cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Field Survey of Northern Sumatra and Banda Aceh, Indonesia after the Tsunami and Earthquake of 26 December 2004

On Sunday, 26 December 2004, at 00:58 UTC (07:58 local at the epicenter), a great earthquake occurred 250 km south-west of Banda Aceh in northern Sumatra, Indonesia. With a moment magnitude of 9.0 or possibly greater (Stein and Okal, 2005), it was one of the largest instrumentally recorded earthquakes in history. The earthquake generated a large tsunami that caused extreme inundation and destruction along the northern and western coasts of Sumatra, as seen in the cities of Banda Aceh and Meulaboh. Within hours the tsunami devastated the distant shores of Thailand to the east as well as those of Sri Lanka, India, and the Maldives to the west. The tsunami also caused deaths and destruction in Somalia and other nations of east Africa and was recorded on tidal stations throughout the oceans of the world. Figure 1. Location map showing survey sites. A representative value for the maximum wave height or run-up at each location is given. The rapid response of an International Tsunami Survey Team (ITST) to the Banda Aceh, Sumatra region after the 26 December 2004 earthquake and tsunami led to the recovery of important data on the characteristics of the tsunami inundation. These data are used in conjunction with satellite imagery obtained before and shortly after the earthquake to describe the effects of the tsunami and earthquake in terms of run-up height, inundation distance, flow depth, levels of structural damage, shoreline erosion, and earthquake-related subsidence. Field data collected in Banda Aceh and nearby areas include profiles to determine run-up heights, GPS-located photographs of flow depth marks, and traces indicating flow direction. Additional information on wave arrival and behavior was collected through interviews with witnesses and survivors and from video taken during the tsunami attack. As a member of the International Tsunami Survey Team (ITST), I entered the Aceh region …
Exploring the Cooccurrence Patterns of Multiple Sets of Genomic Intervals

Background. Exploring the spatial relationship of different genomic features has been of great interest since the early days of genomic research. The relationship sometimes provides useful information for understanding certain biological processes. Recent advances in high-throughput technologies such as ChIP-seq produce large amount of data in the form of genomic intervals. Most of the existing methods for assessing spatial relationships among the intervals are designed for pairwise comparison and cannot be easily scaled up. Results. We present a statistical method and software tool to characterize the cooccurrence patterns of multiple sets of genomic intervals. The occurrences of genomic intervals are described by a simple finite mixture model, where each component represents a distinct cooccurrence pattern. The model parameters are estimated via an EM algorithm and can be viewed as sufficient statistics of the cooccurrence patterns. Simulation and real data results show that the model can accurately capture the patterns and provide biologically meaningful results. The method is implemented in a freely available R package giClust. Conclusions. The method and the software provide a convenient way for biologists to explore the cooccurrence patterns among a relatively large number of sets of genomic intervals.
Improving hearing loss gene testing: a systematic review of gene evidence toward more efficient next-generation sequencing-based diagnostic testing and interpretation.

With next generation sequencing technology improvement and cost reductions, it has become technically feasible to sequence a large number of genes in one diagnostic test. This is especially relevant for diseases with large genetic and/or phenotypic heterogeneity, such as hearing loss. However, variant interpretation remains the major bottleneck. This is further exacerbated by the lack in the clinical genetics community of consensus criteria for defining the evidence necessary to include genes on targeted disease panels or in genomic reports, and the consequent risk of reporting variants in genes with no relevance to disease. We describe a systematic evidence-based approach for assessing gene–disease associations and for curating relevant genes for different disease aspects, including mode of inheritance, phenotypic severity, and mutation spectrum. By applying this approach to clinically available hearing loss gene panels with a total of 163 genes, we show that a significant number (45%) of genes lack sufficient evidence of association with disease and thus are expected to increase uncertainty and patient anxiety, in addition to intensifying the interpretation burden. Information about all curated genes is summarized. Our retrospective analysis of 539 hearing loss cases tested by our previous OtoGenomeV2 panel demonstrates the impact of including genes with weak disease association in laboratory wet-bench and interpretation processes. Our study is, to our knowledge, the first to highlight the urgent need for defining the clinical validity of gene–disease relationships for more efficient and accurate clinical testing and reporting. Genet Med 18 6, 545–553.
Prodromal Markers of Disease or Causal Risk Factors? Depression, Olfaction, and Subjective Memory Complaints

Risk factors for disease can be either causal risk factors or markers of underlying pathology. A key question is whether a potential marker tracks pathology. An example of a risk factor that is likely both a marker and a causal risk factor is depression. Several meta-analyses as well as individual studies have shown that depression earlier in life is associated with both MCI and AD. For example, a meta-analysis published in 2006 showed a pooled OR of 2.03 (95% CI=1.73–2.38) for case-control studies and a pooled HR of 1.90 (95% CI=1.55–2.33) for cohort studies. Depression is related to reductions in volume in several brain regions, including the hippocampus. Possible mechanisms include the overproduction of glucocorticoids as a result of stress. PAFs for depression range from 8% to 11%. Prodromal expression of depression prior to the onset of AD is likely to be a marker for underlying disease progression. Loss or decline in olfaction is a marker for underlying AD pathology and is evident in first-degree relatives of AD patients who have an increased risk of this illness. Associations with olfaction have been seen with hippocampal volume as well as thickness of the entorhinal cortex. Change in olfaction clearly precedes MCI and therefore is a useful early marker for prediction of incident AD. Subjective memory complaints (SMC), another marker for AD, occur at about the same time or before the first objective findings of memory loss. They are associated with the severity of both plaques and tangles in older persons without dementia. Studies have shown that stronger associations between SMC and incident dementia are evident in those with higher education, higher IQ, female sex, higher baseline cognitive scores and younger age.
Der Innere Dschihad (Interview Nimat Hafez Barazangi: The Inner Jihad)

German Abstract: Ein Gesprach mit der Wissenschaftlerin und Korangelehrten Nimat ez Barazangi uber den Islam als Vernunftreligion und die Selbsterziehung als Grundlage esellschaftlicher Veranderung. Von Helmut Neundlinger English Abstract: What were your first experiences in reading the Qur'an like?First of all, every Muslim is required to read the Qur`an. Unfortunately, the tradition made it that reading the Qur`an is seen more as a religious ritual than a knowledge based ritual. When I started to study Islamic philosophy and ethics at Damascus University, I realized that there was a certain disharmony between the daily practice on one side and the words of the Qur`an and the Islamic philosophy on the other. That made me more curious during my inquiries. When I went to the United States in 1967, I could do this only as an addition to my main subject which was educational science. I noticed that I really did not know much about my religion. So I began to read the Qur`an systematically by themes instead of reading it by verses. I focused on what mattered to me in my daily life and started to search for it using a Qur'anic concordance).
Ethiopia's ethnic-based federalism : 10 years after

Many sub-Saharan African countries find themselves engulfed in chronic ethnic tensions that often erupt into violent conflicts. In addition to the human costs, these conflicts have contributed to the further depletion of the meager financial resources of African countries. They have also disrupted economic activity and contributed to the region’s growing marginalization in the global economic system by discouraging the flow of foreign capital into the continent.
The Organization and Description of Science Archives in America

ABSTRACTThe creation of science archives, the historical study of modern science, and major changes in archival practice roughly coincided in the 1950s and 1960s. This has allowed science archives to respond to contemporary issues in the history of science. It has also allowed them to develop as an integral part of the revolution in archival practice since that time, adopting international archival standards that make science archives more accessible to researchers. We are now on the cusp of new technologies and approaches that promise to make a sizable number of collections available online for the first time. This essay describes the development of modern archival principles and practices and discusses the impact they are having on science collections.
Third-Order Nonlinear Optical Properties of a Series of Systematically Designed Conjugated Rigid-Rod Polyquinolines

The third-order nonlinear optical properties of thin films of two series of conjugated rigid-rod polyquinolines, exemplified by poly(2, 2’-(l, 4-phenylene)-6, 6’-bis(4-phenyl quinoline)) (PPPQ, 2d) and poly(2, 7-(l, 4-phenylene)-4, 9-diphenyl-l, 6-anthrazoline) (PPDA, 3d), were investigated by third harmonic generation spectroscopy. Of the nine polyquinolines with diverse backbone structures, PPPQ has the largest optical nonlinearity with a gC(3) (−3ω;ω,ω,ω) value of 3.2 x 10-12 esu and 3.3 x 10-11 esu in the off-resonant and three-photon resonant regions, respectively. A comparison of the nonresonant gC(3) of the series of nine systematically derived polyquinolines showed that a scaling law of the form gC(3) ∼ (λmax)v∼ Eg-v does not hold; in fact, the nonresonant gC(3) was essentially independent of the optical bandgap. These results suggest that structure-gC(3) propeny relationships in polymers cannot be inferred from those of oligomers and model compounds.
Rugby headgear and concussion prevention: Misconceptions could increase aggressive play

OBJECTIVE Multiple studies have illustrated that rugby headgear offers no statistically significant protection against concussions. However, there remains concern that many players believe rugby headgear in fact does prevent concussions. Further investigation was undertaken to illustrate that misconceptions about concussion prevention and rugby headgear may lead to an increase in aggressive play. METHODS Data were constructed by Internet survey solicitation among United States collegiate rugby players across 19 teams. Initial information given was related to club, age, experience, use of headgear, playing time, whether the rugger played football or wrestling in high school, and whether the player believed headgear prevented concussion. Data were then constructed as to whether wearing headgear would increase aggressive playing style secondary to a false sense of protection. RESULTS A total of 122 players responded. All players were male. The average player was 19.5 years old and had 2.7 years of experience. Twenty-three of 122 players (18.9%) wore protective headgear; 55.4% of players listed forward as their primary position. Overall, 45.8% (55/120) of players played 70-80 minutes per game, 44.6% (54/121) played football or wrestled in high school, 38.1% (45/118) believed headgear prevented concussions, and 42.2% (51/121) stated that if they were using headgear they would be more aggressive with their play in terms of running or tackling. Regression analysis illustrated that those who believed headgear prevented concussions were or would be more likely to engage in aggressive play (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Nearly 40% of collegiate rugby players surveyed believed headgear helped to prevent concussions despite no scientific evidence that it does. This misconception about rugby headgear could increase aggressive play. Those who believed headgear prevented concussion were, on average, 4 times more likely to play with increased aggressive form than those who believed headgear did not prevent concussions (p = 0.001). This can place all players at increased risk without providing additional protection. Further investigation is warranted to determine if headgear increases the actual measured incidence of concussion among rugby players in the United States.
Biases in the mortality risk versus body mass index relationship in the NHANES-1 Epidemiologic Follow-Up Study

BACKGROUND: Conflicting research findings have created uncertainty as to the ideal body weight. OBJECTIVE: To test whether average-adulthood BMI (body mass index, weight in kilograms per height in meters squared) is a more reliable predictor of mortality risk than the one-time baseline BMI measurement which has been used in previous studies. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study with a 20 y follow-up period, the First National Health and Examination Survey (NHANES 1) Epidemiologic Follow-up Study (NHEFS). SUBJECTS: A random probability sample of 14 407 adults aged 25–74 y in the 1971–1975 NHANES 1. MEASUREMENTS: Body-weight data were derived from measurements in the 1971–1975 and 1982–1984 NHEFS surveys, and current and recalled estimates by subjects in the 1971–1975, 1982–1984, 1986 and 1987 surveys. Height was measured in the 1971–1975 survey. Socio-economic and lifestyle covariates were derived from questionnaires administered in all four surveys. Almost all deaths were verified by death certificates. RESULTS: The shape of the morality risk vs baseline BMI curve varied due to a bias (late-life bias) caused by a steep decrease in BMI among the elderly toward the end of the lifespan. In a particular analysis, the portion of subjects at baseline who were deceased elderly with lower BMI than age-matched censored subjects indicated the size of the bias, and appeared to be the proximate cause. Strong evidence was found to support the proximate cause being the actual cause. Excluding deaths during early follow-up was only able to remove the late-life bias in limited circumstances. Using average-adulthood BMI as mortality predictor and baseline BMI as covariate was very effective in removing the late-life bias. It also appeared to remove the reverse-causation and regression-dilution biases, and yielded robustly positive mortality risk vs average-adulthood BMI curves in all analyses in which it was tested. CONCLUSIONS: Average-adulthood BMI appears to be an appropriate predictor of mortality risk, provided baseline BMI is used as a covariate. Among non-elderly persons, being leaner meant a lower mortality risk, down to the lowest category of leanness in the study—<20 kg/m2. Future survival analyses of the mortality–BMI relationship should account for the effects of the regression-dilution, reverse-causation and late-life biases.
Exploring the relationship between the time until active rehabilitation and length of stay on an adult liver intensive care unit

It is well documented that patients admitted to Adult Intensive Care Units develop weakness and functional impairment, therefore benefit from early mobilisation and rehabilitation. The relationship between time until active rehab and length of stay remains to be fully understood in the Intensive Care setting due to the complexity and diversity of this patient cohort.
Squamous Metaplasia of the Verumontanum With Obstruction Due to Hypertrophy: Long-Term Effects of Estrogen on the Prostate in an Aging Male-To-Female Transsexual

We report on a 30-year-old male-to-female transsexual who had been treated with diethylstilbestrol and Premarin from 1954 to the present. A sex change operation was done. In May 1979 transurethral resection was performed for obstruction due to the enlargement of the verumontanum. Transurethral resection was repeated in January 1983 for obstructive symptoms. The interesting effect of the estrogens on the verumontanum and prostate is described and illustrated. The squamous metaplasia is compared to that seen in the prostate of a true hermaphrodite.
Relation of potassium to the failing heart and digitalis intoxication.

Potassium is essential to the functioning of the myocardium from which it is lost in pathologic processes, and to which it is restored by digitalis therapy. This important relationship suggests the employment of potassium salts as therapeutic agents in the management of heart disease.
Isotopic-spin dependence of \( \bar N \)N annihilation up to 5.5 GeV/cannihilation up to 5.5 GeV/c

The ratio ofI=1 toI=0 Open image in new window annihilation cross-sections has been determined at 1.33 and 5.5 GeV/c incident Open image in new window momentum using\(\bar p\)d exposures at these momenta. In order to separate the annihilation cross-section from the π production cross-section at 5.5 GeV/c a detailed topological comparison was made between the\(\bar p\)d and the\(\bar p\)p results of Bockmannet al. The annihilation process appears to be strongly isotopic-spin dependent over this momentum range. The ratio of σ(I=1)/σ(I=0) is also consistent with the value measured for stopping\(\bar p\) in D2.
Cost-effectiveness of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation at high risk of bleeding and normal kidney function.

Abstract Introduction The comparative cost-effectiveness of all oral anticoagulants approved up to date has not been evaluated from the US perspective. The objective of this study was to compare the cost-effectiveness of edoxaban 60 mg, apixaban 5 mg, dabigatran 150 mg, dabigatran 110 mg, rivaroxaban 20 mg and warfarin in stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation patients at high-risk of bleeding (defined as HAS-BLED score ≥ 3). Materials and methods We constructed a Markov state-transition model to evaluate lifetime costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) with each of the six treatments from the perspective of US third-party payers. Probabilities of clinical events were obtained from the RE-LY, ROCKET-AF, ARISTOTLE and ENGAGE AF-TIMI trials; costs were derived from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, and other studies. Because edoxaban is only indicated in patients with creatinine clearance ≤ 95 ml/min, we re-ran our analyses after excluding edoxaban from the analysis. Results Treatment with edoxaban 60 mg cost $77,565/QALY gained compared to warfarin, and apixaban 5 mg cost $108,631/QALY gained compared to edoxaban 60 mg. When edoxaban was not included in the analysis, treatment with apixaban 5 mg cost $84,128/QALY gained, compared to warfarin. Dabigatran 150 mg, dabigatran 110 mg and rivaroxaban 20 mg were dominated strategies. Conclusions For patients with creatinine clearance between 50 and 95 ml/min, apixaban 5 mg was the most cost-effective treatment for willingness-to-pay thresholds (WTP) above $115,000/QALY gained, and edoxaban 60 mg was cost-effective when the WTP was between $75,000 and $115,000/QALY gained. For patients with creatinine clearance > 95 ml/min, apixaban 5 mg was the most cost-effective treatment for WTP thresholds above $80,000/QALY gained.
Moran-Flavored Tests with Nuisance Parameters: Examples

Since Moran (1950b) originally proposed his test of correlation, many authors have investigated its properties under varying conditions. In this chapter I demonstrate how new technical results of Pinkse (1999) can be used to verify that the Moran test, or a cross-correlation variant thereof (see Box and Jenkins, 1976, for a detailed discussion of cross-correlation in time series models), indeed has a limiting normal distribution under the null hypothesis of independence.
A Game-Theoretic Analysis of Capacity Competition in Non-Differentiated Oligopolistic Markets

High capital investment industries often see regular cycles of over capacity followed by under capacity. We develop a game theoretic model and show that such cyclical behavior can exist in equilibrium, even if demand and prices are stable and if firms consider the capacity strategies of other firms. We discuss the implications of these findings for individual firm strategies that might reduce the impact of those cycles and for regulatory or industrial policies that might lead to more efficient market operations.
Polymer-clay nanocomposite coatings as efficient, environment-friendly surface pretreatments for aluminum alloy 2024-T3

Abstract Surface pretreatment coatings are a research area in continuous transformation. Moving away from the well-known chromium conversion coatings (CCC) toward an environment-friendly alternative is of great interest. Materials such as the aluminum alloy 2024-T3 (AA2024-T3) used in aircraft, for example, provide good mechanical performance but lack good corrosion resistance. Here, we present a polymer-clay coating made from branched polyethylenimine (BPEI) and montmorillonite (MMT) clay as a potential CCC substitute, and we examine this for the corrosion protection of AA2024-T3. This polymer-clay coating is applied by airbrushing an aqueous BPEI/MMT mixture onto any substrate. With this approach, application time is significantly reduced in comparison to other techniques (e.g. layer-by-layer assembly), and the structure of the polymer-clay coating is finely tuned by controlling the polymer-clay ratio. Results from electrochemical measurements and salt spray testing reveal good long-term (40d) corrosion protection of AA2024-T3 provided by a 1.8 μm thick coating with a 20:80 polymer-clay ratio. This polymer-clay ratio yields a highly ordered multilayered brick and mortar structure, where MMT (bricks) provides a physical barrier for the diffusion of corrosive agents/corrosion products within the coating, and BPEI (mortar) provides structural support and decelerates the corrosion process through surface buffering.
Optimizing Response Rates

One way to conceptualize the definition of optimal response rates is to design to maximize the overall response rate. This method is possible, but often means collecting more data from the cases with the highest response propensities. The consequence may be higher nonresponse bias. A second conceptualization is about optimizing response rates to minimize nonresponse bias. This approach is more complex, but it may lead to reducing nonresponse bias. This chapter discusses some of the issues associated with designing surveys to obtain lower levels of nonresponse bias.
ETIKA TANGGUNG JAWAB EMMANUEL LEVINAS

This article aims to know and critically analyze the ethical responsibilities of Levinas. He gives a new concept of responsibility. For him, ethics is the first philosophy. The ethics of Levinas's responsibilities must be understood in a metaphysical aspect. The research method used is literature research using hermeneutics method. The essence of Levinas’s responsibility: responsibility as an existential fact, nonnormative, for the others, substitutional, the essential structure of subjectivity, a basis for existence, the responsibility of humanizing himself, and responsibilities make me unique from others. The ethics of Levinas's responsibilities have two characters: concrete and asymmetric.
Management of recalcitrant polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy by feeder vessel laser photocoagulation.

Abstract Purpose To describe management of residual branch vascular network (BVN) in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) by thermal laser photocoagulation of feeder vessel. Observations Case report of sixty-four year old female with polypoidal choroidal vaculopathy (PCV) with moderate response to seven doses of intravitreal ranibizumab, six doses of intravitreal bevacizumab and one session of photodynamic therapy (PDT). The patient has resolved polyps but persistence of disease activity due to residual BVN and large pigment epithelial detachment (PED). Patient underwent thermal laser photocoagulation of feeder vessel of BVN identified on indocyanine green angiography (ICGA). There was complete resolution of residual BVN and large PED, which was confirmed on ICGA. Conclusions and Importance Recalcitrant cases of PCV without polyps but having BVN with feeder vessel can be managed by ICGA guided thermal laser photocoagulation. The case report illustrates the importance of utilizing multimodal imaging such as video indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) for identification of feeder vessel and its deployment for optimal management of refractory PCV.
Micropreparative Separation of Tryptic Digests by Capillary Electrophoresis and Characterization by Protein Sequencing

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the feasibility of isolating peptides from a model peptide mixture and from a complex protein digest in single micropreparative separations. The peptides are recovered in sufficient purity and yield for characterization by the standard protein sequencing methodology. Analytical peptide maps of proteins have been well documented for both narrow-bore RP-HPLC and free solution capillary electrophoresis (CE). The quantities required for these analyses are impressively small, that is, in the low to sub-picomole range. However, the utilization of these techniques in a preparatory application is dependant on both the recovery of the peptides and on the sensitivity of the characterization method (protein sequencing). Adequate sequence information from narrow-bore RP-HPLC separations requires the loading of at least 50 pmol of digested protein. The recovery levels of peptides from micropreparative CE at load levels of approximately 100–150 pmol are encouraging. Fractions obtained from micropreparative separations appear to contain relatively low levels of background contamination.
Asymptomatic hemochromatosis subjects: genotypic and phenotypic profiles

Screening for hereditary hemochromatosis (HHC) by means of transferrin saturation (TS) levels has been advocated and will identify many patients who are asymptomatic. The purposes of this study were (1) to determine HFE genotypes among asymptomatic HHC patients and correlate this profile with the degree of iron overload and (2) to evaluate the relationship between mobilized iron (mob Fe), age, serum ferritin (SF), and quantitative hepatic iron (QHI) in this population. One hundred twenty-three asymptomatic HHC patients were evaluated; all had quantitative phlebotomy to determine mob Fe and genotyping for C282Y and H63D mutations. Liver biopsies with QHI determinations were performed on 72 of the 123 patients. Of the entire group, 60% were homozygous for C282Y, and 13% were compound heterozygotes (C282Y/H63D). Among asymptomatic patients, the prevalence of homozygous C282Y is lower compared with previous studies that include clinically affected patients. Of those patients with more than 4 g mob Fe, 77% were homozygous C282Y. Asymptomatic patients with lower iron burdens frequently had genotypes other than homozygous C282Y. There was no correlation between age and mob Fe in these patients; however, there was a correlation between mob Fe and both SF (r = 0.68) and QHI (r = 0.75). In conclusion, asymptomatic patients with moderate iron overload had a different genotypic profile than was seen in advanced iron overload. The significance of identifying patients with modest degrees of iron loading, who may not be homozygous for C282Y, must be addressed if routine TS screening is to be implemented. (Blood. 2000;96:3707-3711)
The Variational Method

Our final perturbation technique is the variational technique, which is particularly well-suited for finding approximations to ground-state energies and wave functions. We shall apply it, in particular, to find approximations to the ground-state energy and wave functions for the He atom.
Molecular Chaperones and Mitochondrial Protein Folding

Precursor proteins destined for the mitochondrial matrix traverse inner and outer organelle membranes in an extended conformation. Translocation events are therefore integrally coupled to the processes of protein unfolding in the cytosol and protein refolding in the matrix. To successfully import proteins from the cytoplasm into mitochondria, cells have recruited a variety of molecular chaperone systems and folding catalysts. Within the organelles, mitochondrial Hsp70 (mt-Hsp70) is a major player in this process and exerts multiple functions. First, mt-Hsp70 binds together with cohort proteins to incoming polypeptide chains, thus conferring unidirectionality on the translocation process, and then assists in their refolding. A subset of imported proteins requires additional assistance by chaperonins of the Hsp60/Hsp10 family. Protein folding occurs within the cavity of these cylindrical complexes. A productive interaction of precursor proteins with molecular chaperones in the matrix is not only crucial for correct refolding and assembly, but also for processing of presequences, intramitochondrial sorting, and degradation of proteins. This review focuses on the role of mt-Hsp70 and Hsp60/Hsp10 in protein folding in the mitochondrial matrix and discusses recent findings on their molecular mechanism of action.
Speed isn't always Harmful in RV Failure Post LVAD

Introduction Left-ventricular assist devices (LVAD) have emerged as an innovative treatment option for end-stage heart failure. However, right ventricular (RV) failure remains a significant source of morbidity and mortality in this patient population1. Changes affecting both RV preload and afterload after LVAD implantation create considerable changes in RV hemodynamics over time, which have complicated efforts to predict and treat associated right heart failure2-3. While decreasing LVAD speed can be an attractive option to lower RV preload, it has been shown that the RV becomes more sensitive to afterload after LVAD implantation4. Invasive hemodynamic ramp trials can help define the optimal LVAD speed for patients presenting with progressive RV failure. Case Description A 43-year old male with a history of end stage ischemic cardiomyopathy status post HeartWare LVAD implantation listed for transplant admitted with sepsis, worsening heart failure, pulmonary edema and renal impairment . Given his known RV dysfunction he was started on IV milrinone which was not tolerated secondary to systemic hypotension. He was switched to IV epinephrine. Echo performed showed worsening RV systolic function with a TAPSE of only 0.73 cm. An invasive hemodynamic ramp study was done at bedside. The LVAD speed was incrementally increased well above the manufacture's recommended RPM range, from 3,340 to 4,000 RPM ( Table 1 ). This resulted in a marked increase in cardiac output with reduction in PCWP and no significant increase in CVP and was associated with symptomatic relief of dyspnea. He appeared to require higher flows while septic, over the next several days the patient's condition stabilized with improvement in renal function (Cr 3.22 to 1.74 mg/dL). LVAD speed was reduced back to baseline. He eventually was successfully bridged to orthotropic heart transplantation several months after admission. Discussion Sufficient RV function is critical to LV filling and subsequent LVAD function, with reduced RV function associated with worse survival in LVAD patients5. This case highlights the dilemma encountered with the dynamic changes in RV function over time in LVAD patients. While increasing RV preload risks causing conformational changes and overwhelming RV physiologic reserve, increased afterload also jeopardizes RV contractility and pulmonary circulatory resistance6. While caution is warranted in increasing venous return to a weakened RV, this case highlights the importance of adequate LVAD unloading on reducing RV afterload. Ultimately, an invasive hemodynamic ramp study provided much needed clarification on the effect of increasing LVAD speed on right and left-sided filling pressures.
A comprehensive assessment of novel transducer requirements for smart grid applications.

Changes in electric grid structure and dynamics are driving utilities and grid operators towards the need of better awareness of state of entire electric grid, from distribution system to end-user asset control and coordination. However, a complete, comprehensive and integrated situational awareness (information) of the dynamic state of the overall grid is lacking due to not enough sensing devices in critical location. The barrier to deploying more sensors are cost, complexity and data overload. This paper addresses fundamental functional requirements for new electrical transducers for the smart grid, from electrical performance to cyber-security aspects.
Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation: Learning the Difference through an Online Activity

AbstractMaking a distance learning class as interactive as a face-to-face class is challenging. The purpose of our learning activity is to provide distance education teachers with a tool to engage ...
Chapter 1 – DEVELOPMENT OF MACROSCOPIC MASS, ENERGY, AND MOMENTUM BALANCES

To mathematically model a physical process, an engineer must write appropriate conservation equations for the process and incorporate various mechanistic rate and equilibrium relations into those equations. Macroscopic conservation balances are written about a finite control volume and give rise to volume integral expressions for the basic principles of the conservation of mass, energy, and momentum. By using the macroscopic conservation principles, mathematical models for unsteady-state processes yield sets of ordinary differential equations, while models for steady-state processes yield sets of algebraic equations. This chapter develops macroscopic mass, energy, and momentum balances and illustrates their use via some classical problems. The information-flow diagram is used to arrange the mathematical relations of these illustrations into solution strategies. This chapter introduces information-flow diagram or block-diagram approach and Analytical techniques are used to solve the problems.
Quantification of reaction cycle parameters for an essential molecular switch in an auxin-responsive transcription circuit in rice.

Protein-based molecular switches play critical roles in biological processes. The importance of the prolyl cis − trans switch is underscored by the ubiquitous presence of peptidyl prolyl isomerases such as cyclophilins that accelerate the intrinsically slow isomerization rate. In rice, a tryptophan−proline (W-P) cis − trans switch in transcription repressor protein OsIAA11 along with its associated cyclophilin LRT2 are essential components in a negative feedback gene regulation circuit that controls lateral root initiation in response to the plant hormone auxin. Importantly, no quantitative characterizations of the individual (microscopic) thermodynamic and kinetic parameters for any cyclophilin-catalyzed W-P isomerization have been reported. Here we present NMR studies that determine and independently validate these parameters for LRT2 catalysis of the W-P motif in OsIAA11, providing predictive power for understanding the role of this switch in the auxin-responsive circuit and the resulting lateral rootless phenotype in rice. We show that the observed isomerization rate is linearly dependent on LRT2 concentration but is independent of OsIAA11 concentration over a wide range, and LRT2 is optimally tuned to maintain OsIAA11 at its cis − trans equilibrium to supply the slower downstream cis- specific proteasomal degradation with maximal OsIAA11 substrate. This indicates that accelerating the LRT2-catalyzed isomerization would not accelerate OsIAA degradation, whereas decreasing this rate via targeted mutation could reveal relationships between circuit dynamics and lateral root development. Moreover, we show that sequences flanking the highly conserved Aux/IAA W-P motif do not impact LRT2 catalysis, suggesting that the parameters determined here are broadly applicable across highly conserved cyclophilins and their Aux/IAA targets.
Drive-By Cinema’s Drive-Outs and U-Turns: Materiality, Mobility, and the Reconfiguring of Forgotten Spaces and Absurd Borders

From December 2012 to June 2014, the San Diego Pacific Arts Movement sponsored a participatory project known as Drive-By Cinema (DBC). Refurbishing a U-Haul truck into a mobile cinema unit, DBC vis...
Nature of the 11Bu and 21Ag Excited States of Butadiene and the Goldilocks Principle of Basis Set Diffuseness.

Butadiene, being the simplest conjugated organic molecule, has been studied extensively by experiments and various high-level theoretical methods. Previous studies conclude that the complete active...
CBR Confidence as a Basis for Confidence in Black Box Systems

Determining when to trust black box systems is a well-known challenge. An important factor affecting users’ trust is confidence in system solutions. Previous case-based reasoning (CBR) research has developed criteria for assigning confidence to the solutions of a CBR system. This paper investigates whether such analysis, coupled with factors such as CBR system competence, can be used to predict confidence in the outputs of a black box system, when the black box and CBR systems are provided with the same training data. The paper presents initial strategies for using CBR confidence to predict black box system confidence. An evaluation explores the ability of the strategies to provide useful information and suggests future questions.
The Modern Bhagavad Gītā: Caste in Twentieth-Century Commentaries

By the twentieth century the Bhagavad Gītā had become the single most important Hindu book. A clear indication of its popularity is that many of the major thinkers of that century wrote about it, often in book-length commentaries. In this article, we will analyze what Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Sri Aurobindo, Mohandas K. Gandhi, and Svāmī Śivānanda have to say about caste in their books about the Bhagavad Gītā. In colonial India, caste was understood to be a problem, at once critical to Indian society and critically in need of reform. A fundamental split had developed in the nineteenth century. Some social reformers condemned caste as a divisive, and therefore pernicious, institution. Others argued, on the contrary, that caste could be a force to unite social groups, if only it were properly overhauled. All but one of our twentieth-century authors advance modern reinterpretations of caste, moving it in a unifying direction. However, Śivānanda interprets the Bhagavad Gītā in a way that is traditional, striking particularly in this modern context.
A Virtual Home for the Virtual Clinical Trial.

Virtual clinical trials (VCTs) can satisfy the need for rigorous clinical trials by using distributed technological solutions that eliminate the need for a physical trial site. This report explores potential benefits of using virtual reality (VR) to provide a “virtual site” for VCTs, a shared immersive hub in which VCT participants could experience elements of the trial and interact with the trial team. VR is a communication technology that has been emerging alongside the development of VCTs, although they have never been merged in a substantial way. Many of the gaps within the VCT paradigm are areas in which VR excels. VR environments are standardized and precisely uniform, the technology allows introduction of an almost endless set of stimuli to participants’ visual and auditory systems, and VR systems are adept at capturing precise movement and behavioral data. Although VR has not yet found its way into VCTs, much of the groundwork for such integration has been laid through research and technological development achieved in the past few years. Future implementation of VR within VCTs could move us from site-less trials to those with a virtual site serving as a hub for trial information provision, interaction with trial representatives, administration of evaluations and assessments, and more.
High-Resolution Dynamic 31 P-MR Spectroscopic Imaging for Mapping Mitochondrial Function

Objective: To enable non-invasive dynamic metabolic mapping in rodent model studies of mitochondrial function using 31P-MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI). Methods: We developed a novel method for high-resolution dynamic 31P-MRSI. The method synergistically integrates physics-based models of spectral structures, biochemical modeling of molecular dynamics, and subspace learning to capture spatiospectral variations. Fast data acquisition was achieved using rapid spiral trajectories and sparse sampling of (k, t, T) -space; image reconstruction was accomplished using a low-rank tensor-based framework. Results: The proposed method provided high-resolution dynamic metabolic mapping in rat hindlimb at spatial and temporal resolutions of 4 ${}\times \text{4} \times{}$ 2 mm3 and 1.28 s, respectively. This allowed for in vivo mapping of the time-constant of phosphocreatine resynthesis, a well established index of mitochondrial oxidative capacity. Multiple rounds of in vivo experiments were performed to demonstrate reproducibility, and in vitro experiments were used to validate the accuracy of the estimated metabolite maps. Conclusions: A new model-based method is proposed to achieve high-resolution dynamic 31P-MRSI. The proposed method's ability to delineate metabolic heterogeneity was demonstrated in rat hindlimb. Significance: Abnormal mitochondrial metabolism is a key cellular dysfunction in many prevalent diseases such as diabetes and heart disease; however, current understanding of mitochondrial function is mostly gained from studies on isolated mitochondria under nonphysiological conditions. The proposed method has the potential to open new avenues of research by allowing in vivo and longitudinal studies of mitochondrial dysfunction in disease development and progression.
Real-time RT-PCR for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid

Objective To investigate the performance of real-time RT-PCR for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid in clinical diagnosis of COVID-2019. Methods Laboratory test data and basic case information of Henan COVID-19 cases were collected from the China's Infectious Disease Information System as of March 5, 2020. All information was entered by local hospitals and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Local hospitals or country CDC were responsible for sampling and municipal CDC was responsible for nucleic acid testing. Results A total of 6 714 specimens were detected and the positive rate of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid was 23.82%. The specimens were collected from 1 200 confirmed cases, 2 178 suspected cases and 77 asymptomatic cases. The nucleic acid diagnosis rate of COVID-19 was 36.96% (1 277/3 455). In all cases, the positive rates of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid in nasal swabs, sputum samples and throat swabs were 19.38%, 28.59% and 23.53%, respectively (χ2=15.896, P<0.01). The positive rate of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid in confirmed COVID-19 cases was 63.10%. The positive rates in nasal swabs, sputum samples and throat swabs were 50.80%, 58.71% and 65.21 (χ2=18.612, P<0.01). The positive rates of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid were 43.51%, 23.98%, 22.82%, 12.17%, 14.46% and 13.21% in samples collected on the day of symptom onset and one week, two weeks, three weeks, four weeks, five weeks and above five weeks after the onset, respectively. The positive rates in confirmed cases were respectively 89.03%, 86.57%, 52.30%, 17.53%, 17.69% and 24.14% at those time points. Conclusions Real-time RT-PCR is the most effective method for early pathogenic diagnosis of COVID-19. The highest detection rate of nucleic acid is achieved within one week after the onset of COVID-19, and the latest time for nucleic acid detection is 38 d after the onset. Key words: SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; Real-time RT-PCR
The Slowdown in Soviet Industry, 1976–1982

Growth rates of industrial production in the USSR have been falling since 1950, and the drop was especially large in 1976–1982. The falloff was associated with a pronounced deterioration in factor productivity. The most important explanatory factors seem to have been the economy's unfavorable response to a major cutback in the growth ot investment, unexpected shortages ot key raw materials and energy, and transportation bottlenecks. Mistakes in investment policy seem to have been responsible for many of these difficulties. The secular decline in industrial growth probably will continue since the causes of the slowdown are imbedded in the system of socialist central planning and systemic reform is not likely. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: 052, 113, 124.
Using the IIED Tort to Address Discrimination and Retaliation in the Workplace

Citing the need to preserve managerial discretion, courts frequently espouse the need to adopt an “especially strict approach” in cases of intentional infliction of emotional distress (IIED) in the workplace. As a result, the IIED tort currently has a limited role to play in the fight against workplace discrimination and harassment. At the same time, a few courts – almost undetected in the literature on the subject - have recognized that one form of employer conduct may merit special treatment when assessing an IIED claim against an employer. According to these courts, the fact that an employer has engaged in retaliatory conduct may be “a critical and prominent” factor in assessing an employer’s behavior, particularly where it is in response to complaints of underlying discriminatory conduct. Drawing upon social science research into the phenomenon of retaliation, the Article argues that courts should recognize retaliatory conduct as an especially weighty factor in deciding whether conduct is extreme and outrageous for purposes of IIED claims, particularly where it is coupled with discriminatory conduct.
Modeling water crossings leading to the arrival of early Homo in Sulawesi, Indonesia, via paleoclimate drift experiments

Abstract Lithic tools found at Talepu, Sulawesi, in Wallacea suggest that an unknown hominin occupied Sulawesi between ∼ 118–194 ka. The Philippines, Borneo, and Flores are identified as possible sources of the colonizing hominin. Climatic reconstructions indicate that the period between ∼ 118–194 ka was marked by large variation in sea level in Wallacea, with portions of the Sunda shelf exposed at low sea level but with coastlines and land extent comparable to that of the present day at high sea level stages. A series of simulated 30-day oceanic drift experiments are conducted to determine which of the three proposed regions would be the most likely origin for hominin dispersal to Sulawesi. Drifts are simulated for low and high sea level cases. Present day sea level, winds and currents from atmosphere and ocean reanalysis products are used as proxy of environmental conditions during high sea level states. Output from Last Glacial Maximum (∼21 ka) simulations generated by three paleoclimate models is used to reconstruct the environment during low sea level conditions. Simulated drifters are released from multiple locations within three possible source regions: Borneo, Mindanao (Philippines) and the Banda Arc (including Flores). Probabilities of success and trip durations of direct arrivals as well as island-hops to Sulawesi are calculated. Results indicate that crossings are facilitated by low sea level, but the possibility of crossings at high sea level cannot be discarded. All of the three analyzed departure areas could be considered feasible sources for arrivals at Sulawesi but, Borneo is by far the most likely source area and Mindanao departures more likely to arrive in Sulawesi than those from the Banda Arc. The shortest simulated period voyagers would have to survive at sea are 3–8 days, 14–19 days and 12–20 days for Borneo, Mindanao and Band Arc departures respectively. These results have implications for the trajectory of hominin evolution in the region, including inputs to modern human diversity.