
Discriminating Methods: Tests for Non-nested Discrete Choice Models

We consider the problem of choosing between rival statistical models that are nonnested in terms of their functional forms. We assess the ability of two tests, one parametric and one distribution-free, to discriminate between such models. Our monte carlo simulations demonstrate that both tests are, to varying degrees, able to discriminate between strategic and nonstrategic discrete choice models. The distribution-free test appears to have greater relative power in small samples.
The stuff of life: an integrated inflammatory response.

the paper by martin et al.([6][1]) in this issue of the American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology presents important new information concerning the time-dependent effects of two cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), on rat lung airway
Susceptibility of Mammalian Cells to Pseudomonas Exotoxin A

Bacterial toxins exhibit a great diversity in host range, mechanisms of action, and routes by which they reach their targets. In spite of these differences, many of the bacterial toxins, as well as several well-characterized plant toxins, share several common features. These include: (1) binding to a sensitive cell; (2) transport to an intracellular site of action; and (3) enzymatic modification of an intracellular substrate with subsequent alteration of cellular function.
Evaluation of immunohistochemical staining for glucagon in human pancreatic tissue

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence (IF) staining techniques are important diagnostic tools of anatomic pathology in the clinical setting and widely used analytical tools in research laboratories. In diabetes research, they are routinely used for the assessment of beta- and alpha-cell mass, for assessment of endocrine cell distribution within the pancreas, for evaluation of islet composition and islet morphology. Here, we present the evaluation of IHC techniques for the detection of alpha-cells in human pancreatic tissue. We compared the Horse Radish Peroxidase (HRP)-based method utilizing DAB Peroxidase Substrate to the Alkaline Phosphatase (AP)-based method utilizing Vector Red substrate. We conclude that HRP-DAB staining is a robust and reliable method for detection of alpha-cells using either rabbit polyclonal or mouse monoclonal anti-glucagon antibodies. However, AP-Vector Red staining should be used with caution, because it is affected by the dehydration with ethanol and toluene preceding the mounting of slides with Permount mounting medium. When AP-Vector Red is a preferable method for alpha-cell labeling, slides should be mounted using aqueous mounting medium or, alternatively, they could be air-dried before permanent mounting.
Southernness, migration, and homicide risk: An analysis of individual-level data

The regional culture of violence literature has neglected the effect migration out of the South has on individual-level homicide risk. The present paper tests the hypothesis that moving away from the South reduces exposure to a relatively large class of motivated offenders and lowers the risk of homicide victimization to non-Southern levels. The data come from the National Mortality Detail File and include 2,647 homicides and 403,184 natural deaths. A multivariate logistic regression analysis shows that migration out of the South does not normalize homicide risk. Thus, former Southerners continue to remain at a relatively high risk of homicide victimization in spite of relocating to a safer environment.
A functional strategy for classifying patients after traumatic spinal cord injury.

Objectives: To present a function-based strategy for classifying patients by expected functional outcomes measured as patients' performances at discharge on each of the 18 component items of the FIM™ instrument (previously known as the Functional Independence Measure). Methods: Data included records from 3604 inpatients with traumatic spinal cord injury discharged from 358 rehabilitation units or hospitals in 1995. The function-based strategy assigned patients to four Discharge Motor-FIM-Function Related Groups defined by patients' admission performance on the motor-FIM items. Results: The majority of patients whose motor-FIM scores at admission were above 30 were able to groom, dress the upper body, manage bladder function, use a wheelchair, and transfer from bed to chair, either independently or with supervision, by the time of discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. Most patients whose scores were above 52 attained independence in all but the most difficult FIM tasks, such as bathing, tub transfers, and stair climbing. Conclusions: This classification scheme can be used to determine the degree to which patients' actual FIM outcomes compare to other individuals who had similar levels of disabilities at the time of admission to rehabilitation. The clinician can apply these `FIM item attainment benchmarks' retrospectively in quality improvement, in guideline development, and in anticipating the types of post-discharge care required by clinically similar groups.
Scrotal Hematoma Resulting from Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy for a Distal Ureteral Calculus

AbstractWe performed extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy with a Dornier HM3 lithotriptor to treat a distal ureteral calculus. Although the procedure resulted in successful stone fragmentation, the patient incurred a large scrotal hematoma. We propose a mechanism for this previously unreported complication of shock wave lithotripsy and discuss recommendations for its prevention.
The strokes that killed Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin

From February 4 to 11, 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt of the United States, Soviet Union Premier Joseph Stalin, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met near Yalta in Crimea to discuss how post–World War II (WWII) Europe should be organized. Within 2 decades of this conference, all 3 men had died. President Roosevelt died 2 months after the Yalta Conference due to a hemorrhagic stroke. Premier Stalin died 8 years later, also due to a hemorrhagic stroke. Finally, Prime Minister Churchill died 20 years after the conference because of complications due to stroke. At the time of Yalta, these 3 men were the leaders of the most powerful countries in the world. The subsequent deterioration of their health and eventual death had varying degrees of historical significance. Churchill's illness forced him to resign as British prime minister, and the events that unfolded immediately after his resignation included Britain's mismanagement of the Egyptian Suez Crisis and also a period of mistrust with the...
THE JACOBSON RADICAL

This chapter has as its major goal the creation of the first steps needed to construct a general structure theory for associative rings. The aim of any structure theory is the description of some general objects in terms of some simpler ones—simpler in some perceptible sense, perhaps in terms of concreteness, perhaps in terms of tractability. Of essential importance, after one has decided upon these simpler objects, is to find a method of passing down to them and to discover how they weave together to yield the general system with which we began. In carrying out such a program there are many paths one can follow, many classes of candidates for these simpler objects, and one must choose among these for that theory which is most fruitful in producing decisive results. In the case of rings there seems to be no doubt that the fundamental structure theory laid out by Jacobson is the appropriate one. The best proof of this remark is the host of striking theorems which have resulted from the use of these methods. Modules. Essential to everything that we shall discuss—in fact essential in every phase of algebra—is the notion of a module over a ring R or, in short, an R- module. To be absolutely precise we should say a right R -module for we shall allow the elements of R to act on the module from the right. However we shall merely say R-module, understanding by that term a right R- module.
Reverse Credit Transfer Policies and Programs: Policy Rationales, Implementation, and Implications

ABSTRACTIn the past several years, reverse credit transfer programs expanded dramatically at the state and regional levels. Policymakers and institutional leaders recognize the potential of reverse credit transfer to contribute to college completion goals and increase the proportion of adults with a postsecondary credential. More importantly, reverse credit transfer programs confer associate’s degrees to transfer students who rightly earned them, giving students credit when it’s due. In this article, I examine the policy rationales for reverse credit transfer, summarize implementation research from the Credit When Its Due (CWID) initiative to update the field, and discuss emerging and enduring issues related to reverse credit transfer.
Phase-coupled two-dimensional speckle tracking method

We present a 2D speckle tracking method for displacement estimation based on the gradients of the magnitude and phase of 2D complex correlation in a search region in two consecutive frames. The novelty of this approach is that it couples the phase and magnitude gradients near the correlation peak to determine the true maximum with subsample accuracy in both axial and lateral directions. It is shown that, for wide range of speckle SNR values, both magnitude and phase gradients of the 2D cross correlation near the true correlation peak are well behaved. Furthermore, the magnitude gradient vectors final approach to the true peak is either tangential or orthogonal to the zero-phase contour. This leads to an efficient and robust, directed gradient search algorithm for determination of the true peak resulting in a very accurate estimate of the 2D displacement vector. This algorithm was tested using computer simulations (Field II) as well as tissue mimicking phantoms undergoing deformation and in vivo images of human liver under a variety of breathing conditions. Comparisons with standard interpolation based approach and 2D cross spectrum based method in Sumi (1999) were made for accuracy, speed, and robustness. Compared to standard interpolation, the phase-coupled approach produces superior results using much smaller interpolation factors. Compared to the 2D cross spectrum method, it is more robust, more computationally efficient, and produces finer lateral displacement estimation with lower variance.
Smooth Surfaces in Smooth Fourfolds with Vanishing First Chern Class

Abstract According to a conjecture attributed to Hartshorne and Lichtenbaum and proven by Ellingsrud and Peskine [18] , the smooth rational surfaces in P 4 belong to only finitely many families. We formulate and study a collection of analogous problems in which P 4 is replaced by a smooth fourfold X with vanishing first integral Chern class. We embed such X into a smooth ambient variety and count families of smooth surfaces which arise in X from the ambient variety. We obtain various finiteness results in such settings. The central technique is the introduction of a new numerical invariant for smooth surfaces in smooth fourfolds with vanishing first Chern class.
Phase 1 Study of Accelerated Hypofractionated Radiation Therapy With Concurrent Chemotherapy for Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: CALGB 31102 (Alliance)

Purpose To investigate the safety of accelerated hypofractionated radiation therapy (AHRT) with concurrent chemotherapy (CT) for inoperable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients and Methods The primary objectives were to define the maximally tolerable course of accelerated radiation therapy and to describe toxicities of therapy. Total radiation therapy remained at 60 Gy. The number of once-daily fractions in each successive cohort was reduced as follows: cohort 1, 60 Gy in 27 fractions; cohort 2, 60 Gy in 24 fractions; cohort 3, 60 Gy in 22 fractions; and cohort 4, 60 Gy in 20 fractions. Concurrent treatment consisted of weekly carboplatin area under the curve (AUC) 2 and paclitaxel 45 mg/m2. Consolidation treatment consisted of carboplatin AUC 6 and paclitaxel 200 mg/m2 every weeks × 2 cycles. Maximum tolerated dose: Of 6 patients/cohort, ≤2 patients experienced grade ≥3 toxicity, and ≤1 patient experienced grade ≥4 toxicity. Results 22 patients were accrued; of those, 21 patients were evaluable between July 2012 and May 2014. Grade 5 toxicity occurred in 3 patients: 1 patient in cohort 2 (hemoptysis), 2 patients in cohort 3 (hemoptysis, pneumonitis). The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was defined by cohort 2 (60 Gy in 2.5 Gy/fraction). Time to grade 5 toxicity was 9 months, 6 months, and 9 months after the start of treatment. The median follow-up time was 23.0 months (range, 7.6-30.6 months) in living patients, the median overall survival was 19.3 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 9.3-34.0 months), and the median progression-free survival was 12.2 months (95% CI 6.1-22.5 months). Conclusions Only modest hypofractionation was achievable as a result of long-term toxicities. Nevertheless, the MTD of 60 Gy given at 2.5 Gy/fraction allows completion of RT in 20% fewer treatments than conventional therapy. Further investigation of AHRT may help to better define the therapeutic index.
AI buzzwords explained: scientific workflows

The reproducibility of scientific experiments is crucial for corroborating, consolidating and reusing new scientific discoveries. However, the constant pressure for publishing results (Fanelli, 2010) has removed reproducibility from the agenda of many researchers: in a recent survey published in Nature (with more than 1500 scientists) over 70% of the participants recognize to have failed to reproduce the work from another colleague at some point in time (Baker, 2016). Analyses from psychology and cancer biology show reproducibility rates below 40% and 10% respectively (Collaboration, 2015) (Begley & Lee, 2012). As a consequence, retractions of publications have occurred in the last years in several disciplines (Marcus & Oransky, 2014) (Rockoff, 2015), and the general public is now skeptical about scientific studies on topics like pesticides, depression drugs or flu pandemics (American, 2010).
Effects of Biomass Accessibility and Klason Lignin Contents during Consolidated Bioprocessing in Populus trichocarpa

The bacterium Clostridium thermocellum offers a distinct and integrated approach to ethanol production through consolidated bioprocessing (CBP). The Simons’ stain technique, which assays the accessibility of lignocellulosic biomass, has been traditionally applied to fungal cellulase systems; however, its application to CBP has not been fully explored. For this reason, the structural properties of eight Populus trichocarpa with either high or low biomass densities were compared to determine bioconversion differences during separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF) and CBP with C. thermocellum. Simons’ staining generally identifies low density poplar as more accessible than high density poplar. Additionally, low density P. trichocarpa generally contained less Klason lignin than high density poplar. SHF and CBP treatments consistently identified BESC-7 (high density, low accessibility, low surface roughness) as a low ethanol yielding biomass and GW-9914 (low density, high accessibility, high surface roughne...
Validation of a Predictive Scoring System for Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Insertion After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Background Hydrocephalus is a frequently encountered complication in the context of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Here, we performed an external validation of the recently proposed postsubarachnoid shunt scoring (PS3) system, which aims to stratify patients presenting with aSAH based on their relative risk of requiring ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt insertion. Methods A retrospective review of all patients presenting with aSAH to our institution between July 2007 and December 2016, who underwent computed tomography imaging at the time of hospital admission, was performed. Results A total of 242 patients (66.1% women) with aSAH were included in the analysis with a mean age of 55.6 years. Sixty-four (26.4%) patients had a Hunt and Hess grade of 4 or 5 on admission. An external ventricular drain (EVD) was placed in 130 (53.7%) patients during the hospital admission. EVD placement was found to correlate with an increased rate of VP shunt placement (P Conclusions Data from this study validated the previously proposed PS3 system, which was found to more accurately predict shunt-dependent chronic hydrocephalus in patients with aSAH compared with other such systems in the neurosurgical literature, such as the chronic hydrocephalus ensuing from SAH score, Barrow Neurological Institute, and shunt dependency in aSAH systems.
Health Apps’ Functionalities, Effectiveness, and Evaluation

Positive user evaluation reflects success for a mobile application (app). When a health app fulfills their intended objective, it leads to higher usage and garners better evaluation. Although designing an app with a clear functionality is the key to success, but most apps are built with complex functionalities with confusing objectives that may not help a user’s end objective of managing their health. In this regard, this study explores how functionality and intended health effectiveness of an app influence evaluation. Tracking a set of 188 health apps for 14 weeks, we find that functionality and appeal positively impact the evaluation of the apps. On the other hand, when the apps offer advanced and complex functionalities that are not mature and not fully integrated, the appeal will fade resulting in negative evaluations. Managerial and research contributions of the findings are discussed.
Feeding limitations in temperate anurans and the niche variation hypothesis

The niche variation hypothesis (NVH) states that populations with wider niches are more phenotypically variable. The NVH has important ecological and evolutionary implications but has been controversial since its inception. Recent interpretations have supported the NVH by directly comparing among-individual diet variation with population dietary niche breadth. Traditional studies of the NVH focused on morphological traits as proxies of niche variation, with contradictory results. Gape-limited predators may be relatively likely to show effects of morphological variation on diet breadth because gape size can strongly limit diet. We used five anurans to test NVH predictions, including three true frogs, Rana catesbeiana , R. clamitans , and R. sphenocephala , and two toads, Anaxyrus americanus and A. fowleri . We combined recent and traditional approaches by comparing both individual variation in diet and variation in gape width with dietary niche breadth. We found support for the NVH within two species of the three true frogs but not for either toad species, a difference likely driven by greater strength of the feeding limitation caused by gape width in the frogs. Toads had higher gape width to snout-vent length ratios, reducing the strength of the feeding limitation imposed by gape width. We found strong support for the NVH among species; species with more among-individual variation in diet and species with more variation in gape width had broader niches. Our results highlight the circumstances under which the NVH is applicable and demonstrate an example in which the NVH is supported through both traditional and recent interpretations.
Utilization of Ophthalmologist Consultation for Emergency Care at a University Hospital.

Importance Nearly 2 million patients visit emergency departments (EDs) because of eye concerns annually in the United States. How hospitals currently assign these patients to treatment is important for designing systems that equitably allocate resources for eye care in urgent settings. Objective To investigate factors associated with ophthalmology consultation for eye-related adult ED encounters to assess possible disparities by sex, race/ethnicity, language preference, or residential distance from the medical center. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective observational study of 13 361 adult ED encounters associated with an eye-related billing diagnosis between January 1, 2010, and September 30, 2015, at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor. Exposures Measures available from the University of Michigan clinical data warehouse included age, sex, race/ethnicity, preferred language, home distance from the ED, calendar year of encounter, and Charlson-Deyo Comorbidity Index score. Main Outcomes and Measures Association of the ED encounter with ophthalmology consultation. An ophthalmology consultation was identified by cross-referencing ophthalmology faculty and clinical instructors from 2010 to 2015 against billing providers for consultations using the Charlson-Deyo Comorbidity Index score and billing codes. Measures included patient age, sex, race/ethnicity, home address, preferred language (English vs non-English), and calendar year of encounter. Results Among the 13 361 encounters, 6840 (51.2%) involved a female patient. Mean (SD) age at encounter was 50.7 (19.3) years; 10 033 patients (75.1%) were of white and 1969 (14.7%) of black race/ethnicity. English was the preferred language for 13 022 patients (97.5%). The ophthalmology service was consulted in 5289 encounters (39.6%). Black patients had significantly lower odds of an ophthalmology consultation than white patients (odds ratio [OR], 0.85; 95% CI, 0.75-0.96). Patients who preferred a non-English language had significantly lower odds of receiving an ophthalmology consultation (OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.55-0.98). Conclusions and Relevance Many of the 13 361 eye-related ED encounters were managed by ED clinicians with no ophthalmology consultation. Patients who were black or who preferred a language other than English were less likely to have an ophthalmologist involved in their care. The associations found in this observational study do not imply causation but suggest disparities in care that should be further investigated.
Role of AT2R (Angiotensin Type 2 Receptor) in Maintaining Sodium-Potassium Balance.

See related article, pp 622–630 Sodium (Na+) balance is flow dependent and occurs along the nephron because of basic communication between nephron segments in response to Na+ levels and to maintain Na+ delivery to the distal convoluted tubule (DCT).1 Decreased distal Na+ delivery increases Na+ reabsorption by facilitating epithelial Na+ channel activity in the distal nephron at the expense of K+ excretion to maintain the ionic gradient. This process is very dynamic and is affected by multiple factors. Ang-II (angiotensin-II) and its AT1R (ang-II type 1 receptor) constitute a well-known antinatriuretic hormone/receptor system that promotes Na+ reabsorption and decreases distal Na+ delivery. Now, there is ample evidence demonstrating the natriuretic role of the AT2R (angiotensin type 2 receptor) in normal and pathological conditions. Along the nephron, the proximal and distal tubules are the primary sites where AT2R is expressed, albeit at a very low receptor density. However, the expression of renal AT2R increases in pathological conditions, such as obesity and diabetes mellitus, including in the diabetic human kidney. AT2R expressed in the proximal tubule seems to play a significant role in natriuresis potentially via inhibition of sodium transporters, such as the NKA (Na+-K+-ATPase). According to at least 1 study, AT2R-mediated natriuresis is not impacted by inhibitors of the distal tubule transporter NCC (Na+-Cl− cotransporter) and epithelial Na+ channel activity.2 Compared with that discussing the role of AT2R in Na+ excretion, literature describing the effect of AT2R on the K+ channel is limited only to neuronal cells3 and the renal outer medullary K+ channel4 in the cortical collecting duct. Wu et …
Abstract C52: Disparities in treatment-related financial hardship and adherence to surveillance colonoscopy guidelines in ethnically, linguistically, and geographically diverse colorectal cancer survivors

Introduction: Cancer survivors increasingly report financial hardship as a consequence of the high cost of cancer care, yet the financial experience of traditionally underserved patients, including racial/ethnic minorities, non-English speakers, and rural residents, remains largely unstudied. The purpose of this study was to investigate potential disparities in the likelihood of financial hardship and nonadherence to surveillance colonoscopy. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, individuals diagnosed with localized or regional colorectal cancer between 2004-2012 were ascertained by the population-based New Mexico Tumor Registry. Participants completed a mailed questionnaire or telephone survey about their cancer survivorship experience, including treatment-related financial hardship and receipt of surveillance colonoscopy. Participants were considered to have experienced treatment-related financial hardship if they reported any debt accumulation, bankruptcy filing, other financial sacrifices, or inability to pay medical bills as a consequence of their illness, its treatment, or its lasting effects. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: In this sample of 277 colorectal cancer survivors, 44% of participants reported financial hardship. Individuals with low health literacy (OR 5.41, 95% CI 1.45-20.1), Spanish-speaking Hispanics (OR 3.09, 95% CI 1.39-6.87), divorced, separated or single survivors (OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.94, 95% CI 1.06-3.54), and rural residents (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.06-3.28) were more likely to report financial hardship. Nonadherence to surveillance colonoscopy guidelines was two times as likely among participants reporting financial hardship (OR 2.17 95% CI 1.01-4.67) and among rural residents (OR 2.28, 95% CI 1.07-4.48) than those reporting no financial hardship and urban residents, respectively. Conclusions: Substantial disparities in the likelihood of financial hardship and nonadherence to surveillance colonoscopy exist. Identifying patients at risk of financial hardship and developing interventions to reduce the financial burden of cancer may improve adherence to surveillance recommendations. Citation Format: Jean A. McDougall, Matthew P. Banegas, Charles Wiggins, Ashwani Rajput, Vi K. Chiu, Kristina G. Flores, Anita Y. Kinney. Disparities in treatment-related financial hardship and adherence to surveillance colonoscopy guidelines in ethnically, linguistically, and geographically diverse colorectal cancer survivors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Tenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2017 Sep 25-28; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2018;27(7 Suppl):Abstract nr C52.
Density-Functional Tight-Binding for Platinum Clusters and Bulk: Electronic vs Repulsive Parameters

We present a general purpose Pt-Pt density-functional tight-binding (DFTB) parameter for Pt clusters as well as bulk, using a genetic algorithm (GA) to automatize the parameterization effort. First we quantify the improvement possible by only optimizing the repulsive potential alone, and second we investigate the effect of improving the electronic parameter as well. During both parameterization efforts we employed our own training set and test sets, with one set containing ∼20,000 spin-polarized DFT structures. We analyze the performance of our two DFTB Pt-Pt parameter sets against density functional theory (DFT) as well as an earlier DFTB Pt-Pt parameters. Our study sheds light on the role of both repulsive and electronic parameters with regards to DFTB performance.
David Oliver: Health policy advice in the new number 10.

Just before taking up his post in Boris Johnson’s new support team, health policy adviser William Warr made quite a splash in a Daily Telegraph column.12 Generally, special health advisers in number 10 or Whitehall fly under the radar. Few people outside the healthcare policy and communications bubble would know their names or hear what they think. But in that column, Warr set out his views for public consumption. Early reports on the new administration indicate that it is being run with control and strategic focus. Although Warr was not yet in post, I can’t believe he was just sounding off. This was surely a tactical decision to get some ideas into the public domain, while keeping the new …
Anesthetic Agents Isoflurane and Propofol Decrease Maximal Ca2+-Activated Force and Thus Contractility in the Failing Myocardium.

In the normal heart, frequently used anesthetics such as isoflurane and propofol can reduce inotropy. However, the impact of these agents on the failing myocardium is unclear. Here, we examined whether and how isoflurane and propofol influence cardiac contractility in intact cardiac muscles from rats treated with monocrotaline to induce heart failure. We measured force and intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in trabeculae from the right ventricles of the rats in the absence or presence of propofol or isoflurane. At low to moderate concentrations, both propofol and isoflurane dose-dependently depressed cardiac force generation in failing trabeculae without altering [Ca2+]i. At high doses, propofol (but not isoflurane) also decreased amplitude of [Ca2+]i transients. During steady-state activation, both propofol and isoflurane impaired maximal Ca2+-activated force (Fmax) while increasing the amount of [Ca2+]i required for 50% of maximal activation (Ca50). These events occurred without apparent change in the Hill coefficient, suggesting no impairment of cooperativity. Exposing these same muscles to the anesthetics after fiber skinning resulted in a similar decrement in Fmax and rise in Ca50 but no change in the myofibrillar ATPase-Ca2+ relationship. Thus, our study demonstrates that challenging the failing myocardium with commonly used anesthetic agents such as propofol and isoflurane leads to reduced force development as a result of lowered myofilament responsiveness to Ca2+. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Commonly used anesthetics such as isoflurane and propofol can impair myocardial contractility in subjects with heart failure by lowering myofilament responsiveness to Ca2+. High doses of propofol can also reduce the overall amplitude of the intracellular Ca2+ transient. These findings may have important implications for the safety and quality of intra- and perioperative care of patients with heart failure and other cardiac disorders.
'Shopping for a new body': descriptions of bariatric post-operative adjustment.

Co-morbid conditions resulting from obesity cause 3.4 million deaths per year. Bariatric surgery has become a solution for obesity. Post-operative psychosocial changes can be problematic and must not be neglected. Up to 74% of people with overweight or obesity have body image distortion or dissatisfaction, which may persist even after surgery and weight loss. The questions addressed by this research were: (a) what are the categories of open-ended responses from bariatric surgery patients about their experiences of post-operative adjustment? (b) Do the categories of response support previous quantitative findings of a retained obese identity after surgery? Herman’s Dialogical Self Theory provides the basis for understanding the post-operative transition from “I-obese” to “I-ex-obese”. Fifty-five bariatric surgery patients (18–30 months post-op) were asked to tell the investigator about their adjustment after surgery. Their open-ended responses were written down and analyzed using content analysis. Individual responses were analyzed and divided into four dominant categories: (a) shopping for a new body; (b) relationship transitions; (c) focus on the new body; and (d) cheating on the fat person inside. This study presents an opportunity to gain perspective on the physical and psychosocial adjustment after bariatric surgery. The information can be used to guide pre-op and post-op education and counseling efforts for patients. Physical healing should be paired with healthy psychological adjustment to ensure a positive outcome. Level V, descriptive analysis of previous Level III research.
Multidecadal shifts in fish community diversity across a dynamic biogeographic transition zone

AIM: A 21‐year fisheries‐independent monitoring dataset was used to explore fish community diversity across a latitudinal gradient to quantify how diversity has changed and relate those changes in diversity to changes in the abiotic environment. Additionally, this study spans a biogeographic transition zone, providing insight into future species assemblages across regions of relatively high species diversity. LOCATION: Indian River Lagoon, FL, USA. METHODS: Spatial and temporal beta diversity was quantified latitudinally with “best derived breaks” determined by using chronological cluster analyses. Multiple indices of alpha diversity were quantified, including species richness, Shannon diversity, Simpson diversity and Pielou's evenness. AIC model selection and environmental fit tests were performed to link patterns of diversity and species assemblages with the abiotic environment. RESULTS: Evidence of a biogeographic transition zone was supported by data spanning the entire study period; the largest break in species assemblage occurred near 28°N. Fine‐scale analyses using small and large seine catches were noisier than broad analyses but indicated a northern shift in location of the biogeographic transition zone. Beta diversity was generally dominated by species turnover/balance versus nestedness/gradient components, implying that changes were driven by species sorting associated with the physical environment. Excluding the summation of all environmental variables, temperature and dissolved oxygen best describe patterns of diversity and species composition. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: Over years less affected by disturbances, large and small seine catch data suggest the fish community assemblage and location of the biogeographic transition zone has shifted 9 and 21 km to the north. If the trends observed in these years were to continue from 1999 until the year 2100, a 111–243‐km shift in fish communities could be expected. Variation in rates of movement based on gear type suggests novel species assemblages could ensue.
A Solution to Existing Performance Monitoring Inherited Limitation Using Smart Performance Monitoring Combining Diagnostic Capabilities and Value Creation Determination

This paper related to the development of an effective operating plan to ensure sustained optimum operation in the operating or process oriented facilities. In this paper, an illustration of an operating plan of the steam system in a Gas Oil Separation Plant (GOSP) is described in detail. The tool adopts the advanced analytic modelling algorithm and optimization to provide the users (engineers and operators) with the recommended operating plan for the mode of operations in question for the next day, next week or next month. It involves two steps; namely the predictive and prescriptive phases. The first step allows the prediction of the performance be made based on the given historical performance data, while the second step, utilizing the predicted performance data, employs the optimization algorithm to prescribe the predicted optimum performance. With this tool, by being proactive, the tool has guided the users to sustain optimum performance and specifically, during the deployment of the tool in the steam system, the fuel gas savings of around 1 MMSCFD were captured. Furthermore, by leveraging on this tool, the users are better equipped with a sound strategy for their next day of operation as they are now able to at least anticipate what to expect in the immediate future operation and to ensure their readiness of any eventualities during the operation to make the operation safer and reliable all the times. Is it worth to mention that this idea has been implemented at fuel gas system and it will require engineering and resources to extend the implementation to cover all energy parameters.
Establishing a professional Rugby Union Football League in the USA: managing institutional pluralism in sport entrepreneurship.

Abstract Given the growth of sport leagues globally, we sought to understand how sport entrepreneurs addressed institutional plurality as they worked to establish a new professional sport league in the USA. Drawing on institutional pluralism, we critically examine two efforts to establish professional rugby union football leagues in the USA. Pluralism resulted in tensions among rugby stakeholders. While both leagues sought to reconcile tensions through institutional infrastructure work, one of the leagues garnered more stakeholder support as it was attentive to more institutional contexts. The other league’s infrastructure work was limited and resulted in the alienation of many important rugby stakeholders. Our research demonstrates the theoretical and practical importance of institutional infrastructure work within sport entrepreneurship, especially when navigating institutional pluralism.
Revising the DIKW Pyramid and the Real Relationship Between Data, Information, Knowledge and Wisdom

This paper offers a critique and reformulation of the data-information-knowledge-wisdom (DIKW) pyramid. Today, collection of personal, business, industrial, and other types of data has never been more pervasive and invasive. Data storage now is measured in yottabytes (56 septillion bits of data) and beyond. This collected data is interrogated, monetized, hacked, and otherwise handled and mishandled around the world at an increasingly rapid pace due to improvements in technology. The interrogated data becomes information, but whether this information is useful or valuable depends entirely on the manner of interrogation and the accuracy of the underlying data. In turn, information could become knowledge but not necessarily, and not necessarily useful knowledge either. Knowledge and wisdom are also closely related, but wisdom typically contains a volume and longevity of collected knowledge and a purpose. Are humans more knowledgeable or wiser for today’s massive amounts of collected data? This paper examines the traditional DIKW pyramid and proposes a revised DIKW relationship based on a Venn diagram to better reflect the relationship between data, information, knowledge, and wisdom.
Shortwave infrared (SWIR) spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) for monitoring optical property changes in blood after a high fat meal

Regular blood lipid screening is recommended for those suffering from cardiovascular disease (CVD). Current blood lipid measurements require invasive blood draws and lab-based testing. We introduce here shortwave infrared spatial frequency domain imaging (SWIR SFDI) as a non-invasive technique for blood lipid monitoring. We will report results from an analysis of SFDI measurement parameters (spatial frequency, wavelength, etc.) and light propagation models that result in accurate optical properties and chromophore extractions in the SWIR. Additionally, we will present results from a healthy volunteer study of longitudinal postprandial blood lipid changes measured in superficial blood vessels with SWIR SFDI.
Structure and gating mechanism of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor plays critical roles in the central nervous system and in the cholinergic inflammatory pathway. This ligand-gated ion channel assembles as a homopentamer, is exceptionally permeable to Ca2+, and desensitizes faster than any other Cys-loop receptor. The α7 receptor has served as a prototype for the Cys-loop superfamily yet has proven refractory to structural analysis. We present cryo-EM structures of the human α7 nicotinic receptor in a lipidic environment in resting, activated, and desensitized states, illuminating the principal steps in the gating cycle. The structures also reveal elements that contribute to its function, including a C-terminal latch that is permissive for channel opening, and an anionic ring in the extracellular vestibule that contributes to its high conductance and calcium permeability. Comparisons among the α7 structures provide a foundation for mapping the gating cycle and reveal divergence in gating mechanisms in the Cys-loop receptor superfamily.
Applied cardiological research. Challenges for the new millenium

Poor eating habits, a sedentary life style, and smoking have made acute coronary syndrome a disease characteristic of modern life. Although the widespread appearance of coronary heart disease has been delayed by 10 years, it is expected to be the primary cause of death in the world by the year 2020, in spite of the development of reperfusion therapy and the use of defibrillators. The incidence of coronary heart disease is spreading to more depressed areas and affecting an increasingly larger number of persons over 70, who are generally poorly represented in clinical studies and respond less favorably to treatment. Detaining the advance of this epidemic demands the development of a competitive research policy that includes rigorous training of researchers and scientific programs based on cooperation and teamwork. The success of this scientific strategy rests on public and private fund-raising to finance the anticipated priority areas of cardiovascular research in the coming years: vascular immunobiology, genome studies, tissue transplantation, and organogenesis. Advances in research complemented by the implementation of preventive measures based on a unified scientific approach and community educational campaigns could act effectively against the spread of cardiovascular disease in the world, thus avoiding otherwise inevitable social and economic consequences.
Use of Uridine Triacetate to Reverse Severe Persistent Myelosuppression Following 5-fluorouracil Exposure in a Patient With a c.557A>G Heterozygous DPYD Variant.

Clinical Practice Points • Delayed severe toxicities can occur after fluoropyrimidine exposure in patients with heterozygous DPYD mutation genotypes, especially with DPD c.557A>G (p.Y186C) variant in patients of African descent and female sex. • Uridine triacetate treatment should not be limited to patients with early-onset fluoropyrimidine toxicities or homozygous DPYD mutations.
Solid-phase excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy for chemical analysis of combustion aerosols

Exposure to ultrafine combustion aerosols such as particulate matter (PM) from residential woodburning, forest fires, cigarette smoke, and traffic emission have been linked to adverse health outcomes. Excitation-emission matrix (EEM) spectroscopy presents a sensitive and cost-effective alternative for analysis of PM organic fraction. However, as with other analytical chemistry methods, the miniaturization is hindered by a solvent extraction step and a need for benchtop instrumentation. We present a methodology for collecting and in-situ analysis of airborne nanoparticles that eliminates labor-intensive sample preparation and miniaturizes the detection platform. Nanoparticles are electrostatically collected onto a transparent substrate coated with solid-phase (SP) solvent-polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The PM organic fraction is extracted into PDMS and analyzed in-situ, thus avoiding liquid-phase extraction. In the SP-EEM analysis, we evaluated external and internal excitation schemes. Internal excitation shows the lowest scattering interference but leads to signal masking from PDMS fluorescence for λ<250nm. The external excitation EEM spectra are dependent on the excitation light incident angle; ranges of 30-40° and 55-65° show the best results. SP-EEM spectra of woodsmoke and cigarette smoke samples are in good agreement with the EEM spectra of liquid-phase extracts. The SP-EEM technique can be used to develop wearable sensors for exposure assessments and environmental monitoring.
Stories of the Dear Lord, Second Part: The Conditions for the Possibility of Sense

This chapter continues the analysis of Rilke’s Stories of God and the art of storytelling, but broadens out to include art more generally. It looks at Rilke’s understanding of art, which requires a reaching back into the unconscious and a confrontation with all of the evolution that has led up to the creative human being. Writing is at issue in this chapter, with Derrida’s notion of the writer as scapegoat. The concept of the pharmakon is also rounded out, with writing being something of a cure as well as an ailment. Creativity, like the senses themselves, comes out of this contrast between sickness and health, light and darkness, good and evil. The senses are expanded through this process of creative labor.