cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The issue of statin safety: where do we stand?

Statins are first-line therapy for reducing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels in patients at high risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).1,2 These agents are being used in millions of high-risk people worldwide. Many others receive statins for primary prevention. The total number can only be expected to rise with time. Although favorable results from a large number of controlled clinical trials underpin the benefits of statin therapy,2 it is not surprising that the safety of statins has received much attention. Controlled trials and clinical practice have demonstrated that they generally are safe; in fact, the frequency of clinically significant side effects is quite low. In rare patients, nonetheless, side effects can occur and occasionally are serious. Most serious among these is severe myopathy (rhabdomyolysis), which can cause acute renal failure. In a small percentage of patients, statins elevate serum transaminases. There is little or no evidence that statins cause progressive liver disease3; nevertheless, persistent elevations in transaminases can be perplexing. Other less serious side effects may occur. One of these that was demonstrated recently is low-grade proteinuria, likely due to a statin-induced inhibition of proximal tubular reabsorption of protein.4 To date, no evidence exists that this is accompanied by pathological tubular injury or progression to chronic renal failure. See p 3051 Side effects of statins tend to be dose related. Most side effects, including myopathy, disappear on withdrawal of the medication. Even with severe myopathy, most patients survive with supportive measures, although fatalities occasionally occur. For example, Omar and Wilson5 reported that between November 1997 and March 2000, 871 cases of statin-associated severe myopathy were reported to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA); among these reports, however, only 38 cases were listed as fatal. Six statins currently are available by prescription in the United …
Inflatable Pressure Splints (Airsplints) as Adjunct Treatment for Individuals with Strokes

Inflatable pressure splints or airsplints have been used as an adjunct to therapy in patients who have had a stroke. These splints are made of clear plastic, are available in a variety of lengths, and can exert static or intermittent pressure. They have been used to reduce tone, facilitate muscle activity around a joint, increase sensory input, control edema, and reduce pain. While in the splint, patients can participate in functional activities involving the use of the splinted extremity or in weightbearing activities. This paper describes how the splints are used as an adjunct to treatment and discusses the neurophysiological rationale for use of the splints. Research on the effectiveness of the splints is also reviewed.
Ultra low-dose IL-2 for GVHD prophylaxis after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation mediates expansion of regulatory t cells without diminishing antiviral and antileukemic activity

Purpose: GVHD after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) has been associated with low numbers of circulating CD4 + CD25 + FoxP3 + regulatory T cells (Tregs). Because Tregs express high levels of the interleukin (IL)-2 receptor, they may selectively expand in vivo in response to doses of IL-2 insufficient to stimulate T effector T-cell populations, thereby preventing GVHD. Experimental Design: We prospectively evaluated the effects of ultra low-dose (ULD) IL-2 injections on Treg recovery in pediatric patients after alloSCT and compared this recovery with Treg reconstitution post alloSCT in patients without IL-2. Sixteen recipients of related ( n = 12) or unrelated ( n = 4) donor grafts received ULD IL-2 post hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT; 100,000–200,000 IU/m 2 ×3 per week), starting Results: No grade 3/4 toxicities were associated with ULD IL-2. CD4 + CD25 + FoxP3 + Tregs increased from a mean of 4.8% (range, 0%–11.0%) pre IL-2 to 11.1% (range, 1.2%–31.1%) following therapy, with the greatest change occurring in the recipients of matched related donor (MRD) transplants. No IL-2 patients developed grade 2–4 acute GVHD (aGVHD), compared with 4 of 33 (12%) of the comparator group who did not receive IL-2. IL-2 recipients retained T cells reactive to viral and leukemia antigens, and in the MRD recipients, only 2 of 13 (15%) of the IL-2 patients developed viral infections versus 63% of the comparator group ( P = 0.022). Conclusions: Hence, ULD IL-2 is well tolerated, expands a Treg population in vivo , and may be associated with a lower incidence of viral infections and GVHD. Clin Cancer Res; 20(8); 2215–25. ©2014 AACR .
Dopamine agonists and Othello’s syndrome

Abstract Background Othello’s syndrome (OS) is a delusion of infidelity. We describe seven cases of OS in Parkinson’s disease (iPD) patients using dopamine agonists. Methods We searched the Mayo Clinic Medical Records System to identify all patients with OS. Clinical data abstracted include sex, age of onset of iPD, age of onset of OS, medications, effect of discontinuing the dopamine agonist, neuroimaging, and comorbidities. Results Seven non-demented iPD patients with dopamine agonist implementation time locked to the development and resolution of OS are reported. The average age of iPD onset was 46.6 years (Standard deviation: 5.0 years), and OS onset was 53.7 years (7.1 years). All seven patients had significant marital conflict as a result of the delusions. Conclusions: OS can be associated with dopamine agonist use and can lead to serious consequences. Dopamine agonist cessation eliminates the delusion of infidelity and should be the first treatment option.
A perception system for a planetary explorer

To perform planetary exploration without human supervision, a completely autonomous robot must be able to model its environment and to locate itself while exploring its surroundings. For that purpose, the authors propose a modular perception system for an autonomous explorer. The perception system maintains a consistent internal representation of the observed terrain from multiple sensor views. The representation can be accessed from other modules through queries. The perception system is intended to be used by the Ambler, a six-legged vehicle being built at the authors' university. A partial implementation of the system using a range scanner is presented as well as experimental results on a testbed that includes the sensor, one computer-controlled leg, and obstacles on a sandy surface. >
Quality-of-service routing in IP networks

Multimedia applications such as video-conferencing, telemedicine, HDTV, etc. have very stringent quality-of-service (QoS) demands and require a connection-oriented service. For these applications, a path satisfying their requirements in terms of bandwidth, delay buffer, etc. needs to be found. As conventional IP routing is based only on hop counts, it is not suitable for multimedia applications. It is clear that, to route requests that have QoS requirements, existing routers should be made QoS aware and the packet forwarding should be based on QoS parameters. Also, routing protocols like OSPF and RIP must be extended suitably to facilitate QoS routing. The goal of QoS routing algorithms is to find a loop-less path satisfying a given set of constraints on parameters like bandwidth, delay, etc. The path selection process could return either the entire path to the destination or the best next hop for the request. The first case is called "source routing" and the second is referred to as "distributed routing". In this paper, we propose a new distributed QoS routing algorithm for unicast flows, which has a very low call establishment overhead. Our algorithm makes use of existing IP routing protocols such as OSPF and RIP with minimal modifications.
Light Emission from Silicon-based Nano-materials

This paper presents an overview of the research activities aimed at engineering novel, nanostructured-based materials solutions for CMOS-compatible electrically driven light sources. In particular, the state of the art of the optical and electrical properties of Si-nc nucleated within Si-rich nitride (SRN) matrices, and their large potential for energy sensitized, efficient 1.55mum electroluminescence under low injection fields are discussed
Protein synthesis studied by autoradiography in the epidermis of different species

This paper reports autoradiographic studies of protein synthesis related to epidermal cornification in several different species. A high concentration of injected histidine appeared in granular cells of man, the monkey, guinea pig, hairless mouse, and newborn rat, indicating that synthesis of relatively histidine-rich protein is involved in formation of keratohyalin granules. Two steps in the cornification process: synthesis of this histidine-rich protein, in addition to protein synthesized in the lower layers of the epidermis are postulated in epidermis containing keratohyalin granules. In the epidermis of the turtle, which does not contain keratohyalin granules, concentration of histidine is not observed, suggesting that protein of the cornified layer in this species seems to be synthesized as a 1-stage process.
Beam-beam deflection and beamstrahlung monitor response for tilted elliptic beams

A simulation code for the experimentally observable effects of beam-beam deflection and beamstrahlung at SLC (SLAC Linear Collider) final focus is described. In the code the interaction of general Gaussian particle distributions in the nondisruptive regime is simulated. The simulations show that the dip in beamstrahlung scans is associated with a larger target beam size compared to the beam size of the radiating beam. Asymmetric scans turn out to be related to tilted beams that are scanned across each other with an offset. The simulations show that it is possible to assess individual beam sizes with beamstrahlung scans whereas this is in principle not possible with deflection scans. >
The Ethics of Data Sharing and Reuse in Biology

Recent increases in capabilities for gathering, storing, accessing, and sharing data are creating corresponding opportunities for scientists to use data generated by others in their own research. Although sharing data and crediting sources are among the most basic of scientific ethical principles, formal ethical guidelines for data reuse have not been articulated in the biological sciences community. This article offers a framework for developing ethical principles on data reuse, addressing issues such as citation and coauthorship, with the aim of stimulating a conversation in the science community and with the goal of having professional societies formally incorporate considerations of data reuse into their codes of ethics.
NOVA-an interactive network design visualization and optimization tool

The performance of multiprocessing networks is often highly dependent on the partitioning and allocation of network resources to the particular problem. The often large number of variables produces a highly multidimensional design space that is extremely difficult for the designer to visualize and virtually impossible to attain the best performance. NOVA, a Network Optimization, Visualization, and Analysis tool, was developed to address these problems. Written in C++ and using the Motif++ library, NOVA implements an object-oriented network structure and a full graphical user interface to produce a highly flexible and interactive design-space exploration tool. NOVA's main uses are visualization of the multidimensional design space, sensitivity analysis of localities in that space, and solution feasibility exploration. Automated and semi-automated optimization capabilities will be added in the next development phase.
The rete ovarii of cattle and deer communicates with the uterine tube

Textbooks in embryology, histology, and reproductive biology erroneously state that the mammalian rete ovarii consists of a tubular structure in the medulla of the ovary which is closed at both ends. In white-tailed deer and cattle, the lumen of the rete ovarii opens directly into the infundibulum near its attachment to the ovary. This serendipitous discovery followed the serial sectioning of over 100 ovaries. Secretions through this tuboretial opening may affect reproductive processes. Obstructions could explain the development of cysts of clinical importance in both human and veterinary medicine. This rather obscure structure may have more significance than previously recognized.
A framework for the analysis of majority voting

Majority voting is a very popular combination scheme both because of its simplicity and its performance on real data. A number of earlier studies have attempted a theoretical analysis of majority voting. Many of them assume independence of the classifiers while deriving analytical expressions.We propose a framework which does not incorporate any assumptions. For a binary classification problem, given the accuracies of the classifiers in the team, the theoretical upper and lower bounds for performance obtained by combining them through majority voting are shown to be solutions of a linear programming problem. The framework is general and could provide insight into majority voting.
A model to guide organizational adaptation

Successful organizations anticipate the need to change. They do so with minimal effort and a focus on improving outcomes. This paper describes a systems-based approach by which organizations can become more adaptive and thus more agile, proactive, and innovative. The key idea is the alignment of vision and strategy, culture and beliefs, processes, plans, people, and desired outcomes. Such organizations have senior leadership that consistently and effectively communicate the vision and strategy (i.e., why the organization does what it does). The organization has a shared set of beliefs about why the vision and strategy are important. The organizational culture embraces innovative thought rather than rejecting such behavior. The resultant model is a codification of best practices based on a thorough review of the innovation, strategic management, leadership, and adaptive organization literature. The model was applied successfully in the transformation of a large, applied research organization.
ESEA and the Civil Rights Act: An Interbranch Approach to Furthering Desegregation

To understand the impact of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the Civil Rights Act in contributing to school desegregation, it is necessary to take an interbranch perspective that accounts for the ways in which interplay among the branches of the federal government occurred to further a policy agenda that would have been improbable had one branch acted alone. This paper examines the passage and implementation of the ESEA and the Civil Rights Act during the Johnson and Nixon years, considering how the legislative, judicial, and executive branches collaborated with each other to strengthen the impact of this legislation beyond what was initially conceived. Despite complex desegregation issues left unresolved, this period marks the only time when all branches of government employed their unique powers to implement and enforce desegregation, offering important insights into the ways in which the federal government can effectively accomplish progress in changing local practice on contentious civil rights issues.
Competing at What Costs? Abstraction Diminishes Engagement in Irrational Competition

Although competition is often driven by a mutual desire for resources or outcomes that are limited, winning over another person may in itself become a goal in competitive situations. We explore such situations where competitiveness may trump other goals that would normally dominate, such as the goal of maximizing one’s own outcomes, exploring a set of factors that may diminish such “irrational competition.” Using Construal Level Theory (Trope & Liberman, 2010) as a framework, we propose that high-level construals and psychological distance help people to focus on the gist of an issue or event, and therefore encourage them to be less distracted by other competitors but, rather, to focus on maximizing their own self-interest. Supporting this prediction, we find that high-level construal priming (Study 1) and increased distance (Study 2) encourage people to choose options that maximize their own benefits over options that maximize differences between themselves and another person in a resource distribution t...
Core-shell nanoparticle-based peptide therapeutics and combined hyperthermia for enhanced cancer cell apoptosis.

Mitochondria-targeting peptides have garnered immense interest as potential chemotherapeutics in recent years. However, there is a clear need to develop strategies to overcome the critical limitations of peptides, such as poor solubility and the lack of target specificity, which impede their clinical applications. To this end, we report magnetic core–shell nanoparticle (MCNP)-mediated delivery of a mitochondria-targeting pro-apoptotic amphipathic tail-anchoring peptide (ATAP) to malignant brain and metastatic breast cancer cells. Conjugation of ATAP to the MCNPs significantly enhanced the chemotherapeutic efficacy of ATAP, while the presence of targeting ligands afforded selective delivery to cancer cells. Induction of MCNP-mediated hyperthermia further potentiated the efficacy of ATAP. In summary, a combination of MCNP-mediated ATAP delivery and subsequent hyperthermia resulted in an enhanced effect on mitochondrial dysfunction, thus resulting in increased cancer cell apoptosis.
Good Rational Approximations to Logarithms

Tom M. Apostol (apostol@caltech.edu) joined the Caltech mathematics faculty in 1950 and became professor emeritus in 1992. He is director of Project MATHEMATICS! (http://www.projectmathematics.com) a prize-winning series of videos he initiated in 1987. His long career in mathematics is described in the September 1997 issue of the Journal. He is currently working with colleague Mamikon Mnatsakanian to produce videos demonstrating Mamikon's innovative and exciting visual approach to calculus problems.
Mars exploration rover launch

This 100-percent CG visualization shows the Delta II rocket launch that will propel NASA's Mars Exploration Rover to the Red Planet in 2003. The animation, developed over a one-year period by a Cornell University undergraduate student, is intended to be dramatic, realistic, and scientifically accurate. It was created with a combination of off-the-shelf and custom software, including Lightwave 5.5, Digital Fusion, and a custom distributed-rendering system on a network of home-built PCs.
Remotely Collaborative Pseudo-Dynamic Testing Method for MDOF Frame Structure

Aiming at the networked development of structural testing internationally,a method for testing substructures in a Multiple-Degree-of-Freedom System of shear type frame in remotely collaborative pseudo-dynamic tests was discussed,and the equations of motion in choosing testing substructures at will were derived.The simulation of the boundary condition of the substructures was carried out by analyzing a three-story building under different schemes of selecting substructures.In order to validate the above method,several pseudo-dynamic tests of a four-story frame under remote control were carried out.Contrasting the two different dividing ways of substructures,the experiments demonstrate the feasibility and viability of the method,which is helpful for the possibility of developing technologies for collaborative structural experiments,allowing two or more laboratories at geographically different locations to jointly conduct a test in a collaborative manner via Internet.
Isolated Congenital Vesicovaginal Fistula

AbstractVesicovaginal fistula is a recognized complication in patients with antecedent surgical trauma or pelvic organ malignancy and as a sequela to radiation in this area. A review of the literature failed to document a case of isolated congenital vesicovaginal fistula with no other associated organ dysgenesis. We report on a 4-year-old child with incontinence resulting from an idiopathic vesicovaginal fistula.
Case report. Propranolol-induced lupus syndrome?

(1976). Propranolol-Induced Lupus Syndrome? Postgraduate Medicine: Vol. 59, No. 1, pp. 241-244.
A helmet mounted display for telerobotics

An experimental helmet-mounted display (HMD) system was constructed to provide the human operator with an enhanced visual interface during the performance of telemanipulation tasks. The HMD system tracks the human operator's head orientation and displays the corresponding simulated task environment. Results of pick-and-place experiments indicate improved performance for stereoscopic displays with appropriate interocular distances over monoscopic displays. To evaluate the HMD system, large-work-space, three-axis pick-and-place tasks were used in which only a partial view was displayed on the screen at any time. Experimental results show that performance with the HMD system is superior to that with the fixed-display system. The results also show that appropriate adjustment of the joystick control reference frame improves the performance. >
Health is fine if pills are on time.

Medication non-adherence is a pervasive problem that can impact an individual’s health and wellness. MediSafe is a user-friendly and simple app that enables patients to improve their medication adherence by setting reminders, and enhance their provider relationships by sharing intake and health indicator history.
Ferrocyanide-Mediated Photoreduction of Ferricytochrome C Utilized to Selectively Probe Non-native Conformations Induced by Binding to Cardiolipin-Containing Liposomes

Ferricytochrome c binding to cardiolipin-containing liposomes produces a heterogeneous distribution of conformations comprising native-like and non-native misfolded proteins. We utilized the photoreduction of native ferricytochrome c in the presence of potassium ferrocyanide and resonance Raman spectroscopy to probe the population of native and misfolded cytochrome c on liposomes with 20 % tetraoleylcardiolipin (TOCL)/80 % dioleylphosphocholine (DOPC) and with 100 % TOCL as a function of TOCL concentration. Our data provided strong support for an earlier model, which predicts that the equilibrium between native and non-native conformations is shifted to the latter with decreasing protein occupation of liposomes.
Exact integration scheme for planewave-enriched partition of unity finite element method to solve the Helmholtz problem

In this paper, we present an exact integration scheme to compute highly oscillatory integrals that appear in the solution of the two-dimensional Helmholtz problem using the planewave-enriched partition of unity finite element method. In the proposed scheme, such oscillatory integrals are computed by a recursive application of the divergence theorem, eventually expressing the integrals in terms of evaluations of the corresponding integrands at the nodes of the finite element mesh. The number of such function evaluations is independent of the wave number kk, which permits the scheme to be used for arbitrary high values of kk. We consider finite element meshes with unstructured triangular and structured rectangular elements, and present numerical results for three canonical benchmark Helmholtz problems to demonstrate the accuracy and efficacy of the method.
Interface comparison involved in flexible electronics using molecular modeling

Although the area of flexible circuits is not new, current display and portable electronics consumer markets are driving device and packaging designs that will require increasingly higher robustness, especially as more devices are driven toward lightweight, wearable designs that enhance the personal IOT (Internet of Things) association. There will be an advantage for developers in flexible electronics to fully understand critical interface weaknesses that can in-turn help to push new material development. The use of molecular modeling to study interfacial failure has been applied to the flex circuit adhesive-to-metal interfaces in order to understand the relative weaknesses at these interfaces. Specifically copper/adhesive and chromium/adhesive interfaces have been modeled using the major polymer components of the adhesive and the metal oxides. This paper will discuss the results of these models and how polymer composition may be contributing to specific interface failure, and consistencies with observed failure.
Auto-tuning oscillator for the generation of nonthermal plasma as a therapeutic treatment for melanoma

Nonthermal plasma has shown promising results as a treatment method for melanoma cancer cells. However, the implementation of nonthermal plasma for melanoma cancer cell therapy is hindered by the need for precise setup and constant manual reconfiguration. This work presents a new automated approach for the generation of nonthermal plasma that can maintain a stable plume with no user intervention, while reducing form factor and cost. In contrast to expensive impedance matching plasma generators that operate at higher frequencies, this work employs a closed loop feedback algorithm, which utilizes AC amplitude and DC current measurement to adjust the frequency to produce a stable plume.
The inside tract: The appendicular, cecal, and colonic microbiome of captive aye-ayes.

Objectives The aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) is famous for its feeding strategies that target structurally defended, but high-quality resources. Nonetheless, the influence of this digestible diet on gut microbial contributions to aye-aye metabolism and nutrition remains unexplored. When four captive aye-ayes were unexpectedly lost to persin toxicity, we opportunistically collected samples along the animals' gastrointestinal tracts. Here we describe the diversity and composition of appendicular, cecal, and colonic consortia relative to the aye-aye's unusual feeding ecology. Materials and methods During necropsies, we collected digestive content from the appendix, cecum, and distal colon. We determined microbiome structure at these sites via amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and an established bioinformatics pipeline. Results The aye-ayes' microbiomes exhibited low richness and diversity compared to the consortia of other lemurs housed at the same facility, and were dominated by a single genus, Prevotella. Appendicular microbiomes were differentiated from more homogenized cecal and colonic consortia by lower richness and diversity, greater evenness, and a distinct taxonomic composition. Discussion The simplicity of the aye-aye's gut microbiome could be attributed to captivity-induced dysbiosis, or it may reflect this species' extreme foraging investment in a digestible diet that requires little microbial metabolism. Site-specific appendicular consortia, but more similar cecal and colonic consortia, support the theory that the appendix functions as a safe-house for beneficial bacteria, and confirm fecal communities as fairly reliable proxies for consortia along the lower gut. We encourage others to make similar use of natural or accidental losses for probing the primate gut microbiome.
Constraining estimates of global soil respiration by quantifying sources of variability

Quantifying global soil respiration (RSG ) and its response to temperature change are critical for predicting the turnover of terrestrial carbon stocks and their feedbacks to climate change. Currently, estimates of RSG range from 68 to 98 Pg C year-1 , causing considerable uncertainty in the global carbon budget. We argue the source of this variability lies in the upscaling assumptions regarding the model format, data timescales, and precipitation component. To quantify the variability and constrain RSG , we developed RSG models using Random Forest and exponential models, and used different timescales (daily, monthly, and annual) of soil respiration (RS ) and climate data to predict RSG . From the resulting RSG estimates (range = 66.62-100.72 Pg), we calculated variability associated with each assumption. Among model formats, using monthly RS data rather than annual data decreased RSG by 7.43-9.46 Pg; however, RSG calculated from daily RS data was only 1.83 Pg lower than the RSG from monthly data. Using mean annual precipitation and temperature data instead of monthly data caused +4.84 and -4.36 Pg C differences, respectively. If the timescale of RS data is constant, RSG estimated by the first-order exponential (93.2 Pg) was greater than the Random Forest (78.76 Pg) or second-order exponential (76.18 Pg) estimates. These results highlight the importance of variation at subannual timescales for upscaling to RSG . The results indicated RSG is lower than in recent papers and the current benchmark for land models (98 Pg C year-1 ), and thus may change the predicted rates of terrestrial carbon turnover and the carbon to climate feedback as global temperatures rise.
The Infracardiac Defibrillator Lead Implant for Defibrillation Therapy

This is a new surgical advanced approach of implanting a modified defibrillator lead when the usual transvenous system has failed. The implant does not require the use of fluoroscopy and is very effective.
Nanomaterials for hard–soft tissue interfaces

Abstract: The field of interfacial tissue engineering is striving to restore the structural and functional characteristics of hard–soft tissue interfaces, which include osteochondral’ and bone–tendon/ligament interfaces. This chapter first discusses the structural and functional characteristics of these interfaces and then describes the two main types of nanomaterials emerging in interfacial tissue engineering strategies: nanoparticles and nanofibers. Additionally, the chapter discusses approaches used to employ these nanomaterials in interfacial constructs.
Polymers and Copolymers of Methyl ω-Epoxyalkanoates

Polymers and copolymers of methyl ω-epoxyalkanoates with 0 to 8 methylene groups separating the epoxy- and carbomethoxy groups have been prepared with the aluminumalkyl/water/acetyl-acetone (1/0.5/1) initiator system. The polymers are of high molecular weight with a Mn of 250,000 and a polydispersity slightly more than the most probable molecular weight distribution of 2. Homopolymers and copolymers with cyclic ethers have been characterized by spectroscopic analysis and gel permeation chromatography but also by the determination of glass transition temperatures and where applicable by x-ray identification. Selected polymers have been hydrolyzed to the ionomers and transformed into the acid. Methyl ω-epoxyalkanoates were prepared by epoxidation of methyl alkenoates with m-chloroperbenzoic acid. The rate of epoxidation and of subsequent polymerization depended on the length of the spacer length of methylene groups. The rates were low when the spacer length was 0 or 1 and reached a constant value when the spacer group had more than 3 methylene groups.
On M-tables associated with strong moment problems

On considere les suites doublement infinies C={c n } n=−∞ ∞ de nombres complexes, auxquelles on associe des M-tables, des fractions continues et des problemes de moments/problemes de Stieltjes et de Hamburger). On etablit des correspondances entre ces entites
Tip-on-tip imaging and self-consistent calibration for critical dimension atomic force microscopy: refinements and extension to second lateral axis

One type of atomic force microscopy (AFM) used for critical dimension (CD) metrology is commonly referred to as CD-AFM; it uses flared tips and two-dimensional (2-D) surface sensing to enable scanning of features with near-vertical sidewalls. An important consideration in this type of CD-AFM metrology is the calibration uncertainty of the tip width (TW). Standards for traceable TW calibration have thus been developed both by National Metrology Institutes and commercial suppliers. The National Institute of Standards and Technology has previously reported the implementation of a self-consistency TW calibration using three CD-AFM tips to image each other. The results of this method were shown to be consistent with prior calibrations based on transmission electron microscope cross sections. The extension of this method to tips <50 nm is demonstrated, as well as the extension of the method to include a second lateral axis.
Evaluation of Differences in Temporal Synchrony Between Brain Regions in Individuals With Autism and Typical Development

Importance Despite reports of widespread but heterogeneous atypicality of functional connectivity in individuals with autism, little is known regarding the temporal dynamics of functional brain connections and how they relate to autistic traits. Objective To investigate differences in temporal synchrony between brain regions in individuals with autism and those with typical development. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study, conducted at the University of Utah, included 90 adolescent and adult male participants. A larger sample from the multisite Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) was also used as a replication sample. The study includes data acquired between December 2016 and April 2018. Aggregate data included in the replication sample were released to the public in August 2012 (ABIDE I) and June 2016 (ABIDE II). Data analysis were conducted between January 2018 and April 2018. Exposures Male individuals diagnosed as having autism (n = 52) and typically developing male individuals (n = 38). Main Outcomes and Measures Long duration (30 minutes/individual) of multiband, multiecho functional magnetic resonance imaging was acquired to estimate functional connectivity between brain regions. Sustained connectivity, a measure of functional connectivity duration, as well as lagged temporal dynamics related to functional connectivity, were compared between groups for 361 gray matter regions of interest and a 17-network parcellation. Lagged findings were replicated in the larger ABIDE sample (n = 1402). Sustained connectivity findings were also associated with behavioral and cognitive variables. Results In 52 males with autism (mean [SD] age, 27.73 [8.66] years) and 38 control males with typical development (mean [SD] age, 27.09 [7.49] years), increases in both sustained and functional connectivity at several lags were found in individuals with autism compared with the control group. Group differences in functional connectivity were replicated in the larger ABIDE data set at a 6-second lag. Measures of symptom severity in individuals with autism were positively associated with sustained connectivity values. In the control group, sustained connectivity was negatively associated with cognitive processing. A replication sample (n = 1402) composed of 579 individuals with autism (80 female and 499 male; mean [SD] age, 15.08 [6.89] years) and 823 in the control group (211 female and 612 male; mean [SD] age, 15.06 [6.79] years) from the ABIDE data set was also analyzed. Conclusions and Relevance Whereas the magnitude of functional connectivity in autism is variable across brain regions, participant samples, and development, prolonged temporal synchrony of functional connections is reproducibly observed in autism, suggesting a potential mechanism for core symptoms.
Designing a Cross-Cultural Collaborative Online Learning Framework for Online Instructors.

Online education has now become an integral part of the educational landscape in the United States and around the world, where it serves as the primary source of enrollment growth in higher education. The rising student population in online learning mandates instructors and instructional designers to be aware of the importance of cultural factors that influence students’ learning experiences and academic performance in the online environments. However, few empirical studies have examined instructors’ perspectives on instructional strategies that promote cross-cultural collaboration in online classrooms, specifically, instructional strategies that instructors use to promote educational success of diverse learners in online environments. Drawing on collaborative online learning theory, this study analyzed qualitative interview data and online activities of 40 online instructors from two universities. Results showed the following themes; (a) instructional strategies that facilitate cross-cultural collaborative online learning, (b) challenges of teaching diverse learners in online learning, and (c) designing cross-cultural collaborative online framework for instructors. Findings suggested that most instructors lacked the knowledge and skills in addressing the needs of diverse learners in the online learning environments regarding their ability to recognize students’ cultural differences and incorporate multicultural reading resources in course contents to meet the needs of diverse students. Thus, the need to design a framework will broaden instructors’ understanding and promote cross-cultural collaboration in online teaching to help meet the needs of diverse students in online learning environments. KEYWORDS: Cross-cultural collaborative learning, culturally diverse learners, collaborative learning activities, instructional strategies, Collaboration in online learning
Leadership Reflections: Organizational Culture

Organizations function as small societies with their unique behaviors, patterns, and communication. Organizational culture describes how individuals work within libraries and the patterns, assumpti...
Oceanographic research at the Scripps Institution during April 1934 to April 1935

Improvements—The Improvements that were being made in the Institution's boat Scripps mentioned in the report on the work of the Scripps Institution for last year were not finished so soon as was expected, but they have now been completed and they have rendered the boat more efficient than was at first expected. The old 75-horse-power gasoline engine has been replaced by a 120-horse-power, 6-cylinder Diesel engine, and an auxiliary power- and light-system of the latest design, also operated by a Diesel engine, has been installed. The boat has been equipped with a new oceanographic winch capable of obtaining temperatures and water-samples to a depth of 5000 meters and of dredging to a depth of 1500 meters. The living quarters have been remodelled and the laboratory has been re-equipped for chemical work and the handling of bacteriological and other samples.
The Fuzzy ROC

The fuzzy ROC extends Receiver Operating Curve (ROC) visualization to the situation where some data points, falling in an indeterminacy region, are not classified. It addresses two challenges: definition of sensitivity and specificity bounds under indeterminacy; and visual summarization of the large number of possibilities arising from different choices of indeterminacy zones.
Acoustic droplet vaporization-mediated dissolved oxygen scavenging in blood-mimicking fluids, plasma, and blood

Abstract Acoustic droplet vaporization (ADV) has been shown to reduce the partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) in a fluid. The goals of this study were three-fold: 1) to determine the ADV pressure amplitude threshold in fluids that had physiologically relevant values for surface tension, protein concentration, and viscosity; 2) to assess whether these parameters and fluid mixing affect ADV-mediated PO2 reduction; and 3) to assess the feasibility of ADV-mediated PO2 reduction in plasma and whole blood. In vitro ADV experiments were conducted using perfluoropentane droplets (number density: 5 × 106 ± 0.2 × 106/mL) dispersed in fluids (saline, polyvinylpyrrolidone solutions, porcine plasma, or porcine whole blood) that had a physiological range of surface tensions (62–68 mN/m), protein concentrations (0 and 68.7 mg/mL), and viscosities (0.7–4 cP). Droplets were exposed to pulsed ultrasound (5 MHz, 4.25 MPa peak negative pressure) while passing through a 37 °C flow system with inline PO2 sensors. In select experiments, the fluid also passed through mixing channels after ultrasound exposure. Our results revealed that the ADV pressure thresholds were the same for all fluids. Surface tension and protein concentration had no effect on PO2 reduction. Increasing viscosity attenuated PO2 reduction. However, the attenuated effect was absent after fluid mixing. Furthermore, ADV-mediated PO2 reduction in whole blood (30.8 ± 3.2 mmHg) was less than that in a polyvinylpyrrolidone solution (40.2 ± 2.1 mmHg) with equal viscosity. These findings should be considered when planning clinical studies of ADV-mediated PO2 reduction and other biomedical applications of ADV.
Multi-Order Laser Beam Steering with Digital Micro Mirror Device for High-Speed LIDARs

Multi-order DMD based beam steering enables a fast beam steering that scan rate exceeds a frame rate of DMD, over tens of KHz, by redirecting laser pulses to multiple directions within couple of us timeframe.© 2019 The Author(s)
The invention of rivers: Alexander’s eye and Ganga’s descent

Rivers, according to Dilip Da Cunha, are not natural phenomena. Rather, they are ‘open fields of wetness that rise and fall’ (ix). In his provocative book The Invention of Rivers: Alexander’s Eye a...
African American Veterans Career Transition Using the Transition Goals, Plans, Success (GPS) Program as a Model for Success

Increased deployments to combat operation areas have resulted in veterans transitioning from the military in more significant numbers. Likewise, African American veterans are also leaving the military in higher numbers. Transition assistance training is necessary to prepare these veterans for higher education and civilian employment since these are the most likely destinations for the successful transition of this population of veterans. Transition Goals, Plans, Success Program (Transition GPS) prepares military personnel for the transition back to civilian life. Transition GPS focuses on helping military personnel to become career-ready through mandatory curriculum-based training in a classroom setting before departing the military for civilian life. This study aims to understand better the transition experiences of African American veterans, their participation in the Transition GPS program, and the challenges they face obtaining employment and higher education after military service. Moreover, higher education is vital for the self-improvement and economic stability of African American veterans. The participants for this study were six African American veterans who served in the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, and Army National Guard. Each participant served in their respective branch of the military for 20 years or more. Veterans in this study highlighted the challenges they faced during their transition from the military to civilian life and acknowledged the importance of higher education. The themes that emerged are representative of the participants’ life experiences, military transition experiences, and demonstrates higher education’s role in a successful transition. The participants expressed the importance of family during their transitions, but they need help to better understand civilian careers and employment before leaving the military. Furthermore, African American veterans need career counseling to help them understand their transition experiences and help to prepare an adequate resume that translates their military skills into a civilian job match.
Ecological Change and the Sociocultural Consequences of the Ganges River’s Decline

Climatic warming poses a threat to much of the freshwater reserves trapped in glaciers worldwide. In the glacier-capped regions of the Himalayas, the shift in water resource availability could be dramatic. Known as the ‘abode of snow’, the Himalayas are home to thousands of glaciers that form the largest freshwater reserve after the polar ice caps. The runoff generated by these glaciers feeds seven of Asia’s greatest rivers, providing water and supporting the production of food for over 1.5 billion people. Waters from the Himalayan glaciers also feed a ‘hotspot’ region of biodiversity with some 10,000 plant species, an estimated 300 mammals, and almost 1,000 types of birds (Conservation International 2008). Disturbingly in an area of such importance, the Himalayan glaciers are receding. While the timeline for glacial melt here is a subject of debate and even some controversy, a wealth of scientific data indicates that we can expect extensive climatic transformations within generations (IPCC 2007; UNEP 2009). Global temperature increases, shifts in precipitation patterns, and increased deposits of dust and black carbon that reduce light deflection from glaciers will drive the anticipated changes (UNEP 2009). If the glaciers deteriorate, on the one hand, and monsoon trends shift, on the other, many Asian countries will likely face a diminished capacity for surface water recharge and a significant shift in freshwater availability. These changes will wreak havoc on agriculture, industries, and domestic livelihoods downstream. If glaciers continue to decline, a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report warns that the water and food security of developing nations in Asia will be ­threatened by the middle of the twenty-first century, signaling the ‘reversal of hard won development gains’ (Khoday 2007: 8).
'Climbing on the Backs of Others': A Critique of Randall Kennedy and Barack Obama’s Black Respectability Politics

In an essay entitled “Lifting as We Climb: A Progressive Defense of Respectability Politics”—which appears in the October 2015 issue of Harper's Magazine—Professor Randall Kennedy of Harvard Law School defends what he terms “a sensible black respectability politics” and uses President Barack Obama as an exemplar. Responding to Professor Kennedy, I focus here on what I see as three shortcomings in his analysis. First, Professor Kennedy does not adequately distinguish between the consequences of private dialogue on respectability—the conversations that Black parents and elders have with children in their homes and other private spaces—and public respectability discourse perpetuated by prominent figures—most notably President Barack Obama. I argue that the latter is more harmful because it serves widely to marginalize African Americans, by reinforcing negative racial stereotypes in the public sphere. Second, Professor Kennedy misses the nuances of President Obama’s use of public discourse on respectability. I argue that President Obama himself does not reflect the negative stereotypes of African Americans held by many White people. His upbringing was very different from these stereotypic images, and his public persona is “counterstereotypic” in every sense—a hallmark of Black exceptionalism. Third, Professor Kennedy does not acknowledge the internal dissonance that successful African Americans already feel and that respectability notions tend to exacerbate. In conclusion, I question whether Black respectability really means “lifting as we climbing” or if it is “climbing on the backs of others.”
Courage in a climate of fear.

It is essential for physicians and scientists to speak up to counter misinformation about COVID-19 amid a culture of fear.
The Future of Mr. Jefferson's Laboratory (nee CEBAF)

We present one viewpoint plus some general information on the plans for energy upgrades and physics research at the Jefferson Laboratory.
Europe as the Western Peninsula of Greater Eurasia

Will increased economic connectivity on the Eurasian supercontinent convert Europe into the western peninsula of Greater Eurasia? US geoeconomic primacy has relied on organizing the two other major...