cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The nature of the selective species in Fe-HZSM-5 for non-oxidative methane dehydroaromatization

Conversion of natural gas to aromatics via non-oxidative dehydroaromatization (DHA) is a promising route to replace oil with a cheap and abundant domestic resource as feed-stock for the petrochemical industry. However, the reaction is still lacking a suitable catalyst system to-date. We present results from a study into the nature of the active species in Fe-containing HZSM-5 catalysts through the preparation of Fe-HZSM-5 via three different synthetic approaches: isomorphous substitution, wet ion exchange, and core–shell synthesis. By carefully investigating the impact of the preparation methods on the distribution of Fe species, and studying the catalytic performance of the resulting materials in methane DHA, we show that coking is reduced with increasing Fe dispersion and that highly (atomically) dispersed Fe2+ inside the zeolite micropores constitutes the selective species for DHA. However, the presence of Bronsted acid sites in the zeolite micropores results in continued coke formation due to secondary reactions of the aromatic product. Further optimization of the catalyst hence requires careful adjustment of this acidity.
Method of Staining Flagella

Preparation of Slide.-A drop of bacterial suspension allowed to dry without spreading on the slide was found preferable to smears made in the usual way with the loop or by spreading with a slide as in making blood smears. Both of these methods tend to injure the flagella or leave them stretched along the bacterial bodies which have been dragged in the direction of the smearing. The use of chemicals to fix flagella in their natural positions as advised by some bacteriologists is also of use only with this undisturbed drop method. Too heavy a growth should not be used: heavy broth cultures should be diluted with distilled water, and to growth on agar slants 5 to 10 cc. of distilled water should be added and the tube shaken until suspension is sufficiently opalescent. The addition of acetic acid to the cultures (q. s. ad 50%) and a subsequent incubation at 37 C. in water bath for fifteen minutes is very satisfactory. Fluid cultures in medium containing serum or ascitic fluid should not be used for the demonstration of flagella, due to the fact that these proteins in the fixed slide take the stain as heavily as the flagella. The slides were cleaned by keeping them for a week in a 6% solution of commercial sulphuric acid mixed with equal parts of a 6% solution of potassium or sodium bichromate. Mordants.-Tannic acid is used in almost every mordant described. It is soluble in water as high at 20%, but does not keep very well in a watery solution except in the presence of a disinfectant. Tannic acid in formalin (40% formaldehyde) affords a simple mordant which is stable, does not form a precipitate on standing, and is both a fixative and a disinfectant. The mordant consists of two solutions: solution A contain-
Public Relations and the Chains

A LTHOUGH numerous articles have A appeared on the subject of chain stores versus independents, no one has presented a co-ordinated statement of the development of public sentiment toward the chain store system. This article attempts such a treatment and seeks to describe some of the organized efforts of chains and independents in their attempts to get and hold the favor and support of the public. While anti-chain sentiment appeared in the latter half of the nineteenth century,1 except among certain vested grocery interests and among certain newspapers, there was little anti-chain publicity prior to the I920's. During their early development, single stores branching into chains were looked upon by the public with mingled curiosity, respect, and indifference. Anything so harmless as a branching home-town store meant little to a nation whose attention was focused, in turn, on railroad combinations, industrial trusts, department stores, the silver question, the Spanish-American War, the Panama Canal, and World War I. During World War I, when prices soared, the purchasing power of the dollar fell sharply. Middle-class incomes lagged, and "middle-class housewives went over to the chains by the millions. . . . 2 Middle classes went to the chains
An improved model for current voltage characteristics of submicron SiC MESFETs

Abstract This paper presents an improved model to simulate I - V characteristics of submicron SiC MESFETs, designed for microwave power applications. The proposed model adequately addresses a non-ideal Schottky behavior, commonly observed in submicron devices, by adjusting the device biasing through simulation variables. Swarm optimization technique has been applied to investigate gate length ( L g ) dependent performance of various SiC MESFETs models. It has been found that the proposed model provides an improved accuracy, ranging from 7% to 24%, compared to the best models available in the literature. This enhanced performance is primarily associated with the extra control, provided by the proposed model to simulate the movement of the depletion region in the channel as a function of applied voltages. An attempt has been made to identify the location underneath the Schottky barrier gate, where the depletion region gets its maximum height and thus controls the saturation current of the channel. Physical and electrical parameters of various SiC MESFETs having L g = 0.4 μm, 0.5 μm, 0.6 μm and 0.7 μm have also been assessed. An accurate assessment of the physical parameters of the device exhibits the validity of the model for submicron SiC MESFETs.
One-Class Gaussian Process for Possibilistic Classification Using Imaging Spectroscopy

With the greater availability of imaging spectrometer data, vegetation species classification in the presence of outlier and ambiguous spectra is an increasingly important and poorly addressed problem. At large scales, assuming that all test spectra are from one of the training classes is unrealistic. An attractive resolution of these problems is the possibility theory, which is an axiomatic system, like probability theory, that represents uncertain labels of outliers and ambiguities more flexibly. In this letter, two popular probabilistic classification algorithms, namely, the support vector machine (SVM) with Platt scaling (SVM-Platt) and the Gaussian process (GP) classifier (GPC), are evaluated and compared to a novel one-class GP (OCGP) possibilistic classifier. OCGP, unlike one-class classification with GP, another GP-based one-class classifier, finds the hyperparameters automatically. Experiments were conducted with two data sets. The OCGP outperformed SVM-Platt and GPC when tested with outlier spectra.
Growth and plasma metabolites of lambs weaned to legume pasture at 28 days of age.

Two trials evaluated the potential for weaning lambs directly onto legume pasture at 28 d of age. Ewes and their twin-reared lambs were placed in paddocks on d 19; ewes were removed on d 28. In Trial 1, 60 lambs were allocated to three treatments: unweaned controls (CON1), lambs weaned onto first-cut alfalfa either without supplementary grain (WOG) or with up to 270 g.hd-1.d-1 supplementary grain (WG). Daily gains for the CON1, WOG and WG lambs were 309, 118 and 159 g for the period from d 28 to 40 (P greater than .05) and 241, 195 and 245 g for the period from d 40 to 56 (P greater than .05), respectively. In Trial 2, 80 lambs were allocated to four treatments: weaning onto first-cut alfalfa (early alfalfa, EA), second-cut alfalfa (late alfalfa, LA) birdsfoot trefoil (BFT) and unweaned controls (CON2, pastured on second-cut alfalfa). Daily gains for CON2 lambs were greater (P less than .05) than gains of EA and LA lambs (327 vs 136 and 136 g, respectively) for d 28 to 40, but not different (P greater than .05) for d 40 to 56 (245, 227 and 195 g, respectively). Gains for BFT lambs were lower (P less than .05) than for CON2 lambs for both periods (122 and 136 g, respectively), and BFT lambs appeared to be unthrifty after weaning. By d 32, weaning caused plasma glucose to decline 16.0 mg/dl and plasma nonesterified fatty acids to increase 365 mu eq/liter from preweaning levels. Hematocrit values ranged from 31 to 35% (Trial 1) and 25 to 29% (Trial 2), suggesting that the weaned lambs did not suffer from dehydration. Crossbred lambs can be weaned at 28 d of age directly onto first-cut or second-cut alfalfa.
The Use of Chronometers to Determine Longitude on East India Company Voyages

John Arnold in his Certificates and Circum-stances states that various East India Company captains used his chronometers. The earliest instance quoted is that of Captain Charles Mears on board HEIC...
Stakeholder Theory: Seeing the Field Through the Forest

Does stakeholder theory constitute an established academic field? Our answer is both “yes” and “no.” In the more than quarter-century since Freeman’s seminal contribution in 1984, this domain has a...
Thermal diffusion in polymer solutions: Approaching spinodal

Abstract This paper aims to theoretically explain the behavior of thermal diffusion coefficient in polymer solutions; specifically, in the vicinity of the unstable regions of phase diagrams. Based on an equation that was derived in the framework of classical irreversible thermodynamics, a dimensionless number was introduced that plays a crucial role in determining the thermal diffusion in polymer solutions. The behavior of thermal diffusion coefficient in various phase diagrams was investigated by changing the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter to include concentration and temperature dependencies using Koningsveld interaction factor. It was shown that irrespective of the types of phase diagrams, the proposed equation for thermal diffusion becomes zero at infinite dilution and takes finite values on the spinodal line. Moreover, it was illustrated that in a binary polymer solution the Soret coefficient (the ratio of the thermal diffusion coefficient to the mutual diffusion coefficient) diverges at the critical point, and more importantly it was predicted that the divergent behavior of the Soret coefficient is observed at all the points of the spinodal line.
Male caffeine and alcohol intake in relation to semen parameters and in vitro fertilization outcomes among fertility patients

Much of the literature on the impact of male caffeine and alcohol intake on reproductive outcomes has utilized semen quality as a proxy for male fertility, although semen parameters have a limited predictive value for spontaneous pregnancy. The objective of this study was to investigate whether male caffeine and alcohol intakes are associated with semen parameters and assisted reproductive technology outcome. The Environment and Reproductive Health Study, an ongoing prospective cohort study, enrolls subfertile couples presenting for treatment at an academic fertility center (2007-2012). A total of 171 men with 338 semen analyses and 205 assisted reproductive technology cycles were included in this analysis. Diet was assessed using a 131-item food frequency questionnaire. Mixed models adjusting for potential confounders were used to evaluate the relationships of male caffeine and alcohol intakes with semen parameters and assisted reproductive technology outcomes. There was no association between male caffeine and alcohol intake and semen quality. Male caffeine intake was negatively related to live birth after assisted reproductive technologies (p-trend < 0.01), and male alcohol intake was positively related to live birth after assisted reproductive technologies (p-trend = 0.04). Adjusted live birth rate among couples with a male partner in the highest quartile of caffeine intake (≥272 mg/day) compared to couples with a male partner in the lowest quartile of intake (<99 mg/day) was 19% vs. 55%, respectively, p < 0.01. In terms of alcohol intake, adjusted live birth rate among couples with a male partner in the highest quartile of alcohol intake (≥22 g/day) compared to couples with a male partner in the lowest quartile of intake (<3 g/day) was 61% vs. 28%, respectively, p = 0.05. In conclusion, male pre-treatment caffeine and alcohol intakes were associated with live birth after assisted reproductive technologies, but not with semen parameters, among fertility patients.
Dimensions of Power in Regulatory Regime Selection: Shopping, Shaping, and Staying

This article investigates the process through which transnational firms select and develop sites for their operations. I build a framework to understand how firms' localization strategies not only entail a choice among regulatory regimes but how they also coproduce those regimes while responding to community resistance. My account is based on a multisited ethnography of two research and development hubs for the U.S. corn seed market. The genetically modified (GM) corn seed industry is an important (and somewhat unusual) case because firms' competitiveness hinges on staying in particular environments, rendering them relatively place-bound—which can be used by local actors as a negotiating tool for better environmental and labor arrangements. I compare two cases of firms' localization strategies—one (Hawaii) in which firms are confronted by local actors who question GM crop safety and another (Puerto Rico) in which firms face little local opposition and, in fact, are lauded as economic engines of developmen...
Mood, Memory, and Biased Beliefs and Decisions

I first provide a static model of associative memory, a mnemonic process wherein cues in the environment bias information recalled from memory. I apply the model in a principal-agent setting to analyze contradictory predictions for the relationship between employee morale and productivity from the organizational behavior literature. I then develop a dynamic model that incorporates rehearsal and a model of mood dynamics. Applied in an asset pricing setting, the theory provides explanations for short-run continued overreaction to news, long-run correction of the overreaction, and excess price volatility. The model predicts that these effects are stronger for more volatile assets.
Unanticipated Cardiotoxicity Associated with Targeted Anticancer Therapy in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies Patients: Natural History and Risk Factors

Our aim is to study unanticipated cardiotoxicity associated with the use of anticancer targeted agents, a problem that remains poorly understood. Using diagnosis codes, we retrospectively identified patients with both hematologic malignancies (HM) and cardiovascular diseases (n = 820 patients). Cardiotoxicity was defined per published criteria. The targeted agents of interest included tyrosine kinase inhibitors, proteasome inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, and immunomodulatory agents. Patients found with cardiotoxicity (n = 29) were compared with 70 case-matched reference subjects. Median time from targeted therapy exposure to cardiotoxicity was 132 days. A higher percentage of patients had prior exposure to anthracyclines in study versus reference group (65.5 vs. 42.8%, P = 0.04), however, did not stay significant in multivariate analysis. Two variables were significant predictors, prior of DVT/PE and Karnofsky score of ≥ 80% (P ≤ 0.011). Only 2 study group patients died of cardiac causes. Most cardiotoxicity patients (23/29) had remained stable or improved, while 21 patients received further chemotherapy. OS was lower in the study group (P = 0.018) versus the reference group. In conclusion, a small number patients with HM experience unanticipated cardiotoxicity with low related mortality. Risk of cardiotoxicity was significantly associated with history of DVT/PE. Most patients do well, but despite that, their OS is significantly poorer.
The Inverse Gaussian Distribution: A Case Study in Exponential Families

(1996). The Inverse Gaussian Distribution: A Case Study in Exponential Families. Journal of Quality Technology: Vol. 28, No. 2, pp. 258-258.
Radix-4 modular pipeline fast Fourier transform algorithm

In this work, we describe the design and implementation of the Radix-4 Modular Pipeline FFT. The Modular Pipeline algorithm differs from the Conventional FFT in terms of the storage of center elements to reduce the computation requirements without significant change in performance. We present a comparison between the Conventional FFT and Radix-4 Modular Pipeline FFT implementations, in terms of the number of computations, latency and hardware utilization, which are substantiated by our implementations using Xilinx Virtex 5, Virtex 6 devices and Quartus Stratix IV, Stratix V devices. As the size of FFT increases from 16 to 1024 points, the number of multiplications required increases from 12.5% to 25%. The estimated delay to compute the modular algorithm is improved by 24.08% for our implementation when compared to a conventional FFT. The Radix-4 Modular Pipeline implementation shows about twice the hardware utilization compared to the conventional FFT implementation.
The X-ray Power Spectral Density Function and Black Hole Mass Estimate for the Seyfert AGN IC 4329a

We present the X-ray broadband power spectral density function (PSD) of the X-ray-luminous Seyfert IC 4329a, constructed from light curves obtained via Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer monitoring and an XMM-Newton observation. Modeling the 3-10 keV PSD using a broken power-law PSD shape, a break in power-law slope is significantly detected at a temporal frequency of 2.5(+2.5,-1.7) * 10^-6 Hz, which corresponds to a PSD break time scale T_b of 4.6(+10.1,-2.3) days. Using the relation between T_b, black hole mass M_BH, and bolometric luminosity as quantified by McHardy and coworkers, we infer a black hole mass estimate of M_BH = 1.3(+1.0,-0.3) * 10^8 solar masses and an accretion rate relative to Eddington of 0.21(+0.06,-0.10) for this source. Our estimate of M_BH is consistent with other estimates, including that derived by the relation between M_BH and stellar velocity dispersion. We also present PSDs for the 10-20 and 20-40 keV bands; they lack sufficient temporal frequency coverage to reveal a significant break, but are consistent with the same PSD shape and break frequency as in the 3-10 keV band.
Public Policy Design and University Reform: Insights into Academic Change

The massification and increasing global competition of higher education pose major challenges to the design of effective national policies to steer universities. A generalization of contemporary studies of higher education is that significant changes within universities are being caused primarily by government policy reforms reflecting the “New Public Management” (NPM). NPM has been influenced by the “new institutional economics,” emphasizing transaction costs, property rights, and principal-agent relationships. Following this framework national reforms of higher education often seek to make the nature and distribution of information on academic behavior much more explicit. But the “new institutional economics” also perceives organizational change to be a result of the complex interactions among the regulations of the state, the forces of the market, and social norms. Therefore this chapter reviews the impact of contemporary government reforms, changing market forces, and alterations in the academic professions on the process of change within universities, exploring what we are learning about the role of information in the functioning of higher education.
Electronic Structure and Related Properties of Tetrahedrally Bonded Wide-Band-Gap Materials Containing Early Elements of the Periodic Table

The tetrahedrally bonded materials involving early elements of the periodic table, such as Be, B, C, and N have rather extreme properties compared to the conventional tetrahedrally bonded semiconductors. These unique properties make them interesting for a variety of applications, including their use as hard coatings for mechanical tools, metal/ceramic composites, heat-sinks, and electronics. The latter are the most demanding type of applications because they require semiconductor grade purity single crystalline material in order to realize the superior performance these materials promise to have. But their extreme properties also makes them difficult materials to grow in the form of pure single crystals. Their properties are thus not yet very well known. In order to make a rational choice of material for specific applications, it is necessary to understand the interrelationships between the intrinsic materials properties and the trends in these properties with atomic number, crystal structure, and so on. Virtually all materials properties can in ultimate instance be related to the underlying electronic structure. The purpose of this paper is to describe the basic trends in electronic structure of these materials and some of their related properties. The results presented here are based on a systematic study of the electronic structure of these materials carried out over a number of years in our research group. Although many of the results discussed here were presented elsewhere they were not included in an overall description of the trends as presented here. Some new results are included as well. Extensive references are provided as a guide to our previous work not covered here in detail.
Children’s Services in Disasters and Other Emergencies

The present chapter focuses on the psychological and social impact of disasters on children and the services targeting children’s needs in postdisaster reconstruction. The relevant literature is reviewed to establish a reliable basis for predicting children’s reactions to disasters, the approaches to coping and adaptation that children and families will most likely employ, and the types of mental health needs that are likely to emerge. Particular emphasis is placed on the importance of identifying children who are at heightened risk or are particularly vulnerable to the disruptions in development that can result from exposure to the acutely stressful aspects of mass casualty events. Because children’s mental health needs can best be understood and served in the contexts of their communities and families, emphasis is placed upon the need to integrate psychosocial services into existing social structures and institutions. Moreover, since disaster-affected populations vary along dimensions of race, class, affluence, religion, and other demographic indices of social status, this chapter highlights the importance of culturally sensitive assessment of children’s needs and contextually appropriate modes of intervention. The commonly available services offered to meet children’s psychosocial needs are described and service gaps or other areas of inadequacy are identified. Finally, recent initiatives are described and recommendations
Mutational Screening of GLI3, SHH, and SHH ZRS in 78 Chinese Children with Nonsyndromic Polydactyly.

Background: Polydactyly is one of the most common congenital limb abnormalities. Our objective was to identify the genetic causes of non-syndromic polydactyly in 78 Chinese children. Materials and ...
On Espn Deportes: Latinos, Sport Media, and the Cultural Politics of Visibilities

This article explores the ways Latinos—as audience, market, media—reshape the boundaries of sport media coverage. Its central focus examines the ways ESPN responds to the “browning of America” and ...
High-Frequency Spinal Cord Stimulation at 10 kHz for the Treatment of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A Case Series of Patients With or Without Previous Spinal Cord Stimulator Implantation.

BACKGROUND High-frequency spinal cord stimulation at 10 kHz (HF10-SCS) has been demonstrated to provide enhanced and durable pain relief in patients with chronic back and radiating leg pain. Patients with pain related to complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) in the chronic stages are commonly challenging to treat and often receive traditional spinal cord stimulation (SCS). Very little information is currently available about the therapeutic outcomes following application of high-frequency stimulation in this cohort of patients. METHODS The purpose of the retrospective case series was to report on the initial experience of HF10-SCS in 13 patients with CRPS, some of whom had been exposed to low-frequency SCS. A temporary trial of HF10-SCS was carried out for 1 week, and those achieving a minimum of 50% pain intensity reduction underwent implantation. Successful responders were those who achieved a 50% decrease in pain intensity on subsequent follow-up. RESULTS Thirteen patients were trialed, 12 of whom went on to receive a permanent implant. Of the patients receiving permanent implants, the responder rate (50% pain relief) was 67% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.34 to 0.90), with an average follow-up period of 12.1 ± 4.6 months. Of the 5 patients who had sympathetically independent pain, 3 were responders, and of the 7 patients who had sympathetically mediated pain, 5 were responders. There were no adverse events. CONCLUSION This small case series suggests that HF10-SCS may be a viable option for patients with CRPS who have chronic intractable pain, including those who had suboptimal results from traditional SCS.
Use of tailored feedback improves accuracy of delirium documentation in the Burn ICU: Results of a Performance Improvement initiative.

One of the most widely used tools for delirium assessment in burn intensive care units is the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit delirium assessment tool. However, some nurses struggle with inaccurate delirium documentation. This performance improvement project was undertaken to assess the impact that routine chart audits with tailored feedback would have on documentation accuracy. An a priori goal of at least 90% documentation accuracy was set by burn leadership at our academic, American Burn Association-verified burn center. For the precorrectional feedback time period, nursing delirium documentation was reviewed for accuracy by the nurse educator. In the postcorrectional feedback time period, an intervention was started, in which the educator sent tailored feedback to nurses with inaccurate delirium documentation. A Poisson regression with robust standard errors was used to compare the proportions of correct delirium documentation for the precorrectional feedback and postcorrectional feedback time periods. The overall rates of correct delirium documentation in the precorrectional feedback time period were 49.15% (SD = 31.86), 95% CI: 36.43 to 66.31. A significant increase was seen in the rates of correct delirium documentation for the postcorrectional feedback time period (91.47% [SD = 8.28], 95% CI: 87.45 to 95.67), P = .0001. In the 4 months prior to starting corrective feedback, zero out of five (0%) audits reached the 90% goal of accurate delirium documentation. In the 8 months in which corrective feedback was being given, 9 out of 15 (60%) audits reached the compliance goal set by leadership. Using corrective feedback improves the accuracy of nursing delirium documentation.
A hospital library's joint venture: the Microcomputer Resource Center.

Presentation de la cooperation mise en place entre deux bibliotheques d'hopital americaines pour organiser un enseignement des sciences de l'information assiste par microordinateur
Incidence of Psychopathy

For knowing the incidence, there are four major problems: the definition of psychopathy has not been consistent; cultural factors influence the definition that exists at any one point in time; data collection has usually been on a particular (rather than diverse) sample; and the appearance of propriety, competency, and sociability allows many psychopaths to go undetected. Conditions in modern society (e.g., especially from the mass media, violent video games, ways to avoid personal responsibilities, and diminished social values) promulgate more reinforcement of antisocial behavior than at times in the past.
Exploring a Web-Based Pedagogical Model to Enhance GIS Education

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are defined as: “An integrated collection of computer software and data used to view and manage information about geographic places, analyze spatial relationships, and model spatial processes.” (Wade & Sommer, 2006) Originally, GIS users were comprised primarily of scientists and engineers. In time, hardware and software advancements provided the catalyst for expanded use by the global community. In addition, the continued integration and access to information systems via the Internet and mobile devices has contributed to the success of GIS in society. Aside from commercial training, institutions of higher learning have played a major role in the technical training of GIS professionals. As with other technically orientated topics of study, pedagogical considerations exist that include: problem solving skills, information retention, and approaches towards learning. A pedagogical approach utilizing student generated and existing Internet GIS resources may provide an effective method of addressing GIS education.
QV Or Not QV? That Is The Question: Some Skepticism About Radical Egalitarian Voting Markets

This paper is part of a symposium on Eric A. Posner & E. Glen Weyl’s recent book, Radical Markets: Uprooting Capitalism and Democracy for a Just Society. Posner and Weyl argue for the use of quadratic voting, or QV, for conducting voting for ballot measures and (perhaps) representative government. The original version of Posner and Weyl’s QV would allow literal vote buying, in which the wealthy could decide how many votes to allocate in an election such as one to decide whether to build a public park. In the current version of their proposal, contained in their book, Posner and Weyl advocate a modified version of QV in which all voters receive an equal number of “credits” which they can then vote quadratically across ballot measures over time or among a number of candidates for office. They argue that such a system will allow “a passionate minority” to “outvote an indifferent majority” and that “the outcome of the vote should maximize the well-being of the entire group, not the well-being of one subset at the expense of another.” Their chapter on QV begins with a vignette of a rural Japanese voter saving up his money to cast a large number of votes in favor a measure repealing gun control in rural areas. In this short response, I express some skepticism about the creation of the radical egalitarian voting market Posner and Weyl suggest, and argue instead for QV-based public financing of elections. First, I argue that the kind of tradeoffs that modified QV elections require are both normatively undesirable and likely beyond the rational capacity of voters, especially in a politically polarized political environment fueled by social media and disinformation. Second, I argue that the caveats and constraints Posner and Weyl build into their model makes modified QV risky and impractical as an actual voting reform, as compared to other voting methods that reflect intensity, such as cumulative voting. Third, I briefly argue that QV public financing of elections through campaign finance vouchers is both practical and can achieve many of the benefits Posner and Weyl suggest for their voting market without some of the drawbacks I have identified.
Chemically modifying the mechanical properties of core–shell liquid metal nanoparticles

Eutectic gallium–indium (EGaIn) is a room temperature liquid metal that can be readily fabricated into nanoparticles which naturally form a thin, passivating gallium oxide shell. These core–shell nanoparticles are of interest for a variety of stimuli-responsive applications, which often utilize physical deformation of the particles to release the molten, conductive payload from within the gallium oxide shell. In the present work, we introduce a variety of chemical strategies to produce EGaIn nanoparticles which exhibit a wide range of gallium oxide shell thicknesses. These chemically modified oxide thicknesses are then correlated to the core–shell liquid nanoparticles’ mechanical properties by subjecting the particles to orthogonal characterization techniques; XPS for measurement of the gallium oxide shell thickness and nanoindentation for measurement of particle stiffness and elastic modulus. Additionally, nanoindentation is used to determine the onset of particle rupture and resultant conductivity. Ultimately, quantification of the relationships between chemical treatment and derivative mechanical properties in liquid metal nanoparticles will enable advanced applications of these colloids, such as in tailored self-healing and responsive electronic devices.
Casimir Energy For Perfect Electric Conductors Revisited

The Casimir energy has been calculated using the path integral method [2], [3] for a geometry of cylindrical perfect electric conductors. A similar derivation is proposed by making use of a decomposition rule for the calculation of functional determinants in terms of the Fourier components of Greens functions. This method yields a set of different impedance matrices that are validated analytically for the parallel plate geometry.
Enhanced Immobilization of Arsenic from Acid Mine Drainage by Detrital Clay Minerals

Arsenic (As) is a potent carcinogen and the most common metal(loid) contaminant in drinking water sources globally. In acidic, Fe-rich systems, nanocrystalline Fe(III) precipitates (Fe(III)NP) are ...
Monolithic integration of III-V microdisk lasers on silicon

Local integration of III-V active photonic material on silicon is highly desirable for the dense cointegration of electronics and photonics. In this work, we integrate GaAs and InP microdisk lasers on silicon using template-assisted selective epitaxy (TASE). We demonstrate optically pumped room-temperature lasing from InP hexagonal microdisks integrated via TASE and evaluate their performance at lower temperatures.In order to assess and evaluate the viability of TASE, performance of InP hexagonal microdisks are compared to identical devices fabricated via the highly developed and mature direct wafer bonding technique. The lasing threshold as well as the light-in light-out curves of our TASE structures compare favorably with the bonded InP hexagonal microdisks. This demonstrates that our TASE approach is a promising technique for the monolithic integration of optical devices on Si.
Immigrant apprehensions and birth outcomes: Evidence from California birth records 2008–2015

Abstract While several studies find adverse birth outcomes among Latina mothers after discrete immigration enforcement events, it is unknown whether day-to-day enforcement activities precede adverse birth outcomes. This study examines birth outcomes among Latinas following local immigrant apprehensions―48-h holds on suspected undocumented immigrants by local law enforcement―over an 8-year period. County-level apprehensions, scaled to 1000 of the population, were averaged across the third trimester. We analyzed the association between county-level apprehensions and low birth weight (LBW) and preterm birth (PTB) between 2008 and 2015 in California using spline logistic regression models with knots at the quartiles of apprehensions and included covariates, county fixed-effects, and a time propensity variable to account for trend and seasonality in LBW and PTB. We performed these regressions for non-Hispanic White, all Latina, and foreign-born (FB) Latina mothers. There were no significant associations between apprehensions and LBW. For all Latina women, there were no differences in PTB between zero apprehensions and levels that were below the median. Latina mothers exposed to moderately high apprehensions had lower odds for PTB compared to zero apprehensions. At the highest levels of apprehensions, however, Latina women showed significantly elevated odds of PTB (at 0.71 apprehensions: OR = 1.06, 95% CI 1.01–1.12). PTB responded differentially to localized enforcement threats. At lower and moderate levels, Latino communities may have mobilized in ways that reduced the risk for PTB. Risks emerged at the highest levels of enforcement, underlying the intense fear and anxiety in hyper-surveilled areas.
A MISMATCHED CONNECTION: A CASE OF CORONARY ARTERIOVENOUS FISTULA

Coronary Arteriovenous Fistula (AVF) is an exceedingly rare condition. The majority of coronary AVF are congenital malformations that occur in <0.002% of the population. A 44 year old Asian female presented with a new 2/6 systolic ejection murmur during a routine examination. The patient denied
Association of the Risk of a Venous Thromboembolic Event in Emergency vs Elective General Surgery.

Importance Trauma patients have an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), partly because of greater inflammation. However, it is unknown if this association is present in patients who undergo emergency general surgery (EGS). Objectives To investigate whether emergency case status is independently associated with VTE compared with elective case status and to test the hypothesis that emergency cases would have a higher risk of VTE. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cohort study used the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2016, for all cholecystectomies, ventral hernia repairs (VHRs), and partial colectomies (PCs) to obtain a sample of commonly encountered emergency procedures that have elective counterparts. Emergency surgeries were then compared with elective surgeries. The dates of analysis were January 1 to 31, 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was VTE at 30 days. A multivariable analysis controlling for age, sex, body mass index, bleeding disorder, disseminated cancer, laparoscopy approach, and surgery type was performed. Results There were 604 537 adults undergoing surgical procedures over 12 years (mean [SD] age, 55.3 [16.6] years; 61.4% women), including 285 847 cholecystectomies, 158 500 VHRs, and 160 190 PCs. The rate of VTE within 30 days was 1.9% for EGS and 0.8% for elective surgery, a statistically significant difference. Overall, 4607 patients (0.8%) had deep vein thrombosis, and 2648 patients (0.4%) had pulmonary embolism. A total of 6624 VTEs (1.1%) occurred in the cohort. As expected, when VTE risk was examined by surgery type, the risk increased with invasiveness (0.5% for cholecystectomy, 0.8% for VHR, and 2.4% for PC;P Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study, emergency surgery and increased invasiveness appeared to be independently associated with VTE compared with elective surgery. Further study on methods to improve VTE chemoprophylaxis is highly recommended for emergency and more extensive operations to reduce the risk of potentially lethal VTE.
Depression, anxiety, and patterns of mental health care among men with prostate cancer on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT).

12100Background: ADT is associated with an increased risk of depression and anxiety, raising the concern that a substantial portion of men with prostate cancer need mental health care. We sought to...
Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Elevation in Liver Enzymes in COVID-19 Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background Corona virus has become a global health pandemic since its origin in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 The present systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess gastrointestinal symptoms and liver enzymes trend in corona virus infection Methods Pooled proportions were calculated using both fixed and random effects model Weighted mean difference and 95% CI were calculated Results We included 15 relevant articles in the meta-analysis (n = 3762) The pooled proportion of patients with nausea/vomiting was 7 00% (95% CI = 6 00-8 00) while that of diarrhea was 6 00% (95% CI = 5 00-7 00) Weighted mean difference of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in non-severe COVID-19 patients was higher by 20 54 U/liter (95% CI = 19 95-21 13) and 21 38 U/liter (95% CI = 20 92-21 84) while that in severe patients was higher by 22 70 U/liter (95% CI = 19 09-26 45) and by 22 94 U/liter (95% CI = 20 46-25 42) respectively, as compared to general population Pooled proportions showed ALT levels to be elevated in 16 00% (95% CI = 14 00-18 00) of patients with non-severe and 25 00% (95% CI = 20 00-31 00) of patients with severe COVID-19 Weighted mean difference of albumin and platelet count was found to be lower by 3 28 g/liter (95% CI = 3 05-3 50) and by 14 21 x 109/liter (95% CI = 11 87-16 55) in non-severe patients and by 11 39 g/liter (95% CI = 10 16-12 63) and 40 70 x 10(9)/liter (95% CI = 33 62-47 77) in severe patients Conclusions Our meta-analysis shows that patients with COVID-19 infection can present with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea in addition to elevated liver enzymes including AST, ALT and a decline in albumin and platelet count which is more marked in severe disease
Restriction of RecG translocation by DNA mispairing

The RecG DNA helicase plays a crucial role in stalled replication fork rescue as the guardian of the bacterial genome. We have recently demonstrated that single-strand DNA binding protein (SSB) promotes binding of RecG to the stalled replication fork by remodeling RecG, enabling the helicase to translocate ahead of the fork. We also hypothesized that mispairing of DNA could limit such translocation of RecG, which plays the role of roadblocks for the fork movement. Here, we used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to directly test this hypothesis and investigate how sensitive RecG translocation is to different types of mispairing. We found that a C-C mismatch at a distance of 30 bp away from the fork position prevents translocation of RecG over this mispairing. A G-bulge placed at the same distance also has a similar roadblock efficiency. However, a C-C mismatch 10 bp away from the fork does not prevent RecG translocation, as 10 bp from fork is within the distance of footprint of RecG on fork DNA. Our findings suggest that retardation of RecG translocation ahead of the replication fork can be a mechanism for the base pairing control for DNA replication machinery.
A novel GSK-3 inhibitor binds to GSK-3β via a reversible, time and Cys-199-dependent mechanism.

Abstract Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) has been implicated in numerous pathologies making GSK-3 an attractive therapeutic target. Our group has identified a compound termed COB-187 that is a potent and selective inhibitor of GSK-3. In this study, we probed the mechanism by which COB-187 inhibits GSK-3β. Progress curves, generated via real-time monitoring of kinase activity, indicated that COB-187 inhibition of GSK-3β is time-dependent and subsequent jump dilution assays revealed that COB-187 binding to GSK-3β is reversible. Further, a plot of the kinetic constant (kobs) versus COB-187 concentration suggested that, within the range of concentrations studied, COB-187 binds to GSK-3β via an induced-fit mechanism. There is a critical cysteine residue at the entry to the active site of GSK-3β (Cys-199). We generated a mutant version of GSK-3β wherein Cys-199 was substituted with an alanine. This mutation caused a dramatic decrease in the activity of COB-187; specifically, an IC50 in the nM range for wild type versus >100 µM for the mutant. A screen of COB-187 against 34 kinases that contain a conserved cysteine in their active site revealed that COB-187 is highly selective for GSK-3 indicating that COB-187′s inhibition of GSK-3β via Cys-199 is specific. Combined, these findings suggest that COB-187 inhibits GSK-3β via a specific, reversible, time and Cys-199-dependent mechanism.
Prepregnancy Body Mass Index is an Independent Risk Factor for Pregnancy Complications and Poor Birth Outcomes

Pregnancy complications and poor birth outcomes represent public health burden with serious consequences to both mothers and infants. Public health burdens can be reduced by achieving gestational weight gain (GWG) guidelines, which are dependent on prepregnant weight status (ppg-BMI). We examined if ppg-BMI alone is a risk factor for gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, preterm labor, and birth of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) and large-for-gestational-age (LGA) infants. Included in this study are the data of 219,868 women from 2004-2011 PRAMS which were from the state birth certificate file plus self-administered questionnaires. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to examine if ppg-BMI was associated with pregnancy complications and poor birth outcomes after controlling for gestational weight gain, maternal age, race/ethnicity, education level, marital status, gestational age at birth, participation in WIC, and smoking during pregnancy. The IOM's GWG guidelines were achi...
Quantification of cyclic motion of marine animals from computer vision

A vision-based automatic tracking system mounted on the ROV Ventana has successfully tracked jellyfish in Monterey Bay, California as part of a joint project between Stanford University and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). To enhance performance, improved lead information about the target's motion is desired. Human pilots derive lead information about that motion through the perception of motion modes of these animals and the propulsion associated with them. Although this kind of information is of a different nature than what is typically available to an automatic control system, performance gains could be achieved by incorporation of such information. Jellyfish and related gelatinous animals exhibit very distinct modes of motion that are visually recognizable to human observers. For an autonomous animal-tracking system to interpret the motion of its target, and to generate lead information useful for control, it must first be able to identify the mode motion of the animal under observation. This paper explores techniques in computer vision to detect and recognize the key motion modes and mode change events typical of these animals. Methods are presented to distinguish between active and resting modes, and to detect and monitor rhythmic patterns in the body motions of these animals.
T-bet or Not T-bet

We depend on the efficiency of our adaptive immune system to combat pathogen invaders. Part of this protective response includes development of CD4 and CD8 effector T cells. As Hatton and Weaver discuss in their Perspective, key transcription factors regulating CD4 effector T cell development have been identified, whereas those governing the development of CD8 effectors have not. Hatton and Weaver describe new work showing that cooperation between two T-box transcription factors, T-bet and Eomesodermin, instigates the CD8 effector program ( Pearce et al.).
Importance of C16 ceramide accumulation during apoptosis in prostate cancer cells.

Aim: Adenocarcinoma of the prostate is one of the most frequently diagnosed non-cutaneous cancers and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men in the United States. To fully understand the role of ceramide during apoptosis induced by androgen ablation, we modified the levels of intracellular ceramide by pharmacological agents as well as through serum deprivation in androgen-dependent and independent cell lines. Methods: Ceramide levels were modified using N-oleoylethanolamine (NOE), sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) as well as through serum deprivation, in LNCaP, DU145 and PC-3 prostate cancer cells. Various methods including nonyl acridine orange staining, propidium iodide staining/cell cycle analysis and lipid analysis were utilized. Results: Our results demonstrate that the inhibition of acid ceramidase by NOE enhances the intracellular ceramide levels induced by androgen ablation in androgen-dependent LNCaP cells, and is accompanied by an increase in apoptotic cells. Sphingosine 1-phosphate had no effect in rescuing LNCaP cells from apoptosis induced by androgen ablation. Our results also show that serum deprivation causes intracellular ceramide accumulation and apoptosis in androgen-independent prostate cancer cells. Conclusions: Our studies indicate that the increase in intracellular ceramide itself, but not the balance between ceramide and S1P, determines whether LNCaP cells undergo apoptosis. Our results also show that the increase in intracellular ceramide strongly correlates with apoptosis induced by serum deprivation even in androgen-independent prostate cancer cell lines.