cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gaussian Processes and Reinforcement Learning for Identification and Control of an Autonomous Blimp

Blimps are a promising platform for aerial robotics and have been studied extensively for this purpose. Unlike other aerial vehicles, blimps are relatively safe and also possess the ability to loiter for long periods. These advantages, however, have been difficult to exploit because blimp dynamics are complex and inherently non-linear. The classical approach to system modeling represents the system as an ordinary differential equation (ODE) based on Newtonian principles. A more recent modeling approach is based on representing state transitions as a Gaussian process (GP). In this paper, we present a general technique for system identification that combines these two modeling approaches into a single formulation. This is done by training a Gaussian process on the residual between the non-linear model and ground truth training data. The result is a GP-enhanced model that provides an estimate of uncertainty in addition to giving better state predictions than either ODE or GP alone. We show how the GP-enhanced model can be used in conjunction with reinforcement learning to generate a blimp controller that is superior to those learned with ODE or GP models alone.
Relational quality and media use in interpersonal relationships

This study examines the relationship between relational quality and media use in relationships. In addition, the impacts of other potentially important variables such as the sex and relationship type of the participants and their partners are explored. College student participants focused on interaction experiences with an acquaintance, friend, romantic partner or family member. The results indicated that participant sex and partner sex did not affect reported media use, whereas relationship type had significant effects on the extent to which face-to-face and telephone communication were used. Relationships with acquaintances had the lowest relational quality and romantic relationships, while closer, were less satisfying than either family or friendship relationships. Same-sex relationships were perceived as more satisfying than cross-sex relationships. Finally, media use did not predict relational closeness or satisfaction.
Host habitat preference of Fopius arisanus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a parasitoid of tephritid fruit flies

Abstract The braconid parasitoid Fopius arisanus (Sonan) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a candidate for augmentative biological control of tephritid fruit flies. In the Puna district of Hawaii Island, F. arisanus parasitized 41–72% of oriental fruit flies, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), in wild common guava, Psidium guajava L.; strawberry guava, Psidium cattleianum Sabine; and tropical almond, Terminalia catappa L. In commercial papaya, Carica papaya L., in the same region, parasitism was only 22% in tree-collected fruit and 3% in ground-collected fruit. The low level of parasitism in papaya suggests that wild parasitoids may not track the host flies well in commercial fruit and that augmentative parasitoid releases could potentially increase parasitism and thus suppress host fly populations in this habitat. The very low parasitism in ground-collected papaya suggests that F. arisanus may avoid foraging on ground fruit. Field cage experiments support this hypothesis. Numbers of females observed on tree fruit ...
Reflectance calculations with a pocket computer

Abstract An inexpensive pocket computer was programmed to calculate target reflectances and related statistics from radiometer measurements. The use of a programmable pocket computer can ensure that reliable data have been collected while the measurement team is still in the field.
The Hebgen Lake, Montana, earthquake of August 18, 1959: P waves

ABSTRACT The instrumental epicenter of the Hebgen Lake earthquake is found to lie within the region of surface faulting. The depth of focus had a maximum value of 25 kilometers. Times of P are studied in detail for epicentral distances less than 13 degrees. The apparent scatter of arrival times from 700 to 1400 kilometers can be explained by variations of the velocity of P n between the physiographic provinces of the western United States. A comparison of observations for the Hebgen Lake earthquake with published times for blasts in Nevada and Utah indicates that the velocity of P n in the central and eastern Basin and Range is about 7.5 km/sec, and that the crust in that region thickens toward the east and thins toward the south. A comparison of apparent velocities in northern California, in directions parallel and transverse to the structure, indicates that the crust thins by about 19 kilometers, from the edge of the Sierra Nevada to the Pacific Ocean. A discontinuity is observed in the travel-time curve at a distance of 24–25 degrees. Arrivals of P waves in the range 65–128 degrees fall on two parallel travel-time branches; this multiplicity in the travel-time curve may be related to repeated motion at the source. Travel-times of PKIKP appear to deviate from published curves. The fault-plane solution for the Hebgen Lake earthquake, together with a consideration of the first motion at Bozeman, Montana, indicates a focal mechanism of the dipole, or fault, type. The strike and dip of the instrumental fault plane agree well with observed ruptures at the surface.
Cure of cryptococcal infection during continued immunosuppressive therapy

Cryptococcus neoformans is a significant pathogen in immunosuppressed patients. In renal transplant recipients receiving prednisone, the development of cryptococcosis is associated with a poor prognosis. When such patients develop cryptococcosis they pose a particularly difficult clinical dilemma since withdrawal of prednisone, to facilitate cure of their fungal infection, may predispose to loss of their transplanted kidney. We report our experience with cryptococcal infection in 13 renal transplant patients. In 11 of these patients maintenance immunosuppression was cautiously continued to preserve allograft function. The results of our study suggest that maintenance immunosuppressive therapy may be continued throughout the period of antifungal therapy and does not preclude eradication of the infecting organisms. Our experience indicates that the prognosis for the renal transplant patient who has cryptococcosis can be improved.
Classic Fair Use in Trademark: Confusion about Defenses

The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari in K.P. Permanent, Inc. v. Lasting Impressions, Inc. recognizing a split in the federal Courts of Appeals. The Ninth Circuit had held that the classic fair use defense to trademark infringement was available only if there was an absence of confusion resulting from an alleged infringer's descriptive use of a term used by another as a mark. By contrast, the Second Circuit has held that the fair use defense may permit a person to use another's mark descriptively despite evidence of confusion. Other circuits have taken intermediate positions. Commentators question whether fair use is truly a defense at all, or just a way to rebut the mark owner's evidence of consumer confusion. This article argues that the goals of trademark law are best served by recognizing that a fair use defense is applicable even if some confusion is likely. Mark owners' interest in the goodwill associated with their marks, consumers' interests in both freedom from confusion and information about market alternatives, and society's interest in a competitive market require a balancing test for fair use. This article emphasizes the weight to be given to the competitive benefit of access to trademarked terms by analogy to the policy of denying trademark protection to functional product designs. Accordingly, confusion is relevant to, but not dispositive of, the fair use defense. This article proposes a balancing test allowing reasonable access to an owner's mark for descriptive purposes. It explains how the balancing test works by identifying types of evidence useful in addressing the balancing test and illustrates its application by addressing the facts of KP Permanent. Other fair use tests in trademark law as well as copyright law support adoption of this approach.
"Binge" and continuous drinkers. Characteristics and treatment follow-up.

Of 179 men alcoholics at a V.A. hospital, 86 were “binge” drinkers, 93 “continuous” drinkers. Some health and social characteristics distinguished the two groups, but over half of each group showed...
Recursive Formulae for Monopoly Second Degree Price Discrimination in Terms of Adjustment Weights.

For a regular upward sloping marginal cost function, this paper derives all recursive formulae of interest in terms of adjustment weights for monopoly second degree price discrimination. The formulae ensure hundred percent recovery of the monopoly deadweight loss as monopoly increased operating profit and consumers’ surplus gain. At each sequential monopoly equilibrium block, the results of this paper enable it to see how far it is from target recovery of deadweight loss.
Two- and 3-Dimensional Sonographic Diagnosis of a Vesicorectal Fistula in Cloacal Dysgenesis Sequence

Here, we report a case in which the diagnosis of a vesicorectal fistula was made with both 2-dimensional (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) sonography. A review of the literature regarding the sonographic diagnosis of this anomaly found no previously reported cases in which such a discovery was made with sonography, leading to a working diagnosis of cloacal dysgenesis sequence (CDS), and confirmed on postmortem examination of the fetus.
Drugs, Bombs, and the Erosion of Rights

Book review of "The Rights of the People: How Our Search for Safety Invades our Liberties" by David K. Shipler
A High-Order Finite-Volume Method for Compressible Flows on Moving Tetrahedral Grids

Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) methods incorporate dynamic mesh motion in an attempt to combine the advantages of both Eulerian and Lagrangian kinematic descriptions. They are especially attractive for modelling compressible flows since their moving meshes are able to capture large distortions of the continuum without excessively smearing free surfaces or material/fluid interfaces. It is desirable to combine these ALE descriptions with high-order spatial and temporal discretizations because, for a given accuracy, high-order methods offer the potential to greatly reduce computational costs. However, the application of high-order methods to ALE is complicated by changing mesh geometry and certain stability requirements such as geometric conservation. In addition to these challenges, it is also difficult to obtain accurate high-order discretizations of conservation laws without any unphysical oscillations across discontinuities, especially on multi-dimensional unstructured meshes. One high-order method that was proved to be efficient and robust for static meshes is the central essentially non-oscillatory (CENO) finite-volume method. Here, the CENO approach was extended to an ALE formulation on tetrahedral meshes. The proposed unstructured method is vertex-based and uses a direct ALE approach that avoids the temporal splitting errors introduced by traditional “Lagrange-plus-remap” ALE methods. The new approach was applied to the conservation equations governing compressible flows and assessed in terms of accuracy and computational cost. For all problems considered, which included various idealized flows, CENO demonstrated excellent reliability and robustness. High-order accuracy was achieved in smooth regions and essentially non-oscillatory solutions were obtained near discontinuities. The high-order schemes were also more computationally efficient for high-accuracy solutions, i.e., they took less wall time to achieve a desired level of error than the lower-order schemes.
Problems and Artifacts on Extraction Replicas of Membrane Filters

For studies of particles suspended in air or water, material is commonly deposited onto membrane filters. Submicrometer particles collected in or on the surface of the filters can be prepared for analysis by TEM by extraction replica methods. To identify the problems and artifacts generated during the preparation process, evaluations were made of replicas prepared internally at NIST and prepared by laboratories involved in the analysis of air-collected asbestos. Problems or artifacts that could affect the counting and analysis of asbestos particles were identified and characterized. Results of evaluations of replicas prepared by eighteen laboratories in an interlaboratory study are summarized.
Association of ADH and ALDH Genetic Polymorphisms with Susceptibility to Coronary Artery Disease and Myocardial Infarction: A Meta-Analysis

Objective To evaluate the association of alcohol dehydrogenase(ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenases(ALDH) genetic polymorphisms with susceptibility to coronary artery disease(CAD) and myocardial infarction(MI).Methods A literature search of PubMed,Chinese BioMedical,Wanfang,VIP,CNKI databases was conducted,and the scope of search is from the establishment of database to February,2013.Crude relative risk(RR) with 95% confidence intervals(CI) was calculated.Results Twelve case-control studies were assessed,including 2 915 CAD patients,1 436 MI patients,and 6 749 healthy controls.Meta-analysis showed that mutant genotypes of ALDH2 rs671 polymorphism were associated with increased risk of both CAD and MI 〔CAD: RR = 1.20,95% CI(1.03,1.40),P = 0.021;MI: RR = 1.32,95% CI(1.11,1.57),P = 0.002〕.However,no significant associations were found between ADH genetic polymorphisms and CAD and MI risks 〔CAD: RR = 0.92,95% CI(0.73,1.15),P = 0.445;MI: RR = 0.93,95% CI(0.84,1.03),P = 0.148 〕.Subgroup analysis by country showed significant associations between mutant genotypes of ALDH2 rs671 polymorphism and increased risk of MI among Chinese and Korean populations 〔Chinese: RR = 1.42,95% CI(1.15,1.75),P = 0.001;Korean: RR = 1.40,95% CI(1.09,1.79),P = 0.009〕;but similar associations were not observed among Japanese populations.Conclusion This meta-analysis provides strong evidence that ALDH2 rs671 polymorphism may be associated with CAD and MI risks,especially among Chinese and Korean populations.However,further studies are needed to determine whether ADH genetic polymorphisms are associated with the susceptibility to MI and CAD.
Caffeine intakes of children from a biracial population: the Bogalusa Heart Study.

Abstract To investigate caffeine intake patterns in children, dietary intakes were examined for a biracial sample of 1,284 infants and children. Twenty-four-hour dietary recalls were completed by parents of children aged 6 months and repeated at ages 1, 2, 3, and 4 years; children 10 years old served as their own respondents and were surveyed at ages 13, 15, and 17 years. The sample was 60% white and 40% black. Additional cohorts of 10-year-olds (no.= 686) were studied for temporal trend. Whites consumed significantly more caffeine than blacks as early as 1 year and persisted at a higher intake level from 2 to 17 years. This trend continued whether intake was measured in total milligrams, milligrams per 1,000 kcal, or milligrams per kilogram body weight. Significant sex differences in caffeine intakes per 1,000 kcal occurred among 15- and 17-year-olds (girls>boys). Peak periods of consumption occurred at ages 2, _3, 13, and 17. Snacks contributed large quantities of caffeine, particularly for 10-year-olds. Most frequent sources of caffeine were regular carbonated beverages, chocolate-containing foods, and tea. Mean intakes of caffeine for 10-year-olds were consistent from 1973 to 1982. Those observations document caffeine intakes beginning early in life. J Am Diet Assoc 88:466, 1988.
Human papillomavirus-related mixed non-keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma of the palatine tonsil with small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma: Report of a case

Abstract Increased testing for human papillomavirus (HPV) in oropharyngeal carcinomas has broadened the range of HPV-associated malignancies identified at this site. While HPV-related oropharyngeal non-keratinizing squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) are known to have a better prognosis than their non-HPV counterparts, HPV positivity may not alter the aggressive nature of HPV-associated small cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (SCNEC). We report a unique case of a mixed non-keratinizing type HPV-associated tonsillar SCC with SCNEC differentiation, and provide a comparison with the rare reported cases of such mixed carcinomas in the literature. Our patient is only the second such case positive for HPV genotype 18 and the only case in which this HPV-related mixed tonsillar tumor occurred in a patient with small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia (SLL/CLL). The case discussion supports the concept that HPV positivity does not confer a better prognosis in such mixed non-keratinizing type SCC with SCNEC. Our report also alerts pathologists to the need to evaluate for the possibility of a coexisting neuroendocrine component when oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is diagnosed, as its presence will affect the patients’ clinical management and prognosis.
Effects of Zostera marina rhizosphere and leaf detritus on the concentration and distribution of pore-water sulfide in marine sediments

Abstract The relationship between seagrasses and pore-water hydrogen sulfide in the sediment is complex due to the opposing effects of the seagrass root system, which can reduce sulfide concentration by promoting its oxidation to sulfate, and the burial of organic matter from the plant itself, which can increase sulfide concentration by stimulating anaerobic sulfate reduction. Here, field samples of pore-water sulfide were collected in areas with and without Zostera marina shoots using Diffusive Gradients in Thin-Films (DGTs) to obtain two-dimensional visualizations of sulfide concentrations within the sediment in relation to location of eelgrass detritus and the rhizosphere. To decouple the effects of leaf detritus and the eelgrass rhizosphere on sulfide, manipulative laboratory studies were conducted over 4 weeks using 10 aquaria with or without eelgrass and different quantities of eelgrass detritus planted at 4 cm and 11 cm depths. Spatial distribution of pore-water sulfide was again measured via DGT. We found high spatial variation in pore-water sulfide concentration depending on the location analyzed relative to the rhizosphere or detritus. In the field study, pore-water sulfide concentration was greater in samples with eelgrass present, and the presence of leaf detritus accounted for higher than average sulfide concentrations in the sediment. In the laboratory experiment, sulfide concentrations localized around the leaf detritus increased with higher mass of added detritus, and sediment within the rhizosphere exhibited reduced sulfide concentrations. These results suggest that on the large scale the presence of eelgrass increases sulfide concentration, but on the smaller scale the pattern varies, with higher concentrations near buried detritus and lower concentrations near root tips.
Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis: A 15-year retrospective study at a single tertiary care center

Background Despite multiple therapeutic approaches for nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), no single treatment has convincingly shown consistent benefit. The most successful outcomes have been associated with recovery of renal function, although evidence remains limited and past studies have been inconclusive. Objective We sought to investigate whether improvement of renal function via successful transplantation or via return of renal function after acute kidney injury correlates with improvement of NSF, and to further characterize the clinical features and progression of NSF. Methods A retrospective medical chart review led to the identification of patients (n = 8) diagnosed with NSF who presented to a single academic tertiary referral center over a 15-year period. These 8 patients were contacted by phone to obtain information related to treatment and clinical course of their NSF and renal function. Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher's exact test. Results There is a significant correlation ( P = .0286) of improved renal function with improvement of NSF. All 4 patients who had improvement of renal function also had improvement of NSF. Two of these patients had end-stage renal disease and a successful kidney transplant, and two had acute kidney injury that resolved. No improvement in NSF was observed without kidney function resolution. Limitations Our study is limited by a small sample size (n = 8) and a retrospective study design, which increased its potential for selection and recall bias. Conclusion Improvement of renal function through either transplantation or resolution of acute kidney injury with medical management is significantly associated with improvement of NSF.
Measuring Mindfulness in Youth: Review of Current Assessments, Challenges, and Future Directions

Interest in mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for youth continues to grow across academic, clinical, educational, and community settings. Conclusions regarding the effects of mindfulness training with youth are tempered by methodological issues. One common limitation is the availability of reliable and valid ways to measure mindfulness. This review identifies existing youth mindfulness measures, discusses key challenges to measurement, and offers suggestions for improving assessment research. A search of electronic databases, consultation with colleagues, and data from professional meetings yielded seven self-report measures: (a) Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM); (b) Mindful Attention Awareness Scale for Adolescents (MAAS-A); (c) Mindful Attention Awareness Scale for Children (MAAS-C); (d) Comprehensive Inventory of Mindfulness Experiences-Adolescents (CHIME-A); (e) Mindful Thinking and Action Scale for Adolescents (MTASA); (f) Mindfulness Scale for Pre-Teens, Teens, and Adults (MSPTA); and (g) Mindfulness Inventory for Children and Adolescents (MICA). All seven assess trait mindfulness through self-report. We discuss methodological concerns regarding the near-exclusive use of self-report measures to assess youth mindfulness and offer suggestions for validating new measures and improving research studies that incorporate the assessment of mindfulness in youth.
DSC and TEM characterizations of thermal stability of an Al–Cu–Mg–Ag alloy

Assessment of long-term stability of an aluminium alloy exposed to elevated temperatures is important in the design of lightweight aerospace structures. The manner in which differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are used together in monitoring microstructural evolution, and thereby assess phase stabilities in an Al–5.1Cu–0.8 Mg–0.5 Ag–0.7 Mn–0.13 Zr (wt%) alloy, are described. DSC thermograms of the alloy, spanning room temperature to 400°C, revealed the presence of two endotherms and an exotherm. TEM investigation has identified these thermal events to be associated with Ω, S′, and θ′ precipitates. Quantitative TEM was used to measure diameter, thickness, number density, and volume fraction of the precipitates in the alloy exposed at 135°C for times as long as 3000 h. The quantitative TEM results are correlated with the DSC signatures relating to precipitation, dissolution, and coarsening reactions affecting the Ω, S′, and θ′ precipitates in the exposed alloy.
Correction: Large-scale sensor systems based on graphene electrolyte-gated field-effect transistors

Correction for ‘Large-scale sensor systems based on graphene electrolyte-gated field-effect transistors’ by Charles Mackin, et al., Analyst, 2016, 141, 2704–2711.
Markov State Models: From an Art to a Science

Markov state models (MSMs) are a powerful framework for analyzing dynamical systems, such as molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, that have gained widespread use over the past several decades. This perspective offers an overview of the MSM field to date, presented for a general audience as a timeline of key developments in the field. We sequentially address early studies that motivated the method, canonical papers that established the use of MSMs for MD analysis, and subsequent advances in software and analysis protocols. The derivation of a variational principle for MSMs in 2013 signified a turning point from expertise-driving MSM building to a systematic, objective protocol. The variational approach, combined with best practices for model selection and open-source software, enabled a wide range of MSM analysis for applications such as protein folding and allostery, ligand binding, and protein–protein association. To conclude, the current frontiers of methods development are highlighted, as well as excit...
Novel high-resolution computed tomography-based radiomic classifier for screen-identified pulmonary nodules in the National Lung Screening Trial.

Purpose Optimization of the clinical management of screen-detected lung nodules is needed to avoid unnecessary diagnostic interventions. Herein we demonstrate the potential value of a novel radiomics-based approach for the classification of screen-detected indeterminate nodules. Material and methods Independent quantitative variables assessing various radiologic nodule features such as sphericity, flatness, elongation, spiculation, lobulation and curvature were developed from the NLST dataset using 726 indeterminate nodules (all ≥ 7 mm, benign, n = 318 and malignant, n = 408). Multivariate analysis was performed using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method for variable selection and regularization in order to enhance the prediction accuracy and interpretability of the multivariate model. The bootstrapping method was then applied for the internal validation and the optimism-corrected AUC was reported for the final model. Results Eight of the originally considered 57 quantitative radiologic features were selected by LASSO multivariate modeling. These 8 features include variables capturing Location: vertical location (Offset carina centroid z), Size: volume estimate (Minimum enclosing brick), Shape: flatness, Density: texture analysis (Score Indicative of Lesion/Lung Aggression/Abnormality (SILA) texture), and surface characteristics: surface complexity (Maximum shape index and Average shape index), and estimates of surface curvature (Average positive mean curvature and Minimum mean curvature), all with P<0.01. The optimism-corrected AUC for these 8 features is 0.939. Conclusions Our novel radiomic LDCT-based approach for indeterminate screen-detected nodule characterization appears extremely promising however independent external validation is needed.
An Overview of Directions in Psychotherapy Integration Research

In general, empirical research in psychotherapy integration has lagged behind the growing theoretical and clinical interest in the field. Even though many of the theoretically integrative treatment models currently available are based on empirical findings and clinical observations, the models themselves remain, for the most part, untested. Rigorous examination of integrative psychological theories and therapeutic programs is a necessary and useful way to increase our understanding of the process of psychotherapy and establish the efficacy and effectiveness of integrative therapies. The present article explores five different research areas in the field of psychotherapy integration, discussing several published studies in each area. The utility of this research for practicing clinicians is also discussed. Additional investigations in these areas and others are encouraged, with the goals of greater understanding of psychotherapy, as well as the further development and acceptance of integrative approaches.
Detectability of Cooperative Zero-Dynamics Attack

This paper studies the detectability of cooperative zero-dynamics attacks, in the context of coupled harmonic oscillators. A defense strategy, which consists of a strategic topology switching and a strategic output observing, is proposed. The primary advantages of the defense strategy are threefold: (i) in achieving synchronization in the absence of attacks, it simplifies the control protocol to use the relative position measurements, while it has no constraint on the magnitude of coupling weights; (ii) in revealing cooperative zero-dynamics attack, it has no constraints on the number of observed outputs, while allowing the defender to have no knowledge of the attack-starting time and the oscillators under attack; (iii) it deprives the undetectable cooperative zero-dynamics attack’s ability of altering steady-state value and affecting system stability. Simulations are provided to verify the effectiveness of the defense strategy.
First-principles localized cluster expansion study of the kinetics of hydrogen diffusion in homogeneous and heterogeneous Fe-Cr alloys

Metal alloys have a wide range of technological applications, from structural materials to catalysts. In many situations, the transport of hydrogen, whether intentionally for hydrogen storage and fuel cell applications or unintentionally in the case of tritium uptake in nuclear materials, is an important concern. Fe-Cr binary alloys, in particular, may be viewed as a simple model system to represent ferritic steels used in nuclear energy systems and, more generally, as a model binary alloy for examining the role of alloying elements on transport. In this work, we used density functional theory, cluster expansion, and kinetic Monte Carlo to study hydrogen kinetics in Fe-Cr alloys. In random homogeneous alloys, we observed that hydrogen diffusivity first decreased with increasing Cr content and then increased to its levels in pure Cr. Furthermore, the effects of heterogeneity, as might be induced by irradiation, were explored and it was concluded that local structural heterogeneities for the same overall Cr concentration may significantly affect the hydrogen diffusivity. The effect was attributed to the relative binding energy of hydrogen in different metals and this understanding was then utilized to predict hydrogen transport behavior in different element-segregated grain/grain boundary combinations and thus identify solute/solvent alloys where hydrogen transport might be either hindered or enhanced. Finally, we comment on the potential impact of radiation-induced segregation on hydrogen behavior in nuclear energy systems.
Pearls & Oy-sters: Bismuth neurotoxicity from use of topical bismuth dressing for burns

Bismuth-containing ointment has been used for the dressing of wounds since World War I.1 A popular option for burns and skin grafts, bismuth iodoform paraffin paste (BIPP) is a sterile gauze impregnated with 2 active ingredients: bismuth subnitrate and iodoform.2 Because it does not get infected with chronic use in deep wounds, it is often left in situ for weeks.2 BIPP is also used in maxillofacial and neurologic surgeries, where case reports have noted a rare adverse effect of toxic encephalopathy.3 However, the literature on toxic encephalopathy caused by BIPP used for burn wounds is sparse.
Disability in the Industrial Revolution: physical impairment in British coalmining, 1780–1880

David Turner and Daniel Blackie’s fascinating study illuminates the worlds of men (and some women) who suffered lifelong disabilities in three major coal fields in Britain – north-east England, cen...
Myeloma's sound of silencing.

In this issue of Blood, Ren et al demonstrate that the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2)–associated protein PHF19 activates PRC2-induced histone 3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) to promote multiple myeloma cell growth and tumorigenesis.1 These findings provide new evidence for why myeloma cells are dependent on PRC2 and add support for therapeutic targeting of this epigenetic regulator in this disease.
The Social Construction of Emotions

This chapter describes how Rom Harre’s intellectual journey led him to play a role in changing how psychologists understand and study emotion. The edited volume he published in 1986, The Social Construction of Emotions, presented a compelling alternative to the predominant 1980s psychological conception of emotion as primitive and pan-cultural. Harre’s ethogenic approach, combined with his wide-ranging knowledge of current research across a spectrum of disciplines, allowed him to challenge that conception with a social constructionist alternative. After Harre’s move to Georgetown University in the late 1980’s, he continued working on emotion with me, and this chapter concludes by describing our collaboration and friendship.
Enterococcus faecalis Enhances Expression and Activity of the Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli Type III Secretion System.

ABSTRACT The gut microbiota can significantly impact invading pathogens and the disease they cause; however, many of the mechanisms that dictate commensal-pathogen interactions remain unclear. Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) is a potentially lethal human intestinal pathogen that uses microbiota-derived molecules as cues to efficiently regulate virulence factor expression. Here, we investigate the interaction between EHEC and Enterococcus faecalis, a common human gut commensal, and show that E. faecalis affects both expression and activity of the EHEC type III secretion system (T3SS) via two distinct mechanisms. First, in the presence of E. faecalis there is increased transcription of genes encoding the EHEC T3SS. This leads to increased effector translocation and ultimately greater numbers of pedestals formed on host cells. The same effect was observed with several strains of enterococci, suggesting that it is a general characteristic of this group. In a mechanism separate from E. faecalis-induced transcription of the T3SS, we report that an E. faecalis-secreted protease, GelE, cleaves a critical structural component of the EHEC T3SS, EspB. Our data suggest that this cleavage actually increases effector translocation by the T3SS, supporting a model where EspB proteolysis promotes maximum T3SS activity. Finally, we report that treatment of EHEC with E. faecalis-conditioned cell-free medium is insufficient to induce increased T3SS expression, suggesting that this effect relies on cell contact between E. faecalis and EHEC. This work demonstrates a complex interaction between a human commensal and pathogen that impacts both expression and function of a critical virulence factor. IMPORTANCE This work reveals a complex and multifaceted interaction between a human gut commensal, Enterococcus faecalis, and a pathogen, enterohemorrhagic E. coli. We demonstrate that E. faecalis enhances expression of the enterohemorrhagic E. coli type III secretion system and that this effect likely depends on cell contact between the commensal and the pathogen. Additionally, the GelE protease secreted by E. faecalis cleaves a critical structural component of the EHEC type III secretion system. In agreement with previous studies, we find that this cleavage actually increases effector protein delivery into host cells by the secretion system. This work demonstrates that commensal bacteria can significantly shape expression and activity of pathogen virulence factors, which may ultimately shape the progression of disease.
An Alternative Spirometric Measurement. Area under the Expiratory Flow-Volume Curve.

Rationale: Interpretation of spirometry is influenced by inherent limitations and by the normal or predicted reference values used. For example, traditional spirometric parameters such as “distal” ...
Acute cognitive deficits after traumatic brain injury predict Alzheimer’s disease-like degradation of the human default mode network

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are prominent neurological conditions whose neural and cognitive commonalities are poorly understood. The extent of TBI-related neurophysiological abnormalities has been hypothesized to reflect AD-like neurodegeneration because TBI can increase vulnerability to AD. However, it remains challenging to prognosticate AD risk partly because the functional relationship between acute post-traumatic sequelae and chronic AD-like degradation remains elusive. Here, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), network theory and machine learning (ML) are leveraged to study the extent to which geriatric mild TBI (mTBI) can lead to AD-like alteration of resting-state activity in the default mode network (DMN). This network is found to contain modules whose extent of AD-like, post-traumatic degradation can be accurately prognosticated based on the acute cognitive deficits of geriatric mTBI patients with cerebral microbleeds. Aside from establishing a predictive physiological association between geriatric mTBI, cognitive impairment and AD-like functional degradation, these findings advance the goal of acutely forecasting mTBI patients’ chronic deviations from normality along AD-like functional trajectories. The association of geriatric mTBI with AD-like changes in functional brain connectivity as early as ∼6 months post-injury carries substantial implications for public health because TBI has relatively high prevalence in the elderly.
The Financial Assets of Non-Financial Firms

We construct a novel panel dataset to provide new evidence on how the largest nonfinancial firms manage the composition of their financial assets. Over the past decade, bond portfolios have grown to be at least as large as cash-like instruments, driven by the meteoric rise of corporate bond holdings. To shed light on the drivers of this growth, we conduct two event studies around the 2017 tax reform and the 2020 liquidity crisis. Our evidence suggests large firms often actively manage their financial portfolios in a way that reflects tax incentives and reach for yield as opposed to financial constraints.
“Victory on Their Own Terms”: American Front-Page Framing of the USWNT Repeat World Cup Championship

The United States women’s national team (USWNT) successfully defended its 2015 FIFA World Cup title with a 2-0 victory over the Netherlands on July 7, 2019. With the win, the USWNT increased its to...
A community-based study of demographics, medical and psychiatric conditions, and gender dysphoria/incongruence treatment in transgender/gender diverse individuals.

Current understanding about health care in the gender diverse population is limited by the lack of community-based, longitudinal data, especially in the USA. We sought to characterize a community-based cohort of transgender individuals including demographics, gender identities, social characteristics, psychiatric and medical conditions, and medical therapy for gender dysphoria/incongruence. We performed a retrospective chart review of gender diverse residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, who sought gender-specific healthcare from January 1, 1974, through December 31, 2015, using an infrastructure that links medical records of Olmsted County residents from multiple institutions. The number of patients seeking gender-specific healthcare increased from 1 to 2 per 5-year interval during the 1970s–1990s to 41 from 2011 to 2015 (n = 82). Forty-nine (59.8%) were assigned male sex at birth (AMAB), 31 (37.8%) were assigned female (AFAB), and 2 (2.4%) were intersex. Gender identities evolved over time in 16.3% and 16.1% of patients AMAB and AFAB, respectively, and at most recent follow-up, 8.2% and 12.9% of patients AMAB and AFAB, respectively, were non-binary. Depression affected 78%, followed by anxiety (62.2%), personality disorder (22%), and post-traumatic stress disorder (14.6%). 58.5% experienced suicidal ideation, 22% attempted suicide, and 36.6% were victims of abuse. The most prevalent medical conditions and cardiovascular (CV) risk factors included obesity (42.7%), tobacco use (40.2%), fracture [34.1% (86.2% traumatic)], hypertension (25.6%), hyperlipidemia (25.6%), and hypertriglyceridemia (15.9%). 67.3% of patients AMAB used feminizing and 48.4% of patients AFAB used masculinizing hormone therapy. When compared to US CDC National Health Statistics, there was a significantly greater prevalence of depression and anxiety but no difference in the prevalence of obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, type 2 diabetes, or stroke. Transgender and gender diverse individuals represent a population who express various gender identities and are seeking gender-specific healthcare at increasing rates. Psychiatric illness is highly prevalent compared to the US population but there is no difference in the prevalence of CV risk factors including obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia.
Natural Resource Dependence and Rural American Economic Prosperity From 2000 to 2015

Research suggests dependence on natural resource development leads to decreases in per capita income, increases in inequality, and elevated poverty. Natural resource development generally takes two...
Do humans rationally discount biased signals? Evidence from the Crawford-Sobel Game

Abstract In this paper I re-examine data from Cai and Wang's (2006) laboratory simulation of the Crawford-Sobel “strategic information transmission” game. Cai and Wang focus on the amount of information that senders in the game transmit to receivers, and largely ignore any effects of the bias of the information. More specific, Cai and Wang (and nearly all other researchers of whom I am aware) do not examine what I call the no-policy-bias implication of the Crawford-Sobel game. This implication is that the final policy that receivers choose, in expectation, should equal the policy that they would have chosen had the senders sent no signal. That is, the receivers should rationally discount any bias in the signals, and the senders should not be able systematically to fool the receivers. However, contrary to the theory of the Crawford-Sobel game, in practice, all versions of the Cai-Wang experiment produced a policy bias. Further, the bias was systematic—it was always in the direction that the senders preferred. Elsewhere (Groseclose, 2011) I estimate the media lambda, a number between zero and one that expresses the degree to which a signal sender can fool a receiver. The results of the Cai-Wang experiment produce a media lambda of approximately .32.
People with Disabilities: Sidelined or Mainstreamed?

1. Introduction 2. Economic inclusion 3. A closer look at employment 4. Political inclusion 5. Social inclusion 6. Gender, race, ethnicity, and disability 7. Conclusion.
Formal Languages and Finite-State Machines

The study of finite-state machines began with the neural networks investigations of Warren S. McCulloch and Walter Pitts in 1943. Nowadays paradigms of finite-state constructs can be seen everywhere such as in turnstiles, traffic signal controllers, automated teller machines, automated telephone service, garage door openers, household appliances, and coin-operated machines. Finite-state machines significantly assist the study of formal languages as a machine can be designed (or a program developed) that determines if an input string over the alphabet {a,b} contains abba as a substring. This type of machine produces no output, but instead tells whether or not the input string has a certain property. Some machines, however, produce output values. For instance, adding two binary numbers requires the input of two numbers, and yields their sum as the output .Such a machine is finite-state automation. Since all finite-state automation must recognize particular languages, formal languages and types of grammars become important. The abstract models of computing machines with limited capabilities are deterministic finite-state automata (DFSA), finite-state machine (FSM) and nondeterministic finite-state automaton (NDFSA).
Alert communication primitives above TCP

We consider communication primitives that can be executed by an application process to exchange messages with another application process over a TCP/IP network. A communication primitive is called alert iff it satisfies two conditions. First, if during any execution of the primitive no failure occurs, then the execution completes successfully. Second, if during any execution of the primitive some failure occurs, then the execution is aborted and the process that initiated the execution is informed of the failure. Clearly alert communication primitives are useful in designing reliable distributed applications. We argue that the send primitive over TCP is alert, but the receive primitive over TCP is not. Then, we propose three new receive primitives over TCP and show that each of them is alert. We also discuss how to implement these three primitives and compare their performance.
Effects of Interaural Intensity Difference on the Processing of Interaural Time Difference in the Owl’s Nucleus Laminaris

Interaural time and intensity differences (ITD and IID) are processed independently in the owl’s auditory system. This paper examines whether this independence is established in nucleus laminaris (NL), the first site of ITD processing. A plot of discharge rate against time difference (ITD curve) is sinusoidal in NL. The ITDs that produce the peaks are called the most favorable ITDs, and those that produce the troughs are called the least favorable ITDs. IID had little effect on the discharge rates of laminaris neurons for the most and least favorable ITDs. The degree of peak–trough modulation changed slightly with variation in IID. In contrast, IID in tonal stimuli affected the temporal aspect of ITD curves depending on the difference between the stimulus frequency and the neuron’s best frequency (BF). For frequencies below BF, IID caused large and systematic shifts in ITD toward the ear in which the sound was louder, whereas for frequencies above BF, IID caused small shifts in ITD toward the opposite ear. IID had little effect on ITD curves taken with BF or broadband noise. These results can be largely accounted for by the effects of frequency and intensity on the timing of impulses at the level of the cochlear nuclei. Thus, the processing of ITD by NL neurons is independent of IID for behaviorally relevant stimuli, because the timing of impulses is insensitive to sound level when the signal is broadband.
PGC-1alpha at the crossroads of type 2 diabetes.

Muscle mitochondrial respiratory metabolism is reduced in aging and diabetes. Now, coordinated changes in expression of genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation have been found in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). Peroxisome proliferator activator protein-γ co-activator-1α (PGC-1α) seems to be in charge of this orchestrated change in gene expression.
Using list-mode data to compare scatter corrections in I-131 imaging

Gamma camera imaging of I-131 suffers from detection of Compton-scattered events. Many different methods of scatter correction have been proposed for lower-energy radionuclide (e.g., Tc-99m) imaging. Extension of these scatter corrections to I-131 imaging is not obvious and may not be simple, because a significant fraction of the detected scatter is due to gamma rays that have scattered in the camera-head. The authors acquired list-mode data (x, y and E) from a digital gamma camera and rebinned it in different ways to compare five different scatter-correction techniques: lower-window subtraction, upper-window subtraction, upper and lower window subtraction, linear dual photopeak, and nonlinear dual photopeak. A lower, Compton-window subtraction appears most stable, and perhaps best. >