cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modern spectral analysis techniques for blood flow velocity and spectral measurements with pulsed Doppler ultrasound

Four spectral analysis techniques were applied to pulsed Doppler ultrasonic quadrature signals to compare the relative merits of each technique for estimation of flow velocity and Doppler spectra. The four techniques were (1) the fast Fourier transform method, (2) the maximum likelihood method, (3) the Burg autoregressive algorithm, and (4) the modified covariance approach to autoregressive modeling. Both simulated signals and signals obtained from an in vitro flow system were studied. Optimal parameter values (e.g. model orders) were determined for each method, and the effects of signal-to-noise ratio and signal bandwidth were investigated. The modern spectral analysis techniques were shown to be superior to Fourier techniques in most circumstances, provided the model order was chosen appropriately. Robustness considerations tended to recommend the maximum likelihood method for both velocity and spectral estimation. Despite the restrictions of steady laminar flow, the results provide important basic information concerning the applicability of modern spectral analysis techniques to Doppler ultrasonic evaluation of arterial disease. >
The GLUT9 Gene Is Associated with Serum Uric Acid Levels in Sardinia and Chianti Cohorts

High serum uric acid levels elevate pro-inflammatory–state gout crystal arthropathy and place individuals at high risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Genome-wide scans in the genetically isolated Sardinian population identified variants associated with serum uric acid levels as a quantitative trait. They mapped within GLUT9, a Chromosome 4 glucose transporter gene predominantly expressed in liver and kidney. SNP rs6855911 showed the strongest association (p = 1.84 × 10−16), along with eight others (p = 7.75 × 10−16 to 6.05 × 10−11). Individuals homozygous for the rare allele of rs6855911 (minor allele frequency = 0.26) had 0.6 mg/dl less uric acid than those homozygous for the common allele; the results were replicated in an unrelated cohort from Tuscany. Our results suggest that polymorphisms in GLUT9 could affect glucose metabolism and uric acid synthesis and/or renal reabsorption, influencing serum uric acid levels over a wide range of values.
Prevalence of Depression and Anxiety in Patients with COPD: Relationship to Functional Capacity

The objective of this study was twofold: (1) to document the prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with moderate or severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; and (2) to determine whether the presence of depression or anxiety adversely affected the functional capabilities of the patient as reflected by the distance he could walk in 12 minutes. Forty-five patients with an FEV1
Immunomodulation of Allergic Disease

This review focuses on sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), toll-like receptor-9 (TLR-9) vaccines using cytosine phosphorothioate guanosine (CpG)-allergen conjugates, and anti-IL-5 as novel immunomodulating therapies in allergy. At present, all three approaches are investigational in the United States and require further study to determine their safety and effectiveness. SLIT provides a novel oral route of administering an allergen to induce tolerance to inhaled allergens. Studies of SLIT in allergic rhinitis demonstrate that it reduces symptoms and medication use and is associated with a low incidence of systemic allergic reactions. Initial phase II studies with TLR-9 vaccines conjugated to a ragweed allergen demonstrate that they reduce symptoms of allergic rhinitis during the ragweed season. Anti-IL-5 is effective as a corticosteroid-sparing agent in the hypereosinophilic syndrome. It has not shown benefit in moderate asthmatics with persistent symptoms but may reduce aspects of airway remodeling in asthma.
Role of PriA in replication fork reactivation in Escherichia coli.

As a result of the work of many laboratories, a new paradigm describing the manner by which bacteria respond to repair DNA damage has emerged. This paradigm holds that under any growth condition, essentially all replication forks formed at oriC encounter DNA damage and either stall or collapse before they can complete synthesis of the genome. Maintenance of cell viability therefore requires both correction of the DNA lesion via the action of the DNA repair enzymes and replication fork restart via the combined action of the DNA recombination and replication enzymes. A proposal has been advanced to distinguish this pathway, which operates as a housekeeping function in the absence of exogenous insult to the cell and is likely to be inherently nonmutagenic, from the SOS response, which is induced by exogenous DNA damage and includes error-prone repair, that it be named CPR for coordinated processing of damaged replication forks (M. M. Cox, M. F. Goodman, K. N. Kreuzer, D. J. Sherratt, S. J. Sandler, and K. J. Marians, submitted for publication). In this minireview, we will describe the central role of PriA in the replication fork restart step of CPR.
Teacher Academy Induction Learning Community: Guiding Teachers through Their Zone of Proximal Development.

This is a preliminary analysis of The Academy for Teacher Excellence (ATE) induction support provided through the Teacher Academy Induction Learning Community (TAILC). In response to current US teacher attrition rates, ATE–TAILC’s primary objective is to retain teachers in the classroom and provide support to ensure they are fully prepared to meet the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students. In this manuscript, we will share the TAILC component as a support structure for teacher candidates/interns during the apprenticeship period, which commences while obtaining certification requirements and continues during/through their first years of teaching. Data were collected vis a vis surveys, individual and group interviews, and induction mentors’ classroom observations. Qualitative methods were used to analyze the data. We describe and discuss effective services and professional development activities provided to 69 novice teachers. We concluded that effective teacher induction support assists n...
A simplified in‐plane permeability model for textile fabrics

In this paper, a simplified in-plane permeability model for textile fabrics is developed. The model is based on a rectangular unit cell geometry, the one-dimensional Stokes equation for flow in the channels or gaps between fiber tows, and the one-dimensional Brinkman equation for flow in fiber tows. Three different textile fabrics are considered in the model: plain woven, 4-harness, and bidirectional stitched fiberglass mats. The model incorporates the effect of porosity changes on permeability of fiber preforms under compression, which usually occurs in the molding process. To verify the validity of the model, the theoretical values are compared with a set of permeability measurements. Good agreement is found between the model prediction and the permeability measurements in the porosity ranges of Φ ≤ 0.59 for plain woven fiber mats, Φ ≤ 0.60 for 4-harness fiber mats and Φ ≤ 0.62 for bidirectional stitched fiber mats.
Misleading Urinary Protein Pattern in a Patient with Hypogammaglobulinemia: Effects of Mechanical Concentration of Urine

Usually urine protein electrophoresis (UPE) gives rise to distinctive patterns that indicate the source of proteinuria. However, abnormalities of endogenous protein synthesis and peculiarities attributable to mechanical concentration of the sample before analysis can cause misinterpretation. Here we describe the analysis of urine from a patient with hypogammaglobulinemia in which a probable mixed pattern appeared as pure glomerular proteinuria as a result of altered immunoglobulin synthesis. A 72-year-old, Caucasian male patient with a 1-year history of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and a 20-year history of insulin-requiring type 2 diabetes with diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy was admitted to the hospital because of syncope. Selected test results at the time of admission were as follows (reference intervals in parentheses): urea nitrogen, 0.22 g/L (0.07–0.22 g/L); creatinine, 0.01 g/L (0.006–0.014 g/L); total protein, 55 g/L (62–82 g/L); albumin, 33 g/L (35–50 g/L); IgG, 1.7 g/L (7.2–16.8 g/L); IgA,0.2 g/L (0.69–3.8 g/L); IgM, 0.1 g/L (0.63–2.7 g/L); phosphorous, 0.022 g/L (0.025–0.048 g/L); potassium, 3.7 mmol/L (3.5–5.1 mmol/L); and glucose, 2.35 g/L (0.65–1.1 g/L, fasting). Sodium, bicarbonate, and chloride were within the health-related reference intervals. Urinalysis was remarkable for occasional squamous epithelial cells and hyaline casts, a glucose >2.5 g/L, and 6.4 g protein/24 h, with a volume of 1.5 L (reference interval, <200 mg/24 h). Hematologic studies were unremarkable except for a white blood cell count of 115 000/mm3 with 86% lymphocytes. A 24-h urine specimen was obtained without the use of preservatives. Urinary total protein was measured using pyrogallol red-molybdate with a kit (Biotrol urine proteins, Biotrol USA) on a Cobas Fara II (Roche Diagnostics), which was modified by use of a linear interpolation calibration mode with calibrators down to 50 mg/L to optimize accuracy in the low range. Before electrophoresis, urine samples were concentrated mechanically using Minicon-B15 concentrators (Amicon). Protein electrophoresis was …
Habitat Use by Loggerhead Shrikes (Lanius ludovicianus) at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, Illinois: An Application of Brooks and Temple's Habitat Suitability Index

Abstract Declines in loggerhead shrike populations have been attributed to pesticide use and habitat loss on the breeding grounds and factors outside the breeding range. To determine the role of breeding habitat limitation, Brooks and Temple (1990) designed a habitat suitability index for shrikes based on data from Minnesota. This paper describes an application of their model to a site in Illinois. Like Brooks and Temple, I found that breeding habitat does not appear to limit shrike populations and shrikes seem to be making settlement choices based on discernable habitat criteria. I suggest changes to the model for adaptation to Illinois shrike populations, including an adjustment of the cutoff for “suitable” habitat, an adjustment of the conversions of variables leading to the calculation of the index (V4 to SI4), the use of GIS to measure variables (usable foraging habitat) and the addition of variables (length of fence) used in the model.
ON THE MAKING OF A CLINICAL NUTRITIONIST

Clinical nutrition may be defined as the application of the principles of nutrition science and medical practice to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of human disease caused by the deficiency, excess, or metabolic imbalance of nutrients. At present, many physicans do not appreciate the great traditions established by their forebears in this field (Hippocrates, Lind, Eijkman, Glisson, Casal, Livingstone, Hopkins, and Goldberger). They have tended to avoid nutritional problems, plead ignorance of nutrition principles, and delegate the nutritional care of their patients to paramedical personnel. Only by changing this situation can members of the medical profession offer adequate care to their patients. In this chapter, I have attempted to present the duties and responsibilities of a clinical nutritionist in an academic environment. A well-trained academician in such a position can improve the education of medical students in nutrition, attract well-motivated graduates into nutrition training programs, and establish clinical nutrition as a bona fide subspecialty of medicine.
The Political Voice of American Children: Nonprofit Advocacy and a Century of Representation for Child Well-Being

Nonprofits are thought to play a critical representative role in American democracy, yet our understanding of nonprofit advocacy remains limited. A promising avenue for discussing nonprofit advocacy is suggested by studies of public policy and social movements. Taking advantage of the record left by the press, these studies attempt to identify the range of voices engaged in the policy process over time. Employing a similar method, this paper examines patterns of political advocacy for American children and the role of nonprofits in that history. The evidence suggests that over the last century, nonprofits have provided a vigorous voice for children in politics. But – in spite of an increase in their numbers – the voice of nonprofits in this policy field may have diminished in recent years.
Age and Video Game Playing

This study compared attitudes of 216 high school students and 138 mature adults toward playing video-computer games. Younger subjects were more comfortable with video games, liked playing them bett...
Persistence and transferability of noroviruses on and between common surfaces and foods.

Human noroviruses (HuNoV) are the leading cause of foodborne disease, and poor personal hygiene practices of infected workers are the most common mode of contamination. The purpose of this study was to characterize the persistence and transferability of representative noroviruses Norwalk virus (NV), Snow Mountain virus (SMV), and murine norovirus 1 (MNV-1) on and between solid surfaces and foods. Changes in virus concentration on artificially inoculated solid surfaces (stainless steel, ceramic, and Formica) or lettuce were monitored over a period of 14 to 42 days. Virus transfer was evaluated from donor (solid surface) to recipient (food, e.g., lettuce and sliced turkey deli meat) for up to 2 h postinoculation. Viruses were recovered by elution and titered with reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and/or infectivity assay, as appropriate. Based on RT-qPCR, the concentration of NV and SMV on surfaces dropped gradually over time, with an average reduction of 1.5 to 2.0 and 1.8 to 2.3 log, respec...
Milk of calcium in the kidney

Milk of calcium of the kidneys is not synonymous with nephrolithiasis, as management of these two entities differs. This important differential diagnosis must be considered in all patients with app...
Single State Absorption Spectra of Novel Nonlinear Optical Materials

During the absorption of a laser pulse of moderate length, the leading edge can experience excited state absorption out of the first singlet state. The measurement of this excited state absorption spectrum can only be accurately probed using short pulse pump-probe techniques. Specifically, we examine the excited state absorption of AF-380 in THF using ultrafast transient white light absorption spectroscopy (TWLA). This material has been the focus of several investigations due to it's purported large two-photon absorption cross-section, the discrepancies between long and short pulse measurements, and it's use in holographic twophoton induced photopolymerization. It is believed that a substantial excited state absorbance can account for the difference in two-photon cross section measurements. It is also possible that this excited state exhibits coherence for time scales that can affect further absorption of longer pump pulses. We examine the transient absorption of this species, as well as polarization and free carrier effects and discuss the possible implications with regards to measurement techniques.
Kidney Structure in Neotropical Bats

Renal indices involving the relative thickness of the medulla and inner medulla were determined for Neotropical representatives of all New World bat families. Renal morphology in bats is primarily a function of diet and secondarily related to environmental dehydration pressure. Bats that are primarily frugivorous or nectarivorous possess kidneys with relatively thin and undivided medullae; those species with other feeding preferences possess kidneys with relatively thick medullae, which are subdivided into inner and outer zones. Renal indices are similar between insectivorous bats inhabiting mesic and wet habitats but are lower than ones inhabiting arid regions. The statistical relationship between renal index and body weight is enigmatic in bats, but all species have renal indices that differ according to food habits.
Investigation and analysis of the problems of epidemic disease prevention and treatment in pig for pig farmers——based on 284 sample data from four provinces

Pig industry serves as China's the largest livestock and poultry breeding industry,the work of disease prevention and control in the pig industry is of great significance. Pig farmers serve as the main body of epidemic prevention,and understanding their epidemic prevention behavior helps to know their epidemic prevention status,difficulties and willingness in order to provide a reference for the perfection of epidemic prevention policy. Therefore,284 sample data of pig farmers were collected from four large provinces for raising pigs through questionnaire survey,including Liaoning,Shangdong,Jiangxi and Guangdong provinces. The analysis was found that more than 70% of pig farmers had the measures of prevention and control and isolation,considering the prevention location and using the free vaccines given by government,but 40% of them considered that the quality of vaccines was good. Facilities,lands and technologies were the three major problems of epidemic prevention,and the biggest difficulty resulted from the lack of funds. Most of pig farmers treated the epidemic diseases in live pigs by themselves,and more than70% of them deeply buried dead pigs,but the costs of equipment purchasing and maintaining were higher. The paper puts forward corresponding countermeasures and suggestions accordingly.
Clinical Sociology in the Workplace

It is hard to imagine a sector of life as clearly in need of the services of clinical sociology as the world of work. Having spent nearly 30 years in both academic and consulting roles focused on workplace challenges, I forecast a remarkable rise in job openings for work-savvy clinical sociologists eager to assist corporations, labor unions, vocational centers, relevant government agencies, and the like. Should this upbeat forecast be misguided, however, the near future is likely to suffer from a downhill slide in productivity starkly at odds with our national well-being!
Fusing iris and conjunctival vasculature: Ocular biometrics in the visible spectrum

Ocular biometrics refers to the imaging and use of characteristic features of the eyes for personal identification. Traditionally, the iris has been viewed as a powerful ocular biometric cue. However, the iris is typically imaged in the near infrared (NIR) spectrum. RGB images of the iris, acquired in the visible spectrum, offer limited biometric information for dark-colored irides. In this work, we explore the possibility of performing ocular biometric recognition in the visible spectrum by utilizing the iris in conjunction with the vasculature observed in the white of the eye. We design a weighted fusion scheme to combine the information originating from these two modalities. Experiments on a dataset of 50 subjects indicate that such a fusion scheme improves the equal error rate by a margin of 4.5% over an iris-only approach.
Support for Multithreading

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Concurrency in Java TM Concurrency in Ada Pthreads Conclusion Exercises ]]>
Image charge undulator

A relativistic electron beam moving close to periodic grating surfaces may undergo undulating motion due to its image charge wakefields. This motion can be a mechanism for producing hard incoherent or coherent radiation. A new device, an image charge undulator, is proposed to realize this mechanism. We demonstrate the physics principle of this device by a two-dimensional model with an infinitely long uniform sheet current. The new undulator could be employed for constructing a single-pass, high-intensity, compact-size and ultra-short-wavelength light source.
A Descriptive Analysis of Aggressive Behavior in Classrooms for Children with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

The present study extends previous research describing classroom interactions of children with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Direct observation and sequential analytic techniques were u...
Synthesis of Hybridization Probes and RNA Substrates with SP6 RNA Polymerase

Single-stranded RNA molecules of defined sequence are useful as substrates for the investigation of such cellular processes as RNA processing and translation, and when highly labeled they serve as extremely efficient hybridization probes. An in vitro transcription system based on the unusual properties of SP6 RNA polymerase facilitates the synthesis of homogeneous single-stranded RNA molecules of any desired sequence. In this chapter we describe the SP6 transcription reaction in detail and point out the advantages and disadvantages of the use of single-stranded RNA molecules as substrates and as hybridization probes. In addition, we review recent studies on the use of SP6 transcripts as anti-sense RNAs that can hybridize to mRNAs in vivo and thereby block translation of a particular gene product.
Cost-effectiveness of the NIMH multisite HIV prevention intervention

The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a state-of-the-art sexual-risk reduction intervention for high-risk men and women. The main intervention consisted of seven small-group sessions based on well-established principles of cognitive–behavioral therapy. This intervention was compared with a single-session video-based risk reduction intervention. The main outcome measure was the incremental cost–utility ratio, which equals the additional cost per additional quality-adjusted life year (QALY) saved by the cognitive–behavioral intervention, in comparison with the video intervention. A mathematical model of HIV transmission was used to translate reported sexual behavior changes into estimates of the number of HIV infections averted by the interventions, and associated savings in QALYs and averted HIV-related medical costs. For women, the incremental cost–utility ratio equaled $32,688 per QALY saved, which indicates that the cognitive–behavioral intervention was cost-effective compared to the video intervention. For men, the incremental cost–utility ratio was slightly negative, suggesting that the cognitive–behavioral intervention was highly cost-effective, or even cost-saving, compared to the video intervention. This analysis indicates that both brief and intensive sexual risk reduction interventions for high-risk populations can be cost-effective.
Structural Engineering in Plasmon Nanolasers

This review focuses on structural engineering of lasers from the macroscale to the nanoscale, with an emphasis on plasmon nanolasers. Conventional lasers based on Fabry–Perot cavities are limited in device size. In contrast, plasmon nanolasers can overcome the diffraction limit of light and incorporate unique structural designs to engineer cavity geometries and optical band structure. Since the spaser concept was introduced in 2003, tremendous progress in nanolasing has been made on architectures that exploit metal films and nanoparticles. Theoretical approaches in both frequency and time domains have inspired the development of plasmon nanolasers based on mode analysis and time-dependent lasing buildup. Plasmon nanolasers designed by band-structure engineering open prospects for manipulation of lasing characteristics such as directional emission, real-time tunable wavelengths, and controlled multimode lasing.
Engineering for good: A case of community driven engineering innovation

There is a culture of disengagement from social consideration in engineering disciplines. This means that first year engineering students, who arrive planning to change the world through engineering, lose this passion as they progress through the engineering curriculum. The community driven technology innovation and investment program described in this paper is an attempt to reverse this trend by fusing community engagement with the normal engineering design process. This approach differs from existing project or trip based approaches – outreach – because the focus is on local communities with which the university team forms a long-term partnership through weekly in-person meetings and community driven problem statements – engagement.
Deep learning classifier with optical coherence tomography images for early dental caries detection

Dental caries is a microbial disease that results in localized dissolution of the mineral content of dental tissue. Despite considerable decline in the incidence of dental caries, it remains a major health problem in many societies. Early detection of incipient lesions at initial stages of demineralization can result in the implementation of non-surgical preventive approaches to reverse the demineralization process. In this paper, we present a novel approach combining deep convolutional neural networks (CNN) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging modality for classification of human oral tissues to detect early dental caries. OCT images of oral tissues with various densities were input to a CNN classifier to determine variations in tissue densities resembling the demineralization process. The CNN automatically learns a hierarchy of increasingly complex features and a related classifier directly from training data sets. The initial CNN layer parameters were randomly selected. The training set is split into minibatches, with 10 OCT images per batch. Given a batch of training patches, the CNN employs two convolutional and pooling layers to extract features and then classify each patch based on the probabilities from the SoftMax classification layer (output-layer). Afterward, the CNN calculates the error between the classification result and the reference label, and then utilizes the backpropagation process to fine-tune all the layer parameters to minimize this error using batch gradient descent algorithm. We validated our proposed technique on ex-vivo OCT images of human oral tissues (enamel, cortical-bone, trabecular-bone, muscular-tissue, and fatty-tissue), which attested to effectiveness of our proposed method.
Agenda Setting and Executive Dominance in Politics

If one looks back on the contributions of institutional analysis to political science, two findings come to one’s mind: Duverger’s (1954; French original 1951) laws on the impact of electoral systems and the importance of agenda setting (paternity of this idea is difficult to attribute, but it probably belongs to McKelvey 1976). Doring’s major contributions revolve around this concept of agenda setting. I will first present them and locate them inside the literature, then I will show their relevance in assessing important theoretical questions in the literature, and then demonstrate how they can be expanded to cover countries that were not covered in the initial studies.
Societal Risk and Resilience Analysis: Dynamic Bayesian Network Formulation of a Capability Approach

AbstractThe operation of modern societies relies on the functionality of complex infrastructure such as those for potable water, electric power, and transportation. Difficulty in accessing life-sup...
“An American Dilemma”: Dramas of the Returning Negro Soldier

After World War II, white playwrights scripted dramas featuring African American veterans in three Broadway plays: Arnaud d’Usseau and James Gow’s Deep Are the Roots (1945), Robert Ardrey’s Jeb (1946), and Maxine Wood’s On Whitman Avenue (1946). These white leftist playwrights embraced postwar racial liberalism to help redefine racism as undemocratic. African American actors starring in these plays—Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Gordon Heath, and Canada Lee—used their newfound stardom to become significant cultural leaders of the civil rights movement. Despite the productions’ attempt to frame anti-Jim Crow activism as an extension of the war against fascism on the homefront, actors and writers involved in civil rights theatre of the 1940s were targeted by anti-Communists of the early Cold War and frequently blacklisted.
An Extreme Precipitation Categorization Scheme and its Observational Uncertainty over the Continental United States

AbstractAn extreme precipitation categorization scheme, used to temporally and spatially visualize and track the multiscale variability of extreme precipitation climatology, is applied over the con...
Errata for “Cooperative Eco-Driving at Signalized Intersections in a Partially Connected and Automated Vehicle Environment”

The emergence of connected and automated vehicle (CAV) technology has the potential to bring a number of benefits to our existing transportation systems. Specifically, when CAVs travel along an arterial corridor with signalized intersections, they can not only be driven automatically using pre-designed control models but can also communicate with other CAVs and the roadside infrastructure. In this paper, we describe a cooperative eco-driving (CED) system targeted for signalized corridors, focusing on how the penetration rate of CAVs affects the energy efficiency of the traffic network. In particular, we propose a role transition protocol for CAVs to switch between a leader and following vehicles in a string. Longitudinal control models are developed for conventional vehicles in the network and for different CAVs based on their roles and distances to intersections. A microscopic traffic simulation evaluation has been conducted using PTV VISSIM with realistic traffic data collected for the City of Riverside, CA, USA. The effects on traffic mobility are evaluated, and the environmental benefits are analyzed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s MOtor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) model. The simulation results indicate that the energy consumption and pollutant emissions of the proposed system decrease, as the penetration rate of CAVs increases. Specifically, more than 7% reduction on energy consumption and up to 59% reduction on pollutant emission can be achieved when all vehicles in the proposed system are CAVs.
World making or world breaking?: a Black womanist perspective on social media crises in higher education

In a post #SilentSam, #METoo, #BlackGirlOnCampus, #WhatHappenedtoSandraBland world, a world where universities find themselves inundated by a 24-hour social media cycle and the truth of campus life...
A coronary cameral fistula treated with coil embolization.

A 56-year-old man who had twice previously undergone orthotopic heart transplantation was admitted with dyspnea and heart failure symptoms. A biopsy excluded rejection. Left heart catheterization r...
Indentation adhesion of hydrogels over a wide range of length and time scales

Abstract Hydrogels are both important engineering materials and living components. In both native and engineering settings, hydrogels often interface with other materials. Quantifying the adhesion properties and understanding the adhesion mechanisms of hydrogels are important. Among various measuring techniques, indentation is the most convenient method to be applied on hydrogels with the minimum requirement for sample preparation. It is also easy to be applied across a wide range of lengths scales. In this work, we use polystyrene spheres to probe polyacrylamide hydrogel surfaces. Using Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) and microindenter, we could carry out indentation measurements across a wide range of length scales with the contact radius ranging from 1.94 μ m to 75.5 μ m. As the indenter approaches and is pressed into the hydrogel, no long-range interaction is observed. The force–displacement curve during the loading period follows the Hertzian solution. The indenter is then held in a certain depth of indentation for a different amount of time and retracted from the surface until full separation. During the holding time, the hydrogel relaxes due to poroelasticity. Adhesion only plays a role during the retraction process. The pull-off force and energy of separation are observed increasing over contact time, and the time scale is independent of the poroelastic relaxation time scale of the hydrogel. The pull-off force and energy of separation are also found increasing with contact size and reaching plateaus at large contact sizes. This phenomenon cannot be modeled by the conventional adhesion theories, such as the JKR theory or the Maugis–Dugdale theory. In order to model adhesion hysteresis and the size-dependence and to extract intrinsic adhesion properties of the interfaces, we develop an analytical model. As the indenter is pulled up, a ring of cohesive zone is developed. As the indenter is pulled further, the cohesive zone size increases, but the apparent contact radius is kept constant until the energy release rate reaches the adhesion energy. Based on this picture, analytical solutions are developed, and the theoretical results fit well with experimental data. This systematic study provides more precise descriptions of the adhesive contact of hydrogels and provoke a deeper understanding of the adhesion mechanisms of hydrogels.
Genetics of Congenital Heart Disease

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the most common birth defects. Studies in animal models and humans have indicated a genetic etiology for CHD. About 400 genes have been implicated in CHD, encompassing transcription factors, cell signaling molecules, and structural proteins that are important for heart development. Recent studies have shown genes encoding chromatin modifiers, cilia related proteins, and cilia-transduced cell signaling pathways play important roles in CHD pathogenesis. Elucidating the genetic etiology of CHD will help improve diagnosis and the development of new therapies to improve patient outcomes.
Investigating the potential for machine learning prediction of patient outcomes: a retrospective study of hospital acquired pressure injuries

Abstract Background While recent research efforts to reduce pressure ulcers in the clinical context have focused on key retrospective characteristics, little work has focused on creating real-time predictive models to prevent this avoidable hospital-acquired injury. Furthermore, existing machine learning heuristics often fail to surpass traditional statistical models or provide individual-level risk assessments with explanations for each patient. Thus, we sought to compare the predictive performance of five machine learning and traditional statistical modeling techniques to predict the occurrence of Hospital Acquired Pressure Injuries (HAPI). Methods Electronic Medical Record (EMR) information was collected from 57,227 hospitalizations, containing 241 positive HAPI cases, acquired from Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center from April 2011 to December 2016. The five classifiers were trained to predict HAPI incidence and performance was assessed using the C-statistic or Area Under the Receiver Operating Curve (AUC). Results Logistic Regression was the best modeling approach (AUC=0.91±0.034). We report discordance between predictors deemed important by the machine learning models compared to traditional statistical model. We provide means to visually assess factors important to every patient’s prediction, regardless of the modeling approach, through Shapley Additive Explanations. Conclusions Machine learning models will continue to inform decision making processes but should be compared to traditional modeling approaches to ensure proper utilization. Disagreements between important predictors found by traditional and machine learning modeling approaches can potentially confuse clinicians and as such need to be reconciled. Future efforts to analyze time-stamped, prospective medical record data will be enhanced by patient-specific details. These developments represent important steps forward in developing real-time predictive models that can be integrated and readily deployed in electronic medical record systems to reduce unnecessary harm.
Elizabeth Brookbank and H. Faye Christenberry. MLA Guide to Undergraduate Research in Literature. New York, NY: Modern Language Association of America, 2019. 137p. Paper, $16.00 (ISBN 9781603294362). LC 2019011165.

Over the decades, the Modern Language Association has consistently published guides to scholarship—typically, edited compilations of essays to initiate beginning philologists into the contemporary landscape of scholarly engagement with literature and the other philological disciplines. These guides offer overviews of the major disciplines and subdisciplines, assert and attest to the value of scholarship in those disciplines, summarize the impactful current ideas and thinking of influential scholars and writers doing that work, and provide insight into the perspectives of those scholars—with examples of how their ideas and perspectives have been applied to scholarship.
Saving Our Planet's Flora,the Contribution of the French National Natural History Museum to the Implementation of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation

The National Natural History Museum plays a key role in the implementation of the GSPC through its botanical gardens,the Conservatoire Botanique National du Bassin Parisien,the Herbarium,and also by providing expertise on all areas of the Strategy(botany,conservation,ethonobotany,article 8j,substainable use),etc.For 2 of the goals of GSPC(conserving plant diversity,Understanding and Documenting Plant Diversity),the Museum has developed activities all over the world,including compilation of various flora and description of new species,as well as establishment of plant conservation schemes and habitat protection policies.It also conserves endangered species in the botanical garden.
Modeling covariance matrices in terms of standard deviations and correlations, with application to shrinkage

The covariance matrix plays an important role in statistical inference, yet modeling a covariance matrix is often a difficult task in practice due to its dimensionality and the non-negative definite constraint. In order to model a co- variance matrix effectively, it is typically broken down into components based on modeling considerations or mathematical convenience. Decompositions that have received recent research attention include variance components, spectral decompo- sition, Cholesky decomposition, and matrix logarithm. In this paper we study a statistically motivated decomposition which appears to be relatively unexplored for the purpose of modeling. We model a covariance matrix in terms of its correspond- ing standard deviations and correlation matrix. We discuss two general modeling situations where this approach is useful: shrinkage estimation of regression co- efficients, and a general location-scale model for both categorical and continuous variables. We present some simple choices for priors in terms of standard deviations and the correlation matrix, and describe a straightforward computational strategy for obtaining the posterior of the covariance matrix. We apply our method to real and simulated data sets in the context of shrinkage estimation.
Digitizer Architecture Analysis for Target Diagnostics on the National Ignition Facility

This paper covers a systems engineering analysis of existing scope-based Target Diagnostics (TD) on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), for the purpose of selecting a standard digitizer architecture future diagnostics. Key performance criteria and a summary of test results are presented. Currently of the 60+ Target Diagnostics, at least fifteen use a type of high speed electrical signal data read-out device leading to over 200 digitization channels spread over six types of CRT and digital oscilloscopes, each with multiple models and versions. The proposed standard architecture discussed in this paper allows the NIF to efficiently and reliably operate digitizers that meet the required performance metrics for the lifetime of the NIF. The systems engineering analysis identifies key stakeholders for multiple subsets of scope-based diagnostics including but not limited to the nToFs (neutron Time of Flight), DANTE a broadband, time-resolved x-ray spectrometer, SPBT (South Pole Bang Time), GRH (Gamma Reaction History), and FFLEX (Filter Fluorescer Diagnostic). From these stakeholders, key performance metrics are derived and feed into test and evaluation criteria for different digitizers and architectures.
Studies on isolated cell components: XV. The distribution of certain enzymes in the electrophoretic pattern of the soluble phase of rat liver

Abstract The distribution of catalase, rhodanese, acid phosphatase, nucleoside phosphorylase, esterase, adenosine deaminase, glutathione reductase, and β-glucuronidase in the free-electrophoresis pattern of the soluble phase of rat liver at pH 7.5 has been determined.
A Review of “Evolution of Island Mammals: Adaptation and Extinction of Placental Mammals on Islands”

As the authors note in the Preface to the book, there are many important studies that describe the biogeography and ecology of extant insular mammals, but similar works on extinct insular mammals a...
Amounts, isotopic character, and ages of organic and inorganic carbon exported from rivers to ocean margins: 2. Assessment of natural and anthropogenic controls

[1] Riverine exports of carbon (C) and organic matter (OM) are regulated by a variety of natural and anthropogenic factors. Understanding the relationships between these various factors and C and OM exports can help to constrain global C budgets and allow assessment of current and future anthropogenic impacts on both riverine and global C cycles. We quantified the effects of multiple natural and anthropogenic controls on riverine export fluxes and compositions of particulate organic C, dissolved organic C, and dissolved inorganic C for a regional group of eight rivers in the northeastern U.S. Potential controls related to hydrogeomorphology and regional climate, soil order, soil texture, bedrock lithology, land use, and anthropogenic factors were analyzed individually, collectively, and at scales of both local and regional influence. Factors related to hydrogeomorphology and climate, followed in importance by land use and anthropogenic factors, exhibited the strongest impacts on riverine C exports and compositions, particularly at smaller localized scales. The effects of hydrogeomorphology and climate were primarily related to volumetric flow, which resulted in greater exports of terrestrial and total C. Principal anthropogenic factors included impacts of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and river impoundments. The presence of WWTPs as well as anthropogenic use of carbonate-based materials (e.g., limestone) may have substantially increased riverine C exports, particularly fossil C exports, in the study region. The presence of nuclear power plants in the associated watersheds is also discussed because of the potential for anthropogenic 14C inputs and subsequent biasing of aquatic C studies utilizing natural abundance 14C.
Membrane lipid modifications: biosynthesis and identification of phosphatidyl-N-methyl-N-isopropylethanolamine in rat liver microsomes.

Abstract In previous studies on the modification of polar head groups of membrane phospholipids with the unnatural base analog, N- isopropylethanolamine , we reported an unidentified phospholipid in addition to phosphatidyl -N- isopropylethanolamine in the various membrane fractions of rat liver. The structure of this phospholipid has now been identified as phosphatidyl -N- methyl -N- isopropylethanolamine by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and by chromatographic and enzymic analysis. In addition, we found that when rats were injected intraperitoneally with the N- methyl -N- isopropylethanolamine , 19% of teh liver microsomal phospholipid was phosphatidyl -N- methyl -N- isopropylethanolamine .
Cellular and Extracellular Myeloperoxidase in Pyogenic Inflammation

We explored the effect of in vitro phagocytosis and in vivo inflammation on the MPO content of functioning neutrophils and on the ability of these cells to export active MPO into the extracellular environment. After ingestion of staphylococci, neutrophils retained 52% of their MPO and released 8% into the medium in active form; the remaining 40% of their MPO could no longer be detected. During bacterial infection induced by intradermally injecting staphylococci, neutrophils harvested from minced infected lesions contained 52% of the MPO of circulating neutrophils that had not reached the lesions. Extracellular fluid from the lesions contained active MPO secreted by the neutrophils, and concentrations of 10–45 U/ml were detected. These data demonstrate that functioning neutrophils can lose approximately half of their MPO. In vitro, 4%-8% of neutrophilic MPO appears in the extracellular space and 40% is inactivated. In vivo, the MPO content of inflammatory neutrophils also decreases, and MPO appears in the extracellular fluid in active form where it is available to participate in a variety of physiologic processes.
Coupled moisture and microbial dynamics in unsaturated soils

[1] A continuum-scale mathematical model which couples water flow and bacterial dynamics explores the process of biological clogging in unsaturated soils. The impact of biomass dynamics on soil water flow is assumed to take place through the changes in porosity and the structural properties of the medium by suitable modifications of the pore size distribution, water retention, and hydraulic conductivity functions. The feedback of soil moisture on biomass is taken into account by including the effect of water stress on microbial growth. The model is calibrated against existing laboratory experimental data for an artificial porous medium in saturated conditions, and it is used to analyze the hydraulic behavior of unsaturated soils when subject to biological clogging and plant water uptake. The results of this analysis show that this feedback may have a substantial impact on the net water flow, the soil water-holding capacity, and the soil moisture and biomass space-time distributions.
Weak Mayor Systems and Voter Turnout

This paper examines the impact of weak and strong mayoral forms of government on voter turnout in local elections. This study reviews the structural, systemic and institutional factors which may contribute to low voter turnout and voter apathy. The relationship between the structure of local governments and low voter turnout are reviewed to determine if voters are more likely to participate in the electoral process when they believe government has the ability and the capacity to be responsive to pressing social, economic and political issues. This study moves forward on the premise that voters, at all levels, want a government that has both the legal authority and the structural capacity to address their needs and concerns and are less likely to participate in the process when these devices are not in place. For example, voters who are concerned about government responsiveness may be less likely to participate in the electoral process when there is a weak mayor system in place. The reason being, a weak mayor has almost no real power or legal authority to influence policies, programs or actions of the city council. This makes it difficult for a mayor, in a weak mayor system, to be responsive to the needs of citizens.