cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis and simulation of a stochastic, discrete-individual model of STD transmission with partnership concurrency.

Deterministic diAerential equation models indicate that partnership concurrency and non-homogeneous mixing patterns play an important role in the spread of sexually transmitted infections. Stochastic discreteindividual simulation studies arrive at similar conclusions, but from a very diAerent modeling perspective. This paper presents a stochastic discrete-individual infection model that helps to unify these two approaches to infection modeling. The model allows for both partnership concurrency, as well as the infection, recovery, and reinfection of an individual from repeated contact with a partner, as occurs with many mucosal infections. The simplest form of the model is a network-valued Markov chain, where the network’s nodes are individuals and arcs represent partnerships. Connections between the diAerential equation and discrete-individual approaches are constructed with large-population limits that approximate endemic levels and equilibrium probability distributions that describe partnership concurrency. A more general form of the discrete-individual model that allows for semi-Markovian dynamics and heterogeneous contact patterns is implemented in simulation software. Analytical and simulation results indicate that the basic reproduction number R0 increases when reinfection is possible, and the epidemic rate of rise and endemic levels are not related by 1ˇ 1=R0, when partnerships are not point-time processes. ” 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
PS2-22: Accuracy of Diagnostic Codes to Identify Rheumatoid Arthritis in Archived Electronic Health System Data: Support for Future Cancer Research Network Studies of Lymphoma Risk Pathways.

Background/AimsIn preliminary work toward Cancer Research Network-based studies of lymphoma risk pathways, we undertook an evaluation of the utility of ICD-9 CM diagnostic codes to accurately identify potential risk factor conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA).MethodsUsing the enrolled Virtual Data Warehouse (VDW) cohort at Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, we ascertained a set of potential RA cases diagnosed between 2000 and 2010 by the presence of one or more diagnostic codes for RA (ICD-9 CM 714–714.89). Medical records were abstracted by trained staff on a random sample of 206 cases. Cases were adjudicated into categories of confirmed, probable, documented physician diagnosis only, equivocal, and non-case using a literature-based gold standard definition scheme. Outcome measures included positive predictive value (PPV) and relative sensitivity, with the confirmed, probable and physician diagnosis categories considered valid cases for the main analysis.ResultsUpon review, 25 subjects did not have sufficient medical records available for evaluation, leaving 181 subjects for analysis, including 57 with only one RA code and 124 with 2 or more instances of an RA code. Overall PPV for patients with one or more RA codes was 56%. Subjects with only one diagnostic code had very low PPV (12%), while PPV was higher among those with 2 or more (76%). PPV improved to 91% when requiring a rheumatologist diagnosis, but only 40% of the true cases in the set were detectable in this way. The one algorithm that provided acceptably high PPV and relative sensitivity required 2 or more RA diagnostic codes and history of a rheumatoid factor test (PPV 83%, relative sensitivity 82%).ConclusionsA single ICD-9CM diagnostic code for RA was not highly predictive of a true diagnosis, but PPV was enhanced when requiring multiple codes and incorporating other VDW data elements. With one exception, algorithms with higher PPV had strong reductions in relative sensitivity. Limitations include non-systematic collection of RA medication data preventing the use of treatment in the algorithms, and the inability to evaluate absolute sensitivity. Next steps include a joint RA analysis with investigators at Kaiser Permanente Southern California, and possible inclusion of RA treatment data into the Marshfield algorithms.
The tragedy of over-read EEGs and wrong diagnoses of epilepsy

The misdiagnosis of epilepsy is common and has very serious consequences. It is in fact a life-changing diagnosis. A major contributor to the misdiagnosis of epi-lepsy is the tendency to over-read normal tracings as abnormal. In fact, the wrong diagnosis of seizures is sometimes based solely on the ‘abnormal’ EEG. Reasons for the common overinterpretation of normal EEGs are mostly related to the lack of stan-dards or mandatory training in EEG, and the erroneous assumption that all neurolo-gists are trained to read EEGs. Potential solutions include defining and ensuring EEG competency for neurologists who read EEGs and providing a confirmatory reading by an EEGer, as is done for ECGs.
Composition/structure/property relations of multi-ion-beam reactive sputtered lead lanthanum titanate thin films: Part II. Textured microstructure development

This paper, the second of three parts, presents a detailed analysis of the crystallographic texture observed in lead lanthanum titanate (PLT) thin films deposited by multi-ion-beam reactive sputtering. Since films were deposited at a substrate temperature of 100 [degree]C, they exhibit an amorphous structure that can be described by the structure zone model. The as-deposited microstructure is transformed via crystallization of the perovskite phase and PbO evaporation during postdeposition annealing. Transmission electron microscopy was used to determine that phase pure PLT films develop textured clusters (as large as 700 nm in diameter) consisting of [l angle]100[r angle] aligned 10 nm nanocrystals. As excess PbO is added to the PLT film, the textured cluster size decreases until only isolated PLT nanocrystals exist. Below a critical quantity of excess PbO in the as-deposited film (approximately 15 mole %), the textured cluster structure produces a [l angle]100[r angle] texture through the film thickness, which generates x-ray diffraction patterns typical of textured microstructures. At high PbO contents, the excess PbO causes the formation of clusters that are smaller than the film thickness, resulting in a polycrystalline-type x-ray diffraction pattern. A qualitative model describing microstructure development is presented.
Yield enhancement with optimal area allocation for ratio-critical analog circuits

Parametric yield models for widely used area allocation schemes in ratio-critical analog circuits are developed. It is shown that some of the most widely used schemes are suboptimal and that significant improvements in parametric yield can be achieved with less intuitive area allocation approaches. Simulations results are presented which show quantitatively what improvements in yield can be achieved with improved area allocation strategies for resistive feedback amplifiers and R-2R ladders
Metabolic Bone Disease After Chronic Antacid Administration in an Infant

OBJECTIVETo describe a case of hypophosphatemia and metabolic bone disease (MBD) due to aluminum-containing antacids.CASE SUMMARYAn 8-month-old white boy was brought to the emergency department due to irritability and pain with movement. Upon examination, the infant was irritable, unable to bear weight, had palpable clavicular bony lesions, point tenderness of the hips, and poor head control. The infant had lost several developmental milestones over the past 4 months (eg, ability to roll over) and had decreased appetite and minimal weight gain. Skeletal survey revealed multiple rib fractures, osteoporosis, and Ricketts. Hypophosphatemia (2.3 mg/dL; normal 3.2–6.3) and an elevated serum aluminum level (14 μg/L, normal 0–9) were noted. Past medical history was positive for gastroesophageal reflux. He had been started on ranitidine and aluminum hydroxide (1/2 teaspoonful per 6-ounce bottle) at 2 months of age. The infant's formula contained elevated aluminum levels. Further investigation showed that 1/2 tabl...
Using methodological triangulation to examine the effectiveness of a mentoring program for online instructors

In this quasi-experimental mixed methods study, we examined the effectiveness of a faculty-to-faculty mentoring program to increase student success rates in online courses at an American university. Over one semester, 24 faculty mentees worked with 6 faculty mentors on improving course organization and implementing student engagement techniques. Using methodological triangulation, we found positive results for two of our effectiveness measures (i.e., mentor and mentee feedback and mentors’ ratings of mentees’ courses). However, in terms of our third measure (i.e., student learning data), although institutional data showed that there was a 4.1% aggregate increase in online student success after the intervention, the intervention group made no significantly greater gains than two control groups. Our findings highlight some benefits and shortcomings of these types of university initiatives and also emphasize the importance of using triangulation to integrate participant feedback with formal measures of stude...
Reactions of Hexa-aquo Transition Metal Ions with the Hydrated Electron up to 300 °C

Reactions of the hydrated electron with divalent aqueous transition-metal ions, Cd2+, Zn2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Co2+, Fe2+, and Mn2+, were studied using a pulse radiolysis technique. The kinetics study was carried out at a constant pressure of 120 bar with temperatures up to 300 °C. The rate constants at room temperature agree with those reported in the literature. The reaction of Cd2+ is approximately diffusion-limited, but none of the first-row transition-metal ion reactions are diffusion-controlled at any temperature studied. The activation energies obtained from the Arrhenius plots are in the range 14.5–40.6 kJ/mol. Pre-exponential factors are quite large, between 1 × 1013 and 7 × 1015 M–1 s–1. There appears to be a large degree of entropy–enthalpy compensation in the activation of Zn2+, Ni2+, Co2+, and Cu2+, as the larger pre-exponential factors strongly correlate with higher activation energy. Saturation of the ionic strength effect suggests that these reactions could be long-range nonadiabatic electron “ju...
Inheritable Fisher vector feature for kinship verification

An innovative inheritable Fisher vector feature (IFVF) method is presented in this paper for kinship verification. Specifically, Fisher vector is first derived for each image by aggregating the densely sampled SIFT features in the opponent color space. Second, a new inheritable transformation, which maximizes the similarity between kinship images while minimizes that between non-kinship images for each image pair simultaneously, is learned based on the Fisher vectors. As a result, the IFVF is derived by applying the inheritable transformation on the Fisher vector for each image. Finally, a novel fractional power cosine similarity measure, which shows its theoretical roots in the Bayes decision rule for minimum error, is proposed for kinship verification. Experimental results on two representative kinship data sets, namely the KinFaceW-I and the KinFaceW-II data sets, show the feasibility of the proposed method.
Residents’ Lumbar Puncture Skills after Simulation-Based Education

Researchers in the Departments of Medicine and Neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL evaluated the effect of simulation-based mastery learning (SBML) on internal medicine residents’ lumbar puncture (LP) skills, assessed neurology residents’ acquired LP skills from traditional clinical education, and compared the results of SBML to traditional clinical education.
Experimental determination of the reaction; magnesite + enstatite = forsterite + CO 2 in the ranges 6-25 kbar and 700-1100 degrees C

The P-T equilibrium curve of the reaction of magnesite 1 enstatite 5 forsterite and CO2 was determined in the ranges 6‐25 kbar and 700‐1100 8C by 53 reversed experiments carried out in 1.91 cm diameter piston-cylinder apparatus with NaCl pressure medium. Silver oxalate was used as a CO2 source and charges were buffered at hematite-magnetite oxygen fugacity. Reaction progress was monitored by weight changes upon puncturing of CO2-inflated quenched charge capsules and was confirmed by comparing X-ray diffractograms of charges made before and after the experiments. The data satisfy the relation: PEQ 52 3.215 2 4.784 3 10 23 T 1 2.542 3 10 25 T 2 with P in kbar and T in 8C. A P-T curve calculated with the 1994 version 2.3 THERMOCALC program agrees well with our results except in the highest pressure range. Our data, together with three existing tight experimental brackets on the decarbonation reaction of magnesite to periclase and CO2, give DH (298 K) (forsterite) 52 61.20 6 0.87 kJ/mol from the oxides. This value is in 0 f agreement with the value adopted by Berman (1988). An analysis of various proposed
Hybrid functional calculations of D X centers in AlN and GaN

Using hybrid functional calculations, we investigate the formation of $DX$ centers in GaN and AlN. We find that O, Si, and Ge are shallow donors in GaN, but form stable $DX$ centers in AlN for Fermi-level positions near the conduction band. Using a linear interpolation, we estimate the composition at which the onset of $DX$ behavior will occur in AlGaN alloys. Based on these predictions, we identify Si as the most effective donor for high Al-content AlGaN, and explain a number of seemingly conflicting experimental results for Si-doped AlGaN. Although based on size matching Ge was expected to be superior to Si as a shallow donor, it actually turns out to be more prone to $DX$-center formation.
Rapid cytologic identification of renal cortex in kidney biopsies.

Cytologic examination of renal biopsy imprints is a practical procedure by which the presence of renal cortex in the tissue obtained can be determined rapidly at the time of biopsy. The time required for preparation and interpretation of imprints is about 5 min., which permits the operator to obtain additional tissue or terminate the biopsy procedure with assurance of an adequate biopsy. Imprints of renal cortex contain large, fragile, eosinophilic proximal convoluted tubular cells with indistinct cell borders, and fragments of proximal tubules composed of similar cells are frequently seen. The presence of proximal convoluted tubular cells in the imprints reliably indicates the presence of glomeruli in the tissue. Imprints of renal medulla show smaller cells with well-defined cell borders, and proximal convoluted tubular cells are not present. The proximal convoluted tubular cell is cytologically distinctive, and we have not seen similar cells in imprints of other tissues.
Interrogating the global health and development nexus: Critical viewpoints of neoliberalization and health in transnational spaces

Abstract Significant challenges face world health and diverse theoretical and methodological approaches have been engaged to both better understand the issues and put forth potential solutions. In the past two decades global health and economic development have become more intricately intertwined. Over the same time the proliferation of the use of the term global health requires interrogation of our assumptions of what is meant by “global health” and how it is constructed as a set of problems and processes. This review of recent developments in the global health literature across sociology, medical anthropology, history, and public health is focused specifically on the interrelationships between global health and globalized neoliberal capitalism. This lens reveals the production of global health as an industry and amalgamation of technologies that allow for new types of medical subjects and objects, as well as movement of patients, professionals, and biologies. Presenting three domains through which neoliberalism and global health intersect, I show that rather than a place or entity, global health exists as a set of complex processes that occur in specific places at the intersections of multiple transnational networks and are best studied within the fraught interactions of human and non-human actors, technologies, and institutions. This may be best accomplished through interdisciplinary work that takes historical and social contexts into account and questions taken-for-granted epistemologies of global health. This brief theoretical grounding of our current scholarship is meant to encourage discussion and promote critical standpoints within the discipline.
Large-scale implementation of the I-PASS handover system at an academic medical centre

Background Healthcare has become increasingly complex and care delivery models have changed dramatically (eg, team-based care, duty-hour restrictions). However, approaches to critical communications among providers have not evolved to meet these new challenges. Evidence from safety culture surveys, academic studies and malpractice claims suggests that healthcare handover quality is problematic, leading to preventable errors and adverse outcomes. To address this concern, from 2013 to 2016 Massachusetts General Hospital completed phase I of a multifaceted programme to implement standardised, structured handovers across all departments, units and direct care providers. Methods A multidisciplinary Handovers Committee selected the I-PASS handover system. Phase I implementation focused on large-scale training and shift-to-shift handovers. Important features included administrative and clinical leadership support; EHR templates for I-PASS; hospital handover policy revision; varied educational modalities, venues and durations; concomitant TeamSTEPPS training; unit-level I-PASS champions; handover observations; and solicitation of caregiver feedback and suggestions. Results More than 6000 doctors, nurses and therapists have been trained. Trended observation scores demonstrate progressive but non-uniform adoption of I-PASS, with significant improvements in the correct sequencing and percentage of I-PASS elements included in handovers. Adoption of Synthesis (readback) has been challenging, with lower scores. Conclusions Comprehensive I-PASS implementation in a large academic medical centre necessitated major cultural change. I-PASS education is straightforward, whereas assuring consistent and sustained adoption across all services is more challenging, requiring adaptation of the basic I-PASS structure to local needs and workflows. EHR I-PASS templates facilitated caregiver acceptance. Initial phase I results are encouraging and the lessons learned should be helpful to other programmes planning handover initiatives. Phase II is ongoing, focusing on more uniform and consistent adoption, spread and sustainability.
Generator Parameter Identification Using Evolutionary Programming

Abstract This paper presents an artificial intelligence approach of using evolutionary programming to estimate the transient and subtransient parameters of a generator under normal operation in a multi-machine system. The estimation using evolutionary programming (EP) is compared with that using corrected extended Kalman filter (CEKF). The comparison shows that EP is robust to search the real values of parameters even when the data are highly contaminated by noises, while with CEKF, the estimation tends to diverge with such data. A short-circuit fault is simulated to justify the EP estimation.
Scalar implicature in absence of epistemic reasoning? The case of autism spectrum disorder

We investigated “scalar implicature” in adolescents and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to test whether theory of mind deficits associated with autism affect pragmatic inferences in la...
Performance Analysis of High Speed Trains Communications inside a Tunnel Using LTE-R

Given recent advances in High Speed Trains (HSTs), there has been an extensive amount of research dedicated to implementing Long Term Evolution cellular communications for Railways (LTE-R) with respect to next generation wireless communication systems. Achieving a reliable coverage inside a tunnel environment has always been a challenging task. Leaky Coaxial Cables (LCXs) have been shown to provide a uniform signal coverage in indoor environments such as offices and malls, and have been experimentally evaluated for tunnel environments. In this paper we model the HST channel inside a tunnel employing LCX and considering the classical two-ray propagation model. We analyze the LTE-R communication system utilizing the LCX and determine small-scale fading characteristics of the channel. Our channel model also takes into account the large Doppler shift caused by the high velocity of the trains. In addition to the proposed channel model, a dynamic Rician K-factor function depending on the reflector's material properties is also derived. The proposed channel is characterized by its bit error rate (BER) performance.
Commentary on "Standards of Evidence for Conducting and Reporting Economic Evaluations in Prevention Science".

The current paper is a commentary on the Standards of Evidence for Conducting and Reporting Economic Evaluations in Prevention Science (Crowley et al. 2018). Although the standards got a lot right, some important issues were not addressed or could be explored further. Measuring rather than modeling is encouraged whenever possible. That also is in keeping with the approach taken by many prevention researchers. Pre-program planning for collection of data on resources used by individual participants (i.e., costs) is recommended, along with devotion of evaluation resources to cost assessment throughout program implementation. A “cost study” should never be an afterthought tacked on as a later aim in a research proposal. Needing inclusion or enhancement in the standards, however, are several key concepts, starting with the often-confused distinction between costs and outcomes. The importance of collecting data on individual-level variability in resource use, i.e., costs, needs to be distinguished from simplistic disaggregation-by-division of program cost totals down to individuals. In some passages of the standards, the uniqueness of individual participants seems dismissed as error variance rather than considered a primary phenomenon for study and understanding. Standards for formatting reports of economic evaluations could themselves be more evidence-based. Missing too is an explicit call for inclusion of the standards’ recommendations in peer review of prevention research proposals, and in funding of prevention research. Finally, we can be confident that the better outcomes the standards promise will come at additional costs to prevention researchers. This commentary concludes by considering whether the standards themselves are cost-beneficial.
The Polymerization of 3-Dimethylamino-n-Propyl Chloride and the Formation of Star-Shaped and Branched Polyelectrolytes

It has been shown recently (1) that, under well-defined conditions, step-growth polymerization is the predominant process in the reaction of a diamine of structure I with a dihalide of structure II, where x and y are the number of CH2 groups in the diamine and the dihalide, respectively, and Z is Cl, Br, or I.
Improved Compatibilization of Immiscible Homopolymer Blends Using Copolymer Mixtures

An analytical self-consistent-field theory and numerical self-consistent-field calculations are used to study the efficiency of binary mixtures of di- and comb block copolymers in reducing the interfacial tension between two immiscible homopolymers. In particular, we consider: 1) the mixture of diblock copolymers of two different molecular weights and 2) the mixture of diblock and comb copolymers, in which we vary the molecular weights for copolymers and the number of teeth for the comb. For the mixture of diblock copolymers of two different molecular weights, we show that the longer component controls the interfacial tension. For the mixture of the diblock and comb copolymers, we found that at a specific relationship between molecular weights of the copolymers and the number of teeth of the comb, the mixture can be more efficient than either of the pure components. The findings are important for tailoring the properties of immiscible blends.
Therapeutic Approaches to Airway Mucous Hypersecretion

Airway mucus is the intraluminal product of glandular and goblet cell exocytosis, vascular permeability, cellular infiltration and desquamation. Factors promoting each of these processes may contribute to a state of“mucous hypersecretion” (Figure 1). The challenges of quantifying these processes in vivo have made it difficult to determine the relative importance of serous, mucous and goblet cell exocytosis, leak, neural reflexes and inflammatory cell infiltration in various bronchial nasal, sinus and middle ear diseases, and the effects of individual drugs on these processes.
Building Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change in Less Developed Countries

This paper focuses on the relevance of adaptive capacity in the context of the increasing certainty that climate change impacts will affect human populations and different social groups substantially and differentially. Developing and building adaptive capacity requires a combination of interventions that address not only climate-related risks (specific capacities) but also the structural deficits (lack of income, education, health, political power, etc.—generic capacities) that shape vulnerability. We argue that bolstering both generic and specific adaptive capacities, with careful attention to minimizing the potential tensions between these two types of capacities, can help vulnerable groups maintain their ability to address risks in the long run at the same time as they respond effectively to short term climate impacts. We examine the relationship between generic and specific capacities, taking into consideration that they are not always positively related. We then propose a conceptual model describing positive and negative feedbacks between the two.
A concept analysis of synergy for nursing education

Background and Purpose: Synergy is a term found widely throughout the sciences. There is a need for improved methods and delivery of instruction that supports learners in their pursuit of academic goals and facilitates their transition into the professional role. Critical for students is teamwork training, both as team members and facilitators. Some teams have outcomes greater than their own individual efforts, while others do not. One possible explanation for this phenomenon is synergy. A concept analysis was conducted to define synergy in the context of nursing education and to gain insight on its impact on learning. Using Walker and Avant's (2011) method, definitions, uses, attributes, antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents were identified. Methods: Six databases were searched, using the keyword synergy (syntactic variations) and search terms (nursing, education, student, learning, training, collaboration, teamwork, and cooperation) with the parameter of English language (1980-2017). Articles were delimited through duplication removal, title, and abstract review. Thirty articles were selected for review based upon the use of synergy within the context of education. Results: Synergy is demonstrated whengroup outcomes exceed the results of individual efforts. Attributes are mutuality of support, actions, goalswith greater than individual effects, and teaching strategies. Consequences are greater problem-solving, creativity, and goal attainment than are accomplished individually. Implications for Practice: Incorporating synergy into nursing education can promote teamwork and collaboration and facilitate learners to collaborate inter-professionally. Recommendations are to research synergy within nursing education.
Distinct histomorphological features are associated with IDH1 mutation in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Summary Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma has known histological heterogeneity. Mutations in IDH1 (mIDH1) define a molecular subclass of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and IDH-targeted therapies are in development. Characterizing mIDH1 ICC histomorphology is of clinical interest for efficient identification. Resected ICCs with targeted next-generation sequencing by MSK-IMPACT were selected. Clinical data were obtained. By slide review, blinded to IDH status, data were collected for histology type, mucin production, necrosis, fibrosis, cytoplasm cell shape (low cuboidal, plump cuboidal/polygonal, and columnar), and architectural pattern (anastomosing, tubular, compact tubular, and solid). A tumor was considered architecturally heterogeneous if no dominant pattern represented ≥75% of the tumor. Parameters were compared between mIDH1and IDH wild-type controls. In the examined cohort (113 ICC: 29 mIDH1 and 84 IDH wild-type), all IDH1-mutant tumors were of small duct–type histology, thus analysis was limited to 101 small duct–type tumors. mIDH1cases were more likely to have plump cuboidal/polygonal shape (P = .014) and geographic-type fibrosis (P = .005), while IDH1 wild-type were more likely to have low cuboidal shape (P = .005). Both groups were predominantly architecturally heterogeneous with no significant difference in the distribution of architectural patterns. Plump cuboidal/polygonal cell shape and a geographic-type pattern of intra-tumoral fibrosis are more often seen in mIDH1compared to IDH wild-type tumors; however, IDH1 mutation is not associated with a distinct histoarchitectural pattern.
A Taxonomy of Semantic Relations

Relations between ideas have long been viewed as basic to thought. Aristotle explained the sequence of ideas in recall in terms of contiguity, similarity, and contrast (Aristotle, 1928–1952, Chap. 2). John Locke used relations between ideas to account for the formation of complex ideas from simple ones and for the ability to reason (Rapaport, 1974, pp. 68–85). This reliance on relations between ideas as an explanatory construct led to an enduring interest in the classification of the different types of relations. The early experimental psychologists proposed a variety of taxonomies, relying on both associative and introspective data. At least 13 different classification systems were proposed prior to 1911 by Wundt, Kraeplin, Jung, and others (Warren, 1921). Interest in the variety of relations declined during the following decades as behaviorists focused on understanding the relation of contiguity (e.g., Skinner, 1938).
Nanosecond photonic switch architectures demonstrated in an all-digital monolithic platform.

We present an all-digital, fully programmable, nanosecond-scale photonic switch platform, monolithically integrating electronics for actuation, tuning, and power-monitoring alongside switching elements, resulting in a scalable, packageable solution for high-radix photonic switch fabrics. In this platform, we achieve record loss and extinction performances utilizing a 2×2 Mach–Zehnder switch (MZS) with 0.8 dB of loss and 28 dB extinction and a 2×2 nested MZS with 1.3 dB of loss and 38 dB extinction.
Direct retrieval of isoprene from satellite-based infrared measurements

Isoprene is the atmosphere's most important non-methane organic compound, with key impacts on atmospheric oxidation, ozone, and organic aerosols. In-situ isoprene measurements are sparse, and satellite-based constraints have employed an indirect approach using its oxidation product formaldehyde, which is affected by non-isoprene sources plus uncertainty and spatial smearing in the isoprene-formaldehyde relationship. Direct global isoprene measurements are therefore needed to better understand its sources, sinks, and atmospheric impacts. Here we show that the isoprene spectral signatures are detectable from space using the satellite-borne Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), develop a full-physics retrieval methodology for quantifying isoprene abundances from these spectral features, and apply the algorithm to CrIS measurements over Amazonia. The results are consistent with model output and in-situ data, and establish the feasibility of direct global space-based isoprene measurements. Finally, we demonstrate the potential for combining space-based measurements of isoprene and formaldehyde to constrain atmospheric oxidation over isoprene source regions.
Designed Synthesis and Structure–Property Relationships of Kinetically Stable [(PbSe)1+δ]m(VSe2)1 (m = 1, 2, 3, 4) Heterostructures

Understanding structure–function relationships is essential to guide the designed synthesis of novel materials with emergent properties. In this work, we targeted the metastable heterostructures [(...
Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Burden and All-Cause Mortality: Mayo Clinic Florida Familial Cerebrovascular Diseases Registry.

Abstract Goal: Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) leads to cognitive decline, gait disturbances, mood changes, and an increased risk of stroke. The goal of this study is to describe the relationship between a composite radiographic CSVD score and all-cause mortality. Materials and Methods: Data were collected from a prospective registry of patients with and without cerebrovascular disease from November 2010 through April 2018. The radiographic Total CSVD Score (tSVD) ranges from 0 (minimal disease) to 4 (severe disease), based on detection of lacunar infarcts, cerebral microbleeds, perivascular spaces, and subcortical or periventricular white matter hyperintensities. All-cause mortality served as the primary endpoint. The independent relationship between CSVD burden and all-cause mortality was assessed using Cox regression models with significance being P
Anti-lobbying gains from international agreements

Abstract I argue that an important potential benefit of international agreements is to reduce wasteful rent-seeking activities by domestic and foreign special interest groups, through a reduction in policy discretion. The presence of foreign lobbying generates a novel type of international externality: by inviting wasteful rent-seeking by foreign lobbies, the presence of policy discretion itself generates a negative international externality. I examine the potential anti-lobbying effects of three salient types of international rules: exact policy commitments, policy bounds and non-discrimination rules. Unlike exact policy commitments, which remove policy discretion and hence shut down ex-post lobbying, policy bounds may invite ex-post lobbying and hence may forego part or all of the potential anti-lobbying gains. I also find that policy bounds may lead to mixed-strategy equilibria of the rent-seeking game. A non-discrimination rule can reduce rent-seeking by foreign lobbies, by injecting a free-rider problem in the strategic interaction between these lobbies, and under some conditions can achieve all the potential anti-foreign-lobbying gains.
Recurrent anaphylaxis in the United States: time of onset and risk factors

BACKGROUND Studies have not yet examined the trends and risk factors of biphasic and recurrent anaphylaxis in the United States using International Classification of Diseases, tenth revision (ICD-10) CM codes. The goal of this study is to examine the trends of biphasic and recurrent anaphylaxis in all patient care settings (inpatient, outpatient, emergency department, and observation). METHODS We used the Clinformatics database from 2015 to 2017. Our main outcome measure was recurrent anaphylactic events occurring within 1 year after the initial event. We used Cox proportional hazards modeling to assess the factors associated with recurrent anaphylaxis and the Kaplan-Meier method to estimate time to recurrence. RESULTS There were a total of 19,039 patients with incident anaphylaxis in 2016 and, of these, 2017 had a recurrent anaphylaxis event in the 12-month period after the index date (10.6%). The most common trigger for recurrent anaphylaxis is venom followed by food allergens. Pediatric patients aged <18 years were more likely to develop recurrent anaphylaxis compared with patients aged 18 to 64 years (hazard ratio [HR], 1.53). Patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma were more likely to develop recurrent anaphylaxis compared to those without these comorbidities (HR, 1.15 and 1.27, respectively). CONCLUSION This is the first national study using ICD-10 CM codes looking at rates of biphasic and recurrent anaphylaxis in all patient care settings. Recurrent anaphylaxis is more common in the first 3 days after the initial event, in younger patients (<18 years), and in patients with allergic rhinitis and/or asthma. Physicians need to prescribe epinephrine auto-injectors and educate their patients about the risk of recurrence.
Effect of video‑assisted thoracoscopic surgery on pain stress indicators NO, IL‑1β and IL‑6 in the treatment of mediastinal tumor in children

This study aimed to investigate the effect of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) on pain stress indicators nitric oxide (NO), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-6 in the treatment of mediastinal tumor in children, so as to explore the clinical application value of this surgery. A retrospective analysis was performed on 82 children with mediastinal tumor undergoing operation in Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University from January 2012 to January 2016. Among them, 48 children undergoing VATS were enrolled as an observation group, and 34 children undergoing conventional thoracotomy were enrolled as a control group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the preoperative and postoperative expression levels of NO, IL-1β and IL-6. The intraoperative clinical data, postoperative pain degree and infection rate were observed and recorded in real time, and then compared between the two groups. Before operation (T0), there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in serum NO, IL-1β and IL-6 expression levels, which were lower in the observation group than those in the control group at 12 h (T1) and 24 h (T2) after operation (P<0.05). The visual analog scale (VAS) score in the observation group was lower than that in the control group at T1 (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the largest blade opening, intraoperative blood loss, drainage duration and postoperative pain degree were significantly improved in the observation group. The postoperative infection rate was 4.17% in the observation group, significantly lower than 17.64% in the control group. VATS is effective for postoperative pain stress indicators and infection control in children with mediastinal tumor, which is therefore more suitable for children with the disease and has a higher clinical value.
The Heavy-Ball ODE with Time-Varying Damping: Persistence of Excitation and Uniform Asymptotic Stability

We study the uniform asymptotic stability properties of the heavy-ball optimization dynamics with general time-varying damping. Unlike existing results in the literature, which have focused mainly on standard convergence results, we study a stronger limiting notion called uniform asymptotic stability, which is instrumental for the design of feedback-based algorithms. Given that recent results in the literature have shown that a class of heavy-ball optimization dynamics with vanishing damping fails to satisfy this limiting notion, we study sufficient and necessary conditions on the time-varying coefficients such that uniform asymptotic stability for the set of minimizers of the cost function is achieved. Our main results show that such conditions are related to the notion of persistence of excitation, which is commonly used in adaptive control and system identification. Moreover, we show that the persistence of excitation condition is not necessary for a class of high-resolution accelerated optimization dynamics with Hessian-driven damping. Our results are established by using a nested Matrosov theorem that has not been used before in the analysis of accelerated optimization algorithms.
Re-examining VLSI manufacturing and yield through the lens of deep learning

The continued scaling of integrated circuit technologies, along with the increased design complexity, has exacerbated the challenges associated with manufacturability and yield. In today's semiconductor manufacturing, lithography plays a fundamental role in printing design patterns on silicon. However, the growing complexity and variation of the manufacturing process have tremendously increased the lithography modeling and simulation cost. Besides, both the role and cost of resolution enhancement techniques (RETs) - now indispensable in the design process - have increased. Parallel to these developments are the recent advancements in Machine Learning (ML) which have provided a far-reaching data-driven perspective for problem solving. In this work, we shed light on the recent Deep Learning (DL) based approaches that have provided a new lens to examine traditional manufacturability and yield challenges. We present lithography modeling and simulation techniques, leveraging advanced learning paradigms, which have demonstrated unprecedented efficiency. Moreover, we demonstrate the role DL can play in advancing RETs by presenting its successful application in assist feature generation. Also critical to yield is the post fabrication wafer map defect analysis step which our work tackles using a novel confidence-aware deep learning scheme. This paper further discusses the future prospects of DL-based approaches in the scope of circuits manufacturability and yield.
A Novel Criterion of Reconstruction-based Anomaly Detection for Sparse-binary Data

Computer usage behaviour information can be used by anomaly detection algorithms to identify the current user of the computer system for security reasons. However, the data collected in this setup can be binary and very sparse, resulting in poor performance for some widely used anomaly detection methods. In this study, we propose a novel reconstruction criterion inspired by the F 1 score and the cross-entropy loss, that tackles the class imbalance problem introduced by binary and sparse data distribution with effectively merging reconstruction criterion calculated from vector elements of both positive and negative classes. Our experiments show that the proposed criterion can effectively improve the performance of reconstruction based anomaly detection methods, including both the PCA and the autoencoder.
Virally Encoded Connectivity Transgenic Overlay RNA sequencing (VECTORseq) defines projection neurons involved in sensorimotor integration

Behavior arises from concerted activity throughout the brain. Consequently, a major focus of modern neuroscience is defining the physiology and behavioral roles of projection neurons linking different brain areas. Single-cell RNA sequencing has facilitated these efforts by revealing molecular determinants of cellular physiology and markers that enable genetically targeted perturbations such as optogenetics, but existing methods for sequencing of defined projection populations are low-throughput, painstaking, and costly. We developed a straightforward, multiplexed approach, Virally Encoded Connectivity Transgenic Overlay RNA sequencing (VECTORseq). VECTORseq repurposes commercial retrogradely infecting viruses typically used to express functional transgenes, e.g., recombinases and fluorescent proteins, by treating viral transgene mRNA as barcodes within single-cell datasets. VECTORseq is compatible with different viral families, resolves multiple populations with different projection targets in one sequencing run, and identifies cortical and subcortical excitatory and inhibitory projection populations. Our study provides a roadmap for high-throughput identification of neuronal subtypes based on connectivity.
Judicial Engagement with the Affordable Care Act: Why Rational Basis Analysis Falls Short

Let me start this Essay with a large proposition that goes against the grain of much of modern constitutional law. There is no place for rational basis review in evaluating any challenge to any government tax or regulation. In all cases, the specific guarantees of the Constitution are written in categorical form, such that the rational basis test inverts the proper assumption behind our whole system of limited government under a strong constitution, motivated by a strong presumption of distrust of government actors at all levels. This proposition is not quite as broad as it sounds, because it does not cover those decisions in which the government runs or manages programs on its own. In those cases, the appropriate standard lies much closer to the business judgment rule that protects the directors and officers of corporations and other voluntary associations from being constantly secondguessed regarding the way they manage the institutions put in their charge.
A SUM GREATER THAN ITS PARTS?: COPYRIGHT PROTECTION FOR APPLICATION PROGRAM INTERFACES

The exponential growth exhibited in the technology sector worldwide has provided businesses and consumers with a myriad of computer programs and computer-based devices. Whereas the copyright laws of the United States have attempted to keep pace with these rapid technological advances, in certain instances, such has not been the case. One such area involves the extent of copyright protection for application program interfaces ("APIs"). Whereas APIs have been implicated as important segments of high profile lawsuits involving large multi-national corporations such as Microsoft, few scholars have addressed whether, and to what extent, APIs are protected under the copyright laws. This article discusses the extent of copyright protection that is afforded to APIs and the defense of fair use as it relates to copyright infringement claims regarding APIs.
Developing collaborative applications using sliverware

Despite computers' widespread use for personal applications, very few programming frameworks exist for creating synchronous collaborative applications Existing research in CSCW (computer supported cooperative work), specifically approaches that attempt to make current application implementations collaboration-aware, are difficult to implement for two reasons: the systems are focused too narrowly (e.g., on Internet-only applications), or the systems are simply too complicated to be adopted (e.g., they are hard to set up and adapt to concrete applications) Enabling real-time collaboration demands lightweight, modular middleware—sliverware—that enables the fine-grained interactions required by collaborative applications In this paper, we introduce sliverware and give a specific example in the guise of a distributed keyboard that multiplexes input from several users into a single stream that each user receives just like input from a normal keyboard The result is simple, real-time collaboration based on a shared, distributed view of data that enables rapid development of highly coupled coordinating applications.
El municipio de la otra Colombia: Papeles, problemas, posibilidades.Relatoría de un diálogo ciudadano

Resumen es: Este texto resume las conversaciones que a lo largo de un ano se mantuvieron con cerca de 300 alcaldes, funcionarios y dirigentes locales, asi como co...
Bestimmung der turbulenten Austauschkoeffizienten in quer angeströmten Rohrbündeln

In einem quer angestromten, fluchtenden Rohrbundel wurden mit Hilfe von Konzentrationsmessungen die turbulenten Austauschkoeffizienten im Bereich 7 · 103 < Re < 1,5 · 105 gemessen. Die Ergebnisse werden in Form einer Pe-Zahl dargestellt, deren obere Grenze durch die Korrelation Pe=12600· Re−0,71 mit einer Unsicherheit von etwa 20 bis 30 Prozent wiedergegeben werden kann. — Im Bereich 1,5 · 104 < Re < 105 wurden Unregelmasigkeiten in der Bundelstromung beobachtet, die sich durch starke Konzentrationsschwankungen, bessere Durchmischung und einen Anstieg des Druckverlustkoeffizienten auserten. Die Ergebnisse liefern-zusammen mit der angegebenen Theorie — die Grundlage fur die Vorausberechnung der sich in Querstromwarmetauschern infolge von Storungen einstellenden Temperaturprofile senkrecht zur Stromungsrichtung.
SOME SOLUTION PROPERTIES OF POLY ALPHAMETHYLSTYRENES OF LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT

Abstract : Fractions of poly-alpha-methylstyrene of molecular weights below 15,000 were prepared. Measurements of molecular weight, intrinsic viscosity and heats of solution were made in cyclohexane, toluene, and tetrahydrofuran. The results were applied to the correction of heats of polymerization, for phase change and heats of solution. (Author)