cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimal node visitation in acyclic stochastic digraphs

Given a stochastic, acyclic, connected digraph with a single source node and a control agent that repetitively traverses this graph, each time starting from the source node, we want to define a control policy that will enable this agent to visit each of the graph terminal nodes a prespecified number of times, while minimizing the expected number of the graph traversals. We first formulate this problem as a specially structured discrete time Markov decision process, and we subsequently develop an asymptotically optimal randomized policy of polynomial complexity with respect to the problem size
Simultaneous solid phase extraction and derivatization of aliphatic primary amines prior to separation and UV-absorbance detection

To overcome the problem of poor sensitivity of capillary electrophoresis-UV absorbance for the detection of aliphatic amines, a solid phase extraction and derivatization scheme was developed. This work demonstrates successful coupling of amines to a chromophore immobilized on a solid phase and subsequent cleavage and analysis. Although the analysis of many types of amines is relevant for myriad applications, this paper focuses on the derivatization and separation of amines with environmental relevance. This work aims to provide the foundations for future developments of an integrated sample preparation microreactor capable of performing simultaneous derivatization, preconcentration, and sample cleanup for sensitive analysis of primary amines.
Highway and Transportation Implications on Environmental Sustainability: Urban Planning, Construction, and Operation Counter Measures

This paper addresses the alarming consequences of high emission rates of greenhouse gases and the significant transportation contribution. It outlines pavement construction impacts on the urban setting and environment. Urban planning options to reduce congestion are explored, including more reliance on public transportation to make it more affordable and attractive for commuters. Furthermore, encouraging environmentally friendly modes of transport, such as walking and bicycling, is essential. Finally, including carbon tax to encourage the transportation sector to promote green technology and low carbon footprint products is another viable consideration.
The Cognitive Underpinnings of Bias in Forensic Mental Health Evaluations

We integrate multiple domains of psychological science to identify, better understand, and manage the effects of subtle but powerful biases in forensic mental health assessment. This topic is ripe for discussion, as research evidence that challenges our objectivity and credibility garners increased attention both within and outside of psychology. We begin by defining bias and provide rich examples from the judgment and decision-making literature as they might apply to forensic assessment tasks. The cognitive biases we review can help us explain common problems in interpretation and judgment that confront forensic examiners. This leads us to ask (and attempt to answer) how we might use what we know about bias in forensic clinicians’ judgment to reduce its negative effects.
Quantitation of Phencyclidine, Its Metabolites, and Derivatives by Gas Chromatography with Nitrogen-Phosphorus Detection: Application for In Vivo and In Vitro Biotransformation Studies*

A sensitive and specific assay for the quantitation of phencyclidine (PCP), its several metabolites, and derivatives in biological samples is described. The method is based on the extraction of PCP and related compounds with organic solvents followed by gas chromatographic (GC) separation with nitrogen-phosphorous (NP) detection of the extract derivatized with heptafluorobutyric anhydride. The detection limit was about 5 pmol per injection with a linear standard curve to 16 nmol in the initial sample. The recovery of different compounds ranged from 80 to 98%. Precision of the method was within 3 to 5%, while day-to-day variations did not exceed 5%. The present procedure permits the identification and quantitation of PCP and its major primary and secondary metabolites. In addition, several PCP analogs and derivatives that are not recognized as PCP metabolites can be quantitated using this procedure. The assay was applied for the quantitation of PCP and its metabolites in tissue homogenates and body fluids of PCP-dosed animals as well as in the urine of PCP-intoxicated humans. An in vitro system for PCP biotransformation studies by liver and placental microsomes was also developed.
Identification and phenotypic characterization of a second collagen adhesin, Scm, and genome-based identification and analysis of 13 other predicted MSCRAMMs, including four distinct pilus loci, in Enterococcus faecium.

Attention has recently been drawn to Enterococcus faecium because of an increasing number of nosocomial infections caused by this species and its resistance to multiple antibacterial agents. However, relatively little is known about the pathogenic determinants of this organism. We have previously identified a cell-wall-anchored collagen adhesin, Acm, produced by some isolates of E. faecium, and a secreted antigen, SagA, exhibiting broad-spectrum binding to extracellular matrix proteins. Here, we analysed the draft genome of strain TX0016 for potential microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecules (MSCRAMMs). Genome-based bioinformatics identified 22 predicted cell-wall-anchored E. faecium surface proteins (Fms), of which 15 (including Acm) had characteristics typical of MSCRAMMs, including predicted folding into a modular architecture with multiple immunoglobulin-like domains. Functional characterization of one [Fms10; redesignated second collagen adhesin of E. faecium (Scm)] revealed that recombinant Scm65 (A- and B-domains) and Scm36 (A-domain) bound to collagen type V efficiently in a concentration-dependent manner, bound considerably less to collagen type I and fibrinogen, and differed from Acm in their binding specificities to collagen types IV and V. Results from far-UV circular dichroism measurements of recombinant Scm36 and of Acm37 indicated that these proteins were rich in β-sheets, supporting our folding predictions. Whole-cell ELISA and FACS analyses unambiguously demonstrated surface expression of Scm in most E. faecium isolates. Strikingly, 11 of the 15 predicted MSCRAMMs clustered in four loci, each with a class C sortase gene; nine of these showed similarity to Enterococcus faecalis Ebp pilus subunits and also contained motifs essential for pilus assembly. Antibodies against one of the predicted major pilus proteins, Fms9 (redesignated EbpCfm), detected a ‘ladder’ pattern of high-molecular-mass protein bands in a Western blot analysis of cell surface extracts from E. faecium, suggesting that EbpCfm is polymerized into a pilus structure. Further analysis of the transcripts of the corresponding gene cluster indicated that fms1 (ebpAfm ), fms5 (ebpBfm ) and ebpCfm are co-transcribed, a result consistent with those for pilus-encoding gene clusters of other Gram-positive bacteria. All 15 genes occurred frequently in 30 clinically derived diverse E. faecium isolates tested. The common occurrence of MSCRAMM- and pilus-encoding genes and the presence of a second collagen-binding protein may have important implications for our understanding of this emerging pathogen.
Exponential tracking error convergence bounds for overparametrized adaptive feedforward systems

Many practical adaptive feedforward systems are overparametrized and for this reason will not satisfy persistent excitation (PE) conditions. For these systems, a weaker PE condition is proposed under which it is shown that the tracking error (the error between the desired and estimated outputs) converges exponentially. Bounds are given on the exponential rate of convergence useful for systematic optimization and design purposes. Interestingly, it is also shown that some (but not all) of the robustness properties associated with full PE are retained under the weakened PE condition.
Quantum capture and escape in quantum-well lasers-implications on direct modulation bandwidth limitations

Analytic expressions for carrier capture and escape currents into quantum wells are derived. The authors find that the escape rate can be as large as the capture rate under typical operating conditions in quantum-well lasers so that the damping and inertia of the relaxation oscillation are significantly increased in these lasers. Implications for the limitation of the modulation bandwidth of quantum-well lasers and its dependence on the quantum-well structure are discussed. >
The Goldberg Variation: On “Bertrand Goldberg: Architecture of Invention”

In “Bertrand Goldberg: Architecture of Invention,” on view at the Art Institute of Chicago from September 17, 2011, to January 15, 2012, curators Zoe Ryan, Alison Fisher, and Elizabeth Smith take up Frederick Jameson’s rallying cry to “always historicize!” Indeed, the task of plotting the cultural coordinates of such a curiously understudied figure is a difficult one. American architect and planner Bertrand Goldberg (1913 1997) makes for a particularly challenging subject—a position the architect clearly relished, as reflected in this 1992 self-revelation: I am a sort of a sport, a variation—the Goldberg variation, if you please? But I am satisfied that I have served my society and my time with what is on its way, and I have gone back far enough to find where that roadway began.... [I]t’s a participation. Roots provide more participation in one’s time and one’s society than working within a stylistic frame.1
Navigation in Difficult Environments: Multi-Sensor Fusion Techniques

This chapter focuses on multi-sensor fusion for navigation in difficult environments where none of the existing navigation technologies can satisfy requirements for accurate and reliable navigation if used in a stand-alone mode. A generic multi-sensor fusion approach is presented. This approach builds the navigation mechanization around a self-contained inertial navigator, which is used as a core sensor. Other sensors generally derive navigation-related measurements from external signals, such as Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals and signals of opportunity (SoOP), or external observations, for example, features extracted from images of laser scanners and video cameras. Depending on a specific navigation mission, these measurements may or may not be available. Therefore, externally-dependent sources of navigation information (including GNSS, SoOP, laser scanners, video cameras, pseudolites, Doppler radars, etc.) are treated as secondary sensors. When available, measurements of a secondary sensor or sensors are utilized to reduce drift in inertial navigation outputs. Inertial data are applied to improve the robustness of secondary sensors’ signal processing. Applications of the multi-sensor fusion approach are illustrated in detail for two case studies: (1) integration of Global Positioning System (GPS), laser scanner, and inertial navigation; and, (2) fusion of laser scanner, video camera, and inertial measurements. Experimental and simulation results are presented to illustrate performance of multi-sensor fusion algorithms.
Dynamic Mass Redistribution Assay Decodes Differentiation of a Neural Progenitor Stem Cell

Stem cells hold great potential in drug discovery and development. However, challenges remain to quantitatively measure the functions of stem cells and their differentiated products. Here, we applied fluorescent imaging, quantitative real-time PCR, and label-free dynamic mass redistribution (DMR) assays to characterize the differentiation process of the ReNcell VM human neural progenitor stem cell. Immunofluorescence imaging showed that after growth factor withdrawal, the neuroprogenitor stem cell was differentiated into dopaminergic neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes, thus creating a neuronal cell system. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that the differentiated cell system released dopamine upon depolarization with KCl. In conjunction with quantitative real-time PCR, DMR assays using a G-protein-coupled receptor agonist library revealed that a subset of receptors, including dopamine D(1) and D(4) receptors, underwent marked alterations in both receptor expression and signaling pathway during the differentiation process. These findings suggest that DMR assays can decode the differentiation process of stem cells at the cell system level.
The pathophysiology of the ocular microenvironment. II. Copper-induced ocular inflammation and hypotony

The ocular effects of intravitreally injected copper sulfate solutions were studied in New Zealand white rabbits. These injections resulted in uveitis characterized by prolonged ocular hypotony, increased protein concentrations and decreased ascorbic acid concentrations in both the vitreous and aqueous humors, and an apparent decrease in the transport function of the anterior uvea. The extent and the duration of these effects were dose-dependent. The lower doses used, 3 or 6 micrograms of Cu as CuSO4 per eye, produced reversible inflammation. The highest dose, 30 micrograms of Cu per eye, also produced some signs of ocular chalcosis: hemorrhage, vitreous liquefaction, prolonged hypotony and local iridial ischemia. Six hours after the intravitreal injection of 6 micrograms of Cu as CuSO4 per eye, the Cu concentration in the vitreous humor increased to approximately 100 times that in the vitreous of control eyes, and began to decline only 3 days later, with a half-time of approximately 8 days. The Cu concentration in the anterior chamber of these eyes never exceeded 1 ppm and returned close to control values within 3 days. Based on these findings, factors that affect ocular trace-metal distribution and kinetics are discussed, as are reasons for the apparent difficulty in diagnosing the presence of Cu-containing intraocular foreign bodies on the basis of the Cu concentration of the aqueous humor.
Development of the US monetary union

The US monetary union has undergone four distinct phases of development. From the early colonial period through the Revolution and Confederation, the unit of account differed in each region of British North America. Soon after the Constitution went into effect in 1789, the country shared a single specie-based unit of account and standard of deferred payment, but exchange media were numerous. After the Civil War, the trend was towards the use of fewer media of exchange. Over the course of the twentieth century, the current system, characterised by a common medium of exchange denominated in a single unit of account divorced from specie, evolved.
Effects of reabsorption and spatial trap distributions on the radiative quantum efficiencies of ZnO

Ultrafast time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy following one- and two-photon excitations of ZnO powder is used to gain unprecedented insight into the surprisingly high external quantum efficiency of its ``green'' defect emission band. The role of exciton diffusion, the effects of reabsorption, and the spatial distributions of radiative and nonradiative traps are comparatively elucidated for the ultraviolet excitonic and ``green'' defect emission bands in both unannealed nanometer-sized ZnO powders and annealed micrometer-sized ZnO:Zn powders. We find that the primary mechanism limiting quantum efficiency is surface recombination because of the high density of nonradiative surface traps in these powders. It is found that unannealed ZnO has a high density of bulk nonradiative traps as well, but the annealing process reduces the density of these bulk traps while simultaneously creating a high density of green-emitting defects near the particle surface. The data are discussed in the context of a simple rate equation model that accounts for the quantum efficiencies of both emission bands. The results indicate how defect engineering could improve the efficiency of ultraviolet-excited ZnO:Zn-based white light phosphors.
2‐Hydroxyisophthalic Acid

2-Hydroxyisophthalic acid product: 2-hydroxyisophthalic acid monohydrate product: 2-hydroxyisophthalic acid Keywords: oxidation, CH3 CO2H; bath, heating, wax; beaker, stainless-steel, for caustic fusion
Examination of the expanding pathways for the regulation of p21 expression and activity.

p21Waf1/Cip1/Sdi1 was originally identified as an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases, a mediator of p53 in growth suppression and a marker of cellular senescence. p21 is required for proper cell cycle progression and plays a role in cell death, DNA repair, senescence and aging, and induced pluripotent stem cell reprogramming. Although transcriptional regulation is considered to be the initial control point for p21 expression, there is growing evidence that post-transcriptional and post-translational regulations play a critical role in p21 expression and activity. This review will briefly discuss the activity of p21 and focus on current knowledge of the determinants that control p21 transcription, mRNA stability and translation, and protein stability and activity.
The Design of Fast-Settling Three-Stage Amplifiers Using the Open-Loop Damping Factor as a Design Parameter

This paper presents an open-loop design method for fast-settling three-stage class-A amplifiers. Specifically, using the open-loop damping factor as a design parameter, the presented method delivers robust settling performance of a third-order system in the presence of process and component variation. As an illustration of the proposed approach, we show Spice simulation results of a nested-Miller-compensated three-stage-amplifier designed in 0.35-μm CMOS technology. The design achieves a 1% and 0.1% dynamic-error settling times of 6.4 ns and 13.7 ns, respectively, at a gain-bandwidth product of 55 MHz and a dynamic range of 80 dB, while consuming 5.4 mW from a 3-V supply.
Incidence of abnormal urinary findings in children exposed to the atomic bomb in Hiroshima.

Urinary abnormalities have been studied in 2,031 boys (1,039 exposed, 992 control) and 1,963 girls (985 exposed, 978 control) in Hiroshima, Japan, as a part of the continuing medical survey being carried on by the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission from 1951 through 1953. A history of nephritis was given by .28% of exposed boys, .49% of control boys, .20% of exposed girls, and .20% of control girls. Isolated abnormalities were found in 2.3% of exposed boys, 1.9% of control boys, 3.8% of exposed girls and 2.6% of control girls. Brief, transitory urinary changes without further evidence of urinary tract disease were found in 1.3% of exposed boys, .91% of control boys, 1.2% of exposed girls and .81% of control girls. Abnormalities were present for as long as 1 year in .48% of exposed boys, .40% of control boys, .81% of exposed girls, and .72% of control girls. There was no evidence of permanent damage in the 22 children in this group of 24 with adequate follow-up studies. Chronic renal disease, active or inactive, was suspected in .48% of exposed boys, .60% of control boys, 1.8% of exposed girls and 1.0% of control girls who showed urine abnormalities for longer than 1 year. Case summaries have been presented in relation to six exposed children with histories of nephritis or with albuminuria and hematuria who had experienced one or more of the major radiation symptoms after the bombing. There was no statistical difference in the incidence of nephritis or urinary abnormalities of a serious nature between the exposed and control groups. There was no statistical difference in the incidence of major radiation symptoms when the entire exposed group was compared with exposed children showing urinary findings of a serious nature. The above data should be considered a progress report. The urinary findings in this study group should be reviewed in the future to determine whether or not renal damage has occurred in children exposed to the atomic bomb in Hiroshima.
Solanum neocardenasii: A New Source of Potato Resistance to the Colorado Potato Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

The newly described wild potato species Solanum neocardenasii (NCD) Hawkes & Hjerting was examined for resistance to the Colorado potato beetle (CPB), Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say). Neonate larvae caged on potted NCD plants experienced higher mortality and retarded development relative to larvae feeding on S. tuberosum ‘Katahdin’ (KAT). Total oviposition rates and number of eggs per egg mass were depressed significantly among KAT-reared adults transferred to NCD. Removal of the glandular trichome exudate of NCD by gently pressing leaves between tissue papers did not significantly alter responses of larvae or adults. Relative consumption and growth rates and growth efficiencies were very low among larvae feeding on NCD, suggesting that this species possesses both toxic and feeding deterrent properties. Resistance of NCD to CPB may be associated with high foliar concentrations of the glycoalkaloid α-tomatine; glandular trichomes do not appear to contribute to the expression of resistance.
Determination of glucose-utilization in the dog with [2-3H], [6-3H]-, and [U-14C]glucose.

SummaryParameters of in vivo glucose metabolism in adult female dogs fasted for 48 hr were estimated after a single injection of [2-3H]- or [6-3H]glucose in combination with [U-14C]glucose. The glucose replacement rate estimated with [2-3H]glucose averaged 4.6 mg/min/kg and was about 25% higher than the values obtained with [6-3H]glucose. Estimates of glucose-carbon recycling were more than twice as high (31 vs 14%) when [2-3H]glucose was utilized as tracer than when [6-3H]glucose was utilized. These differences suggest the presence of a “futile” cycle between glucose and glucose-6-phosphate in the dog.
Aldehydes in Poultry Chiller Water

Abstract Commercial poultry chiller water was extracted by the closed-loop-stripping technique. Extracts were analysed by gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy. Twelve saturated and unsaturated aliphatic aldehydes having 5 to 11 carbons were identified. Hexanal and nonanal were present in approximately equal quantities. Together they constitute about half of the aldehydes found. The identified aldehydes also are the primary autoxidation products of unsaturated fatty acids of chicken lipids. The presence of these aldehydes is indicative of an extensive autoxidation taking place in the chiller. Its effect on the quality and shelf-life of the poultry products is unknown.
Strategies for universalistic and targeted HIV prevention.

Summary The controversy over "targeted" versus "universalistic" programs for HIV prevention has persisted throughout the history of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States and in some European countries. Building on previous analyses, we outline methods for integrating universalistic and targeted HIV prevention programming. The outline considers possible synergy between targeted and universalistic programs, rather than a forced choice between the two. Components within this frame-work include a continuum of the intensity of targeted programs, specification of local risk behavior populations, categories of risk behavior, and HIV seroprevalence within local risk-behavior populations. Given the scarce resources currently available, preventing all new HIV infections is not a realistic public health goal, but with better use of current scientific knowledge, it should be possible to greatly reduce the rate of new HIV infections.
Use of [13C]bicarbonate infusion for measurement of CO2 production

To determine whether infusion of 13C-labeled bicarbonate can be used to measure rates of CO2 production (VCO2), seven healthy adults received 6-h primed continuous intravenous infusions of NaH13CO3 and L-[1-14C]leucine in the post-absorptive state while VCO2 was measured by indirect calorimetry. Indirect calorimetry and the use of specific activity and rate of 14CO2 expired yielded identical values of VCO2: 8.97 +/- 0.82 and 8.80 +/- 0.83 mmol/min, respectively (P = NS). The concentration of NaH13CO3 in the infusates and the 13C enrichment in breath CO2 were determined using gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The rate of appearance of CO2 measured using the NaH13CO3 infusion rate and the steady-state breath 13CO2 enrichments was 11.41 +/- 1.56 mmol/min, which was higher (P < 0.001) than that determined by either of the other two methods. When corrected for the recovery of labeled CO2 during the infusion of NaH13CO3 by use of published values, rate of appearance of CO2 was 9.24 +/- 0.78 mmol/min, which did not differ from VCO2 determined using the other two methods. We conclude that infusion of NaH13CO3 can be used to determine VCO2. This method should be useful to study the oxidation of substrates in populations such as ventilator-dependent neonates, in whom indirect calorimetry is laborious and inaccurate.
THE COMPOSITION OF THE ORGANIC COMPONENT OF HUMAN ARTICULAR CARTILAGE. RELATIONSHIP TO AGE AND DEGENERATIVE JOINT DISEASE.

The collagen, mucopolysaccharides, sulphur, non-protein nitrogen, and non-collagenous protein content were determined in the articular cartilage of joints of the lower extremity its sixty patients. The results were analyzed with relation to the ages of the patients, the sites from which the cartilag
Pathology of Twinning

Twin pregnancies have increased rates of premature labor, pregnancy-induced hypertension, breech lie, cerebral palsy, and perinatal death among other complications. Some of these complications are due to the poor adaptation of the human uterus to the increased demands and mass of twin pregnancy. Some complications are related to the obstetrical problems of delivering twins, although modern obstetric management greatly reduces these risks. This chapter will focus not on these general problems but on those associated more specifically with the formation of twins. The discussion will focus on twins as the simplest unit of multiple gestation. The same considerations usually apply to higher multiples of gestation, i.e., triplets, quadruplets, etc. These multiple gestation pregnancies have become more common with the increased use of assisted reproduction techniques.
Molecular aspects of some virulence factors of Haemophilus somnus

Several virulence factors of Haemophilus somnus have been investigated, but to a varying extent. It is known that some isolates are more virulent than others. Factors associated with virulence include attachment to vaginal epithelial cells, turbinate cells or embryos; serum resistance; growth stimulation by normal flora; interference with phagocyte function; Fc receptors; and toxicity for several bovine cell types. Lipooligosaccharide and Fc receptors have been investigated at the molecular level and studies are in progress to relate their molecular structure to virulence.
'Scary'Star Wars trilogy may not be the best medicine for sick children

Bringing cinema magic to patients in state-of-the-art facilities will surely constitute a welcome break from the monotony of the ward (news August 9). The fact that MediCinema is offering the service for free is a bonus.
Context and the Virtual Human

Artificial agents that simulate aspects of human behavior are expected to behave much like a real human in a similar situation would. Human behavior however, is largely context-dependent. Ignoring the effect context can have on an agent’s behavior can hinder the quality and plausibility of agent’s behavior. In this paper, we present a context-driven approach to modeling plausible aspects of human behavior which focuses on endowing an agent with the ability to recognize and deal effectively with anticipated contextual changes.
Ramanujan and Partial Fractions

The subject of partial fractions is usually confined to the standard calculus course and is viewed as a useful albeit mundane tool. This paper looks at partial fractions starting with Euler. We then consider some of the very surprising and appealing discoveries made by Ramanujan.
Theoretical model and computer simulation of Metglas/PZT magnetoelectric composites for voltage tunable inductor applications

Abstract Control of magnetic permeability through voltage promises to create novel electronic devices, such as voltage tunable inductors. The relationship between the structure and property of voltage tunable inductors comprising of magnetoelectric Metglas/PZT composites and the underlying domain-level mechanisms are investigated using theoretical analysis, computer simulation, and complementary experiments. A theoretical model is developed to analyze the roles of material anisotropy, inductor shape, and stress in controlling the Metglas permeability and its tunability. The analysis reveals key roles played by stress-induced anisotropy and the resultant ground magnetization state, and predicts two stress-dependent regimes of inductance tunability. The theory is validated using systematic experiments. The experimental results are used to determine the material and physical parameters. To further elucidate the underlying domain-level mechanisms responsible for controlling the behavior of voltage tunable inductor, phase field modeling is employed to simulate domain microstructures and magnetic permeability of Metglas/PZT composites under varying voltage. The computational results confirm the two regimes of inductance tunability and the controlling role of stress-induced anisotropy. The findings suggest engineering of internal bias stress as an effective means to optimize the inductance tunability of magnetoelectric Metglas/PZT composites.
Oral Ketorolac for Pain Relief During Intrauterine Device Insertion: A Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial.

Abstract Objective To evaluate if oral ketorolac provides effective pain relief during placement of an IUD for contraception. Methods We conducted a double-blinded randomized controlled trial in a community hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Participants that met eligibility criteria were consented and randomized to receive either oral ketorolac 20 mg or placebo 40 to 60 minutes before IUD placement. Both participants and providers were blinded to the randomization group. The primary outcome was pain reduction (measured on a 0–10 numerical rating scale) during IUD placement. Data was analyzed using a two-sided independent samples t -test. An a priori sample size was calculated to detect a clinically meaningful difference of 2 points with 80% power. The type I error probability was α = 0.05. Results Seventy-two participants were enrolled and randomized between May 2014 until March 2016. Thirty-five in the ketorolac group and 36 in the placebo group were analyzed. There were no differences in baseline characteristics between participants or providers, as well as pain ratings prior to the procedure, at tenaculum placement, or at uterine sounding. There was a significant decrease in the pain of the ketorolac versus the placebo group rating at IUD deployment (4.2 vs. 5.7, P = 0.031), overall pain rating (3.6 vs. 4.9, P = 0.047), and pain 10 minutes after the procedure (1.1 vs, 2.5, P = 0.007). Conclusion Oral ketorolac given 40 to 60 minutes prior to IUD insertion is effective in reducing pain during IUD deployment, overall pain, and pain 10 minutes after IUD placement.
Addiction, Spirituality, and Resilience

Attachment theory posits that the earliest connection to a primary caregiver sows the seeds for future relational competence. The security of one’s attachment shapes the capacity for emotional regulation and self-control. Disrupted attachment can result in emotional wounds which the individual seeks to heal, often yielding maladaptive behavior. This chapter examines this idea in the context of addictive illness. Since compromised attachment makes one more vulnerable to addictive behavior, could such behavior be a search for healing? Attachment theory will be presented as a context for substance abuse. Spirituality will be explored as a vehicle for the connection and sense of self that is either lost or never established. Resilience is proposed as an outcome of spiritual growth and an important quality for recovery from addictive illness. The transaction of these themes provides a framework for treatment of addictive disorders.
The path to academic medicine: living your life

Karen Sliwa-Hahnle explains how she became a world expert in a rare form of cardiomyopathy while seeing the world and starting a family, and she offers advice to aspiring academics
Critical Parameter Design for a Cascaded H-Bridge With Selective Harmonic Elimination/Compensation Based on Harmonic Envelope Analysis for Single-Phase Systems

This paper investigates the critical parameter design technique for a cascaded H-Bridge (CHB) with selective harmonic elimination (SHE)/compensation (SHC) for single-phase systems. The critical parameters include the filter inductance, the number of H-bridge cells, the dc-bus voltage and the switching frequency. This paper derives the relationship of electrical parameters, topologies, and modulation techniques to the voltage/current harmonic envelopes, and compares the filter inductor design for an H-Bridge with sinusoidal pulsewidth modulation (SPWM), an H-Bridge (HB) with SHE/SHC and a CHB with SHE/SHC. Furthermore, a harmonic-envelope-based approach is developed to determine the optimum design parameters. The developed approach designs the harmonic envelope with two proposed criteria: the first one is the capacity criterion, which guarantees that the fundamental and controllable components are within the applicable solution range to avoid overmodulation; the other one is the attenuation criterion, which ensures that the uncontrollable harmonic complies with the grid limit. Simulations and experiments verified that a CHB designed with the proposed technique can simultaneously fulfill the compensation objectives and meet the harmonic limits.
Debunking Contemporary Myths Concerning Engineering

Efforts to understand the human activity we call engineering and to develop a Philosophy of Engineering are hampered by a number of myths. One oft-heard and over-used example will demonstrate this point. Repeatedly we read in the newspaper or hear on television that “engineering is applied science” in spite of the demonstrable fact that this could not possibly be true. The objective of this paper is to debunk some of the most egregious of the contemporary myths concerning engineering. Rather than rely on conjecture and personal opinion, the strategy employed is to use an inordinate number of direct quotations from classical texts and living experts. This is supplemented by extensive quotations, images, and commentary from documentaries produced by the most reputable sources such as the History Channel, the National Geographic Channel, the Discovery Channel, and the Smithsonian Encyclopedia where there would be credible fact checking by content specialists if it was to exist anywhere. At the conclusion of our investigations, we will consider the archetypical engineering project and meet the earliest engineer in history whose name is known and stare directly into his face.
Toward a robust internet interdomain routing

Robustness has always been one of the most important requirements in the design of the Internet infrastructure. This dissertation takes two directions toward enhancing the robustness of today's Internet interdomain routing. On one hand, we propose reactive techniques to identify the cause and origin of each routing instability after its occurrence. On the other hand, we develop a proactive mechanism to enable the current interdomain routing protocol to tolerate certain types of failures. We first focus on the analysis of BGP dynamics from a single network's perspective and develop a troubleshooting system that identifies in real-time from millions of daily BGP updates a few routing events that network operators can take direct actions upon to alleviate their impacts. There is serious lack of understanding of Internet routing resilience to significant and realistic failures such as those caused by the 2003 Northeast Blackout and the 2006 Taiwan earthquake. We systematically analyze how the current Internet routing system reacts to various types of failures by developing a realistic failure model, and then use it to pinpoint the reliability bottlenecks of the Internet. By focusing on the impacts of structural and policy properties, our analysis provides guidelines for future Internet design. We find that the current policy-driven interdomain routing greatly limits the Internet's ability to maintain normal reachability under adverse conditions, and therefore, propose dynamic routing negotiation (DRN) to allow ISPs to temporarily relax routing policy restrictions when needed, to exploit the existing physical redundancy in the network topology. The increasing security concerns and emerging MPLS-like layer-2 technology make the traditional tools such as traceroute less capable of identifying the internal structure of networks, which is very important to diagnosis of network anomalies. To reduce the opaqueness of today's networks, we propose a novel approach to discovering the resource sharing of each network based on the performance measurement between each pair of ingress and egress points in the network. Its performance and utility have been demonstrated via extensive simulations and Internet experiments.
Left ventricular assist device implantation in a patient with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries

Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (ccTGA) is a rare anomaly characterized by atrioventricular and ventriculo-arterial discordance and several other malformations that eventually lead to heart failure. We describe the case of a 53-year-old woman with ccTGA and aortic insufficiency who was a candidate for heart transplantation due to end-stage congestive heart failure. Her condition deteriorated before a suitable donor heart could be found; therefore, we placed a left ventricular assist device in the right (systemic) ventricle. Concomitantly, we removed the aortic (systemic) valve, closed the aortic annulus with a bovine pericardial patch, and repaired the mitral valve. The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged from the hospital 2 months postoperatively. She underwent cardiac transplantation approximately 6 months later and continued to do well after 18 months.
Measuring Mechanical Properties of Cell Surfaces and the Related Theory

The measurement of cell surface property is made difficult by the fact that the cell size is extremely small and the membrane of the cell cannot usually be conveniently isolated. Therefore most techniques are indirect measures of cell surface properties and require a theory to interpret the measurements. The theories usually involve simplifying assumptions to allow solutions and this may introduce additional uncertainties. One of the principle difficulties is to separate the effect of the internal contents of the cell from that of the cell surface. In the case of red blood cells which are more simple in structure this can be done with some surity but in most other cells some uncertainty remains.
Membrane cholesterol and substrate stiffness co-ordinate to induce the remodelling of the cytoskeleton and the alteration in the biomechanics of vascular smooth muscle cells.

Aims Cholesterol not only deposits in foam cells at the atherosclerotic plaque, but also plays an important role as a regulator of cell migration in atherogenesis. In addition, the progression of atherosclerosis leads to arterial wall stiffening, and thus altering the micromechanical environment of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in vivo. Our studies aim to test the hypothesis that membrane cholesterol and substrate stiffness co-ordinate to regulate VSMCs biomechanics, and thus potentially regulate VSMCs migration and atherosclerotic plaque formation. Methods and results Methyl-β-cyclodextrin was used to manipulate membrane cholesterol content in VSMCs isolated from the descending thoracic aorta of male Sprague-Dawley rats and cultured on Type I collagen-coated polyacrylamide gel substrates with varying stiffness. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to determine VSMCs stiffness and integrin-fibronectin (FN) adhesion. The alignment of submembranous actin filaments was visualized with AFM and confocal microscopy. The constriction force of rat aorta was measured ex vivo using a multi-wire myograph system. Our results demonstrated that cholesterol-depletion and substrate-softening induced a significant decrease in VSMCs stiffness and adhesion to FN, as well as cytoskeletal disorganization. In addition, the contractile force of rat aorta was reduced upon cholesterol-depletion. Cholesterol-enrichment resulted in an increase in stiffness, adhesion to FN, cytoskeletal organization of VSMCs compared with the cholesterol-depleted cells, and enhanced contractile force of rat aortas compared with the cholesterol-depleted vessel rings. Conclusion Cell membrane cholesterol and substrate stiffness synergistically affect VSMCs elastic modulus (E-modulus) by regulating the organization of the actin cytoskeleton. Except for the 3.5 kPa gel substrate, cholesterol-depletion decreased VSMCs-FN adhesion force, adhesion loading rate, cytoskeletal orientation, and E-modulus compared with the control VSMCs. Conversely, cholesterol-enrichment significantly increased cytoskeleton orientation, stiffness, and VSMCs-FN cell adhesion force compared with both control and cholesterol-depleted VSMCs on a soft substrate.
Sex-Specific Changes in Gut Microbiome Composition following Blueberry Consumption in C57BL/6J Mice.

The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of blueberries improve vascular function and insulin sensitivity. However, the bioavailability of the active compounds in blueberries is largely dependent on the gut microbiota, which may themselves be altered by blueberry components. The objective of the current study was to explore a possible sex-dependent modulation of the gut microbiota following supplementation with blueberries in adult mice. Eight-week-old C57BL/6J mice (n = 7–10/group) were provided with control or blueberry-containing diets (5% freeze-dried powder) for 4 weeks. Body weight, composition, and food intake were measured weekly. Genomic DNA was isolated from the cecal contents for 16S rRNA sequencing. Blueberry feeding decreased α-diversity (operational taxonomical unit abundance) and altered β-diversity (p < 0.05). At the phylum level, the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio was significantly lower in the blueberry-fed groups (p < 0.001), along with increased Tenericutes and decreased Deferribacteres. At the genus level, blueberry feeding led to sexually-dimorphic differences, which were associated with predicted metabolic pathways. Pathways such as fatty acid and lipid metabolism were significantly different and demonstrated a stronger association with microbes in the male. To summarize, blueberry supplementation led to sexually-dimorphic global changes in the gut microbiome, which could possibly contribute to physiological changes in mice.
Testing fate: Tay-Sachs disease and the right to be responsible

Testing Fate: Tay-Sachs Disease and the Right to be Responsible draws upon a range of historical and contemporary ideologies surrounding genetic decision-making and eugenics in order to critically ...
Police Stops and Searches of Indigenous People in Minneapolis: The Roles of Race, Place, and Gender

We examine disparities in police stops, searches, and arrests of Native Americans in Minneapolis, a major metropolitan area with a substantial Native American population. During the study period, 1.42% of women in Minneapolis report their race as American Indian or Alaska Native, but the Minneapolis police report that 6.43% of police stops of women (including vehicle stops and non-vehicle stops) are Native American. Native American men comprise 1.51% of the male population and 3.29% of police stops of men. After they were stopped, 28% of Native American women were searched and 20% were arrested, over twice as often as women of any other race. The disproportionate stops of Native American women are concentrated in areas with high Native American residents.
A new reward function for bayesian feasibility determination

In Bayesian feasibility determination, a typical reward function is either the 0-1 or linear reward function. We propose a new type of reward function for Bayesian feasibility determination. Our proposed reward function emphasizes the importance of barely feasible/infeasible systems whose mean performance measures are close to the threshold. There are two main reasons why the barely feasible/infeasible systems are more important. First, the overall accuracy on solving a feasibility determination problem is heavily affected by those difficult systems. Second, if the decision maker wants to further find the best feasible system, it is likely that one of the barely feasible/infeasible systems is the best feasible. We derive a feasibility determination procedure with the new reward function in a Bayesian framework. Our experiments show that the Bayesian optimal procedure with the new reward function performs the best in making correct decisions on difficult systems when compared to existing procedures.
Evolutionary Programming Based Deep Learning Feature Selection and Network Construction for Visual Data Classification

Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) models and many accessible large-scale public visual datasets have brought lots of research work to a remarkable new stage. Benefited from well-trained CNN models, small training datasets can learn comprehensive features by utilizing the preliminary features from transfer learning. However, the performance is not guaranteed when taking these features to construct a new model, as the differences always exist between the source and target domains. In this paper, we propose to build an Evolution Programming-based framework to address various challenges. This framework automates both the feature learning and model building processes. It first identifies the most valuable features from pre-trained models and then constructs a suitable model to understand the characteristic features for different tasks. Each model differs in numerous ways. Overall, the experimental results effectively reach optimal solutions, demonstrating that a time-consuming task could also be conducted by an automated process that exceeds the human ability.
Workers' Democracy in China's Transition from State Socialism

1. Locating a Discourse in Transition 2. The Origins of China's Discourse of Workers' Democracy 3. China's Post-Mao Political Economy in Transition 4. The Discourse of Workers Democracy and Economic Restructuring in Post-Mao China: The 1980s 5. The 1990s: Chinese Privatization and Reframed Discourses of Workers' Democracy 6. Workers' Democracy versus Fraudulent Privatizations 7. Conclusion: A Future Discourse of Workers Democracy in China?
Patterns in protein flexibility: a comparison of NMR “ensembles”, MD trajectories and crystallographic B-factors: Patterns in protein flexibility

Abstract Proteins are molecular machines requiring flexibility to function. Crystallographic B-factors and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations both provide insights into protein flexibility on an atomic scale. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) lacks a universally accepted analog of the B-factor, however, a lack of convergence in atomic coordinates in an NMR-based structure calculation also suggests atomic mobility. This paper describes a pattern in the coordinate uncertainties of backbone heavy atoms in NMR-derived structural “ensembles” first noted in the development of FindCore2 (previously called Expanded FindCore: DA Snyder, J Grullon, YJ Huang, R Tejero, GT Montelione, Proteins: Structure, Function, and Bioinformatics 82 (S2), 219–230) and demonstrates that this pattern exists in coordinate variances across MD trajectories but not in crystallographic B-factors. This either suggests that MD trajectories and NMR “ensembles” capture motional behavior of peptide bond units not captured by B-factors or indicates a deficiency common to force fields used in both NMR and MD calculations. Additionally, a comparison of Cα B-factors with Cα coordinate variability in NMR “ensembles” and MD trajectories shows that NMR-derived coordinate uncertainties measure variability in atomic positions as well as crystallographic B-factors and superimpositions of MD trajectories do.