cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Power in networks of substitutable and complementary exchange relations : A rational-choice model and an analysis of power centralization

L'A. propose un modele d'evaluation des phenomenes de pouvoir qui apparaissent dans les reseaux, les situations d'echange ou l'on peut observer une complementarite ou une possibilite de substitution. Celui-ci mobilise la theorie de l'action collective de J. S. Coleman et la theorie du pouvoir et de la dependance de K. S. Cook et R. M. Emerson. Dans ce cadre le pouvoir apparait comme le resultat d'un echange construit sur une strategie des acteurs mettant en avant la maximalisation des benefices de leurs actions soumises a la contrainte des reseaux qui restreignent l'echange. L'A. propose des simulations des situations d'echange et s'efforce d'isoler les determinants structurels et relationnels des phenomenes de centralisation du pouvoir dans le cadre de relations etroites d'echanges substituables
Ecophysiological Models in Simulations of an Aquatic Habitat for Closed-Loop Life Support Research

A limitation in closed-loop life support system research is the no-availability of smallscale experimental capacities that may help to better understand the challenges in system closure, integration, and control. Ground-based aquatic habitats are an option for smallscale research relevant to bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS), given that they can operate as self-contained systems enclosing a habitat composed of various species in a single volume of water. This paper elaborates on the modeling, design, and simulation of a recongurable aquatic habitat for experiments in BLSS and automation. It focuses in the process of respiration: higher plants of the species Bacopa Monnieri produce O2 for snails of the genus Pomacea. The snails consume the O2 and generate CO2, which is used by the plants in combination with radiant energy to generate O2 through the process of photosynthesis. The paper expands the description of biological processes by introducing models of ecophysiological phenomena of the organisms involved. The model of the plants include a description of the rate of CO2 assimilation as a function of irradiance. The snails instead are modeled through their rate of consumption, treated as a combination of a constant and a random variable to account for changes in metabolic rates and aestivation. The latter consists in brief periods of torpor of the metabolism of the snails in which oxygen consumption is considerably reduced. Simulations and validation runs with hardware show how these phenomena may act as disturbances for the control mechanisms that aim to maintain safe concentration levels of dissolved oxygen in the habitat.
Dynamic X-ray Observation and Analysis of New Type Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Premature Infants

Objective To discuss the X-ray manifestations of new type bronchopulmonary dysplasia(BPD) in premature infants in order to improve the early diagnosis ability.Methods The series of chest X-ray films,taken at different times,of 36 infants with clinically-proved new type BPD were retrospectively analyzed.Results(1) The primary diseases included acute respiratory distress syndrome(RDS,n=21),premature lung(n=7) and no obvious pulmonary abnormalities(n=8).(2) X-ray findings of BPD in premature infants were as follows:(a) Darkened and opacity lung field(53-75%);(b) Air-filled vesicae shadow(19-100%);(c) Pulmonary hyperinflation at middle and later stage(5-75%);(d) Mottled shadows at early stage(2- 33%);(e) Reticular shadow(21- 43%) and patch shadow(24-43%);(f) Mild enlargement of heart shadow(12- 29%);(g) disordered lung structure at late stage.(3) Summarization of the early X-ray signs of the new type BPD in premature infants: darkened and opacity lung field,air-filled vesicae,etc.The above two signs usually appeared in the following situations:(a) the signs of primary diseases were improved or disappeared,and(b) the signs of the primary diseases were very subtle.Conclusion The diagnosis of new type bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature infants depends mainly on the clinical history and chest X-ray findings.Single chest X-ray image has no diagnostic value,but dynamic observation of a series of chest X-ray films is very helpful for the diagnosis.
Determination of Arsenic in Health Products by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

[Objective]To establish the method of determining arsenic in health products by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry.[Methods]The health products was digested by microwave digestion,determination of arsenic by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry.[Results]Linear regression equation was Y=0.0013 X+0.00074,r=0.9999,the detection limit was 0.13 μg/L,the recovery rate ranged from 93.1% ～ 96.5% and RSD ranged from 1.27% to 3.04%.[Conclusion]Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry can be used for determination of arsenic in health products
A 3-year experience with necrotizing fasciitis: favorable outcomes despite operative delays in a busy acute care hospital.

Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare severe soft tissue infection that has historically been associated with high mortality. We sought to evaluate our experience with necrotizing fasciitis focusing on outcomes based on timing of operative intervention. Our study hypothesis was that delays in surgical management would negatively impact outcomes. Fifty-four patients were identified for a retrospective chart review from January 2008 to January 2011. Data analysis included demographics, admission laboratory values, imaging results, examination findings, timing and nature of operations, length of stay (LOS), and outcomes. Surgical intervention in 12 hours or more was considered a delay in care. Our study cohort was high risk based on a high prevalence of intravenous drug abuse, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and end-stage liver disease. The average time to surgical intervention was 18±25 hours and the overall mortality rate was 16 per cent. A delay to surgery did not impact mortality or the number of debridements and LOS. Mortality was high, 45 per cent, in patients requiring amputation. We observed a high-risk population managed with aggressive surgical care for necrotizing fasciitis. Our mortality was low compared with historical data and surgical delays did not impact outcomes. Those patients requiring amputation had worse outcomes.
How to chronologize with a hammer, Or, The myth of homogeneous, empty time

Modern Western temporality is often characterized (quoting Walter Benjamin) as “homogeneous, empty time.” This temporality is said (in the influential works of Johannes Fabian and Michel-Rolph Trouillot, for example) to result from a process by which sacred Judeo-Christian time was secularized: beginning in the Renaissance and finally achieved by the Enlightenment. Taking Fabian and Trouillot as a point of departure, this essay considers the past five centuries of Western chronological history. Temporal secularization is revealed to be far less linear (and much more recent) than Occidentalist common sense would assume. Given the actual strangeness of the “Common Era” Gregorian calendar—according to whose rhythms much of the world now structures its life—two models are proposed for dealing with that calendar’s complex legacies. Following Nietzsche, we can productively take a hammer to the idol of Western chronology: not to smash it, but to make it ring.
Slow Singlet Fission Observed in a Polycrystalline Perylenediimide Thin Film.

Singlet exciton fission (SF) is a process wherein an exciton in an organic semiconductor divides its energy to form two excitations. This process can offset thermalization losses in light harvesting technologies, but requires photostable materials with high SF efficiency. We report ultrafast kinetics of polycrystalline films of N–N′-dioctyl-3,4,9,10-perylenedicarboximide (C8-PDI), a chromophore predicted to undergo SF on picosecond time scales. While transient absorption measurements display picosecond dynamics, such kinetics are absent from low-fluence time-resolved emission experiments, indicating they result from singlet–singlet exciton annihilation. A model that accounts for annihilation can reproduce both measurements and highlights that care must be taken when extracting SF rates from time-resolved data. Our model also reveals SF proceeds in C8-PDI over 3.8 ns. Despite this slow rate, SF occurs in high yield (51%) due to a lack of competing singlet deactivation pathways. Our results show perylenedii...
Reducing the Bottleneck in Discovery of Novel Antibiotics

Most antibiotics were discovered by screening soil actinomycetes, but the efficiency of the discovery platform collapsed in the 1960s. By now, more than 3000 antibiotics have been described and most of the current discovery effort is focused on the rediscovery of known compounds, making the approach impractical. The last marketed broad-spectrum antibiotics discovered were daptomycin, linezolid, and fidaxomicin. The current state of the art in the development of new anti-infectives is a non-existent pipeline in the absence of a discovery platform. This is particularly troubling given the emergence of pan-resistant pathogens. The current practice in dealing with the problem of the background of known compounds is to use chemical dereplication of extracts to assess the relative novelty of a compound it contains. Dereplication typically requires scale-up, extraction, and often fractionation before an accurate mass and structure can be produced by MS analysis in combination with 2D NMR. Here, we describe a transcriptome analysis approach using RNA sequencing (RNASeq) to identify promising novel antimicrobial compounds from microbial extracts. Our pipeline permits identification of antimicrobial compounds that produce distinct transcription profiles using unfractionated cell extracts. This efficient pipeline will eliminate the requirement for purification and structure determination of compounds from extracts and will facilitate high-throughput screen of cell extracts for identification of novel compounds.
Airborne Magnetic Anomaly Navigation

Robust aerial navigation without GPS is a challenging problem. Alternative navigation systems for airborne use are often limited by where and when they can operate. For example, terrain following systems cannot operate over oceans, and star-tracker and computer-vision systems depend on weather and daylight. Navigation using the Earth's magnetic anomaly field, which is globally available at all times, shows promise to overcome many of these limitations. We designed an airborne navigation system that utilizes only passive instruments—an optically pumped scalar magnetometer, an inertial navigation system (INS), a barometer, and a magnetic anomaly map. The navigation system uses a particle filter to correct errors in an INS as well as estimate measurement-corrupting temporal variations by comparing actual magnetometer measurements to expected measurements from the magnetic anomaly map. A complete measurement equation is presented that describes the nontrivial relationship between the real-time magnetometer measurements and the magnetic anomaly map. We validated the navigation system with real data from a flight test over Louisa, VA. Horizontal DRMS errors of 13 m were achieved over an hour long flight at the map altitude of 1000-ft MSL using a magnetic anomaly map created 3 years ago. This result should be considered as a “best case” result when using the presented methods, since the flight test was conducted in ideal conditions. The demonstrated accuracy of the navigation system shows orders of magnitude improvement over previously published magnetic navigation experimental results, indicating that the magnetic anomaly navigation is a promising addition to current global positioning system alternative and backup systems.
Studying Open versus Traditional Textbook Effects on Students' Course Performance: Confounds Abound.

To combat the high cost of textbooks, open (digitally free) textbooks have recently entered the textbook market. Griggs and Jackson (2017) reviewed the open introductory psychology textbooks presen...
Analysis and impact of the measures to mitigate climate change in Algeria

Abstract Algeria has adopted various measures of mitigation and adaptation to adverse climate change impacts. Algerian strategy focus on reducing GHG emissions, CO 2 sequestration, expanding forest areas and improving water resources by sea water desalination. This study presents the GHG mitigation potential of Algeria to 2030, the fossil energy saved through promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency and analyses the main barriers that could hamper the success of this strategy of mitigation and adaptation.
Disparities in operative outcomes in patients with comorbid mental illness

Abstract Background Patients with mental health disorders have worse medical outcomes and experience excess mortality compared with those without a mental health comorbidity. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between mental health comorbidities and surgical outcomes. Methods This retrospective cohort study used the National Inpatient Sample (2009–2011) to select patients who underwent one of the 4 most common general surgery procedures (cholecystectomy and common duct exploration, colorectal resection, excision and lysis of peritoneal adhesions, and appendectomy). Patients with a concurrent mental health diagnosis were identified. Multivariable logistic regression examined outcomes, including prolonged length of stay, in-hospital mortality, and postoperative complications. Results Of the 579,851 patients included, 38,702 patients (6.7%) had a mental health diagnosis. Mood disorders were most prevalent (58.7%), followed by substance abuse (23.8%). After adjustment for confounders, including sex, race, number of comorbidities, admission status, open operations, insurance, and income quartile, we found that having a mental health diagnosis conferred a 40% greater odds of including prolonged length of stay (OR 1.41, P Conclusions General surgery patients with comorbid mental disease experience a greater incidence of postoperative complications and longer hospitalizations. Recognizing these disparate outcomes is the first step in understanding how to optimize care for this frequently marginalized population.
Assessing glenosphere position: superior approach versus deltopectoral for reverse shoulder arthroplasty.

Background The anterosuperior (AS) approach for reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) has been reported as a risk factor for baseplate malposition because of potential difficulty in glenoid exposure. The objective of this study was to compare glenoid baseplate position between the AS and deltopectoral (DP) approaches in relation to the surgeon's experience and to evaluate the effect of placement on clinical outcomes. Methods There were 109 shoulders that underwent RTSA for cuff tear arthropathy or osteoarthritis with cuff tearing by a single surgeon. The AS approach was used in 87 shoulders. Clinical, radiographic, and functional outcomes were assessed for all patients with a minimum of 2 years of follow-up. Initial postoperative radiographs of all 109 shoulders were assessed for baseplate positioning. Results The mean change in glenoid inclination was 3.0° inferior with the AS approach and 2.5° inferior with the DP approach (P = .68). Pain scores (P = .14), range of motion, and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores (P = .16) improved in both groups, without a difference between approach. Scapular notching was noted in 68.5% of AS shoulders and 72.4% of DP shoulders (P = .78). Over time, there was a trend to place the glenoid baseplate more caudal with less inferior tilt. Discussion and conclusion Both approaches produce similar baseplate position, clinical outcomes, and rates of scapular notching when they are used for RTSA. Attempts to inferiorize the glenoid baseplate through the AS approach may increase the risk of superior inclination.
Policy proposal: do not resuscitate orders: a call for reform.

The Do Not Resuscitate policy in many hospitals brings about ethical questions regarding hospital policy towards terminally ill patients and end-of-life care. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Pragmatic presupposition and unarticulated constituents

There is a tradition of purely semantic identification of variables within the logical/syntactic level, which understands the meaning of sentences as only fully linguistically complete depending on the context. However, this article argues that the meaning of our natural language loses its epistemic relevance if we only refer to a semantically context-sensitive analysis, since speakers are the ones who mean things with words and not language by itself.
Surface Modification of Radionanomedicine

Various radioactive nanomaterials (radionanomaterials) have been successfully utilized as radionanomedicines, particularly in the field of nuclear imaging and radiation therapy. Surface modification is one of the most critical steps during the fabrication of radionanomedicines. Proper surface modification can bring multiple benefits to radioisotopes-loaded nanomaterials, which include, but not limited to, material disparity/stability improvement, in vivo pharmacokinetics optimization, adjustment of interactions with biomolecules, incorporation of diagnostic or tissue targeting moieties, addition of new material property (e.g. stimuli responsiveness), among many others. In this chapter, we tried to give a brief illustration on how various surface modification strategies can be accomplished for specific nanomaterials, and provide comments on the advantages and limitations of each strategy. By the most straightforward categorization, the surface modification can be achieved via either chemical reactions (covalent coupling) or physical interactions (usually forming noncovalent binding). Each surface modification method can work synergistically with each other to generate theranostic radionanomaterials with more attractive characteristics. In the end, different previous representative research reports were given as examples to confirm how these strategies could be used in surface modification of nanomaterials from different categories.
Medical students' attitudes toward AIDS, homosexual, and intravenous drug-abusing patients: a re-evaluation in New York City.

After completing their clinical rotations, 69% of the third-year medical school class at Columbia University responded to a survey based on one originally used by Kelly et al. at the University of Mississippi, 1 to determine their attitudes toward acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients, homosexual men, and intravenous drug abusers (IVDAs). Results of this study were compared to the findings of Kelly et al. to determine how, if at all, geographic and environmental exposures affected student attitudes. Unlike the University of Mississippi students, who exhibited a highly negative and prejudiced view of homosexuals and patients with AIDS. Columbia students displayed no evidence of negative attitude toward homosexuals and a much less harsh judgment of AIDS patients. They, however, did have dramatically negative attitudes toward IVDAs; 78.4% stated that they strongly disliked and would avoid this group of patients. There is a complex multivariable environmental effect on students' attitudes during medical school. It is not possible to generalize attitudes from one medical school to another. The necessity of incorporating activities into student education to evaluate and to reduce prejudice is discussed.
Association of Urinary Tract Infection and Reflux with Uninhibited Bladder Contractions and Voluntary Sphincteric Obstruction

AbstractWe studied 53 neurologicaily normal children with recurrent urinary tract infection who were found to have bladder-sphincter incoordination characterized by voluntary sphincteric constriction during involuntary uninhibited bladder contraction. Increased intravesical pressure was documented during these events and was associated with vesicoureteral reflux in nearly 50 per cent of the children and with abnormalities of the ureteral orifice in 30 per cent of those without reflux. We hypothesize that increased intravesical pressure causes urinary infection in these children and produces a spectrum of intravesical anatomic distortion that predisposes to vesicoureteral reflux. In a prospective uncontrolled study treatment of the uninhibited bladder contractions allowed 58 per cent of the patients to maintain sterile urine without subsequent antimicrobial therapy after cure of the initial infection.
Two-Dimensional Calculation of High-Power Microwave Bandwidth Broadening by Laser-Induced Air Breakdown

Wideband, high-power microwave pulses are expected to have a number of important future applications. One of these is wideband radar. The wide bandwidth should yield increased information for target characterization and identification.1 The high power should yield increased target range for conventional objects. It should also make possible the detection of previously undetectable, reduced-signature objects.
Density — Quasiparticle Interpretation of Excitations in Liquid 4He

The dispersion curve of the phonon-roton excitations in superfluid 4He at low T is well described by the theory of Landau, Feynman and the Correlated Basis Function (CBF) method. However, the temperature dependence of these excitations is quite complicated and not well described by the thermal broadening of a single excitation. We discuss our recent interpretation of this temperature dependence which includes both density and quasiparticle excitations in liquid 4He. We also show how the chief relation on which the interpretation is based can be derived in terms of the full quasiparticle-quasiparticle interaction.
Paradigm Shifts in Nocturnal Glucose Control in Type 2 Diabetes.

Context A better understanding of nocturnal regulation of glucose homeostasis will provide the framework for designing rational therapeutic strategies to improve the management of overnight glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Objective To establish the nocturnal pattern and regulation of glucose production (EGP) in humans and to determine whether the pattern is dysregulated in people with T2D. Design Subjects were infused with [3-3H] glucose overnight. Arterial blood samples were drawn for hormones and analytes to estimate EGP throughout the night. Deuterium-labeled water was provided to measure gluconeogenesis (GNG) using the hexamethylenetetramine method of Landau. Setting Mayo Clinic Clinical Research Trials Unit, Rochester, MN, USA. Participants and Interventions A total of 43 subjects [23 subjects with T2D and 20 nondiabetic (ND) subjects comparable for age and body mass index] were included in this study. Main Outcome(s) Measure(s) Glucose and EGP. Results Plasma glucose, C-peptide, and glucagon concentrations were higher throughout the night, whereas insulin concentrations were higher in subjects with T2D vs ND subjects at 1:00 and 4:00 am but similar at 7:00 am. EGP was higher in the subjects with T2D than in the ND subjects throughout the night (P < 0.001). Glycogenolysis (GGL) fell and GNG rose, resulting in significantly higher (P < 0.001) rates of GNG at 4:00 and 7:00 am and significantly (P < 0.001) higher rates of GGL at 1:00, 4:00, and 7:00 am in T2D as compared with ND. Conclusions These data imply that optimal therapies for T2D for nocturnal/fasting glucose control should target not only the absolute rates of EGP but also the contributing pathways of GGL and GNG sequentially.
Emergency department provider perspectives on elder abuse and development of a novel ED-based multidisciplinary intervention team

Background An ED visit provides a unique opportunity to identify elder abuse, which is common and has serious medical consequences. Despite this, emergency providers rarely recognise or report it. We have begun the design of an ED-based multidisciplinary consultation service to improve identification and provide comprehensive medical and forensic assessment and treatment for potential victims. Methods We qualitatively explored provider perspectives to inform intervention development. We conducted 15 semistructured focus groups with 101 providers, including emergency physicians, social workers, nurses, technologists, security, radiologists and psychiatrists at a large, urban academic medical centre. Focus groups were transcribed, and data were analysed to identify themes. Results Providers reported not routinely assessing for elder mistreatment and believed that they commonly missed it. They reported 10 reasons for this, including lack of knowledge or training, no time to conduct an evaluation, concern that identifying elder abuse would lead to additional work, and absence of a standardised response. Providers believed an ED-based consultation service would be frequently used and would increase identification, improve care and help ensure safety. They made 21 recommendations for a multidisciplinary team, including the importance of 24/7 availability, the value of a positive attitude in a consulting service and the importance of feedback to referring ED providers. Participants also highlighted that geriatric nurse practitioners may have ideal clinical and personal care training to contribute to the team. Conclusions An ED-based multidisciplinary consultation service has potential to impact care for elder abuse victims. Insights from providers will inform intervention development.
Degradation of Solder Bonds in Field Aged PV Modules: Correlation with Series Resistance Increase

One of the major defects that can cause significant power loss is the degradation of interconnect metallization system (IMS) comprised of cell metallization and solder bonds of cell and string interconnects. Weak cell interconnect solder bonds between copper ribbon and busbar of cells result in series resistance increase which affects the fill factor causing a power drop. In this paper, the results obtained from series resistance and peel test experiments performed on the cells extracted from modules exposed in three different climates (Arizona - Hot and Dry, Mexico - Warm and Humid, and California - Temperate) for more than 18 years are presented. Finally, climate specific thermal modelling was performed for those sites over 20 years to calculate the accumulated thermal fatigue and to evaluate its correlation, if any, with series resistance.
Engaging Transgender Patients: Using Social Media to Inform Medical Practice and Research in Transgender Health.

Abstract Despite accelerated growth in the field of transgender health, mistrust between trans patients and their providers persists. Insufficient education for providers, research that overlooks p...
UNIT B6.3 Contrast

Contrast (Azim Celik, General Electric Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Weili Lin, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina). SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) determines the effectiveness of an imaging experiment. However, even the highest SNR does not guarantee the usefulness of an image. An important aim of imaging for diagnostic purposes is to be able to distinguish between diseased and neighboring normal tissues. If the imaging method used does not have a signal-manipulating mechanism which produces different signals for the diseased and normal tissues, then distinguishing the two tissues is not possible. This unit provides a detailed discussion of the contrast-producing mechanisms that arise from the signal dependence on a wide variety of tissue parameters.
Contextual Frameworks for Addressing Risk and Fostering Resilience Among Sexual and Gender Minority Veterans

Several hundred thousand sexual and gender minority (SGM) veterans are estimated to seek out healthcare services through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) each year, though the exact number is unknown. SGM veterans present with many healthcare concerns that are similar to the veteran population at large. They also experience unique risk and resilience factors affecting healthcare and treatment outcomes. Mental health professionals play a crucial role in addressing risk and resilience factors of SGM veterans, whether as solo practitioners, as members of specialty mental health programs, or within integrated care teams in VHA or civilian healthcare systems. Utilizing a minority stress theoretical lens, (Meyer I, Psychological Bulletin. 129:674–697, 2003) this chapter offers mental health professionals a framework through which to identify and address contributors to distress and foster resilience in SGM veterans. This chapter will further outline strategies for developing a welcoming clinical environment for SGM veterans and providing patient-centered, culturally informed, and affirming mental health treatment. Finally, this chapter will review considerations for transgender veterans seeking transition-related care.
Trusted Computing und die Umsetzung in heutigen Betriebssystemen

Die Historie des Trusted Computing ist eng verbunden mit der Trusted Computing Group (TCG) und deren Vorganger Organisation, der Trusted Computing Platform Alliance. Microsoft hat die Bestrebungen dieser Organisationen von Beginn an unterstutzt und masgeblich mitgestaltet, um deren Ziele — namlich die Schaffung eines Industriestandards fur eine sichere Rechnerumgebung — erfolgreich in neuen Betriebssystemen und Anwendungen umzusetzen. Dieses Kapitel befasst sich mit den Implikationen fur die sichere Entwicklung von Software, die sich aus den Spezifikationen der TCG und den allgemeinen Grundlagen des Trusted Computing ergeben. Am Beispiel von Microsoft Windows Vista werden dann einige umgesetzte Technologien und deren Bedeutung fur Anwender und Unternehmen kritisch beleuchtet sowie die Aussichten fur zukunftige Weiterentwicklungen diskutiert.
Large Scale Wireless Power Allocation with Graph Neural Networks

We consider the optimal power allocation with a set of transmitter/receiver pairs in a large scale wireless network. Obtaining an optimal policy requires the solving of a non-convex, infinite dimensional optimization problem, motivating the use of a learning model parameterization of the optimal policy. Both for its theoretical properties and experimental performance, deep neural networks are a strong choice to parameterize the power allocation policy. However, fully connected neural networks are impractical to both train and implement for large scale networks, as their size grows quickly with network size. We propose using a convolutional neural network architecture, specifically one that employs a graph convolution over the randomly varying fading links of the wireless network. Such random edge graph neural networks (REGNNs) are shown to retain an important permutation invariance property of the optimal power allocation. Numerical simulations show strong performance of a primal-dual learning method in training an REGNN parameterization relative to existing heuristic benchmarks.
Targeting healthspan to optimally combat non-communicable disease in an aging world

Abstract Human lifespan and life expectancy have increased worldwide, but the number of years that we spend free of chronic or debilitating disorders, known as healthspan, has not shifted along with increased lifespan. This unfavourable trend presents a tremendous global social-economical problem. We propose a model of promoting optimal human health with proactive, holistic interventions across the lifespan, which require multi-disciplinary, innovative approaches to research and care. We contend that this is the only hope that we have to face the challenges of population growth and aging, as well as the upward trend in non-communicable disease prevalence.
Comprehensive thematic T-matrix reference database: a 2017–2019 update

Abstract Since its inception in the mid-1960s, the T-matrix method has been one of the most versatile and efficient numerically exact computer solvers of the time-harmonic macroscopic Maxwell equations. It has been widely used for the computation of electromagnetic scattering by single and composite particles, discrete random media, periodic structures (including metamaterials), and particles in the vicinity of plane or rough interfaces separating media with different refractive indices. This compilation is the ninth update to the comprehensive thematic database of peer-reviewed T-matrix publications initiated in 2004 and lists relevant publications that have appeared since 2017. It also includes a few earlier publications that have so far been overlooked.
"Is It Safe for Me to Go to Work?" Risk Stratification for Workers during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

“Is It Safe for Me to Go to Work?” A strategy to protect at-risk workers requires a framework for counseling patients about the risks posed by continuing to work, policy changes to ensure financial...
“Let me explain!”: exploring the potential of virtual agents in explainable AI interaction design

While the research area of artificial intelligence benefited from increasingly sophisticated machine learning techniques in recent years, the resulting systems suffer from a loss of transparency and comprehensibility, especially for end-users. In this paper, we explore the effects of incorporating virtual agents into explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) designs on the perceived trust of end-users. For this purpose, we conducted a user study based on a simple speech recognition system for keyword classification. As a result of this experiment, we found that the integration of virtual agents leads to increased user trust in the XAI system. Furthermore, we found that the user’s trust significantly depends on the modalities that are used within the user-agent interface design. The results of our study show a linear trend where the visual presence of an agent combined with a voice output resulted in greater trust than the output of text or the voice output alone. Additionally, we analysed the participants’ feedback regarding the presented XAI visualisations. We found that increased human-likeness of and interaction with the virtual agent are the two most common mention points on how to improve the proposed XAI interaction design. Based on these results, we discuss current limitations and interesting topics for further research in the field of XAI. Moreover, we present design recommendations for virtual agents in XAI systems for future projects.
Black Memes Matter: #LivingWhileBlack With Becky and Karen:

“BBQ Becky” and “Karen” memes reference real-world incidents in which Black individuals were harassed by White women in public spaces. In what I term the BBQ Becky meme genre, Black meme creators u...
Protectionism or National Security? The Use and Abuse of Section 232

President Biden took office at the height of modern American protectionism. The trade policy legacy he inherited from the Trump administration puts the United States at a crossroads. Will Biden go down the problematic path of executive overreach like his predecessor, or will he forge a new path? We may not need to wait long to find out. In his first trade action, President Biden reinstated tariffs on aluminum from the United Arab Emirates under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which authorizes the president to impose tariffs when a certain product is “being imported into the United States in such quantities or under such circumstances as to threaten to impair national security.” Though infrequently used in the past, Section 232 was a favored trade tool of the Trump administration, which was responsible for nearly a quarter of all Section 232 investigations initiated since 1962. While Congress has constitutional authority over trade policy, Section 232 gives the president broad discretion to enact protectionist measures in the name of national security. Why is this law a problem? First, the statute’s lack of an objective definition of “national security” permits essentially anything to be considered a threat, regardless of the merits. Second, the law’s lack of detailed procedural requirements encouraged the Trump administration to cut corners in applying the law, thus breeding cronyism and confusion. Third, President Trump took advantage of the law’s ambiguity to shield key Section 232 findings from Congress and the public, undermining both transparency and accountability. The Trump administration’s abuse of the rarely used Section 232 has allowed the statute to become an excuse for blatant commercial protectionism, harming American companies and consumers and our security interests. It’s unclear whether the Biden administration will continue this troubling trend or seek reform. The best course of action would be the latter: Biden should avoid using Section 232 and support congressional efforts to rein in presidential power, thus ensuring an end to the calamitous episodes that were common during the Trump era.
Factors that influence the visual outcome in cases of infantile unilateral cataract

Aim: To review retrospectively the records of a cohort of patients who presented before 6 months of age with unilateral cataract and identify factors that influenced the visual outcome. Method: The records of children with unilateral infantile cataract, who had been examined since 1993 following the establishment of a new occlusion protocol, were reviewed. For analysis the children were divided into two groups: group A with visual acuity of 0.6 logMAR or better and group B with visual acuity of Results: Thirty-two children met the inclusion criteria; 8 transferred to other hospitals leaving 24 cases for analysis. There were 11 (46%) children in group A with visual acuity ranging from 0.6 to 0.04 logMAR and 13 (54%) children in group B with visual acuity ranging from NPI, to 0.74 logMAR. The median age at surgery was 8.5 weeks (13 weeks, group A; 7 weeks, group B). There was a greater Incidence of ophthalmic complications in group B. Nystagmus was present in 9 (38%) children, 8 of who were in group B, and this was a significant factor in visual outcome (p = 0.013). Compliance with the occlusion protocol was also a significant factor in visual outcome (p = 0.016). Further analysis indicated an association between occlusion compliance, visual outcome and distance from home (p = 0.035). Conclusion: A high incidence of ophthalmic complications, a delay in establishing daily contact lens wear and a failure to achieve 'good' compliance with occlusion therapy were associated with a poor visual outcome.
Asymptotic Structure of the Density-Gradient Theory of Quantum Transport

In recent work we have developed an approximate approach to simulating electron transport in semiconductors in regimes in which quantum effects are important [1]. This approach is a macroscopic or “hydrodynamic” approach known as density—gradient (DG) theory. Through detailed comparisons with quantum mechanics, we have shown DG theory to have a useful range of applicability which encompasses a variety of important quantum transport phenomena [1]. In addition to representing a new and possibly useful approach to quantum transport simulation, DG theory is of interest as a mathematical theory as well. In this paper, we focus on these mathematical aspects.
Computing Curricula 1991 - Its Implications for Software Engineering Education

The report Computing Curricula 1991 contains curricula recommendations for baccalaureate programs in the area of computing, which includes programs with the titles "computer science," "computer engineering," "computer science and engineering," and other similar titles. Its recommendations provide a uniform basis for curriculum design across all segments of the educational community — schools and colleges of engineering, arts and science, and liberal arts. That report is also the first comprehensive undergraduate curriculum report to be jointly prepared and endorsed by the Association for Computing Machinery and the Computer Society of the IEEE.
Genomic Instability and DNA Repair

There is growing evidence that genomic instability is both an epiphenomenon and a leading cause of cancer. Chromosomal instability in neoplasia (CIN) is the most frequent type of genomic instability in solid tumours. For more than a century, chromosomal rearrangements and aneuploidy in neoplasia have been extensively studied and a vast number of genes and pathways, directly or indirectly implicated in CIN, have been described. Chromosomal abnormalities in cancer generate huge genomic imbalances and tumour heterogeneity. This chapter addresses the role of genes, chromosome structure, and telomere dysfunction in the initiation and perpetuation of CIN. The biological consequences of large chromosomal imbalances are discussed and the long-standing hypotheses for the generation of chromosomal anomalies in neoplasia are re-examined under the context of telomere dysfunction and restoration. Keywords: DNA repair; genomic instability; telomeres; aneuploidy; chromosome anomalies; ALT
Estimation of multipath propagation delays and interaural time differences from 3-D head scans

The estimation of acoustic propagation delays from a sound source to a listener's ear entrances is useful for understanding and visualising the wave propagation along the surface of the head, and necessary for individualised spatial sound rendering. The interaural time difference (ITD) is of particular research interest, as it constitutes one of the main localisation cues exploited by the human auditory system. Here, an approach is proposed that employs ray tracing on a 3-D head scan to estimate and visualise the propagation delays and ITDs from a sound source to a subject's ear entrances. Experimental results indicate that the proposed approach is computationally efficient, and performs equally well or better than optimally tuned parametric ITD models, with a mean absolute ITD estimation error of about 14µs.
Complexities of system of systems operational availability modeling

Calculating operational availability (A o ) for a system of systems (SoS) presents unique challenges to reliability, availability, and maintainability (RAM) assessment, modeling, and analysis. System interdependencies and complex interrelated sustainment operations that exist in a SoS present complexities that must be accounted for in calculating or estimating A o for the SoS. These system interdependencies affect the operating, operable, and down times of the individual systems. Both system-level and SoS-level A o performance must be assessed within the SoS context for logistics and planning purposes. However, metrics calculated for the individual systems as part of the SoS may not be appropriate for assessing the individual system performance against their individual system requirements. In most cases, simulation modeling is required to capture the complex operating, operable, and down time hours of a SoS and the systems in the SoS, and to accurately aggregate the individual system availabilities to higher SoS levels. This paper explores some of the complexities involved in SoS A o modeling and presents So S simulation results from a modeled SoS application.
Serum Anti-γG Globulin Factors in Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria

Sera from 16 of the 25 patients with PNH were found to exhibit anti-γC globulin activity as demonstrated by their ability to agglutinate human red cells sensitized with certain incomplete Rh antibodies. Of the 16 active sera, 9 agglutinated human FII-coated tanned sheep cells and 5 FII-coated latex particles in significant titer. Only one serum exhibited anti—Gm specificity. In 3 cases serum anti-γG globulin activity was found prior to transfusion of the patient, suggesting that isoimmunization is not in all cases responsible for this phenomenon. The chromatographic behavior of the serologically active substances and their inactivation by treatment with 2 ME suggest that they are γM globulins related to the rheumatoid factors. The possible role of these antiglobulin factors in the lysis of the PNH erythrocyte is discussed.
Structural Analysis of the Glycine-rich, Arginine-rich Histone II. SEQUENCE OF THE HALF OF THE MOLECULE CONTAINING THE AROMATIC AMINO ACIDS

Abstract 1. The glycine-rich, arginine-rich histone from calf thymus was hydrolyzed with chymotrypsin; the peptides produced were fractionated on Sephadex G-25. The peptides containing the aromatic amino acids were purified by rechromatography on Sephadex G-25 and Aminex A-4 columns and by peptide mapping. 2. The six aromatic amino acids of the glycine-rich, arginine-rich histone were accounted for in eight peptides, including those found in the preceding study (Sautiere et al., J. Biol. Chem., 243, 5899 (1968)). The sequence and order of these peptides were determined by analysis of the overlapping tryptic peptides. 3. All the aromatic amino acids were found to be in the carboxyl half of the glycine-rich, arginine-rich histone. The sequence of this portion, which includes 53 amino acids, is Ile-Tyr-Glu-Glu-Thr-Arg-Gly-Val-Leu-Lys-Val-Phe-Leu-Glu-Asx-Val-Ile-Arg-Asp-Ala-Val-Thr-Tyr-Thr-Glu-His-Ala-Lys-Arg-Lys-Thr-Val-Thr-Ala-Met-Asp-Val-Val-Tyr-Ala-Leu-Lys-Arg-Gln-Gly-Arg-Thr-Leu-Tyr-Gly-Phe-Gly-Gly-COOH.
Berryonic Matter in the Cuprates

A novel form of Jahn-Teller (JT) effect in the cuprates can be reinterpreted as a conventional JT effect on a lattice with a larger unit cell. There is a triplet of instabilities, parametrized by a pseudospin, consisting of a form of the low-temperature tetragonal phase, a charge density wave phase, and a flux phase (orbital antiferromagnet). On a single 4-Cu plaquette, the problem is of E ⊗ (b 1 + b 2) form. For a special choice of parameters, the model supports a dynamic JT effect, but is classically chaotic. The connection of this phase with Berryonic matter is discussed.
Control of a quadrotor helicopter using visual feedback

We present control methods for an autonomous four-rotor helicopter, called a quadrotor, using visual feedback as the primary sensor. The vision system uses aground camera to estimate the pose (position and orientation) of the helicopter. Two methods of control are studied - one using a series of mode-based, feedback linearizing controllers, and the other using a backstepping-like control law. Various simulations of the model demonstrate the implementation of feedback linearization and the backstepping controllers. Finally,. we present initial flight experiments. where the helicopter is restricted to vertical and yaw motions.
Does the Dearth of Mergers Mean More Competition

We study mergers in a duopoly with differentiated products and noisy observations of firms' actions. Firms select dynamically optimal actions that are not static best responses and merger incentives arise endogenously when firms sufficiently deviate from their collusive actions. The incentive to merge trades off the gains from avoiding price wars against the gains from a monopoly net of the fixed cost of merging. Depending on the merger cost, there are three merger outcomes: if the cost is low, firms merge immediately, if it is high, they never merge, and, in an intermediate cost range, there are endogenous mergers for which we derive a number of novel results. First, we characterize the firms' shares in the merged firm as a function of firm and product market characteristics. Second, we show that long periods of pre-merger collusion are supported, because collusion is dynamically stable and merging is unstable, with mergers occurring only when collusion has failed, and hence the dearth of mergers need not mean more product market competition. Third, the acquiring firm's pre-merger returns are first positive and then become negative just before the merger occurs, while the target firm's returns follow the opposite pattern. Fourth, there are no announcement returns when industry concentration changes due to mergers.