cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pragmatism and liberation: Frelimo and the legitimacy of an African independence movement

This article introduces a new paradigm for scholars interested in liberation movements’ political development and strategies for legitimation. Specifically, the article argues for the historicity of revolutionary pragmatism as a lens to study liberation movements. The decisions, discourses and, most importantly, actions of the leaders of the Frente de Libertacao de Mocambique (FRELIMO – Mozambique Liberation Front) during the 1960s reflected a series of evolving strategies that were necessary to achieve legitimacy for the liberation movement during the anti-colonial war against Portugal. As an attribute of its early political development, legitimacy was an essential aspect of FRELIMO’s status as a liberation front because it was the foundation upon which to establish a viable authority that appealed to both Mozambicans and international observers. FRELIMO’s leaders actively sought to establish and maintain the loyalty of many ordinary Mozambicans who either joined the liberation front or, at the very least, sympathized with the movement’s efforts to fight the Portuguese and liberate Mozambique. The initial interactions between FRELIMO cadres and Mozambicans from 1962 to 1968 necessitated organizational adaptability to contend with the unpredictable contingencies of war. As a hallmark of the liberation movement’s revolutionary pragmatism, then, FRELIMO leaders held a foundational First Congress that established a framework of ideological and ‘governing’ strategies in order to achieve the desired ends of independence.This article introduces a new paradigm for scholars interested in liberation movements’ political development and strategies for legitimation. Specifically, the article argues for the historicity of revolutionary pragmatism as a lens to study liberation movements. The decisions, discourses and, most importantly, actions of the leaders of the Frente de Libertacao de Mocambique (FRELIMO – Mozambique Liberation Front) during the 1960s reflected a series of evolving strategies that were necessary to achieve legitimacy for the liberation movement during the anti-colonial war against Portugal. As an attribute of its early political development, legitimacy was an essential aspect of FRELIMO’s status as a liberation front because it was the foundation upon which to establish a viable authority that appealed to both Mozambicans and international observers. FRELIMO’s leaders actively sought to establish and maintain the loyalty of many ordinary Mozambicans who either joined the liberation front or, at the very least, sympathized with the movement’s efforts to fight the Portuguese and liberate Mozambique. The initial interactions between FRELIMO cadres and Mozambicans from 1962 to 1968 necessitated organizational adaptability to contend with the unpredictable contingencies of war. As a hallmark of the liberation movement’s revolutionary pragmatism, then, FRELIMO leaders held a foundational First
Higher Order Genetic Interactions and Complex Trait Variation

Genetic variants that segregate within species can cause individuals to show heritable phenotypic differences. Some of these polymorphisms act the same regardless of the other variants with which they co-occur. However, many of these polymorphisms exhibit genetic (or epistatic) interactions with each other and thus show different effects across genetic backgrounds. These interactions represent a potentially important source of heritable trait variation, but are difficult to identify in most genetic mapping studies. For this reason, researchers typically focus on two-locus interactions, which are the least complex and easiest to identify form of interaction. Although two-locus interactions are undoubtedly important, higher order genetic interactions (HGIs) involving three or more loci can also occur. In this article, we discuss the phenotypic effects, underlying molecular mechanisms and potential biological significance of these HGIs. Key Concepts Higher order genetic interactions (HGIs) occur when three or more polymorphisms collectively exhibit unexpected phenotypic effects. Detecting HGIs is difficult, especially as the number of involved loci increases. Evidence suggests that genetically complex perturbation of gene regulatory networks might be the major source of HGIs. HGIs can cause individuals to show different susceptibilities to environmental change and mutation. Keywords: genetic interaction; epistasis; higher order genetic interaction; complex traits; heritability; gene regulatory network; cryptic genetic variation; phenotypic capacitance; phenotypic selection
Photopsias during Systemic Bevacizumab Therapy

Background. The authors describe a case of recurrent photopsias in a 56-year-old woman following repeat treatments with systemic intravenous bevacizumab for stage IV ovarian cancer. To our knowledge, this is the first report of photopsias following systemic bevacizumab treatments in a patient with a normal eye exam. Case Presentation. A 56-year-old Caucasian female complained of onset of floaters and flashes in the temporal peripheral field of the right eye 1 day after receiving intravenous of 30 g of 25 mg/mL of systemic bevacizumab for treatment of stage IV ovarian cancer. Ophthalmic examination, including dilated fundus exam, spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) of the optic nerve head, and enhanced depth imaging SD-OCT of the macula, revealed no significant abnormalities. Possible mechanisms are reviewed. Conclusion. We propose that patients who undergo intravenous bevacizumab treatments are questioned for any ocular symptoms and that more systematic evaluations of retinal nerve fiber layer and choroidal effects are obtained in those patients who are on long-term treatment at high doses.
A Number Field Without Any Integral Basis

(1979). A Number Field Without Any Integral Basis. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 52, No. 4, pp. 248-251.
The effect and influence of closing live poultry markets to control and prevent human avian influenza infection

Live poultry markets are a critical risk factor for urban populations infected with avian influenza. Closing the live poultry markets could reduce the risk of public exposure,but would not fundamentally eliminate the potential for exposure. The true source of risk is the high infection rate of wild birds as well as dispersed and disorganized poultry farming practices. Source is the key control point for avian influenza. Therefore,shutting down live poultry markets is not a complete solution to changing the spectrum of infection and limiting the spread of avian influenza. Shutting down live poultry markets will have a limited impact on the chain of infection,and will only serve to deprive consumers of their right to choose. Looking to the future,this approach is also likely to have negative consequences for the healthy development of the poultry industry,and with it further impacts to societal and economic development.
Planning and implementing effective mobile marketing programs

Mobile marketing is an ever increasingly important component of a firm's overall promotional strategy. The importance of this medium can be seen through time spent on mobile media, number of searches, and direct and indirect mobile-generated sales. Despite its increased importance, the effectiveness of mobile marketing needs to be improved based on such metrics as bounce rates, add-to-cart rates, shopping cart abandonment, and average order size. Strategies to increase the effectiveness of mobile marketing are discussed. Firms need to capitalize on the three major strategic advantages of mobile marketing: (1) the fact that mobile marketing devices are always on, always connected, and always with the consumer; (2) the ability to generate location-sensitive offers; and (3) the ability to send relevant personalized messages and offers. Firms also need to develop and implement an effective mobile marketing strategy through a series of activities. These include understanding and reacting to the complexity of mobile marketing, designing sites based on ease of use versus ‘bells and whistles,’ increasing opt-in rates, using effective customer engagement strategies, and developing effective mobile coupons. Criteria to evaluate the effectiveness of mobile marketing are discussed.
Reliability of Repairable Systems

Consider a system (or unit) which fails at random times. After each failure the system is repaired (renewed). The repair time is a random variable with some repair-time distribution (instantaneous or fixed-time repairs are special cases). After each renewal the system starts a new cycle, independent of the previous ones. Thus, let T1 be the time till failure (TTF) of the system in the first cycle; let S 1 be the length of time till repair (TTR); T 2 and S 2 the TTF and TTR in the second cycle, etc. (See Figure 4.1.)
UEFI: From Reset Vector to Operating System

In PCs, the firmware that sits at the reset vector is called a BIOS. The BIOS has increased in size, complexity, and extensions apace with the complexity and richness of PCs. The increases have finally reached the point that no amount of patching will fix the old architecture. The new architecture, known as the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) [UEFc,ZRH] and Platform Initialization (PI) [UEFb] keep the learning’s of the last years but impose a modern software engineering structure that supports the basic requirements of system initialization, configuration, and abstraction of boot devices, but which is also designed to be extensible enough to address the new features of hardware to come.
Tomographic electroencephalography/magnetoencephalography. Dynamics of human neural network switching.

New developments in multimodal registration of electroencephalography (EEG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET) are presented as a method to create a tomographic EEG. Three-dimensional information about the x,y,z location of the sources of event-related potentials is corroborated through the use of experimental design and coregistration with MRI and PET. Once the three-dimensional location of event-related potential dipole sources is identified and corroborated, pseudoinverse procedures are used to derive a new EEG voltage sequence from each of the dipoles. Each derived EEG dipole time series is analogous to recording EEG from a deeply implanted electrode and constitutes a four-dimensional tomographic EEG (i.e., three-dimensional space plus time). EEG coherence and phase analyses are then performed on the dipole-derived time series to study the temporal and spatial dynamics of neural network switching during voluntary finger movements. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate a new method to exploit the time domain dynamics of neural network switching in behaving human subjects.
In-silico discovery of cancer-specific peptide-HLA complexes for targeted therapy

Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) or Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Class I molecules bind to peptide fragments of proteins degraded inside the cell and display them on the cell surface. We are interested in peptide-HLA complexes involving peptides that are derived from proteins specifically expressed in cancer cells. Such complexes have been shown to provide an effective means of precisely targeting cancer cells by engineered T-cells and antibodies, which would be an improvement over current chemotherapeutic agents that indiscriminately kill proliferating cells. An important concern with the targeting of peptide-HLA complexes is off-target toxicity that could occur due to the presence of complexes similar to the target complex in cells from essential, normal tissues. We developed a novel computational strategy for identifying potential peptide-HLA cancer targets and evaluating the likelihood of off-target toxicity associated with these targets. Our strategy combines sequence-based and structure-based approaches in a unique way to predict potential off-targets. The focus of our work is on the complexes involving the most frequent HLA class I allele HLA-A*02:01. Using our strategy, we predicted the off-target toxicity observed in past clinical trials. We employed it to perform a first-ever comprehensive exploration of the human peptidome to identify cancer-specific targets utilizing gene expression data from TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) and GTEx (Gene Tissue Expression), and structural data from PDB (Protein Data Bank). We have thus identified a list of 627 peptide-HLA complexes across various TCGA cancer types. Peptide-HLA complexes identified using our novel strategy could enable discovery of cancer-specific targets for engineered T-cells or antibody based therapy with minimal off-target toxicity.
Genetic Underpinnings of Asthma and Related Traits

Abstract Asthma and allergic diseases are complex conditions with both genetic and environmental causes, and their incidence is increasing worldwide. Several hundred genes have been associated with asthma through candidate gene studies, but most of those results have either not been replicated or have failed replication. Genome-wide linkage studies have revealed several more susceptibility loci, some with unclear connections to asthma, allergic disease, or immunological phenomena. The publication of the first genome-wide association study focused on asthma in 2007 heralded more than a dozen such studies examining asthma, allergy, and related quantitative traits. As a result of years of study, several themes of the biology and pathogenesis of asthma have been revealed, as we have developed a comprehension of the roles of the epithelial barrier, molecules involved in environmental sensing, TH2-mediated immune responses, and genes responsible to the response of tissues to inflammation. Much work remains in our understanding of the genetics of asthma, as the field deals with problems in replicating results and develops tools and methods to unravel the networks of gene–gene interactions and interactions between genotypes and environmental influences. The application of high-throughput, next-generation sequencing is likely to increase the rate at which we identify asthma-related loci, providing functional biologists with new opportunities to further improve our understanding the cause of the disease.
Crystalloid Fluid Choice and Clinical Outcomes in Pediatric Sepsis: A Matched Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective To test the hypothesis that resuscitation with balanced fluids (lactated Ringer [LR]) is associated with improved outcomes compared with normal saline (NS) in pediatric sepsis. Study design We performed matched analyses using data from 12 529 patients Results The LR-any group was older, received larger crystalloid volumes, and was less likely to have malignancies than the NS group. After matching, mortality was not different between LR-any (7.2%) and NS (7.9%) groups (risk ratio 0.99, 95% CI 0.98, 1.01; P = .20). There were no differences in secondary outcomes except longer hospital length of stay in LR-any group (absolute difference 2.4, 95% CI 1.4, 5.0 days; P Conclusions Balanced fluid resuscitation with LR was not associated with improved outcomes compared with NS in pediatric sepsis. Although the current practice of NS resuscitation is justified, selective LR use necessitates a prospective trial to definitively determine comparative effectiveness among crystalloids.
Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL): 25-year experience at the University of Minnesota

7001 Background: HCT is frequently used for management of ALL. Methods: We reviewed the records of 623 consecutive patients (63% male, median age 13 years) treated with myeloablative TBI-containing conditioning and either autologous or allogeneic transplantation between 1980 and 2005 at the University of Minnesota. Donor types were autologous (34%), related (45%), unrelated (16%) or cord (11%). Disease status at transplant was CR1 (24%), CR2 (50%), CR3 (18%) and relapse (8%). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed for clinical endpoints including overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), relapse, treatment-related mortality (TRM), and Grades II-IV acute and chronic graft versus host disease (GVHD). Results: Median follow-up among survivors was 8.3 years (1.0–22.9). The estimated incidence of acute GVHD was 42% and chronic GVHD was 16%. At 5 years, OS, PFS, and relapse were estimated at 29%, 26%, and 43% respectively. 5-year OS for each group: autologous (17%, 12–22%), related (3...
Categorization of National Pediatric Quality Measures

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The number of quality measures has grown dramatically in recent years. This growth has outpaced research characterizing content and impact of these metrics. Our study aimed to identify and classify nationally promoted quality metrics applicable to children, both by type and by content, and to analyze the representation of common pediatric issues among available measures. METHODS: We identified nationally applicable quality measure collections from organizational databases or clearinghouses, federal Web sites, and key informant interviews and then screened each measure for pediatric applicability. We classified measures as structure, process, or outcome using a Donabedian framework. Additionally, we classified process measures as targeting underuse, overuse, or misuse of health services. We then classified measures by content area and compared disease-specific metrics to frequency of diagnoses observed among children. RESULTS: A total of 386 identified measures were relevant to pediatric patients; exclusion of duplicates left 257 unique measures. The majority of pediatric measures were process measures (59%), most of which target underuse of health services (77%). Among disease-specific measures, those related to depression and asthma were the most common, reflecting the prevalence and importance of these conditions in pediatrics. Conditions such as respiratory infection and otitis media had fewer associated measures despite their prevalence. Other notable pediatric issues lacking associated measures included care of medically complex children and injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric quality measures are predominated by process measures targeting underuse of health care services. The content represented among these measures is broad, although there remain important gaps.
Effect of size and order of variables in rules for multi-objective repair-based innovization procedure

Innovization is a task of learning common principles that exist among some or all of the Pareto-optimal solutions of a multi-objective optimization problem. Except a few earlier studies, most innovization related studies were performed on the final non-dominated solutions found by an EMO algorithm. Recently, authors showed that these principles can be learned during an optimization run and simultaneously utilized in the same optimization run to repair variables to achieve a faster convergence to the Pareto-optimal set. Different principles learned during an optimization run can not only have different number of variables but, may also have variables that are common among a number of principles. Moreover, a preference order for repairing variables may play an important role for proper convergence. Thus, when multiple principles exist, it is important to use a strategy that is most beneficial for repairing evolving population of solutions. This paper makes a first attempt to assess and understand the effect of different strategies to make innovization-based repair of variables most useful. Based on results on test problems, the paper also makes useful suggestions, which require immediate further experimentation on more complex and real-world problems.
Managerial time constraints and young worker productivity: Natural experiments with NFL rookies

The 2011 National Football League lockout and movement of the 2014 draft to a later date compressed the off-seasons preceding the 2011 and 2014 seasons, exogenously tightening time constraints within which managers—head coaches and their staffs—engage in short-run training of players. We exploit these natural experiments to investigate how this impacted the productivity of young workers (National Football League rookies). Results estimated for a sample of over 1,500 rookies support hypotheses emanating from an economic model of worker training time allocation and indicate reduced productivity along several dimensions. Survival analysis shows evidence of shorter player career durations along certain lines, suggesting longer term consequences.
Arthroscopic Elbow Osteocapsular Arthroplasty

Treatment of primary elbow osteoarthritis in the young active patient less than 50 years old presents a treatment challenge to the practicing orthopaedic surgeon. Following failure of nonoperative management, surgical goals are aimed at reducing pain and improving joint mobility from bony impingement. Arthroscopic osteocapsular arthroplasty is a viable treatment option with few post-operative limitations. In contrast, total elbow arthroplasty is considered a salvage option in this patient population given the activity restrictions imposed. Osteocapsular arthroplasty combines soft tissue and bony debridement, osteophyte/loose body removal, synovectomy, capsular release, and bony contouring of the humerus and ulna to allow impingement-free range of motion.
Accelerating time: The effect of social pressures and regulation on board gender diversity post-IPO

Using a legitimacy lens, we theorize that changes in the firm’s board of directors parallel the evolving stakeholder audience that accords legitimacy to the firm—a key resource to the firm’s surviv...
Going Forward: Developing a Workable Virtue-imbued Casuistry for Business

This summary piece explains what is yet to be accomplished to develop a fully functional virtue-imbued casuistry for business.
α and β Chains of Hemoglobin Inhibit Production of Staphylococcus aureus Exotoxins

Prior studies suggest Staphylococcus aureus exotoxins are not produced when the organism is cultured in human blood. Human blood was fractionated into plasma and water-lysed red blood cells, and it was demonstrated that mixtures of α and β globins of hemoglobin (as low as 1 μg/mL) inhibited S. aureus exotoxin production while increasing production of protein A and not affecting bacterial growth. Pepsin but not trypsin digestion destroyed the ability of α and β globin to inhibit exotoxin production. Exotoxin production by both methicillin-resistant and methicillin-susceptible organisms was inhibited. Production of streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A by Streptococcus pyogenes was unaffected by α and β globin chains but was inhibited when produced in S. aureus. Use of isogenic S. aureus strains suggested the targets of α and β globin chains, leading to inhibition of staphylococcal exotoxins, included the two-component system SrrA−SrrB. δ hemolysin production was also inhibited, suggesting the two-component (a...
A Dynamic Theory of China-U.S. Trade: Making Sense of the Imbalances

China's trade surplus with the U.S. is now more than a quarter of the U.S. trade deficit and, with China growing faster than the U.S., raises questions about its future course. Some media commentators term the chronic trade surplus mercantilist but offer no persuasive motive for it. Academics taking the classical static view regard the trade surpluses as a policy error. We offer a rudimentary model in which trade surplus in the early years is central for an optimal growth trajectory. The novelty derives from two features of underdevelopment shaping trade between backward economies like China and advanced economies like the U.S. First, the initial comparative disadvantages in China are an artifact of the uneven technical advances made by the U.S., so China may be able to erase those disadvantages through technological transfers bought with surpluses of exports over imports in goods and services. Reserves may be accumulated to pay for large lumps of know-how. Second, the diffusion of new products requires learning, which takes time, so the initial dearth of familiarity in China with a range of U.S. consumer goods operates as a drag on import demand for them, which may tip trade balances into surplus.
Exploring app features with outcomes in mHealth studies involving chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, and hypertension: a targeted exploration of the literature.

Objectives Limited data are available on the correlation of mHealth features and statistically significant outcomes. We sought to identify and analyze: types and categories of features; frequency and number of features; and relationship of statistically significant outcomes by type, frequency, and number of features. Materials and methods This search included primary articles focused on app-based interventions in managing chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, and hypertension. The initial search yielded 3622 studies with 70 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. We used thematic analysis to identify 9 features within the studies. Results Employing existing terminology, we classified the 9 features as passive or interactive. Passive features included: 1) one-way communication; 2) mobile diary; 3) Bluetooth technology; and 4) reminders. Interactive features included: 1) interactive prompts; 2) upload of biometric measurements; 3) action treatment plan/personalized health goals; 4) 2-way communication; and 5) clinical decision support system. Discussion Each feature was included in only one-third of the studies with a mean of 2.6 mHealth features per study. Studies with statistically significant outcomes used a higher combination of passive and interactive features (69%). In contrast, studies without statistically significant outcomes exclusively used a higher frequency of passive features (46%). Inclusion of behavior change features (ie, plan/goals and mobile diary) were correlated with a higher incident of statistically significant outcomes (100%, 77%). Conclusion This exploration is the first step in identifying how types and categories of features impact outcomes. While the findings are inconclusive due to lack of homogeneity, this provides a foundation for future feature analysis.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Histoplasmosis in a Group of Four Domestic Ferrets (Mustela Putorius Furo) and a Review of Histoplasmosis

Abstract A 1.5-year-old castrated male domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo) was referred for profound depression, dyspnea, and seizures with a 5 months history of chronic, yellowish-green diarrhea that was minimally responsive to typical therapies for helicobacteriosis. An exploratory laparotomy and liver biopsy had been performed 12 days prior to presentation showing only a tan-colored liver. Three other ferrets in the household also had chronic, intermittent soft stools. On presentation a CBC, radiographs and ultrasound showed a thrombocytopenia (10,000), a moderate diffuse bronchial pattern to all lung lobes, and a hepato-splenomegaly with normal echogenicity. Results of special staining of the liver biopsy showed evidence of Histoplasma spp. fungal organisms. The ferret was euthanized after it did not respond to treatment. Necropsy showed Histoplasma sp. organisms in the liver, lung, spleen, multiple lymph nodes, bone marrow, and brain. A serum AGID for antibodies to Histoplasma spp. was negative in this ferret and its 3 cage mates, but all four were positive on the urine antigen test to Histoplasma spp., the test of choice. The other 3 ferrets responded well to itraconazole, the drug of choice, based on resolution of clinical signs and subsequent negative urine antigen tests. Histoplasmosis is a differential for ferrets with chronic diarrhea.
Executive function training in chronic traumatic brain injury patients: study protocol

Some individuals who sustain traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) continue to experience significant cognitive impairments chronically (months to years post injury). Many tests of executive function are insensitive to these executive function impairments, as such impairments may only appear during complex daily life conditions. Daily life often requires us to divide our attention and focus on abstract goals. In the current study, we compare the effects of two 1-month electronic cognitive rehabilitation programs for individuals with chronic TBI. The active program (Expedition: Strategic Advantage) focuses on improving goal-directed executive functions including working memory, planning, long-term memory, and inhibitory control by challenging participants to accomplish life-like cognitive simulations. The challenge level of the simulations increases in accordance with participant achievement. The control intervention (Expedition: Informational Advantage) is identical to the active program; however, the cognitive demand level is capped, preventing participants from advancing beyond a set level. We will evaluate these interventions with a military veteran TBI population. One hundred individuals will be enrolled in this double-blinded clinical trial (all participants and testers are blinded to condition). Each individual will be randomly assigned to one of two interventions. The primary anticipated outcomes are improvement of daily life cognitive function skills and daily life functions. These are measured by a daily life performance task, which tests cognitive skills, and a survey that evaluates daily life functions. Secondary outcomes are also predicted to include improvements in working memory, attention, planning, and inhibitory control as measured by a neuropsychological test battery. Lastly, neuroimaging measures will be used to evaluate changes in brain networks supporting cognition pre and post intervention. We will test whether electronically delivered cognitive rehabilitation aimed at improving daily life functional skills will provide cognitive and daily life functional improvements for individuals in the chronic phase of TBI recovery (greater than 3 months post injury). We aim to better understand the cognitive processes involved in recovery and the characteristics of individuals most likely to benefit. This study will also address the potential to observe generalizability or to transfer from a software-based cognitive training tool toward daily life improvement. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03704116 . Retrospectively registered on 12 Oct 2018.
Pylephlebitis treated with apixaban

Pylephlebitis is a rare condition that is characterized by an infected thrombus of the portal vein system and was traditionally associated with a high mortality rate prior to the introduction of an...
Dying to be Ill: Munchausen meets warfarin overdose

Patients with severe coagulopathy related to vitamin K deficient proteins can be associated with surreptitious ingestion of vitamin K antagonists. Our patient presented acutely with extensive ecchymosis, gingival bleeding and hematuria. Her initial PT and PTT were prolonged and INR was >12.0. She denies contact with potent rodenticides or warfarin use. She is a healthcare professional. Within a week, she was readmitted with similar complaints and her warfarin levels were markedly high which raised the possibility of Munchausen syndrome. Warfarin overdose can lead to harmful consequences. Therefore, immediate diagnosis and prompt treatment is critically important to minimize morbidity and mortality.
A Multiway Bidirectional Multiport-Ac-Coupled (MAC) Battery Balancer with Online Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

Battery management systems (BMS) are key to various applications ranging from electric vehicles to grid-tied energy storage systems. Active battery balancers are needed for BMS in order to extend the battery lifetime and maintain high system performance. This paper presents a multiway bidirectional multiport-ac-coupled (MAC) battery balancer architecture based on a multi-active-bridge (MAB) converter. The operation, modeling, and power flow control of the MAC converter are detailed and analyzed. Magnetic models are used to further examine the multi-input multi-output (MIMO) power flow in the multi-winding transformer which couples all ports together. The converter is able to perform active battery balancing as well as online diagnostics through built-in electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). A 12-port MAC battery balancer was built and tested to verify the functionality and effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Bioaccumulation of organic micropollutants from sediments and suspended particulates by aquatic animals

Non-polar organic micropollutants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls and some pesticides, which are adsorbed to sediments have a low bioavailability to freshwater and marine animals. Bioaccumulation factors from sediments (concentration in animal/concentration in sediment) of the organic pollutants investigated range from less than 0.1 to about 20, several orders of magnitude lower than bioaccumulation factors from the water for the same compounds. Bioavailability of sediment-adsorbed organic micropollutants is directly related to the solubility of the compound and sediment grain size, and inversely related to sediment organic carbon concentration and animal size. Organic micropollutants adsorbed to sediments are only slightly bioavailable, but sediments in contaminated areas often contain high concentrations of adsorbed pollutants; therefore they represent an important source of contamination of freshwater and marine animals.
Corrosion monitoring and mitigation in concrete structures using a 3D printing and Internet of Things approach

3D-printed one-way valves were designed and fabricated to relieve the corrosion-induced internal pressure on concrete structures. These valves were post-installed onto concrete to increase corrosion resistance in the concrete structure and extended the service life. This study investigated an Internet-of-Things device to continuously monitor corrosion in steel-reinforced concrete in order to determine the effectiveness of the valves in preventing corrosion. The IoT device monitors acoustic emission to determine the corrosion stage of reinforced concrete. The ongoing results show that the current valve design is an effective one-way check valve that will allow the internal pressure of the concrete to be released. This type of valve will prevent reinforced concrete surface cracking and extend the life of concrete structures by only releasing internal pressure without allowing for external materials to further corrode the steel reinforcement in concrete.
The Soft Stuff of Institutional Development: Culture, Cohesion, and Economic Institutions

What are the effects of culture on economic institutions? Many see an essential role for culture in institutional development. This paper systematically considers twelve dimensions of culture on two dimensions of economic institutions: liberal economic institutions and the building of large, effective states. Dimensions of culture adjacent to one another are shown to correlate differently with the two measures of institutions. This analysis is, in part, framed in terms of the debate regarding the relationship between migration, culture, and institutions, and it casts doubts on positions that these variables are as tightly or as consistently related as is at times portrayed.
STN LFP and SUA characterization of dyskinesia in PD using microelectrode recordings (P4.7-006)

Objective: To describe the single unit activity (SUA) and local field potential (LFP) characteristics of a patient with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD) during a dyskinesia episode. Background: SUA and LFPs in the unmedicated state of patients with PD undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS) procedures are well characterized. Although LFP spectral dynamics are known to change in the ON state, less is understood about how this corresponds to changes in SUA, or how either LFP or SUA interacts during dyskinesia episodes. Design/Methods: We describe a case report of an individual undergoing bilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS for treatment of motor complications associated with PD. Intraoperative left hemispheric microelectrode recordings (NeuroProbe, AlphaOmega) of SUA and LFP were made simultaneously approximately 2.5 hours after the last known levodopa intake. Recordings started from 10mm above and extended to 5mm below the dorsal border of the STN. During the recordings, the patient exhibited generalized dyskinesia. Results: Of 14 neurons isolated, almost all showed tonic firing (fast and some irregular) with a mean firing rate of 63.0 ± 29.8Hz, (higher than previously reported in the unmedicated state). No neurons showed bursting activity as quantified with ISI histograms showing single peaks. LFP activity was characterized by weak beta (22Hz) oscillations, a sharp gamma (80Hz) peak, and strong high frequency oscillations (HFOs) around 300Hz. No coupling between beta and HFO was seen, as previously reported in medicated patients. The SUA was not phase coupled to beta LFP (unlike previously described unmedicated PD patients). Interestingly, sharp gamma activity commenced 10mm above the STN, indicating broader network synchronization. Contralateral dyskinesia improved during stimulation testing of the DBS lead. Conclusions: This case demonstrates unique SUA and LFP findings during a dyskinesia episode in PD, highlighting the need for a more complete understanding of local and network dynamics in PD for use in closed loop DBS systems. Disclosure: Dr. Jimenez Shahed has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with St. Jude Medical/Abbott, Medtronic, Teva, Bracket, Nuvelution, Sunovion,. Dr. Jimenez Shahed has received research support from Biotie/Accorda, Medtronic, St. Jude Medical/Abbott, Eli Lilly & Company, Wilsons Therapeutics. Dr. Ozturk has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kaku has nothing to disclose. Dr. Viswanathan has received research support from Medtronic, St Jude/Abbott. Dr. Ince has received research support from Medtronic, St Jude/Abbott.
Lay Beliefs about the Causes and Treatment of Depression: Tests of Measurement Models and Associations.

Abstract Background : There is reason to expect beliefs about depression's causes and treatment to influence use of psychotherapy, but the literature is marked by theoretical, methodological, and empirical inconsistencies. This study assessed the factorial validity of measures of beliefs about depression's causes and formal treatment versus self-management. It also tested the links of causal attributions to general treatment/self-management beliefs and endorsement of specific interventions. Methods : The revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R) adapted for depression was administered online to a non-patient, U.S. sample (N=319). Results : Confirmatory factor analyses yielded three causal dimensions, Environmental Stressors, Biological Factors, and Personal Attributes, and two control dimensions, (Formal) Treatment and Personal. Both models fit irrespective of whether respondents believed they had ever experienced depression. A structural equation model (SEM) showed a positive relationship for Environmental and Biological attributions, and an inverse relationship for Personal attributions, in predicting general preferences for Formal Treatment. A second SEM, focusing on specific interventions, linked Environmental causation to endorsement of psychotherapy, dietary changes, and self-help, and Biological causation to endorsement of medication and exercise, with Personal causation inversely associated with endorsement of psychotherapy. Limitations : A cross-sectional, correlational design precludes causal inferences. Potential sociocultural influences were not assessed. Conclusions : Modifications to the IPQ-R suggested by this study improved its psychometric properties, validated its distinction between Treatment and Personal Control beliefs, and supported examination of both general and specific beliefs about ways to deal with depression. Relationships linking cause and treatment beliefs warrant further investigation as potential intervention targets to increase treatment utilization.
A millimeter wave monolithic load switching twist reflector for compact imaging cameras

A monolithic load comparison twist reflector (LSTR) has been built and tested for use in 94 GHz passive imaging cameras. Radiometric and quasioptical tests show that the array has an insertion loss of 0.25 dB. This active array of PIN diodes replaces the mechanical choppers often used in load comparison.
The Deep-Sea Benthic Fish Fauna of the Northeastern Pacific Ocean on Cascadia and Tufts Abyssal Plains and Adjoining Continental Slopes

AbstractThe faunal composition of deep-sea fishes is described from 579 beam and otter trawl collections from the continental slope and abyssal plains off Oregon, at depths from 400 to 5,180 m. Ninety of the 104 species known to inhabit depths greater than 400 m in this area of the northeastern Pacific were captured. Sixty-one species were found on the continental slope, 28 on Cascadia Abyssal Plain, nine on eastern Tufts Abyssal Plain, and two on western Tufts Plain.Families represented by the most species were Scorpaenidae, Liparididae, and Zoarcidae on the slope, and Liparididae, Zoarcidae, and Macrouridae on the abyssal plains. Scorpaenids were numerically dominant on the upper slope, and macrourids on the mid-lower slope and abyssal plains. The macrourid Coryphaenoides armatus was caught at all abyssal stations and was consistently the most abundant fish at depths greater than 2,500 m. Coryphaenoides filifer and C. leptolepis were consistently the second and third most numerous species on Cascadia.Th...
Bootstrapping Mental Constructions: A Learing System about Negative Numbers

In this paper, we propose a new model for learning mathematical concepts which cannot develop informally. This is a “middle-out“ approach in which the objects of the system can be mapped both to formal knowledge and to real-life problems. We hypothesize that the key process which governs the acquisition of knowledge within such learning systems is reasoning with mental models, which we hold to be similar to the acquisition of basic mathematical constructs in non-school settings. The paper reports the development of a system for learning negative numbers and a study in which two pairs of students were exposed to that system.
Some Remarks on Statistical Inference

Probability and Statistics have always been highly contentious parts of science. They have been the occasion of many disputes about principles, conducted not always with cool scientific detachment and decorum. What has been disputed about is not mathematics, not pure mathematics. It is true that, from time to time, mathematicians, even eminent mathematicians, have resisted or scoffed at the introduction of new ideas or new areas of investigation in pure mathematics, for example, continuous functions without derivatives, the Lebesgue integral, and a proper treatment of the real number system, and that even today some older applied mathematicians speak of such things as abstract algebra and topology as frills. But these are merely the grumbles of old age and laziness, and they never last long. It is in the applications of mathematics, in applied mathematics, especially where experimental testing or verification is difficult, or for the time being impossible, that the violent arguments take place. Relativity in its early days is an example. In probability it is the principles governing the applications, especially in statistics, about which there are great differences of opinion.
Property Rights, Technology, and Internet Distribution

Lost in the discussion of the rapid growth of e-commerce is the role of the Internet as a means for the direct distribution of electronic goods and services. Any product that can be reduced to a string of digital code—text, images, and data—is capable of being transmitted over the Internet. These information intensive goods fall into three broad and overlapping categories: information goods, professional services, and entertainment goods. This paper discusses the implications of Internet distribution for competition, product quality, and pricing in consumer markets and how encryption technology addresses the property rights questions raised by online distribution.
Testicular Hemodynamic Changes After the Surgical Creation of a Varicocele in the Rat Intravital Microscopic Observations

The present study investigated the effect of a surgically induced varicocele on the dynamics of testicular blood flow. The surface vasculature of the normal and the varicocele-affected testis was examined utilizing intravital epi-illumination microscopy. Application of this technique to the study of the varicocele is new. Blood flow characteristics in surface veins were studied as the surface temperature of the testis was varied. Periodic, reproducible stoppages in blood flow, determined by direct observation of the red blood cells, were seen in seven of eight sham animals at the lower temperatures. These stoppages were abolished and blood flow increased at higher temperatures; stoppages reappeared at lower temperatures. The periodic stoppages were present in only one of eight rats with a proven varicocele (P less than 0.025) at any temperature studied. This loss of blood flow regulation may be the result of a loss of testicular arteriolar tone and may explain the increase in testicular blood flow and temperature elevation observed in association with a varicocele. These findings may provide new insights into the pathophysiology of the varicocele and highlight the need to study the microvascular sequelae of this vascular abnormality.
In response to: Electronic health records in small physician practices: availability, use, and perceived benefits.

In their report ‘Electronic health records in small physician practices: availability, use, and perceived benefits’, Rao et al correctly point out many of the challenges these small practices face when adopting electronic health records (EHR).1 As part of New York City's Primary Care Information Project, we have deployed EHRs to over 2550 providers in NYC, including over 400 small physician practices. In order to get to a point …
Protein synthesis in sonically damaged Escherichia coli.

Abstract By gentle sonic treatment, Escherichia coli cells were modified to permit penetration of actinomycin D, adenosine triphosphate, trypsin, ribonuclease, and polyuridylic acid. The behavior of these “soniplasts” as protein-synthesizing particles was investigated.
Fuzzy sets as a tool for modeling

A introduction to the basic concepts of fuzzy set theory is first provided. We next discuss some ideas from the theory of of approximate reasoning. As we shall see it is this theory, which uses fuzzy sets as its primary representational structure, that provides a formal mechanism for reasoning with uncertain information. Finally we discuss the technology of fuzzy systems modeling. This technology has provided the bases for most of the current generation of applications of fuzzy set theory.
Directed proof generation for machine code

We present the algorithms used in McVeto (Machine-Code VErification TOol), a tool to check whether a stripped machine-code program satisfies a safety property The verification problem that McVeto addresses is challenging because it cannot assume that it has access to (i) certain structures commonly relied on by source-code verification tools, such as control-flow graphs and call-graphs, and (ii) meta-data, such as information about variables, types, and aliasing It cannot even rely on out-of-scope local variables and return addresses being protected from the program's actions What distinguishes McVeto from other work on software model checking is that it shows how verification of machine-code can be performed, while avoiding conventional techniques that would be unsound if applied at the machine-code level.
Long-range interactions in a cold Rydberg gas

The excitation of cold Rydberg atoms is significantly influenced by long-range van der Waals interactions. Avoided crossings between interatomic potentials lead to molecular resonances, while energy level shifts from neighboring atoms suppress resonant Rydberg excitation.