cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adaptive MIMO channel shortening with post-FEQ diversity combining

Cyclic prefixed communication systems are generally called discrete multitone (DMT) for wireline systems, and orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) for wireless systems. A cyclic prefix should be as long as the channel impulse response (channel delay spread) to combat inter symbol interference (ISI). If this requirement is not met, a channel shortening equalizer is used to shorten the channel. In time varying channels, it is more sensible to use an adaptive channel shortener. In literature, adaptive channel shorteners and frequency domain equalizers (FEQ) have been well studied. But on the other hand, in wireless communication systems the performance metric is the bit error rate (BER) and minimizing the BER is the primary concern of the designing a system. In this paper we reviewed the adaptive channel shortener which uses recursive least squares algorithm (RLS-MERRY), and proposed an adaptive FEQ with different post combining techniques in order to get a lower BER than existing adaptive TEQ-FEQ architectures.
Exposure values around an x-ray scanning transaxial tomograph (EMI scanner).

Measurements of exposure accumulated in a one‐month period in and around a scanning x‐ray transaxial tomograph are reported. For the unit studied (the EMI neurological scanner) values measured indicate that the shielding required is ‘‘minimal.’’
Functional importance of the carboxyl-terminal region of striated muscle tropomyosin.

Striated muscle tropomyosin (TM) interacts with actin and the troponin complex to regulate calcium-mediated muscle contraction. Previous work by our laboratory established that α- and β-TM isoforms elicit physiological differences in sarcomeric performance. Heart myofilaments containing β-TM exhibit an increased sensitivity to calcium that is associated with a decrease in the rate of relaxation and a prolonged time of relaxation. To address whether the carboxyl-terminal, troponin T binding domain of β-TM is responsible for these physiological alterations, we exchanged the 27 terminal amino acids of α-TM (amino acids 258 –284) for the corresponding region in β-TM. Hearts of transgenic mice that express this chimeric TM protein exhibit significant decreases in their rates of contraction and relaxation when assessed by ex vivo work-performing cardiac analyses. There are increases in the time to peak pressure and a dramatic increase in end diastolic pressure. In myofilaments, this chimeric protein induces depression of maximum tension and ATPase rate, together with a significant decrease in sensitivity to calcium. Our data are the first to demonstrate that the TM isoform-specific carboxyl terminus is a critical determinant of sarcomere performance and calcium sensitivity in both the whole heart and in isolated myofilaments.
Synthesis and functionalization of virus-mimicking cationic block copolymers with pathogen-associated carbohydrates as potential vaccine adjuvants

We report the synthesis of a family of amphiphilic pentablock polymers with different cationic blocks and with controlled architectures as potential vaccine carriers for subunit vaccines. The temperature and pH-dependent micellization and gelation of these pentablock copolymers can provide a depot for sustained protein and gene delivery. The amphiphilic central triblock promotes cellular endocytosis, good gene delivery and has been used effectively as a vaccine adjuvant. The pentablock copolymer outer blocks condense DNA spontaneously as a result of electrostatic interactions for sustained combinational therapy. This family of polymers with different cationic groups was evaluated based on DNA complexation-ability and cytotoxicity to select promising candidates as DNA-based subunit vaccine adjuvants. Modification of other polymer systems with carbohydrates like mannose has been shown to enhance immunogenicity by activating pattern recognition receptors on antigen presenting cells and increasing uptake in these cells. Here, we report the synthesis of a virus-mimicking pentablock copolymer vaccine platform by successful functionalization of these polymers with mannose through an azide–alkyne Huisgen cycloaddition. The synthesis of a mannoside with the alkyne linker was achieved by a recently reported bismuth(V)-mediated activation of a thioglycoside that proved to leave the alkyne intact. The carbohydrate modification was shown not to interfere with the ability of these virus-mimicking block copolymers to complex DNA, thereby making this family of modified materials promising candidates for DNA-based vaccine delivery.
Transparent Armor Ceramics as Spacecraft Windows

The slow crack growth parameters of several transparent armor ceramics were measured as part of a program to lighten next generation spacecraft windows. Transparent magnesium aluminate (spinel, MgAl2O4) and AlON exhibit superior slow crack resistance relative to fused silica, which is the historical material of choice. For spinel, slow crack growth, strength, and fracture toughness are significantly influenced by the grain size, and alumina-rich phases and porosity at the grain boundaries lead to intergranular fracture in coarse grain spinel. Functions describing the required mass for a desired window life imply that transparent ceramics can lighten window panes from a slow crack growth perspective.
Disease Management Program for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease A Randomized Controlled Trial

Rationale: The effect of disease management for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is not well established.Objectives: To determine whether a simplified disease management program reduces hospital admissions and emergency department (ED) visits due to COPD.Methods: We performed a randomized, adjudicator-blinded, controlled, 1-year trial at five Veterans Affairs medical centers of 743 patients with severe COPD and one or more of the following during the previous year: hospital admission or ED visit for COPD, chronic home oxygen use, or course of systemic corticosteroids for COPD. Control group patients received usual care. Intervention group patients received a single 1- to 1.5-hour education session, an action plan for self-treatment of exacerbations, and monthly follow-up calls from a case manager.Measurements and Main Results: We determined the combined number of COPD-related hospitalizations and ED visits per patient. Secondary outcomes included hospitalizations and ED visits for all causes, ...
The ethical perspective of British and American preservice teachers

Summary As society increasingly expects schools to teach about moral issues and stress character development, educators are faced with a series of new challenges. One of these challenges is how to assist perspective teachers in understanding their own ethical orientation, and helping them realize how that orientation affects their teaching. This short report presents the results of a study which compares and assesses the ethical orientation of British and American preservice teachers. The study addresses a number of ethical positions which are denned in the paper. Forsyth's Ethical Position Questionnaire was employed to develop the data. The report closes with conclusions and suggestions based on the findings described.
A Review of: “Developmental Immunotoxicology”

Among the first publications to report effects of environmental chemicals on the immune system were papers describing the immunologic consequences of exposure during development and maturation of t...
Comparative Study of Pathologic Cardiovascular Biomineralization

One of the most severe consequences of atherosclerosis is the irreversible formation of calcific deposits in different sites of the cardiovascular system. The pathogenesis appears to be related to the initial damage of the endothelium (Ross and Glomset, 1976), which increases endothelial permeability. When a lesion forms, the natural vasodilation/vasoconstriction performance of endothelium and underlying cellular layers is impaired. This condition can result in progressive atherogenesis, leading to pathologic mineralization. Dystrophic calcification is a major problem associated with prolonged use of bioprosthetic heart valves (Schoen,1989). The biomineralization and deterioration of bioprostheses appears to be a fast process, compared to degeneration of natural heart valves. This may be due to the absence of the vital protective endothelium layer, which in healthy tissues prevents active transport of atherosclerotic plaque ingredients. Wickham et al. (1988) documented an increase of intracellular calcium in infected endothelial cells. This increase may be a valid messenger of inorganic ion diffusion from extracellular fluid into intracellular calcification sites.
Sex Education in the United States

Sexuality has always been a part of the human condition and people have always wished to understand it better. However, to focus upon the history of sex education in the United States without recognizing that it extends much further back in the past two centuries of our nationhood would present an erroneous picture. Of course, what passed for sex education in the distant past was a weird combination of facts, superstitions, and myths. Many will say that this condition is with us yet, and certainly there is much still to be known. And it is true that sex education has been regarded as a specialized study only within this century. A survey of the various approaches to sex education prior to the 1900s, although extremely interesting, would be too extensive to undertake here. We will, therefore, be looking almost entirely at the contemporary history of sex education in the United States.
Time-lapse application of pressure transient analysis for monitoring compressible fluid leakage

Detecting early leakage of gaseous fluids from deep formations into shallower formations has financial and environmental implications and could potentially save commercial projects from expensive remediation. Detection of CO 2 leakage in the context of CO 2 geological storage and methane leakage at hydraulic‐fracturing sites is a possible scenario in which the approach described herein could be used. Any vertical leakage from a deep formation will most likely start with brine leakage, followed by arrival of the gaseous phase at the leakage pathway (faults, plugged and abandoned wells, fractures, etc.). We apply well‐known pressure transient analysis (PTA) techniques to solving challenges related to leakage monitoring, including distinguishing between brine and gaseous‐phase leakage and detecting leaks that may occur over a long period of time. The latter development is important because small leaks may not be detected by simple monitoring of absolute change in pressure. The proposed analysis is based on time‐lapse measurement of monitoring‐zone storativity (or total compressibility), and without loss of generality, we apply our analysis to CO 2 leakage scenarios. Our numerical results suggest that if well‐known PTA techniques are used, CO 2 leaks can be detected, allowing the volume of leaked CO 2 into the monitoring zone to be estimated. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Is NAS a Suitable Proxy for Auditor Independence in the Post-SOX Period?

Before implementation of the Sarbanes Oxley Act (SOX) in 2002, researchers frequently used fees from non-audit services (NAS) as a surrogate for auditor independence. NAS is still used in this way, even though SOX has restricted the types of NAS that auditors may provide to their clients. Therefore, we pose the following question: What does the literature say about the continuing adequacy of NAS as a surrogate for auditor independence in the post-SOX era? This question is relevant to research in accounting regulation because, if NAS is no longer an adequate surrogate, then research on auditor independence may provide biased results.Overall, we find that many post-SOX studies using NAS have insignificant or counterintuitive results, whereas pre-SOX studies using NAS predominantly have significant results suggesting that NAS impairs auditor independence. Is this shift in findings because NAS is no longer an adequate proxy for independence? We discuss this issue and provide our conclusions, citing relevant research where applicable.
Understanding the burden of tuberculosis among American Indians/Alaska Natives in the U.S.: a validation study.

OBJECTIVE: We validated cases of active tuberculosis (TB) recorded in the Indian Health Service (IHS) National Patient Information Reporting System (NPIRS) and evaluated the completeness of TB case reporting from IHS facilities to state health departments. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) patients at IHS health facilities who were classified as having active TB using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnostic codes from 2006 to 2009 for clinical and laboratory evidence of TB disease. Individuals were reclassified as having active TB disease; recent latent TB infection (LTBI); past positive tuberculin skin test (TST) only; or as having no evidence of TB, LTBI, or a past positive TST. We compared validated active TB cases with corresponding state records to determine if they were reported. RESULTS: The study included 596 patients with active TB as per ICD-9-CM codes. Based on chart review, 111 (18.6%) had active TB; 156 (26.2%) had LTBI; 104 (17.4%) had a past positive TST; and 221 (37.1%) had no evidence of TB disease, LTBI, or a past positive TST. Of the 111 confirmed cases of active TB, 89 (80.2%) resided in participating states; 81 of 89 (91.2%) were verified as reported TB cases. CONCLUSIONS: ICD-9-CM codes for active TB disease in the IHS NPIRS do not accurately reflect the burden of TB among AI/ANs. Most confirmed active TB cases in the IHS health system were reported to the state; the national TB surveillance system may accurately represent the burden of TB in the AI/AN population.
Isolation of Tumor Initiating Cells with Metastatic Potential from Human Primary Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.

Disseminated breast cancer cells may be present at distant sites at the time of primary diagnosis of breast cancer in patients that exhibit no outward signs of clinical metastasis. It is hypothesized that early breast cancer metastasis is initiated by a small population of breast tumor initiating cells (bTICs) within the primary tumor that are inherently resistant to chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. To better understand the biological pathways that permit bTICs to metastasize and to evade current breast cancer therapies, bTICs have been isolated from breast cancer biopsies from patients diagnosed with primary invasive ductal carcinoma. Breast cancer needle biopsies from primary tumors were obtained during the routine care of patients with consent and IRB approval. Core biopsies were mechanically and enzymatically dissociated, yielding a single cell suspension which was subsequently cultured under non-adherent and serum-free conditions to obtain tumorspheres. Injection of about 500 bTICs into the mammary fat pad of female nude mice resulted in tumor formation at the site of injection within two months that was maintained as a small palpable mass for at least six months. H+E staining of sections of the primary tumors revealed complex cellular organization and both microvascular and macrovascular structures. Serial transplantation of the primary tumors from the 6/7 samples resulted in tumor formation at the site of injection. Upon primary tumor formation in the mammary fat pad, metastatic human breast cancer cells were detected within the lungs, liver, brain and bone marrow (femur) from 5/7 tumors after six months. Metastatic cells were detected by PCR for an alpha-satellite sequence in the centromeric region in human Chromosome 17, and by in situ hybridization using an human specific Alu DNA oligonucleotide probe. Metastatic bTICs were mostly detected as single cells or small clustering of cells present throughout the metastatic organ. These data demonstrate that cells with the phenotype of “tumor initiating cells” can be isolated from primary biopsies of human invasive ductal carcinoma and cultured in vitro . Unlike direct heterotransplant tissues from primary tumor biopsies, the majority of bTICs samples form tumors when injected into immunodeficient mice and further exhibit a highly metastatic phenotype. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 504.
Music Pattern Discovery with Variable Markov Oracle: A Unified Approach to Symbolic and Audio Representations.

This paper presents a framework for automatically discovering patterns in a polyphonic music piece. The proposed framework is capable of handling both symbolic and audio representations. Chroma features are post-processed with heuristics stemming from musical knowledge and fed into the pattern discovery framework. The pattern-finding algorithm is based on Variable Markov Oracle. The Variable Markov Oracle data structure is capable of locating repeated suffixes within a time series, thus making it an appropriate tool for the pattern discovery task. Evaluation of the proposed framework is performed on the JKU Patterns Development Dataset with state of the art performance.
Optimal Arrangement of Keys in a Hash Table

When open addressing IS used to resolve collisions in a hash table, a given set of keys may be arranged in many ways, typically this depends on the order in which the keys are inserted It is shown that arrangements minimizing either the average or worst-case number of probes required to retrieve any key in the table can be found using an algorithm for the assignment problem. The worst-case retrieval time can be reduced to O(log2(M)) with probablhty 1 - e(M) when storing Mkeys In a table of size M, where ~(M)~ 0 as M ~ ~ We also examine insertion algorithms to see how to apply these ideas for a dynamically changing set of keys
Transfusion Reactions: Status in 1982

Death as a consequence of transfusion has been almost entirely eradicated, and it is hoped that continued study of the causes of the remaining adverse reactions will decrease morbidity. Prevention of technical error and proper management of the patient who does experience mistransfusion are discussed.
Coronary Stent Failure: Fracture, Compression, Recoil, and Prolapse.

Abstract Current-generation coronary drug-eluting stents are associated with low rates of restenosis and target lesion revascularization. However, several mechanisms of stent failure remain clinically important. Stent fracture may occur in areas of excessive torsion or angulation. Longitudinal stent deformation is related to axial stent compression owing to extrinsic forces or secondary devices that disrupt stent architecture. Stent recoil occurs when a stent does not deploy at its optimal cross-sectional area. Tissue prolapse between stent struts may also predispose patients to adverse outcomes. Prevention, recognition, and treatment of these stent failures are necessary to optimize patient outcomes after percutaneous coronary interventions.
Biological Methods for the Separation of Lymphoid Cells

Presently, it has been conclusively established that three major classes of cells are involved in the immune response (Miller and Mitchell, 1969; Katz and Benacerraf, 1972; Good, 1972): T lymphocytes which are thymus-dependent and responsible for the so-called cell-mediated immunity and overall regulation of the immune response; B lymphocytes which are thymus independent and functional in the humoral aspects of immunity; and macrophages (and monocytes) which “process” and present the antigen to T lymphocytes and, therefore, regulate the immune response by rather nonspecific means. These three major classes of lymphoid cells, and especially the T and B lymphocytes, are further subdivided to a large number of functionally distinct subpopulations (Stout and Herzenberg, 1975; Lobo et al., 1975; Murphy et al., 1976; Scher et al., 1976; Press et al., 1976; Cantor and Boyse, 1976; Moretta et al., 1977), so that the overall picture of the individual cell types forming the lymphoid cell system appears very complex. The significance and need for cell separation methods in studies of this complex system is obvious. Experiments designed to identify the functional role of lymphocyte subpopulations require “homogeneous” or “pure” populations of cells. Furthermore, precise functional and structural characterization of cells from lymphoproliferative and myeloproliferative disorders can be accomplished only with relatively homogeneous abnormal cell populations.
Shall we call them "telomere-mediated"? Renaming the idiopathic after the cause is found.

This editorial contextualises the findings of two articles in this ERJ issue, and proposes new terminologyhttp://ow.ly/SRcc305Mvbn
Review: Rusticle Formation on the RMS Titanic and the Potential Influence of Oceanography

Meter length iron-rich rusticles on the RMS Titanic contain bacteria that reportedly mobilize iron from the ship structure at a rate that will reduce the wreck to rust in decades. Other sunken ships, such as the World War II shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) are also similarly covered. However, at the GOM sites, rusticles are only centimeters in length. Minimal differences in water temperature (a few °C) between the two sites and comparable exposure times from wreckage to discovery cannot rationalize the extreme differences in rusticle length. One possible explanation for the observed difference in rusticle size is the differing amounts of dissolved or colloidal iron at the two locations.
Preoperative inflammatory status as a predictor of primary patency after femoropopliteal stent implantation.

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of preoperative inflammatory status, as determined by complete blood count test parameters, on 12- and 24-month patency of femoropopliteal stenting for peripheral arterial disease. Methods We retrospectively analyzed baseline clinical and angiographic data among 138 patients (median age, 73 years; 46% female) from 2005 to 2014 at our institution with preoperative complete blood count test values and information of patency for at least 12 months after first-time femoropopliteal stenting. Patients were stratified into tertiles on the basis of preoperative blood counts to evaluate associations with in-stent restenosis (ISR) leading to loss of primary patency, defined by a Doppler velocity ratio ≥2.5:1, computed tomography angiography demonstrating ≥50% luminal narrowing within the stent, or reintervention. Results Univariate analysis determined that the 81 patients (59%) who experienced ISR within 12 months had significantly higher preoperative white blood cell (WBC), platelet, neutrophil, and lymphocyte counts than the 57 patients (41%) whose stents remained patent for longer than 12 months (8.7 vs 6.7 [ P P P = .001], and 1.8 vs 1.2 [ P = .004], respectively). Compared with patients in the lower WBC tertile (n = 45) who had a median patency of 19.4 months, those in the upper WBC tertile (n = 44) had a median patency of only 7.0 months and a 3.3-fold increased risk for ISR after adjusting for age, sex, lesion type, TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus II score, tibial vessel runoff, antiplatelet therapy, presence of diabetes, critical limb ischemia, adjunct procedures, hyperlipidemia, and end-stage renal disease in multivariate analysis ( P P = .001). Compared with patients in the lower neutrophil tertile (n = 33) who had a median patency of 14.3 months, those in the upper neutrophil tertile (n = 33) had a median patency of 6.2 months and a 3.2-fold increased adjusted risk ( P = .001). After adjusting for covariates, patients divided into tertiles by lymphocyte counts exhibited no significant differences for ISR. Conclusions Routine preoperative tests that determine baseline inflammatory status may provide strong clinical utility in assessing potential risk stratification of patients for ISR after femoropopliteal stenting. Circulating WBCs, platelets, and neutrophils may be important inflammatory mediators of ISR.
Numerical existence and stability of solutions to the distributed spruce budworm model

This paper presents the steady-state solutions and traveling wave solutions for a spatially distributed PDE version of the spruce budworm model. The ODE (undistributed) model has been used in practical scenarios to model the outbreaks of the spruce budworm in forest environments, alongside the study of concepts involving fixed points and bifurcations in introductory differential equations courses. This study represents the spread of an outbreak from one end of a forest to the other. Numerical simulations are conducted using spectral methods.
Genetic Structure and Indica/Japonica Component Changes in Major Inbred Rice Varieties in China

We used 39 SSR markers to analyze the genetic structure of 304 major Chinese inbred rice varieties, and to compare changes in the indica or japonica components in these varieties that have been widely cultivated from the 1950s to the 1990s in China. The genetic structure analysis showed that these rice varieties were distinctly divided into two populations, indica and japonica. The sub-structure of indica varieties was more complex than that of japonica ones. Among the various lines, late-season indica and early season japonica varieties had simpler genetic backgrounds. The seasonal ecotypes were not quite consistent with the subtypes of genetic structure. Twelve SSR loci with specific differentiation between indica and japonica were used to calculate the indica/japonica components. The differences in indica/japonica components among the five decades were not significant, except for late-season indica varieties in the 1990s, which had a significantly higher japonica component. These results will help to understand the genetic structure of the major Chinese inbred rice varieties and will be useful for indica-japonica hybrid breeding in China.
Evidence for mutual assessment in a wild primate

In aggressive interactions, game theory predicts that animals should assess an opponent's condition relative to their own prior to escalation or retreat. Despite the benefits of such mutual assessment, few studies have been able to reject simpler assessment strategies. Here we report evidence for mutual assessment in a wild primate. Gelada (Theropithecus gelada) males have conspicuous loud calls that may function as a signal of male quality. "Leader" males with harems putatively use loud calls to deter challenges from non-reproductive "bachelor" males. By contrast, leader males pose no threat to each other and congregate in large groups for a dilution effect against bachelors. In playback experiments and natural observations, gelada males responded to loud calls according to both their own and their opponent's attributes. Although primates routinely classify others relative to themselves using individual attributes, this represents some of the first direct evidence for mutual assessment in primate signaling contests.
Structural and Chemical Architecture of Host Cells with Special Reference to the Synthesis of Polymers

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses structural and chemical architecture of host cells with special reference to the synthesis of polymers. The viruses are structurally quite different from their host cells. Their polymers differ from cellular polymers with respect to their specific organization, as manifested in specific antigenicity and genetic continuity. Such organizational and functional differences often reflect quantitative differences in the amounts of particular amino acids and nucleotides employed. Thus, an infected cell may differ from the normal cell with respect to the amounts required of precursors of these units. The infected cell may show a shift in ratio of the nucleic acids or other units. Many paths of metabolism have alternative routes. Virus infection may affect the balance of these or even eliminate one completely. Analyses of individual nuclei by spectrophotometric methods have revealed the existence of classes of nuclei containing multiples of the DNA content of the most frequent class. Such high values have been ascribed to polyploidy. One approach to the analysis of effects of an increased chromosomal complement has been the study of the relation of DNA content to nuclear volume. Such a correlation exists in the development of polytene salivary gland nuclei of drosophila whose giant chromosomes have been very important in the development of cytogenetics. However, in a wide variety of developing tissues, the DNA content of the nuclei is quite unrelated to nuclear volume; the latter function appears more closely related to protein content.
Soft Tissue Tumors of Uncertain Histogenesis: A Review for Dermatopathologists

The mesenchymal tumors discussed herein represent a heterogeneous group of neoplasms with distinctive morphologic, immunophenotypic, and molecular genetic features. These uncommon tumors often arise in the dermis and subcutis and can pose a major diagnostic challenge to dermatopathologists because they closely mimic melanoma, carcinoma, fibrous histiocytoma, schwannoma, or granulomatous inflammation. This article reviews the clinical presentation, histopathology, differential diagnosis, and diagnostic pitfalls of epithelioid sarcoma, clear cell sarcoma, perivascular epithelioid cell tumor, ossifying fibromyxoid tumor, pleomorphic hyalinizing angiectatic tumor, and hemosiderotic fibrolipomatous tumor. Associated molecular genetic findings are also briefly reviewed with an emphasis on their diagnostic usefulness.
Bilingualism and the Possible Impact on Academic Performance

In considering achievement difficulties of language minority students, it is important to understand basic concepts about second language acquisition, what it means to be proficient in a language, and how varying levels of language proficiency impact academic performance. Ultimately, language-minority students must develop native-like English conversational and academic language proficiency. Thus, assessment of language skills is one of the cornerstones of instructional planning and of evaluations for the purpose of identifying students who need remedial or special education services. Supporting native language and English acquisition and development is an important aspect of overcoming achievement difficulties.
Imperforate Anus and Cloaca

Imperforate anus is a condition affecting males and females, in which the anus fails to form in the correct location. There is wide variation in abnormality requiring individualization of treatment. Often imperforate anus is accompanied by other anomalies.
Minimax Methods and Their Application to Partial Differential Equations

This research was sponsored in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. MCS-8110556. Reproduction in whole or in part is permitted for any purpose of the United States Government.
Analog Cell-Level Synthesis using a Novel Problem Formulation

A novel formulation of the cell-level analog circuit synthesis problem is presented in this chapter. This novel formulation is characterized by the use of encapsulated device evaluators, the use of do-free biasing, and the use of Asymptotic Waveform Estimation to compute low order pole/zero models of small signal transfer functions. This synergistic combination of elements makes it possible to design high performance analog circuits using high accuracy device models while requiring greatly reduced expert designer input in the form of equations describing circuit behavior.
Magnetization of Materials Used in Cryostats

We measure the magnetic susceptibility of a group of materials commonly used in the construction of low temperature cryostats. These materials are considered non-magnetic at room temperature. We use a variable temperature susceptometer to measure samples at temperatures between 2.0 K and 12.0 K and at magnetic fields between 0.25 Tesla and 4 Tesla. The samples we use include Aluminum, Beryllium Copper, fused silica, Grafoil, stainless steel, filled and unfilled epoxy, Macor, polycarbonate, aerogel, silver powder, Teflon, and Vespel. We present plots of the magnetization vs. temperature and field, and a table of the parameters to a fitting function which can be used to interpolate the data.
Monitoring Distributed Systems

To support complex, rapidly changing, high-volume websites many components contribute to keeping the content current. Monitoring the workflow through all these components is a challenging task. This paper describes a system in which monitoring objects created by the various heterogeneous, distributed components are distributed to any application choosing to present monitoring information.
The phosphate binder ferric citrate alters the gut microbiome in rats with chronic kidney disease

In chronic kidney disease (CKD), the gut microbiome is altered and bacterial-derived uremic toxins promote systemic inflammation and cardiovascular disease. Ferric citrate complex is a dietary phosphate binder prescribed for patients with end-stage kidney disease to treat hyperphosphatemia and secondary hyperparathyroidism. Iron is an essential nutrient in both microbes and mammals. This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that the large iron load administered with ferric citrate in CKD may significantly change the gut microbiome. Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent 5/6 nephrectomy to induce CKD. Normal control and CKD rats were randomized to regular chow or a 4% ferric citrate diet for 6 weeks. Fecal and cecal microbial DNA was analyzed via 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq system. CKD rats had lower abundances of Firmicutes and Lactobacillus compared with normal rats and had lower overall gut microbial diversity. CKD rats treated with ferric citrate had improved hemoglobin and creatinine clearance and amelioration of hyperphosphatemia and hypertension. Ferric citrate treatment increased bacterial diversity in CKD rats almost to levels observed in control rats. The tryptophanase-possessing families Verrucomicrobia, Clostridiaceae, and Enterobacteriaceae were increased by ferric citrate treatment. The uremic toxins indoxyl sulfate and p-cresyl sulfate were not increased with ferric citrate treatment. Verrucomicrobia was largely represented by Akkermansia muciniphila, which has important roles in mucin degradation and gut barrier integrity. In summary, ferric citrate therapy in CKD rats was associated with significant changes in the gut microbiome and beneficial kidney and blood pressure parameters.
THE RELATIONSHIP OF YELLOW COLOR ON MILK SEDIMENT PADS TO MASTITIS1

Summary In a study of the relationship of yellow-colored material on milk sediment disks to mastitis, representative milk samples were examined from 400 individual quarters of 144 different cows in...
Opioids, (Non)-medical Marijuana, and the Cult of the Body.

Ohio’s first medical marijuana dispensaries will open in the fall of 2018, so physicians, then, must decide whether they will participate. But is medical marijuana really medical? No, at best, it i...
A General Theory of Injection Locking and Pulling in Electrical Oscillators—Part I: Time-Synchronous Modeling and Injection Waveform Design

A general model of electrical oscillators under the influence of a periodic injection is presented. Stemming solely from the autonomy and periodic time variance inherent in all oscillators, the model’s underlying approach makes no assumptions about the topology of the oscillator or the shape of the injection waveform. A single first-order differential equation is shown to be capable of predicting a number of important properties, including the lock range, the relative phase of an injection-locked oscillator, and mode stability. The framework also reveals how the injection waveform can be designed to optimize the lock range. A diverse collection of simulations and measurements, performed on various types of oscillators, serve to verify the proposed theory.
Long-term obesogenic diet and targeted deletion of potassium channel K v 1.3 have differing effects on voluntary exercise in mice.

Voluntary exercise is frequently employed as an intervention for obesity. The voltage-gated potassium channel Kv 1.3 is also receiving attention as a therapeutic target for obesity, in addition to potential therapeutic capabilities for neuroinflammatory diseases. To investigate the combinatorial effects of these two therapies, we have compared the metabolic status and voluntary exercise behavior of both wild-type mice and a transgenic line of mice that are genetic knockouts for Kv 1.3 when provided with a running wheel and maintained on diets of differing fat content and caloric density. We tracked the metabolic parameters and wheel running behavior while maintaining the mice on their assigned treatment for 6 months. Wild-type mice maintained on the fatty diet gain a significant amount of bodyweight and adipose tissue and display significantly impaired glucose tolerance, though all these effects were partially reduced with provision of a running wheel. Similar to previous studies, the Kv 1.3-null mice were resistant to obesity, increased adiposity, and impaired glucose tolerance. Both wild-type and Kv 1.3-null mice maintained on the fatty diet displayed increased wheel running activity compared to control-fed mice, which was caused primarily by a significant increase in the amount of time spent running as opposed to an increase in running velocity. Interestingly, the patterns of running behavior differed between wild-type and Kv 1.3-null mice. Kv 1.3-null mice spent significantly less time running during the light phase and displayed a decrease in running 1-2 h before the onset of the light phase, seemingly in anticipation of the dark-to-light phase transition. These studies indicate that voluntary exercise combats metabolic maladies and running behavior is modified by both consumption of an obesogenic diet and deletion of the Kv 1.3 channel.
Recurrent Sinopulmonary Infections in a Patient Whose HIV Masked Common Variable Immunodeficiency

It is generally accepted that persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are at an increased risk of infection due to direct destruction of CD4+ lymphocytes and subsequently impaired cell-mediated immunity. Typically, HIV infection is associated with immunoglobulin elevations, but quantitative deficiencies in immunoglobulins have also been rarely described. We present an unusual case of common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) in a HIV-positive patient with recurrent severe respiratory infections. We review epidemiology, clinical presentation, and treatment of primary immunoglobulin deficiency. We also review the relationship between immunoglobulin deficiency and HIV and highlight the importance of recognizing the coexistence of two distinct immunodeficiency syndromes.
Physiology of Voice Production

Many critical moments in a child’s early life relate to voice: the first cry on entering the world, the first laugh, and the first words. As a child grows, voice becomes an important part of identity, reflecting age, emotion, gender, and health (Smith, Semin Speech Lang 34(2):63–70, 2013). In order to understand and appropriately manage voice disorders, an understanding of normal phonatory physiology is required. This chapter provides an overview of laryngeal anatomy and physiology of voice production.
A Symmetric Modified Multilevel Ladder PMIC for Battery-Connected Applications

This article describes a symmetric modified multilevel ladder (SMML) converter that is capable of directly converting down from Li-ion battery voltage ranges to system-on-chip (SoC)-compatible voltage ranges while using low-voltage power MOSFETs in the power stage. Compared to conventional flying-capacitor multilevel converters, the SMML converter features reduced conduction losses, naturally balanced flying capacitors, and internal generation of all the supplies required for drivers and level shifters. A prototype shows that the converter achieves a peak efficiency of 90% and a peak power density of 0.52 W/mm2 while providing up to 16.7 $\times $ conversion ratios at still acceptable efficiencies.
5 – International Stewardship

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses International Stewardship. The significance of scientific cooperation in Antarctica during the International Geophysical Year (IGY) was reverberated through the participating nations. The goal of the Antarctic Treaty is to manage Antarctica for the benefit of humanity—an entire continent governed by international cooperation ‘‘forever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes only.’’ The Antarctic Treaty establishes a precedent for managing regions or resources that exist beyond national jurisdiction. The role of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) is contemplated in Article III. However, until the first Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) the advisory role of SCAR was not specifically identified. ‘‘In order to promote the objectives and ensure the observance of the provisions'’ of the Antarctic Treaty, Article VII provides for the designation of observers who ‘‘shall have complete freedom of access at any time to any or all areas of Antarctica.’’ This chapter concludes that essentially each nation has the responsibility and obligation of enforcing the legal principles of the Antarctic Treaty over its own nationals.
The MOSDEF Survey: Metallicity Dependence of PAH Emission at High Redshift and Implications for 24 μm Inferred IR Luminosities and Star Formation Rates at z ∼ 2

Author(s): Shivaei, I; Reddy, NA; Shapley, AE; Siana, B; Kriek, M; Mobasher, B; Coil, AL; Freeman, WR; Sanders, RL; Price, SH; Azadi, M; Zick, T | Abstract: We present results on the variation of 7.7 μm polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission in galaxies spanning a wide range in metallicity at z ∼ 2. For this analysis, we use rest-frame optical spectra of 476 galaxies at 1.37 ≤ z ≤ 2.61 from the MOSFIRE Deep Evolution Field (MOSDEF) survey to infer metallicities and ionization states. Spitzer/MIPS 24 μm and Herschel/PACS 100 and 160 μm observations are used to derive rest-frame 7.7 μm luminosities (L7.7) and total IR luminosities (LIR), respectively. We find significant trends between the ratio of L7.7 to LIR (and to dust-corrected star formation rate [SFR]) and both metallicity and [O iii]/[O ii] (O32) emission line ratio. The latter is an empirical proxy for the ionization parameter. These trends indicate a paucity of PAH emission in low-metallicity environments with harder and more intense radiation fields. Additionally L7.7, is significantly lower in the youngest quartile of our sample (ages of ≲500 Myr) compared to older galaxies, which may be a result of the delayed production of PAHs by AGB stars. The relative strength of L7.7 to LIR is also lower by a factor of ∼2 for galaxies with masses M∗ ∼ 109.6-10.0, compared to the more massive ones. We demonstrate that commonly used conversions of (or 24 μm flux density, f 24) to underestimate the IR luminosity by more than a factor of 2 at . We adopt a mass-dependent conversion of to with = 0.09 and 0.22 for M∗ ≤ 1010 and g 1010M⊙, respectively. Based on the new scaling, the SFR-M ∗ relation has a shallower slope than previously derived. Our results also suggest a higher IR luminosity density at z ∼ 2 than previously measured, corresponding to a ∼30% increase in the SFR density.
Formation of Complex Organic Molecules (COMs) from Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): Implications for ISM IR Emission Plateaus and Solar System Organics

The presence of complex organic molecules (COMs) in a variety of solar system objects has prompted various theories regarding their origins. This paper reports on a series of proton, electron, and ...
COVID-19 infection manifesting as a severe gastroparesis flare: A case report.

RATIONALE: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease caused by infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which commonly presents with symptoms including fever, cough, and dyspnea. More recently, however, some patients have tested positive for COVID-19 after developing gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms either solely or in conjunction with respiratory symptoms. This may be due to SARS-CoV-2 infection of the GI tract. In patients with chronic GI illnesses, COVID-19 may initially present as a flare of their underlying GI conditions as viruses have historically been implicated in exacerbations of GI disorders, including gastroparesis. PATIENT CONCERNS: We report a case of a 37-year-old female with a history of diabetic gastroparesis who presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with nausea and vomiting similar to her gastroparesis flares. DIAGNOSES: Her symptoms in the ED failed to improve with fluids and anti-emetic medications. After developing a fever, she was tested and found to be positive for COVID-19. INTERVENTIONS: She was started on antibiotic, steroid, and antiviral medications. OUTCOMES: Her symptoms improved, her fever defervesced on day 4 of hospitalization, and she was discharged on day 5 of hospitalization. The patient reported symptom improvement at a follow-up outpatient gastroenterology visit 2 months after hospitalization. LESSONS: To the best of our knowledge, at the present time, this is the first report of a patient with COVID-19 presenting with signs and symptoms of a gastroparesis flare. This case illustrates that COVID-19 may present in an exacerbation of symptoms of an underlying disorder, such as a severe gastroparesis flare, in a patient with underlying gastroparesis. Initial presentation of these patients manifesting as a flare of their chronic GI disease, more severe than usual, should prompt an index of suspicion for COVID-19.
Applying MOOCocracy learning culture themes to improve digital course design and online learner engagement.

This piece is a short response to Loizzo and Ertmer’s (2016) MOOCocracy: the learning culture of massive open online courses for the special issue: Shifting to Digital: Informing the rapid development, deployment, and future of teaching and learning. Key ideas, value, and future research implications are addressed in relation to MOOC design using the MOOCocracy themes.
Self-compassion training for certified nurse assistants in nursing homes.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) who work in nursing homes (NHs) face significant work and personal stress. Self-compassion training has been shown to decrease stress postintervention in previous studies among healthcare providers and those in helping professions. This study examines the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of self-compassion training to address CNA stress and well-being. DESIGN Pre-post intervention. SETTING Three mid-size, nonprofit NHs in North Carolina. PARTICIPANTS Thirty CNAs, with a mean age of 49, 96% of whom were female, and 83% black/African American. INTERVENTION In one NH, participants received an 8-week, 2.5-h/session (20 h total) group intervention. At the time of recruitment for NHs 2 and 3, a briefer format (6-week, 1-h/session; 6 h total) became available and was preferred by CNAs, thus both NHs 2 and 3 participants received a 6-h group intervention. All interventions occurred in meeting rooms within participating NHs during shift changes. MEASUREMENTS Intervention attendance, retention, and acceptability; self-compassion, stress, burnout, depression, and attitudes toward residents with dementia, and job satisfaction pre-, post-, 3-month post-, and 6-month postintervention were assessed. RESULTS Attendance and program satisfaction were high, and attrition was low for both training formats. Self-compassion was significantly improved at all time periods (p < 0.001), and stress and depression improved significantly through 3 months (p < 0.05), but not 6 months. No statistically significant change in job satisfaction was noted. CONCLUSION Self-compassion interventions are feasible and acceptable for CNAs working in NHs and show promise for managing stress and improving well-being and compassion toward residents. The briefer 6-h format may maximize participation, while still providing benefits.
Does the Plaintiff Matter? An Empirical Analysis of Lead Plaintiffs in Securities Class Actions

Note: Formerly titled: Empirically Reassessing the Lead Plaintiff Provision: Is the Experiment Paying Off?