cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mapping strain with magnetics

Giant magnetoresistive devices fabricated on flexible substrates can detect the direction of strain in a material.
Oligarchs, Democrats and Rebels

Because of their broader participation and rational, egalitarian culture, Republics are said by Kant, Tocqueville and Schumpeter to be reluctant to fight, especially against other Republics. Nevertheless, Britain went to war against her American colonies in 1776; the United States declared war on Britain in 1812; and the Confederacy risked war with the Union by seceding in 1861. Although the “democratic peace” did not hold in these instances, Immanuel Kant was not entirely wrong. Republics are reluctant to go to war, but this makes it difficult for them to moderate conflict by the threat of force. When adversaries do not fear them, and persist in policies that “dishonor” them, Republics can react with surprising vigor. Republics’ reluctance to go to war, paradoxically, can cause war.
Water/Wastewater Infrastructure Security: Threats and Vulnerabilities

Protecting the nation’s critical infrastructure requires a multilayered security program tailored for each system and protective measures in the form of policies, procedures, and security investments to reduce risks to critical infrastructure. Water and wastewater utilities are part of the water sector which is one of the 18 critical infrastructures as defined by homeland security experts and officials. As of 2006, there were approximately 160,000 public drinking water utilities and more than 16,000 wastewater utilities in the USA. A high percentage of the US population receives potable water and sanitary sewer service from these utilities which are owned and/or managed by private, municipal, and special purpose districts, spread across thousands of jurisdictions from coast to coast. This chapter will examine why water infrastructure is so critical to the USA and describe why drinking water and wastewater systems need to be protected, what threats to consider, and identify the vulnerabilities that increase risks and leave assets susceptible to an attack or large-scale system failure. Hazards that could threaten and disable an entire system will be examined and vulnerabilities and the potential consequences of an intentional attack on a water system will be illustrated. Other issues to be discussed are the drivers for security improvements and physical security countermeasures available to prevent security incidents and to protect against, prepare for, and respond to large-scale water system failure.
Low power robust computing

In a recent speech Intel founder Andrew Grove argued that Moore's law will not slow down for at least a decade By that time, integrated circuits will have feature sizes of 30 nanometers, allowing for integration of billions of devices on a single die and enabling unforeseen computational capabilities However, with growing levels of integration, power densities will also skyrocket to hundreds of Watts In fact, Grove cites power consumption as a major show stopper with off-state current leakage “a limiter of integration.” In addition to the power consumption crisis, aggressively scaled feature sizes also result in increased process variability and poor reliability Hence, Grove mentions that at 30nm design will enter an era of “probablisitic computing,” with the behavior of logic gates no longer being deterministic To take advantage of scaling, it will be necessary to compute in the presence of various types of errors. Our talk will present recent results in robust low power computing The perspective will be microarchitectural: what can the microarchitect do to reduce the dependency on power and improve robustness We will discuss recent academic and commercial proposals to limit power consumption Finally, we will review some techniques to improve robustness based on recent ideas in timing speculation exemplified by our Razor research.
Carbon-Negative Options

Considering the slow progress of current carbon mitigation policies, there is a growing recognition that the low-risk levels of atmospheric CO2 cannot be achieved without a significant carbon-negative component. Among the proposed carbon-negative solutions, bioenergy coupled with carbon capture and storage (Bio-CCS) is the most technologically advanced option. The conversion of biomass to biochar associated with negative CO2 emissions is another promising approach in the context of carbon abatement policies. Removal of CO2 from atmosphere (air capture) by chemical systems as a carbon-negative option is still in the early stage of technological development and would require the increased industrial and government support for pilot and demonstration-scale projects to drive its costs down. The current scientific and technological status, economic and environmental aspects, as well as opportunities for Bio-CCS, biochar, air capture as carbon-negative solutions are analyzed in this chapter.
Lymphoepithelioma of the Bladder: A Clinicopathological Study of 3 Cases

Lymphoepithelioma of the bladder is rare and has only recently been described at this site. Based upon the reported sensitivity to chemotherapy of lymphoepitheliomas at more common sites, we treated 3 cases of muscle invasive lymphoepithelioma of the bladder with primary chemotherapy to salvage bladder function.
Vector Bundles: Geometric Positivity

As we indicated previously, in this chapter we obtain more cohomology vanishing theorems for vector bundles by using the differential-geometric approach of Nakano and Griffiths.
Gas-Phase Heat of Formation Values for Buckminsterfullerene (C60), C70 Fullerene (C70), Corannulene, Coronene, Sumanene, and Other Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Calculated Using Density Functional Theory (M06 2X) Coupled with a Versatile Inexpensive Group-Equivalent Approach

A straightforward procedure using density functional theory (M06 2X) coupled with a group-equivalent approach is described that was used to calculate gas-phase heat of formation (Δf H°g,298) values for buckminsterfullerene (C60), C70 fullerene (C70), corannulene, coronene, and sumanene. This procedure was also used to calculate exceptionally accurate Δf H°g,298 values for a variety of single-ring aromatic and 2-7 ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as well as a large selection of other hydrocarbons and phenols. The approach described herein is internally consistent, and results for C60, C70, corannulene, coronene, and sumanene are in very close agreement with results reported by others who used higher-level computational theory. Statistical analysis of a test set containing benzene and 18 two to seven ring PAHs demonstrated that by using this approach a mean absolute deviation (MAD) and a root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) of 0.8 and 1.3 kJ/mol, respectively, were achieved for reference/experimental Δf H°g,298 values versus calculated/predicted Δf H°g,298 values. For statistical analysis of a larger test set containing 235 aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons and phenols, a MAD and a RMSD of 1.2 and 1.9 kJ/mol, respectively, were achieved for reference/experimental Δf H°g,298 values versus calculated/predicted Δf H°g,298 values.
The Effect of Absent Biological Father on Female Biological Maturity: Results From a Nationally Representative Sample of Adolescents:

Belsky, Steinberg, and Draper’s sociobiological theory suggests that early family context influences an individual’s developmental trajectory in adolescence. A key hypothesis derived from the devel...
Predicting the Bending Yield Strength of Timber Frame Pegs

AbstractTimber frame connections commonly use mortise and tenon connections secured by wooden pegs. The calculation of peg connection strength depends upon the joint dimensions, material properties...
A Fault-Tolerance Based Approach to Optimal PMU Placement

Phasor measurement units (PMUs) have offered significant advancements in power system operation and control. Despite these advantages, the industry has been slow in adopting PMU technology. This slow adoption is partially due to the high cost of installing PMUs, which motivates the optimal PMU placement (OPP) problem. The work presented in this paper is motivated by the idea that the value of a high cost asset can be increased by deploying it to improve network fault-tolerance. This strategy of deploying PMUs in the proximity of higher probability contingencies increases the likelihood of more effective remedial actions, both preventive and corrective. The proposed OPP therefore considers both the cost and the extent to which the PMU placements will benefit system observability in the presence of network vulnerabilities. A bi-level framework is used for optimizing the network vulnerability and the installation cost of PMUs. In the proposed framework, the installation cost of PMUs is treated as the primary objective, and the observability, which incorporates the vulnerability analysis, is treated as the secondary objective. The proposed approach can be used as a multistage installation process or as a single-stage installation process. This approach uses evolutionary algorithms to optimize and prioritize locations and installation cost of the PMUs. The proposed approach is tested on the IEEE 14-bus, IEEE 30-bus, and IEEE reliability test system.
Instilling Curiosity, Connections, and Creating Value in Entrepreneurial Minded Engineering: Concepts for a Course Sequence in Dynamics and Controls:

Extant literature illustrates that complementary efforts, such as Entrepreneurially Minded Learning, add an important dimension to the training of the next generation of engineers and innovators, p...
Navigating Through the Experienced Environment: Insights From Mobile Eye Tracking

Researchers are acutely interested in how people engage in social interactions and navigate their environment. However, in striving for experimental or laboratory control, we often instead present individuals with representations of social and environmental constructs and infer how they would behave in more dynamic and contingent interactions. Mobile eye-tracking (MET) is one approach to connecting the laboratory to the experienced environment. MET superimposes gaze patterns captured through head or eye-glass mounted cameras pointed at the eyes onto a separate camera that captures the visual field. As a result, MET allows researchers to examine the world from the point of view of the individual in action. This review touches on the methods and questions that can be asked with this approach, illustrating how MET can provide new insight into social, behavioral, and cognitive processes from infancy through old age.
Culture Influences How People Divide Continuous Sensory Experience into Events

Abstract Everyday experience is divided into meaningful events as a part of human perception. Current accounts of this process, known as event segmentation, focus on how characteristics of the experience (e.g., situation changes) influence segmentation. However, characteristics of the viewers themselves have been largely neglected. We test whether one such viewer characteristic, their cultural background, impacts online event segmentation. Culture could impact event segmentation (1) by emphasizing different aspects of experiences as being important for comprehension, memory, and communication, and (2) by providing different exemplars of how everyday activities are performed, which objects are likely to be used, and how scenes are laid out. Indian and US viewers (N = 152) identified events in everyday activities (e.g., making coffee) recorded in Indian and US settings. Consistent with their cultural preference for analytical processing, US viewers segmented the activities into more events than did Indian viewers. Furthermore, event boundaries identified by US viewers were more strongly associated with visual changes, whereas boundaries identified by Indian viewers were more strongly associated with goal changes. There was no evidence that familiarity with an activity impacted segmentation. Thus, culture impacts event perception by altering the types of information people prioritize when dividing experience into meaningful events.
The Impact of Ancient Genome Studies in Archaeology

The study of ancient genomes has burgeoned at an incredible rate in the last decade. The result is a shift in archaeological narratives, bringing with it a fierce debate on the place of genetics in...
Relationship between adverse childhood experiences and perceived discrimination in adulthood

Abstract Background Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and perceived discrimination impact health overtime, however little is known about their association. Methods Data for 6,325 participants in the Midlife in the US (MIDUS) study were analyzed across three waves of data. ACEs included emotional or physical abuse, household dysfunction, or financial strain in childhood. Generalized Linear Models with Generalized Estimating Equation approach was used to test the unadjusted and adjusted associations for ACEs and perceived discrimination and perceived inequality. Results Individuals with ACEs reported significantly higher perceived inequality in work (β=0.05, 95%CI 0.02–0.07), in home (β=0.06, 95%CI 0.04–0.09), in family relationships (β=0.09, 95%CI 0.06–0.11), perceived daily discrimination (β=0.77, 95%CI 0.58–0.96), and perceived lifetime discrimination (β=0.24, 95%CI 0.18–0.30). ACE types were significantly associated with more perceived inequality and perceived discrimination. . Abuse was independently associated with all outcomes after adjusting for household dysfunction, financial strain, age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, marital status, and income. Limitations Findings cannot speak to the temporal relationship between ACEs and discrimination. It should not be assumed that ACEs cause perceived discrimination, but rather that there is an important association that warrants further investigation. Conclusions These findings represent the first step in better understanding the relationship between ACEs and perceived discrimination. As both influence health across the lifespan, understanding the relationship, mechanisms, and pathways for intervening are of great importance from a population health perspective. Efforts to incorporate discussions on experiences with discrimination and inequality may be warranted as a part of treatment for ACEs to address psychosocial stressors across the lifespan.
The fundamental reason for reasons fundamentalism

Reasons, it is often said, are king in contemporary normative theory. Some philosophers say not only that the vocabulary of reasons is useful, but that reasons play a fundamental explanatory role in normative theory—that many, most, or even all, other normative facts are grounded in facts about reasons. Even if reasons fundamentalism, the strongest version of this view, has only been wholeheartedly endorsed by a few philosophers, it has a kind of prominence in contemporary normative theory that suits it to be described as orthodoxy by its critics. It is the purpose of this paper to make progress toward understanding what appeal Reasons Fundamentalism should have, and whether that appeal is deserved. I will do so by exploring and comparing two central motivations for Reasons Fundamentalism.
Homer1 promotes dendritic spine growth through ankyrin-G and its loss reshapes the synaptic proteome.

Homer1 is a synaptic scaffold protein that regulates glutamatergic synapses and spine morphogenesis. HOMER1 knockout (KO) mice show behavioral abnormalities related to psychiatric disorders, and HOMER1 has been associated with psychiatric disorders such as addiction, autism disorder (ASD), schizophrenia (SZ), and depression. However, the mechanisms by which it promotes spine stability and its global function in maintaining the synaptic proteome has not yet been fully investigated. Here, we used computational approaches to identify global functions for proteins containing the Homer1-interacting PPXXF motif within the postsynaptic compartment. Ankyrin-G was one of the most topologically important nodes in the postsynaptic peripheral membrane subnetwork, and we show that one of the PPXXF motifs, present in the postsynaptically-enriched 190 kDa isoform of ankyrin-G (ankyrin-G 190), is recognized by the EVH1 domain of Homer1. We use proximity ligation combined with super-resolution microscopy to map the interaction of ankyrin-G and Homer1 to distinct nanodomains within the spine head and correlate them with spine head size. This interaction motif is critical for ankyrin-G 190's ability to increase spine head size, and for the maintenance of a stable ankyrin-G pool in spines. Intriguingly, lack of Homer1 significantly upregulated the abundance of ankyrin-G, but downregulated Shank3 in cortical crude plasma membrane fractions. In addition, proteomic analysis of the cortex in HOMER1 KO and wild-type (WT) mice revealed a global reshaping of the postsynaptic proteome, surprisingly characterized by extensive upregulation of synaptic proteins. Taken together, we show that Homer1 and its protein interaction motif have broad global functions within synaptic protein-protein interaction networks. Enrichment of disease risk factors within these networks has important implications for neurodevelopmental disorders including bipolar disorder, ASD, and SZ.
A Matter of Conviction: Moral Clashes over Same-Sex Adoption

In 2004, Michael and Rich Butler sued Adoption.com after it refused to post their profile as prospective parents for viewing by expectant and placing parents. When the Butlers asked the service why it would not post their profile, they were told that Adoption.com ―allow[s] only individuals in an opposite-sex marriages to post profiles. Imagine the Butlers’ shock and dismay. Adoption had been open to same-sex couples in California for years. Not surprisingly, they sued, claiming the refusal violated California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act, which prohibits businesses from discriminating against their customers on a variety of grounds. Adoption.com argued that no laws were violated because the company is domiciled in Arizona, a state which does not prohibit discrimination against people on the basis of marital status or sexual orientation. The parties ultimately reached a settlement that required Adoption.com and related organizations would not post profiles of Californians “unless the service is made equally available to all California residents qualified to adopt.” Put to the choice to make its services available to all or to none, Adoption.com chose to exit the California market. This case tests whether there is a duty to facilitate same-sex adoption or a right to refrain from participating in an adoption. It highlights poignantly what is at stake when we require one party to assist another with a deeply personal and morally freighted matter like same-sex adoption. Some states have long invited same-sex couples to parent, either through adoption or assisted conception. Same-sex couples have filled a void in the lives of tens of thousands of children. These couples have dignitary interests in being treated like any other prospective adoptive parents, and the state and children awaiting adoption have a stake in their ability to adopt as well. On the other hand, this case shows that when an organization or individual asks not to be involved, they sometimes are put to an all-or-nothing choice. For entities like Adoption.com, the price of “saving [one‘s] conscience” takes the form of a lost opportunity to profit in a particular market. This essay seeks to mine the healthcare experience after Roe v. Wade for the lessons it can offer in finding a live-and-let-live solution to moral clashes over same-sex adoption. It seeks to acknowledge the dilemmas facing both organizations and individuals who, as a matter of conviction, feel that they can neither support nor participate in same-sex adoptions. It argues that conscience clauses offer one way to navigate the recurrent but predictable collisions over same-sex adoption. This essay, however, is not about who should be permitted to adopt—it does not address the merits of including same-sex couples among potential parents as this topic is amply explored elsewhere. Instead, this essay asks whether adoption agencies and other professionals should be able to decide whom they will serve.
Assessment of Methylene Chloride-Related Fatalities in the United States, 1980-2018.

Importance Methylene chloride is a halogenated organic solvent widely used in paint strippers, cleaners, adhesives, and sealants. Despite label warnings and occupational standards, methylene chloride–related fatalities continue to occur in the United States. Objective To identify and analyze methylene chloride–related fatalities in the US. Design, Setting, and Participants For this case series, we conducted systematic searches of sources, including PubMed and government databases, for unintentional fatalities in the US that were associated with exposure to methylene chloride or products containing methylene chloride between 1980 and 2018. We reviewed all available information, including inspection reports, autopsy reports, and medical records; data analyses were conducted from August 2018 to August 2020. Cases were categorized as those occurring in the home (consumer deaths) or at work (occupational deaths). Exposures Methylene chloride or products containing methylene chloride. Main Outcomes and Measures To determine characteristics of the methylene chloride–related fatalities, we recorded demographic information; the setting; circumstances, including information on safety measures used, if available; and products used. Where medical records were available, we recorded toxicology results and autopsy findings. We also obtained data about nonfatal methylene chloride cases from the American Association of Poison Control Centers. Results From 1980 to 2018, 85 methylene chloride–related fatalities were identified in the US, including 74 (87%) in occupational settings; of those who died, 75 (94%) were men, and for the 70 cases with available information, the median (interquartile range) age of the decedents was 31 (24-46) years. Paint strippers were the most common products involved in methylene chloride–related fatalities (n = 60). The proportion of occupational fatalities related to paint stripping increased from 22 (55%) before 2000 to 30 (88%) after 2000. Similarly, occupational fatalities associated with bathtub or paint stripping in bathrooms increased from 2 (5%) before 2000 to 21 (62%) after 2000. From 1985 to 2017, the American Association of Poison Control Centers documented 37 201 nonfatal methylene chloride cases, with a decrease in the annual number of cases starting in the late 1990s. Conclusions and Relevance Results of this case series demonstrated that despite regulations to address the toxic effects of methylene chloride use for consumers and workers, there are continuing fatalities in the US, particularly in occupational settings. Prevention of fatalities associated with methylene chloride exposure should emphasize the use of safer substitutes, rather than hazard warnings or reliance on personal protective equipment.
Carpal Arch Changes in Response to Thenar Muscle Loading.

This study investigated the biomechanical effects of thenar muscles (abductor pollicis brevis (APB), superficial head of flexor pollicis brevis (sFPB), opponens pollicis (OPP)) on the transverse carpal ligament formed carpal arch under force application by individual or combined muscles (APB, sFPB, OPP, APB-sFPB, sFPB-OPP, APB-OPP, and APB-sFPB-OPP). In ten cadaveric hands, thenar muscles were loaded under 15% of their respective maximal force capacity, and ultrasound images of the cross section of the distal carpal tunnel were collected for morphometric analyses of the carpal arch. The carpal arch height and area were significantly dependent on the loading condition (p < 0.01), muscle combination (p < 0.05), and their interaction (p < 0.01). The changes to arch height and area were significantly dependent on the muscle combinations (p = 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). The arch height and area increased under the loading combinations of APB, OPP, APB-sFPB, APB-OPP, or APB-sFPB-OPP (p < 0.05), but not under the combinations of sFPB (p = 0.893) or sFPB-OPP (p = 0.338). The carpal arch change under the APB-sFPB-OPP or APB-OPP loading was greater than that under the loading of APB-sFPB (p < 0.001). This study demonstrated that thenar muscle forces exert biomechanical effects on the transverse carpal ligament to increase carpal arch height and area, and these increases were different for individual muscles and their combinations.
Immune activation affects whole-organism performance in male but not female green anole lizards (Anolis carolinensis)

Immune responses are intuitively beneficial, but they can incur a variety of costs, many of which are poorly understood. The nature and extent of trade-offs between immune activity and other components of the integrated phenotype can vary, and depend on the type of immune challenge, as well as the energetic costs of simultaneously expressing other traits. There may also be sex differences in both immune activity and immunity-induced trade-offs, particularly in the case of trade-offs involving functional traits such as whole-organism performance capacities that might be of different fitness value to males and females. We tested the response of three performance traits (sprinting, endurance, and biting) to two different immune challenges (LPS injection and wound healing) in both male and female Anolis carolinensis lizards. We found clear differences in how male and female performance capacities were affected by immune activation. LPS injection and wound healing had interactive effects on all three performance traits in males, but immune activation did not affect female performance. We also found that the degree of wound healing exhibited complex interactive effects involving sex and type of immune activation that varied depending on the performance trait in question. These results demonstrate that male and female green anoles experience different consequences of immune responses, and also that the type and extent of that activation can drive trait-specific performance trade-offs.
Stock Movement Classification from Twitter via Mogrifier Based Memory Cells with Attention Mechanism

A growing number of financial market participants use the deep learning models to predict the future market movement via exploiting the news and social media messages. Memory cells like long short-term memory (LSTM) and gated recurrent unit (GRU), though play indispensable roles in sequence prediction, are criticized for lacking the interaction between inputs and previous context. The Mogrifier LSTM cell is designed to enhance such relationship. We employ this novel cell in our hybrid attention prediction network. The new structure enriches the communication between the previous message embedding and the current signal, hence a better learning process representation compared with the neural network without such mechanism. Experiment on real-world stock market data shows the Mogrifier based cell can outperform the venerable ones across different market sectors while still achieves lower prediction volatility.
PDMS Sponges with Embedded Carbon Nanotubes as Piezoresistive Sensors for Human Motion Detection

Porous piezoresistive sensors offer promising flexible sensing functionality, such as human joint motion detection and gesture identification. Herein, a facile fabrication method is developed using a microwave-based rapid porogen removal technique for the manufacturing of porous nanocomposite sponges consisting of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and well-dispersed carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The porogen amounts and CNT loadings are varied to tailor the porosity and electrical properties of the porous sensors. The sponges are characterized by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to compare their microstructures, validate the high-quality CNT dispersion, and confirm the successful nanofiller embedding within the elastomeric matrix. Sponges with a 3 wt% CNT loading demonstrate the highest piezoresistive sensitivity. Experimental characterization shows that the sponges with low porosity have long durability and minimal strain rate dependence. Additionally, the developed sponges with 3 wt% CNTs are employed for the human motion detection using piezoresistive method. One experiment includes fingertip compression measurements on a prosthetic hand. Moreover, the sensors are attached to the chest, elbow, and knee of a user to detect breathing, running, walking, joint bending, and throwing motions.
The adsorption of perchlorate, sulfate, selenate and water on Au(111)-textured electrodes from aqueous solutions: Simultaneous voltammetric, optical and microgravimetric studies

Abstract The adsorption of perchlorate, C l O 4 − ( a q ) , sulfate, S O 4 2 − ( a q ) and selenate, S e O 4 2 − ( a q ) on Au(111)-textured single crystals from aqueous acidic solutions was examined as a function of the applied potential, E, by simultaneous voltammetry, normal incidence differential reflectance spectroscopy, ΔR/R, and electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance, EQCM, techniques. In particular, ΔR/R vs E data collected in pure 0.1 M HClO4 or the same electrolyte containing either 1 mM Na2SO4 or 1 mM Na2SeO4 could be quantitatively accounted for by using a simple model introduced in similar studies reported earlier in this laboratory. This model regards the ΔR/R response as arising from a sum of contributions from bare and adsorbate covered areas of the surface, which are, in each case, linear functions of the applied potential. Adsorption isotherms for C l O 4 − ( a q ) , and S O 4 2 − ( a q ) on Au(111) from the literature allowed fitting of the model to data obtained in 1 mM Na2SO4 in 0.1 M HClO4 solutions. The two oxyanions were found to co-adsorb over a wide potential range, with S O 4 2 − ( a q ) fully displacing C l O 4 − ( a q ) for E > 1.25 V vs RHE. Analogous ΔR/R measurements involving 1 mM Na2SeO4 in 0.1 M HClO4 solutions combined with the model allowed calculation of the coverage of the two oxyanions as a function of E. The experimental isotherms enabled calculation of the mass densities for the adsorbed oxyanions, ρ t h , yielding values virtually identical to those derived from EQCM experiments, ρ exp , for data recorded in the range ca. E ρ exp were significantly larger than those predicted by the optical measurements, a behavior consistent with water co-adsorption.
Comparison of Multiple Clinical Testing Modalities for Assessment of NPM1-Mutant AML.

Background NPM1 mutation status can influence prognosis and management in AML. Accordingly, clinical testing (i.e., RT-PCR, NGS and IHC) for mutant NPM1 is increasing in order to detect residual disease in AML, alongside flow cytometry (FC). However, the relationship of the results from RT-PCR to traditional NGS, IHC and FC is not widely known among many practitioners. Herein, we aim to: i) describe the performance of RT-PCR compared to traditional NGS and IHC for the detection of mutant NPM1 in clinical practice, and also compare it to FC, and ii) provide our observations regarding the advantages and disadvantages of each approach in order to inform future clinical testing algorithms. Methods Peripheral blood and bone marrow samples collected for clinical testing at variable time points during patient management were tested by quantitative, real-time, RT-PCR and results were compared to findings from a Myeloid NGS panel, mutant NPM1 IHC and FC. Results RT-PCR showed superior sensitivity compared to NGS, IHC and FC with the main challenge of NGS, IHC and FC being the ability to identify a low disease burden (<0.5% NCN by RT-PCR). Nevertheless, the positive predictive value of NGS, IHC and FC were each ≥ 80% indicating that positive results by those assays are typically associated with RT-PCR positivity. IHC, unlike bulk methods (RT-PCR, NGS and FC), is able provide information regarding cellular/architectural context of disease in biopsies. FC did not identify any NPM1-mutated residual disease not already detected by RT-PCR, NGS or IHC. Conclusion Overall, our findings demonstrate that RT-PCR shows superior sensitivity compared to a traditional Myeloid NGS, suggesting the need for "deep-sequencing" NGS panels for NGS-based monitoring of residual disease in NPM1-mutant AML. IHC provides complementary cytomorphologic information to RT-PCR. Lastly, FC may not be necessary in the setting of post-therapy follow up for NPM1-mutated AML. Together, these findings can help inform future clinical testing algorithms.
Persistence of neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 positivity among a cohort of children and adolescents

Abstract Background Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 are common among adults. The prevalence of such syndromes among community samples of children and adolescents remains less well characterized. Method We identified all individuals age 5-18 across 2 New England health systems who had a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test between 3/12/2020 and 4/18/2021 and at least 90 days of follow-up visits documented in electronic health records. We identified neuropsychiatric symptoms in intervals prior to, and following, this testing using a previously-derived set of ICD-10 codes and natural language processing terms. Primary analysis examined sociodemographic features associated with presence of at least one incident (i.e., new-onset) neuropsychiatric symptom between 90 and 150 days after an initial positive test for COVID-19. Results Among 5058 children (50% female, 2.9% Asian, 6.3% Black, and 63% White; 30% Hispanic; mean age was 12.4 (IQR 8.9-15.6), 366 (7.2%) exhibited at least one new-onset neuropsychiatric symptom between 90 and 150 days following initial SARS-CoV-2 test positivity. The most common incident symptoms at 90-150 days were headache (2.4%), mood and anxiety symptoms (2.4%), cognitive symptoms (2.3%), and fatigue (1.1%). In regression models, older children, girls, those with Hispanic ethnicity, those with public versus private insurance, and those with greater overall burden of medical comorbidity were more likely to exhibit subsequent symptoms. Conclusion The prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms between 3- and 5-months following SARS-CoV-2 test positivity is similar to that observed in the period prior to infection. Prospective controlled studies will be needed to further refine these estimates.
Comparing trained student peers versus paid actors as standardized patients for simulated patient prescription counseling

Abstract Background Simulation can be a useful tool for teaching and assessing clinical skills, but can also be costly and faculty-time intensive. It is defined as a technique to create an activity to portray a real experience for purpose of practicing or evaluating. Simulations can use standardized patients (SPs), which can be paid actors (PASPs), staff and faculty, manikins, volunteers, or students from higher level cohorts, also known as advanced class standardized patients (ACSPs). Objective The objective of this study was to conduct a multifaceted analysis comparing ACSPs and PASPs, based on student performance in the assessment, student preference of SP type, and SP performance as an actor. Methods ACSPs and PASPs were used in a summative prescription counseling role play. For the evaluation, students counseled a SP about a new prescription medication and answered questions about taking an over-the-counter product with the new medication. The interaction was recorded and evaluated by faculty using a previously developed rubric. SP performance was evaluated by faculty using a separate rubric to determine how well the patient role was performed. A pre- and post-evaluation survey was completed by student pharmacists to gather student preferences about SPs and confidence in their counseling skills. Data were evaluated using a paired t-test. Results One hundred sixty-seven student pharmacists completed the summative prescription counseling evaluation. Student pharmacists performed well overall with minimal differences between SP types. Students preferred PASPs to role play the patient but felt that the actor type did not affect their performance. Conclusions ACSPs performed the role of the SP well for a summative prescription counseling session without impacting student performance compared to PASPs and with reduced cost. However, students preferred PASPs, and PASPs were better at role playing the patient.
Site fidelity and behavioral plasticity regulate an ungulate’s response to extreme disturbance

With rapid global change, the frequency and severity of extreme disturbance events are increasing worldwide. The ability of animal populations to survive these stochastic events depends on how individual animals respond to their altered environments, yet our understanding of the immediate and short-term behavioral responses of animals to acute disturbances remains poor. We focused on animal behavioral responses to the environmental disturbance created by megafire. Specifically, we explored the effects of the 2018 Mendocino Complex Fire in northern California, USA, on the behavior and body condition of black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus). We predicted that deer would be displaced by the disturbance or experience high mortality post-fire if they stayed in the burn area. We used data from GPS collars on 18 individual deer to quantify patterns of home range use, movement, and habitat selection before and after the fire. We assessed changes in body condition using images from a camera trap grid. The fire burned through half of the study area, facilitating a comparison between deer in burned and unburned areas. Despite a dramatic reduction in vegetation in burned areas, deer showed high site fidelity to pre-fire home ranges, returning within hours of the fire. However, mean home range size doubled after the fire and corresponded to increased daily activity in a severely resource-depleted environment. Within their home ranges, deer also selected strongly for patches of surviving vegetation and woodland habitat, as these areas provided forage and cover in an otherwise desolate landscape. Deer body condition significantly decreased after the fire, likely as a result of a reduction in forage within their home ranges, but all collared deer survived for the duration of the study. Understanding the ways in which large mammals respond to disturbances such as wildfire is increasingly important as the extent and severity of such events increases across the world. While many animals are adapted to disturbance regimes, species that exhibit high site fidelity or otherwise fixed behavioral strategies may struggle to cope with increased climate instability and associated extreme disturbance events.
Quantitative assessment of solid renal masses by contrast-enhanced ultrasound with time–intensity curves: how we do it

To discuss the evaluation of the enhancement curve over time of the major renal cell carcinoma (RCC) subtypes, oncocytoma, and lipid-poor angiomyolipoma, to aid in the preoperative differentiation of these entities. Differentiation of these lesions is important, given the different prognoses of the subtypes, as well as the desire to avoid resecting benign lesions. We discuss findings from CT, MR, and US, but with a special emphasis on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). CEUS technique is described, as well as time–intensity curve analysis. Examples of each of the major RCC subtypes (clear cell, papillary, and chromophobe) are shown, as well as examples of oncocytoma and lipid-poor angiomyolipoma. For each lesion, the time–intensity curve of enhancement on CEUS is reviewed, and correlated with the enhancement curve over time reported for multiphase CT and MR. Preoperative differentiation of the most common solid renal masses is important, and the time–intensity curves of these lesions show some distinguishing features that can aid in this differentiation. The use of CEUS is increasing, and as a modality it is especially well suited to the evaluation of the time–intensity curve.
Dynamics and the Tribolium Model

The study of population dynamics has opened the way to new explanations of data, to new procedures for data analyses, and will surely lead to a new phase of research in which experiments are focused directly on phenomena such as stable equilibria, bifurcations, multiple attractors, limit cycles, life not lived, and stationary distributions. In this final chapter we speculate on the emerging discipline of population dynamics and the role of Tribolium as an experimental animal model.
Microarrays bring new insights into understanding of breast cancer metastasis to bone

Using a microarray approach, Kang and colleagues identified several genes involved in the generation of breast cancer metastasis in bone and demonstrated their roles in bone colonization in vivo. Their findings and interpretations are reviewed in the context of recent array studies that compared gene expression in primary tumors and metastases. RNA expression array results have already demonstrated value in predicting whether metastases will develop in patients. They have also shown that expression patterns are similar in primary tumors and metastases. The latter data have invited re-examination of long-held notions related to mechanisms of metastasis. While the arrays show promise for improving diagnostic capability in breast cancers, ascribing mechanistic interpretations to correlative data should be done with extreme caution. Kang and colleagues' paper in Cancer Cell elegantly reinforces the concepts that efficiency of the metastatic process is dependent on the coordinated expression of multiple genes and that the expression of metastasis-associated genes is sometimes dependent on the microenvironment in which cells find themselves.
Hybrid pulsed laser deposition and Si-surface-micromachining process for integrated TiC coatings in moving MEMS

Titanium carbide (TiC) is one of the preferred coatings for improving the performance of macroscopic moving mechanical components due to its established wear-resistance. Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) is an excellent method for depositing TiC, because unlike any other deposition process for TiC, PLD offers the capability of producing high-quality films even at room temperature. Using a modified PLD technique, especially designed for the deposition of particulate-free films, TiC coatings have been deposited at room temperature on silicon (Si) and on several types of thin films typically employed for fabricating microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Our results demonstrate that TiC coatings also offer a high wear-resistance to Si surfaces, which in turn has led to our application of TiC to “moving” Si MEMS devices. The performance of moving Si MEMS devices is limited by their poor operational lifetimes, which have been attributed to the excessive wear at sliding Si interfaces. The work presented here describes a hybrid process, whereby PLD is used in conjunction with a user-friendly Si surface micromachining scheme for inserting wear-resistant TiC coatings between critical sliding Si interfaces in MEMS devices. This paper describes the properties of PLD-TiC for MEMS and the hybrid PLD-surface micromachining process for the integration of TiC coatings into Si MEMS.
Numerical evaluation of a 3-D J-integral and comparison with experimental results for a 3-Point bend specimen

Abstract A J- integral ( J ) for the pointwise description of the fracture driving force along a 3-D crack front is studied for the three-point bend specimen. Results of a 3-D nonlinear finite element analysis are used to compute J along the crack front. The analytical values are compared to experimental ‘mean’ values derived from the recorded load and crack mouth opening displacement. The J - integral is found to be path independent when area integrals are added to the line integrals. The J - values at the specimen centerplane are slightly larger than the experimental ‘mean’ J- values and decrease rapidly near the free surface. A linear relationship between J and crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) is present at each point along the crack front in this specimen.
IOTA: Towards an integrated on-chip thermocouple array

We present the design concept of a bimetallic thermocouple array-based temperature sensor to monitor thermal behavior of integrated circuits. Our proposed design is able to provide fine-grain thermal characterization. Such a sensor array that is capable of monitoring a large area accurately at a fine granularity is essential to perform reliable and effective dynamic thermal management for high performance chips. Since our proposed thermocouple array-based sensor uses only metals, the resulting sensor design occupies minimal area on the silicon layer. Furthermore, we show that such a metal-based design is advantageous in mitigating process variations. The working principle of the proposed thermocouple array is demonstrated with a bimetallic macroscopic prototype. Our thermocouple prototype tracks the temperature variation from 20 °C to 160 °C to within less than 1 °C. Furthermore, our analysis indicates that the sensor array is robust against process variations to a thermal accuracy of less than 1 °C.
Modeling Swarm Robotic Systems

In this paper, we discuss strengths and limitations of different abstraction levels for distributed robotics experiments. We support the discussion with a concrete case study which has been investigated at four different levels: real robots, embodied simulations, microscopic modeling, and macroscopic modeling. Both modeling methodologies presented represent the collective dynamics of the experiment as a set of stochastic events based on simple geometrical considerations and systematic tests with one or two real robots instead of computing trajectories and sensory information like an embodied simulator would do. The case study we describe is concerned with pulling sticks out of the ground - an action which requires the collaboration of two robots to be successful. Experiments were carried out with teams consisting of two to 24 individuals endowed with simple reactive controllers. In addition to showing that models can deliver both qualitatively and quantitatively correct predictions in time lapses that are three or four orders of magnitude smaller than those required by embodied simulations, we discuss differences, assumptions, and subtle numerical effects of the current modeling methodologies.
A family of 'universal adaptive controllers' for linear and nonlinear plants

A family of three universal adaptive controllers (adaptive controllers applicable to a wide range of plants with different structures) is presented, one for each of three cases: first-order plants, second-order plants, and third-order plants. The family of universal adaptive controllers presented here is novel in the respect that each controller is linear and completely time-invariant. Numerous simulation examples are presented to illustrate the universality of the controllers. >
A Collaborative Approach for the Identification and Treatment of Obstetric Hemorrhage

In the United States, two to three women die every day due to pregnancy-related complications. The three leading causes of maternal death nationally are eclampsia/pre-eclampsia, embolism, and hemorrhage. Of these causes, obstetric hemorrhage is known as the most preventable cause of maternal mortality. It is important to study maternal mortality and morbidity for two reasons. First, evidence suggests that at least one half of pregnancy-related deaths may be preventable through changes in patient, provider, or system factors; and second, mortality rates are disproportionately high among certain racial and ethnic groups. In addition, deaths are only the tip of the iceberg; maternal morbidity also represents a huge burden of disease for women and their families.