cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recent Advances in Thin Film Solar Cells

The primary objective of worldwide photovoltaic (PV) solar-cell research and development is to reduce the cost of PV modules and systems to a level that will be competitive with conventional ways of generating electric power. Today's worldwide PV module production is estimated to be about 160 MWp, and it is growing at the rate of 20%–25% per year. Photovoltaic technology in the marketplace today is dominated by crystalline/polycrystalline silicon. Even with greatly increased production volume and significant reduction of cost, it is doubtful that crystalline or polycrystalline silicon will be able to ultimately meet the long-term cost goal for utility-scale power generation. There is reason to be very optimistic, particularly in view of the remarkable progress that has been made in recent years in terms of high conversion efficiency, long-term stability, and demonstrated large-scale manufacturing capabilities in several thin-film technologies. Currently, thin-film technologies based on alloys of amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride (CdTe), and ternary and multinary copper indium selenide (CIS) are the leading contenders for large-scale production. The current manufacturing status of each of these technologies is shown in this chapter. There are also exciting new developments in the use of thin-film solar cells based on mesoporous, nanostructured materials such as dye-sensitized (TiO 2 ) solar cells. This chapter highlights the major development in these technologies and discusses the future direction of research and development.
Evaluating Multiperiod Performance

This technical note begins with the estimation of cash flows and then introduces the technique of discounted cash flows by first addressing accumulated value and then computing present values. The note also discusses net present value, internal rate of return, hurdle rate, and effective versus nominal rates of return. In addition, the note explores streams in perpetuity and the conditions when pretax analyses are appropriate.
Percutaneous Techniques for the Management of Caliceal Diverticula Containing Calculi

AbstractMost frequently caliceal diverticula are found incidentally on routine excretory urograms. Smaller diverticula are associated with a low incidence of complications but larger diverticula with a narrow communication to the main collecting system will predispose to calculous formation as a result of stasis of urine within the diverticulum. The techniques used and results achieved in 10 patients with such calculi who have been successfully managed percutaneously are discussed. Particular reference is made to techniques used specifically to obliterate the diverticula.
A Network of Three Types of Filaments Organizes Synaptic Vesicles for Storage, Mobilization, and Docking.

Synaptic transmission between neurons requires precise management of synaptic vesicles. While individual molecular components of the presynaptic terminal are well known, exactly how the molecules are organized into a molecular machine serving the storage and mobilization of synaptic vesicles to the active zone remains unclear. Here we report three filament types associated with synaptic vesicles in glutamatergic synapses revealed by electron microscope tomography in unstimulated, dissociated rat hippocampal neurons. One filament type, likely corresponding to the SNAREpin complex, extends from the active zone membrane and surrounds docked vesicles. A second filament type contacts all vesicles throughout the active zone and pairs vesicles together. On the third filament type, vesicles attach to side branches extending from the long filament core and form vesicle clusters that are distributed throughout the vesicle cloud and along the active zone membrane. Detailed analysis of presynaptic structure reveals how each of the three filament types interacts with synaptic vesicles, providing a means to traffic reserved and recycled vesicles from the cloud of vesicles into the docking position at the active zone. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The formation and release of synaptic vesicles has been extensively investigated. Explanations of the release of synaptic vesicles generally begin with the movement of vesicles from the cloud into the synaptic active zone. However, the presynaptic terminal is filled with filamentous material that would appear to limit vesicular diffusion. Here, we provide a systematic description of three filament types connecting synaptic vesicles. A picture emerges illustrating how the cooperative attachment and release of these three filament types facilitate the movement of vesicles to the active zone to become docked in preparation for release.
DEGRADATION OF ALBUMIN BY ISOLATED SEGMENTS OF THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT IN RATS.

Summary1. Studies of NaI131 absorption from and I131-albumin catabolism in isolated segments of gastrointestinal tract of rats are described. 2. One hour following the simultaneous injection of NaI131 into stomach, proximal, middle, and distal small intestinal segments, there was net gain of radioactivity in the gastric lumen, and a mean loss of 13.3 to 15.3% of the injected dose per cm2 of serosal surface in the small bowel segments. 3. After injection of 1.7-2.6 mg of I131-albu-min into stomach, proximal middle, and distal small bowel segments mean percentages catabolized per cm2 in one hour in respective segments were 6.4, 10.2, 13.3, and 13.0. 4. Diversion of pancreatic and biliary secretions for 24 hours prior to study lowered these means to 4.0, 5.1, 2.9, and 4.9 respectively. 5. These studies indicate that the stomach and all levels of the small bowel possess significant potential for degrading serum albumin entering the lumen, and that pancreatico-biliary secretions make a significant, but not the...
Large Dataset DOT Breast Image Reconstruction

We present a computational framework to simulate and analyze a large dataset DOT breast imaging instrument.
The Role of Radar Astronomy in Assessing and Mitigating the Asteroid Impact Hazard

Radar instruments play a critical role in studies of Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) on two distinct levels: trajectory prediction and physical characterization.
Stability and Activity of (Pr1‐xNdx)2NiO4 as Cathodes for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells: I. Quantification of Phase Evolution in Pr2NiO4

Praseodymium nickelate (Pr2NiO4) is an active oxygen electrode for solid oxide fuel cells, but undergoes phase transition at elevated temperatures (e.g., 750°C). Quantification of this phase evolution in an operating single cell is challenging because of the overlap of X-ray diffraction (XRD) peaks between the cathode and oxide current collector. In this work, we replace the oxide current collector with a gold metal grid, circumventing these challenges by allowing the exposure of the cathode to the X-ray beam, while eliminating peak overlap. Quantification of the phase evolution was performed by a least-squares fitting of the linear combination of XRD standards against the experimental patterns. Energy-dispersive spectroscopy analysis on long-term operated cells showed the absence of reactions between the gold grids and the cathodes. Additionally, the grids exhibited excellent mechanical stability under operating conditions and enabled similar cell performance as an oxide current collector.
Determination of sodium cyclamate with capillary gas chromatography in pickled vegetables

Objective:To determine the cyclamic sodium in foods in a rapid and accurate way.Methods:Use TR-1 capillary column gas chromatography to determine the cyclamic sodium in pickled vegetables.Results: In the best chromatographic conditions,the result shows in the range of 1 μg~5 μg as a good linear relationship(r=0.9998),and the detection limit was 4 ng.Under repeatability conditions,the absolute difference of two independent measurements was no more than 10% of the arithmetic mean.The actual measurement result was between 3.0% and 6.7%,and the recovery rate with added specimen was between 95.4% and 100.6%.Conclusion: This method is simple,fast,accurate and easy to operate to determine cyclamic sodium in vegetables and other foods.
Littoral steering of deltaic channels

Abstract The typically single-threaded channels on wave-influenced deltas show striking differences in their orientations, with some channels oriented into the incoming waves (e.g., Ombrone, Krishna), and others oriented away from the waves (e.g., Godavari, Sao Francisco). Understanding the controls on channel orientation is important as the channel location greatly influences deltaic morphology and sedimentology, both subaerially and subaqueously. Here, we explore channel orientation and consequent feedbacks with local shoreline dynamics using a plan-form numerical model of delta evolution. The model treats fluvial sediment delivery to a wave-dominated coast in two ways: 1) channels are assumed to prograde in a direction perpendicular to the local shoreline orientation and 2) a controlled fraction of littoral sediment transport can bypass the river mouth. Model results suggest that channels migrate downdrift when there is a significant net littoral transport and alongshore transport bypassing of the river mouth is limited. In contrast, river channels tend to orient themselves into the waves when fluvial sediment flux is relatively large, causing the shoreline of the downdrift delta flank to attain the orientation of maximum potential sediment transport for the incoming wave climate. Using model results, we develop a framework to estimate channel orientations for wave-influenced deltas that shows good agreement with natural examples. An increase in fluvial sediment input can cause a channel to reorient itself into incoming waves, behavior observed, for example, in the Ombrone delta in Italy. Our results can inform paleoclimate studies by linking channel orientation to fluvial sediment flux and wave energy. In particular, our approach provides a means to quantify past wave directions, which are notoriously difficult to constrain.
In Search of an Artistic Curriculum Identity

As people go through major shifts in their lives, they often refer to their experience in earlier time periods as “in a different life.” This notion of disconnect between parts of one’s lived experience is problematic in that it reduces imaginal sources of conception and meaning making. This chapter explores this topic by examining the use of duoethnography in a curriculum studies class. One duoethnography in the class was conducted by Lida Dekker and Melody Rasmor, titled, “Nursing an Artful Practice: Finding the Aesthetic Groundings of our Practice.” In this study they examined earlier, artistic aspects of their identity, within the context of their current professional identities as nurse educators. This exploration led them to an awareness that their artistic sides, subordinated by current duties and responsibilities, were still present in their lives, contributing to their professional behavior. Stage two of the duoethnography presents a second study in which Richard Sawyer, Melody Rasmor, and Lida Dekker deconstruct the first study as text, examining it in relation to perceptions of classroom-and-life-history curriculum. In this discussion they examine how this class-based duoethnography reframed their perceptions of it as curriculum, illuminating a new process of cultural-and-personal imaginal reconceptualization.
A clinical tool to risk stratify potential kidney transplant recipients and predict severe adverse events.

Preoperative risk assessment of potential kidney transplant recipients often fails to adequately balance risk related to underlying comorbidities with the beneficial impact of kidney transplantation. We sought to develop a simple scoring system based on factors known at the time of patient assessment for placement on the waitlist to predict likelihood of severe adverse events 1 year post-transplant. The tool includes four components: age, cardiopulmonary factors, functional status, and metabolic factors. Pre-transplant factors strongly associated with severe adverse events include diabetic (OR: 3.76, P<.001), coronary artery disease (OR: 3.45, P<.001), history of CABG/PCI (OR 3.1, P=.001), and peripheral vascular disease (OR 2.74, P=.008).The score was evaluated by calculation of concordance index. The C statistic of 0.74 for the risk stratification group was considered good discrimination in the validation cohort (N=127) compared to the development cohort (N=368). The pre-transplant risk group was highly predictive of severe adverse events (OR 2.36, P<.001). Patients stratified into the above average-risk group were four times more likely to experience severe adverse events compared to average-risk patients, while patients in the high-risk group were nearly 11 times more likely to experience severe adverse events. The pre-transplant risk stratification tool is a simple scoring scheme using easily obtained preoperative characteristics that can meaningfully stratify patients in terms of post-transplant risk and may ultimately guide patient selection and inform the counseling of potential kidney transplant recipients.
Comparative dynamics of public health spending: Re-conceptualizing delta-convergence to examine OECD and Latin America:

Theoretical interest in the effects of globalization and regionalization on national outcomes, coupled with the unprecedented availability of comparable, cross-national data, creates an expanded op...
Competition and co-regulation of spirotoamide and tautomycetin biosynthesis in Streptomyces griseochromogenes, and isolation and structural elucidation of spirotoamide C and D.

Competition and co-regulation of spirotoamide and tautomycetin biosynthesis in Streptomyces griseochromogenes, and isolation and structural elucidation of spirotoamide C and D
Analysis of volatility in driving regimes extracted from basic safety messages transmitted between connected vehicles

Abstract Driving volatility captures the extent of speed variations when a vehicle is being driven. Extreme longitudinal variations signify hard acceleration or braking. Warnings and alerts given to drivers can reduce such volatility potentially improving safety, energy use, and emissions. This study develops a fundamental understanding of instantaneous driving decisions, needed for hazard anticipation and notification systems, and distinguishes normal from anomalous driving. In this study, driving task is divided into distinct yet unobserved regimes. The research issue is to characterize and quantify these regimes in typical driving cycles and the associated volatility of each regime, explore when the regimes change and the key correlates associated with each regime. Using Basic Safety Message (BSM) data from the Safety Pilot Model Deployment in Ann Arbor, Michigan, two- and three-regime Dynamic Markov switching models are estimated for several trips undertaken on various roadway types. While thousands of instrumented vehicles with vehicle to vehicle (V2V) and vehicle to infrastructure (V2I) communication systems are being tested, nearly 1.4 million records of BSMs, from 184 trips undertaken by 71 instrumented vehicles are analyzed in this study. Then even more detailed analysis of 43 randomly chosen trips (N = 714,340 BSM records) that were undertaken on various roadway types is conducted. The results indicate that acceleration and deceleration are two distinct regimes, and as compared to acceleration, drivers decelerate at higher rates, and braking is significantly more volatile than acceleration. Different correlations of the two regimes with instantaneous driving contexts are explored. With a more generic three-regime model specification, the results reveal high-rate acceleration, high-rate deceleration, and cruise/constant as the three distinct regimes that characterize a typical driving cycle. Moreover, given in a high-rate regime, drivers’ on-average tend to decelerate at a higher rate than their rate of acceleration. Importantly, compared to cruise/constant regime, drivers’ instantaneous driving decisions are more volatile both in “high-rate” acceleration as well as “high-rate” deceleration regime. The study contributes to analyzing volatility in short-term driving decisions, and how changes in driving regimes can be mapped to a combination of local traffic states surrounding the vehicle.
Food Addiction, High-Glycemic-Index Carbohydrates, and Obesity

BACKGROUND: Treatment success in obesity remains low, and recently food addiction has been delineated as an underlying etiologic factor with therapeutic relevance. Specifically, current treatment focuses on reduced food intake and increase of physical activity, whereas interventions for addiction encompass behavioral therapy, abstinence, and environmental interventions such as taxation, restrictions on advertising, and regulation of school menus. CONTENT: Here, we reviewed the pertinent literature on food addiction with a specific focus on the role of high-glycemic-index carbohydrates in triggering addictive symptoms. Three lines of evidence support the concept of food addiction: ( a ) behavioral responses to certain foods are similar to substances of abuse; ( b ) food intake regulation and addiction rely on similar neurobiological circuits; ( c ) individuals suffering from obesity or addiction show similar neurochemical- and brain activation patterns. High-glycemic-index carbohydrates elicit a rapid shift in blood glucose and insulin levels, akin to the pharmacokinetics of addictive substances. Similar to drugs of abuse, glucose and insulin signal to the mesolimbic system to modify dopamine concentration. Sugar elicits addiction-like craving, and self-reported problem foods are rich in high-glycemic-index carbohydrates. These properties make high-glycemic-index carbohydrates plausible triggers for food addiction. SUMMARY: We argue that food addiction is a plausible etiological factor contributing to the heterogeneous condition and phenotype of obesity. In at least a subset of vulnerable individuals, high-glycemic-index carbohydrates trigger addiction-like neurochemical and behavioral responses.
Abstract 15975: A Meta-analysis of Substrate Modification versus Clinical Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation in Structural Heart Disease

Background: Catheter ablation (CA) is an effective treatment strategy for ventricular tachycardia (VT) in structural heart disease. However, the most effective ablation strategy remains unknown. We...
PROBLEMS IN HEAT-RESISTING MATERIALS FOR HIGH-SPEED FLIGHT AND PROPULSION

This chapter discusses the problems in developing heat resisting materials that can be used for high speed flights. The development of better light-weight and high-strength materials has always been a problem of great importance in aviation. With the advent of supersonic and hypersonic flights, temperature has been added to stress and weight. The most important mechanical properties for high-speed flight are related to high-temperature strength. For long life service, creep strength must be considered. Because of the importance of creep testing of materials used in gas turbines, this particular aspect of high-temperature materials testing has received great attention. For very high temperatures and relatively short time applications, creep strength is a parameter of secondary importance in materials evaluation.
Accuracy of OFDM ranging systems in the presence of processing impairments

Localization networks based on orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) ranging systems provide desirable location-awareness with commodity WiFi chipsets in harsh propagation conditions. Understanding the fundamental limits of OFDM ranging can guide the design and operation of these systems. Existing studies on these fundamental limits generally do not account for the processing impairments such as the estimation error of the phase offset and packet detection delay, yet ignoring processing impairments may lead to inaccurate evaluation of OFDM ranging accuracy. To address such inconsistency, we develop a framework to determine the fundamental limit of OFDM ranging, accounting for both channel parameters and processing impairments. In particular, we derive the equivalent Fisher information (EFI) for the propagation delay of the first path and quantify the effects of the number of multipaths, the number of channels, and processing impairments on the ranging accuracy through case studies. Numerical results verify the insights gained from the theoretical analysis.
Thermodynamic evidence of flexibility in H2O and CO2 absorption of transition metal ion exchanged zeolite LTA

Gas absorption calorimetry has been employed to probe the intercation of water and carbon dioxide with transition metal ion (TM = Mn2+, Fe2+, Co2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+) exchanged zeolite A samples. There appears to be a two-phase region, indicative of a guest-induced flexibility transition, separating hydrated zeolite A and its dehydrated form, both of which have variable water content in the single phase region. The differential enthalpy of absorption as a function of water loading directly identifies different strengths of multiple interactions along with possible binding mechanisms of Zn-A and Mn-A exhibiting the highest water absorption with most exothermic initial enthalpies of -125.28 ± 4.82 and -115.30 ± 2.56 kJ mol-1. Zn-A and Mn-A also show moderately good capture ability for CO2 with zero-coverage negative enthalpies of -55.59 ± 2.48 and -44.07 ± 1.53 kJ mol-1. The thermodynamic information derived from differential enthalpy, chemical potential and differential entropy elucidated the multistage interactive behavior of small guest molecules (H2O/CO2) and ion-exchanged frameworks.
Multiaxial Creep Studies on Inconel at 1500 F

The effect of multiaxial stresses on the creep rate and rupture life of inconel at 1500 deg F was investigated. A large range of principal-stress ratios in tension-tension and tension-compression states was studied using axially loaded pressurized tubes. The creep-rate results were compared with both the von Mises (distortion energy) and the Tresca (maximum-shear-stress) criteria. Correlation of the creep-rate results was slightly better using the von Mises criterion; however, the simpler and more conservative Tresca criterion appears to be quite adequate for design considerations The results of the rupture tests appear to support the maximum principal-stress criterion for time-dependent fracture under multiaxial stress conditions. It was shown, however, that in applying this criterion it is important to compensate for the reduction in rupture life caused by changes in the stress state associated with deformation. Rupture strains were found to be directly related to the deviatoric stresses for constant maximum principal stress. The shear strain at rupture was found to be constant for the same maximum principal stress in tension-tension stress states, thus showing that under these conditions the total ductility of the metal was not impaired by increasing the hydrostatic stress. In tension-compression states, the material sustains greater shear strainmore » before rupture. (auth)« less
Assessment and Promotion of Life Satisfaction in Youth

This chapter addresses assessment and intervention practices related to children’s quality of life, especially their perceived quality of life or life satisfaction (LS). Following a brief discussion of measurement issues, a model for more comprehensive assessments of children’s LS is presented. Research on key determinants of individual differences in children’s LS is subsequently reviewed. Finally, examples of universal (e.g., school wide) interventions are described in relation to the empirically established determinants of LS. The need for more comprehensive assessments and targeted intervention programs across primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention contexts, is emphasized throughout the chapter.
Fertility and labor supply: evidence from the One-Child Policy in China

This study provides new evidence on on the causal effect of fertility on maternal labor supply in rural China, using the fact that in some parts of rural China couples are allowed to have a second ...
Degenerate conic anchoring and colloidal elastic dipole-hexadecapole transformations

The defect structure associated with a colloid in a nematic liquid crystal is dictated by molecular orientation at the colloid surface. Perpendicular or parallel orientations to the surface lead to dipole-like or quadrupole-like defect structures. However, the so-called elastic hexadecapole discovered recently, has been assumed to result from a conic anchoring condition. In order to understand it at a fundamental level, a model for this anchoring is introduced here in the context of a Landau-de Gennes free energy functional. We investigate the evolution of defect configurations, as well as colloidal interactions, by tuning the preferred tilt angle (θe). The model predicts an elastic dipole whose stability decreases as θe increases, along with a dipole-hexadecapole transformation, which are confirmed by our experimental observations. Taken together, our results suggest that previously unanticipated avenues may exist for design of self-assembled structures via control of tilt angle. The recently discovered elastic hexadecapole has been thought to result from a conic anchoring condition. In order to understand it at a fundamental level, the authors introduce a model for this anchoring in the context of a Landau-de Gennes free energy functional.
Robust State Estimation Using Node-Breaker Substation Models and Phasor Measurements

A least absolute value (LAV) based linear state estimation (SE) algorithm that can reject simultaneous topology and measurement errors is presented. The substations are explicitly modeled including every zero-impedance branch and circuit breaker (CB) in the network, eliminating the need for a topology processor. The network is assumed to be fully observable and measured by phasor measurement units. The conventional state vector formed by voltage phasors is augmented with CB flows to enable direct estimation of the open/close statuses of CBs. The observability analysis is carried out as part of the basis selection process of the Simplex algorithm. Two optional post-estimate statistical formulations, one for rejected measurements and the other for normalized CB flows, are devised to analyze the SE estimate in a systematic manner. A 300-bus IEEE system is used to demonstrate the capabilities of the proposed algorithm first for topology errors alone and with coincident bad measurements subsequently.
Metal‐Chelated Polymer Nanodiscs for NMR Studies

Paramagnetic relaxation enhancement (PRE) is commonly used to speed up spin lattice relaxation time (T1 ) for rapid data acquisition in NMR structural studies. Consequently, there is significant interest in novel paramagnetic labels for enhanced NMR studies on biomolecules. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of a modified poly(styrene-co-maleic acid) polymer which forms nanodiscs while showing the ability to chelate metal ions. Cu2+ -chelated nanodiscs are demonstrated to reduce the T1 of protons for both polymer and lipid-nanodisc components. The chelated nanodiscs also decrease the proton T1 values for a water-soluble DNA G-quadruplex. These results suggest that polymer nanodiscs functionalized with paramagnetic tags can be used to speed-up data acquisition from lipid bilayer samples and also to provide structural information from water-soluble biomolecules.
Utilization of Group Approaches to Address Employment Issues

This chapter began with a discussion of what group work is, followed by the potential contribution of group work to meeting the employment needs of clients in rehabilitation settings. General principles for working with groups were then presented. The specific purposes that group work can fulfill in such settings were examined. The chapter concluded with information on different group approaches that are applicable to accomplishing these purposes. Finally, attention to employment related issues in other rehabilitation groups was emphasized.
TBK1 regulates YAP/TAZ and fibrogenic fibroblast activation

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) results in scarring of the lungs by excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) production. Resident fibroblasts are the major cell type involved in ECM deposition. The biochemical pathways that facilitate pathological fibroblast activation leading to aberrant ECM deposition are not fully understood. Tank binding protein kinase-1 (TBK1) is a kinase that regulates multiple signaling pathways and was recently identified as a candidate regulator of fibroblast activation in a large-scale small-interfering RNA (siRNA) screen. To determine the effect of TBK1 on fibroblast activation, TBK1 was inhibited pharmacologically (MRT-68601) and genetically (siRNA) in normal and IPF human lung fibroblasts. Reducing the activity or expression of TBK1 led to reduction in α-smooth muscle actin stress fiber levels by 40-60% and deposition of ECM components collagen I and fibronectin by 50% in TGF-β-stimulated normal and IPF fibroblasts. YAP and TAZ are homologous mechanoregulatory profibrotic transcription cofactors known to regulate fibroblast activation. TBK1 knockdown or inhibition decreased the total and nuclear protein levels of YAP/TAZ. Additionally, low cell-cell contact and increased ECM substrate stiffness augmented the phosphorylation and activation of TBK1, consistent with cues that regulate YAP/TAZ. The action of TBK1 toward YAP/TAZ activation was independent of LATS1/2 and canonical downstream TBK1 signaling mediator IRF3 but dependent on proteasomal machinery of the cell. This study identifies TBK1 as a fibrogenic activator of human pulmonary fibroblasts, suggesting TBK1 may be a novel therapeutic target in pulmonary fibrosis.
Buprenorphine prescription dispensing rates and characteristics following federal changes in prescribing policy, 2017-2018: A cross-sectional study.

Background Expansion of buprenorphine for opioid use disorder treatment is a core component of the opioid overdose epidemic response. The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) of 2016 authorized nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) to obtain a DATA-waiver to prescribe buprenorphine. The objectives of this study are to examine national- and county-level buprenorphine prescription dispensing, patterns by patient demographics and clinician specialty, and county-level characteristics associated with buprenorphine dispensing. Methods Retrospective analysis of buprenorphine prescriptions dispensed from approximately 92% of all retail prescriptions in the US (2017-2018). Analyses include rates of buprenorphine prescriptions dispensed, by patient demographics and prescriber specialty, changes in buprenorphine prescriptions dispensed at the national- and county-level, and county-level characteristics associated with buprenorphine dispensing. Results Buprenorphine prescriptions dispensed increased by 9.1% nationally, from 40.7-44.4 per 1000 residents. From 2017 to 2018, NPs (351.9%) and PAs (257.3%) had the largest percent increases in dispensed buprenorphine prescriptions, accounting for 79.6% of the total increase. In 2018, county-level characteristics associated with high buprenorphine dispensing included. among others: greater potential buprenorphine treatment capacity, higher drug overdose death rates, and higher rates of Medicaid enrollment. Rural counties were associated with low buprenorphine dispensing. Conclusion Buprenorphine dispensing rates increased in the US from 2017 to 2018, suggesting the addition of NPs and PAs by CARA has contributed to an increase in dispensed buprenorphine prescriptions.
Genetic characteristics of echovirus type 25 strains causing viral encephalitis in Longyan city

Objective To analyze the genetic characteristics of echovirus type 25 (Echo25) strains isolated from patients with viral encephalitis in Longyan city. Methods Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens were collected from hospitalized patients with viral encephalitis or central nervous system infection in Longyan, 2012. Enteroviruses (EV) were isolated from the specimens and then identified. Four strains of Echo25 were screened out by using serum neutralization test. Coding sequence of the VP1 region of the 4 Echo25 strains were amplified by RT-PCR and then sequenced. A phylogenetic tree was constructed to analyze the nucleotide sequence homology between those sequences and the sequences of reference Echo25 strains available in the GenBank database. Results The VP1 nucleotide sequences of Echo25 strains isolated in Longyan were 498 bp in length, encoding 166 amino acid residues. The homology analysis showed that the VP1 nucleotide sequences of 3 strains were identical, sharing 97% homology in nucleotide with the rest strain. The Echo25 strains isolated in Longyan were highly similar to KJ957190 (Beijing, 2010) and HM031189 (Henan, 2008) strains. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Echo25 strains isolated in Longyan belonged to genotype B1. Conclusion Echo25 was one of the pathogens causing viral encephalitis in Longyan in 2012 and different transmission chains of Echo25 had emerged. This study indicates that it is necessary to strengthen the surveillance for EV and understand the genetic variation of the Echo25 for providing better supportive evidences for the prevention and control of related diseases. Key words: Enteroviruse; Echo25; Viral encephalitis; VP1; Genetic characteristic
Quartz fluid inclusion abundance and off-fault damage in a deeply exhumed, strike-slip, seismogenic fault

Abstract Off-fault damage zones comprise highly fractured rocks surrounding the dynamic slip surface of faults. These damage zones modify fault-zone rheology and rupture dynamics by changing the bulk elastic properties and modulating fluid flow. Damage zones in the brittle upper crust, reaching widths >100 m, are commonly characterized by measuring fracture density, but identifying the extent of off-fault damage in deeply exhumed faults is challenging due to post- and inter-seismic viscous/plastic deformation. We measured fluid inclusion abundance in quartz deformed at ~400–500 °C from an ancient seismogenic strike-slip fault/shear zone to evaluate whether it can be a proxy for damage-zone width. In contrast to upper crustal fault zones displaying a high-low trend of healed microfracture density, the shear zone has a low-high-low trend of fluid inclusion abundance from the core toward the host rock. We find that pattern explicable through removal of fluid inclusions by recrystallization after co-seismic deformation, allowing us to use fluid inclusion abundance to measure damage zone extent, which is >~80 m (the low-high abundance region) from the shear zone core. Our findings indicate that extensive co-seismic damage zones may extend from Earth's surface to the base of the seismogenic zone, well within the frictional-to-viscous transition.
Progress in the diagnosis of traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has become widely recognized as a formidable medical problem around the world, causing much suffering and lasting disability in many patients.1 Despite the high prevalence of this disorder, however, diagnosis remains imprecise in many cases because no blood, neuroimaging, or other test reliably establishes whether a TBI has actually occurred. The frequently encountered clinical problem of mild TBI can present a particularly vexing diagnostic obstacle because reliable information about the presumed causative event and its clinical sequelae may be lacking. Even moderate and severe TBI—usually easier to appreciate because of signs of cranial or facial trauma—can be difficult to identify and distinguish on clinical grounds. In view of these uncertainties, a pressing need exists for a readily available clinical test that can permit accurate diagnosis of TBI and monitoring of outcome over time.
Localization of multiple sources with known waveforms by array response matching

Abstract We present a novel and computationally-efficient solution to the localization of multiple sources with known waveforms, based on array response matching. We first derive the multidimensional array response matching (ARM) solution, which amounts to a minimization problem involving the location of the sources. To simplify the computational complexity, we derive a 1-dimensional version, which is closely related to the MVDR solution. We then introduce a linearly constrained version of this solution and apply it to exploit a-priori knowledge regarding the waveforms of the sources. The proposed solution involves only a 1-dimensional search and is therefore computationally much simpler than the corresponding maximum likelihood (ML) solution, which involves an iterative multidimensional search. Simulation results, demonstrating the close similarity in performance of the proposed solution and the ML solution, are included.
Colorectal Cancer, Age, and Obesity-Related Comorbidities: A Large Database Study.

The association between obesity and colorectal cancer (CRC) is well established in older individuals, but evidence is limited in the younger population. The study aims to analyze the relationship of obesity and its related comorbidities in early-onset CRC (E-CRC) and compare it to late-onset CRC (L-CRC). A retrospective, cross-sectional study was performed on average-risk individuals ≥ 20 years who were active patients in the commercial database, IBM Watson Health Explorys in the last 5 years. Individuals with CRC were compared to those without CRC across different age groups (20–39, 40–49, and 50–74 years). Individuals with CRC diagnosed < 50 years (E-CRC) were compared to those with CRC between 50 and 74 years (L-CRC). Variables included sex, smoking, obese BMI, diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2), hypertension (HTN), and hyperlipidemia (HLD). Since Explorys aggregates population-level, de-identified data, approval from institutional review board was not required. Among 37,483,140 individuals, 162,150 cases of sporadic CRC were identified. Compared to the general population, obesity and HLD were independent risk factors for CRC across all age groups; DM2, HTN, and smoking were independent risk factors for CRC in men of all age groups and women with L-CRC. Compared to L-CRC, individuals with E-CRC had lower percentages of obesity-related comorbidities. In E-CRC, obesity, DM2, HTN, HLD, and smoking are independent risk factors for CRC among men; obesity and HLD are independent risk factors for CRC in women. These subgroups may benefit from a personalized screening approach to detect early-onset CRC.
Transoral endoscopic parathyroidectomy vestibular approach: A systematic review

Abstract Background Transoral endoscopic parathyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOEPVA) is a novel surgical approach that has gained increasing traction as a remote access approach for parathyroid surgery. The primary aim of this systematic review is to assess the feasibility and safety of this approach. Methods Several databases were screened for relevant citations. The quality of studies and risk of bias were evaluated using the MINORS scoring system. Results Nine articles containing 78 cases of TOEPVA met the inclusion criteria. Overall, there was a 96% success rate. There were three cases (3.8%) that had complications, including one case of transient recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. The average MINORS score of the studies suggested a moderate amount of bias. Conclusions Based on limited quality evidence, this review suggests that TOEPVA is safe and feasible, with reasonable success rates and low complication rates in a very carefully selected patient population. Further large-scale studies are warranted.
Colorado River Basin

This chapter provides a comprehensive survey of water matters in the Colorado River Basin. It begins with background about basin hydrology, water development and water use. It then provides an extensive discussion of the Law of the River, beginning with the 1922 Colorado River Compact and continuing to the Drought Contingency Plan. Next it includes a comprehensive discussion of tribes with reservations in the Colorado River Basin, their water rights, and water uses.
Medial Claviculectomy for VTOS

Medial claviculectomy is an alternative option for thoracic outlet decompression. Claviculectomy provides exceptional exposure of the subclavian vein resulting in excellent reported outcomes for decompression and resolution of symptoms related to symptomatic venous thoracic outlet (VTOS) and dialysis associated VTOS. Therefore, medial claviculectomy is a very viable surgical alternative for this particular patient population. Cosmetic results may not be quite as satisfactory as the transaxillary first rib resection, but functional outcomes remains good and there are minimal reported post-operative deficits.
Don’t We Hurt Like You? Examining the Lack of Portrayals of African American Women and Mental Health

White women with mental illness are frequently represented in media. The lack of media portrayals of African American women with mental illness contributes to the stereotype of the “strong Black woman.” African American women may be reluctant to seek care and may go untreated or undertreated by clinicians. Off-screen mental health advocacy and on-screen engagement with mental health issues of African American women may decrease stigma and support greater acknowledgement of the importance of mental health treatment.
Amphetamine activates calcium channels through dopamine transporter-mediated depolarization.

Amphetamine (AMPH) and its more potent enantiomer S(+)AMPH are psychostimulants used therapeutically to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and have significant abuse liability. AMPH is a dopamine transporter (DAT) substrate that inhibits dopamine (DA) uptake and is implicated in DA release. Furthermore, AMPH activates ionic currents through DAT that modify cell excitability presumably by modulating voltage-gated channel activity. Indeed, several studies suggest that monoamine transporter-induced depolarization opens voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (CaV), which would constitute an additional AMPH mechanism of action. In this study we co-express human DAT (hDAT) with Ca2+ channels that have decreasing sensitivity to membrane depolarization (CaV1.3, CaV1.2 or CaV2.2). Although S(+)AMPH is more potent than DA in transport-competition assays and inward-current generation, at saturating concentrations both substrates indirectly activate voltage-gated L-type Ca2+ channels (CaV1.3 and CaV1.2) but not the N-type Ca2+ channel (CaV2.2). Furthermore, the potency to achieve hDAT-CaV electrical coupling is dominated by the substrate affinity on hDAT, with negligible influence of L-type channel voltage sensitivity. In contrast, the maximal coupling-strength (defined as Ca2+ signal change per unit hDAT current) is influenced by CaV voltage sensitivity, which is greater in CaV1.3- than in CaV1.2-expressing cells. Moreover, relative to DA, S(+)AMPH showed greater coupling-strength at concentrations that induced relatively small hDAT-mediated currents. Therefore S(+)AMPH is not only more potent than DA at inducing hDAT-mediated L-type Ca2+ channel currents but is a better depolarizing agent since it produces tighter electrical coupling between hDAT-mediated depolarization and L-type Ca2+ channel activation.
Immunochemical studies of organ and tumor lipids

Abstract A neutral glycosphingolipid containing fatty acid-sphingosine (long chain base)-glucose-galactose-galactosamine in the molar proportions 1:1:1:2:1 has been isolated from normal human kidney by successive chromatographic separations on silicic acid, magnesium silicate, and silicic acid. The isolated substance, designated cytolipin K, was shown to have haptenic properties by screening it for reactivity with a large number of rabbit antisera prepared against diverse human tissues. Good reactions were observed in a small number of instances. The two most reactive antisera were obtained by combination immunization with lipids from a multiple myeloma-affected kidney and a pyelonephritic kidney, and with these antisera and optimal addition of auxiliary lipid, 0.003–0.005 μg. of cytolipin K was readily measured. It was shown that the immunological reactivity of cytolipin K was distinct with respect to five other lipid haptens present in human tissues, namely, cytolipin H, cytolipin G, galactocerebroside, cardiolipin, and Forssman hapten.
Wireless network interface energy consumption: implications for popular streaming formats

With the proliferation of mobile streaming multimedia, available battery capacity constrains the end-user experience. Since streaming applications are expected to be long running, wireless network interface card's (WNIC) energy consumption is particularly an acute problem. In this work, we explore various mechanisms to conserve client WNIC energy consumption for popular streaming formats such as Microsoft Windows media, Real and Apple Quicktime. First, we investigate the WNIC energy consumption characteristics for these popular multimedia streaming formats under varying stream bandwidth and network loss rates. We show that even for a high bandwidth 2000 kbps stream, the WNIC unnecessarily spent over 56% of the time in idle state; illustrating the potential for significant energy savings.Based on these observations, we explore two mechanisms to conserve the client WNIC energy consumption. First we show the limitations of IEEE 802.11 power saving mode for multimedia streams. Without an understanding of the stream requirements, these scheduled rendezvous mechanisms do not offer any energy savings for multimedia streams over 56 kbps. We also develop history-based client-side strategies to reduce the energy consumed by transitioning the WNICs to a lower power consuming sleep state. We show that streams optimized for 28.8 kbps can save over 80% in energy consumption with 2% data loss. A high bandwidth stream (768 kbps) can still save 57% in energy consumption with less than 0.3% data loss. We also show that Real and Quicktime packets are harder to predict at the network level without understanding the packet semantics. As the amount of cross traffic generated by other clients that share the same wireless segment increases, the potential energy savings from our client side policies deteriorate further. Our work enables multimedia proxy and server developers to suitably customize the stream to lower client energy consumption.
Multikulti Ist Doch 'Ne Erfolgreiche Realitaet: Why Tolerance is Vital for German Economic Growth

During the fall of 2010, debate raged in Germany about the extent to which multiculturalism should be embraced as a viable social structure. Prominent politicians, both liberal and conservative, argued that multiculturalism had failed; some even argued that immigration policies should be amended to prohibit certain foreign nationals from entering the country. However, as Germany's population ages, the need for highly qualified workers rises. Consistent with European Union directives regarding immigration and integration of third-country nationals, Germany must embrace a national program to promote tolerance, in order to attract talent in its technology-driven sectors.
Towards a Formal Design of Behaviors for Autonomous Robots

In this article a new behavior-based robotic control approach for autonomous robots is presented. Our aim is to provide a formal procedure for designing behaviors that guarantee safety and performance of an autonomous robot under a behavior-based control. In this way we hope to overcome some of the shortcomings of other approaches to behavior-based control. An example is shown to illustrate the approach.