cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Incremental elicitation and formalization of user requirements through rapid prototyping via software transformations

Rapid prototyping via software transformations provides a potentially economical way to construct a prototype both quickly and cheaply. User requirements and specifications can be incrementally elicited and formalized through rapid prototyping via software transformations. A formal specification language called TUG (Tree Unified with Grammar) is used not only as a language for specification but also as a language for rapid prototyping via software transformations. The abstract execution capability of the language allows specifiers to formalize the user requirements incrementally. A framework for rapid prototyping via software transformations is proposed to explain how a prototype for evolution is constructed and managed. A mechanism using change request scripts (CRSs) is used to keep track of the specification changes and make timely updates to the prototype. A telegram analysis problem, as a case study, is given to illustrate how an incomplete and inexact specification is refined successively into a more complete and precise one using the approach.
An improved finite element for connecting adjacent laminae of two-dimensional elements

A connector element for linking planes of two-dimensional elements to enable approximate multiplane solutions to a class of three-dimensional problems is developed. This connector element embodies the same displacement fields as assumed by the connected two-dimensional isoparametric elements. A reduction from the general multiplane formulation to a dual plane model is shown to be appropriate for analysing bodies with uniformly spaced inclusions. Sample solutions are given, including cases with different continuity conditions in each plane.
Diagnosis of metacarpal fracture with equivocal x-ray by point-of-care ultrasound: a case report

Metacarpal fractures represent a very common injury among patients presenting to the emergency department. Diagnosis is of utmost importance given the high morbidity associated with lack of full hand function. We report a case of a 37-year-old man who sustained extremity trauma after a mechanical fall. He presented with an examination that revealed diffuse tenderness over the wrist and hand. X-ray of the hand was equivocal for a metacarpal fracture; however, point-of-care ultrasound revealed disruption of the bony cortex confirming the diagnosis. The patient was splinted and referred for follow-up with a hand specialist. Point-of-care ultrasound may be useful for the diagnosis of hand fractures, which may reduce health care costs and radiation exposure in the future.
Social Categories as Markers of Intrinsic Interpersonal Obligations

Social categorization is an early-developing feature of human social cognition, yet the role that social categories play in children's understanding of and predictions about human behavior has been unclear. In the studies reported here, we tested whether a foundational functional role of social categories is to mark people as intrinsically obligated to one another (e.g., obligated to protect rather than harm). In three studies, children (aged 3-9, N = 124) viewed only within-category harm as violating intrinsic obligations; in contrast, they viewed between-category harm as violating extrinsic obligations defined by explicit rules. These data indicate that children view social categories as marking patterns of intrinsic interpersonal obligations, suggesting that a key function of social categories is to support inferences about how people will relate to members of their own and other groups.
Menopausal Transition and Psychological Distress in a Nationally Representative Sample Is Menopause Associated with Psychological Distress

This study examines whether menopause is associated with three measures of psychological distress: depression, well-being, and sleep disturbance. Women aged 40-60 from the National Health Examination Follow-up Study were assigned to four groups based on their menopause status: Premenopause (n = 989), perimenopause (n = 312), natural menopause (n = 781), and surgical menopause (n = 967). Over the 10-year follow-up interval, no increase was found in depression, poor psychological well-being, or sleep disturbance associated with the menopause transition. Contrary to stereotypes about menopause, the only longitudinal change was a slight decline in depression over time for all groups, and psychological distress was unrelated to the number of years since menopause and the timing of menopausal transition. The present results suggest that the psychological distress of middle-aged women is unlikely to be related to menopause.
Nonlinear cross-talk reduction by spectrum shaping in subcarrier signaling WDM networks

A key issue in developing WDM networks is how to implement the control channel for medium access control and network reconfiguration. The SCM signaling modulates the control channel at a microwave subcarrier and multiplexes with the high-speed payload data at base band, which provides a high-performance and low-cost solution for the signaling implementation in WDM networks. A major performance limitation of SCM signaling comes from various nonlinearities. These nonlinearities generate cross talk proportional to the product of base-band data and the subcarrier in the time domain. In the frequency domain, the cross talk appears as a (two-sided) replica of the base-band spectrum upconverted at the subcarrier frequency because of the spectrum convolution. Because the cross-talk spectrum is an upconverted data spectrum, if we shape the data spectrum to place a null at DC, the cross-talk spectrum will reproduce a null at the subcarrier frequency. Because the subcarrier is a narrow-band signal, the null centered at the subcarrier frequency suppresses the cross-talk penalty significantly. Several line-coding techniques can generate a DC-null spectrum. We focused on Manchester coding because of its simplicity and advantages in clock recovery and burst-mode data receiving.
A hybrid spectral/FDTD method for the electromagnetic analysis of guided waves in periodic structures

A hybrid spectral/FDTD (finite-difference-time-domain) method is introduced for the analysis of electromagnetic wave propagation in anisotropic, inhomogeneous, periodic structures. Discrete Fourier series representations for the field components are used for the spectral calculation of spatial derivatives along the axes of periodicity. Thus, the computational domain is restricted to a single period. Maxwell's system is then solved as an initial value problem on a slightly modified FDTD grid for the prediction of the (eigen)frequencies of the propagating modes for a given value of the propagation constant. Numerical results for two-dimensional periodic structures are in excellent agreement with results obtained using other numerical methods. >
Mother-induced hypertension in familial dysautonomia

Here we report the case of a patient with familial dysautonomia (a genetic form of afferent baroreflex failure), who had severe hypertension (230/149 mmHg) induced by the stress of his mother taking his blood pressure. His hypertension subsided when he learnt to measure his blood pressure without his mother's involvement. The case highlights how the reaction to maternal stress becomes amplified when catecholamine release is no longer under baroreflex control.
THE PORCUPINE GENE IS REQUIRED FOR WINGLESS AUTOREGULATION IN DROSOPHILA

The Drosophila segment polarity gene wingless (wg) is required in the regulation of engrailed (en) expression and the determination of cell fates in neighboring cells. This paracrine wg activity also regulates transcription of wg itself, through a positive feedback loop including en activity. In addition, wg has a second, more direct autoregulatory requirement that is distinct from the en-dependent feedback loop. Four gene products, encoded by armadillo (arm), dishevelled (dsh), porcupine (porc) and zeste-white 3 (zw3), have been previously implicated as components of wg paracrine signaling. Here we have used three different assays to assess the requirements of these genes in the more direct wg autoregulatory pathway. While the activities of dsh, zw3 and arm appear to be specific to the paracrine feedback pathway, the more direct autoregulatory pathway requires porc.
Position auctions with dynamic resizing

Abstract This paper analyzes mechanisms for selling advertising inventory in a position auction in which displaying less than the maximal number of ads means the ads that are shown can be dynamically resized and displayed more prominently. I characterize the optimal mechanism with and without dynamic resizing, and illustrate how the optimal reserve prices in a Vickrey–Clarke–Groves mechanism vary with the amount of dynamic resizing and the number of bidders.
Kinetic Models for Biologically Active Suspensions

Biologically active suspensions, such as suspensions of swimming microorganisms, exhibit fascinating dynamics including large-scale collective motions and pattern formation, complex chaotic flows with good mixing properties, enhanced passsive tracer diffusion, among others. There has been much recent interest in modeling and understanding these effects, which often result from long-ranged fluid-mediated interactions between swimming particles. This paper provides a general introduction to a number of recent investigations on these systems based on a continuum mean-field description of hydrodynamic interactions. A basic kinetic model is presented in detail, and an overview of its applications to the analysis of coherent motions and pattern formation, chemotactic interactions, and the effective rheology in active suspensions, is given.
Assessment and management of major depressive disorder in older adults.

Background Major depression disorder (MDD) is one of the most common mental disorders world-wide and is prevalent throughout the lifespan, with prevalence estimates of 1-5% in those 65 years of age and older. Methods The aim of this mini-review is to briefly summarize clinically relevant topics within the domain of later-life MDD. Results The mini-review presents an overview of epidemiology, complications of late life MDD, risk factors and clinical presentation, clinical assessment, general issues relevant to the treatment of the older adult with MDD, drug treatments, discussion of how medical complexity affects drug treatment and other treatment modalities. Conclusion The mini-review concludes with a short discussion of clinical and research implications. Treatment of depression in the geriatric population is a complex endeavor and clinicians often are faced with medical, social, and environmental issues which can impede the treatment process. Antidepressant drugs, particularly the SSRI and SNRI antidepressants are helpful, but dosing titration needs to be considered against the backdrop of comorbidity and concomitant medications. Psychotherapy and other approaches are additional avenues to consider in the older individuals with MDD. Future research in particular needs to address older people with more extensive medical complexity as well as the "oldest-old", individuals in their 80's and beyond.
The effect of diet supplementation and addition of zinc in vitro on the growth-supporting property of amniotic fluid in African women.

The effect of 3 diet supplementation regimes throughout the latter part of pregnancy on the growth-supporting property (GSP) of third trimester fluids was studied in 100 African women: 32 were given zinc 22 each animal and vegetable supplements respectively; and 24 were controls. No significant increase of inhibitory activity was found in any of the 4 groups the majority of fluids (overall average 65%) being noninhibitory. Zinc levels were very low as compared with Caucasian women. The effect of in vitro addition of zinc on the GSP of 17 noninhibitory fluids from African women showed 5 fluids becoming bacteriostatic and 12 becoming bactericidal after adding zinc at a final concentration of 15.3 mcmol/l; raising levels 5 and 10 times those concentrations rendered all fluids bactericidal. Zinc alone did not affect the growth of Staphylococcus aureus in control subjects without liquor.
Cell-penetrating, guanidinium-rich molecular transporters for overcoming efflux-mediated multidrug resistance.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major cause of chemotherapy failure in the clinic. Drugs that were once effective against naive disease subsequently prove ineffective against recurrent disease, which often exhibits an MDR phenotype. MDR can be attributed to many factors; often dominating among these is the ability of a cell to suppress or block drug entry through upregulation of membrane-bound drug efflux pumps. Efflux pumps exhibit polyspecificity, recognizing and exporting many different types of drugs, especially those whose lipophilic nature contributes to residence in the membrane. We have developed a general strategy to overcome efflux-based resistance. This strategy involves conjugating a known drug that succumbs to efflux-mediated resistance to a cell-penetrating molecular transporter, specifically, the cell-penetrating peptide (CPP), d-octaarginine. The resultant conjugates are discrete single entities (not particle mixtures) and highly water-soluble. They rapidly enter cells, are not substrates ...
Analysis on Cracking of Drain Pipe of High-temperature Superheater Header

In view of cracking of drain pipe of high-temperature superheater header,the chemical composition and metallographic test,SEM along with scene analysis to rupture part close-by parent metal and welding area were carried out.The results shown that,the bracket restrained the movement of drain pipe when the high-temperature superheater header expanding was the main reason of the cracking.
One-stage urethroplasty with wascularized pedicle developed from the inner lager of preputial flap for the treatment of hypospadias

Objective:To present the experiences in using One-stage urethroplasty with wascularized pedicle developed from the inner lager of preputial flap.Methods:One-stage urethroplasty with wascularized pedicle developed from the inner lager of preputial flap was performed for 159 cases of hypospadias including 52 coronal type 98 penile type 9 penoscrotal type.The length of the neo-urethra was 1.5-4.0cm,with an average of 2.5cm.Results:The patients have been followed up for 3-12 months.One stage healing was achieved 150 patients (the success rate has been 94.3%),7 patients suffered from fistula,2patient stricture.Conclusions:The procedure was higly recommended for the repair of coronal、penile and penoscrotal type hypospadias.
High-Valent Nonheme Iron Oxidants in Biology: Lessons from Synthetic Fe(IV)=O Complexes.

Ever since Hayaishi and Mason established the existence of oxygenases in 1955,1,2 chemists have been fascinated by the activation of dioxygen at biological metal centers that produce a powerful oxidant capable of cleaving strong C–H bonds. Within the last half century, the number of metalloenzymes found to activate O2 has grown, with iron enzymes representing the largest subset of this class as well as the most versatile.3 For many of these reactions, it is conjectured that O2 binding to the metal center initiates a reaction sequence that leads to the cleavage of the O–O bond and formation of a high-valent metal-oxo species responsible for C–H bond functionalization.
The Role of the Radioimmunoassay of Serum Alpha-Fetoprotein and Human Chorionic Gonadotropin in the Intensive Chemotherapy and Surgery of Metastatic Testicular Tumors

Quantitative measurement of serum alpha-fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin by double antibody radioimmunoassays reflects the efficacy of surgical, radiation and/or chemotherapeutic regimens in patients with bulky disseminated testicular tumors. When these therapies are effective they produce an immediate decrease in serum levels of these markers that reflects the decrease in tumor size and could be as rapid as the catabolic decay rate for alpha-fetoprotein or human chorionic gonadotropin. The alpha subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin has a short half-life (20 minutes) and has been used for the first time to localize a recurrent metastatic testicular tumor. Cellular localization of these markers by immunochemical techniques has helped us to understand the natural history of this cancer and the cell types responsible for production of the markers.
A discourse-structural analysis of Yorùbá proverbs in interaction

The subject of the proverb especially in the African context has been diversely explored by studies as Yankah (1989), Obeng (1996), Owomoyela (2005), and Fasiku (2006). This study, however, attempts a discourse and structural analysis of Yoruba proverbs collected from oral interviews and native Yoruba texts. First, based on a theory of the proverb as a discourse medium, the study reveals that proverbs are used to achieve different discourse acts and communicative goals by speakers. Native speakers use the proverb as a linguistic strategy of negotiating deep ideas and intentions. Second, the paper avers that the Yoruba proverb is structurally characterized by some lexical and grammatical devices which help to reinforce its communicative intelligibility and textuality. Thus, it examines the Yoruba proverb both functionally and formally and underscores that it is a culturally and linguistically rich significant part of the Yoruba speech community.
Weaverbird Nest Aggregation and Evolution of the Compound Nest

Possible steps in the evolution of the compound nest are considered by comparing three different species of weaverbirds (Ploceidae) of the subfamily Plocepasserinae, the Sociable Weaver (Philetairus socius) of southern Africa, the Grey-capped Social Weaver (Pseudonigrita arnaudi) of East Africa, and the White-browed Sparrow Weaver (Plocepasser mahali) of East Africa. We develop a multiple factor theory of the origin of the compound nest recognizing that the relative importance of the different factors will vary with circumstances and in different places. Gregarious breeding is typical of many weaverbirds, and is favored by security from predation and by social stimulation of nest building and breeding. Security and gregariousness are enhanced by the roofed nests characteristic of all Ploceidae, often by nesting in thorny trees, and sometimes by nesting close to colonies of aggressive insects. Feeding in large flocks often well away from the colony tree is characteristic of socius and arnaudi, both of which often nest in large colonies, whereas mahali, which lives in small colonies, generally keeps close to its colony tree. Year-round residence in one tree is characteristic of the Plocepasserinae, in contrast to the Ploceinae, or true weavers. The former subfamily also more characteristically lives in arid climates, uses dry grasses for nest materials, and builds nests during both breeding and nonbreeding seasons. In the dry climate old nests may persist for many months. Aggregation of nests into masses with two or more nests in physical contact is common in the Plocepasserinae and is favored by the persistence of old nests through the dry season, by building of thick nests at any time of year, and sometimes by nesting in association with aggressive social insects. Some massing of nests in mahali and arnaudi is likely to occur by mere chance, especially in larger trees and colonies. Temperature regulation is related to size of nest mass and to body size in a reciprocal fashion. The Plocepasserinae sleep in their nests the year round; the larger mahali sleeps one bird to a nest while the two smaller species, arnaudi and socius, often sleep in groups of two to five birds to a nest. Group sleeping and consolidation of nests into large masses have been shown to have thermal advantages during the cool nights of the arid tropical and subtropical habitat. Consolidation of nests also helps solve the problem of any shortage of nest sites. A common roof, built on by all, is seen over nest masses of socius. This thick communal roof gives added thermal advantages, and we believe also enhances protection from some predators. The tendency of arnaudi to build new nests directly under and fused to old nests, suggests that such old nests may have been precursors of a communal roof in
Policy-based NFV management and orchestration

Softwarization of network functions running on commodity servers, switches, and storage by leveraging standard IT virtualization and cloud technologies has become a goal of communications service providers (CSPs). Management and orchestration (MANO) is crucial for achieving this network functions virtualization (NFV) vision. We propose an open platform for NFV that exposes APIs that can be consumed by other components of a MANO framework. This Enhanced Network Cloud Platform (ENCP) is based on a common policy-based framework. It employs a network appliance container (NAC) as an abstraction of a network function, and it uses predictive and proactive analytics for elasticity and virtual resource management. The architecture of ENCP is presented, and its prototype implementation is discussed.
Challenges and approaches of fabricating GaN-based green lasers

During recent years, several research groups have demonstrated a steady progress in increasing InGaN quantum well (QW) laser emission wavelength [1–5], however the threshold current (Fig. 1) and wall plug efficiency (WPE) are still worse than those for blue LDs. Reduction of operation current is needed to improve device reliability while keeping WPE comparable with alternative portable green laser technologies. In this paper we discuss the motivation, challenges, and progress in making group-III nitride lasers emitting in the green spectral range, and compare the devices created using epitaxial structures grown on GaN substrates with c-plane (i.e. plane with (0001) crystallographic orientation) and semipolar-plane (i.e. with the plane tilted from c-plane by >0 and <90 degree) orientations. The different structure design choices are discussed, taking into account specific material properties and crystal growth requirements for these orientations.
Effectiveness of Population Policies

This chapter addresses one of the most difficult issues pertaining to population policies: their effectiveness. As population policies are being implemented, sometimes at great costs, policymakers want to measure their effectiveness and efficiency, as well as the time frame needed to obtain results. Policymakers also want to be informed about the usefulness of specific interventions and policy levers (Chasteland 1989: 89–109; see also Gendreau et al. 1994). In addition, those who implement policies need to be clear about the definition of inputs, outputs, and outcomes of different programs. Finally, policies that are effective according to specific criteria (e.g., reduction of fertility) may bring other unintended and sometimes adverse consequences (e.g., in areas of human rights and equity). These effects are to be taken into account as well when proposing, implementing, and assessing specific population policies.
Synchronous occurrence of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and wilms tumor in two patients: underlying etiology and combined treatment plan

Synchronous cancers are extraordinarily rare in pediatric patients and present a therapeutic challenge. Patient A presented with synchronous unilateral Wilms tumor (WT) and standard-risk (SR) B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Genetic testing revealed bialleleic BRCA2/FANCD1 mutations. Patient B, after SR B-precursor ALL induction therapy, was noted on fever workup to have a renal mass; pathology demonstrated lesion indeterminate between WT and nephrogenic rest. Therapy was customized for each patient to treat both cancers. Both patients have ongoing remission from their cancers, without excessive toxicity. We report two regimens for treating synchronous WT and ALL and recommend screening such patients for cancer predisposition.
SEC Comment Letters and Bank Lending

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to periodically review registrants’ filings. This study examines whether the SEC review process reveals information that is useful to stakeholders’ risk assessment decisions, beyond information available in other public filings. We use private debt contracting because there are delays in the public disclosure of SEC review correspondence, and because banks have access to private information about borrowers’ ongoing regulatory reviews or investigations. Using within sample and difference-in-differences analyses, and controlling for firm characteristics and other publicly available information at the time of the SEC review, we find that banks charge higher loan spreads to clients during and after an SEC review, and that the increase in loan spreads is higher when the review identifies material errors, issues subject to managerial discretion, and issues related to collateral valuation. These findings suggest that lenders find the information revealed during the SEC review process to be useful in debt contracting, beyond information available in 10-K and other public filings.
Predicting Mortality up to 14 Years Among Community‐Dwelling Adults Aged 65 and Older

Objectives Extended validation of an index predicting mortality among community-dwelling US older adults. Design/Setting Examination of the performance of a previously developed index in predicting 10- and 14-year mortality among respondents to the 1997–2000 National Health Interview Surveys (NHIS) using the original development and validation cohorts. Follow-up mortality data are now available through 2011. Participants 16,063 respondents from the original development cohort and 8,027 respondents from the original validation cohort. All participants were community dwelling and ≥65 years old. Measurements We calculated risk scores for each respondent based on the presence or absence of 11 factors (function, illnesses, behaviors, demographics) that make up the index. Using the Kaplan Meier method, we computed 10- and 14-year mortality estimates for the development and validation cohorts to examine model calibration. We examined model discrimination using the c-index. Results Participants in the development and validation cohorts were similar. Participants with risk scores 0–4 had 23% risk of 14-year mortality whereas respondents with risk scores (13+) had 89% risk of 14-year mortality. The c-index of the model in both cohorts was 0.73 for predicting 10-year mortality and 0.72 for predicting 14-year mortality. Overall, 18.4% of adults 65–74 years and 60.2% of adults ≥75 years have >50% risk of mortality in 10 years. Conclusions Our index demonstrated excellent calibration and discrimination in predicting 10- and 14-year mortality among community-dwelling US adults ≥65 years. Information on long-term prognosis is needed to help clinicians and older adults make more informed person-centered medical decisions and to help older adults plan for the future.
Implementing Variable Strategy in Real-Time Reflex Decision-Making and Control

Abstract In principle, autonomous decision-making and control can be implemented efficiently in reflex mode with use of neural networks. In practice there are situations where the very strategy of decision or control needs to be varied in accordance with circumstances. For example, in multi-objective control, emphasis may need to be shifted from one objective to another in accordance with system state. Similar considerations apply to decision-making. This paper reports on how knowledge of such variation in strategy can be captured and implemented. Control of the inverted-pendulum/cart task is used to illustrate the approach. Other applications are also discussed.
Abstract LB-278: Whole exome sequencing of metaplastic breast carcinoma indicates monoclonality with associated ductal carcinoma component

Although most human cancers display a single histology, there are unusual cases where two or more distinct tissue types present within a primary tumor. One such example is metaplastic breast carcinoma. Metaplastic breast carcinoma is a rare but aggressive cancer with a heterogenous histology, including squamous, chondroid, and spindle cells. Metaplastic carcinomas often contain an admixed conventional ductal invasive or in situ mammary carcinoma component, and are typically triple-negative for estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) amplification/overexpression. An unanswered question is the origin of metaplastic breast cancers. While they may arise independently from their ductal components, their close juxtaposition favors a model that postulates a shared origin, either as two derivatives from the same primary cancer, or one histology as a clonal outgrowth of the other. Understanding the mechanism of development of these tumors may inform clinical decisions. We performed exome sequencing for paired metaplastic and adjacent conventional invasive ductal carcinomas in eight patients and created a pipeline to identify somatic variants and predict their functional impact in these samples, without having matched normal tissue. We then determined the genetic relationships between the histologically distinct compartments. In each case, the tumor components have nearly identical landscapes of somatic variation, implying that the differing histologies do not derive from genetic clonal divergence, suggesting that epigenetic or noncoding changes mediate the metaplastic phenotype. This indicates that alternative therapeutic approaches, including epigenetic therapies, may render metaplastic breast cancers susceptible to current and future therapies. Citation Format: Bracha E. Avigdor, Katie Beierl, Christopher D. Gocke, Daniel J. Zabransky, Karen Cravero, Kelly Kyker-Snowmana, Berry Button, David Chu, Sarah Croessmann, Rory L. Cochran, Roisin M. Connolly, Ben H. Park, Ashley Cimino-Mathews, Sarah J. Wheelan. Whole exome sequencing of metaplastic breast carcinoma indicates monoclonality with associated ductal carcinoma component [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-278. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-LB-278
Studies of spin transport in fullerene films

The fullerene C60, C70, and C84 molecules, that are composed of ∼99% naturally abundant 12C having spinless nuclei, are considered to have miniature hyperfine interaction and also weak intrinsic spin-orbit coupling (SOC) due to the light carbon atoms. However, it has been theoretically predicted that the curvature of the fullerene molecules may increase the SOC due to the induced hybridization of the π and σ electrons on the carbon atoms that reside on the fullerene molecule surface. In this work, we have measured the spin diffusion length in films of C60, C70, and C84 in NiFe/fullerene/Pt trilayer devices, where pure spin current is injected into the fullerene film at the NiFe/fullerene interface via spin pumping induced by microwave absorption at ferromagnet resonance conditions, and subsequently detected at the fullerene/Pt interface as electrical current via the inverse spin-Hall effect. The obtained spin diffusion lengths in the fullerene films are of the order of 10 nm and increase from C60 to C84 in which the fullerene molecule’s curvature decreases; this finding validates the existence of curvature-induced SOC in the fullerenes. Our results deepen the understanding of spin transport in fullerene films and may benefit the design of molecular spintronic devices.
Demonstration of a Low-Cost and Portable Optical Cavity-Based Sensor through Refractive Index Measurements.

An optical cavity-based sensor using a differential detection method has been proposed for point-of-care diagnostics. We developed a low-cost and portable optical cavity-based sensor system using a 3D printer and off-the-shelf optical components. In this paper, we demonstrate the sensing capability of the portable system through refractive index measurements. Fabricated optical cavity samples were tested using the portable system and compared to simulation results. A referencing technique and digital low pass filtering were applied to reduce the noise of the portable system. The measurement results match the simulation results well and show the improved linearity and sensitivity by employing the differential detection method. The limit of detection achieved was 1.73 × 10−5 Refractive Index Unit (RIU), which is comparable to other methods for refractive index sensing.
Can Working Women and Men Afford to Take Paid Leave? A Comparative Study of the Level of Paid Leave Benefits and Poverty Thresholds in the OECD

Using a new comparative database of paid family and medical leave policies in 34 OECD countries, the article analyzes whether payments enable households of average and minimum wage workers to avoid...
Toward Improving Situation Awareness and Team Coordination in Emergency Response with Sensor and Video Data Streams

Emergency response teams must coordinate their actions and goals in dynamic and demanding situations to ensure patient health and safety. It is a major challenge to measure and model such dynamic phenomenon under real world conditions. However, measuring coordination in real world conditions is necessary to better understand how teams function and to enhance their individual situation awareness, coordination, and learning. The use of sensor-based and video-based behavioral measurement of coordination within and between teams has been a suggested method for continuously recording dynamic, physical behavioral data streams related to proximity, movement or positioning to inform the team. However, very few studies have attempted to implement unobtrusive sensor-based data collection, especially in messy and challenging conditions. If we are to truly embrace the dynamic and complex nature of team-based behaviors and learning with new forms of data collection such as unobtrusive sensors, digital video and audio, we need to better understand the reality of the difficulties of collecting, processing and integrating these multiple digital data streams in real time to generate meaning in demanding, continually evolving, real world contexts such as emergency response. In the current paper, we strive to advance our understanding of the ground truth of leveraging sensor-based and other digital data streams to identify valid constructs, uncover meaningful indicators, and target relevant combinations of digital data streams to visualize and improve understanding of how teams coordinate and learn in team environments.
Temporal integration of mitochondrial stress signals by the PINK1:Parkin pathway

The PINK1:Parkin pathway regulates the autophagic removal of damaged and dysfunctional mitochondria. While the response of this pathway to complete loss of ΔΨm, as caused by high concentrations of mitochondrial ionophores, has been well characterized, it remains unclear how the pathway makes coherent decisions about whether to keep or purge mitochondria in situations where ΔΨm is only partially lost or exhibits fluctuations, as has been observed in response to certain types of cellular stress. To investigate the responses of the PINK1:Parkin pathway to mitochondrial insults of different magnitude and duration, controlled titration of the mitochondrial protonophore, CCCP, was used to manipulate ΔΨm in live cells, and the dynamics of PINK1 and Parkin recruitment was measured by fluorescence microscopy. In contrast to the stable accumulation of PINK1 and Parkin seen at completely depolarized mitochondria, partial depolarization produced a transient pulse of PINK1 stabilization and rapid loss, which was driven by small fluctuations in ΔΨm. As the rate of Parkin dissociation from the mitochondria and phospho-polyubiquitin chain removal was comparatively slow, repetitive pulses of PINK1 were able to drive a slow step-wise accumulation of Parkin and phospho-polyubiquitin leading to deferred mitophagy. These data suggest that the PINK1:Parkin mitophagy pathway is able to exhibit distinct dynamic responses to complete and partial mitochondrial depolarization. In this way, the pathway is able to differentiate between irretrievably damaged mitochondria and those showing signs of dysfunction, promoting either rapid or delayed autophagy, respectively.
An environmentally responsible 3-pot, 5-step synthesis of the antitumor agent sonidegib using ppm levels of Pd catalysis in water

The current industrial approach to sonidegib utilizes wasteful organic solvents and relies on high loadings of endangered Pd. This anticancer drug can now be synthesized in 5 steps using only 3 pots, along with ppm levels of a Pd catalyst, all done in water at ambient temperatures.
Comparison of co-located ice-core and tree-ring mercury records indicates potential radial translocation of mercury in whitebark pine.

Abstract Tree-ring records are a potential archive for reconstructing long-term historical trends in atmospheric mercury (Hg) concentrations. Although Hg preserved in tree rings has been shown to be derived largely from the atmosphere, quantitative relationships linking atmospheric concentrations to those in tree rings are limited. In addition, few tree-ring-based Hg records have been evaluated against co-located proxies of atmospheric Hg deposition or direct atmospheric measurements. Here we develop long-term Hg records extending from 1800 to 2018 CE using cores collected from two stands of whitebark pine located near the Upper Fremont Glacier in the Wind River Range, Wyoming, where a long-term record of atmospheric Hg deposition previously was developed from an ice core. The tree ring record showed that Hg concentrations increased beginning in 1800 CE to a broad peak centered at ~1960 CE, before decreasing to present, generally paralleling the ice-core record of Hg deposition. The exact timing and magnitude of the Hg increases in the trees, however, is offset earlier relative to the ice-core record. These discrepancies potentially arise from biotic processes that impact Hg uptake and preservation in whitebark pine, and results from an advection-diffusion model indicate that the temporal differences are consistent with radial movement of Hg within the trees. The forms of atmospheric Hg and seasonality may also impact the Hg record preserved by each archive, but are less likely to affect long-term trends. Further work is needed to assess radial Hg translocation in more controlled studies with larger sample sizes.
Examining the impacts of low self-control and online lifestyles on cyberbullying perpetration among Korean adolescents: Using parallel process latent growth curve modeling

Abstract This study tests the integrated approach of self-control and opportunity theories on cyberbullying. Growth trajectories of cyberbullying perpetration and online activities across the middle and high school period were examined using a 6-year panel data from Korean adolescents between the ages of 14 and 19. The findings showed that Korean adolescents having less self-control and less parental monitoring, and engaging in more online activities were more likely to perpetrate cyberbullying during the eighth grade but did not demonstrate significant impacts on any change in cyberbullying across times. Also, this study found the partial mediation effect of opportunity factors on the relationship between low self-control and cyberbullying perpetration. Further, the parallel process latent growth curve model revealed that the growth curves of cyberbullying perpetration and online activities were found to share a positive correlation. Finally, adolescents who perpetrated cyberbullying at an early age demonstrated a gradual decrease of online activities across times.
Structured Feedback Enhances Compliance with Operating Room Debriefs

Abstract Background Surgical debriefs help reduce preventable errors in the operating room (OR) leading to patient injury. However, compliance with debriefs remains poor. The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of structured feedback to surgeons in improving compliance with and quality of surgical debriefs. Materials and methods Surgical cases at an 875-bed urban teaching hospital from January-June 2019 were audited via audio/video recording to evaluate debrief performance. Debriefs were evaluated for clinical completeness and teamwork quality via two structured forms. Surgeons received an evaluation of their debrief performance at two time points during the study period (February and April). Univariate and mixed-effects regression analyses were used to assess changes in debrief compliance and quality over time. Results A total of 878 surgical cases performed by 61 surgeons were reviewed: 198 (22.6%) cases during Period 1 (P1), 371 (42.3%) P2, and 309 (35.1%) P3. The rate at which a debrief occurred was 62.1% in P1, 73.0% in P2, and 82.2% in P3 (P Conclusions Providing structured feedback to surgeons on their debrief performance was associated with improvements in compliance and completeness with debriefing protocols, OR teamwork and communication, and leadership and accountability from the lead surgeons.
Towards a Complex Framework of Teacher Learning-Practice.

Although many researchers agree that teaching is complex and contextually situated, dominant conceptions of teacher learning, and the enactment of such learning in practice, tend to be linear and r...
Synthetic nanobody-SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain structures identify distinct epitopes

Abstract The worldwide spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) demands unprecedented attention. We report four X-ray crystal structures of three synthetic nanobodies (sybodies) (Sb16, Sb45 and Sb68) bind to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2: binary complexes of Sb16–RBD and Sb45–RBD; a ternary complex of Sb45–RBD–Sb68; and Sb16 unliganded. Sb16 and Sb45 bind the RBD at the ACE2 interface, positioning their CDR2 and CDR3 loops diametrically. Sb16 reveals a large CDR2 shift when binding the RBD. Sb68 interacts peripherally at the ACE2 interface; steric clashes with glycans explain its mechanism of viral neutralization. Superposing these structures onto trimeric spike (S) protein models indicates these sybodies bind conformations of the mature S protein differently, which may aid therapeutic design. One Sentence Summary X-ray structures of synthetic nanobodies complexed with the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 reveal details of CDR loop interactions in recognition of distinct epitopic sites.
Composition and distribution of fish environmental DNA in an Adirondack watershed

Background Environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys are appealing options for monitoring aquatic biodiversity. While factors affecting eDNA persistence, capture and amplification have been heavily studied, watershed-scale surveys of fish communities and our confidence in such need further exploration. Methods We characterized fish eDNA compositions using rapid, low-volume filtering with replicate and control samples scaled for a single Illumina MiSeq flow cell, using the mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA locus for taxonomic profiling. Our goals were to determine: (1) spatiotemporal variation in eDNA abundance, (2) the filtrate needed to achieve strong sequencing libraries, (3) the taxonomic resolution of 12S ribosomal sequences in the study environment, (4) the portion of the expected fish community detectable by 12S sequencing, (5) biases in species recovery, (6) correlations between eDNA compositions and catch per unit effort (CPUE) and (7) the extent that eDNA profiles reflect major watershed features. Our bioinformatic approach included (1) estimation of sequencing error from unambiguous mappings and simulation of taxonomic assignment error under various mapping criteria; (2) binning of species based on inferred assignment error rather than by taxonomic rank; and (3) visualization of mismatch distributions to facilitate discovery of distinct haplotypes attributed to the same reference. Our approach was implemented within the St. Regis River, NY, USA, which supports tribal and recreational fisheries and has been a target of restoration activities. We used a large record of St. Regis-specific observations to validate our assignments. Results We found that 300 mL drawn through 25-mm cellulose nitrate filters yielded greater than 5 ng/µL DNA at most sites in summer, which was an approximate threshold for generating strong sequencing libraries in our hands. Using inferred sequence error rates, we binned 12S references for 110 species on a state checklist into 85 single-species bins and seven multispecies bins. Of 48 bins observed by capture survey in the St. Regis, we detected eDNA consistent with 40, with an additional four detections flagged as potential contaminants. Sixteen unobserved species detected by eDNA ranged from plausible to implausible based on distributional data, whereas six observed species had no 12S reference sequence. Summed log-ratio compositions of eDNA-detected taxa correlated with log(CPUE) (Pearson's R = 0.655, P < 0.001). Shifts in eDNA composition of several taxa and a genotypic shift in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) coincided with the Hogansburg Dam, NY, USA. In summary, a simple filtering apparatus operated by field crews without prior expertise gave useful summaries of eDNA composition with minimal evidence of field contamination. 12S sequencing achieved useful taxonomic resolution despite the short marker length, and data exploration with standard bioinformatic tools clarified taxonomic uncertainty and sources of error.
Quick Action is the Ticket to a New Life: Appropriate Recognition and Response with VA ECMO Use for Primary Graft Dysfunction

Introduction Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is a dreaded complication in heart transplant patients. Several risk factors have been associated with PGD with recent recognition of amiodarone use contributing significantly to severe PGD. While overall incidence can be relatively low, the mortality for PGD approaches up to 40%. Case Report A 67 yo male with NICM (EF 10-15%), CRT-D implant in 2015, and HVAD as BTT in 5/2019 due to VT and cardiogenic shock presented with sudden nausea, diaphoresis, and subsequently received several consecutive shocks from his CRT-D. He was found to be in VT/VF storm despite multiple device shocks and dofetilide and mexilitine therapy. Device interrogation later revealed that the defibrillation threshold was higher than before and that he had received 2 rounds of ATP degenerating VT into VF and then received 8 41J shocks, all unsuccessful in converting his rhythm. He was trialed on lidocaine infusion without effect and then received external cardioversion with initiation of amiodarone infusion. Patient was progressing well but had recurrent slow VT while hospitalized. This episode required 3 rounds of ATP and required re-initiation of amiodarone infusion despite dual oral anti-arrhythmic therapy. He was upgraded to UNOS status 2 and underwent orthotopic heart transplant during the hospitalization. While in the OR, patient was quickly recognized to have mild-moderate PGD thought to be secondary to the necessary amiodarone. From prior experience, it was decided to place patient on VA ECMO circuit while in the OR rather than maintain inotropic therapy despite limited use of MCS outside of severe PGD. He remained on minimal VA ECMO support for a few days and was transitioned onto inotropic therapy. The patient did well through the remainder of the hospitalization and was discharged several weeks later with fully recovered cardiac function. Summary This case displays that prompt recognition of PGD and early initiation of MCS therapies like VA ECMO might be prudent for patient survival. With cardiac transplants increasing nationally, it is important to be cognizant of risk factors for PGD including recent amiodarone use as a risk factor. The decision to use VA ECMO early allowed us to be prepared for worsening graft function and provide optimal support early if needed rather than await an emergent situation which has known poor patient outcomes.