cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanical Properties and Residual Stresses in Oxide/Metal Multilayer Films Synthesized by Ion Beam Assisted Deposition

Films of Al, Al2O3 and Al/Al2O3 microlaminates were formed by ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD) at R ratios from 0.0025 to 0.5 and film thicknesses between 150 and 2600 nm. Oxide films were amorphous while metal layers were crystalline with small grains and texture for both PVD and IBAD conditions. The average stress in the oxide film is tensile at R=0 and becomes compressive, saturating at approximately 15 eV/atom. The residual stress in the Al films is tensile over all R ratios and the stress in the microlaminate roughly follows a rule of mixtures. Deformation of ductile substrates on which films had been deposited revealed that the critical strain to fracture was strongly dependent on residual stress. Large compressive stresses in monolithic films produced by ion beam assisted deposition delayed the onset of crack initiation while the presence of multiple layers, in general, lowered the crack density at saturation, suggesting a possible ductilizing effect.
The CT and MRI Diagnosis and Antidiastole of Brain Abscess and Metastatic Tumor

Objective: To study the CT and MRI Diagnosis and Antidiastole value of brain abscess and metastatic tumor. Method: Twenty brain abscess and twenty metastatic tumor after patho-diagnosis were collected. All of them were examined by CT and MRI scan and the image appearance were analyzed and compared. Result: Brain abscess often began with a infection of local or the whole body. In CT and MRI image it often appeared single capsule and the wall was smooth. In general it appeared circle reinforcement. There was often light to midrange edema around them. The metastatic tumor often began with syndrome of intracranial hypertension. In CT and MRI image it often appeared many capsule focus. The little ones of them were nodal reinforcement and the others were circle or chaplet reinforcement The wall of them was not smooth and wall nodule was often found There was usually extensive finger edema around them. Conclusion: Brain abscess and metastatic tumor have different medical image appearance. CT and MRI scan have much diagnosis value.
Constructing a United Disability Community: The National Council on Disability’s Discourse of Unity in the Deliberative System around Disability Rights

The National Council on Disability (NCD) is a federal agency that connects members of a broad disability community to federal policymakers within the deliberative system (Mansbridge, 2012) that constitutes the disability rights movement in the U.S. In this critical discourse analysis, the author considers the Council's depiction of the deliberative system in its publication Equality of opportunity: The making of the Americans with Disabilities Act (NCD, 2010). Paying particular attention to discourses of unity and difference within this history of the ADA and in NCD’s About Us web pages, the study looks to understand how the Council’s depiction of the disability community and portrayal of its own role within the deliberative system impacts their legitimacy within the disability rights movement. Interrogating the ways in which unity is privileged over diversity in NCD’s history of the ADA shows how the Council exhibits a consensus democratic orientation that presents the disability community as an unwavering force to be reckoned with, positions the National Council on Disability at a position of power within its deliberative system, and highlights the deliberative nature of NCD’s mission. However, the ways in which NCD’s history of the ADA downplays difference in favor of unity sidesteps stakeholder concerns and fails to engage with social difference as a resource for inclusion and collaboration. Further, NCD discourse works to define human worth in terms of work and deliberation in terms of consensus in ways that reinforce stigma around disability and exclude underrepresented groups. The author offers some practical suggestions aimed at helping the Council and other policymakers and leaders in social justice movements to incorporate more pluralist perspectives to address issues of exclusion.
Flow Cytometry in Bladder Cancer Detection and Evaluation Using Acridine Orange Metachromatic Nucleic Acid Staining of Irrigation Cytology Specimens

AbstractA new technique for simultaneous multiparameter deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid and nuclear size measurements by flow cytometry was applied to the examination of bladder irrigation cytology specimens from 107 urologic patients. The cell samples from patients with bladder carcinoma could be distinguished from normal by 2 features: 1) an increase in the proportion of bladder epithelial cells with more than diploid deoxyribonucleic acid and 2) aneuploid cell peaks. These criteria identified 12 of 13 cases of invasive carcinoma, 24 of 28 cases of carcinoma in situ and 11 of 13 cases of papillary carcinoma. An increased proportion of cells with more than diploid deoxyribonucleic acid or aneuploidy was found in 9 of 14 patients with papilloma and 6 of 19 patients with a history of bladder tumors but no evident disease at present—these were believed owing to increased epithelial proliferative rates or nuclear chromatin abnormalities not visible by light microscopy. None of the 20 patients who had...
Justify Your Vice

You went into the doctor’s lounge, saw that you were alone, and quickly appropriated one-half of the last chocolate covered doughnut, leaving the remainder and a dried out bagel for the last poor joker of a doctor on the half-a-doughnut diet who wandered in. I know it was you. Being a doctor in a hospital and having recently remaintained your certification via a quality improvement study of your own hand-washing habits, fabricating exactly none of the data, you used a plastic knife and only minimally touched the remaining part of the pastry in question, which I later stuffed into my mouth whole hog and washed down with the last bit of coffee in the urn. I of course did not make more coffee; I’m a busy man and that’s not my job. Surely the surgeons are looking for an excuse not to round or the infectious disease folks will soon be stopping by to push Sisyphus’ rock up the hill of antibiotic choice for lateral neck abscesses. One of them can do it. I do, however, have time to stand around for a bit to facilitate my digestion and to peruse the pictures in the newspaper before I render the lounge bathroom unusable for the next 30 minutes. We all have our guilty pleasures, some openly displayed for all to see, some hidden downstairs under the fluorescents for the inquisitive to discover,1 and some merely housed in the back recesses of the mind. Maybe the occasional demon rum intake, maybe a surreptitious heist of the kids’ painstakingly obtained Halloween candy, maybe things we do not dare mention. The vices of the pediatrician pale in comparison with those of the average rock-souled criminal, or at least I would like to believe, but let us not pretend that we maintain the …
Physiotherapy or a Wait-and-See Policy Were Best Long-Term Treatment Options for Lateral Epicondylitis

Question: In patients with lateral epicondylitis, what is the effectiveness of a wait-and-see policy compared with that of physiotherapy or corticosteroid injections? Design: Randomized (allocation concealed), blinded (outcome assessors), controlled trial with 1-year follow-up. Setting: 5 research centers in The Netherlands. Patients: 185 patients (median age, 46 to 48 years [range, 18 to 70 years]) who had elbow pain and were referred by 85 family doctors. Inclusion criteria were pain on the lateral side of the elbow that increased with pressure on the lateral epicondyle and with resisted dorsiflexion of the wrist (with the elbow extended)*. Exclusion criteria were physiotherapy or corticosteroid injections for treatment of …
Severi-Brauer varieties; a geometric treatment

These notes present a geometric treatment of Severi-Brauer varieties, without using any results from the theory of central simple algebras or from Galois cohomology.
‘Playing the Chinese card’: Globalization and the aesthetic strategies of Chinese contemporary artists

This article examines the art and travels of two contemporary Chinese artists – Ai Weiwei and Cai Guo-Qiang – to explore how each of them successfully navigates the rapidly shifting terrains and interests of the Chinese state and the global high art industry while simultaneously articulating a distinct politics and practice of creative ambivalence. We argue that these two artists’ creative productions and strategies: (1) refute various western critics’ critique of Chinese artists as inauthentic imitators of western art who produce exotic representations of China and Chinese identity for western consumption; (2) call into question the Chinese government’s numerous efforts to simultaneously promote and control Chinese contemporary art for nationalist/statist purposes. Furthermore, we unpack how both artists deploy various resources to produce complex works that interrogate and demonstrate the clashes of power, culture and identity in global spaces of encounter.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION AND THE OFFICE INTERNATIONAL DES EPIZOOTIES

The provisions of the World Trade Organisation Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures are designed to extend the liberalisation of trade, without increasing the risk to public, animal or plant health. The international standards set by the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) will be used as a benchmark by World Trade Organisation panels and committees when evaluating national sanitary-based regulations. For a significant liberalisation of trade to be achieved, Member Countries are faced with a dual mandate: a) each country must put these concepts into practice when making import/export decisions; and b) each country must make the commitment to support the OIE in its efforts to develop and review sanitary standards. Of equal importance to the application of standards is the cultural change that trade and regulatory communities must undergo. The author examines the role of Member Countries and the OIE in the implementation of this important agreement.
TFAM Regulates Mitochondrial Transcription through Sequence-Specific DNA Looping

Mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) is an abundant human mitochondrial High Mobility Group Box (HMGB) protein. TFAM is an architectural protein that shapes mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and regulates mitochondrial transcription. Sequence-specific binding of TFAM to DNA upstream of the light-strand promoter (LSP) leads to bending that correlates with transactivation of this promoter. Here we use a dual promoter construct containing both LSP, HSP1 and the natural inter-promoter region (IPR) to understand how TFAM binding governs transcription activation. We show that the IPR contributes to TFAM transactivation of HSP1, while removal of the carboxyl-terminal tail of TFAM (TFAM-ΔCT26) leads to a complete loss of transactivation of HSP1, with only minimal effects on LSP, suggesting a different biophysical mechanism for TFAM-mediated transcription activation from HSP1. To understand the mechanism by which TFAM activates HSP1 transcription, we used atomic force microscopy (AFM) in liquid to probe the effect of TFAM on the IPR construct. We observe that at the low concentrations of TFAM where transcription activation is high, TFAM induces the formation of DNA loops in a region defined by the IPR, with TFAM present at the strand crossing point. Under the same conditions, TFAM-ΔCT26 fails to induce DNA looping. While random DNA also forms loops in the presence of TFAM, TFAM is twice as likely to mediate the loops when the IPR sequence is present. Optical tweezers experiments also demonstrate that TFAM stabilizes DNA loops, which require significant force to break. Taken together, our results are consistent with sequence-specific DNA looping contributing to TFAM transactivation of HSP1, suggesting that unique mechanisms are employed for TFAM-dependent transcription at LSP and HSP1.
Cognitive rhythms: unobtrusive and continuous sensing of alertness using a mobile phone

Throughout the day, our alertness levels change and our cognitive performance fluctuates. The creation of technology that can adapt to such variations requires reliable measurement with ecological validity. Our study is the first to collect alertness data in the wild using the clinically validated Psychomotor Vigilance Test. With 20 participants over 40 days, we find that alertness can oscillate approximately 30% depending on time and body clock type and that Daylight Savings Time, hours slept, and stimulant intake can influence alertness as well. Based on these findings, we develop novel methods for unobtrusively and continuously assessing alertness. In estimating response time, our model achieves a root-mean-square error of 80.64 milliseconds, which is significantly lower than the 500ms threshold used as a standard indicator of impaired cognitive ability. Finally, we discuss how such real-time detection of alertness is a key first step towards developing systems that are sensitive to our biological variations.
The dilemma of fading food: An investigation into the light sensitivity of selected Ed Ruscha screenprints

Los Angeles-based artist Ed Ruscha has become one of the most influential artists of the twenty-first century, having worked in various media, such as painting, drawing, photography, and printmakin...
New Algorithm and Software (BNOmics) for Inferring and Visualizing Bayesian Networks from Heterogeneous Big Biological and Genetic Data

Bayesian network (BN) reconstruction is a prototypical systems biology data analysis approach that has been successfully used to reverse engineer and model networks reflecting different layers of biological organization (ranging from genetic to epigenetic to cellular pathway to metabolomic). It is especially relevant in the context of modern (ongoing and prospective) studies that generate heterogeneous high-throughput omics datasets. However, there are both theoretical and practical obstacles to the seamless application of BN modeling to such big data, including computational inefficiency of optimal BN structure search algorithms, ambiguity in data discretization, mixing data types, imputation and validation, and, in general, limited scalability in both reconstruction and visualization of BNs. To overcome these and other obstacles, we present BNOmics, an improved algorithm and software toolkit for inferring and analyzing BNs from omics datasets. BNOmics aims at comprehensive systems biology-type data exploration, including both generating new biological hypothesis and testing and validating the existing ones. Novel aspects of the algorithm center around increasing scalability and applicability to varying data types (with different explicit and implicit distributional assumptions) within the same analysis framework. An output and visualization interface to widely available graph-rendering software is also included. Three diverse applications are detailed. BNOmics was originally developed in the context of genetic epidemiology data and is being continuously optimized to keep pace with the ever-increasing inflow of available large-scale omics datasets. As such, the software scalability and usability on the less than exotic computer hardware are a priority, as well as the applicability of the algorithm and software to the heterogeneous datasets containing many data types-single-nucleotide polymorphisms and other genetic/epigenetic/transcriptome variables, metabolite levels, epidemiological variables, endpoints, and phenotypes, etc.
Attitudes Toward Professional Psychological Help Seeking in South Asian Students: Role of Stigma and Gender

This study examined (a) the roles of perceived and personal stigma on attitudes toward professional psychological help seeking and (b) the effects of these constructs across gender in South Asians. Personal stigma and being male was negatively associated with attitudes toward professional psychological help seeking; no difference in the association between personal and perceived stigma and attitudes across genders was found. These findings have implications for the engagement of South Asians in mental health services in the United States. Este estudio examino (a) los roles de estigmas percibidos y personales en las actitudes hacia la busqueda de ayuda psicologica profesional y (b) los efectos de estos constructos en indiviuos sudasiaticos segun su sexo. El estigma personal y la identidad masculina se asociaron negativamente con las actitudes hacia la busqueda de ayuda psicologica profesional; no se hallo diferencia en la asociacion entre estigmas personales y percibidos y las actitudes de los distintos sexos. Estos hallazgos tienen implicaciones para la participacion de los individuos sudasiaticos en los servicios de salud mental en Estados Unidos.
The Ethics of Materiality: Some Insights from Non-representational Theory

Why should we care about materiality? Assuming we are not interested in pursuing ontological debates about the number of angels capable of dancing on the head of a pin, why study materiality? In what ways might materiality be an issue with ethical implications for educational research in history or philosophy? To address aspects of this question, this essay draws on insights from ‘non-representational theory’, an approach to theorizing that has been developed recently by geographers in the United Kingdom. The basis of non-representational theory is geography’s longstanding scientific focus on material things of the world as they exist in space and time. In their attention to space and time, non-representational theories pertain to discussions of materiality. Non-representational theory describes itself as a critical alternative to the two mainstream epistemological positions in educational research, namely social constructivism and logical empiricism. Using insights from non-representational theory, I examine some implications for our current Research Community focus on ‘Material Culture and the Representation of Educational Research’. My essay is organized around three issues: the role of the Cartesian subject/object dichotomy in constructing research objects, the privileging of timelessness and concomitant devaluing of the historical in evaluations of scientific knowledge, and the ethical implications of uniqueness in research approaches.
Mechanical Properties of Liquid-Metal Fast Breeder Reactor Primary Piping Materials

The available tensile and creep-rupture properties of relevant product forms of Types 316 and 304 stainless steel and associated as-deposited weld metals (i.e., Type 316) have been reviewed. A desc...
Lattice dynamics and thermal transport in multiferroic CuCrO 2

Inelastic neutron and x-ray scattering measurements of phonons and spin waves were performed in the delafossite compound ${\mathrm{CuCrO}}_{2}$ over a wide range of temperature, and complemented with first-principles lattice dynamics simulations. The phonon dispersions and density of states are well reproduced by our density functional calculations, and reveal a strong anisotropy of Cu vibrations, which exhibit low-frequency modes of large amplitude parallel to the basal plane of the layered delafossite structure. The low frequency in-plane modes also show a systematic temperature dependence of neutron and x-ray scattering intensities. In addition, we find that spin fluctuations persist above 300 K, far above the N\'eel temperature for long-range antiferromagnetic order, ${T}_{N}\ensuremath{\simeq}24\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$. Our modeling of the thermal conductivity, based on our phonon measurements and simulations, reveals a significant anisotropy and indicates that spin fluctuations above ${T}_{N}$ constitute an important source of phonon scattering, considerably suppressing the thermal conductivity compared to that of the isostructural but nonmagnetic compound ${\mathrm{CuAlO}}_{2}$.
The Economy in the World

We begin by looking at the physical steps needed for a plate of pasta Bolognese to appear on your table. This serves as a template for the way the economy is grounded in the physical world. We then consider what distinguishes the economic perspective on humans’ use of nature from those of other disciplines, and then what distinguishes macroeconomics from its cousin microeconomics.
Generation of Two Normal Random Signals by Filters with Binary Random Weighting Function

Abstract A new technique is described for obtaining two normal random signals by filtering a binary random signal. First, it is shown that the optimum weighting function of the filter for generating a white and normal random signal, from the view points of a generating speed, a hardware realization and the normality of the generated signal, is a binary random one. The binary random weighting function is derived from an Even-shift orthogonal sequence. Secondly, two independent normal random signals are simultaneously generated from one binary random signal by taking advantage of the property of the Even-shift orthogonal sequence.
Effects of cathodal trans-spinal direct current stimulation on lower urinary tract function in normal and spinal cord injury mice with overactive bladder

Objective Lower urinary tract (LUT) dysfunction is a monumental problem affecting quality of life following neurotrauma, such as spinal cord injury (SCI). Proper function of the bladder and its associated structures depends on coordinated activity of the neuronal circuitry in the spinal cord and brain. Disconnection between the spinal and brain centers controlling the LUT causes fundamental changes in the mechanisms involved in the micturition and storage reflexes. We investigated the effects of cathodal trans-spinal direct current stimulation (c-tsDCS) of the lumbosacral spine on bladder and external urinary sphincter (EUS) functions. Approach We used cystometry and electromyography (EMG), in mice with and without SCI. Main results c-tsDCS caused initiation of the micturition reflex in urethane-anesthetized normal mice with depressed micturition reflexes. This effect was associated with normalized EUS-EMG activity. Moreover, in urethane-anesthetized normal mice with expressed micturition reflexes, c-tsDCS increased the firing frequency, amplitude, and duration of EUS-EMG activity. These effects were associated with increased maximum intravesical pressure (P max) and intercontraction interval (ICI). In conscious normal animals, c-tsDCS caused significant increases in P max, ICI, threshold pressure (P thres), baseline pressure (P base), and number and amplitude of non-voiding contractions (NVCnumb and P im, respectively). In conscious mice with severe contusive SCI and overactive bladder, c-tsDCS increased P max, ICI, and P thres, but decreased P base, NVCnumb, and P im. c-tsDCS reduced the detrusor-overactivity/cystometry ratio, which is a measure of bladder overactivity associated with renal deterioration. Significance These results indicate that c-tsDCS induces robust modulation of the lumbosacral spinal-cord circuitry that controls the LUT.
Assessing a Promotional Strategy for Marketing Electronic Resources in the Library Environment

ABSTRACTIn the fall of 2015, two librarians at San Diego State University initiated a project to enhance the visibility of some of the library’s numerous electronic resources. Promotional materials were created to highlight some of the main features and functionality of seven specific databases to which the library subscribes. Although there are many factors of this project that warrant further research, the authors can definitively state that usage for six of the seven electronic resources featured in their promotional project did increase when they were advertised to a wider campus population via the library’s website.
Idiopathic Hyper-CK-emia

Idiopathic hyper-CK-emia is a term used to describe the finding of an elevated serum creatine kinase (CK) concentration in the absence of symptoms (or only minimal symptoms) that can be attributed to an underlying neuromuscular disease. The discovery of a high serum CK, even when asymptomatic or pauci-symptomatic, raises the prospect of an underlying neuromuscular disorder and typically prompts referral for further evaluation. The next diagnostic steps are likely to involve electromyography (EMG) and muscle biopsy. Questions arise, however, regarding the diagnostic yield of these investigations and the frequency with which a definitive diagnosis can be made and, more importantly, the frequency with which a disorder which warrants (and is likely to respond to) therapy can be identified. This chapter focuses on the diagnostic yield of EMG and muscle biopsy and the relationship between idiopathic hyper-CK-emia and the risk of malignant hyperthermia.
Widespread temperature sensitivity and tRNA decay due to mutations in a yeast tRNA.

Microorganisms have universally adapted their RNAs and proteins to survive at a broad range of temperatures and growth conditions. However, for RNAs, there is little quantitative understanding of the effects of mutations on function at high temperatures. To understand how variant tRNA function is affected by temperature change, we used the tRNA nonsense suppressor SUP4oc of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to perform a high-throughput quantitative screen of tRNA function at two different growth temperatures. This screen yielded comparative values for 9243 single and double variants. Surprisingly, despite the ability of S. cerevisiae to grow at temperatures as low as 15°C and as high as 39°C, the vast majority of variants that could be scored lost half or more of their function when evaluated at 37°C relative to 28°C. Moreover, temperature sensitivity of a tRNA variant was highly associated with its susceptibility to the rapid tRNA decay (RTD) pathway, implying that RTD is responsible for most of the loss of function of variants at higher temperature. Furthermore, RTD may also operate in a met22Δ strain, which was previously thought to fully inhibit RTD. Consistent with RTD acting to degrade destabilized tRNAs, the stability of a tRNA molecule can be used to predict temperature sensitivity with high confidence. These findings offer a new perspective on the stability of tRNA molecules and their quality control at high temperature.
Confocal fluorescence imaging to evaluate the effect of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy depth on P. gingivalis and T. denticola biofilms

Abstract Background Porphyromonas gingivalis and Treponema denticola are both principally implicated in the incidence of both periodontal disease and peri-implantitis. Recent studies have demonstrated that these bacteria exhibit symbiotic growth in vitro and a synergistic virulence in co-infection of animal models. Found at varying depths throughout the biofilm, these bacteria present a significant challenge to traditional antimicrobial treatment modalities. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) has yielded high success against bacterial biofilms, namely those found in the oral cavity. Data on the use of aPDT against these particular periodontal pathogens is, however, scarce. Here, we studied the qualitative killing efficacy and depth of drug and laser penetration into defined P. gingivalis and T. denticola biofilms. Methods P. gingivalis and T. denticola were incubated under anaerobic (10%CO2, 10%H2, 80%N2) conditions for two days in diluted TSB with PBS (TYGVS for T. denticola maintenance) to elicit biofilm growth on coverslip-modified polystyrene dishes. Treated biofilms were exposed to a purpurin-based sensitizer (25 μg/mL in DMSO) for 30 min, and then aPDT was carried out using a diode laser at 664 nm. Light doses of 15 and 45 J/cm2 were used. All biofilms were then exposed to Filmtracer™ LIVE/DEAD® Biofilm Viability Kit (Cat No. L10316). Qualitative analysis was performed using a Zeiss LSM 510 Meta NLO Confocal Microscope with attached Zeiss Axioimager Z1 and Axiovert 200 M for visual data collection, and images were processed using the ZEN Digital Imaging for Light Microscopy software suite. Analysis was performed in 2 × 3 stacks to assess the entire depth of both the biofilm and presumed drug/laser penetration. Results Initial planktonic studies confirmed that the bacteria in question were present in the grown cultures and susceptible to aPDT exposure. Biofilm control groups were found to have significant levels of surviving bacterial colonies. Both treatment groups featured complete bacterial kill throughout the entirety of the biofilm (average: 23.17 μm; range: 18.13–27.20 μm). Conclusions The efficacy of the purpurin-based PS and aPDT is demonstrated to be effective at both high and low light doses. Bacterial kill was fully efficacious at each visualized biofilm layer (1.01 μm/z-level). This study serves as a proof of concept for future studies that must consider appropriate treatment parameters, including the amount of applied PS, and laser dose. These findings indicate that aPDT is a method that can be used to eliminate microorganisms associated with biofilms implicated in the etiology of peri-implantitis and periodontitis at large.
Image-aided random aggregate packing for computational modeling of asphalt concrete microstructure

Abstract Computational modeling is an effective tool to study complex microstructure of stone-based infrastructure material such as asphalt concrete (AC). In this paper, a hybrid approach of image scanning and aggregate packing is developed to randomly generate two-dimension digital specimens of asphalt concrete for virtual testing. Detailed shape characteristics of aggregates are captured using the calibrated high-resolution images. The virtual microstructure is generated based on Random Sequential Addition (RSA) packing after knowing volumetric composition of AC. The microstructure was used for virtual testing of AC using finite element modeling (FEM). Dynamic modulus testing was simulated and the predicted results were validated with laboratory testing results reported in the literature. The robustness and consistency of the packing method were proved by generating different digital specimens with random selection and placement of aggregates having the same gradation. The effect of shape variation of aggregates due to random selection and spatial distribution was found negligible for dynamic modulus predicted from the virtual testing. The discrepancies between simulated and measured results were discussed for future improvements of virtual testing of AC using computational modeling.
Electrochemical treatment of low-level nuclear wastes

Electrochemical reductions of Hg(ii), [RuNO(NO2)4OH]2-, CrO42-, and NO3- in 1.33 NaOH solution were studied at packed bed electrodes with a view to application of the electrochemical technique to treat nuclear waste solution. The reductions of Hg(ii), [RuNO(NO2)4OH]2-, and CrO42- were mass-transfer controlled while nitrate reduction was activation controlled. Based on the data obtained, scale-up for each reduction is proposed and discussed. The experimental data obtained have been used in the design of a plant and detailed calculations have been made. An economic analysis has been made to point out the advantages of the electrochemical treatment.
Effects of maternal obesity on maternal and fetal plasma concentrations of adiponectin and expression of adiponectin and its receptor genes in cotyledonary and adipose tissues at mid- and late-gestation in sheep.

Abstract Adiponectin potentially influences fetal weight by altering insulin signaling and trans-placental amino acid and glucose transporters. The objective of this study was to determine how maternal obesity influences maternal and fetal plasma concentrations of adiponectin, expression of fetal adiponectin, its receptors, and adipogenic genes at mid- and late-gestation. Blood samples and tissues were collected from obese and control multiparous pregnant ewes at day 75 or 135 of gestation. Although day of gestation or maternal obesity did not influence (P > 0.6) maternal plasma concentrations of adiponectin, fetal weight was increased (P 0.70). Relative abundance of adiponectin (P = 0.01), AdipoR2 (P = 0.04) and PPARγ (P = 0.01) mRNA was less at mid-gestation in fetal adipose tissue from obese mothers. By late gestation, maternal obesity tended to associated with a decrease in relative abundance of adiponectin (P = 0.09) and SREBF1 (P = 0.10) mRNA in fetal adipose tissue. Maternal obesity did not influence (P ≥ 0.20) the relative abundance of adiponectin, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 mRNA in cotyledonary tissue at mid or late- gestation. In conclusion, maternal obesity in sheep influences relative abundance of fetal adipose tissue mRNA for adiponectin and adipogenic, as well as plasma concentrations of total adiponectin. Although adiposity in pregnant ewes did not influence maternal adiponectin, maternal obesity potentially influenced fetal adipogenesis by altering the abundance of adiponectin, PPARγ and SREBF1 mRNA in fetal adipose tissue.
To File or Not to File? The Anti-Dumping Agreement and Ordinary Portland Grey Cement

This chapter underscores why a focus on four trade disputes that involve the same product, invoked the same WTO provision and have power disparities help us to understand non-participatory membership at the WTO. It therefore sets the stage for discussions about China, Jamaica, Guatemala, Mexico and the United States and their disputes over Ordinary Portland Grey Cement. The chapter also examines the Anti-Dumping Agreement, showing how provisions like “like product,” “dumping margin,” “material injury” and “domestic industry” are technical and ambiguous, often leading to uncertainty. While rulings from the Panel and the Appellate Body are used as precedents for future, their determinations sometimes do little to clarify perplexing issues. For uninitiated DSB users and those with little capacity, the Anti-Dumping Agreement itself may therefore inadvertently be an impediment to active litigation.
An Optimized Test Bolus Contrast Injection Protocol for Consistent Coronary Artery Luminal Enhancement for Coronary CT Angiography

Objectives Consistent levels of coronary artery enhancement are essential for quantitative analysis of coronary artery plaque. We studied three contrast injection protocols for coronary CT angiography (CCTA) and compared mean attenuation level and consistency of vascular contrast enhancement. We hypothesized that test bolus adjusted protocols will have a superior consistency of coronary attenuation compared to a weight-based protocol. Materials and Methods We prospectively evaluated a standard test bolus injection protocol (protocol 1, 32 subjects) and an optimized test bolus injection protocol (protocol 2, 59 subjects) in comparison to a body weight-based injection protocol (60 subjects). The test bolus was diluted contrast (20%-30% iopamidol 370 mixed with normal saline); peak aortic attenuation was measured and used to calculate a specific water/contrast mixture for the CCTA. The mean attenuation of the coronary lumen was measured on CCTA. Metrics of optimum arterial enhancement included the percentage of patients within a predetermined range for coronary attenuation (325–500 HU) and optimal timing with maximal ascending aortic attenuation. In addition, interpatient variation in coronary enhancement was quantified as percentage standard deviation of the attenuation. Results The mean attenuation of the coronary arteries was similar in all protocols (362, 364, and 375 HU for the weight-based, test bolus 1 and 2 protocols, respectively). The percentage standard deviations of the weight-based, test bolus 1 and 2 protocols for coronary attenuation were 25.3%, 27.1%, and 10.5%, respectively (p Conclusion An optimized test bolus guided injection protocol resulted in a marked reduction in variation in coronary enhancement for CCTA compared to a body weight-based injection protocol.
Mosquito Host-Seeking Regulation: Targets for Behavioral Control

Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes require protein from blood to develop eggs. They have evolved a strong innate drive to find and bite humans and engorge on their blood. Decades of research have revealed that attraction to hosts is suppressed for days after blood-feeding. During this time, females coordinate complex physiological changes, allowing them to utilize blood protein to develop eggs: clearing excess fluid, digesting protein, and egg maturation. How do mechanosensation, nutrient consumption, and reproductive pathways combine to produce the full expression of host-seeking suppression? Understanding mechanisms of endogenous host-seeking suppression may allow them to be ‘weaponized’ against mosquitoes through exogenous activation and developed as tools for vector control. Recent work allows unprecedented genetic and pharmacological access to characterize and disrupt this behavioral cycle.
Intelligent Tracking of Network Dynamics for Cross-Technology Coexistence Over Unlicensed Bands

Unlicensed bands offer great opportunities for numerous wireless technologies, including IEEE 802.11-based systems, 4G Licensed-Assisted-Access (LAA), and 5G New Radio Unlicensed (NR-U) networks. Achieving harmonious coexistence between these technologies requires real-time adaptation of their channel access, which can be facilitated by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) techniques. However, to leverage such techniques, we need to characterize the state of unlicensed wireless channel and the dynamics of the coexisting systems. In this paper, we introduce the concept of Sensing Fingerprint (SF) profile to characterize the state of coexisting networks and track their dynamics over unlicensed bands. We conduct extensive experiments to show the effectiveness of SF profile in tracking key network dynamics, including sensitivity thresholds of contending devices, their mobility, traffic loads, and other channel access parameters. AI-and ML-based controllers can utilize this tool to model the state of coexisting networks and track their dynamics.
Management of heart failure in patients with end-stage kidney disease on maintenance dialysis: a practical guide

End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and heart failure (HF) often coexist and must be managed simultaneously. Multidisciplinary collaboration between nephrology and cardiology is critical when treating patients with such complicated physiology. There is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to the evaluation of patients with new left ventricular systolic dysfunction, and diagnostic testing should be adapted to an individual's risk factors. Guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) for systolic heart failure should be employed in these patients. While limited randomized data exist, observational data and post hoc analyses suggest that GDMT, including renin angiotensin aldosterone system inhibitors, is associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes and can be safely initiated at low doses with close monitoring of kidney function in this population. Volume status is typically managed through ultrafiltration, so close communication between cardiology and nephrology is necessary to achieve a patient's optimal dry weight and mitigate intradialytic hypotension. Patient education and engagement regarding sodium and fluid restriction is crucial, and symptom burden should be reassessed following changes to the dialysis regimen.
Predicting Human Strategies in Simulated Search and Rescue Task.

In a search and rescue scenario, rescuers may have different knowledge of the environment and strategies for exploration. Understanding what is inside a rescuer's mind will enable an observer agent to proactively assist them with critical information that can help them perform their task efficiently. To this end, we propose to build models of the rescuers based on their trajectory observations to predict their strategies. In our efforts to model the rescuer's mind, we begin with a simple simulated search and rescue task in Minecraft with human participants. We formulate neural sequence models to predict the triage strategy and the next location of the rescuer. As the neural networks are data-driven, we design a diverse set of artificial "faux human" agents for training, to test them with limited human rescuer trajectory data. To evaluate the agents, we compare it to an evidence accumulation method that explicitly incorporates all available background knowledge and provides an intended upper bound for the expected performance. Further, we perform experiments where the observer/predictor is human. We show results in terms of prediction accuracy of our computational approaches as compared with that of human observers.
Sequential Monte Carlo Reliability Analysis for Economical High-Renewable Microgrids

Microgrid (MG) designs need to achieve a balance between the economic and reliability objectives. Residential and commercial consumers currently express interest in maximizing renewable resources in their generation mix. However, techno-economic analyses are required to insure the viability of microgrids with high levels of renewables. This paper proposes a novel approach to estimate composite power system reliability based on historical failure data and statistical analyses. A time series analysis is performed using sequential Monte Carlo simulation (SMCS) to sample components' failure and healthy states during a MG life cycle. Methodology is applied to a real-life MG designed to serve a small commercial load. Alternative high-renewable penetration systems, between 80 and 100%, are analyzed. Results show the expected economical-reliability tradeoff associated with high renewable percentages.
The Implementation of an Acute Pain Service for Patients Undergoing Open Ventral Hernia Repair with Mesh and Abdominal Wall Reconstruction

In this retrospective cohort single-institutional study, we report the outcomes of implementing a standardized protocol of multimodal pain management with thoracic epidural analgesia via the acute pain service (APS) for patients undergoing ventral hernia repair with mesh placement and abdominal wall reconstruction. The primary outcome evaluated was postoperative 72-h opioid consumption, measured in intravenous morphine equivalents (MEQ). Secondary outcomes included hospital length of stay (LOS) among other outcomes. The two cohorts were the APS versus non-APS group, in which the former cohort had an APS providing epidural and multimodal analgesia and the latter utilized pain management per surgical team, which mostly consisted of opioid therapy. Using1:1 propensity-score-matched cohorts, Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to calculate the differences in outcomes. A p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. There were 83 patients, wherein 51 (61.4%) were in the APS group. Between matched cohorts, the non-APS cohort’s median [quartiles] total opioid consumption during the first three days was 85.6 mg MEQs [58.9, 112.8 mg MEQs]. The APS cohort was 31.7 mg MEQs [16.0, 55.3 mg MEQs] (p < 0.0001). The non-APS hospital LOS median [quartiles] was 5 days [4, 7 days] versus 4 days [4, 5 days] in the APS group (p = 0.01). A dedicated APS was associated with decreased opioid consumption by 75%, as well as a decreased hospital LOS. We report no differences in ICU length of stay, time to oral intake, time to ambulation or time to urinary catheter removal.
The art of discovering and exploiting unexpected opportunities: The roles of organizational improvisation and serendipity in new venture performance

Abstract This study examines a model linking organizational improvisation with new venture performance, via serendipity, at varying levels of resource constraints and informal organizational structure. Results from a national sample of 326 startups, based throughout the United States, indicate that the association of improvisation with serendipity is greatest when resource constraints are high, and—in turn—that serendipity is positively related to new venture performance when informal organizational structure is high. These findings highlight novel pathways and contingencies through which improvisation may prove to be a resourceful means for startups to identify new opportunities and gain performance advantages.
Batteryman vs. The New Deal: The Life of Fred C. Perkins

The Great Depression and the New Deal remain enormously popular subjects for economists and historians. Scholars across multiple disciplines continue to devote significant resources to understanding the economic collapse that began in 1929 and the social and political consequences of the subsequent decade. Despite this remarkable scholarly achievement, curiously little research has been advanced to highlight the victims of the New Deal’s overreach. While more recent revisionist accounts of the New Deal attempt to address the negative aspects of the New Deal in broad strokes, these histories do little more than repeat a handful of anecdotal stories without any depth into the victims themselves. This three-part paper seeks to address the inadequacy of these accounts by detailing the life story of one of the New Deal’s most prominent opponents. Fred C. Perkins ran a small battery manufacturing business in York, Pennsylvania. Fred’s initial specialty was maintaining farm lighting plant batteries to provide electrical service to rural areas before widespread electrification. His story became newsworthy when he was arrested and spent 18 days in jail on a warrant for violating the minimum wage provisions of the National Recovery Administration (NRA). Perkins’s story reached the pages of major city newspapers, and he was ultimately vindicated when the Supreme Court found the NRA unconstitutional in 1935. That much of the Perkins story is repeated in many accounts of the New Deal and the NRA. This three-part paper seeks to move beyond the 15 minutes of fame to understand the life experience and legacy of Fred C. Perkins. In Part I, I explore Perkins’s early life, including his education at Cornell, his early jobs, and his family life from birth until 1933. It is not until the later part of this period that we begin to see the development of a political and economic philosophy that lays the groundwork for his opposition to the NRA and the New Deal as a whole. At the same time, Fred established his family in York County, Pennsylvania, where he would live and work for the rest of his life. In the shop behind his home in West York, Fred established the business that would be central to his story. Part II focuses exclusively on Perkins’s initial dispute with the NRA, the subsequent court case, and his eventual vindication. In Part III, I address Fred C. Perkins’s other lesser-known fights against New Deal legislation, his growing voice in Republican political circles, and the legacy of his life and business in York County by the time of his death in 1957. While Fred changed jobs and moved around quite a bit early in his life, this three-part paper is essentially a local history of Fred’s life in York. Although Fred was not from York County, his story influenced the community’s people and culture. The life of batteryman Fred C. Perkins became part of what defines York County.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of imaging genetics studies of specific reading disorder.

The imaging genetics of specific reading disabilities (SRD) is an emerging field that aims to characterize the disabilities’ neurobiological causes, including atypical brain structure and function ...
High Impact Design Requirements - Key Design Challenges for the Next Decade

The High Impact Design Requirements Project involves an international, cross-disciplinary group of researchers and practitioners focused on setting the agenda for the design requirements discourse. The group’s initial workshop identified five key themes that should receive more attention in design requirements and practice: (1) fundamental concepts of design, (2) evolution and the fluidity of design, (3) quality and value-based requirements, (4) requirements intertwining, and (5) adapting requirements practices in different domains. This chapter presents an introduction to the project, the workshop, and these five themes.