cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microgrid energy scheduling using storage from electric vehicles

Abstract Integrating electric vehicles (EVs) into a microgrid can provide additional energy and storage to the microgrid. The benefits depend on factors such as market prices, EVs’ state of charge, and their arrival/departure times. In this paper, it is assumed that the microgrid operates in a grid-connected mode and consists of thermal units, renewable energy resources and a parking facility. An optimization model for the energy management that considers the energy and storage provided by the EVs is proposed. The objective function of the model is to minimize the expected total operation costs including generation, day-ahead market, battery wear, and real-time balancing costs for the next 24 h. The uncertainty of the demand and the available EVs in addition to the intermittency of the renewable energy resources are taken into account. The model is solved using the Benders decomposition algorithm and results are obtained using a 14-bus distribution test system. The results show that using the storage and energy of the EVs reduces the total operation cost of the microgrid.
High-Power Lasers in Materials Processing — An Automotive Perspective

We broadly review the growth and current status of laser processing in the automotive industry. The first section introduces the primary aspects of the interactions of laser beams with materials and the concept of different processing regimes. The main part of the review draws heavily on relatively high-powered laser applications within the automotive industry, especially surface treatment, welding, and cutting. The concluding section speculates on future developments, in terms of both laser technology and vehicle manufacture.
Political Stability: Analysis Using TOPSIS and Intuitionistic Fuzzy Sets

In this paper, we use a technique for order preference called TOPSIS, to determine the ranking of importance of certain subfactors of causal factors of political stability. We introduce the use of ...
Evolutionary Insights On The Structure And Function Of Archaeal C/D Box sRNAs As Revealed By A Comprehensive Set From Six Pyrobaculum Species

Archaea use C/D box sno-like RNAs (sRNAs) to guide precise 29- O -methyl modification of ribosomal and transfer RNAs. Although C/D box sRNAs are the most numerous archaeal small RNA class, most genomes have incomplete sRNA gene annotation because reliable, completely automated detection methods are unavailable. To study archaeal C/D box sRNA structure, function and evolution, we collected, predicted, and curated a comprehensive set of these sRNAs from six species within the crenarchaeal hyperthermophilic genus Pyrobaculum . We used high-throughput small RNA sequencing data, computational methods, and comparative genomics to curate 526 Pyrobaculum C/D box sRNAs and organized them into 110 families based on conservation of their guide sequences. Our comprehensive analysis provides a detailed narrative of C/D box sRNA evolutionary history, implications of target conservation on ribosome maturation, and sRNA impact on genome architecture. We find that in some cases the overlap of C/D box sRNAs with protein-encoding genes can abolish the ability of their guides to target rRNA and tRNAs. Numerous duplications and rearrangements of sRNA genes are illustrated, and some of these appear to employ a mechanism similar to the retrotransposition of C/D box sRNAs genes in eukaryotes. Finally, we used these annotations to train a new computational search model.
PairClone: a Bayesian subclone caller based on mutation pairs

Tumour cell populations can be thought of as a composition of heterogeneous cell subpopulations, with each subpopulation being characterized by overlapping sets of single‐nucleotide variants. Such subpopulations are known as subclones and are an important target for precision medicine. Reconstructing subclones from next generation sequencing data is one of the major challenges in computational biology. We present PairClone as a new tool to implement this reconstruction. The main idea of PairClone is to model short reads mapped to pairs of proximal single‐nucleotide variants, which we refer to as mutation pairs. In contrast, other existing methods use only marginal reads for unpaired single‐nucleotide variants. Using Bayesian non‐parametric models, we estimate posterior probabilities of the number, genotypes and population frequencies of subclones in one or more tumour sample. We use the categorical Indian buffet process as a prior probability model for subclones. Column vectors of categorical matrices record the corresponding sets of mutation pairs for subclones. The performance of PairClone is assessed by using simulated and real data sets with a comparison with existing methods. An open‐source software package can be obtained from http://www.compgenome.org/pairclone.
Preferred intervention strategies to improve dietary and physical activity behaviors among African-American mothers and daughters.

Objective The objective of this study was to identify cultural- and age-appropriate intervention strategies to improve dietary and physical activity (PA) behaviors in African-American adolescent daughters and their mothers. Design and sample A convergent parallel mixed methods design with interactive quantitative and qualitative measures was used. Twenty-four 9th- and 10th-grade African-American daughters from a large urban high school and their mothers participated. Measures Measures included the 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System dietary and PA questions, 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System dietary and PA questions, and BMI. Focus group questions covered preferred intervention formats and strategies for delivering a dietary and PA intervention. Results Fifty-five percent of daughters and 92% of mothers were overweight/obese. Mothers tended to prefer the group format (mothers/daughters together or mothers together) for delivering a dietary and PA intervention, while the daughters’ delivery preferences were mixed. Top mother/daughter dyad strategy preferences for both dietary and PA were goal setting and use of rewards/prizes. Conclusions These findings suggest several dietary and PA obesity intervention strategies that can guide obesity prevention efforts for African-American daughters and their mothers.
Association of Surgeon Age and Experience with Congenital Heart Surgery Outcomes

Background—Surgeon experience concerns both families of children with congenital heart disease and medical providers. Relationships between surgeon seniority and patient outcomes are often assumed,...
An improved optimization algorithm of the three-compartment model with spillover and partial volume corrections for dynamic FDG PET images of small animal hearts in vivo.

The three-compartment model with spillover (SP) and partial volume (PV) corrections has been widely used for noninvasive kinetic parameter studies of dynamic 2-[18F] fluoro-2deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography images of small animal hearts in vivo. However, the approach still suffers from estimation uncertainty or slow convergence caused by the commonly used optimization algorithms. The aim of this study was to develop an improved optimization algorithm with better estimation performance. Femoral artery blood samples, image-derived input functions from heart ventricles and myocardial time–activity curves (TACs) were derived from data on 16 C57BL/6 mice obtained from the UCLA Mouse Quantitation Program. Parametric equations of the average myocardium and the blood pool TACs with SP and PV corrections in a three-compartment tracer kinetic model were formulated. A hybrid method integrating artificial immune-system and interior-reflective Newton methods were developed to solve the equations. Two penalty functions and one late time-point tail vein blood sample were used to constrain the objective function. The estimation accuracy of the method was validated by comparing results with experimental values using the errors in the areas under curves (AUCs) of the model corrected input function (MCIF) and the 18F-FDG influx constant K i . Moreover, the elapsed time was used to measure the convergence speed. The overall AUC error of MCIF for the 16 mice averaged −1.4 ± 8.2%, with correlation coefficients of 0.9706. Similar results can be seen in the overall K i error percentage, which was 0.4 ± 5.8% with a correlation coefficient of 0.9912. The t-test P value for both showed no significant difference. The mean and standard deviation of the MCIF AUC and K i percentage errors have lower values compared to the previously published methods. The computation time of the hybrid method is also several times lower than using just a stochastic algorithm. The proposed method significantly improved the model estimation performance in terms of the accuracy of the MCIF and K i , as well as the convergence speed.
An Analytical Economic Study of Sugar Cane in Egypt

The study aimed mainly to measure the economic efficiency of resources used in the production of sugar cane in Egypt, estimate the optimal size of the production and its bulks profits, and estimate the efficiency of sugar cane production factories. The research based on secondary data during the period 1995-2016 , we used a descriptive and quantitative analysis of the data and estimated some economic and productivity efficiency indicators as well.The most important results can be summarized as follows:For the standard estimation of the sugar cane production functions, we confirmed of the effect of both the labor component, the rental value of the land element and the time component which reflects technological development.For the standard estimation of the sugar cane cost functions, the optimal size of production was estimated at 50.9 tons, the optimum capacity was achieved at 1.04 acres and the size of bulks production profits 67.61 tons, was achieved at an area of 1.38 acres. The estimation of supply elasticity was shown to be less than 1 which indicates that the optimal policy for increasing production is cost reduction.The efficiency of the sugar cane production factories was approximately 51.86% Abu Qurqas factory, 54.22% Gerga factory, 85.70% Nag Hammadi factory, 77.79% Deshna factory, 93.51% qus factory, 98.63% Armant factory, for Advo and Kom Ombo factories work with an operating capacity exceeding their design capacity of approximately 114.26% and 103.99% respectively. This indicates that the majority of these factories are not working at full operational capacity.By studying the areas targeted for the sugar cane crop uses, it was found that 76.3% of the sugar cane was directed to factories, 3.93% for honey extractors, 3.81% for seeds, and 16.75% as fresh consumption.recommendations:To achieve economic efficiency we must rationalize the use of human labor, mechanical and animal forces.The size of the farm must not be less than the optimal size of the production which is a 1.04 acres.The size of the farm must not be more than 1.38 acres in order to bulks profits of farmers.The necessity of operating the sugar cane factories at full capacity, either by reducing the quantities of leaks or by increasing the sugar cane through increasing its area or productivity, and work on updating , developing and benefiting of technological development.Work on the development of new varieties of sugar cane with low water requirements.Attempt to develop a strict law that obliges farmers to supply their entire crop of cane to sugar factories without any other uses, especially in the main production governorates.
Sleep Deprivation and Pregnancy

Pregnancy is anecdotally equated with sleep disturbance, most commonly resulting in sleep deprivation, with the possible exception of the first trimester when hypersomnia may be present. The relationship between sleep and pregnancy is likely bidirectional. The dynamic hormonal and physiological changes of pregnancy affect a large variety of sleep parameters, ranging from homeostatic sleep drive to sleep latency, maintenance, duration, fragmentation, and perceived quality to sleep stages. Conversely, sleep disturbance, in any form, including decreased total sleep duration versus increased number of awakenings with or without respiratory disturbance, may affect pregnancy outcomes such as gestational hypertensive disease, labor type and duration, prematurity, and gestational weight. We will review the various aspects of sleep disturbance during pregnancy and the existing evidence that sleep deprivation and disturbance affect pregnancy outcomes.
Commonalities Between Ericksonian Psychotherapy and Native American Healing

There are many commonalities between the techniques used in Ericksonian psychotherapy and the healing rituals used by traditional Native American tribes. Milton H. Erickson had some Indian heritage and may have derived some of his therapeutic techniques from his study of tribal healing practices. A review of the literature shows that both approaches emphasize symbolic healing through the use of story-telling, metaphors, ambiguous tasks, ordeals, and rituals. Both also use direct and indirect hypnosis to relieve psychological distress. Implications for the practice of mental health counseling are described.
Homeless People with Drug Problems

Although alcohol abuse remains as the nation’s number one drug problem, public concern over the abuse of other drugs—marijuana, heroin, cocaine, and more recently “crack”—has been far more intense over the past two decades. Media stories that focus on the link between drugs and crime, the gang violence associated with narcotics trafficking, the health risks of drug use, or the epidemic of “crack babies” among others offer convincing evidence that drugs and drug abuse destroy individual lives and families and cost the American economy billions of dollars.
Behavior Modification Research with the Mentally Retarded

Within modern times, there has been considerable variation in society’s attitudes toward mentally retarded individuals, particularly with reference to their educability and curability. At one extreme mentally retarded persons have been viewed as having an incurable condition, and at the other extreme they have been seen as possessing a normal learning potential capable of realization in a proper educational environment. In general, those emphasizing an organic condition have been more pessimistic concerning its remediation, and those who have maintained that mental retardation is caused by environmental factors have been proponents of active habilitation programs.
Magnetic resonance imaging of deep vein thrombi correlates with response to thrombolytic therapy.

Fibrinolytic therapy can result in rapid lysis of deep vein thrombi (DVT), but its use is limited by the failure of many patients to respond and by the increased risk of bleeding complications in comparison with anticoagulant therapy alone. Treatment could be improved by the ability to select patients most likely to respond. Since magnetic resonance (MR) imaging may be sensitive to thrombus age and structure, properties related to thrombolytic sensitivity, we have evaluated the ability of MR imaging to predict the response of DVT to thrombolytic therapy. Nine patients with venographically documented proximal DVT were treated with streptokinase, and MR imaging using a gradient recall echo sequence was performed before and after therapy. The proximal leg veins were divided into nine segments in each patient, and thrombus was present in 55 segments. The MR appearance of the thrombus in each segment was evaluated prior to therapy, and the amount of clot lysis was determined by comparing pre- and post-treatment MR images. MR imaging accurately identified thrombus in all cases in comparison with venography and also identified proximal extension into pelvic veins that was not identified venographically. Prior to treatment, the thrombus in eight of nine patients varied in appearance in different vein segments consistent with a course of progressive extension over time. Thrombi with low MR signal occurred more often in patients with symptoms of four days or less, and were also more common in partially occluded segments (10/12, 83%) than with total occlusion (7/43, 16%) (p < .001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Retranslating the brazilian imperial project: O novo mundo’s depictions of the 1876 centennial exhibition

As the first world’s fair held in the Americas, the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia allowed the hemisphere’s nations to stake disparate claims to modernity through unequal displays of natural resources, new technologies, and art. Existing scholarship on the Centennial Exhibition and its importance for Brazil touches only briefly on how representations of Brazil at the fair were communicated to the Brazilian public. This article claims that Brazil’s participation at the fair created translations of the nation for a foreign public that were retranslated for Brazilian readers through O Novo Mundo , a periodical published in New York from 1870 to 1879. By reading O Novo Mundo alongside archival documentation and histories of the Centennial Exhibition, I contend that the periodical recognized Brazil’s desire for modernity, critiqued how Brazilian officials wanted the nation to be seen, and questioned how models of progress from the United States would unfold in Brazil.
Enteric Neuromodulation for the Gut and Beyond

The small intestine is the longest organ in the human body, spanning a length of ∼5 m and compartmentalized into three distinct regions with specific roles in maintenance of comprehensive homeostasis. Along its length exists as a unique and independent system-called the enteric nervous system (ENS)-which coordinates the multitude of functions continuously around the clock. Yet, with so many vital roles played, the functions, relationships, and roles of the small intestine and ENS remain largely elusive. This fundamental hole in the physiology of the small intestine and ENS introduces a substantial number of challenges when attempting to create bioelectronic approaches for treatment of various disorders originating in the small intestine. Here, we review existing therapeutic options for modulating the small intestine, discuss fundamental gaps that must be addressed, and highlight novel methods and approaches to consider for development of bioelectronic approaches aiming to modulate the small intestine.
How to Deal with Crohn’s Friable and Fragile Mesentery

One hallmark of Crohn’s disease is a large, edematous, and friable mesentery. Depending on the degree of involvement, several different methods may be required to ensure adequate hemostasis. This chapter will discuss various options.
Impact of Poverty and Household Food Security on the Use of Preventive Medical Services in the California Health Interview Survey

Impact of Poverty and Household Food Security on the Use of Preventive Medical Services in the California Health Interview Survey Gail G. Harrison CCPR-002-06 July 2004 California Center for Population Research On-Line Working Paper Series
Simple metals under pressure

The alkali metals have long been regarded as ‘simple metals’ because of their simple lattice structures under ordinary conditions. New calculations predict that under pressure lithium will have a paired, molecular-like structure, similar to hydrogen, that may even be insulating. This unexpected finding may lead to a revised understanding of these simple metals.
An agonist of the MscL channel affects multiple bacterial species and increases membrane permeability and potency of common antibiotics

The bacterial MscL channel normally functions as an emergency release valve discharging cytoplasmic solutes upon osmotic stress. The channel opens and passes molecules up to 30 A and its pore is the largest of any gated channel. Opening the MscL pore inappropriately is detrimental to the bacterial cell, suggesting MscL as a potential novel drug target. A small-molecule compound, 011A, has been shown to increase sensitivity of the Escherichia coli MscL channel, slow growth, and even decrease viability of quiescent cultures. The mscL gene is highly conserved and found in the vast majority of bacterial species, including pathogens. Here, we test the hypothesis that 011A can influence the growth and viability of other bacterial species, specifically Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium smegmatis, in a MscL-dependent manner. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the 011A compound can increase potency of other antibiotics, presumably by permeabilizing the membrane and allowing easier access of the antibiotic into the cytoplasm. Thus, MscL activators have potential as novel broad-spectrum antibiotics or adjuvants that work with antibiotics to selectively allow passage across bacterial membranes.
How to be a maker: From no bot to robot

The skills learned from previous projects should help you to build your first real robot, says Hannah Joshua
Voltammetric characteristics of smooth lead electrodes in sulfuric acid and Tydrolyte™ solutions part 1. the PbSO4/PbO2potential region

Abstract The electrochemical behavior of a smooth lead electrode was compared in a 1.265 g•mL−1 commercial electrolyte replacement called Tydrolyte™ and a standard 1.265 g•mL−1 sulfuric acid solution in order to simulate the operating conditions of the positive grid of a lead-acid battery. Using potentiodynamic sweeps and cyclic voltammetry techniques in the entire potential region where the positive plate of the battery operates, it was found that for the lead-Tydrolyte electrode system the same reactions take place as for lead in sulfuric acid solution, i.e. the new electrolyte does not change the thermodynamics of the lead-sulfuric acid electrode system and no new, specific to Tydrolyte reactions are taking place – qualitatively, the new electrolyte is not different from a regular sulfuric acid solution. It was observed, however, that Tydrolyte lowers the formation and growth rate of the anodic layer on the smooth electrode (quite similar to the corrosion layer of battery grids), as well as the rate of the oxygen evolution reaction, i.e. it affects the kinetics of the electrode reactions and indicates the possible cause for water loss reduction in batteries.
Productive Thinking and Science Learning in Design Teams

Recent reforms in science education have supported the inclusion of engineering in K-12 curricula. To this end, many science classrooms have incorporated engineering units that include design tasks. Design is an integral part of engineering and helps students think in creative and interdisciplinary ways. In this study, we examined middle-school students’ naturally occurring design conversations in small design teams and their learning of science as a result of engaging in an engineering and science unit. We found that the proportion of different thought processes used by boys and girls was quite similar. Both girls and boys produced a higher percentage of ideas or thoughts associated with divergent thinking, but a lower proportion in convergent thinking, evaluative thinking, and cognitive memory. In addition, gender composition of design teams influenced thought processes expressed by girls and boys. Interestingly, in mixed teams, both girls and boys expressed less divergent thinking than those in single-sex teams. With regard to science content learning, both girls and boys showed statistically significant learning gains. There were no significant gender differences in the pre- and post-test scores. These results suggest that participating in an engineering design task in small design teams provided students opportunities to engage in productive thinking and enhance their learning of the targeted science concept—ecosystems.
Exploring Challenging Variations of Parsons Problems

Introductory programming classes teach students to program using worked examples, code tracing, and code writing exercises. Parsons Problems are an educational innovation in which students unscramble provided lines of code, as a step towards bridging the gap between reading and writing code. Though Parsons Problems have been found effective, there is some evidence that students can use syntactic heuristics to help them solve these problems without fully understanding the solution.. To address this limitation, we introduce Faded Parsons Problems, a variation of Parsons Problems where parts of the provided code are incomplete. We explore a specific instantiation of this idea, Blank-Variable Parsons Problems, in which all variable names are blanked out. Unlike another Parsons Problem variation - adding distractor code lines - Blank-Variable Parsons can be automatically created from a solution without additional effort from an instructor. A 75 minute pilot study with CS1 students indicates that solving standard Parsons Problems does not lead to short-term near-transfer in code writing, suggesting a need for problems with less scaffolding. Additionally, students self-report Blank-Variable Parsons as fitting in difficulty between Parsons Problems and code writing, suggesting Blank-Variable Parsons may be one opportunity to fill this gap.
Chapter 29 – Leadership: The Last 100 Days

Planning for the end is one task, but actually carrying it out well is another. Once you have made the decision, then treat it like any management challenge and try to do it well. This chapter will discuss how you can handle the changeover in power with grace.
Associations between PTSD-Related extinction retention deficits in women and plasma steroids that modulate brain GABAA and NMDA receptor activity.

Abstract Several studies have demonstrated poor retention of extinction learning among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Gonadal hormone signaling in brain appears to influence the retention of extinction learning differently in women with and without PTSD. Women with PTSD, compared to trauma-exposed women without PTSD, show relative deficits in extinction retention during the mid-luteal phase (mLP) of the menstrual cycle, compared to the early follicular phase (eFP). A PTSD-related reduction in conversion of progesterone to its GABAergic metabolites allopregnanolone (Allo) and pregnanolone (PA) may contribute to these findings. The current study in trauma-exposed women with (n = 9) and without (n = 9) PTSD investigated associations between extinction retention and plasma Allo + PA levels, as well as the ratio of Allo + PA to 5α-dihydroprogesterone (5α-DHP), the immediate steroid precursor for Allo. The study also investigated the relationship between extinction retention and the ratio of Allo + PA to dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), an adrenally-derived GABAA receptor antagonist. Study participants completed differential fear-conditioning during both the eFP and mLP of the menstrual cycle. Analyses revealed a strong positive relationship between resting plasma Allo + PA levels and extinction retention during the mLP in the women with, but not without, PTSD (e.g., diagnosis X Allo + PA interaction controlling for early extinction: β = −.0008, p = .003). A similar pattern emerged for the Allo + PA to 5α-DHP ratio (β = -.165, p = .071), consistent with a PTSD-related block in production of Allo and PA at the enzyme 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. The ratio of Allo + PA to DHEA appeared to influence extinction retention only during the eFP when Allo + PA and DHEA levels are comparable and thus may compete for effects on GABAA receptor function. This study aligns with male rodent PTSD models linking experimental reductions in brain Allo levels to deficits in extinction retention and suggests that targeting PTSD-related deficits in GABAergic neurosteroid synthesis may be therapeutic.
OrcVIO: Object residual constrained Visual-Inertial Odometry

Introducing object-level semantic information into simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) system is critical. It not only improves the performance but also enables tasks specified in terms of meaningful objects. This work presents OrcVIO, for visual-inertial odometry tightly coupled with tracking and optimization over structured object models. OrcVIO differentiates through semantic feature and bounding-box reprojection errors to perform batch optimization over the pose and shape of objects. The estimated object states aid in real-time incremental optimization over the IMU-camera states. The ability of OrcVIO for accurate trajectory estimation and large-scale object-level mapping is evaluated using real data.
Racial Disparities in Incidence and Outcomes Among Patients With COVID-19

Importance Initial public health data show that Black race may be a risk factor for worse outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Objective To characterize the association of race with incidence and outcomes of COVID-19, while controlling for age, sex, socioeconomic status, and comorbidities. Design, setting, and participants This cross-sectional study included 2595 consecutive adults tested for COVID-19 from March 12 to March 31, 2020, at Froedtert Health and Medical College of Wisconsin (Milwaukee), the largest academic system in Wisconsin, with 879 inpatient beds (of which 128 are intensive care unit beds). Exposures Race (Black vs White, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Native American or Alaska Native, Asian, or unknown). Main outcomes and measures Main outcomes included COVID-19 positivity, hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, mechanical ventilation, and death. Additional independent variables measured and tested included socioeconomic status, sex, and comorbidities. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay was used to test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Results A total of 2595 patients were included. The mean (SD) age was 53.8 (17.5) years, 978 (37.7%) were men, and 785 (30.2%) were African American patients. Of the 369 patients (14.2%) who tested positive for COVID-19, 170 (46.1%) were men, 148 (40.1%) were aged 60 years or older, and 218 (59.1%) were African American individuals. Positive tests were associated with Black race (odds ratio [OR], 5.37; 95% CI, 3.94-7.29; P = .001), male sex (OR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.21-2.00; P = .001), and age 60 years or older (OR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.53-2.73; P = .001). Zip code of residence explained 79% of the overall variance in COVID-19 positivity in the cohort (ρ = 0.79; 95% CI, 0.58-0.91). Adjusting for zip code of residence, Black race (OR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.00-3.65; P = .04) and poverty (OR, 3.84; 95% CI, 1.20-12.30; P = .02) were associated with hospitalization. Poverty (OR, 3.58; 95% CI, 1.08-11.80; P = .04) but not Black race (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 0.75-3.07; P = .24) was associated with intensive care unit admission. Overall, 20 (17.2%) deaths associated with COVID-19 were reported. Shortness of breath at presentation (OR, 10.67; 95% CI, 1.52-25.54; P = .02), higher body mass index (OR per unit of body mass index, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.05-1.35; P = .006), and age 60 years or older (OR, 22.79; 95% CI, 3.38-53.81; P = .001) were associated with an increased likelihood of death. Conclusions and relevance In this cross-sectional study of adults tested for COVID-19 in a large midwestern academic health system, COVID-19 positivity was associated with Black race. Among patients with COVID-19, both race and poverty were associated with higher risk of hospitalization, but only poverty was associated with higher risk of intensive care unit admission. These findings can be helpful in targeting mitigation strategies for racial disparities in the incidence and outcomes of COVID-19.
Distribution System Voltage Prediction from Smart Inverters using Decentralized Regression.

As photovoltaic (PV) penetration continues to rise and smart inverter functionality continues to expand, smart inverters and other distributed energy resources (DERs) will play increasingly important roles in distribution system power management and security. In this paper, it is demonstrated that a constellation of smart inverters in a simulated distribution circuit can enable precise voltage predictions using an asynchronous and decentralized prediction algorithm. Using simulated data and a constellation of 15 inverters in a ring communication topology, the COLA algorithm is shown to accomplish the learning task required for voltage magnitude prediction with far less communication overhead than fully connected P2P learning protocols. Additionally, a dynamic stopping criterion is proposed that does not require a regularizer like the original COLA stopping criterion.
NUSAP1 Accelerates Osteosarcoma Cell Proliferation and Cell Cycle Progression via Upregulating CDC20 and Cyclin A2

Purpose Nucleolar and spindle-associated protein 1 (NUSAP1) is a significant mitotic regulator and has been found to be implicated in carcinogenesis of several cancers. The aim of this study was to explore the functional role and underlying mechanisms of NUSAP1 in osteosarcoma. Methods Western blot assay and Real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were employed to assess the expressions of NUSAP1, cell division cycle 20 homologue (CDC20) and cyclin A2 (CCNA2) in osteosarcoma cells. Cell proliferation was evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay, and flow cytometry was applied for exploring cell cycle. In addition, an osteosarcoma tumor-bearing mouse model was established by injection of transfected osteosarcoma cells. Tumor volume and protein expressions of Ki67 and PCNA were examined. Bioinformatics analysis and immunoprecipitation were used to identify the combination of NUSAP1 with CDC20 and CCNA2. Results The mRNA and protein expression of NUSAP1 were extremely upregulated in osteosarcoma cells. Overexpression of NUSAP1 promoted whereas NUSAP1 silencing suppressed cell proliferation and cell cycle progression in transfected osteosarcoma cells. In osteosarcoma mouse model, NUSAP1 expression affected tumor volume and levels of Ki67 and PCNA. Moreover, CDC20 or CCNA2 silencing inhibited NUSAP1-induced cell proliferation and cell cycle in osteosarcoma cells. Conclusion Our data demonstrated that upregulated NUSAP1 may exacerbate the development of osteosarcoma by accelerating the proliferation and cell cycle process of osteosarcoma cells by binding to CDC20 and CCNA2, suggesting NUSAP1 as a possible therapeutic target for treatment of osteosarcoma.
Standardized Treatment and Assessment Pathway Improves Mortality in Adults With Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia: STAPH Study

Background Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infection (BSI) management remains challenging for clinicians. Numerous in vitro studies report synergy when vancomycin (VAN) and daptomycin (DAP) are combined with beta-lactams (BLs), which has led to clinical implementation of these combinations. While shorter durations of bacteremia have often been reported, there has been no significant impact on mortality. Methods The Detroit Medical Center (DMC) developed and implemented a clinical pathway algorithm for MRSA BSI treatment in 2016 that included the early use of BL combination therapy with standard of care (VAN or DAP) and a mandatory Infectious Diseases consultation. This was a retrospective, quasi-experimental study at the DMC between 2013 and 2020. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the independent association between pathway implementation and 30-day mortality while adjusting for confounding variables. Results Overall, 813 adult patients treated for MRSA BSI were evaluated. Compared with prepathway (PRE) patients (n = 379), those treated postpathway (POST; n = 434) had a significant reduction in 30-day and 90-day mortality: 9.7% in POST vs 15.6% in PRE (P = .011) and 12.2% in POST vs 19.0% in PRE (P = .007), respectively.The incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) was higher in the PRE compared with the POST group: 9.6% vs 7.2% (P = .282), respectively. After adjusting for confounding variables including Infectious Diseases consult, POST was independently associated with a reduction in 30-day mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.608; 95% CI, 0.375-0.986). Conclusions Implementation of an MRSA BSI treatment pathway with early use of BL reduced mortality with no increased rate of AKI. Further prospective evaluation of this pathway approach is warranted.
Constrained Optimization Conditions

We turn now, in this final part of the book, to the study of optimization problems having constraints. We begin by studying in this chapter the necessary and sufficient conditions satisfied at solution points. These conditions, aside from their intrinsic value in characterizing solutions, define Lagrange multipliers and a certain Hessian matrix which, taken together, form the foundation for both the development and analysis of algorithms presented in subsequent chapters.
Local System Modeling Method for Resilience Assessment of Overhead Power Distribution System under Strong Winds

AbstractDuring extreme weather events, such as hurricanes or major winter snowstorms, power distribution systems, such as the overhead power distribution systems consisting of wood poles and power ...
A Pretext for Writing: Prologues, Epilogues, and the Notion of Paratext

Paratext is the liminal matter that forms the bridge between the context of a text and the text itself. It can be the prologue written by the author or the printer or the epilogue that neatly wraps everything up or throws us for a loop. It can be the table of contents, the index, or the chapter titles. It can be marginal notes written by the reader before us. It can even be the book review published in the local newspaper. What happens when we examine the paratext of two very different kinds of works: (1) a teaching edition of Spanish-language short stories and (2) prologues written by William Caxton, early English printer of works such as Le Morte Dearthur and the Canterbury Tales? The goal is both to explore the works of Caxton, especially, and also to remind readers of the importance of everything else surrounding what we generally consider the core text.
Separate de novo and salvage purine pools are involved in the biosynthesis of theobromine but not caffeine in leaves of Coffea arabica L.

In Coffea arabica leaves, the purine ring of theobromine (3,7-dimethylxanthine) and caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) is provided by de novo purine biosynthesis: (a) [14C]glycine, [14C]bicarbonate, and [14C]formate were incorporated into inosine 5[prime]- monophosphate (IMP), sum of adenine nucleotides ([sigma]Ade), theobromine, and caffeine; and (b) incorporation of [14C]formate into IMP, [sigma]Ade, theobromine, and caffeine was inhibited by azaserine, a known inhibitor of de novo purine biosynthesis. Capacity of coffee leaves to salvage added purines was demonstrated by incorporation of [14C]hypoxanthine into [sigma]Ade and the incorporation of [14C]adenosine, [14C]adenine, [14C]inosine, and [14C]hypoxanthine into both theobromine and caffeine. Consistent with synthesis of theobromine from two separate purine nucleotide pools, one synthesized de novo and one via salvage, added xanthine 5[prime]-monophosphate (XMP), inosine, or hypoxanthine failed to reduce the incorporation of [14C]formate into theobromine but diluted the specific radioactivity of [14C]adenosine and [14C]adenine incorporated into theobromine. Evidence that theobromine is not the immediate precursor of caffeine is provided: (a) [14C]xanthine was incorporated into caffeine but not into theobromine; (b) exogenous xanthine diluted the specific radioactivity of caffeine synthesized from [14C]adenine and [14C]hypoxanthine but caused accumulation of radiolabel in theobromine; (c) allopurinol, a known inhibitor of the conversion of hypoxanthine to xanthine, reduced incorporation of [14C]adenine and [14C]hypoxanthine into caffeine but caused accumulation of radiolabel in theobromine; and (d) incorporation of [14C]formate into caffeine, but not into theobromine, was reduced by added XMP, inosine, or hypoxanthine.
Development of Volumetric Computed Tomography Using Flat‐Panel X‐Ray Detector for Large Ceramic Components

As part of an effort to develop low-cost, nondestructive, non-contact methods to characterize large ceramic components, a 3-D X-ray tomographic imaging system was developed. An existing 320-kVp X-ray head was coupled to a large area, 40-cm by 40-cm, amorphous-silicon flat-panel detector as well as a precision motion control stage with new locally written software. The new flat-panel detector and software allow rapid data acquisition and high-resolution image reconstruction. Results to be presented include a discussion of the 3-D X-ray computed tomography system and detection capability for: a) internal cracking in large, >20 cm diameter gelcast Si 3 N 4 turbine rotors, b) delaminations in 33 cm diameter SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composite gas turbine combustor liners, and c) special features inside EBC-coated and uncoated SiC/SiC composites.
Comparing Item Nonresponse across Different Delivery Modes in General Population Surveys

In 2006, we began a multi-year effort to evaluate the possibility of transitioning from a regularly conducted telephone survey of general public satisfaction with Oregon transportation services to either a mail-only or Web-plus-mail mixedmode design. Two primary objectives were: 1) to identify ways to counter the trend toward lower telephone survey response rates and 2) to evaluate the impact of alternative designs on data quality. Three experiments were conducted for which unit response rates analyses have been reported elsewhere (Lesser and Newton, 2007; Lesser et al., 2011a; Lesser et al., 2011b). In this study, we consider whether switching from telephone to mail or a combination of mail and Web will have a deleterious effect on item nonresponse, as previous research has suggested (e.g., de Leeuw et al., 2003). Thus, our purpose is to examine overall item nonresponse rates for each of the individual modes and mode combinations. Implications for replacing telephone by these alternatives are also discussed.
HYDROCORTISONE AND/OR DESICCATED THYROID IN PHYSIOLOGIC DOSAGE. XII. EFFECT OF THYROID HORMONE EXCESSES ON URINARY SOLUTES AND STEROIDS.

Abstract The administration of a preparation of desiccated thyroid in 20 or 25 grain dosages to healthy adult male prisoners was associated with increases in the mean daily urine volume, mean daily creatinine clearance and, sporadically, with an appearance or accentuation of creatinuria. Urine calcium and phosphorus excretion also appeared to increase but the changes were not statistically significant. The origins of the trends to hypercalciuria and hyperphosphaturia cannot be identified because balance data are lacking, but presumably variables such as the increased intake of food and the loss of skeletal calcium and phosphorus which characterize thyrotoxicosis were operative. The tubular reabsorption of filtered phosphorus remained constant. The daily excretion of urinary Porter-Silber chromogens increased, while the 17-ketosteroids remained constant. The comparable responses to mepyrapone (Metopirone or SU 4885) prior to and during thyroid administration indicate that pituitary-adrenal responsiveness had not been altered by this therapy. The decrease in the urinary 17-ketosteroid and perhaps the compound S responses to exogenous ACTH in our studies indicates that the secretion, conversion, or excretion of these classes of steroids is altered by induced excesses of thyroid hormone. The urinary Porter-Silber chromogen response to exogenous ACTH was not altered. Urinary gonadotropins decreased during treatment with large dosages of thyroid hormone. Total and free hydroxyproline excretion in urine increased during administration of desiccated thyroid in large dosages.
4D Imaging and 4D Radiation Therapy: A New Era of Therapy Design and Delivery

Recently developed 4D CT imaging technologies have shown that significant organ motion can occur within radiotherapy fields during treatment. Most often a result of respiration, this motion can cause dose delivery errors that are clinically significant when unmanaged, as demonstrated in many recent investigations. Motion during the regular breathing cycling is important, but day-to-day breathing variations, as may be caused by changes in residual tidal volume, can cause systematic shifts in tumor position. These may cause delivery misalignments because the tumor is not in the same average location at each treatment. Approaches to management of this motion may involve motion-inclusive planning, gating or tracking. 4D CT has been instrumental in most of these approaches. Given the state of treatment planning software, it is not possible to preplan whether a specific patient would benefit from one or another of these methods. Daily imaging (or use of a nonimage-based system such as Calypso) is necessary to locate the tumor, and the location must be correlated with measurements from a system that tracks breathing motion during treatment delivery. This is typically done using an independent metric that characterizes the breathing cycle (e.g. the height of the abdomen). Only then can the treatment plan be accurately implemented. There are many methods to manage tumor motion, though most are challenging to implement and remain poorly supported by vendors. When determining which system to use, an important distinction between competing approaches is whether they are amplitude- or phase-based. Some implementations may use different approaches for different parts of the treatment planning and delivery process, potentially introducing errors in the characterization of breathing motion. While many advances have been achieved and are discussed here, the development of solid, stable and robust processes to effectively manage breathing motion remains a foremost and continuing challenge in radiotherapy.
The prospects for artificial intelligence

Robert Kendall Lindsay was educated at Carnegie-Mellon University (B.S. in physics, 1956) and Columbia University (M.A. in psychology, 1957), and received his Ph.D. from Carnegie-Mellon (administration, 1961). His doctoral work was under the direction of Herbert A. Simon and Allen Newell, in a program that subsequently evolved into the first computer science department in the country. His dissertation, ' Toward the development of Machines that Comprehend Natural Language' was the first heuristically based natural language understanding program. During graduate school , he was the recipient of a Eugene Higgins Fellowship (Columbia), Ford Foundation Fellowships (Carnegie-Mellon), and a Social Science Research Council Fellowship (Carnegie-Mellon). Later, he spent a year at Stanford University on a National Science Foundation Science Faculty Fellowship studying logic, computer science, mathematics and philosophy. Lindsay has held faculty appointments in psychology at The UmverSIty of Texas at AustIn and the University of Michigan. He has held visiting faculty appointments in computer science at Stanford University and the University of California at Irvine. He has lectured on artificial intelligence and heuristic programming at a number of places, including the University of Califorma at Los Angeles, a Nato Advanced Study Institute, and a RAND Corporation Summer Institute. He has held research positions at the IBM Corporation Research Center and the New York State Biomedical Research Center. He has been a research consultant to the RAND Corporation, System Development Corporation, General Electric Company, and Xerox Corporation. At present he is Research Scientist at the University of Michigan Mental Health Research Institute.