cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Physicochemical Properties of Hazardous Energetic Compounds from Molecular Simulation.

A protocol is presented and used for the computation of physicochemical properties of nitroaromatic energetic compounds (ECs) using molecular simulation. Solvation and self-solvation free energies of ECs are computed using an expanded ensemble (EE) molecular dynamics method, with the TraPPE-UA/CHELPG and CGenFF/CHELPG force field models. Thermodynamic pathways relating Gibbs free energies and physicochemical properties are used to predict the room temperature vapor pressures, solubilities (in water and 1-octanol), Henry’s law constants, and partition coefficients (octanol–water, air–water, and air–octanol) for liquid, subcooled, and solid ECs from the molecular simulations. These predictions are compared to experimental data where available. It is found that the use of the TraPPE-UA model with CHELPG charges computed here leads to predictions of measured physicochemical properties of comparable accuracy to that of other theoretical and empirical models. However, the advantage of the method used here is th...
Universal Phenomenology of Symmetric Diblock Copolymers near the Order–Disorder Transition

We present a simulation study of how properties of symmetric diblock copolymers depend on the invariant degree of polymerization N, focusing on the vicinity of the order–disorder transition (ODT). Results from several coarse-grained simulation models are combined to cover a range of N ≃ 200–8000 that includes most of the experimentally relevant range. Results are presented for the free energy per chain, the value of χeN at the ODT, the latent heat of transition, the layer spacing, the composition profile, and compression modulus in the ordered phase. Universality (i.e., model independence) is demonstrated by showing that equivalent results for all properties are obtained from corresponding thermodynamic states of different simulation models. Corresponding states of symmetric copolymers are states with equal values of the parameters χeN and N, where χe is an effective Flory–Huggins interaction parameter and N is a degree of polymerization. The underlying universality becomes apparent, however, only if d...
Recent Developments in Geomicrobiology

The last decade has seen an extraordinary growth of Geomicrobiology. Microorganisms have been studied in numerous extreme environments on Earth,ranging from crystalline rocks from the deep subsurface,ancient sedimentary rocks and hypersaline lakes,to dry deserts and deep-ocean hydrothermal vent systems. In light of this recent progress,we review several currently active research frontiers:deep continental subsurface microbiology,microbial ecology in saline lakes,microbial formation of dolomite,geomicrobiology in dry deserts,fossil DNA and its use in recovery of paleoenvironmental conditions,and geomicrobiology of oceans. Throughout this article we emphasize geomicrobiological processes in these extreme environments.
Tests of Predictions of the Algebraic Cluster Model: the Triangular D 3h Symmetry of 12C

A new theoretical approach to clustering in the frame of the Algebraic Cluster Model (ACM) has been developed. It predicts rotation-vibration structure with rotational band of an oblate equilateral triangular symmetric spinning top with a D 3h symmetry characterized by the sequence of states: 0+, 2+, 3-, 4±, 5- with a degenerate 4+ and 4- (parity doublet) states. Our measured new 2+ 2 in 12C allows the first study of rotation-vibration structure in 12C. The newly measured 5- state and 4- states fit very well the predicted ground state rotational band structure with the predicted sequence of states: 0+, 2+, 3-, 4±, 5- with almost degenerate 4+ and 4- (parity doublet) states. Such a D 3h symmetry is characteristic of triatomic molecules, but it is observed in the ground state rotational band of 12C for the first time in a nucleus. We discuss predictions of the ACM of other rotation-vibration bands in 12 C such as the (0+) Hoyle band and the (1-) bending mode with prediction of ("missing 3- and 4-") states that may shed new light on clustering in 12C and light nuclei. In particular, the observation (or non observation) of the predicted ("missing") states in the Hoyle band will allow us to conclude the geometrical arrangement of the three alpha particles composing the Hoyle state at 7.6542 MeV in 12C. We discuss proposed research programs at the Darmstadt S-DALINAC and at the newly constructed ELI-NP facility near Bucharest to test the predictions of the ACM in isotopes of carbon.
An automated model based fault locating method for distribution systems

This paper proposes an Event Screening method in order to facilitate the automated locating of permanent faults on a distribution feeder. The screening is needed as during a permanent fault, the fault current maybe interrupted by multiple operations of protection devices (PDs), and therefore determining the proper fault current for the model based fault locating method (FLM) becomes challenging. The Event Screening Method analyzes the all the events captured by the fault monitoring device (usually a PQ monitor) and determines the proper fault information needed by FLM. Test results for the improved FLM with Event Screening integrated are provided using a real distribution feeder. The results show that the Event Screening Method is able to accurately predict the operating sequence of PDs during a fault and that the improved FLM can accurately locate the faulted zone.
Private Philanthropy in Financing Public Universities: Fundraising Stochastic Frontier and Efficiency Evaluations

This study provides stochastic frontier analyses of private philanthropy in financing public universities in the United States. Panel data estimates of private giving –fundraising production frontiers and inefficiency effects are provided for an aggregate of 353 universities and separately for research intensive, doctoral granting, and master level institutions over the 2006-09 academic years. Inefficiency effects are modelled as set of university specific covariates, including medical schools, hospitals, executive employment and a time trend to capture potential effects of the global financial crisis on university fundraising efficiency. Efficiency scores are estimated across university levels and indicate that mean efficiencies range from 53% to 27% for research compared to master level universities. Medical school presence represents a fundraising advantage. Faculty productivity is positive among research and doctoral universities. University executives produce efficiency improvements but only in doctoral granting universities. Some evidence of crowding out exists and suggests government funding reduces private philanthropy. The findings suggest recession induced declines in private giving may have been lessened as a result of university wide fundraising efficiency improvements. Although data improvements are needed, the paper is believed to be the first to offer the rigor of frontier analysis in evaluating fundraising production and efficiencies and should be of interest to university and public policy decision-makers.
The validity of DSM-5 severity specifiers for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder.

Objective The DSM-5 includes severity specifiers (i.e., mild, moderate, severe, extreme) for anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and binge-eating disorder (BED), which are determined by weight status (AN) and frequencies of binge-eating episodes (BED) or inappropriate compensatory behaviors (BN). Given limited data regarding the validity of eating disorder (ED) severity specifiers, this study examined the concurrent and predictive validity of severity specifiers in AN, BN, and BED. Method Adults with AN (n = 109), BN (n = 76), and BED (n = 216) were identified from previous datasets. Concurrent validity was assessed by measures of ED psychopathology, depression, anxiety, quality of life, and physical health. Predictive validity was assessed by ED symptoms at the end of the treatment in BN and BED. Results Severity categories did not differ in baseline validators, though the mild AN group evidenced greater ED symptoms compared to the severe group. In BN, greater severity was related to greater end of treatment binge-eating and compensatory behaviors, and lower likelihood of abstinence; however, in BED, greater severity was related to lower ED symptoms at the end of the treatment. Discussion Results demonstrated limited support for the validity of DSM-5 severity specifiers. Future research is warranted to explore additional validators and possible alternative indicators of severity in EDs.
Oncogenic Osteomalacia Secondary to a Metastatic Phosphaturic Mesenchymal Tumor in the Talus: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Case: We report the case of a 50-year-old woman with oncogenic osteomalacia secondary to a metastatic phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor (PMT) that presented, to our knowledge, with the first reported lesion in the talus. Conclusion: Oncogenic osteomalacia is a rare condition with a unique serum biochemical profile that requires a high index of suspicion for diagnosis. A PMT is a rare neoplasm that can lead to oncogenic osteomalacia through secretion of fibroblast growth factor 23. Symptoms can be debilitating, and diagnostic delays are extremely common. This case report emphasizes the importance of comprehensive anatomic assessment and the need for fastidious postoperative monitoring.
Effects of Training Level and Locus of N-R Transitions on Resistance to Discrimination

Four groups of 10 rats were trained on a successive brightness differential conditioning problem. Two groups received transitions from nonrewarded (N) trials to rewarded (R) trials (N-R transitions) within S+ and two groups received transitions from N in S− to R in S+ (S−S+ transitions). Half of the rats in each condition experienced those transitions from the outset of training; the remaining rats first learned the discrimination under conditions that precluded N-R or S−S+ transitions and subsequently those transitions were introduced. N-R transitions in S+ and S−S+ transitions experienced from the outset of training, and N-R transitions in S+ introduced after the discrimination had been learned, all had a like effect on discrimination and retarded discrimination compared with the late introduction of S−S+ transitions into the situation.
Tracking Vehicles Equipped with Dedicated Short-Range Communication at Traffic Intersections

In the near future, the traffic stream will contain both connected and autonomous vehicles with Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC) vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) capabilities. With these new technologies, it will become possible to optimize the performance of traffic intersections so that wasted time at red lights and carbon emissions are minimized. Sensors, such as Doppler radar and traffic cameras, can use the data received at Road-Side Units (RSUs) from DSRC-equipped vehicles to assist with tracking and classifying all of the traffic approaching an intersection. In order to fuse information between multiple sensors, each sensor at the traffic intersection needs to compute the uncertainty about its estimate of the state of every vehicle it is tracking. In this work, we evaluate different tracking filters for their ability to estimate the state of a vehicle approaching a traffic intersection based on GPS data received over DSRC. We ran experiments with a vehicle equipped with a Cohda Wireless Mk5 On-Board Unit (OBU) and a high-precision GPS sensor to generate ground-truth data. We present a comparison of the performance of a linear Kalman filter, extended Kalman filter, and particle filter configured with different kinematics models. The effects of measurement bias in the GPS data in DSRC messages is also explored; we observe that without any bias estimation, the performance of the track filters degrades significantly.
Engineering and the Postcolonial: Historical Perspectives and Ethical Practices

Can postcolonial methodologies help engineers function more effectively and ethically in a world made up of multiple modernities? This chapter uses the case of Indonesia to explore the ways that postcolonial memories of the past have shaped the interpretation of the significance of technology and engineering, and therefore technological values and identities of both engineers and the postcolonial publics. Furthermore, it asks whether postcolonial methodological interventions analogous to those used by social scientists and medical professionals to improve their own practices may aid engineers. Paying attention to deeper histories and questioning the practice and consequences of silencing are two ways that engineers can strengthen their ability to analyze technology- related conflicts, and to reflect on their relationships with broader publics.
Distinguishing Between the Facilitating and the Self-Serving Charismatic Group Leader

Winnicott informed us about the components of the facilitating environment. Kohut warned us to differentiate between the charismatic leader, who looks for enfeebled followers to further his own grandiose ambitions, and the idealizable leader whose actions are based on a sense of values. Findings from attachment theory and neurobiology indicate how specific developmental issues make for a perfect fit between the self-serving charismatic leader and those who have been deprived of attuned interactive regulation and secure attachment in early childhood. This article attempts to integrate the above ideas for application to group dynamics in therapeutic, supervisory, training, and institutional groups.
Diffusion Experiments in Soils and their Implications on Modeling Transport

The atmospheric emission rates of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from contaminated soils is of concern in many situations. Several examples of importance include gasoline contaminated soils, leaky underground storage tank soils, hazardous waste facility soils, and soils laden with volatile pesticides. It has been shown that VOC diffusive transport through unsaturated soils occurs almost exclusively in the gas phase (1–3) due to partitioning of the organic into the gas phase. This property was used to measure the effective diffusion coefficient, Deff, of benzene vapor through moist soil as a function of soil bulk density and also of soil moisture content (4).
“Neither Precisely National nor Precisely Federal”: Governmental and Administrative Authority in Tocqueville’s Democracy in America

Tocqueville’s insights on local politics in Democracy in America have led some scholars to ask where he fits into longstanding debates about the balance of power between the national government and state governments in American constitutionalism. Although Tocqueville’s observations speak to these questions, he also transcends them by developing the concepts of governmental and administrative (de)centralization. In differentiating governmental and administrative capacities, Tocqueville offers language by which to understand and evaluate the federal system in terms of the nature of the authority each level of government exercises, rather than simply by the objects of national, state, and municipal powers. The purpose of this article is to clarify Tocqueville’s understanding of governmental and administrative (de)centralization and thereby contribute to a better understanding of political authority in the American federal system.
Chapter 7 – Fluxes of Lactate Into, From, and Among Gap Junction-Coupled Astroglia and Their Interaction With Noradrenaline

Aerobic glycolysis is preferential upregulation of nonoxidative metabolism of glucose in the presence of adequate levels of oxygen. Aerobic glycolysis occurs during alerting, sensory stimulation, exercise, and pathophysiological conditions and involves increased lactate production and release. Lactate trafficking is mediated mainly by astrocytes; they take up lactate from extracellular fluid at higher rates and greater quantities than neurons. Astrocytes also disperse the lactate to other gap junction-coupled astrocytes to a much greater extent than shuttling lactate to nearby neurons. Astrocytic endfeet surround the vasculature and provide a route for discharge of lactate to the perivascular-lymphatic drainage system and to cerebral venous blood. Adrenergic regulation of aerobic glycolysis involves vagus nerve signaling to stimulate noradrenaline release from the locus coeruleus to brain. Noradrenaline influences many metabolic activities of astrocytes and gap junctional communication, and has a key role in governing the stoichiometry of glucose and oxygen consumption in activated brain.
UPC++ Programmer’s Guide, v1.0-2018.3.0

Author(s): Bachan, J; Baden, S; Bonachea, Dan; Hargrove, Paul H; Hofmeyr, S; Ibrahim, Khaled; Jacquelin, M; Kamil, A; van Straalen, B | Abstract: This document has been superseded by: UPC++ Programmer’s Guide, v1.0-2018.9.0 (LBNL-2001180) https://escholarship.org/uc/item/02r988n6 UPC++ is a C++11 library that provides Partitioned Global Address Space (PGAS) programming. It is designed for writing parallel programs that run efficiently and scale well on distributed-memory parallel computers. The PGAS model is single program, multiple-data (SPMD), with each separate thread of execution (referred to as a rank, a term borrowed from MPI) having access to local memory as it would in C++. However, PGAS also provides access to a global address space, which is allocated in shared segments that are distributed over the ranks. UPC++ provides numerous methods for accessing and using global memory. In UPC++, all operations that access remote memory are explicit, which encourages programmers to be aware of the cost of communication and data movement. Moreover, all remote-memory access operations are by default asynchronous, to enable programmers to write code that scales well even on hundreds of thousands of cores.
The Impact of Patient-Provider Race/Ethnicity Concordance on Provider Visits: Updated Evidence from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey

To examine the association between race/ethnicity concordance and in-person provider visits following the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Using 2014–2015 data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, we examine whether having a provider of the same race or ethnicity (“race/ethnicity concordance”) affects the probability that an individual will visit a provider. Multivariate probit models are estimated to adjust for demographic, socioeconomic, and health factors. Race/ethnicity concordance significantly increases the likelihood of seeking preventative care for Hispanic, African-American, and Asian patients relative to White patients (coef = 1.46, P < 0.001; coef = 0.71, P = 0.09; coef = 1.70, P < 0.001, respectively). Race/ethnicity concordance also increases the likelihood that Hispanic and Asian patients visit their provider for new health problems (coef = 2.14, P < 0.001 and coef = 1.49, P < 0.05, respectively). We find that race/ethnicity concordance is also associated with an increase in the likelihood that Hispanic and Asian patients continue to visit their provider for ongoing medical problems (Hispanic coef = 1.06, P < 0.001; Asian coef = 1.24, P < 0.05). There is an association between race/ethnicity concordance and the likelihood of patients visiting their provider. Our results demonstrate that racial disparities in health care utilization may be partially explained by race/ethnicity concordance.
Responsiveness to Change Over Time: An Examination of the Neuro-QoL Social Function Measures in Persons with Huntington's Disease.

BACKGROUND Social health is an important concern in persons with Huntington's disease (HD); however, there is little literature examining this construct in this population. OBJECTIVE While cross-sectional data supports the clinical utility of two Neuro-QoL social health measures in persons with HD, data is still needed to establish their longitudinal validity. METHODS Participants (N = 358) completed baseline and at least one follow-up (12- and 24-month) assessment that included the completion of Neuro-QoL Social Health computer adaptive tests (CATs) and short forms (for Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities [SRA] and Satisfaction with SRA). Test-retest reliability was examined using intra class correlations, and one-way ANOVAs with Bonferroni post-hoc contrasts were used to determine whether there were group differences among premanifest, early- and late-stage HD participants on the Social health measures. In addition, standardized response means were used to examine longitudinal responsiveness, and mixed or general linear models were used to examine change over time (relative to self-reported change on an associated anchor item about social health and clinician-rated change based on Total Functional Capacity scores from the UHDRS). RESULTS Test-retest reliability of the measures was excellent (ICCs ranged from 0.82 to 0.87 across the different measures) and persons with greater disease burden reported more problems with social health than those at earlier stages in the disease process (all p < 0.0001). Responsiveness was supported for all measures except the Ability to Participate in SRA CAT; participants who had self-reported or clinician-rated declines in health generally had 12- and 24-month declines on the Neuro-QoL measures. CONCLUSIONS Findings indicate that these measures may be useful for studies attempting to assess change in social health over time.
The mercapturic acid pathway

The mercapturic acid pathway is a major route for the biotransformation of xenobiotic and endobiotic electrophilic compounds and their metabolites. Mercapturic acids (N-acetyl-l-cysteine S-conjugates) are formed by the sequential action of the glutathione transferases, γ-glutamyltransferases, dipeptidases, and cysteine S-conjugate N-acetyltransferase to yield glutathione S-conjugates, l-cysteinylglycine S-conjugates, l-cysteine S-conjugates, and mercapturic acids; these metabolites constitute a "mercapturomic" profile. Aminoacylases catalyze the hydrolysis of mercapturic acids to form cysteine S-conjugates. Several renal transport systems facilitate the urinary elimination of mercapturic acids; urinary mercapturic acids may serve as biomarkers for exposure to chemicals. Although mercapturic acid formation and elimination is a detoxication reaction, l-cysteine S-conjugates may undergo bioactivation by cysteine S-conjugate β-lyase. Moreover, some l-cysteine S-conjugates, particularly l-cysteinyl-leukotrienes, exert significant pathophysiological effects. Finally, some enzymes of the mercapturic acid pathway are described as the so-called "moonlighting proteins," catalytic proteins that exert multiple biochemical or biophysical functions apart from catalysis.
Coherent GNSS Reflection Signal Processing for High-Precision and High-Resolution Spaceborne Applications

This article presents an adaptive hybrid-tracking (AHT) algorithm designed to process GNSS-R signals with a sufficient coherent component. Coherent GNSS-R signals have the potential to enable high-precision and high-resolution carrier-phase measurements for altimetry, sea-level monitoring, soil-moisture monitoring, flood mapping, snow–water equivalent measurements, and so on. The AHT algorithm incorporates the model inputs typically used in the master–slave open-loop (MS-OL) architecture into a closed-phase lock loop. Raw IF data recorded by the CYGNSS satellites over in-land water, land, and open-ocean surface are used to demonstrate the performance of the AHT. The results show that the AHT algorithm achieves comparable robustness with the MS-OL implementation while maintaining centimeter-level accuracy and excellent carrier-phase continuity that can be achieved with a fine-tuned Kalman filter (KF)-based adaptive closed-loop (ACL) system. Moreover, the AHT is suitable for real-time implementation and is applicable to other radio signals-of-opportunity.
Paper Terrorism and Other Tactics

Chapter four discusses paper terrorism, the term used to describe a common set of tactics used by sovereign citizens to retaliate against their perceived enemies. These tactics include the targeted harassment of public officials through the use of false liens, and other financially-oriented tactics, despite having no legal basis for doing so. A description of common schemes is presented below.
SDDP.jl: A Julia Package for Stochastic Dual Dynamic Programming

We present SDDP.jl, an open-source library for solving multistage stochastic programming problems using the stochastic dual dynamic programming algorithm. SDDP.jl is built on JuMP, an algebraic mod...
Laxative Use and Change in Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate in Patients With Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease.

Objectives Constipation is highly prevalent in advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), due in part to dietary (e.g., fiber) restrictions, and is often managed by laxatives; however, the effect of laxative use on kidney function in advanced CKD remains unclear. We aimed to examine the association of laxative use with longitudinal change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in patients with advanced CKD. Design and Methods In a retrospective cohort of 43,622 US veterans transitioning to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) from 2007 to 2015, we estimated changes in eGFR (slope) by linear mixed-effects models using ≥2 available outpatient eGFR measurements during the 2-year period before transition to ESRD. The association of laxative use with change in eGFR was examined by testing the interaction of time-varying laxative use with time for eGFR slope in the mixed-effects models with adjustment for fixed and time-varying confounders. Results Laxatives were prescribed in 49.8% of patients during the last 2-year pre-ESRD period. In the crude model, time-varying laxative use was modestly associated with more progressive eGFR decline compared with non-use of laxatives (median [interquartile interval] −7.1 [−11.9, −4.3] vs. −6.8 [−11.6, −4.0] mL/min/1.73 m2/year, P Conclusions There was a clinically negligible association of laxative use with change in eGFR during the last 2-year pre-ESRD period, suggesting the renal safety profile of laxatives in advanced CKD patients.
E-cigarette or Vaping-Associated Acute Lung Injury and Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis

In this report, we describe the case of a 17-year-old boy with progressive respiratory failure requiring extracorporeal support who met clinical criteria for a presumptive diagnosis of electronic cigarette or vaping-associated acute lung injury (EVALI), with clinical, pathologic, and laboratory evidence of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and macrophage activation syndrome (MAS). The patient in our report had a history of tetrahydrocannabinol and nicotine electronic cigarette use for months leading up to his presentation of fever, headache, emesis, and weight loss with respiratory distress. Multiple potential diagnoses were explored, and the patient’s respiratory status improved, and he was initially discharged from the hospital. Roughly one week later, the patient was readmitted for worsening respiratory distress. The patient then met sufficient criteria for a potential diagnosis of HLH and MAS (elevated ferritin level, inflammatory markers, and cytopenia) to warrant a bone marrow aspirate, which revealed rare hemophagocytic cells. Given the severity of his symptoms and laboratory evidence of HLH and MAS, the patient was started on a course of steroids and anakinra. Although laboratory markers improved after treatment, the patient’s respiratory failure worsened, ultimately progressing to a need for mechanical ventilation and extracorporeal support and leading to worsening multiorgan system failure and, ultimately, death. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a patient with a presumptive diagnosis of EVALI with evidence of HLH and MAS, raising the possibility that macrophage activation may play a role in the pathogenesis of EVALI.
Feed intake as an estimation of attractability in Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

Abstract A simple bioassay that quantifies feed intake as an estimation of relative attractability of feeds containing different ingredients in the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei is described. Fish meal (FM), fish protein hydrolysate (FPH), squid meal (SqM) and casein (CN) were assessed at the same dietary level for their relative influence on feed intake rates of Litopenaeus vannamei. A bland diet containing 92% whole wheat grain meal, 6% diatomaceous earth and 2% alginate with a known low attractability was used as the standard control or base diet. Ingredients were added to the bland base control diet at a level of 3% as fed. Shrimp were stocked into 80 L glass tanks (n = 20 per tank) in a recirculating aquaculture system. Tanks were randomly assigned to one of five diet treatments (3 tanks/treatment). Experiments measuring the attractability of each feed were conducted twice daily at 0900 h and 1330 h over a five day period. For each experiment, 40 feed pellets (ca. 1 g) corresponding to the assigned treatment were provided to each tank. To calculate the rate of feed intake, pellets remaining in each tank were counted at six minute intervals for a seventy-two minute period. Differences in rate of feed intake among diets were evaluated using Cox Regression Analysis. This attractability assay required only small amounts of ingredients and incorporated ingredients into a bland feed, which significantly reduces the influence from other ingredients or compound in the pellets. All of the test protein ingredients, especially SqM, in the feeds significantly increased the feed intake rate. The diet containing SqM was consumed at a significantly higher rate than those containing casein and FM but not FPH. FPH and CN containing diets were not significantly different but consumed at a higher rate than the diet containing FM. Results of these trials indicate that the presence of certain ingredients can increase feed intake, thereby increasing nutrient availability of the diets. This reported method to determine feed intake of diets containing certain ingredients may be considered as a valid method to estimate attractability for shrimp in culture.
Association Between African American Race and Clinical Outcomes in Men Treated for Low-Risk Prostate Cancer With Active Surveillance.

Importance There is concern that African American men with low-risk prostate cancer may harbor more aggressive disease than non-Hispanic White men. Therefore, it is unclear whether active surveillance is a safe option for African American men. Objective To compare clinical outcomes of African American and non-Hispanic White men with low-risk prostate cancer managed with active surveillance. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective cohort study in the US Veterans Health Administration Health Care System of African American and non-Hispanic White men diagnosed with low-risk prostate cancer between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2015, and managed with active surveillance. The date of final follow-up was March 31, 2020. Exposures Active surveillance was defined as no definitive treatment within the first year of diagnosis and at least 1 additional surveillance biopsy. Main Outcomes and Measures Progression to at least intermediate-risk, definitive treatment, metastasis, prostate cancer–specific mortality, and all-cause mortality. Results The cohort included 8726 men, including 2280 African American men (26.1%) (median age, 63.2 years) and 6446 non-Hispanic White men (73.9%) (median age, 65.5 years), and the median follow-up was 7.6 years (interquartile range, 5.7-9.9; range, 0.2-19.2). Among African American men and non-Hispanic White men, respectively, the 10-year cumulative incidence of disease progression was 59.9% vs 48.3% (difference, 11.6% [95% CI, 9.2% to 13.9%);P Conclusions and Relevance In this retrospective cohort study of men with low-risk prostate cancer followed up for a median of 7.6 years, African American men, compared with non-Hispanic White men, had a statistically significant increased 10-year cumulative incidence of disease progression and definitive treatment, but not metastasis or prostate cancer–specific mortality. Longer-term follow-up is needed to better assess the mortality risk.
Current and emergent analytical methods for monitoring the behavior of agricultural functional nanoparticles in relevant matrices: a review

Rapid expansion of ideas using engineered nanoparticles to achieve various agriculture-relevant functions (agri-NPs) over the past decade, has been revamping the available tools for studying these NPs in soil, plants, and irrigation-outflow (agri-matrices). The development of high-throughput analytical tools is imperative for defining the future scale of agri-NP applications. Here we summarized the available methods for studying the behavior and ecotoxicity of agri-NPs in relevant matrices, aiming to provide a comprehensive coverage of the latest progress in this field and to identify future-research urgencies. To render the readers with a general background of agri-NPs, we first introduced agri-NPs’ various designated functions, materials, targets, and efficacy/environmental uncertainties. For future work, we propose to prioritize upgrading of existing in-situ tools for more diverse analytical capabilities, further development of higher-throughput screening methods that may enable automated data collection/analysis, development of more non-target analytical protocols, and extending the latest methods in biomedical-NP detection/quantification to study agri-NPs in plants.
Sensation and Perception: Second Functional Unit Revisited

The following sections explore the processes and pathways involved in the reception and comprehension of sensory information from our environmental surroundings eventually culminating in our perceptions, feelings, and emotional associations for these events. For each sensory modality, this process requires the conversion of physical energies from our world into neural energy and eventually the activation of specific functional cerebral systems for their comprehension, storage within memory, and operational or intentional activity derived and expressed in response to these events. The sense organs are not isolated and passive receptacles of energy information. Instead, the sensory systems originating with the receptor have been found to actively probe and to search the personal and the extrapersonal spaces to update the internal representations of the world and the contents of emotional and cognitive schema. This process involves interactions among the three principle functional units of the brain.
Bearing Design in Machinery: Engineering Tribology and Lubrication

Classification and Selection of Bearings Lubricant Viscosity Fundamental Properties of Lubricants Principles of Hydrodynamic Lubrication Basic Hydrodynamic Equations Long Hydrodynamic Journal Bearing Short Journal Bearings Design Charts for Finite-Length Journal Bearings Practical Applications of Journal Bearings Hydrostatic Bearings Bearing Materials Rolling Element Bearings Selection and Design of Rolling Bearings Testing of Friction and Wear Hydrodynamic Bearings Under Dynamic Conditions Friction Characteristics Modeling Dynamic Friction Case Study: Composite Bearing-Rolling Element and Fluid Film in Series Non-Newtonian Viscoelastic Effects Orthopedic Joint Implants Appendix A: Units and Definitions of Material Properties Appendix B: Numerical Integration Bibliography Index
The Life and Death of Discourse Entities: Identifying Singleton Mentions

A discourse typically involves numerous entities, but few are mentioned more than once. Distinguishing discourse entities that die out after just one mention (singletons) from those that lead longer lives (coreferent) would benefit NLP applications such as coreference resolution, protagonist identification, topic modeling, and discourse coherence. We build a logistic regression model for predicting the singleton/coreferent distinction, drawing on linguistic insights about how discourse entity lifespans are affected by syntactic and semantic features. The model is effective in its own right (78% accuracy), and incorporating it into a state-of-the-art coreference resolution system yields a significant improvement.
Study of the anisotropic frictional and deformation behavior of surfaces textured with silver nanorods

Abstract In this study, we investigated the anisotropic frictional and deformation behavior of a nanostructured thin film (NSTF) consisting of silver (Ag) nanorods tilted at an average angle of 65° to the surface normal and compared to that of a continuous thin film of Ag. The NSTF demonstrated significant frictional anisotropy with the coefficient of friction (COF) being ~45% higher against the tilt direction than that of along the tilt direction. Furthermore, the NSTF sample exhibited lower COF than the continuous thin film at low applied normal load and higher COF at higher normal loads. In addition, the deformation of the nanorods increased with increasing normal loads and is shown to be also dependent on the direction of the scratch.
Estimating Human Oral Fraction Dose Absorbed: A Correlation Using Rat Intestinal Membrane Permeability for Passive and Carrier-Mediated Compounds

Based on a simple tube model for drug absorption, the key parameters controlling drug absorption are shown to be the dimensionless effective permeability, P eff *, and the Graetz number, Gz, when metabolism or solubility/dissolution is not rate controlling. Estimating the Graetz number in humans and assuming that P aq * is not rate controlling gives the following equation for fraction dose absorbed: F = 1− e −2 P*w. The correlation between fraction dose absorbed in humans and P w * determined from steady-state perfused rat intestinal segments gives an excellent correlation. It is of particular significance that the correlation includes drugs that are absorbed by passive and carrier-mediated processes. This indicates that P w * is one of the key variables controlling oral drug absorption and that the correlation may be useful for estimating oral drug absorption in humans regardless of the mechanism of absorption.
CD8+ IL-17-Producing T Cells Are Important in Effector Functions for the Elicitation of Contact Hypersensitivity Responses

Allergen-induced contact hypersensitivity (CHS) is a T cell-mediated delayed-type immune response which has been considered to be primarily mediated by CD8+ T cytotoxic type I (Tc1) cells. IFN-gamma, the prototype Tc1 (Th1) cytokine, has been implicated as the primary inflammatory cytokine for CHS. In this study, we demonstrate that neutralization of IL-17 rather than IFN-gamma suppresses the elicitation of CHS. The suppression does not result from inhibition of the proliferation of allergen-activated T cells. Allergen sensitization induces the development of distinct CD8+ T cell subpopulations that produce IFN-gamma or IL-17. Although CD8+ IL-17-producing cells are stimulated by IL-23, they are inhibited by IL-12, a prototypical stimulator of IFN-gamma-producing Tc1 cells. This indicates that CD8+ IL-17-producing cells are distinct from Tc1 cells and are important in effector functions at the elicitation of CHS. These studies provide insights into a novel mechanism for CHS.
Iris colour and relationship of tyrosinase activity to adrenergic innervation

IRIS colour to some degree depends on the sympathetic innervation of the eye. Chance clinical observations of humans and experimental studies in animals have demonstrated consistently a gradual lessening of colour intensity in the iris after interruption of the sympathetic pathways to the eye1,2. Similarly, full iris pigmentation fails to develop when the sympathetic innervation to the eye is absent from birth3. Interest in the relationship of sympathetic innervation to iris colour has increased with reports of direct adrenergic innervation to iris stromal melanocytes4–6. For mammals this is extraordinary in that most melanocytes, for example those of the skin, have no innervation. We have investigated this relationship using tyrosinase activity as an index of melanin synthesis since melanin is the chief pigment of the iris and tyrosinase is the rate-limiting enzyme in the production of melanin7. In turn, iris tyrosinase activity was measured in normal rabbits and in rabbits in which the sympathetic pathways to the eye have been interrupted.
The response of the flicker fusion threshold to nitroglycerin and its potential value in the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy of subclinical and clinical cardiovascular disease.

Flicker fusion threshold (F.F.T.) means the frequency with which successive flashes of light must occur to just appear to the eye free from flicker. A simple portable machine is described which will deliver flashes of light at any required interval. Patients with hypertension or anemia have a lower than normal F.F.T.; furthermore, administration of nitroglycerin, 0.4 mg. sublingually, or papaverine, intravenously, raises the threshold in patients with hypertension and coronary disease and lowers it in normal individuals. It is suggested that this test may be of use in the diagnosis of equivocal cases and for the evaluation of therapeutic measures.
Influence of physician communication on newly diagnosed breast patients' psychologic adjustment and decision-making

Background. Physician-patient communication is of critical importance when a breast cancer diagnosis is made, because the emotionally overwhelmed patient must be educated about her disease and available treatments so she can participate in decisions about her care. A research study addressed the hypothesis that patients whose surgeons used psychotherapeutic techniques during the cancer diagnostic interview would have better psychologic adjustment to their cancer. Methods. One hundred women surveyed 6 months after surgery completed the Cancer Diagnostic Interview Scale (CDIS) and the SCL-90-R, a measure of psychologic well being. Results. Factor analysis of the CDIS revealed that the physician's caring attitude was perceived by the women as most important, with information-giving as a much weaker component. Multiple regression analysis supported the hypothesis that psychologic adjustment was predicted by physician behavior during the cancer diagnostic interview. Other significant predictors of adjustment were a history of psychiatric problems and premorbid life stressors. Conclusions. Provision of information needed for decision-making appears to be valued largely within the context of a caring physician-patient relationship. Specific surgeons' behaviors believed to facilitate patient adjustment include expressing empathy, allowing sufficient time for patients to absorb the cancer diagnosis, providing information, and engaging the patient in treatment decision-making.
The metaphysics of the calculus: A foundational debate in the Paris Academy of Sciences, 1700–1706

Abstract The differential calculus faced a strong opposition within the Academy of Sciences of Paris at the very beginning of the 18th century. The opposition came from a group of mathematicians who criticized the new analysis both for what they considered to be its lack of rigor and for the results that it produced. A bitter debate raged for about 6 years until the proponents of the new calculus prevailed.
Mutagenesis of ΦX174 am3 cs70 incorporated into the genome of mouse L-cells

Abstract The objective of our work with φX174 has been to develop a shuttle vector that can be used comparatively in bacterial cells, different types of mammalian cells, and possibly in the various tissues of transfenic mice, with a constant mechanism for detection and analysis of mutations independent of any host-cell type. Toward that end, we have efficiently rescued ΦX174 am3 cs70 that is host-silent and stably integrated into the genome of mouse L-cells. The particular mouse L-cell line contains tandem arrays, single copies, and fragments of ΦX that, upon restriction enzyme excision, can result in 5 potentially active copies per diploid genome. The excised ΦX DNA is recovered by column chromatography, ligated, and transfected into higly competent spheroplasts. The Rescue Efficiency, defined as the number of viable phages produced out of the total number of potentially recoverable copies, is approx. 10−3. The Recovery Ratio, defined as the Rescue Efficiency for chromosomally-integrated phage DNA divided by the Rescue Efficiency for ΦX am3 cs70, is close to one. Mouse L-cels containing the integrated ΦX174 am3 cs70 were treated with 20 mM ethyl methanesulfonate. The reversion frequency of am3 among progeny phages rescued from treated cells was 1.4 × 10−5 (193 revertants in 1.4 × 107 phages). This is significantly higher than the 5.8 × 10−7 reversion frequency of am3 (7 revertants in 1.2 × 10−7 phages) among progeny phages rescued from untreated cells.
A New and Efficient Poisson-Boltzmann Solver for Interaction of Multiple Proteins

We derive a new numerical approach to solving the linearized Poisson Boltzmann equation (PBE) by representing the protein surface as a collection of spheres in which the surface charges can then be iteratively solved by new analytical multipole methods previously introduced by us [Lotan & Head-Gordon, 2006]. We show that our Poisson Boltzmann semi-analytical method, PB-SAM, realizes better accuracy, more flexible memory management, and at reduced cost relative to either finite difference or boundary element method PBE solvers. We provide two new benchmarks of PBE solution accuracy to test the numerical PBE solutions based on (1) arrays of up to hundreds of spherical low dielectric geometries with asymmetric charges in which mutual polarization is treated exactly, and (2) two overlapping spheres with increasing charge asymmetry by solving the PB-SAM method to very high pole order. We illustrate the strength of the PB-SAM approach by computing the potential profile of an array of 60 T1-particle forming monomers of the bromine mosaic virus.
Selection and validation of reference genes for gene expression analysis in apomictic and sexual Cenchrus ciliaris

Apomixis is a naturally occurring asexual mode of seed reproduction resulting in offspring genetically identical to the maternal plant. Identifying differential gene expression patterns between apomictic and sexual plants is valuable to help deconstruct the trait. Quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) is a popular method for analyzing gene expression. Normalizing gene expression data using proper reference genes which show stable expression under investigated conditions is critical in qRT-PCR analysis. We used qRT-PCR to validate expression and stability of six potential reference genes (EF1alpha, EIF4A, UBCE, GAPDH, ACT2 and TUBA) in vegetative and reproductive tissues of B-2S and B-12-9 accessions of C. ciliaris. Among tissue types evaluated, EF1alpha showed the highest level of expression while TUBA showed the lowest. When all tissue types were evaluated and compared between genotypes, EIF4A was the most stable reference gene. Gene expression stability for specific ovary stages of B-2S and B-12-9 was also determined. Except for TUBA, all other tested reference genes could be used for any stage-specific ovary tissue normalization, irrespective of the mode of reproduction. Our gene expression stability assay using six reference genes, in sexual and apomictic accessions of C. ciliaris, suggests that EIF4A is the most stable gene across all tissue types analyzed. All other tested reference genes, with the exception of TUBA, could be used for gene expression comparison studies between sexual and apomictic ovaries over multiple developmental stages. This reference gene validation data in C. ciliaris will serve as an important base for future apomixis-related transcriptome data validation.