cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The reversed word field switching threshold for M-R memory elements

An experimental and analytical study was performed on the threshold properties of 1.5*5- mu m/sup 2/ and 1.8*18- mu m/sup 2/ magnetoresistive memory cells (MR) for rotational switching when a reverse word field (opposed to the edge magnetization) is applied. The results show that the threshold for reverse switching requires larger fields than normal because of the energy associated with the formation of walls at the element edges. In the case of reverse switching (for a stored 'one'), the wall energy is sufficient to restore the element to its original state when the word field is removed for the 1.5- and 1.8- mu m-wide elements. If the elements are made wide enough, the wall energy is not sufficient to cause return switching. The current analytical model adequately accounts for the normal and reverse switching threshold when demagnetization corrections are taken into account. The model does not adequately account for the return switching threshold as a function of sense current. >
Association of Antibiotics in Infancy With Early Childhood Obesity

RESULTS Sixty-nine percent of children were exposed to antibiotics before age 24 months, with a mean (SD) of 2.3 (1.5) episodes per child. Cumulative exposure to antibiotics was associated with later obesity (rate ratio [RR], 1.11; 95% CI, 1.02-1.21 for4 episodes); this effect was stronger for broad-spectrum antibiotics (RR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.06-1.29). Early exposure to broad-spectrum antibiotics was also associated with obesity (RR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.03-1.19 at 0-5 months of age and RR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.04-1.14 at 6-11 months of age) but narrow-spectrum drugs were not at any age or frequency. Steroid use, male sex, urban practice, public insurance, Hispanic ethnicity, and diagnosed asthma or wheezing were also predictors of obesity; common infectious diagnoses and antireflux medications were not.
Ultrasonic investigation of the nonlinearity of fused silica for different hydroxyl-ion contents and homogeneities between 300 and 3°K

The harmonic-generation technique was used to measure the third-order elastic constants ${C}_{111}$ of four types of fused silica. The samples differed in amount of OH content and directional homogeneity. The results indicate that a relatively large OH content in fused silica may give rise to a relatively greater value of ${C}_{111}$ and that ${C}_{111}$ is a weak function of temperature regardless of OH content. The relationship between the experimentally defined ultrasonic nonlinearity parameter $\ensuremath{\beta}=\ensuremath{-}\frac{(3{C}_{11}+{C}_{111})}{3{C}_{11}}$ and the Gr\"uneisen parameter $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ also has been determined. The measured temperature dependence of $\ensuremath{\beta}$ indicates that in the Debye model elastic constants other than ${C}_{11}$ and ${C}_{111}$ must dominate the strong temperature dependence of the Gr\"uneisen parameter for fused silica at low temperatures.
Independent screening in high-dimensional exponential family predictors’ space

We present a methodology for screening predictors that, given the response, follow a one-parameter exponential family distributions. Screening predictors can be an important step in regressions when the number of predictors p is excessively large or larger than n the number of observations. We consider instances where a large number of predictors are suspected irrelevant for having no information about the response. The proposed methodology helps remove these irrelevant predictors while capturing those linearly or nonlinearly related to the response.
Production of barium and light rare earth element oxides during LA-ICP-MS microanalysis

Production rates of molecular oxides (M16O+/M+) of Ba and light rare earth elements (LREE: La, Ce, Pr and Nd), have been measured by Laser Ablation ICP-MS (LA-ICP-MS) analysis via ablation of a Ba and LREE-doped synthetic silicate glass. Our work confirms that oxide production is related to the strength of the M–O bond in the MO+ ion, and in agreement with solution-based measurements and theoretical considerations, M–O bond strength correlates linearly with log(MO+/M+). Oxide production is also strongly dependent on plasma conditions and increases markedly at higher nebulizer gas flow rates (and corresponding lower plasma temperatures), although relative differences between oxide production rates for Ba and LREE do not remain constant. Oxide production is also influenced by availability of oxygen within the plasma. Immediately after opening the ablation chamber to the atmosphere, oxide production rates can be 50–100% higher than those measured after the ablation chamber has been purged of atmospheric oxygen. Differences in plasma load related to differences in ablation rates appear to have little influence on oxide production. Calculations based on our data confirm that the widespread approach of tuning plasma conditions so that measured ThO+/Th+ ratios are less than a few percent is largely suitable for reducing isobaric interferences from Ba and LREE oxides on middle light rare earth element isotopes to levels suitable for trace element analysis for most geological materials. However contributions to Gd from LREE oxides may exceed analytical uncertainties in moderately to highly LREE-enriched materials ([La/Gd]N > ∼3). Contributions from BaO to Eu are only significant for materials with Ba/Eu ratios ≫1000.
Metal Sulfides in Estuarine Sediments

The sediments of Newark Bay, New Jersey, contain zinc sulfide minerals as shown by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis. This is the first report of framboidal sulfide minerals which contain a cation other than iron as the major constituent in recent estuarine sediments. Nickel and manganese are incorporated into the structure of pyrite and iron monosulfide crystals, respectively. These crystals are formed during sulfate reduction to sulfides in the estuarine system.
Toward proton MR spectroscopic imaging of stimulated brain function

With the objective of complementing local cerebral metabolic studies of PET (positron emission tomography), and as a prelude to spectroscopic imaging, a localized proton spectroscopic study of the stimulated human auditory cortex was performed. Water suppressed localized spectroscopy (voxel size 3 cm*3 cm*3 cm enclosing the auditory cortex, T/sub e/=272 ms, T/sub r/=3 s) was performed on a 1.5-T MRI/MRS system, and spectra were acquired during stimulation with a 1 kHz tone presented at 2 Hz. Measurements were conducted for 30-40 min with a temporal resolution of 3.2 min (64 averages per time block). Results from six subjects show a lactate peak which increases during stimulation compared to baseline values. These results suggest an increase in anaerobic glycolysis during stimulation and provide valuable information that should complement glucose metabolism and blood flow studies of PET. >
Activation of human mononuclear cells by porcine biologic meshes in vitro.

While porcine-based biologic meshes are increasingly used for hernia repair, little data exist on tissue responses to such products. Host foreign body reaction, local inflammation, and wound healing are principally controlled by monocytes/macrophages (M/MOs). Exaggerated activation of M/MOs may deleteriously influence mesh integration and remodeling. We hypothesized that common porcine meshes induce the differential activation of M/MOs in vitro. Samples of four acellular porcine-derived meshes, CollaMend™ (CM; C.R. Bard/Davol), Permacol™ (PC; TSL/Covidien), Strattice™ (ST; LifeCell), and Surgisis® (SS; Cook Biotech), were exposed to mononuclear cells derived from the peripheral blood of six healthy subjects. Following a 7-day incubation period, supernatants were assayed for interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) using a multiplex bead-based immunoassay system. The four groups were compared using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Student’s t-test. Each mesh type induced differential mononuclear cell activation in vitro. The mean IL-1β expressions for CM (7,195 pg/ml) and PC (4,215 pg/ml) were significantly higher compared to ST and SS (123 and 998 pg/ml, respectively; P < 0.05). Similar trends were also seen for IL-6 (range 445–70,729 pg/ml), IL-8 (range 11,640–1,045,938 pg/ml), and VEGF (range 686–7,133 pg/ml). For the first time, we demonstrated that porcine meshes induce M/MO activation in vitro. CM and PC (chemically crosslinked dermis) induced significantly higher cytokine expression compared to ST (non-crosslinked dermis) and SS (small intestine submucosa). These differences are likely related to proprietary processing methods and/or the extent of collagen crosslinking. Further understanding of immunologic effects of porcine-derived biologic meshes will not only allow for a comparison between existing products, but it may also lead to mesh modifications and improvement of their clinical performance.
Effect of DC Current on the Creep Deformation of Tin

Impression creep testing of tin was performed in the temperature range of 343 K to 398 K and under a punching stress of 12 MPa to 55 MPa. During the impression test at constant load, a direct electric current in the range of 0 A to 6 A flowed through the punch into the sample, introducing an electromechanical interaction. Steady-state creep was observed under the simultaneous action of the electric current and mechanical stress. The steady-state impression velocity increased with increasing temperature, punching stress, and electric current. A hyperbolic sine relation was used to describe the stress dependence of the steady-state impression velocity for impression creep of tin. The apparent activation energy decreased with increasing electric current.
The Valuation Of Discretionary Accruals And Antitrust Merger Investigations

This study explores the impact of managerial discretion on the information content of reported earnings. In particular, we extend the prior research by examining the pricing of discretionary accruals for firms subject to antitrust merger investigation. To date, the empirical evidence on managerial discretion and earnings informativeness has been limited, and the pricing of discretionary accruals in the earnings management context of antitrust merger investigations has not been examined. We address this gap in the literature, and provide results that are consistent with our expectations. Specifically, the evidence indicates that investigated firms’ discretionary accruals are priced by the stock market, and that such earnings components have incremental information content regarding future profitability. In contrast, as expected, the accruals of non-investigated firms are not value-relevant.
Probabilistic Seasonal Forecasts in the North American Multimodel Ensemble: A Baseline Skill Assessment

AbstractThe North American Multimodel Ensemble (NMME) forecasting system has been continuously producing seasonal forecasts since August 2011. The NMME, with its suite of diverse models, provides a valuable opportunity for characterizing forecast confidence using probabilistic forecasts. The current experimental probabilistic forecast product (in map format) presents the most likely tercile for the seasonal mean value, chosen out of above normal, near normal, or below normal categories, using a nonparametric counting method to determine the probability of each class. The skill of the 3-month-mean probabilistic forecasts of 2-m surface temperature (T2m), precipitation rate, and sea surface temperature is assessed using forecasts from the 29-yr (1982–2010) NMME hindcast database. Three forecast configurations are considered: a full six-model NMME; a “mini-NMME” with 24 members, four each from six models; and the 24-member CFSv2 alone. Skill is assessed on the cross-validated hindcasts using the Brier skill ...
Stephen C. Porter: 1934–2015 In Memoriam

Stephen C. Porter, 1934–2015. Photo from December 2004. This figure was published in Quaternary Research (G. D. Thackray and Z. S. An, 2015: In Memoriam, Stephen C. Porter, 1934–2015. Vol. 83, pp. ...
A brief synthesis of (-)-englerin A.

Englerins A and B are guaiane sesquiterpenes that were isolated from the bark of Phyllanthus engleri, a plant indigenous to east Africa. The englerins consist of a 5-6-5 fused tricyclic structure with an ether bridge and two ester-bearing stereogenic centers, including a highly unusual glycolate residue. Englerin A is a potent and selective inhibitor of the growth of six human renal cancer cell lines. We report herein an efficient, eight-step synthesis of englerin A that leverages simple carbonyl-enabled carbon−carbon bond formations. Our route is amenable to the production of a diverse series of analogues for structure−function studies and determination of the mode of action of these natural products.
"Antecedents of Employee Mobility between U.S. Reg. Commissions and the Private Sector, 1887-2000"

Despite the high prevalence of the revolving door, a type of employee mobility between firms and their regulators, there is no clarity in terms of the antecedents of this practice. In this paper, I...
Heterotopic Gestation with Twin Intrauterine Implantation Following Transfer of Three Developmentally-delayed Embryos from Cryopreserved Oocytes: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND In vitro fertilization (IVF) data suggest improved live birth rates for embryos transferred at the blastocyst versus the cleavage stage. Embryos that have not reached the blastocyst stage by day 5 postthaw have diminished potential for implantation and live birth. Few data exist regarding embryogenesis and optimal timing of transfer for embryos derived from previously cryopreserved oocytes, but we report the case of 100% implantation following transfer of 3 developmentally-delayed embryos derived from cryopreserved oocytes. CASE A 38-year-old woman cryopreserved 20 oocytes for the purpose of future childbearing. At age 42 she returned to thaw and fertilize 8 oocytes using donor sperm. Embryos were cultured to day 5 postthaw, at which time 1 morula and 2 cleavage-stage embryos were available for transfer. Three-embryo transfer resulted in a heterotopic tubal pregnancy and twin intrauterine gestation. Laparoscopic salpingectomy was performed for the ectopic gestation. The twin intrauterine pregnancy spontaneously reduced to singleton, and the patient delivered a live-born infant. CONCLUSION While heterotopic and multifetal pregnancy are known risks of multiembryo transfer, 3 lesser-quality embryos derived from cryopreserved oocytes would be unlikely to have high implantation potential. Future studies are needed to delineate timing of embryogenesis events in previously cryopreserved oocytes.
Speech criticism, face-work, and communication responses: Towards a model of speech criticism and feedback

ABSTRACTSpeech criticism takes places when one person criticizes the speech of another person. Thus far, an abundance of research has been dedicated to understanding the impressions people develop about individuals who speak certain languages, with accents, or other social markers. However, situations of overt speech criticism have been minimally explored. This study addresses the communication responses that participants exhibited following an incident where they were criticized for their speech in a face-to-face video-recorded dyadic encounter. Individuals responded to speech criticism with avoidant, apologetic, humorous, accommodative, assertive, and aggressive approaches. Data suggest that people demonstrated more acceptance and accommodation when responding directly to a critical person, yet exhibited more assertiveness and aggressiveness when responding indirectly. Implications of these findings are discussed and a model is presented to promote further research in this area.
A multi-group path analysis of the relationship between perceived racial discrimination and self-rated stress: how does it vary across racial/ethnic groups?

ABSTRACTObjective: The objective of this study was to answer three questions: (1) Is perceived discrimination adversely related to self-rated stress via the social capital and health care system distrust pathways? (2) Does the relationship between perceived discrimination and self-rated stress vary across race/ethnicity groups? and (3) Do the two pathways differ by one’s race/ethnicity background?Design: Using the Philadelphia Health Management Corporation’s Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Survey, we classified 9831 respondents into 4 race/ethnicity groups: non-Hispanic White (n = 6621), non-Hispanic Black (n = 2359), Hispanic (n = 505), and non-Hispanic other races (n = 346). Structural equation modeling was employed to simultaneously estimate five sets of equations, including the confirmatory factor analysis for both social capital and health care distrust and both direct and indirect effects from perceived discrimination to self-rated stress.Results: The key findings drawn from the analysis include...
The role of 5-HT receptors in depression

Depression is a polygenic and highly complex psychiatric disorder that remains a major burden on society. Antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are some of the most commonly prescribed drugs worldwide. In this review, we will discuss the evidence that links serotonin and serotonin receptors to the etiology of depression and the mechanisms underlying response to antidepressant treatment. We will then revisit the role of serotonin in three distinct hypotheses that have been proposed over the last several decades to explain the pathophysiology of depression: the monoamine, neurotrophic, and neurogenic hypotheses. Finally, we will discuss how recent studies into serotonin receptors have implicated specific neural circuitry in mediating the antidepressant response, with a focus being placed on the hippocampus.
Oxygen Transport During Progressive Hypoxia in Bar-headed Geese (Anser indicus) Acclimatized to Sea Level and 5600 Meters

The Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus) has been observed flying at altitudes up to 9200 m during its semi-annual migration across the Himalayas, suggesting that this species may possess unique adaptations to hypoxia. Therefore, Bar-headed geese and individuals of a comparison species (Pekin Duck — Anas platyrhynchos forma domestica) were subjected to progressive hypoxia corresponding to altitudes up to 11,580 m. After 15 min exposure to each level of hypoxia, tidal volume, respiratory frequency, and levels of O2 and CO2 in arterial and venous blood were determined. In separate experiments the dissociation curve and Bohr effect factor were determined for each species also. The Bar-headed Goose showed a lower resting normoxic level of resting ventilation than the Pekin Duck, as well as a threshold of ventilatory increase in response to hypoxia and maximum ventilation at lower levels of inspired oxygen. After five weeks of acclimatization at 5640 m, both species showed hyperventilation under normoxic conditions, threshold of ventilatory increase, and level of maximum ventilation at lower levels of inspired oxygen than prior to acclimatization. Both species show about the same partial pressures of O2 and CO2 in arterial and venous blood under normoxic conditions. During progressive hypoxia, the Bar-headed Goose is able to maintain only marginally higher partial pressures of O2 in arterial and venous blood, but O2 content is much greater than that observed in the Pekin Duck. This is primarily due to the relatively greater affinity of Bar-headed Goose hemoglobin for O2. Acclimatization produces polycythemia, increased hemoglobin levels, and a large rightward shift in the dissociation curve for the Pekin Duck, while none of these changes were observed in the Bar-headed Goose.
Game Mechanics Matter: Differences in Video Game Conditions Influence Memory Performance

We collected behavioral evidence to support the hypothesis that video game conditions have varying influences on hippocampus-dependent memory. Results indicate that participants who played in the video game conditions with clear reward mechanisms performed better on a declarative memory task than those who played in the video game conditions without reward mechanisms. Those who reported spending more time gaming weekly also performed the task better than those who reported spending less time gaming weekly, suggesting that gaming might have short-term and long-term effects on the hippocampus.
ISOLATION OF THE SPERM SPECIFIC LACTATE DEHYDROGENASE FROM MOUSE, RABBIT AND HUMAN TESTIS AND HUMAN SPERMATOZOA

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the isolation of sperm specific lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) from mouse, rabbit, human testis, and human spermatozoa. The isolation of sperm-specific antigens facilitates the analysis of immunologically induced infertility and of the physiological role of these unique gene products of the male gamete. One such protein is the lactate dehydrogenase C4 isozyme (LDH-C4). This isozyme is distinct from the LDH isozymes found in other tissues. It is antigenic in both males and females, and the immune response to this isozyme can be manipulated to impair fertility. LDH-C4 has been purified from testes of the rat by the conventional methods of salt fractionation, ion-exchange chromatography, and gel filtration. A generalized procedure for the isolation of LDH-C4 can be based on an 8-(6-aminohexyl)-amino-5' AMP–Sepharose affinity gel and ion-exchange chromatography. The availability of this purified enzyme can facilitate studies of the role of the immune system in reproduction.
Engineered DNA plasmid reduces immunity to dystrophin while improving muscle force in a model of gene therapy of Duchenne dystrophy.

In gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy there are two potential immunological obstacles. An individual with Duchenne muscular dystrophy has a genetic mutation in dystrophin, and therefore the wild-type protein is “foreign,” and thus potentially immunogenic. The adeno-associated virus serotype-6 (AAV6) vector for delivery of dystrophin is a viral-derived vector with its own inherent immunogenicity. We have developed a technology where an engineered plasmid DNA is delivered to reduce autoimmunity. We have taken this approach into humans, tolerizing to myelin proteins in multiple sclerosis and to proinsulin in type 1 diabetes. Here, we extend this technology to a model of gene therapy to reduce the immunogenicity of the AAV vector and of the wild-type protein product that is missing in the genetic disease. Following gene therapy with systemic administration of recombinant AAV6-microdystrophin to mdx/mTRG2 mice, we demonstrated the development of antibodies targeting dystrophin and AAV6 capsid in control mice. Treatment with the engineered DNA construct encoding microdystrophin markedly reduced antibody responses to dystrophin and to AAV6. Muscle force in the treated mice was also improved compared with control mice. These data highlight the potential benefits of administration of an engineered DNA plasmid encoding the delivered protein to overcome critical barriers in gene therapy to achieve optimal functional gene expression.
Certainty & uncertainty in reporting fingerprint evidence

Everyone knows that fingerprint evidence can be extremely incriminating. What is less clear is whether the way that a fingerprint examiner describes that evidence influences the weight lay jurors a...
Dietary outcomes within the study of novel approaches to weight gain prevention (SNAP) randomized controlled trial

Young adults (YA) are at high-risk for unhealthy dietary behaviors and weight gain. The Study of Novel Approaches to Weight Gain Prevention (SNAP) Trial demonstrated that two self-regulation approaches were effective in reducing weight gain over 2 years compared with control. The goal of this analysis was to examine effects of intervention on dietary outcomes and the association of diet changes with weight change. Participants were 599 YA, age 18–35 years, BMI 21.0–30.0 kg/m2 (27.4 ± 4.4 years; 25.4 ± 2.6 kg/m2; 22% men; 73% non-Hispanic White), who were recruited in Providence, RI and Chapel Hill, NC and randomized to self-regulation with Small Changes (SC), self-regulation with Large Changes (LC) or Control (C). SC and LC emphasized frequent self-weighing to cue behavior changes (small daily changes vs. periodic large changes) and targeted high-risk dietary behaviors. Diet and weight were assessed at baseline, 4 months and 2 years. LC and SC had greater decreases in energy intake than C at 4 months but not 2 years. LC had the greatest changes in percent calories from fat at 4 months, but differences were attenuated at 2 years. No differences in diet quality were observed. Across conditions, increased total energy consumption, fast food, meals away from home, and binge drinking, and decreased dietary quality and breakfast consumption were all associated with weight gain at 2 years. This study suggests the need to strengthen interventions to produce longer term changes in dietary intake and helps to identify specific behaviors associated with weight gain over time in young adults. Clinicaltrials.gov # NCT01183689 , registered August 18, 2010.
Data Our Bodies Tell: Towards Critical Feminist Action in Fertility and Period Tracking Applications

This article situates reproductive applications as an emerging “do-it-yourself” health technology in need of feminist technical communication action. The authors focus on Glow, a fertility and peri...
Spontaneous voiding is surprisingly recoverable via outlet procedure in men with underactive bladder and documented detrusor underactivity on urodynamics.

Aims To identify clinical and urodynamic factors leading to spontaneous voiding in men with detrusor underactivity (DU) and suspected bladder outlet obstruction who underwent an outlet de-obstruction procedure. Methods We identified 614 men who underwent an outlet procedure at our institution from 2005 to 2014. Men were stratified by bladder contractility index (BCI). The primary outcome was spontaneous voiding after surgery. Data were analyzed in Statistical analysis system software. Results Of the 131 men who underwent preoperative urodynamics, 122 (mean age 68 years) had tracings available for review. DU (BCI 40 (OR = 5.595; 95% CI = 1.685-18.575). Conclusion Outlet de-obstruction improves spontaneous voiding in men with DU and may benefit men who do not meet the urodynamic threshold for obstruction.
Characterizing Thermal Transitions of IgG with Mass Spectrometry

Variable temperature electrospray ionization (ESI) is coupled with mass spectrometry techniques in order to investigate structural transitions of monoclonal antibody immunoglobulin G (IgG) in a 100-mM ammonium acetate (pH 7.0) solution from 26 to 70 °C. At 26 °C, the mass spectrum for intact IgG shows six charge states + 22 to + 26. Upon increasing the solution temperature, the fraction of low-charge states decreases and new, higher-charge state ions are observed. Upon analysis, it appears that heating the solution aids in desolvation of the intact IgG precursor. Above ~ 50 °C, a cleavage event between the light and heavy chains is observed. An analysis of the kinetics for these processes at different temperatures yields transition state thermochemistry of ΔH‡ = 95 ± 10 kJ mol−1, ΔS‡ = 8 ± 1 J mol−1 K−1, and ΔG‡ = 92 ± 11 kJ mol−1. The mechanism for light chain dissociation appears to involve disulfide bond scrambling that ultimately results in a non-native Cys199–Cys217 disulfide bond in the light chain product. Above ~ 70 °C, we are unable to produce a stable ESI signal. The loss of signal is ascribed to aggregation that is primarily associated with the remaining portion of the antibody after having lost the light chain.
Data-driven Koopman operator approach for computational neuroscience

This article presents a novel, nonlinear, data-driven signal processing method, which can help neuroscience researchers visualize and understand complex dynamical patterns in both time and space. Specifically, we present applications of a Koopman operator approach for eigendecomposition of electrophysiological signals into orthogonal, coherent components and examine their associated spatiotemporal dynamics. This approach thus provides enhanced capabilities over conventional computational neuroscience tools restricted to analyzing signals in either the time or space domains. This is achieved via machine learning and kernel methods for data-driven approximation of skew-product dynamical systems. The approximations successfully converge to theoretical values in the limit of long embedding windows. First, we describe the method, then using electrocorticographic (ECoG) data from a mismatch negativity experiment, we extract time-separable frequencies without bandpass filtering or prior selection of wavelet features. Finally, we discuss in detail two of the extracted components, Beta ( $ \sim $ 13 Hz) and high Gamma ( $ \sim $ 50 Hz) frequencies, and explore the spatiotemporal dynamics of high- and low- frequency components.
Abelian Bosonization, OPEs, and the "String Scale" of Fermion Fields

This paper establishes a precise mapping between lattice and continuum operators in theories of (1 + 1)D fermions. To reach the continuum regime of a lattice theory, renormalization group techniques are here supplemented by a new kind of decimation called smoothing out. Smoothing out amounts to imposing constraints that make fermion fields vary slowly in position space; in momentum space, this corresponds to introducing boundary conditions below a certain depth of the Dirac sea. This procedure necessitates the introduction of a second small parameter to describe the continuum limit. This length scale, much larger than the lattice spacing but much smaller than the macroscopic system size, controls the derivative expansions of fields, and hence plays the role of the "string scale" in quantum field theory. Smoothing out a theory of Dirac fermions on the lattice provides a transparent, fully lattice-based derivation of the operator product expansion, current algebra, and Abelian bosonization rules in the continuum. Nontrivial high-momentum effects are demonstrated in all these derivations. In particular, the radius of the compact scalar dual to the Dirac fermion is found to vary with momentum, smoothly shrinking to zero at a cutoff set by the "string scale."
Degree Validation Application Using Solidity and Ethereum Blockchain

One of the most common actions for students post-graduation is requesting a degree validation or an official transcript of grades. Requests for degree validations happen for various reasons such as an employment requirement, a pursuit of a higher degree education, foreign degree accreditation, or even for a personal reason. Those who are requesting the degree validation are usually on a time constraint. Traditional methods of degree validation are often complicated, time consuming, require manpower to maintain, and potentially have security or privacy issues. We present a software application implementing an automatic degree validation system that uses the Ethereum, an open-source, public, blockchain-based distributed computing platform, and that features smart contract functionality. The application is developed using Solidity, a contract-oriented programming language, and is run by the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). This application allows students and universities to automatically verify each other’s identity while maintaining transaction validity and referential integrity through a blockchain ledger and maintaining security through PGP key authentication. The university checks the student’s request against its own secure mongoDB database. Our application also generates the student’s Ehereum wallet using the Truffle development Ethereum network. Truffle generates the student’s private and public keys. Our Application pulls the student public key, hashes the last 20 bytes, generates Keccak256 Hash, and stores it on the MongoDB as the student Ethereum Address. To ensure the information’s privacy, the blocks of the blockchain are mainly formed of two encrypted fields using the Elliptic Curve Integrated Encryption Scheme (ECIES) library. The first field is encrypted using the student’s public key and the second field is encrypted using the third party public field. Third parties, such as employers or other higher education institutions, are able to check its encrypted field of the block using its own private key, once the degree is validated or the transcript is generated. Results of testing show our application to be scalable, secure, have efficient gas costs on the Ethereum network, and minimize human interaction.
Environmental impacts of reclaimed asphalt pavement on leaching of metals into groundwater

To investigate the environmental impacts of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) while it was freshly processed (i.e. hot mixed asphalt or HMA) and after being subjected to weathering, three RAP materials, namely north-RAP, central-RAP, south-RAP, from three plants and one fresh HMA loose mix samples (Fresh-HMA) throughout New Jersey, USA underwent four different weathering processes including: UV and precipitation weathering on unbounded RAP, UV and precipitation weathering on compacted RAP, weathering by heat and moisture cycles, and groundwater flow-through leaching. Batch experiments were conducted to mimic releasing of trace elements in weak acidic leachate from landfills. North-RAP and central-RAP released levels of Pb greater than the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) primary drinking water maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 15 μg/L. Novel two-column experiments (a RAP column followed by a soil column) were conducted to investigate the release of trace elements from RAP and the attenuation effect of soil on potential pollutants. The results of these experiments showed that pollutants released from RAPs such as Mn and Ni were largely attenuated in the soil. The results suggest that RAP can be used as an unbound material in environments except those acidic (i.e., pH < 5 as in mines with sulfur-containing minerals and landfills with acidic environment).
Interspecies Signaling and Habituated Conviviality

The conviviality of sharing habitat can lead species to learn and benefit from other species’ signals, even if those communications are not intended for them. Purposeful interspecific signaling is also common. Forms of symbiotic semiosis, intentional and unintentional, result from repeated interactions between cohabitating species. Attunement to neighboring species’ dispositions through sharing habitat carves overlapping grooves in the semiosphere predictable for organisms to make some sense of their overlapping Umwelten. Interspecies semiosis may be less generalizable than conspecific signaling, yet these interactions nonetheless can be interpreted as a form of modus vivendi ethics.
Method development in interaction polymer chromatography

Abstract Interaction polymer chromatography (IPC) is an umbrella term covering a large variety of primarily enthalpically-dominated macromolecular separation methods. These include temperature-gradient interaction chromatography, interactive gradient polymer elution chromatography (GPEC), barrier methods, etc. Also included are methods such as liquid chromatography at the critical conditions and GPEC in traditional precipitation-redissolution mode. IPC techniques are employed to determine the chemical composition distribution of copolymers, to separate multicomponent polymeric samples according to their chemical constituents, to determine the tacticity and end-group distribution of polymers, and to determine the chemical composition and molar mass distributions of select blocks in block copolymers. These are all properties which greatly affect the processing and end-use behavior of macromolecules. While extremely powerful, IPC methods are rarely employed outside academic and select industrial laboratories. This is generally because most published methods are “bespoke” ones, applicable only to the particular polymer being examined; as such, potential practitioners are faced with a lack of inductive information regarding how to develop IPC separations in non-empirical fashion. The aim of the present review is to distill from the literature and the author's experience the necessary fundamental macromolecular and chromatographic information so that those interested in doing so may develop IPC methods for their particular analytes of interest, regardless of what these analytes may be, with as little trial-and-error as possible. While much remains to be determined in this area, especially, for most techniques, as regards the role of temperature and how to fine-tune this critical parameter, and while a need for IPC columns designed specifically for large-molecule separations remains apparent, it is hoped that the present review will help place IPC methods in the hands of a more general, yet simultaneously more applied audience.
Robust Control Scheme for a Three Phase Grid-Tied Inverter With $LCL$ Filter During Sensor Failures

This article discusses the operation of a three phase grid-connected inverter with $LCL$ filter under an unbalanced/distorted grid voltage condition. Two case studies are considered in this article that relate to the operation during grid side current and voltage sensor failure. First, a case study showing the operation of the inverter during a grid side current sensor failure is discussed. Second, a case study showing a grid voltage sensor failure is discussed. For the grid side current sensor failure methodology is developed and discussed to estimate the grid current from the sensed inverter current and the capacitor voltage reference. For the grid side voltage sensor failure, an internal model based grid voltage estimation architecture is proposed, and both its local and global stability analyses are presented. The controller design is based on the Lyapunov energy function, and its derivation during the two types of sensors failure have been discussed and presented along with a detailed mathematical analysis. The proposed architecture is verified on a reduced-scale laboratory prototype, and various case study results are presented.
Association Between Social Determinants of Health and Postoperative Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Single-Level Lumbar Fusions: A Matched Analysis

STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to analyze association between social determinants of health (SDH) disparity on postoperative complication rates, and 30-day and 90-day all-cause readmission in patients undergoing single-level lumbar fusions. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Decreasing postoperative complication rates is of great interest to surgeons and healthcare systems. Postoperative complications are associated with poor convalescence, inferior patient reported outcomes measures, and increased health care resource utilization. Better understanding of the association between Social Determinants of Health (SDH) on postoperative outcomes maybe helpful to decrease postoperative complication rates. METHODS MARINER 2020, an all-payer claims database, was utilized to identify patients undergoing single-level lumbar fusions between 2010 and 2018. The primary outcomes were the rates of any postoperative complication, symptomatic pseudarthrosis, need for revision surgery, or 30-day and 90-day all-cause readmission. RESULTS The exact matched population analyzed in this study contained 16,560 patients (8280 [50.0%] patients undergoing single-level lumbar fusion with an SDH disparity; 8280 [50.0%] patients undergoing single-level lumbar fusion without a disparity). Both patient groups were balanced at baseline. The rate of symptomatic pseudarthrosis (1.0% vs. 0.6%, P < 0.05) or any postoperative complication (16.3% vs. 10.4%, P < 0.05) in the matched analysis was higher in the disparity group. The presence of a disparity was associated with 70% increased odds of developing any complication (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.53-1.84) or symptomatic pseudarthrosis (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.17-2.37). Unadjusted and adjusted sensitivity analyses yielded similar results as the primary analysis. CONCLUSION Social Determinants of Health affect outcomes in spine surgery patients and are associated with an increased risk of developing postoperative complications following lumbar spine fusion.Level of Evidence: 3.
Advancing the Toxics Mobility Inventory: Development and Application of a Toxics Mobility Vulnerability Index to Harris County, Texas.

Harris County, Texas, is home to thousands of documented sources of environmental pollution. It is also highly vulnerable to impacts from natural hazards, including floods. Building on the Toxics M...
The cell as matter: Connecting molecular biology to cellular functions

Summary Viewing cells as matter to understand the intracellular biomolecular processes and multicellular tissue behavior represents an emerging research area at the interface of physics and biology. Cellular material displays various physical and mechanical properties that can strongly affect both intracellular and multicellular biological events. This review provides a summary of how cells, as matter, connect molecular biology to cellular and multicellular scale functions. Within the areas of cell biology and molecular biology, we review recent progress in utilizing cellular material properties to direct cell-fate decisions in the communities of immune cells, neurons, stem cells, and cancer cells. Finally, we provide an outlook on how to integrate cellular material properties in developing biophysical methods for engineered living systems, regenerative medicine, and disease treatments.
Evaluation of the Use of Colors and Drawings for Pain Communication for Hmong Patients.

Abstract Aims The aim of the present study was to explore: (1) the feasibility of using color and pain drawing to describe pain; (2) the cultural appropriateness of pain body diagram (PBD); and (3) the cultural meaning of colors used in pain expression within one cultural group—the Hmong residing in the United States. Design A qualitative-descriptive study. Methods Data were collected sequentially in two phases with different Hmong participants from a Midwestern city using (1) focus groups to determine colors used for pain intensity and qualities along with preferences for drawing versus using the PBD; and (2) individual interviews to determine pain-related meanings of colors and cultural appropriateness of PBDs. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using summative and directed content analyses. Results Of 67 participants, 73% were female, the average age was 53.7 ± 14.9 years, and 67% received Medicaid. In Phase I, most participants were unable to draw their pain on a blank page and preferred using a PBD. Most could select colors for pain intensity levels, with white and red indicating no pain and severe pain, respectively. In Phase II, white, red, and black had cultural meanings related to pain while colors such as yellow, orange, and blue had personal meanings. All participants perceived the PBD to be culturally appropriate. Conclusions The study's findings have implications for how to use colors in pain communication and confirm that PBDs can be used with Hmong patients.
A framework for decision makers to design a business analytics platform for distributed organizations

Abstract The growth of business analytics applications in decision making is becoming a significant component in today's organizations, and the powerful changes brought by such applications to both centralized and distributed organizations have led decision makers to revise the way they capture, process, and analyze both structured and unstructured data and make decisions. This study discusses how business analytics tools can supply distributed organizations with a new operating model, process, and outlet to disseminate knowledge, and provides a framework for building a business analytics platform that may be employed by decision makers and managers to realize the full potential of a comprehensive decision-making platform in a distributed organizational setting.
Arachidonic acid metabolism by rabbit synovial cells in culture. Studies of non-cyclooxygenase pathways

We have investigated arachidonic acid (20:4) metabolism by rabbit synovial cells in culture. The lipoxygenase products 5-HETE, 12-HETE and 15-HETE were not detected, despite the presence of a cyclooxygenase inhibitor sodium meclofenamate (20 microM), nor after incubation with ionophore A23187 (1 microM), 20:4 (10 microM), prostaglandin E2, (1 microM), N-formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine (0.01 microM), or murine spleen cell-conditioned medium. [3H]20:4 (10 microM) was incorporated into phospholipids, triacylglycerols and diacylglycerols. A majority of the 3H content of phosphatidylinositol/phosphatidylserine and of diacylglycerols was already present at 1 min, in contrast to the slower accumulation of 3H in triacylglycerols, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. The diacylglycerol fraction contained sn-glycerol-1-acyl-2-20:4. These observations are consistent with phospholipase C activity in synovial cells under those culture conditions. The products generated by these enzymes may play important roles in the physiological processes of synovium.
On the modulation options for UWB systems

In this paper, various modulation options for ultra-wideband (UWB) systems are reviewed in terms of their bit error rate (BER) performances, spectral characteristics, modem/hardware complexities, and data rates. The performances of different modulation schemes under practical conditions such as multipath, multiple-access interference (MAI), narrowband interference (NBl), and timing jitter are analyzed and evaluated through computer simulations.
Density gradient system

Abstract The hydrodynamic artifacts of turning over and droplet formation associated with isopycnic swinging-bucket rotor centrifugation have been virtually eliminated by increasing the viscosity of the layering solution. A 0.25% DNA solution was utilized for this purpose. Since the cells are diluted as they enter the gradient column, they enter and act as single particles. Two sizes (8 ml and 25 ml) of special centrifuge tubes are described. Polyethylene washers which contain the sample and float on top of the gradient column are utilized to restrict the radial trajectory of the cells so that they miss the walls of the centrifuge tube. The utilization of a special swinging-bucket rotor together with programmed acceleration eliminates swirling of the gradients. Thus it is now possible to achieve virtually artifact-free centrifugation with a swinging-bucket rotor. This is demonstrated by the results of a rebanding experiment.
White Paper on the Law of Whistleblowing

Whistleblowers play an important role in fighting corruption, in protecting the public and the environment from harm, and in providing accountability for the violation of legal norms. When an individual blows the whistle on alleged wrongdoing, she may suffer severe financial consequences. The law recognizes the social good that can come from whistleblowing by providing some protection for them and encouraging such conduct in a variety of ways. This paper provides a definition of whistleblowing, describes five distinct ways that the law encourages it, and identifies some of the key legal concepts found in the law of whistleblowing, including the tension between whistleblowing and other legal norms.