cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implications of Polymorphism in Thysanoptera

Functional diversities associated with structural polymorphism involving oedymery and gynaecoidy among males and major and minor forms in females, with or without alary polymorphs appear typical of many mycophagous Tubulifera. Notable is the occurrence of reproductive polymorphism resulting in oviparity, ovoviviparity, and viviparity among individuals of the same species reflecting both gross as well as histological profiles. While alary polymorphism tends to result in ovarian diversities in some species, the combination of this feature with gynaecoidy and oedymery among Tubulifera results in a variety of mating combinations and variations in egg output. Information presented pertains to the mating patterns in mycophagous and sporophagous species in relation to the degree of polymorphism and reproductive efficiency in terms of oviposition rates. The considerably higher longevity of the oedymerous males as compared to gynaecoids adds further to the reproductive efficiency of the oedymeres. Size assortive mating is very evident, with females tending to reject males smaller than them, and with males competing for larger females in this intrasexual rivalry.
Cognitive Side Effects of Antiepileptic Drugs

Available studies of the cognitive side effects of traditional and newer antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are reviewed by researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC.
Analysis of the Contents and Characteristics of Current Sports Blog in China

In order that people could know about and use the current sports blogs,this paper analyzed the contents and characteristics of the sports blogs from the four websites( Sina,Netease,sohu,tencent) in the second half of 2013,through the means of documents and analysis. The analysis showed that sports blogs mainly provide the first-hand information. They play an important part in caring about sports fields and setting the macro issues. They give sports fans the rights of speaking. The paper suggested building up a sound management system of web language to give the sports blogs a healthier and long- term development.
Characterization of an n-Type 4-kV GTO for Pulsed Power Applications

This paper details the experimental evaluation and simulation of a 4-kV n-type gate turn-OFF thyristor (GTO) designed for pulsed power applications. The primary criteria of evaluation are rate of current rise ( $dI/dt$ ), turn-ON delay time ( $T_{D})$ , and resistance of the device during turn-ON transients [ $R_{\mathrm{\scriptscriptstyle ON}}(t)$ ]. The device under test (DuT) is an n-type asymmetric-blocking GTO manufactured by Silicon Power (Part No. 14N40A10) with a rated dc blocking voltage of 4 kV. A test circuit was specifically designed to minimize stray inductance in order to capitalize on the $dI/dt$ capabilities of the DuT. Experimental data collected from resistance measurements are used to develop a single-switch approximate model for use in simulation. The results of $dI/dt$ experiments provide a profile of DuT $dI/dt$ operation beyond rated values; specifically $dI/dt$ values >70 kA/ $\mu \text{s}$ were readily achieved. The turn-ON delay time of the DuT is also characterized and determined to be $\sim 225$ ns on average.
Computationally efficient beampattern synthesis for dual-function radar-communications

The essence of amplitude-modulation based dual-function radar-communications is to modulate the sidelobe of the transmit beampattern while keeping the main beam, where the radar function takes place, unchanged during the entire processing interval. The number of distinct sidelobe levels (SLL) required for information embedding grows exponentially with the number of bits being embedded. We propose a simple and computationally cheap method for transmit beampattern synthesis which requires designing and storing only two beamforming weight vectors. The proposed method first designs a principal transmit beamforming weight vector based on the requirements dictated by the radar function of the DFRC system. Then, a second weight vectors is obtained by enforcing a deep null towards the intended communication directions. Additional SLLs can be realized by simply taking weighted linear combinations of the two available weight vectors. The effectiveness of the proposed method for beampattern synthesis is verified using simulations examples.
Electrical Oscillations in Conducting Polymers

During studies of magnetoresistance of disordered systems composed of CSA-doped PPy or PANI in PMMA, striking periodic pulses in potential were detected which changed nature depending on temperature, magnetic field, applied current, and fabrication process. Extensive measurements show some more new features. The transition from regular pulsing to chaos is clearly seen, and may be controlled in a given sample by bias current, temperature and/or applied magnetic field.
Resume of Workshop-Conference

Summarizing a meeting requires the subjective selection of impressions, reactions, and interpretations. Unfortunately, to convey these impressions, I cannot write poetry like Hugh Sinclair, I cannot play the piano and sing like David Kritchevsky, and I do not have a collection of comic strip cartoons as used by Sheila Mitchell. In fact, I have no slides at all, and you must understand how greatly being without slides handicaps a pathologist.
Critical cardiac care in children: looking backward and looking forward

The growth of Pediatric Cardiovascular Intensive Care as a subspecialty has been incredible. Outcomes have improved, care delivery has matured, and research has made advances. Within this review, we take the opportunity to examine the subspecialty’s past accomplishments with pride, take stock in its current state, and look forward with excitement to its future. While outcomes in general have improved dramatically, we must always be aware of the outcomes that matter to families and patients. Additionally, we must constantly ask ourselves to improve. Research into neuroprotection and individual therapeutic strategies based in genomic medicine provide the next opportunity for the subspecialty to improve.
Towards a Theology of Death

In order that we may start from where we are, and may be reminded of where this is by contrast with somewhere else, let me quote two passages from the world we have lost — the world in which the belief in a life to come was a pervasive factor in most people’s minds, affecting their attitudes both to life and to death. The first passage comes from a book of legal precedents published in London in 1592, when the first Elizabeth was on the throne of England and when Will Shakespeare was a rising London playwright. The book offers ‘a verie perfect form of a Will’, which begins as follows: In the name of God, Amen. The twenty-sixth day of April in the year of our Lord God, one thousand five hundred and ninety two, A.B.C. the unprofitable servant of God, weak in body, but strong in mind, do willingly and with a free heart render and give again into the hands of my Lord God and Creator, my spirit, which he of his fatherly goodness gave unto me, when he first fashioned me in my mother’s womb, making me a living creature, nothing doubting that for his infinite mercies, set forth in the precious blood of his dearly beloved son Jesus Christ our alone saviour and redeemer.
The Acquisition of Syntactic Structure: Animacy and children's language

So far we have established the following. (a) There are constructions in natural language in which the surface subject of a declarative sentence is not semantically related to its adjacent predicate, and it is therefore displaced with respect to its logical place in the sentence. These constructions involve raising verbs, tough -adjectives, and unaccusative verbs. I have referred to these constructions as “opaque” constructions, in part because the structural relationship between the main clause subject and main clause predicate is not transparent from their surface adjacency, and in part because these constructions bear a striking resemblance, on the surface, to constructions that have a very different underlying structure (those involving control predicates or unergative verbs). In these opaque constructions, to a much greater degree than canonical sentences, languages permit the displaced/derived subject to be inanimate. (b) The linguistic marking or encoding of animacy is found quite broadly in human language, and animacy is universally linked to argument structure in that animacy and agenthood generally imply subjecthood, while inanimacy generally implies non-subjecthood, and, furthermore, an inanimate subject generally implies a derived subject. Finally, (c) even in languages that lack extensive morphological marking of animacy, such as English and Dutch, there are effects of animacy on the processing of language in adult speakers. Specifically, adults more readily treat inanimate syntactic subjects, as opposed to animate subjects, as themes – either as the head of an object relative clause or as the subject of a raising verb.
Electron-atom scattering resonances: Complex-scaled multiconfigurational spin-tensor electron propagator method for B − shape resonances

We develop the complex-scaled multiconfigurational spin-tensor electron propagator (CMCSTEP) technique for the theoretical determination of resonance parameters with electron-atom--molecule systems including open-shell and highly correlated (nondynamical correlation) atoms and molecules. The multiconfigurational spin-tensor electron propagator method developed and implemented by Yeager and his coworkers in real space gives very accurate and reliable ionization potentials and electron affinities. The CMCSTEP method uses a complex-scaled multiconfigurational self-consistent field state as an initial state along with a dilated Hamiltonian where all of the electronic coordinates are scaled by a complex factor. We apply the CMCSTEP and the related ${\text{M}}_{1}$ methods to get the ${\text{B}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ shape resonance parameters using $14s11p$ and $14s11p5d$ basis sets with $1s2s2p3s$, $1s2s2p3s3p$, $1s2s2p3d$, $2s2p3s3p$, $2s2p3d$, and $2s2p3s3p3d$ complete active spaces. The CMCSTEP and ${\text{M}}_{1}$ resonance positions and widths are obtained for the $1{s}^{2}2{s}^{2}2{p}^{2}{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{1}D$, $1{s}^{2}2s2{p}^{3}{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{3}D$, and $1s2{s}^{2}2{p}^{3}{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{3}D$, ${}^{3}S$, and ${}^{3}P$ shape resonances.
Capillarity, Wettability and Interfacial Dynamics in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

In the present scenario of a global initiative toward a sustainable energy future, the polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) has emerged as one of the most promising alternative energy conversion devices for different applications. Despite tremendous progress in recent years, a pivotal performance/durability limitation in the PEFC arises from liquid water transport, perceived as the Holy Grail in PEFC operation. The porous catalyst layer (CL), fibrous gas diffusion layer (GDL) and flow channels play a crucial role in the overall PEFC performance due to the transport limitation in the presence of liquid water and flooding phenomena. Although significant research, both theoretical and experimental, has been performed, there is serious paucity of fundamental understanding regarding the underlying structure-transport-performance interplay in the PEFC. The inherent complex morphologies, micro-scale transport physics involving coupled multiphase, multicomponent, electrochemically reactive phenomena and interfacial interactions in the constituent components pose a formidable challenge. In this paper, the impact of capillary transport, wetting characteristics and interfacial dynamics on liquid water transport is presented based on a comprehensive mesoscopic modeling framework with the objective to gain insight into the underlying electrodics, two-phase dynamics and the intricate structure-transport-interface interactions in the PEFC.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
A Pilot Study to Teach Siblings to Support Children With Complex Communication Needs

Siblings play an important role in the lives of children with disabilities, especially those with complex communication needs (CCN). However, children with CCN require support to learn social and c...
Effect of countercation on the water stability of an anionic metal–organic framework

Methods for adjusting and potentially improving the water stability of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are important for many potential applications. Herein, we investigate how the identity of uncoordinated countercations housed within the channels of an anionic MOF affect its structure and porosity after exposure to liquid water and water vapour. bMOF-1, Zn8(ad)4(BPDC)6O·2 cations (ad = adeninate; BPDC = biphenyldicarboxylate), was used for this study and different alkylammonium countercations were incorporated into the framework via cation exchange. In general, it was determined that cations having larger alkyl chains resulted in a more water stable bMOF-1 material; conversely, more hydrophilic cations detrimentally affected bMOF-1 stability to water. Finally, bMOF-1 was loaded with mixtures of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic cations. It was found that these bMOF-1 samples, despite the presence of the hydrophilic cations, still maintained their structure and porosity after exposure to water vapour.
Saruman’s Sodomitic Resonances: Alain de Lille’s De Planctu Naturae and J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings

Tolkien’s 1958 reference to Saruman in this address is due to more than just speech-making artistry; it reveals a sustained reading of Saruman as a blight upon nature. The metaphorical application of his name relies on a well-recognized set of attributed meanings, which—while not allegorical in the strict sense of the term—appear so fixed in Tolkien’s mind that explanation is hardly necessary. While Sauron’s threat has been nearly eliminated, Saruman has, through profligate means we can be sure, effectively given birth to a line of “descendants”; from him issues much that plagues humankind today. Tolkien likens Saruman to a long winter during which fecundity has been suppressed. To outlast him is to experience the revivification brought about by spring’s renewal.
Maritime Passages of the Future

Significant diminishment of the Arctic ice cap is propelling the advent of a new, blue water ocean and, with it, new commercial and economic opportunities. Abundant natural and mineral resources, as well as rich fishing stocks, encourage Arctic and non-Arctic nations to explore these resources through the enhanced use of Arctic maritime transportation routes which seek to connect geographically distant economies more directly. As a result, the evolving commercial dynamics of international Arctic shipping – both destinational and trans-shipment – are beginning to change. Once considered dangerous and non-commercial, Arctic shipping routes such as the Northern Sea Route (NSR) are increasingly scrutinized as potential economical alternatives to some of the world’s most popular maritime passages.
Food Habits of Pacific Marten From Scats In South-Central Oregon

Quantifying prey taken by Pacific Marten (Martes americana caurina) helps to understand local habitat requirements of the species. We collected 250 scat samples associated with at least 53 marten in a salvage-logged Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta)-Bitterbrush shrub (Purshia tridentata) forest in south-central Oregon. The frequency of occurrence of food items included 98.0% mammals, 36.0% arthropods, 23.2% birds, 9.2% plants, 2.0% hares and rabbits, and 0.8% reptiles. Among mammals, 72.4% were vole-sized and 47.2% squirrel-sized. Chipmunks (Neotamias spp., 27.6%) and ground squirrels (Spermophilus spp., 28.0%) had the highest occurrence by size group, respectively. Frequency varied little between summer and winter. Male marten preyed on a greater proportion of mice (Peromyscus spp.) than females, especially in summer, and in winter females preyed on a greater proportion of voles (Microtus spp.) than did males. Female marten also preyed on a greater proportion of birds in winter than did males, whereas males had a greater proportion in summer. We compare our findings with a concurrent study in northeastern Oregon and discuss the importance of slash piles from the indirect evidence in the frequently logged forest type to help inform habitat management of the species and prey.
A 172dB-FoM pipelined SAR ADC using a regenerative amplifier with self-timed gain control and mixed-signal background calibration

A scaling-friendly and PVT-robust pipelined SAR ADC reusing the first-stage comparator as a regenerative residue amplifier is proposed in this work. A low-power self-timed gain control block is combined with a mixed-signal background calibration to ensure a stable amplifier gain across PVT variation. A 130nm CMOS prototype achieves a peak Walden FoM of 9.2 fJ/conv-step and a Schreier FoM of 172 dB.
Communication: Potentials of mean force study of ionic liquid ion pair aggregation in polar covalent molecule solvents.

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were conducted for 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium methylsulfate [EMIM][MeSO4] dissolved in six polar covalent molecules [acetic acid, acetone, chloroform, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), isopropyl alcohol, and methanol] to understand the free energies of ionic liquid (IL) ion pairing/aggregation in the limit of infinite dilution. Free energy landscapes or potentials of mean force (PMF) were computed using umbrella sampling and the weighted histogram analysis method. The PMF studies showed the strongest IL ion pairing in chloroform, and the strength of IL ion pairing decreases in the order of chloroform, acetone, propanol, acetic acid, DMSO, and methanol. In the limit of infinite dilution, the free energy curves for IL ion aggregation in co-solvents were characterized by two distinct minima [global (∼3.6 A) and local (∼5.7 A)], while free energy values at these minima differed significantly for IL in each co-solvent. The PMF studies were extended for determining the free energy of IL ion aggregation as a function of concentration of methanol. Studies showed that as the concentration of methanol increased, the free energy of ion aggregation decreased, suggesting greater ion pair stability, in agreement with previously reported MD clustering and radial distribution function data.
VLSI Circuit Analysis, Timing Verification and Optimization

In this paper, we give an overview of the state-of-the-art in Circuit Analysis, Timing Verification, and Optimization. Emphasis is given to circuit analysis, timing verification and optimization since simulation is covered by C. Terman in this book. Also, the optimization of large circuits is receiving new attention due to the need for timing performance improvement in silicon compilation.
Deposition of Au−Nanocrystals on TiO2 Crystallites

Under specific solution conditions, 2 nm (diameter) passivated gold nanocrystal compounds show preferential adsorption at boundaries between adjacent TiO2 crystallites. The extent of this preferential adsorption is dependent upon the concentration of the gold nanocrystals in toluene solutions. At high solution concentrations (>0.1 mg/mL), the nanocrystals align along the TiO2 crystallite boundaries, but also deposit nonpreferentially across the TiO2 crystallite faces. Below 0.1 mg/mL, the adsorption of the Au-nanocrystal compounds occurs nearly exclusively at the grain boundaries between adjacent TiO2 crystallites.
Design Considerations for a Gallium Nitride Based Phase Shifted Full Bridge DC-DC Converter for Space Applications

The main design considerations for the practical implementation of a Phase Shifted Full Bridge DC-DC converter with synchronous rectification using recently released radiation hardened Gallium Nitride (GaN) Field Effect Transistors (FETs) for space applications are presented in this paper. A brief survey comparing the benefits of GaN FETs for space power applications against current Silicon power transistor technology is conducted. Also, the main drivers for topology selection, and design considerations to implement the selected topology for space applications resulting from the limited radiation hardened components available today are described in detail. In addition, power loss breakdown from analysis and final design choices are presented. A converter was designed to validate design based on the considerations outlined. The implemented converter operates from a 100 V DC bus and delivers 400 W from a fixed 20 V output at more than 95% efficiency.
Whose Africa is rising

SUMMARYThis briefing revisits the ‘Africa rising’ narrative. It makes two arguments. First, the ‘Africa rising’ narrative at best sits on a shaky foundation. African economies may have registered m...
Abstract 3759: Host and neoplastic cell secretions of proteolytic enzymes potentiate metastasis

The presence of macrophages within breast tumors is associated with metastatic potential. Tumor-associated macrophages are often stimulated by Interleukin-4, resulting in a pro-tumorigenic (M2-like) phenotype and the secretion of growth factors and proteases, including the lysosomal protease cathepsin L (CTSL). CTSL is often secreted by breast cancer cells and stromal cells and contributes to tumor invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis. We hypothesized that secretion of the proteolytic enzyme cathepsin L by both tumor-associated macrophages and neoplastic cells facilitate tumor invasion and dissemination. Initial studies found that inhibiting CTSL using the novel cathepsin L/K inhibitors KGP94 and KGP207 prevented in vitro M2 macrophage invasion and reduced macrophage-stimulated invasion of 4T1 murine breast cancer cells. Interestingly, KGP94 and KGP207 also reduced the expression of several M2-associated markers, suggesting that CTSL activity may be important for Interleukin-4-driven M0 to M2 differentiation. Furthermore, CTSL shRNA knockdowns revealed that CTSL supplied from both the tumor cell and the macrophage population is important for tumor cell invasion. These data suggest that tumor cells and macrophages may both contribute to the CTSL-driven metastatic phenotype of breast cancer. Taken together, these studies highlight the importance of CTSL in macrophage functions and suggest that cathepsin inhibition strategies may be therapeutically beneficial by impairing the progression of tumors with high infiltration of M2 macrophages. Citation Format: Samantha S. Dykes, Henrietta O. Fasanya, Dietmar W. Siemann. Host and neoplastic cell secretions of proteolytic enzymes potentiate metastasis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3759.
Accuracy Of The Relative Value Scale Update Committee's Time Estimates And Physician Fee Schedule For Joint Replacement.

Even though relative value units guide 70 percent of physician payment, little research has assessed their accuracy. We analyzed actual service time for total hip and knee replacements at two acade...
Hotel Recommendation System

One of the first things to do while planning a trip is to book a good place to stay. Booking a hotel online can be an overwhelming task with thousands of hotels to choose from, for every destination. Motivated by the importance of these situations, we decided to work on the task of recommending hotels to users. We used Expedia's hotel recommendation dataset, which has a variety of features that helped us achieve a deep understanding of the process that makes a user choose certain hotels over others. The aim of this hotel recommendation task is to predict and recommend five hotel clusters to a user that he/she is more likely to book given hundred distinct clusters.
Clinical characteristics are associated with acupuncture treatment response for xerostomia in cancer patients

Abstract Background Xerostomia is a common symptom in cancer patients undergoing radiation to the head and neck region and/or those undergoing systemic chemotherapy. Acupuncture has been recognized as an effective integrative modality for managing xerostomia, but data about predicting treatment response to acupuncture are limited. We explored patient characteristics and treatment response among patients who received acupuncture for xerostomia. Methods We reviewed acupuncture records with a primary referral for xerostomia in an outpatient environment from March 2016 to April 2018. Treatment response was assessed using Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS; 0-10 scale) performed pre and post each acupuncture treatment. Bivariate associations between patient characteristics and treatment response were analyzed. Results A total of 781 acupuncture treatment records (139 patients) were identified. Majority were male (63%) and 59 (42%) with head and neck cancer. The median treatment response was 11% (IQR: 0-33) reduction in xerostomia score. BMI ≥ 35 and Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) Conclusions Using the current approach, acute pre-post treatment response of xerostomia to acupuncture was low. Features of patient clinical characteristics may be predictive of treatment response. More research is needed to further explore these associations and examine the impact of optimization of clinical conditions on acupuncture treatment response in symptom management for cancer patients. Legal entity responsible for the study The authors. Funding Has not received any funding. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
High Performance Flexible Protocol for Backscattered-Based Neural Implants

This work presents a custom high-performance protocol for bi-directional communication with neural implants, that will eventually enable closed-loop operation. This protocol presents a flexible configuration to communicate to neural implants with different characteristics. It can support different uplink data rates, a variable number of neural channels from 2 to 16, two types of digital signal modulation (Amplitude Shift-Keying, ASK, and Binary Shift-Keying, PSK), and different RF operation frequencies (915MHz being the default). The proposed protocol is implemented in C++ (preferred to Python because it enables fast signal processing algorithms), using GNU-Radio toolkit with custom communication blocks.
Clinic-based ultra-wide field retinal imaging in a pediatric population

Pediatric retinal disorders, although uncommon, can be challenging to assess in the clinic setting and often requires an exam under anesthesia. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the use of ultra-wide field retinal imaging in children without sedation in an outpatient clinic. We performed a retrospective case series of patients 18 years or younger who received ultra-wide field imaging over a one year period. The age, gender, and clinical course were documented. Color fundus and red-free images were reviewed to assess field of view. Ultra-wide field autofluorescence (UWF-FAF) was evaluated for abnormal autofluorescence patterns and ultra-wide field fluorescein angiography (UWF-FA) was assessed for angiographic phase and field of view. A total of 107 eyes of 55 patients with a mean age of 11.1 years (SD 3.7 years, range 3–18 years) were evaluated. Twenty-seven (49%) patients were male. The most common diagnosis was retinopathy of prematurity (7 of 55 patients, 12.7%) followed by trauma (7.4%), Coats disease (7.4%), and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (7.4%). The number of quadrants visualized anterior to the equator correlated with patient age (r = 0.4, p < 0.01). On UWF-FA, 6 of 14 patients (43%) had images of the arterial phase captured and 14 of 14 patients (100%) had images of the venous phase or later captured. We demonstrated that UWF imaging is obtainable in children as young as 3 years old without sedation. UWF fundus photography, UWF-FAF and UWF-FA were useful clinical adjuvants to examination and provide additional information for documenting and monitoring pediatric retinal diseases.
Pleiotropic Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide (PACAP): Novel Insights Into the Role of PACAP in Eating and Drug Intake

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) was discovered thirty years ago, but its role in eating and drug use disorders has only recently begun to be investigated. The present review develops the hypothesis that, although PACAP normally functions to tightly regulate intake, inhibiting it through negative feedback, this relationship can become dysregulated with the development of dependence, such that PACAP instead acts through positive feedback to promote excessive intake. We propose that repeated exposure to palatable food and drugs of abuse can alter the downstream responses of specific populations of neurons to stimulation by PACAP, leading to the perpetuation of the addiction cycle. Thus, this review will first describe published literature on homeostatic food intake, which shows that PACAP suppresses food intake, while its levels are themselves increased by overfeeding. Next, it will present literature on palatable food, cocaine, alcohol, and nicotine, which overall demonstrates that PACAP in specific limbic brain regions can promote their seeking and intake and itself is stimulated by their intake. Then, it will present literature on affective behavior, which shows that chronic stress increases levels of PACAP, which then promotes anxiety and depression, factors that can trigger substance seeking. Finally, the review will address mechanisms through which chronic substance exposure may dysregulate the PACAP system, proposing that it alters expression of PACAP receptor splice variants. While many questions remain to be addressed, the current evidence suggests that PACAP could be a viable medication target for the treatment of binge eating and drug and alcohol use disorders.
Asset Aging Through Degradation Mechanism

Analysis of the degradation process is one of the lately developed approaches in order to obtain the information regarding the asset condition especially for highly reliable systems, critical assets, and recently developed products. Application of the degradation methods has been newly increased due to their ability to predict and keep track of the dynamic conditions of the systems. The main purpose of the degradation-based models is to predict the future condition of the asset based on the behavior of the degradation indicator, time, and explanatory variables. On the other hand, maintenance activities can be scheduled in an optimized time window before the actual failure of the system with respect to the degradation profile of the assets. Since the degradation-based analysis defines the failure events based on the predefined threshold and critical limits, the failure is said to have occurred as a soft failure. It should be considered that some types of degradation mechanisms can be measured or observed with less effort compared to other types. For instance, the degradation mechanism due to the length of the crack can be easily monitored by measuring the crack length, while the degradation mechanism due to the loss of power efficiency of a transformer cannot be observed as easy as crack length. Therefore, obtaining the degradation profile can be considered as one of the challenges of the analysis. It should be noted that each asset might have more than one degradation mechanism. The main purpose of the most recent studies is to develop degradation-based models to predict the critical time for initiating the maintenance actions. The analyses mostly focus on the critical components rather than all components of the systems.
Faster Divergence Maximization for Faster Maximum Flow

In this paper we provide an algorithm which given any $m$-edge $n$-vertex directed graph with integer capacities at most $U$ computes a maximum $s$-$t$ flow for any vertices $s$ and $t$ in $m^{4/3+o(1)}U^{1/3}$ time. This improves upon the previous best running times of $m^{11/8+o(1)}U^{1/4}$ (Liu Sidford 2019), $\tilde{O}(m \sqrt{n} \log U)$ (Lee Sidford 2014), and $O(mn)$ (Orlin 2013) when the graph is not too dense or has large capacities. To achieve the results this paper we build upon previous algorithmic approaches to maximum flow based on interior point methods (IPMs). In particular, we overcome a key bottleneck of previous advances in IPMs for maxflow (Mądry 2013, Mądry 2016, Liu Sidford 2019), which make progress by maximizing the energy of local $\ell_2$ norm minimizing electric flows. We generalize this approach and instead maximize the divergence of flows which minimize the Bregman divergence distance with respect to the weighted logarithmic barrier. This allows our algorithm to avoid dependencies on the $\ell_4$ norm that appear in other IPM frameworks (e.g. Cohen Mądry Sankowski Vladu 2017, Axiotis Mądry Vladu 2020). Further, we show that smoothed $\ell_2$-$\ell_p$ flows (Kyng, Peng, Sachdeva, Wang 2019), which we previously used to efficiently maximize energy (Liu Sidford 2019), can also be used to efficiently maximize divergence, thereby yielding our desired runtimes. We believe both this generalized view of energy maximization and generalized flow solvers we develop may be of further interest.
Mycoplasma genitalium as a Cause of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease.

Abstract Background Mycoplasma genitalium is an increasingly recognized cause of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Case A 17-year-old female adolescent presented with chronic pelvic pain and dysmenorrhea. Test results for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhea were negative, and multiple radiologic test results were normal. The patient failed several empiric courses of therapy over 1 year. Laparoscopy revealed findings consistent with PID. Nucleic acid amplification test results were positive for M genitalium. Summary and Conclusion M genitalium causing PID can be challenging to diagnose because of its often atypical presentation. Further epidemiological studies are needed to understand the burden of disease and to establish testing and treatment guidelines.
mutyper: assigning and summarizing mutation types for analyzing germline mutation spectra

Summary: Characterization of germline mutation spectrum variation from population genomics data has shed light on the biological complexity of the mutation process, and its evolution within and between species. This analysis augments available population SNP data with estimates of local ancestral genomic context to assign mutation types and aggregate summary statistics thereof, and is increasingly common. There is a need for standardized computational tools to extract mutation spectrum information from sequencing data. Here I describe mutyper, a command-line utility and Python package that uses an ancestral genome estimate to assign mutation types to SNP data, compute mutation spectra for individuals, and compute sample frequency spectra resolved by mutation type for population genetic inference. Availability and implementation: mutyper can be installed using the pip package manager and is compatible with Python 3.6+. Documentation is provided at https://harrispopgen.github.io/mutyper; source code is available at https://github.com/harrispopgen/mutyper.
Early snowmelt and warmer, drier summers shrink postflowering transition times in subalpine wildflowers.

Plant reproductive phenology-the timing of reproduction-is shifting rapidly with global climate change. Many studies focus on flowering responses to climate, but few investigate how post-flowering processes, such as how quickly plants develop from flowering to seed dispersal, respond to environmental factors. We examined the climatic drivers of post-flowering phenology in 28 species of Western North American subalpine meadow plants over large spatial and temporal climate gradients. We took a Bayesian hierarchical approach to address whether and how climate influences the time it takes for wildflower populations to transition from flower to seed. Our previous work on the same species demonstrated that the initiation of flowering depends on snowmelt timing, with warmer temperatures and soil moisture also playing a role. Here, we found that for the majority of the flowering community, the same climate drivers also affected the time it takes to move from flowering to seed dispersal. Climate-sensitive species shortened flower-seed transitions when snow melted earlier, temperatures were warmer, and/or soil dried down more quickly-conditions we expect with higher frequency under climate change. Our work underscores the fact that predicting the impact of climate change on plant reproductive phenology demands empirical data on phases beyond flowering. Additionally, it suggests that some species face a future in which multiple environmental factors will push them towards more rapid transitions from flowering to post-flowering phases, with potential effects on plants themselves and the many animal associates that rely on them, including frugivores and seed predators.
Christian Prayer and the Local Congregation: A Social Analysis of Individual Prayer Petitions

Prayer requests from members and attendees of a progressive Christian church located in a large American City was the subject of this investigation. This church serves congregants from Roman Cathol...
Failure Analysis of a 0.35µm CMOS process High Speed USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) DPDT Switch

This paper presents the successful determination of the failure mechanism causing a leakage at VCC with respect to GND resulting to functionality failure of a 0. 35µm CMOS process High Speed USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) DPDT Switch. The failure analysis flow highlights the application of passive voltage contrast (PVC) analysis together with the circuit analysis as fault isolation techniques leading to the determination of a wafer fabrication related defect.
Mechanisms of picosecond laser-induced damage from interaction with model contamination particles on a high reflector

The interactions of microparticles of different materials located on the surface of a multilayer dielectric mirror with intense 1053-nm laser pulses of varying fluence and duration (10 and 0.6 ps) are investigated. The particles caused localized intensification of the electric field, which becomes the dominant mechanism for the onset of damage and secondary contamination of the mirror at fluences far below the pristine (without particles) laser-induced-damage threshold of the mirror. Several interaction mechanisms leading to material modification and damage are identified, including the localized field intensification by multibeam interference and particle-induced microlensing, plasma-induced scalding, and secondary contamination via nanoparticle generation and particle melting. The resulting morphologies were observed to be vulnerable to damage growth and additional damage initiation when irradiated by subsequent pulses.
Influence of Body Bass Index (BMI) on post-operative Opioid Requirements in Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty Patients.

Background The aim of our study was to evaluate whether an association exists between body mass index (BMI) category and post-operative opioid requirements among primary total joint arthroplasty (TJA) patients. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all primary unilateral total hip and total knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA, respectively) cases performed over a two-year period. We evaluated whether a relationship exists between five BMI categories (≤24.9, 25-29.9, 30-34.9, 35-39.9, ≥40) and morphine milligram equivalent (MME) use for total in-hospital, daily in-hospital, and total during six weeks post-discharge. Secondary outcomes included relationship with length of stay, discharge location, opioid refill rate, and pre-operative opioid usage. Results For all patients undergoing primary TJA, increasing BMI resulted in an incremental increase in post-operative total in-hospital MME use for each successive BMI category when compared to those with BMI ≤24.9 (p < 0.05). This association held true for the THA subset. Within the cohort as a whole, higher categories of BMI were associated with increased length of stay (35-39.9, ≥40), higher odds of needing a refill (30-34.9, 35-39.9, ≥40), and higher odds of discharging to a rehab facility (25-29.9, ≥40) (p < 0.05). There was an increasing proportion of pre-operative opioid use as BMI category increased (p < 0.0001). Discussion/conclusion BMI category is associated with increased in-hospital opioid requirements among primary TJA patients. Such findings are an important step to better understanding pain control expectations and can help facilitate development of opioid reduction strategies.
Decoding Cell Death: From a Veritable Library of Babel to Vade Mecum?

Programmed cell death (PCD) is a requisite feature of development and homeostasis but can also be indicative of infections, injuries, and pathologies. In concordance with these heterogeneous contex...
Empirical Investigation of Factors That Influence Website Performance

Rapid advancements in digital technology have had a significant influence on businesses' websites. Organizations with well-designed websites have the potential of attracting customers, generating revenues, and increasing market share. Nevertheless, many organizations that are investing billions of US dollars on websites and page development are not attracting customers or generating revenues, incomes, and profits as expected. The study focuses on bounce rate as a key performance measure of website effectiveness. The research focus is on the factors that influence bounce rate to provide insights to advertisers and websites' designers to predict the effectiveness and quality of online advertisements before these ads are shown to both web users and online visitors. The authors investigated the influence of page view, unique page view, average time on page, entrances, and percent exit on bounce rate. The study shows that unique pageviews, average time on page, entrance, and percent exit have a positive and significant effect on bounce rate and have practical and research implications.
The Importance of Early Diagnosis of Pyoderma Gangrenosum: A Case After Plastic Surgery.

Introduction Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a multifactorial neutrophilic dermatosis of unknown etiology. It can occur in isolation; in association with different inflammatory, autoimmune, or malignant diseases; or as part of various syndromes. Because of its low incidence and the difficulty in distinguishing it from other possible lesions, PG is usually misdiagnosed. As a result, patients may be subjected to unnecessary treatments and surgical interventions that exacerbate the development of PG, as pathergy phenomenon is observed with this skin disorder. Surgical trauma can also lead to the formation of PG with the same mechanism. The occurrence of PG lesions has been reported after plastic surgery as well. In most cases, however, the diagnosis is delayed, resulting in disfigurement, additional surgeries, and extended hospital stay. Case report In this article, a case of early detected bilateral PG after reduction mammoplasty in a patient with no personal or family history of autoimmune disorders is presented. Careful examination of the wound and analysis of the clinical picture resulted in the diagnosis of PG. Conclusions The authors believe that the description of the diagnostic clues considered in this case will aid the plastic surgeon in prompt recognition and management of postoperative PG, with the aim of decreasing patient morbidity and the duration of hospital stay while preventing additional complications.
Genetic Modifiers for Neuromuscular Diseases

Neuromuscular diseases, which encompass disorders that affect muscle and its innervation, are highly heritable. Genetic diagnosis now frequently pinpoints the primary mutation responsible for a given neuromuscular disease. However, the results from genetic testing indicate that neuromuscular disease phenotypes may vary widely, even in individuals with the same primary disease-causing mutation. Clinical variability arises from both genetic and environmental factors. Genetic modifiers can now be identified using candidate gene as well as genomic approaches. The presence of genetic modifiers for neuromuscular disease helps define the clinical outcome and also highlights pathways of potential therapeutic utility. Herein, we will focus on single gene neuromuscular disorders, including muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and the methods that have been used to identify modifier genes. Animal models have been an invaluable resource for modifier gene discovery and subsequent mechanistic studies. Some modifiers, identified using animal models, have successfully translated to the human counterpart. Furthermore, in a few instances, modifier gene discovery has repetitively uncovered the same pathway, such as TGFβ signaling in muscular dystrophy, further emphasizing the relevance of that pathway. Knowledge of genetic factors that influence disease can have direct clinical applications for prognosis and predicted outcome.
Induction of cyclic flow reduction in the coronary, carotid, and femoral arteries of conscious, chronically instrumented dogs. A model for investigating the role of platelets in severely constricted arteries.

Abstract Under sterile conditions, dogs were instrumented for continuous measurement of hemodynamics, and an Ameroid constrictor was positioned around either the left carotid, left femoral, or left anterior descending coronary artery to produce slowly progressive narrowing of the vessel. Cyclic flow reduction (CFR) developed in the carotid artery in seven of nine dogs on day 5.1 ± 0.8 (mean ± S.E.M.) at a frequency of 6.7 ± 0.6 cycles per 30 min. This phenomenon was abolished for 30 ± 5 and 45 ± 15 min with intravenous administration of 50 and 100 μg/kg, respectively of the thromboxane receptor antagonist, BM 13.505, 4-[2-(4-chloro-benzene-sulfonamide)-ethyl]-benzene acetic acid. Total carotid artery occlusion occurred on day 7.9 ± 0.8. CFR developed in the femoral artery in one of three dogs on day 4 at a frequency of 7 cycles per 30 min and was abolished for 82 min after BM 13.505 (50 μg/kg i.V.). The vessel became totally occluded on day 7. Finally, CFR developed in the left anterior descending coronary artery in three of five dogs on day 9.3 ± 4.9 at a frequency of 6.2 ± 0.9 cycles per 30 min. CFR was abolished for 37 min after BM 13.505 (50 μg/kg i.v.) and for several hours after an oral dose of aspirin (650 mg). Total coronary occlusion was observed on day 17.4 ± 2.6. The present results demonstrate that CFR can be induced in various arteries in conscious, chronically instrumented dogs by slowly progressive narrowing via Ameroid constrictors. This phenomenon may serve as a model for transient is-chemic attack, claudication, and unstable angina. Because the conscious state is maintained, drug interactions with anesthetics are avoided. The usefulness of inhibitors of platelet aggregation in this model documents the potential benefit of such compounds in various vascular disease states.
Simulations of particle dynamics in a confined shear flow

The dynamic behavior of particles injected into the high-speed shear flow in the confined geometry of an axisymmetric dump combustor is studied computationally using the flux-corrected transport algorithm and a Lagrangian approach to track particles in the flow. Small particles are seen to travel with the large vortical structures, while intermediate sized particles are seen to form sheets as they are ejected from these structures. Dispersion of the particles is found to be optimal at Stokes numbers on the order of unity when particles that have been deposited on the combustor walls are neglected. Further analysis shows that it is the shedding frequency that governs the dispersion, even at downstream locations where the first merging frequency governs the fluid flow. This property is observed for all particle sizes studied except for cases at very low Stokes numbers, where the merging frequency, as well as the frequency obtained by combining the merging and shedding frequencies, is observed. A correlation between particle size and flow vorticity is also obtained and shows that high concentrations of particles can be associated with high vorticity for small particles, whereas the opposite is true for intermediate to large sized particles.