cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Traffic and cardiovascular disease: the challenge of estimating exposure.

Exposure to traffic has been associated with a number of adverse respiratory health outcomes including asthma symptoms.1 More recently, following mounting evidence that exposure to air pollution is linked to not just respiratory disease but cardiovascular disease as well, there has been interest in also investigating the effects of traffic exposure on cardiovascular disease.2 It is difficult to investigate traffic effects, particularly traffic pollution effects as distinct from effects of other traffic-associated exposures such as noise, for example. While traffic is a source of a large number of air pollutants, there is currently no air pollutant or pollution component that serves as a specific measure of traffic pollution. Ambient air concentrations of pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide are often used to reflect traffic pollution, but there are other sources of these pollutants. Concentration of particulate matter elemental carbon is often used to reflect diesel vehicle emissions specifically, but in many settings a substantial fraction of ambient elemental carbon is attributable to non-diesel emissions.3 For investigating long-term exposure effects of traffic exposure, an alternative to estimating exposure based on pollutant air concentrations has been to employ measures of traffic at relatively small spatial scales of tens of metres. Examples include proximity to large roadways, amount of traffic volume within a defined distance and traffic emission concentrations based on dispersion models.2 4 Tonne et al initially reported findings in which long-term exposure to traffic in …
Governance Mechanisms As Moderators Of Agency Costs In A Pre-SOX Environment

Drawing upon the long established stream of agency theory literature, this research investigates the effect of corporate governance mechanisms on agency costs before the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, thus questioning the rationale and assumptions made in this legislation. Investigating domestic, manufacturing firms listed on the New York Stock Exchange, this research concludes that many governance controls long held to temper agency conflict did not do so in a pre-SOX environment. Therefore, it is incumbent upon researchers to determine what caused these mechanisms to fail before the passage of SOX. If researchers do not learn from the mistakes of the past and help business understand how they occurred, these mistakes will repeat themselves.
Link Lifetime as a Function of Node Mobility in MANETs with Restricted Mobility: Modeling and Applications

We present statistical models to accurately evaluate the distribution of the lifetime of a wireless link in a mobile ad hoc network (MANET) in which nodes move randomly within constrained areas. We show that link lifetime can be computed through a two-state Markov model and further apply the computed statistics to the optimization of segmentation schemes of information stream. Summarizing all these results, we further provide comprehensive analysis on throughput, delay, and storage requirements for MANETs with restricted node mobility.
Inflammatory potential of diet and all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III Study

Various dietary components have been studied in relation to overall mortality; however, little is known about the relationship between the inflammatory potential of overall diet and mortality. We examined the association between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and mortality in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III follow-up study. The DII was computed from baseline dietary intake assessed using 24-h dietary recalls (1988–1994). Mortality was determined from the National Death Index records through 2006. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI). During the follow-up, 2795 deaths were identified, including 1233 due to cardiovascular disease (CVD), and 615 due to cancer, 158 of which were due to digestive-tract cancers. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses, adjusting for age, race, diabetes status, hypertension, physical activity, body mass index, poverty index, and smoking, revealed positive associations between higher DII scores and mortality. Comparing subjects in DII tertile 3 versus tertile 1, significant associations were noted for all-cause mortality (HRTertile3vs1 1.34; 95 % CI 1.19–1.51, P trend < 0.0001), CVD mortality (HRTertile3vs1 1.46; 95 % CI 1.18–1.81, P trend = 0.0006), cancer mortality (HRTertile3vs1 1.46; 95 % CI 1.10–1.96, P trend = 0.01), and digestive-tract cancer mortality (HRTertile3vs1 2.10; 95 % CI 1.15–3.84, P trend = 0.03). These results indicate that a pro-inflammatory diet, as indicated by higher DII scores, was associated with higher risk of all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality.
Estimation of the Damping Parameter Governing the VIV of Long Flexible Cylinders

Much effort in the past half century has been made to explain the role of damping in the prediction of VIV. Scruton (1965), Griffin et al. (1975), Klamo, et al. (2005) and Govardhan & Williamson (2006) all made significant contributions. None fully characterized the role of damping in governing the response over the full range reduced velocities, which encompass the wake synchronized region. In 2012 Vandiver devised a way to do that with a new damping parameter c*. His results were verified using 2D spring-mounted cylinders in uniform flow.The primary objective of the research described in this paper is to find a c* -like quantity for flexible cylinders, which is capable of organizing response data for flexible cylinders, which may have many modes, be exposed to sheared flows and possess spatially varying properties, such as the coverage of strakes and fairings. Data from a recent high mode VIV model test campaign conducted by SHELL Exploration and Production Company are used to illustrate the application of c* to flexible cylinders. It is shown that, if one accounts for Reynolds number, the response of flexible cylinders with varying strake coverage in the SHELL Tests collapse onto a single curve.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Biological Considerations for an Intraocular Retinal Prosthesis

4125.S783, 1999. 49. Rizzo JF, 3rd, Wyatt J, Loewenstein J, et al. Perceptual efficacy of electrical stimu- lation of human retina with a microelectrode array during short-term surgical trials. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2003; 44(12):5362–9. 50. Rizzo JF, 3rd, Wyatt J, Loewenstein J, et al. Methods and perceptual thresholds for short-term electrical stimulation of human retina with microelectrode arrays. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2003; 44(12):5355–61. 51. Richard G, Feucht M, Bornfeld N, et al. Multicenter study on acute electrical stimu- lation of the human retina with an epiretinal implant: clinical results in 20 patients. ARVO. Fort Lauderdale, USA, 2005. 52. Humayun MS, Weiland JD, Fujii GY, et al. Visual perception in a blind subject with a chronic microelectronic retinal prosthesis. Vision Res 2003; 43(24):2573–81. 53. Hesse L, Schanze T, Wilms M, Eger M. Implantation of retina stimulation electrodes and recording of electrical stimulation responses in the visual cortex of the cat. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2000; 238(10):840–5. 54. Kass MA, Gordon MO, Hoff MR, et al. Topical timolol administration reduces the incidence of glaucomatous damage in ocular hypertensive individuals. A randomized, double-masked, long-term clinical trial. Arch Ophthalmol 1989; 107(11):1590–8. 55. Kass MA, Heuer DK, Higginbotham EJ, et al. The Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study: a randomized trial determines that topical ocular hypotensive medication delays or prevents the onset of primary open-angle glaucoma. Arch Ophthalmol 2002; 120(6):701–13; discussion 829–30. 56. Margalit E, Fujii GY, Lai JC, et al. Bioadhesives for intraocular use. Retina 2000;
Bariatric Surgery Among Obese Veterans: a Retrospective Review of Complications and Intermediate Term Results from a Single Institution

The purpose of this study was to compare the results and complications among obese veterans undergoing sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass at a low-volume center. This is a retrospective review of bariatric procedures performed by a single surgeon from 2009–2013. Outcomes of interest were mortality, complications, and length of stay. Weight loss and comorbidity resolution were compared between sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and Roux-y gastric bypass (RYGB). Length of stay and distance traveled to receive services were analyzed. Distributed groups were compared with Student’s t test. Welch’s correction was used where variances were unequal via ANOVA. Complications were compared using Fisher’s exact test. Eighty-five patients (SG = 51, RYGB = 34) were analyzed. Postoperatively, patients were seen in clinic, contacted by phone or email, and their electronic health care records were reviewed. Average length of follow-up was 114.3 weeks. Mortality was 0 %. Complication rates were comparable between groups. The percent total weight loss was 22.6 % for the SG and 27.5 % for the RYGB (p = 0.02). The percent excess weight loss was 49 % for SG and 55 % for RYGB (p = 0.149). Percent excess body mass index (BMI) loss was 54 and 61 % (p = 0.197) for SG and RYGB, respectively. Comorbidity resolution was similar between groups except for diabetes which was superior for RYGB (p = 0.03). Veterans lived an average of 141.3 miles from our VA, and all 85 patients were able to be contacted for follow-up. Despite long travel distances for high-risk veterans, bariatric surgery can be performed safely even at a low-volume VA hospital with acceptable morbidity and mortality and excellent follow-up. There was no difference in morbidity or mortality between patients undergoing SG vs RYGB.
Initial Development of an Earth-Based Prototype for a Lunar Hopper Exploration System

MIT is developing an Earth-based hopper prototype for autonomous planetary exploration. This paper describes the initial development of the hopper prototype and its application as a testbed for lunar hopper technologies. The prototype hopper consists of a gravity-canceling system, composed of battery-powered electric ducted fans, and an integrated lunar hopper system, which operates using cold gas propulsion. The gravitycanceling system is designed to allow the lunar hopper system to operate in an environment which is dynamically similar to the surface of the Moon, although it also allows for recovery and safe touchdown if the cold gas system experiences a failure. The environment provided by the electric ducted fans applies the fan thrust against Earth’s gravity to obtain a desired upward acceleration, allowing the cold gas jets to operate as if they were in a fractionalgravity environment. The key design features of the integrated gravity-canceling and lunar hopping systems are presented in this paper.
Social Cleavages and Civil War Onset

AbstractThis paper addresses the false dichotomy of ‘greed–grievance’ regarding the onset of civil wars, providing a theory that specifies the interaction of economic and identity-based factors within a two-stage causal process. The sociological concept of overlapping versus cross-cutting social cleavages is applied to explain the origins of the potential for ethnic civil war, as the overlap of ethnic cleavages with material cleavages fuels an in-group/out-group ideology. Such situations can, however, exist for decades without the onset of war, thus it is necessary to delineate this question from the necessarily separate, temporal question of the timing of the outbreak of such wars as a second stage. Catalysts such as economic decline and adverse regime change provide the variables that, in the presence of a social structure of overlapping social cleavages, exacerbate existing intergroup tensions to the point of organized violence, or are mitigated by the lack of major cleavages or the presence of cross-c...
Dynamic Analysis of Yarn Unwinding from Cylindrical Packages. Part II: The Three-Region Analysis

In Part II of this series [2], we analyze the three-region problem. The formulation constitutes an integrated analysis of the three regions, which permits a study of the yarn path and related tension distributions for unwind points away from the two ends of the package. The numerical solutions presented reveal a very complex interaction between several of the nondimensional parameters characteristic of the problem. The complexity arises from the problem's nonlinear nature, whose solutions exhibit a bifurcation phenomenon and consequent inherent instabilities. In brief, we argue that heuristic discussions about the physics of the problem in dimensional space can be extremely misleading.
High-Order Large Eddy Simulation of Flow in Idealized and Patient-Specific Total Cavopulmonary Connections

The Fontan procedure is used in pediatric situations in which infants have complex congenital heart disease or a single effective ventricle. This procedure by-passes right heart by connecting the left and right pulmonary arteries (LPA/RPA) to the superior and inferior vena cavae (SVC/IVC). The resulting reconstructed anatomy is called total cavopulmonary connection or TCPC. Knowledge of fluid dynamics in TCPC helps in optimizing the connection itself for reduced resistance as well as aids in designing cavopulmonary assist devices like viscous impeller pump (VIP) [1].© 2011 ASME
Social media modulation of mood and anxiety in adolescents with chronic visible skin conditions

Chronic skin diseases are often associated with psychiatric disorders, and psychological factors such as stress can affect the management of skin conditions. In adolescents, skin diseases can have a profound impact on body image, self-esteem and social interactions. Social media is a mode of communication increasingly used, especially among adolescents. It has been shown to have detrimental effect by the negative influence of peers through social network interactions as well as positive effects by allowing support and access to care. The posting of pictures of individuals by others in social media may make this mode of communication particularly distressful for teens with a visible skin condition; they cannot control the photos being shared with the group and are reminded of the visibility of their skin condition through these postings. To determine how social media may impact mental health and skin disease management in adolescents’ with chronic visible skin conditions, we conducted a survey of patients in the ambulatory setting. This cross-sectional study is based on an anonymous survey in teens, age 12 to 19, with various levels of chronic visible skin conditions. It explores the influences of social media on incidence and or severity of both psychiatric and dermatological health status as self-reported by patients. Acne, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis are often associated with poor quality of life even with moderate skin disease. Taking in account the impact of social media on these pathologies is especially critical among adolescents due to their wide use and relevance in this population.
Can We Restart the Recovery All Over Again

Abstract Many have argued that a deviation from good economic policy has been a cause of the poor U.S. economic performance of the past decade and that policy reforms are needed to restore strong g...
Fatigue crack propagation in nylon 66 blends

Fatigue crack propagation (FCP) rates were measured in nylon 66, an impact-modified nylon 66, and in blends of the two resins as a function of the stress intensity factor range AK and cyclic frequency. Significant reductions in FCP rates were observed with increasing additions of the impact-modified polymer to pure nylon 66, though the relative ranking of the various blends was found to depend on the magnitude of ΔK and test frequency. These differences were related to specimen heating associated with certain blend compositions and high ΔK levels. Crack tip temperatures increased with increasing ΔK level and were as high as 125°C (257°F) in the impact-modified nylon 66 that had been moisture equilibrated at room temperature. Other tests revealed that this material represents the first polymeric solid to exhibit higher fatigue crack growth rates with increasing cyclic frequency.
Microbial Attachment and Limitations of Decontamination Methodologies

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the attachment of foodborne pathogens to plant tissue and explores why decontamination of produce has proven so difficult. In addition to direct contact with plants, pathogens in manure are often transferred to water either directly or through runoff. Bacterial pathogens attach rapidly to produce surfaces and attached pathogens are extremely difficult to remove with current washing or agitation regimens. A variety of organisms (bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc.) have been implicated in outbreaks arising from produce. This chapter focuses primarily on Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, because of the frequency of outbreaks associated with these pathogens and the depth to which they have been studied. Pathogens originate from animals, survive well in water and farm wastes, attach strongly to plant tissue, and survive the harsh environment through consumption. However, efficient and complete decontamination of produce and fresh-cut produce items is made difficult by the attachment and survival strategies utilized by bacteria on fruit and vegetable surfaces. Further processing of fresh-cut produce may also make bacterial cells harder to remove or inactivate. The ultimate goal of a pathogen-free produce supply depends more on the vigilance of individual growers, cooperation from industry groups, and a focused effort from government agencies.
Dynamic Modeling and Decoupling Force Control of a Precision Hexapod

A simplified dynamic model suitable for precision hexapods is derived and compared to experimental measurements. Although this model is much less complex than the full model of a hexapod, it nevertheless is a highly coupled plant with six inputs and six outputs. Because the movements of a precision hexapod are so small, the nonlinear terms of the plant can be reasonably neglected. From the new dynamic model, an input/output transformation is found which decouples the plant completely, if the geometry of the hexapod and its payload is chosen such that the Jacobian is orthogonal.
Dynamic climate emulators for solar geoengineering

Abstract. Climate emulators trained on existing simulations can be used to project project the climate effects that result from different possible future pathways of anthropogenic forcing, without further relying on general circulation model (GCM) simulations. We extend this idea to include different amounts of solar geoengineering in addition to different pathways of greenhouse gas concentrations, by training emulators from a multi-model ensemble of simulations from the Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project (GeoMIP). The emulator is trained on the abrupt 4 × CO2 and a compensating solar reduction simulation (G1), and evaluated by comparing predictions against a simulated 1 % per year CO2 increase and a similarly smaller solar reduction (G2). We find reasonable agreement in most models for predicting changes in temperature and precipitation (including regional effects), and annual-mean Northern Hemisphere sea ice extent, with the difference between simulation and prediction typically being smaller than natural variability. This verifies that the linearity assumption used in constructing the emulator is sufficient for these variables over the range of forcing considered. Annual-minimum Northern Hemisphere sea ice extent is less well predicted, indicating a limit to the linearity assumption.
Definitional argument: Nevada's commercial UAV debate and the case of threatened prosperity

Nevada was granted a Certificate of Authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration in December 2013 to enter the market for commercial drone development and testing. Given safety and privac...
Managing Workplace Diversity and Inclusion: A Psychological Perspective

Managing Workplace Diversity and Inclusion bridges the gap between social science theory and research and the practical concerns of those working in diversity and inclusion by presenting an applied psychological perspective. Using foundational ideas in the field of diversity and inclusion as well as concepts in the social sciences, this book provides a set of cognitive tools for dealing with situations related to workplace diversity and applies both classic theories and new ideas to topics such as United States employment law, teamwork, gender, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, and other areas. Each chapter includes engaging scenarios and real-world applications to stimulate learning and help students conceptualize and contextualize diversity in the workplace. Intended for upper-level undergraduates as well as graduate students, this textbook brings together foundational theories with practical, real-world applications to build a strong understanding of managing diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Hypericum japonicum: a Double-Headed Sword to Combat Vector Control and Cancer

Mosquito control with naturally derived herbal insecticides has gained much momentum, with the increased insecticide resistance of vectors and the multiple infectious diseases spread by them. Yet, recent studies also suggest that mosquitoes could probably transmit some cancerous cells or cancer-causing viruses from one individual to another between their blood meals. The current research thus focused on the screening and characterization of novel plants with both mosquitocidal and anticancerous properties. Accordingly, different solvent extracts of Hypericum japonicum, a key plant in Chinese medicine, were screened for its larvicidal efficacy using the fourth instar larvae of Aedes aegypti (major vector of Dengue and chikungunya). Methanolic extracts of the plant showed effective larvicidal property with LC50 7.37 ppm and LC9011.59 ppm values. The anticancerous property of the plant extract was also evaluated by in vitro cytotoxicity assay against Daltons Lymphoma Ascites (DLA) cells. The results indicated that H. japonicum plant extracts at very low concentrations of LC500.95 ppm and LC901.85 ppm were potent cytotoxic agents. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first and the foremost report of Hypericum japonicum as a potent mosquitocidal and anticancerous agent. Identification and characterization of such plant-derived bioactive plants thus could serve as a double-headed sword against the spread of infectious diseases and cancer.
Techniques in Immunohistochemistry and Immunocytochemistry

Immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry are emerging as powerful tools to supplement the knowledge obtained by routine histological techniques. These have been significantly aided by technical advances in microscopy. The combination of immunolabeling techniques and microscopy now allows detailed insights into tissue and cellular architecture and is proving to be extremely valuable for understanding the micro architecture of the brain in health and disease. In this chapter, we discuss some of the considerations and techniques for immunohistochemistry of the brain and dissociated, cultured neurons from the hippocampus and cortex.
Determinants of Hearing Aid Use Among Older Americans With Hearing Loss.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Hearing loss (HL) is common among older adults and is associated with significant psychosocial, cognitive, and physical sequelae. Hearing aids (HA) can help, but not all individuals with HL use them. This study examines how social determinants may impact HA use. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We conducted an explanatory sequential mixed methods study involving a secondary analysis of a nationally representative data set, the Health and Retirement Study (HRS; n = 35,572). This was followed up with 1:1 qualitative interviews (n = 21) with community participants to clarify our findings. Both samples included individuals aged 55 and older with a self-reported HL, with or without HA. The main outcome measure was the proportion of participants with a self-reported HL who use HA. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Analysis of HRS data indicated that younger, nonwhite, non-Hispanic, lower income, and less-educated individuals were significantly less likely to use HA than their referent groups (all p values < .001). Area of residence (e.g., urban) were not significantly associated with HA use. Qualitative findings revealed barriers to HA included cost, stigma, vanity, and a general low priority placed on addressing HL by health care providers. Facilitators to obtaining and using HA included family/friend support, knowledge, and adequate insurance coverage for HA. IMPLICATIONS Many socioeconomic factors hinder individuals' ability to obtain and use HA, but these obstacles appeared to be mitigated in part when insurance plans provided adequate HA coverage, or when their family/friends provided encouragement to use HA.
Dynamic strength enhancement and strain rate sensitivity in ice-templated ceramics processed with and without anisometric particles

Abstract We investigated the effects of platelets and strain rate on the compressive response of ice-templated porous alumina, processed from ultrafine, equiaxed particles and from a mixture of ultrafine, equiaxed and large platelet particles. Results revealed a remarkable enhancement of the quasistatic and dynamic compressive mechanical properties of the templated ceramics in the presence of platelets. Specific compressive mechanical properties of the ice-templated alumina containing platelets are superior in comparison to those of the various metallic, syntactic and natural cellular solids. In the presence of platelets, compressive strength exhibited contrasting strain rate sensitivity between the elastic and inelastic stages of deformation.
Morphometry of the Male Feline Pelvic Urethra

Abstract The pelvic urethra and bladder of the male cat were examined for comparison with those of the male dog which have been previously studied. Morphometric data were generated and analyzed statistically to provide an objective basis for comparing regions and species. Tissue quantities in the body of the bladder were significantly different from the vesical neck. The vesical neck of the cat was significantly different from the canine vesical neck. The smooth muscle sphincter in the cat was better developed than in the dog, and the cat had longitudinal smooth muscle arranged to actively open the sphincter. The feline urethra had relatively more elastic fibers and less stratum cavernosum than the canine urethra. Since canine and feline urethrae are structurally different, physiological interpretations based on one of the species should not be applied indiscriminantly to the other.
Circulating IgA Complexes in Patients with Psoriasis

The sera of 21 patients with psoriasis were examined for the presence of IgA-containing circulating immune complexes (CIC) using the Raji IgA radioimmunoassay. In addition, the Raji IgG radioimmunoassay and 125I-Clq binding assay were used to detect IgG- and IgM-containing CIC. Twenty five patients with other hyperkeratotic skin disorders were studied as controls. Patients were studied before institution of systemic therapy with etretinate (20 patients) or 13-cis-retinoic acid (1 patient). In addition, sera of 15 of the patients treated with etretinate were studied before, during, and after therapy. The extent of pretreatment disease involvement as well as response to therapy were evaluated in a blinded fashion. Fourteen of 21 (67%) patients with psoriasis had evidence of IgA-containing CIC at some time during the course of their disease, as compared to only 1 of 25 patients with other hyperkeratotic skin disorders. In contrast, only 2 of 19 (11%) had evidence of IgG-containing CIC using the Raji IgG assay, and only 1 of 19 (5%) had evidence of IgG- or IgM-containing CIC using the 125I-Clq binding assay positive correlation was found between the extent of pretreatment disease involvement and the level of IgA-containing CIC by linear regression analysis (p = 0.01). There was, however, no correlation between clinical improvement and the presence or level of IgA-containing CIC in 15 patients followed during therapy. Sucrose density gradient analysis of the IgA-containing CIC found in 2 of these patient demonstrated IgA-containing CIC in the 9S to 13S region. The finding of IgA-containing CIC in a significant number of patients with psoriasis and the relative absence of IgG- or IgM-containing CIC suggest that IgA containing CIC may play a role in psoriasis. The lack of correlation with clinical improvement, however, suggests these IgA-containing CIC are not directly related to the cutaneous manifestations of psoriasis, but may be important in the modulation of immune or inflammatory responses in these patients.
Rapid cycle DNA amplification : time and temperature optimization

Rapid temperature cycling with hot air allows rigorous optimization of the times and temperatures required for each stage of the polymerase chain reaction. A thermal cycler based on recirculating hot air was used for rapid temperature control of 10-microliters samples in thin glass capillary tubes with the sample temperature monitored by a miniature thermocouple probe. The temperatures and times of denaturation, annealing and elongation were individually optimized for the amplification of a 536-base pair beta-globin fragment from human genomic DNA. Optimal denaturation at 92 degrees-94 degrees C occurred in less than one second; yield decreased with denaturation times greater than 30 seconds. Annealing for one second or less at 54 degrees-56 degrees C gave the best product specificity and yield. Non-specific amplification was minimized with a rapid denaturation to annealing temperature transition (9 seconds) as compared to a longer transition (25 seconds). An elongation temperature of 75 degrees-79 degrees C gave the greatest yield and increased yields were obtained with longer elongation times. Product specificity was improved with rapid air cycling when compared to slower conventional heat block cycling. Rapid thermal control of the temperature-dependent reactions in DNA amplification can improve product specificity significantly while decreasing the required amplification time by an order of magnitude.
Post-and-cores: past to present.

Custom Cast Posts The traditional custom-cast dowel core provides a better geometric adaptation to excessively flared or elliptical canals, and almost always requires minimum tooth structure removal. Custom cast post-and-cores adapt well to canals with extremely tapered canals or those with a noncircular cross section and/or irregular shape, and roots with minimal remaining coronal tooth structure.9 Patterns for custom cast posts can be formed either directly in the mouth or indirectly in the laboratory. Regardless, this method requires 2 appointment visits and a laboratory fee. Also, because it is cast in an alloy with a modulus of elasticity that can be as high as 10 times greater than natural dentin, this possible incompatibility can create stress concentrations in the less rigid root, resulting in post separation and failure. Additionally, the transmission of occlusal forces through the metal core can focus stresses at specific regions of the root, causing root fracture. Furthermore, upon aesthetic consideration, the cast metallic post can result in discoloration and shadowing of the gingiva and the cervical aspect of the tooth. Post-and-Cores: Past to Present
BLOC: A Game-Theoretic Approach to Orchestrate CPS against Cyber Attacks

Securing Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) against cyber-attacks is challenging due to the wide range of possible attacks – from stealthy ones that seek to manipulate/drop/delay control and measurement signals to malware that infects host machines that control the physical process. This has prompted the research community to address this problem through developing targeted methods that protect and check the run-time operation of the CPS. Since protecting signals and checking for errors result in performance penalties, they must be performed within the delay bounds dictated by the control loop. Due to the large number of potential checks that can be performed, coupled with various degrees of their effectiveness to detect a wide range of attacks, strategic assignment of these checks in the control loop is a critical endeavor. To that end, this paper presents a coherent runtime framework – which we coin BLOC – for orchestrating the CPS with check blocks to secure them against cyber attacks. BLOC capitalizes on game theoretical techniques to enable the defender to find an optimal randomized use of check blocks to secure the CPS while respecting the control-loop constraints. We develop a Stackelberg game model for stateless blocks and a Markov game model for stateful ones and derive optimal policies that minimize the worst-case damage from rational adversaries. We validate our models through extensive simulations as well as a real implementation for a HVAC system.
DARK Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: Ibogaine

The West African iboga plant has been used for centuries by the Bwiti and Mbiri tribes to induce hallucinations during religious ceremonies. Ibogaine, the principal alkaloid responsible for iboga's psychedelic properties, was isolated and sold as an antidepressant in France for decades before its adverse effects precipitated its removal from the market. An ibogaine resurgence in the 1960s was driven by U.S. heroin addicts who claimed that ibogaine cured their opiate addictions. Behavioral pharmacologic studies in animal models provided evidence that ibogaine could blunt self-administration of not only opiates but cocaine, amphetamines, and nicotine. Ibogaine displays moderate-to-weak affinities for a wide spectrum of receptor and transporter proteins; recent work suggests that its actions at nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes may underlie its reputed antiopiate effects. At micromolar levels, ibogaine is neurotoxic and cardiotoxic and has been linked to several deaths by cardiac arrest. Structure-activity studies led to the isolation of the ibogaine analog 18-methoxycoronaridine (18-MC), an α3β4 nicotinic receptor modulator that retains ibogaine's anticraving properties with few or no adverse effects. Clinical trials of 18-MC treatment of nicotine addiction are pending. Ibogaine analogs may also hold promise for treating anxiety and depression via the "psychedelic-assisted therapy" approach that employs hallucinogens including psilocybin and methylenedioxymethamphetamine ("ecstasy").
High performance metal-supported solid oxide fuel cells with infiltrated electrodes

Abstract High power density is required to commercialize solid oxide fuel cells for vehicular applications. In this work, high performance of metal supported solid oxide fuel cells (MS-SOFCs) is achieved via catalyst composition, electrode structure, and processing optimization. The full cell configuration consists of a dense ceramic electrolyte and porous ceramic backbones (electrodes) sandwiched between porous stainless steel metal supports. The conventional YSZ electrolyte and backbones are replaced with more conductive and thinner 10Sc1CeSZ ceramics. MS-SOFCs are co-sintered in a single step and subsequently infiltrated with nanocatalysts. Five categories of cathode catalysts are screened in full cells, including: perovskites, nickelates, praseodymium oxide, binary layered composites, and ternary layered composites. Various anode compositions are also tested. The conventional LSM cathode catalyst is replaced with more active Pr6O11 and the Ni content of the SDC-Ni anode is increased. The resulting cells achieve a peak power of 1.56, 2.0, and 2.85 W cm−2 at 700, 750, and 800 °C, respectively, with 3%H2O/H2 as fuel and cathode exposed to air. Multiple cells show reproducible performance (Pmax = 1.50 ± 0.06 W cm−2) and OCV (1.10 ± 0.02 V). The performance is further increased with cathode exposed to pure oxygen (2.0 W cm−2 at 700 °C).
Comprehensive genomic profiling in metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma, correlation with early death versus prolonged survival.

282Background: PDAC has a very poor prognosis and around 50% of the patients die within two months of their diagnosis and around 10% live beyond one year. In this study we sought to find biomarkers...
Review of Cutler, Cecilia, Zvjezdana Vrzić & Philipp Angermeyer, Edited by (2017) Language contact in Africa and the African diaspora in the Americas: In honor of John V. Singler

This article reviews Language contact in Africa and the African diaspora in the Americas: In honor of John V. Singler $158
Some Statistical Methods of Potential Value in Radio Wave Propagation Investigations

Abstract Certain statistical theories and techniques are described which appear to possess a good deal of potential value for radio propagation research. These include the Kolmogorov-Smimov statistics for testing goodness of fit, the statistical theory of extreme values, and the compound Poisson distribution and certain related stochastic processes. The Kolmogorov-Smimov statistics are defined and their uses described. The relations among per-cent-of-time distribution of signal level, the χ2 test, and the Kolmogorov-Smimov tests are defined and explored. The use of the theory of extreme values in radio propagation research is discussed. The significant probabilistic and statistical aspects of the Poisson distribution are summarized, and the occurrence of Poisson statistics in radio propagation phenomena is briefly described. The application of the compound Poisson process and the additive Gaussian process to the phenomena of fading and meteor burst propagation is discussed.
Newspaper Coverage of Presidential Primary Debates

The primary phase of political campaigns, and messages like primary debates, are an important component of the contemporary campaign process. However, relatively little is known about how newspaper...
Adversarially Adapting Deceptive Views and Reconnaissance Scans on a Software Defined Network

To gain strategic insight into defending against the network reconnaissance stage of advanced persistent threats, we recreate the escalating competition between scans and deceptive views on a Software Defined Network (SDN). Our threat model presumes the defense is a deceptive network view unique for each node on the network. It can be configured in terms of the number of honeypots and subnets, as well as how real nodes are distributed across the subnets. It assumes attacks are NMAP ping scans that can be configured in terms of how many IP addresses are scanned and how they are visited. Higher performing defenses detect the scanner quicker while leaking as little information as possible while higher performing attacks are better at evading detection and discovering real nodes. By using Artificial Intelligence in the form of a competitive coevolutionary genetic algorithm, we can analyze the configurations of high performing static defenses and attacks versus their evolving adversary as well as the optimized configuration of the adversary itself. When attacks and defenses both evolve, we can observe that the extent of evolution influences the best configurations.
Therapeutic Ultrasound Increases Myocardial Blood Flow in Ischemic Myocardium and Cardiac Endothelial Cells: Results of In Vivo and In Vitro Experiments

Background Therapeutic ultrasound can reduce infarct size in a model of coronary thrombosis even when sonothrombolysis is ineffective. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that ultrasound-induced cardioprotection is mediated by molecules released from the vascular endothelium that increase myocardial blood flow (MBF) and also have direct tissue-salvaging effects. Methods In vivo and in vitro experiments were performed using a 1.05-MHz transducer. For the in vivo experiments 10 control and 10 ultrasound-treated dogs undergoing occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery were studied. MBF was measured using myocardial contrast echocardiography. For the in vitro experiments, primary mouse cardiac endothelial cells were exposed to ultrasound at baseline or following oxygen-glucose deprivation and endothelial nitric oxide synthase phosphorylation as well as adenosine and the eicosanoids epoxyeicosatrienoic acids, dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids, and hydroxyl-eicosatetraenoic acids were measured. Results In vivo, ultrasound treatment caused higher MBF (20 ± 10 vs 10 ± 8, P = .03) and higher wall thickening (3 ± 3% vs 1 ± 0.4%, P = .01) in the collateral-derived border zone compared with control. Epicardial MBF in the left anterior descending coronary artery bed also tended to be higher (17 ± 17 vs 5 ± 4, P = .05) in ultrasound-treated versus control animals; however, endocardial MBF in this region was similar to that in controls (13 ± 14 vs 14 ± 7). In vitro, phosphorylated endothelial nitric oxide synthase and adenosine increased (by 129 ± 11% and 286 ± 63%, respectively, P Conclusions Ultrasound increases MBF in ischemic tissue in vivo. This effect is likely mediated by the release of a plethora of coronary vasodilators during ultrasound treatment that also have direct tissue-salvaging effects. Therapeutic ultrasound, therefore, has potential for treatment of acute and chronic myocardial ischemia independent of its effect on thrombolysis.
Observed Profiles of Infant Temperament: Stability, Heritability, and Associations With Parenting.

Profiles of infant temperament were derived from 990 infants at 6 and 12 months of age using observed measures from the Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery. Mothers and fathers completed questionnaires measuring parent affect and stress. Four profiles emerged at each age (typical, low negative, withdrawn/inhibited, and positive/active or low reactive) using latent profile analysis. Temperament profiles show some evidence of stability and heritability, particularly for the withdrawn/inhibited group. In addition, profiles relate to parent affect and stress in different ways for mothers and fathers. Results highlight the utility of a person-centered approach to temperamental research and are discussed in relation to developmental patterns of infant temperament.
Batchelor, John (1853–1944)

John Batchelor was an Anglican missionary in northern Japan and one of the first Westerners to concern himself with the study of the Ainu language and people. He was an advocate for Ainu issues and was concerned for their welfare and their future in Japanese society. His work won him awards from the Japanese government and recognition as an expert scholar of Ainu language and folklore worldwide.
Synthesis of novel nitroreductase enzyme-activated nitric oxide prodrugs to site-specifically kill bacteria.

Abstract The developing antibiotic resistance crisis creates a serious need for new antimicrobial agents. In this work, novel nitroaromatic-protected piperazine diazeniumdiolate (nitric oxide donor) prodrugs are synthesized to release nitric oxide upon enzyme activation to kill bacteria. Antibacterial prodrugs could help reduce side effects due to antibiotics, only releasing the therapeutic where infections are concentrated. The nitroreductase enzyme, which is found almost exclusively in bacteria, reduces the nitroaromatic-protecting group of the synthesized compounds and catalyzes the release of nitric oxide. This paper shows that nitric oxide release from the synthesized compounds only occurs in the presence of a bacteria-derived nitroreductase enzyme, demonstrating the possibility of site-specific delivery of an antibacterial therapeutic. The amount of nitric oxide release is measured at concentrations of 0.01, 0.1, and 1 mM, and is well within antibacterial levels at concentrations of 0.1 and 1 mM. The antibacterial activity of the compounds is demonstrated after exposure of the compounds to Escherichia coli, a nitroreductase-producing bacterial species, leading to up to a 94% reduction in the number of viable bacteria after 24 h at 1 mM concentrations of the prodrug. This study is the first example of an antibacterial diazeniumdiolate prodrug activated by a nitroreductase enzyme, and further demonstrates the possibilities of antibacterial prodrugs.
The impact of shared mobility on trip generation behavior in the US: Findings from the 2017 National Household Travel Survey

Abstract Shared mobility services such as ride-hailing services, bikesharing services, and carsharing services are relatively new forms of transportation where users gain access to a specific type of transportation for a short period of time, usually using a mobile phone-based application (app). Much has been written about whether these services are fundamentally transforming urban transportation systems or if they are simply the latest fad. However, little empirical research has been done on the effects of these services on people’s travel behavior. This paper uses the 2017 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) to assess the association between the usage of shared mobility services and individual’s trip making behavior. We fit negative binomial regression models to NHTS data to understand if the usage of shared mobility services is potentially influencing the number of trips people make on weekdays and weekends. We then perform hypothesis testing to confirm the significance of our results. We find that ride-hailing app usage does have a statistically significant association with the number of trips made per day on both weekends and weekdays, although the effect appears to be slightly more significant on weekdays than weekends. Based on our model, bikesharing and carsharing do not appear to have an association with daily trip generation behavior on either weekends or weekdays.
Decisions Before Incisions: Technique Selection for the Distal Wedge Procedure

Focused clinical question What factors identify the optimal surgical technique when a distal wedge procedure is indicated at a terminal maxillary or mandibular molar site? Summary Incision design for the distal wedge procedure is based primarily on the dental arch (maxilla or mandible), the distance from the terminal molar to the hamular notch or ascending ramus, and the dimensions of the attached gingiva. Conclusions In most situations, favorable clinical results are achievable irrespective of the chosen distal wedge method, and technique selection is based more on operator preference than evidence. However, anatomic limitations can render distal wedge procedures challenging in some cases, and procedural advantages of specific techniques can simplify treatment. One systematic approach to distal wedge technique selection is presented in this report. Additionally, a laser-assisted distal wedge protocol is presented for cases in which unfavorable tooth-to-ramus distance or presence of a prominent external oblique ridge contraindicates conventional distal wedge techniques.