cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder in a patient with Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease

A 26-year-old African American woman was admitted for intractable nausea and vomiting during her third trimester of pregnancy. The patient had been diagnosed with Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) a year prior, when she presented with high fevers and cervical lymphadenopathy. Lymph node biopsy revealed necrotic foci of predominantly CD8-positive T cells and myeloperoxidase-positive histiocytes consistent with necrotizing lymphadenitis. The patient became pregnant within months of the diagnosis. At 33 weeks' gestation, the patient was given a short course of steroids for myalgias and joint pains that were thought to be due to KFD. This improved her symptoms. Three weeks later, she was admitted for headaches, hypertension, nausea, and intractable vomiting. A diagnosis of preeclampsia was made, labor was induced, and she had an uncomplicated vaginal delivery. The following day, the patient complained of “shaky” and “jumpy” vision, severe headache, weakness, and paresthesias in the lower extremities. Her blood pressure was 170/100 mm Hg. Examination revealed rapid, involuntary eye movements with both horizontal and vertical components consistent with opsoclonus, severe paraparesis, absent reflexes in the lower extremities, and a possible T10 sensory level. Brain MRI revealed hyperintensities in bilateral occipital lobes suggestive of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) along with a lesion in the medulla (figure, A and B). Spine MRI revealed an extensive cord lesion spanning from C5 to T10 spinal segments consistent with transverse myelitis (figure, C). CSF and serum IgG–neuromyelitis optica antibodies, otherwise known as aquaporin-4 antibodies, were positive; rheumatologic markers, serum and CSF viral markers, cultures, and paraneoplastic autoantibodies were negative. The patient's complaints of abnormal vision and headache resolved with blood pressure control. However, the paraparesis did not improve despite treatment with high-dose IV Solu-Medrol and IVIg. She slowly regained strength over several weeks after receiving treatment with plasmapheresis and continued high-dose prednisone 60 mg/d.
Iron deficiency anemia and papilledema. Rapid resolution with oral iron therapy.

A young female with papilledema and iron deficiency anemia is described. The papilledema was resolved rapidly after oral iron therapy was initiated.
Effects of Vertical Land-Vehicle Ride Motion on Human Reach Performance and Perceived Task Difficulty

Vehicle motions can adversely affect the ability of an operator to quickly and accurately reach for targets located inside vehicles. Although previous ergonomic studies investigated human performan...
Clinical case report: Sclerosing hemangioma of the liver, a rare but great mimicker

Atypical hemangioma (including sclerosing and/or hyalinizing hemangioma) of the liver is a rare variant of hepatic hemangioma, which is the most common benign hepatic tumor. Atypical hemangioma can be indistinguishable from malignancy, primary, or metastatic, based on imaging characteristics. We describe a case of a 70-year-old man with weight loss, occasional bloody stool, change in caliber of stool, and laboratory abnormalities who was found to have multiple hepatic lesions concerning for metastases. We demonstrate that knowledge of the appearance of atypical hemangioma and its inclusion in the differential diagnosis of hepatic lesions can alter patient management and be important to consider before invasive therapies are planned.
Thinking About the Reform of the Way of Moral Education

With the coming of knowledge economy, great changes have taken place in the world, the peoples thinking way has changed and same as their view of value. Especially, with the change of the bodies and ideas of the young people who were born after 1980, and who can operate the computers skillfully, the ways of moral have been asked for the new demands. It demands to change the moral education by others, or change the imbuing moral education, and demands to change emphasizingpolitical function, social function, but ignoring the individuals value in moral education. By this way, the effect of the moral education can be heightened full of charm of humanity and heighten the changing rate of the gain of moral education.
Neuroradiology of brain tumors

Neuroradiology plays a vital role in the evaluation of intracranial neoplasms. The radiologist can offer a differential diagnosis of tumor type based on imaging characteristics, enhancement patterns, and the amount of surrounding edema. Associated complications are usually evident on standard radiologic examinations. This article discusses such standard imaging techniques and some of the new techniques, which are proving to be very useful in providing prognostic information.
Cancers of the Head and Neck Region

This chapter reviews the anatomy of the head and neck. In addition, students are questioned regarding the epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cancers of the head and neck region. Specific questions regarding the role of radiation therapy in the treatment of these cancers are included.
Simplified group interference cancelling for asynchronous DS-CDMA: Research Articles

A simplified group interference cancelling (IC) approach is investigated for asynchronous direct-sequence code-division multiple access on flat fading channels. The technique employs grouping by estimated signal-to-noise-plus-interference ratio (SNIR), and interference cancellation is performed blockwise, for a subset of the total number of users. We consider long random spreading codes, and include the effects of imperfect amplitude, carrier phase, and delay estimation. Performance of the technique shows SNIR gains of several dB, and concomitant improvements in error probability, with lower computational complexity than that of parallel or serial interference cancelling techniques. We also show that our SNIR expressions are applicable to both the AWGN and flat fading channels, and for moderate near–far conditions. In addition, we determine optimal group sizes for our technique, where optimality is in terms of average error probability over all users. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improved Physician Work Flow After Integrating Sign-out Notes into the Electronic Medical Record

Article-at-a-Glance Background In recent years, electronic sign-out notes have been identified as a means of enhancing the effective transfer of patient care between providers. Such a tool was developed and implemented within the electronic medical record (EMR) system, and its impact on physician work flow was assessed. Methods A printable sign-out report was implemented within the EMR system at a tertiary academic children's hospital. Month 1 post go-live survey data were collected in June and July 2006, and 6-month post go-live survey data were collected in November and December 2006. Use of the sign-out form to document handoff data between go-live and Month 16 (September 2007) was measured using log data from the EMR. Housestaff physicians were asked to report the impact of the tool on their work flow and satisfaction with the sign-out process through a Web-based survey. Results The sign-out report was steadily adopted following its introduction. Between the first and second surveys, use of EMR–integrated sign-out increased from 37% to 81% of respondents for day-to-night sign-out (χ 2 = 12.79, p 2 = 5.08, p Discussion EMR–integrated sign-out documents offer the advantages of other electronic network–accessible systems and can also incorporate information already in the medical record in an automated manner. Although the primary motivation for introducing standardized, EMR–integrated sign-out documents is to enhance the safety of patient handoffs, the perception of improved physician work flow is also a benefit of such an intervention.
BMI z‐Scores are a poor indicator of adiposity among 2‐ to 19‐year‐olds with very high BMIs, NHANES 1999‐2000 to 2013‐2014

Objective Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) growth charts are widely used, BMI-for-age z-Scores (BMIz) are known to be uninformative above the 97th percentile. This study compared the relations of BMIz and other BMI metrics (%BMIp95, percent of 95th percentile, and ΔBMIp95, BMI minus 95th percentile) to circumferences, skinfolds, and fat mass. We were particularly interested in the differences among children with severe obesity (%BMIp95 ≥ 120). Methods Data was used from 30,003 2- to 19-year-olds who were examined from 1999-2000 through 2013-2014 in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Results The theoretical maximum BMIz based on the growth charts varied by more than threefold across ages. The BMI metrics were strongly intercorrelated, but BMIz was less strongly related to the adiposity measures than were ΔBMIp95 and %BMIp95. Among children with severe obesity, circumferences and triceps skinfold showed almost no association with BMIz (r ≤ 0.10), whereas associations with %BMIp95 and ΔBMIp95 ranged from r = 0.32 to 0.79. Corresponding associations with fat mass ÷ height2 ranged from r = 0.40 (BMIz) to r =0.82 (%BMIp95) among 8- to 19-year-olds. Conclusions Among children with severe obesity, BMIz is only weakly associated with other measures of body fatness. Very high BMIs should be expressed relative to the CDC 95th percentile, particularly in studies that evaluate obesity interventions.
Development and analysis of an operator steering model for teleoperated mobile robots under constant and variable latencies

Latency hinders a mobile robot teleoperator's ability to perform remote tasks. However, this effect is not well modeled. This paper develops a model for teleoperator steering behavior as a PD controller based on projected lateral displacement, which was tuned to reflect user performance determined by a 31-subject user study under constant and variable latency (having mean latencies between 0 and 750 ms). Additionally, we determined that operator performance under variable latency could be mapped to the expected performance of an equivalent constant latency. We then tested additional latency distributions in simulation and demonstrated equivalent steering performance among several different latency distributions.
A microengineered model of RBC transfusion-induced pulmonary vascular injury

Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion poses significant risks to critically ill patients by increasing their susceptibility to acute respiratory distress syndrome. While the underlying mechanisms of this life-threatening syndrome remain elusive, studies suggest that RBC-induced microvascular injury in the distal lung plays a central role in the development of lung injury following blood transfusion. Here we present a novel microengineering strategy to model and investigate this key disease process. Specifically, we created a microdevice for culturing primary human lung endothelial cells under physiological flow conditions to recapitulate the morphology and hemodynamic environment of the pulmonary microvascular endothelium in vivo. Perfusion of the microengineered vessel with human RBCs resulted in abnormal cytoskeletal rearrangement and release of intracellular molecules associated with regulated necrotic cell death, replicating the characteristics of acute endothelial injury in transfused lungs in vivo. Our data also revealed the significant effect of hemodynamic shear stress on RBC-induced microvascular injury. Furthermore, we integrated the microfluidic endothelium with a computer-controlled mechanical stretching system to show that breathing-induced physiological deformation of the pulmonary microvasculature may exacerbate vascular injury during RBC transfusion. Our biomimetic microsystem provides an enabling platform to mechanistically study transfusion-associated pulmonary vascular complications in susceptible patient populations.
Quantifying the Relevance of Product Feature Classification in Product Family Design

The methodology proposed in this chapter aims to address the link between the evolution of product feature relevance and the implications to product platform and product family design. By quantifying relevant/irrelevant product features to be included in next-generation product platform design, designers can identify the stand-alone or platform sharing components required to achieve desired product functionality. A data mining algorithm is introduced that uses time series data (consisting of product features) to determine the standard, nonstandard, and obsolete product features in the design of next-generation products. Product features are then mapped to engineering components/modules by employing data mining Natural Language Processing techniques that quantify the functionality requirements that are needed for a given set of product features. The goal of this work is to demonstrate the value of incorporating evolving product feature trends in the market space directly into product platform and product family sharing decisions.
Creativity in Teams

Organizations want to be more creative, but improving creativity remains an elusive process. We examine the study of creativity in teams and groups beginning with the intuitive assertion that teams are more creative than individuals and review decades of research that suggest otherwise: Individuals are actually more creative than their groups. We then focus on the key cognitive and social factors that thwart team creativity, such as conformity pressure, and highlight techniques for improving the creative performance of groups, such as brainwriting (rather than brainstorming), quantity goals (versus quality goals), and rotating (rather than stable) membership. We conclude with paradoxical tactics for and consequences of improving creativity. Keywords: creativity; teamwork; brainwriting; brainstorming; quantity goals; rotating memberships; paradoxical tactics
Forkhead box O3 (FoxO3) regulates kidney tubular autophagy following urinary tract obstruction

Autophagy has been shown to be important for normal homeostasis and adaptation to stress in the kidney. Yet, the molecular mechanisms regulating renal epithelial autophagy are not fully understood. Here, we explored the role of the stress-responsive transcription factor forkhead box O3 (FoxO3) in mediating injury-induced proximal tubular autophagy in mice with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). We show that following UUO, FoxO3 is activated and displays nuclear expression in the hypoxic proximal tubules exhibiting high levels of autophagy. Activation of FoxO3 by mutating phosphorylation sites to enhance its nuclear expression induces profound autophagy in cultured renal epithelial cells. Conversely, deleting FoxO3 in mice results in fewer numbers of autophagic cells in the proximal tubules and reduced ratio of the autophagy-related protein LC3-II/I in the kidney post-UUO. Interestingly, autophagic cells deficient in FoxO3 contain lower numbers of autophagic vesicles per cell. Analyses of individual cells treated with autophagic inhibitors to sequentially block the autophagic flux suggest that FoxO3 stimulates the formation of autophagosomes to increase autophagic capacity but has no significant effect on autophagosome-lysosome fusion or autolysosomal clearance. Furthermore, in kidneys with persistent UUO for 7 days, FoxO3 activation increases the abundance of mRNA and protein levels of the core autophagy-related (Atg) proteins including Ulk1, Beclin-1, Atg9A, Atg4B, and Bnip3, suggesting that FoxO3 may function to maintain components of the autophagic machinery that would otherwise be consumed during prolonged autophagy. Taken together, our findings indicate that FoxO3 activation can both induce and maintain autophagic activities in renal epithelial cells in response to injury from urinary tract obstruction.
Differing antidepressant maintenance methodologies.

Abstract Background The principle evidence that antidepressant medication (ADM) is an effective maintenance treatment for adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) is from placebo substitution trials. These trials enter responders from ADM efficacy trials into randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled (RDBPC) effectiveness trials to measure the rate of MDD relapse over time. However, other randomized maintenance trial methodologies merit consideration and comparison. Methods A systematic review of ADM randomized maintenance trials included research reports from multiple databases. Relapse rate was the main effectiveness outcome assessed. Results Five ADM randomized maintenance methodologies for MDD responders are described and compared for outcome. These effectiveness trials include: placebo-substitution, ADM/placebo extension, ADM extension, ADM vs. psychotherapy, and treatment as usual. The placebo-substitution trials for those abruptly switched to placebo resulted in unusually high (46%) rates of relapse over 6–12 months, twice the continuing ADM rate. These trials were characterized by selective screening, high attrition, an anxious anticipation of a switch to placebo, and a risk of drug withdrawal symptoms. Selectively screened ADM efficacy responders who entered into 4–12 month extension trials experienced relapse rates averaging ~ 10% with a low attrition rate. Non-industry sponsored randomized trials of adults with multiple prior MDD episodes who were treated with ADM maintenance for 1–2 years experienced relapse rates averaging 40%. Conclusions Placebo substitution trial methodology represents only one approach to assess ADM maintenance. Antidepressant maintenance research for adults with MDD should be evaluated for industry sponsorship, attrition, the impact of the switch to placebo, and major relapse differences in MDD subpopulations.
A Preliminary Assessment of Perceived and Objectively Scaled Workload of a Voice-Based Driver Interface

Interaction with a voice-command interface for radio control, destination entry, MP3 song selection, and phone dialing was assessed along with traditional manual radio control and a multi-level audio–verbal calibration task (n-back) on-road in 60 drivers. Subjective workload, compensatory behavior, and physiological indices of cognitive workload suggest that there may be both potential benefits and cautions in the implementation of a representative production level interface.
Trapping of low-mass planets outside the truncated inner edges of protoplanetary discs

We investigate the migration of a low-mass ($\lesssim 10 M_\oplus$) planet near the inner edge of a protoplanetary disc using two-dimensional viscous hydrodynamics simulations. We employ an inner boundary condition representing the truncation of the disc at the stellar corotation radius. As described by Tsang (2011), wave reflection at the inner disc boundary modifies the Type I migration torque on the planet, allowing migration to be halted before the planet reaches the inner edge of the disc. For low-viscosity discs ($\alpha \lesssim 10^{-3}$), planets may be trapped with semi-major axes as large as $3-5$ times the inner disc radius. In general, planets are trapped closer to the inner edge as either the planet mass or the disc viscosity parameter $\alpha$ increases, and farther from the inner edge as the disc thickness is increased. This planet trapping mechanism may impact the formation and migration history of close-in compact multiplanet systems.
The Association of Perioperative Glycemic Control With Postoperative Surgical Site Infection Following Open Carpal Tunnel Release in Patients With Diabetes.

Background: The primary goal of the study was to evaluate the association of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in diabetic patients with the incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) following open ca...
Past Year Technology-Involved Peer Harassment Victimization and Recent Depressive Symptoms and Suicide Ideation Among a National Sample of Youth:

This article aims to better understand the complex role of technology in peer victimization events with recent depressive symptomatology and suicide ideation (SI). Telephone interviews were conduct...
Cerebral Endothelial Function: Physiology and Pathophysiology

The purpose of this chapter is to summarize some recent concepts about the role of cerebral vascular endothelium under physiological and pathophysiological conditions.
Paint, cement, photographs: on the endurance of imagery in Western Kenya

In rural areas of Western Kenya, the making, decorating, and presentation of the outside of the home is central to local systems of sociality and etiquette. These homes are usually built on ancestr...
The Transperitoneal Robotic- Assisted Radical Prostatectomy

This chapter details the surgical approach to the transperitoneal robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy. After discussing the important preoperative considerations, this chapter outlines a stepwise technique for urologic attendings, fellows, and residents to follow. The advantages and disadvantages of transperitoneal versus extraperitoneal approaches are discussed with a focus on the former technique. Key aspects of our operative technique are then discussed with mention of the evolution of our technique over time. We highlight the role of the assistant and how to utilize each instrument most efficiently. Ultimately, this chapter serves to facilitate the learning curve for those performing robotic-assisted radical prostatectomies.
Numbers and Operations – Fractions

In this chapter, you will deal with content-practice, teaching, and learning issues relevant to fractions and operations in the Numbers and Operations –Fractions (NF) domain from Grades 1 through 5 of the CCSSM.
Towards more efficient interval analysis: corner forms and a remainder interval newton method

In this thesis we present two new advancements in verified scientific computing using interval analysis: (1) The Corner Taylor Form (CTF) interval extension. The CTF is the first interval extension for multivariate polynomials that guarantees smaller excess width than the natural extension on any input interval, large or small. To help with the proofs we introduce the concept of Posynomial Decomposition (PD). Using PD we develop simple and elegant proofs showing the CTF is isotonic and has quadratic or better (local) inclusion convergence order. We provide methods for computing the exact local order of convergence as well as the magnitude of excess width reduction the CTF produces over the natural extension. (2) The Remainder Interval Newton (RIN) method. RIN methods use first order Taylor Models (instead of the mean value theorem) to linearize (systems of) equations. We show that this linearization has many advantages which make RIN methods significantly more efficient than conventional Interval Newton (IN). In particular, for single multivariate equations, we show that RIN requires only order of the square root as many solution regions as IN does for the same problem. Therefore, RIN realizes same order savings in both time and memory for a significant overall improvement. We also present a novel application of the two contributions to computer graphics: Beam Tracing Implicit Surfaces.
Raman spectroscopic studies of BaOGa2O3GeO2 glasses

Raman spectra were collected for barium gallogermanate glasses along two compositional joins to determine relationships among glass structure, chemistry, and physical property variations. As GeO2 content decreases for both glass series, the mid-frequency envelope shifts to higher frequencies while the high-frequency features increase in intensity and shift to lower frequencies. These trends in the Raman spectra parallel those reported for binary Li, Na and K germanate glasses, and are interpreted in terms of a reduction in average ring size, as well as an average lengthening of TO bonds. The more extreme trends for the most barium-rich glasses indicate partial depolymerization of the tetrahedral network and a concomitant increase in the number of non-bridging oxygens. There is no evidence for octahedral Ge or Ga in any of the barium gallogermanate glasses investigated in this study. The findings determined from the Raman data are consistent with earlier conclusions drawn from Ge and Ga X-ray absorption spectra.
Laboratory fatigue performance of under-ballast mats under varying loads and support conditions

Primarily being employed in ballasted bridge decks and tunnels, under-ballast mat applications have seen growth in the North American market as a solution to reduce the stress state of the ballast ...
Association of parental body mass index (BMI) with child’s health behaviors and child’s BMI depend on child’s age

Parent’s and child’s body mass index (BMI) are strongly associated, but their relationship varies by child’s sex and age. Parental BMI reflects, among other factors, parents’ behaviors and home environment, which influence their child’s behaviors and weight. This study examined the indirect effect of parent’s BMI on child’s BMI via child health behaviors, conditional on child’s sex and age. Data from 2039 children and 1737 parents from eight cities of the U.S. involved in the Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration project tested the association between parental BMI and child’s percentage of 95th BMI percentile (%BMIp95). A generalized structural equation modeling approach to path analysis was used to estimate and test simultaneously the associations among parental BMI and child’s health behaviors and BMI across three age groups (preschool 2-4 yr., elementary 5-10 yr., and middle school 11-12 yr). Child’s health behaviors were examined as mediators. Parental BMI was related to %BMIp95 across all age groups, and was strongest in 11-12 yr. children. Parental BMI was positively associated with boys’ fruit and vegetable (FV) intake and girls’ sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake. Compared to 2-4 yr., older children had less FVs and physical activity, more screen time and SSB, and higher %BMIp95. Mediation effects were not significant. Parental BMI was associated with child’s %BMIp95 and some child behaviors, and this association was stronger in older children; older children also exhibited less healthy behaviors. Age- and sex-specific interventions that focus on age-related decreases in healthy behaviors and parental strategies for promoting healthy behaviors among at-risk children are needed to address this epidemic of childhood obesity.
Assessment of Parent-Based Interventions for Adolescent Sexual Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Importance Parent-based sexual health interventions have received considerable attention as one factor that can increase safer sexual behavior among youth; however, to our knowledge, the evidence linking parent-based interventions to youth sexual behaviors has not been empirically synthesized. Objective To examine the association of parent-based sexual health interventions with 3 primary youth outcomes—delayed sexual activity, condom use, and parent-child sexual communication—as well as several secondary outcomes. We also explored potential moderators of intervention effectiveness. Data Sources A systematic search was conducted of studies published through March 2018 using MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Communication Source, and CINAHL databases and relevant review articles. Study Selection Studies were included if they: (1) sampled adolescents (mean age, ≤18 years), (2) included parents in a key intervention component, (3) evaluated program effects with experimental/quasi-experimental designs, (4) included an adolescent-reported behavioral outcome, (5) consisted of a US-based sample, and (6) were published in English. Data Extraction and Synthesis Standardized mean difference (d) and 95% confidence intervals were computed from studies and meta-analyzed using random-effects models. A secondary analysis evaluated potential moderating variables. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcomes were delayed sexual activity, condom use, and sexual communication. Results Independent findings from 31 articles reporting on 12 464 adolescents (mean age = 12.3 years) were synthesized. Across studies, there was a significant association of parent-based interventions with improved condom use (d = 0.32; 95% CI, 0.13-0.51;P = .001) and parent-child sexual communication (d = 0.27; 95% CI, 0.19-0.35;P = .001). No significant differences between parent-based interventions and control programs were found for delaying sexual activity (d = −0.06; 95% CI, −0.14 to 0.02;P = .16). The associations for condom use were heterogeneous. Moderation analyses revealed larger associations for interventions that focused on younger, compared with older, adolescents; targeted black or Hispanic youth compared with mixed race/ethnicity samples; targeted parents and teens equally compared with emphasizing parents only; and included a program dose of 10 hours or more compared with a lower dose. Conclusions and Relevance Parent-based sexual health programs can promote safer sex behavior and cognitions in adolescents, although the findings in this analysis were generally modest. Moderation analyses indicated several areas where future programs could place additional attention to improve potential effectiveness.
The combined effects of lead and noise exposure on serum SOD and MDA levels

Objective To explore the combined effects of lead and noise exposure on serum SOD and MDA levels.Methods Workers in group A (lead and noise exposure) and group B (noise exposure) had matched age,length of working and intensity of noise.The serum SOD and MDA levels were detected and compared between two groups.Results The serum SOD levels of group A and group B were (65.2 ± 16.3)U/ml,(63.8 ± 13.9)U/ml respectively,without significant difference between two groups (P ＞ 0.05).The serum MDA levels of group A and group B were (6.81 ± 3.12) nmol/ml,(5.02 ± 2.36) nmol/ml respectively,with significant difference between two groups (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Lead combined with noise exposure may worsen free radical impairment and lipid peroxidation. Key words: Lead; Noise; Combined effects; SOD; MDA
Perspectives on the Transformation of Breslau into Wrocław, 1945-1948

Breslau, which is now known as Wroclaw, is a city in Western Poland that was annexed after the end of the Second World War. The final goal regarding Poland was to create an ethnically homogenous nation state, and this was achieved through forced expulsions, killings, and the mass migration of Poles from what is now Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine. This paper will explore both civilian and administrative perspectives of these events in the city of Wroclaw while this was taking place in Poland from 1945 to 1948. It will also examine the relationships that developed between the two through the use of statistics, propaganda posters, pictures, firsthand accounts, diaries from the period, newspaper and magazine articles, a novel by Olga Tokarczuk, and three other nonfiction books on the topic.
Comparative toxicity and liver transcriptomics of legacy and emerging brominated flame retardants following 5-day exposure in the rat.

Abstract The relative toxicity of three legacy and six emerging brominated flame retardants* was studied in the male Harlan Sprague Dawley rat. The hepatocellular and thyroid toxicity of each flame retardant was evaluated following five-day exposure to each of the nine flame retardants (oral gavage in corn oil) at 0.1–1000 μmol/kg body weight per day. Histopathology and transcriptomic analysis were performed on the left liver lobe. Centrilobular hypertrophy of hepatocytes and increases in liver weight were seen following exposure to two legacy (PBDE-47, HBCD) and to one emerging flame retardant (HCDBCO). Total thyroxine (TT4) concentrations were reduced to the greatest extent after PBDE-47 exposure. The PBDE-47, decaBDE, and HBCD liver transcriptomes were characterized by upregulation of liver disease-related and/or metabolic transcripts. Fewer liver disease or metabolic transcript changes were detected for the other flame retardants studied (TBB, TBPH, TBBPA-DBPE, BTBPE, DBDPE, or HCDBCO). PBDE-47 exhibited the most disruption of hepatocellular toxic endpoints, with the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway transcripts upregulated to the greatest extent, although some activation of this pathway also occurred after decaBDE, HBCD, TBB, and HCBCO exposure. These studies provide information that can be used for prioritizing the need for more in-depth brominated flame retardant toxicity studies.
High-precision millimeter-wave frequency determination through plasmonic photomixing.

We present a technique for high-precision millimeter-wave frequency determination through plasmonic photomixing. Our technique utilizes a plasmonic photomixer pumped by an optical frequency comb with a high-stability millimeter-wave beat frequency. The plasmonic photomixer down-converts the millimeter-wave signal to the radio frequency regime at which high-accuracy frequency counters are available. The precision of this technique is determined by the frequency stability of the optical beat frequency, which can be directly characterized in the presented experimental setup. We demonstrate frequency measurement precision as low as 3.9×10−10 at 95 GHz through plasmonic photomixing without phase-locking the optical frequency comb.
Optimization of saw-tooth surface planarization for ultra-low blaze angle gratings for ALS-U

Planarization is important in many areas of nanostructure fabrication. Here we describe a new process for planarization saw-tooth surface of blazed gratings used for the monochromatization of light, but the applications should be much wider. Such gratings consist of relatively wide and very shallow triangular grooves with slanted facets which are machined with nanometer accuracy. The process of making such gratings includes planarization of a relatively coarse saw-tooth surface with micron deep grooves following by a plasma etch which provides reduction of the facet angle and hence groove depth by a factor of 10 - 100. To achieve high quality of the final grating the planarization step should provide a flat surface over the grating facets with sub-nanometer level planarity. We investigated planarization of coarse saw-tooth surfaces with a groove width of 10 μm and a facet angle of 4° by a polymer coating spun on the grating. The optimized planarization procedure provides 100% planarization even on these highly structured surfaces.
Antibody Response to a Nucleocapsid Epitope as a Marker for COVID-19 Disease Severity

Effective methods for predicting COVID-19 disease trajectories are urgently needed. Here, ELISA and coronavirus antigen microarray (COVAM) analysis mapped antibody epitopes in the plasma of COVID-19 patients (n = 86) experiencing a wide-range of disease states. The experiments identified antibodies to a 21-residue epitope from nucleocapsid (termed Ep9) associated with severe disease, including admission to the ICU, requirement for ventilators, or death. Importantly, anti-Ep9 antibodies can be detected within six days post-symptom onset and sometimes within one day. Furthermore, anti-Ep9 antibodies correlate with various comorbidities and hallmarks of immune hyperactivity. We introduce a simple-to-calculate, disease risk factor score to quantitate each patients comorbidities and age. For patients with anti-Ep9 antibodies, scores above 3.0 predict more severe disease outcomes with a 13.42 Likelihood Ratio (96.72% specificity). The results lay the groundwork for a new type of COVID-19 prognostic to allow early identification and triage of high-risk patients. Such information could guide more effective therapeutic intervention.
Autoimmune encephalitis: new hammers in the toolbox

Recently, the field of autoimmune neurology has been expanding and evolving at a brisk pace. There has been renewed interest in the field, especially with the discovery that many rapidly progressive dementias, cryptogenic refractory seizures and movement disorders are autoimmune in aetiology. Excitement has grown with the recognition that numerous novel neural autoantibodies identified over the past decade and a half are associated with highly treatable autoimmune encephalitides, where patients have demonstrated good outcomes, particularly if diagnosed and treated early. This provides great hope for patients, families and practitioners alike and is in stark contrast with many of the now ‘classic’ paraneoplastic neurological disorders associated with intracellularly targeted antibodies, such as anti-Hu/antineuronal nuclear antibody type 1 (ANNA-1) or anti-Yo/Purkinje cell cytoplasmic antibody type 1 (PCA-1), which are well known to be poorly responsive to treatment, often leaving patients with devastating neurological sequelae. Knowing …
Single Molecules Rock and Roll Near the Glass Transition

Glasses are widely used, from structural and optical materials to drug delivery, but the dynamics that lead to their formation are not well understood. In their Perspective, [Ediger and Skinner][1] highlight the study by [Deschenes and Vanden Bout][2], who have measured the reorientation dynamics of single dye molecules in a polymer near the glass transition temperature. They can see individual molecules reorient in real time and watch individual molecules reorient hundreds of times. The individual molecules have different rates and are observed to change their rates, confirming the importance of heterogeneous dynamics near the glass transition. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/292/5515/233 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/292/5515/255
Progress of Sb-based type-II mid-IR interband cascade lasers

In this paper, we report the progress of Sb-based type-II mid-IR interband cascade lasers interms of both high operation temperatures and low threshold current density. The maximum cw operation temperature is readily raised with the fabrication of narrow-stripe lasers. The detailed characteristics of these lasers and updated results are presented.
Electrical characteristics and transient analysis of HTS DC power cables for shipboard application

Physical and electrical characteristics of high-temperature superconducting (HTS) DC power cables have been modelled to assess their benefits compared to conventional XLPE cables for use in distribution networks of tightly coupled electrical systems such as the Navy all-electric ship. The characteristics of a 30-m long HTS DC cable prototype that was successfully demonstrated recently were used to evaluate the benefits of increased power density, both volumetric and gravimetric, in comparison with similarly rated XLPE cables. The response of HTS cables for electrical faults and switching harmonics were studied through electrical models. The results of transient characteristics of HTS cables were compared to that of normal cables under identical network conditions. The peak voltage observed for the HTS cable network when faulted was considerably smaller than that of the XLPE bundle under a 1 kΩ ground resistance. On the contrary, the over voltage of the ungrounded HTS cable system was larger than that of the XLPE cable. The damping constant of the HTS cable was 3 times higher than XLPE cable.
Barbarism and Religion: Hans, Huns and Romans: the rhythms of barbarism and empire

Gibbon made use of the Histoire des Huns, Turcs, et Mogols at intervals when writing the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire . It came into play when he had to deal with nomad invasions of Roman territory and its outward marches, beginning with the fourth-century Huns who appear at the close of his second volume, and continuing through Alans, Avars, Bulgars and Seljuks until his narrative, and de Guignes's, close with the Ottomans and Timurids, peoples no longer shepherds but formed in the debris of the Mongol empire of Genghiz and his successors. This entails a complex history, no longer reducible to its basic theme of nomad invaders arriving out of an unknown pastoral wilderness; there is a history of state formation and interaction with empires, and the chief lesson Gibbon learned from de Guignes was that motor forces driving nomads westward lay in their interactions with Chinese dynastic history and the unshaken ascendancy of Confucian manners. In this chapter we investigate de Guignes's shaping of this major thesis. It is built around a perception of Chinese history in which the sequence of dynasties alternates with the stability of manners, and the history of the nomad peoples interacts with both; while the westward movement of the latter interacts with the history of Persian, Roman and Islamic empires at the other extremity of the steppe. This complex of narratives is subjected to dynastic periodisation, itself interacting with the periodisations of other histories.
Superconducting Critical Current

The sections in this article are 1 The Resistive Measurement of Critical Current Density 2 Ultimate Limits to JC: The Depairing Critical Current Density 3 The Magnetic Flux Line Lattice 4 Flux Pinning 5 The Critical State Model of Magnetization 6 Dissipation Effects in High Current Density Superconductors 7 Summary and Conclusions
What Motivates the Justices: Utilizing Automated Text Classification to Determine Supreme Court Justices' Preferences

Works examining Supreme Court judicial behavior take the justices' votes on the merits as the typical outcome variable. In this paper we develop and test a new method of automated text classification that makes use of multiple features to generate more accurate predictions. We use a support vector machine (SVM) learning algorithm to create preference models for individual justices. With a dataset covering five justices over seventeen terms, we show that with text classification, we can focus on inputs to judicial decision-making such as litigants' briefs which allow for a new means of assessing judicial attitudes. In particular, we show that text classification's ability to locate salient language allows us to better understand the justices' preferences than through traditional ideological explanations. The models in this paper achieve near 80% predictive accuracy of the justices' votes.
Adapting the Swedish Service Route Model to Suburban Transit in the United States

Since the early implementation of the complementary paratransit provision of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) in 1990, transit operators in the United States have been challenged by the increasing demand for service and its low productivity relative to traditional accessible bus service. Over the same period, these agencies have been challenged by the cost of a demand for new conventional buses in low-density areas. During the 1980s, Sweden faced a similar challenge as demand for special transportation service (STS), a form of municipal paratransit serving older persons and people with disabilities whose mobility needs could not be accommodated through conventional public transit services, increased after becoming mandatory in 1979. The introduction of the Service Route, a scheduled bus service designed to serve persons who could not be served by conventional transit, resulted in lower costs per passenger, while offering a convenient alternative to STS for many older persons and persons with disabi...
Low-rank solution of convex relaxation for optimal power flow problem

This paper is concerned with solving the nonconvex problem of optimal power flow (OPF) via a convex relaxation based on semidefinite programming (SDP). We have recently shown that the SDP relaxation has a rank-1 solution from which the global solution of OPF can be found, provided the power network has no cycle. The present paper aims to provide a better understating of the SDP relaxation for cyclic networks. To this end, an upper bound is derived on rank of the minimum-rank solution of the SDP relaxation, which depends only on the topology of the power network. This bound is expected to be very small in practice due to the mostly planar structure of real-world networks. A heuristic method is then proposed to enforce the low-rank solution of the SDP relaxation to become rank-1. To elucidate the efficacy of this technique, it is proved that this method works for weakly-cyclic networks with cycles of size 3. Although this paper mainly focuses on OPF, the results developed here can be applied to several OPF-based emerging optimizations for future electrical grids.
Ozone impacts on loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) grown in a competitive environment

One-year old, bare-root, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings grown in an early successional plant community, were exposed to four ozone treatments, 12 h day(-1) (09:00-21:59 h CST), 7 day week(-1) in east-central Alabama for 2 years (1994-1995). Treatments included AA=ambient air (open plot; no chamber), CF = carbon-filtered air (approximately 0.5xAA), 1X = non-filtered air, and 2X = twice ambient (AA) air. Pine height and diameter were measured monthly for 2 years and total above-ground biomass determined at termination of the experiment. In addition, height, diameter and volume (d2h) growth was modeled for the 2-year study. Trees growing in the CF chambers exhibited the least growth for any variable measured. The predicted height growth rate (r) was the least for the CF- and 2X-treated pines when compared with the AA and 1X treatments. In addition, percent total vegetative cover was significantly negatively correlated with height. diameter and volume growth in 1994, but not 1995. Our findings regarding the trees growing in the CF treatments, are contrary to previous reports regarding ozone impacts to loblolly pine grown without competition from other vegetation.
A Possible Role for IL-17A in Establishing Th2 Inflammation in Murine Models of Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is associated with the effects of T helper type 2 (Th2) and Th22 cytokines. Recent studies, however, have also implicated Th17 in acute AD. Functional studies of Th2 and Th22 cytokines revealed their roles in generating molecular changes during AD; IL-17A's role, however, has yet to be defined. The report by Nakajima et al. (this issue) begins to define that role by demonstrating IL-17A's ability to induce Th2 inflammation in acute disease.