cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrically conductive adhesive with π-conjugated self-assembled molecular wire junctions for enhanced electrical and thermal properties

Anisotropic conductive adhesives/films (ACAs/ACFs) have been developed as a promising lead-free interconnect material in the electronic industry. However, due to the restricted contact area and poor interfacial bonding between ACAs and metal bond pads, the ACA joints have lower electrical conductivity and poorer current carrying capability than that of solders. In this study, we investigated the current carrying capability of submicron-sized (~500 nm) silver (Ag) particles in ACA. It was found that the submicron-sized Ag particles have higher current carrying capability (~3400 mA) than micro-sized Au-coated polymer particles (~2000 mA) and Ag nanoparticles (~2500 mA). More importantly, with the introduction of self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on a Ag particle surface, the electrical conductivity and current carrying capability of the ACAs could be significantly improved. By studying the adsorption behavior and thermal stability of the SAMs on submicron-sized Ag particles with ATR FT-IR, Raman spectroscopy and TGA, the crucial factors that govern the improved electrical properties were discussed.
Bifurcation for a free boundary problem modeling the growth of a tumor with a necrotic core

We consider a free boundary problem for a system of partial difierential equations, which arises in a model of tumor growth with a necrotic core. For any positive numbers ‰ < R, there exists a radially symmetric stationary solution with tumor boundary r = R and necrotic core boundary r = ‰. The system depends on a positive parameter „, which describes the tumor aggressiveness. There also exists a sequence of values „2 < „3 < ¢¢¢ for which branches of symmetry-breaking stationary solutions bifurcate from the radially symmetric solution branch.
A pp earance Factors In Cooperative Teaching Relationships

The study focused on the initiation process involved in cooperative projects among teachers. Its importance lay in addressing teacher-teacher interactions, a long neglected system in education. One hundred and five elementary and secondary teachers served as subjects and evaluated eight photographed persons according to their desirability as partners in a coop erative project. The ratings were analyzed with analysis of variance with repeated measures. Personal and professional characteristics of subjects were evaluated as covariates in the analysis. Results suggest that age, gender, and clothing fashionability affect one's desir ability as a partner on a cooperative project. Gender, socio-economic background, number of teaching years, and desire to work with anyone on a cooperative project were found to be significant covariates of the rating.
‘Can't talk about sex’: producers of children's television around the world speak out

As part of a larger study, this article discusses the views of 135 producers from 65 countries around the world regarding the presentation of sex on quality television for children. The article suggests that overall this topic is silenced because it is perceived as either inappropriate or culturally impossible to deal with in the context of a young audience. And thus, with the exception of some Nordic examples, quality television for children does not offer a healthy alternative to the fare available on commercial television.
A central limit theorem for randomly indexed m-dependent random variables

Inthisnote,weproveacentrallimittheoremforthesumofarandomnumberNn ofm-dependent randomvariables. ThesequenceNn andthetermsinthesumarenotassumedtobeindependent. Moreover, the conditions of the theorem are not stringent in the sense that a simple moving average sequence serves as an example.
Method-specific Reference Intervals for Serum Anion Gap and Osmolality

We wish to comment on reference intervals for the serum anion gap and osmolality. The serum anion gap, which is most commonly defined as AG = Na-Cl-TCO2, traditionally has had a reference interval of 8–16 mmol/L with a mean value (i.e., mean of values used to determine its reference interval) of 12 mmol/L (1)(2). In a recent report (3), the stated reference interval for the anion gap was 12–16 mmol/L with potassium included …
At-speed delay characterization for IC authentication and Trojan Horse detection

New attacker scenarios involving integrated circuits (ICs) are emerging that pose a tremendous threat to national security. Concerns about overseas fabrication facilities and the protection of deployed ICs have given rise to methods for IC authentication (ensuring that an IC being used in a system has not been altered, replaced, or spoofed) and hardware Trojan Horse (HTH) detection (ensuring that an IC fabricated in a nonsecure facility contains the desired functionality and nothing more), but significant additional work is required to quell these treats. This paper discusses how a technique for precisely measuring the combinational delay of an arbitrarily large number of register-to-register paths internal to the functional portion of the IC can be used to provide the desired authentication and design alteration (including HTH implantation) detection. This low-cost delay measurement technique does not affect the main IC functionality and can be performed at-speed at both test-time and run-time.
Equatorial Energy Accumulation and Emanation Regions: Impacts of a Zonally Varying Basic State.

Abstract Previous studies have suggested that the regions of mean anomalous perturbation kinetic energy which exist in the vicinity of the equatorial upper-tropospheric westerlies are the result of the propagation of extratropical synoptic and low frequency waves through the equatorial “westerly duet” where a subsequent wave energy convergence occurs. The proposition that these perturbed equatorial regions may arise from remote equatorial energy sources is investigated. It is shown that three criteria must be met. The first two, the existence of wave energy sources along the equator and a mechanism to transport that energy longitudinally, are accounted for relatively easily with existing theory of divergent, trapped equatorial modes. The third criterion, the requirement of a mechanism for an accumulation of transient energy in the equatorial stretch flow (i.e., nonzero ūx), is not immediately obvious and requires exploration to develop new concepts. Using simple WKBJ arguments it is shown that within a re...
Suppression of diffusion of hydrogen adatoms on graphene by effective adatom interaction

Resonant graphene dopants, such as hydrogen adatoms, experience long-range effective interaction mediated by conduction electrons. As a result of this interaction, when several adatoms are present in the sample, hopping of adatoms between sites belonging to different sublattices involves significant energy changes. Different inelastic mechanisms facilitating such hopping, coupling to phonons and conduction electrons, are considered. It is estimated that the diffusion of hydrogen adatoms is rather slow, amounting to roughly one hop to a nearest neighbor per millisecond.
TBCRC 019: An open label, randomized, phase II trial of nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-PAC) with or without the anti-death receptor 5 (DR5) monoclonal antibody tigatuzumab (TIG) in patients with metastatic triple negative breast cancer (TNBC).

1052 Background: TIG, an agonistic anti-DR5 monoclonal antibody, triggers apoptosis in DR5+ human tumor cells without the aid of crosslinking. TIG has shown strong in vitro and in vivo activity aga...
Fat: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

A certain amount of dietary fat, particularly the essential n–3 and n–6 fatty acids, is necessary for normal physiological function. The major types of dietary fats are saturated fats (largely from animal products) and mono- and polyunsaturated fats (found in vegetable and some animal sources). Fat is the most calorically dense macronutrient (9 kcal/g) High-fat diets have been shown to contribute to excess energy intake and obesity. Both total dietary fat and various types of fatty acids have been associated with cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors. In general, saturated fats and trans fats have an adverse effect on health risk factors, while n–3 polyunsaturated fatty acids have beneficial effects on multiple risk factors.
Bipolar left ventricular pacing is associated with significant reduction in heart failure or death in CRT-D patients with LBBB

Background There are limited data on the significance of left ventricular (LV) lead pacing polarity to predict clinical outcomes. Objectives We aimed to determine the association between the LV lead pacing polarity for heart failure (HF) or death and ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VTA) in patients enrolled in MADIT-CRT (Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial with Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy), receiving a cardiac resynchronization therapy device with implanted cardioverter-defibrillator (CRT-D). Methods We retrospectively analyzed LV pacing polarity. Patients with LV bipolar leads paced between LV ring and LV tip were identified as True Bipolar, while those with LV bipolar leads paced between LV tip or LV ring and right ventricular coil or unipolar leads were identified as Unipolar/Extended Bipolar. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models were used. Results Of the 969 patients, 421 had True Bipolar pacing while the remainder (n = 548) had Unipolar/Extended Bipolar pacing. Among patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB), True Bipolar pacing was associated with lower cumulative incidence of death ( P = .022) and HF/death ( P = .046) compared to those with Unipolar/Extended Bipolar LV pacing. After adjustment for clinical covariates, bipolar LV pacing in LBBB patients was associated with 54% lower risk for death (HR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.24–0.88; P = .020) and 32% lower risk for HF/death (HR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.46–1.00; P = .048) compared to Unipolar/Extended Bipolar LV pacing, but not in those with non-LBBB. No association was seen with risk of ventricular tachyarrhythmia. Conclusion True Bipolar LV pacing configuration is associated with a significantly lower risk of HF/death and all-cause mortality in CRT-D patients with LBBB.
Intraoperative seizures during craniotomy under general anesthesia

Abstract Purpose An acute symptomatic seizure is a clinical seizure occurring at the time of or in close temporal association with a brain insult. We report an acute symptomatic seizure occurring during a surgical procedure in a patient who did not have a prior history of epilepsy and who did not have a lesion associated with an increased risk of epilepsy. To characterize the incidence and clinical features of intraoperative seizures during craniotomy under general anesthesia, we reviewed cases where continuous EEG was acquired during craniotomy. Method Records of 400 consecutive cases with propofol as general anesthesia during craniotomy were reviewed. Demographic data, indication for surgery, clinical history, history of prior seizures, duration of surgery and duration of burst suppression were recorded. Cases where seizures were observed were analyzed in detail. Results Two out of 400 patients experienced intraoperative seizures, including one patient who appeared to have an acute symptomatic seizure related to the surgical procedure itself and a second patient who experienced two seizures likely related to an underlying diagnosis of epilepsy. Conclusions This is the first report of an acute symptomatic seizure secondary to a neurosurgical procedure. Overall, 0.5% of patients monitored experienced seizures, indicating that intraoperative seizures are rare, and EEG monitoring during craniotomies is of low yield in detecting seizures.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Automated Assistance for Web Searching

Web search engines offering personalized automated assistance have the potential to improve the searching process. We report the results of a within subjects, counter balanced empirical evaluation to determine whether automated assistance improves searching performance. Thirty subjects interacted with two fully functional, information retrieval systems. The systems were identical in all respects except that one offered automated assistance while the other did not. The study used a client side automated assistance application, a 2G Text REtrieval Conference document collection and six topics. Results from the empirical evaluation indicate that automated assistance can statistically improve searching performance; however, the improvement is not as dramatic as one might expect, with an approximately 20% performance increase, as measured by number of relevance documents retrieved. We discuss the implications for Web systems and future research.
Does the Perceived Urgency of Auditory Signals Affect Auditory Spatial Cueing in Visual Search Tasks

In the auditory warning literature, investigators have identified acoustic parameters such as harmonicity and interpulse interval that affect perceived urgency of a warning sound. In the present investigation, we asked whether these parameters would affect visual orienting in a visual search task. Participants located and identified visual targets in a large cluttered search field. Audio cues to the target were also presented. In baseline conditions, auditory cues varying in perceived urgency were presented alone, and the time required to identify the visual target was measured. In the paired-cue conditions, two audio cues were presented, one valid and one invalid. Cue informativeness and cue urgency were manipulated. Performance interference was measured as the difference in search latencies between the informative cue and the corresponding cue in the baseline condition. Although baseline search latencies were not affected by perceived urgency in the baseline conditions, perceived urgency did affect the ...
Thermal and electron-induced decomposition of 2-butanol on Pt(111).

The adsorption, thermal evolution, and electron irradiation of 2-butanol on Pt(111) were investigated with reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS). A simulated vibrational spectrum of a single 2-butanol molecule was calculated using density functional theory to facilitate vibrational assignments. Exposures of 0.2 Langmuir (L) and lower result in both isolated 2-butanol molecules with minimal lateral interactions and hydrogen-bonded clusters. The thermal evolution following a 4.0 L exposure shows that the hydrogen-bonded multilayer desorbs around 170 K, leaving a 2-butanol monolayer where hydrogen bonding still exists. At 190 K, a new feature at 1699 cm−1 is attributed to the formation of butanone. Irradiation with 750 or 100 eV electrons leads to 2-butanol desorption and partial conversion to butanone, as indicated by the appearance of a peak at 1709 cm−1.
Burkholderia glumae ToxA Is a Dual-Specificity Methyltransferase That Catalyzes the Last Two Steps of Toxoflavin Biosynthesis

Toxoflavin is a major virulence factor of the rice pathogen Burkholderia glumae. The tox operon of B. glumae contains five putative toxoflavin biosynthetic genes toxABCDE. ToxA is a predicted S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methyltransferase, and toxA knockouts of B. glumae are less virulent in plant infection models. In this study, we show that ToxA performs two consecutive methylations to convert the putative azapteridine intermediate, 1,6-didemethyltoxoflavin, to toxoflavin. In addition, we report a series of crystal structures of ToxA complexes that reveals the molecular basis of the dual methyltransferase activity. The results suggest sequential methylations with initial methylation at N6 of 1,6-didemethyltoxoflavin followed by methylation at N1. The two azapteridine orientations that position N6 or N1 for methylation are coplanar with a 140° rotation between them. The structure of ToxA contains a class I methyltransferase fold having an N-terminal extension that either closes over the active site or is largely disordered. The ordered conformation places Tyr7 at a position of a structurally conserved tyrosine site of unknown function in various methyltransferases. Crystal structures of ToxA-Y7F consistently show a closed active site, whereas structures of ToxA-Y7A consistently show an open active site, suggesting that the hydroxyl group of Tyr7 plays a role in opening and closing the active site during the multistep reaction.
Inner ear pathology and otitis media. A review

Insidious inner ear complications of otitis media have been and are being studied in our laboratory. The purpose of this paper is to review these studies, coordinate, capsulize and highlight the results with emphasis on the transport role of the round window membrane.
Developing in vivo EPR oximetry for clinical use.

This paper describes the rationale for carrying out electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) oximetry studies in human subjects in the clinical setting and the potential approaches and specific steps needed to make such studies feasible and useful. While the approach is described specifically for EPR oximetry, many of the principles may apply to the initial clinical uses of other techniques.
Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics : Akrasia , or failure of self-control ( Nicomachean Ethics 7.1–10)

By the end of book 6 Aristotle has completed his examination of the virtues, both the virtues of the non-rational part of the soul that is responsive to reason (books 3–6) and those of the rational part of the soul (book 6). One would think that, at this point, he would be in a position to bring his investigation in the Ethics to an end. He had said (in book 1) that the ultimate goal of human life is some activity, or activities, of the sort that we can carry out through having the virtues. With a view to determining this, he identified and described the various virtues. Should he not now simply make a decision on this matter? Yet he does not attempt to do so until book 10, chapter 6. For the moment, Aristotle puts on hold his search for happiness, in order to discuss three topics which he regards as closely related: pleasure, friendship, and akrasia . He discusses pleasure (7.11–14; 10.1–5), because he wishes to argue that happiness is the most pleasant as well as the best good. Friendship (books 8 and 9) is important, because relationships involving friendship are the ordinary context in which good persons exercise their virtue; moreover, since human beings are social animals, human happiness will be essentially social and therefore something that must be shared among friends, if possessed at all.
Classification of State Trajectories in Gene Regulatory Networks

Gene-expression-based phenotype classification is used for disease diagnosis and prognosis relating to treatment strategies. The present paper considers classification based on sequential measurements of multiple genes using gene regulatory network (GRN) modeling. There are two networks, original and mutated, and observations consist of trajectories of network states. The problem is to classify an observation trajectory as coming from either the original or mutated network. GRNs are modeled via probabilistic Boolean networks, which incorporate stochasticity at both the gene and network levels. Mutation affects the regulatory logic. Classification is based upon observing a trajectory of states of some given length. We characterize the Bayes classifier and find the Bayes error for a general PBN and the special case of a single Boolean network affected by random perturbations (BNp). The Bayes error is related to network sensitivity, meaning the extent of alteration in the steady-state distribution of the original network owing to mutation. Using standard methods to calculate steady-state distributions is cumbersome and sometimes impossible, so we provide an efficient algorithm and approximations. Extensive simulations are performed to study the effects of various factors, including approximation accuracy. We apply the classification procedure to a p53 BNp and a mammalian cell cycle PBN.
Native Birds Exploit Leaf-Mining Moth Larvae Using a New North American Host, Non-Native Lonicera maackii

I document observations of birds feeding on the larvae of the leaf-mining moth Phyllonorycter emberizaepenella (Gracillariidae) in Michigan, USA. The larvae were feeding on Amur honeysuckle, Lonicera maackii (Caprifoliaceae), a non-native plant that has not been documented as a host for any species of Gracillariidae in North America, and which has few records of use by invertebrate herbivores anywhere in its range. Most bird observations were of chickadees (Paridae), which have been previously recorded feeding on leaf-mining insects. Observations also include three species of warblers (Parulidae) and one kinglet (Regulidae), which represent the first documentation of these families feeding on leaf-mining moth larvae. I describe this novel multitrophic interaction between a non-native plant, a native insect, and native vertebrate predators, and discuss the potential spread of the moth in North America, its use as a food source by birds, and the ecological implications.
Facilitating Focused Process Improvement Efforts in Home Health Agencies to Improve Utilization Outcomes Effectively and Efficiently

The aim of this study was to identify a smaller set of clinical practices most associated with the utilization outcomes of the home health agencies. A secondary data analysis approach was adopted u...
The effect of positive sagittal spine balance and reconstruction surgery on standing balance.

Abstract Background Positive sagittal spine balance (PSSB) may adversely influence standing balance in individuals with degenerative spine diseases. PSSB is often corrected with the help of spinal reconstructive surgeries involving multiple vertebral units. Research question This study investigated the effect of PSSB and reconstructive surgery on postural sway as a measure of standing balance. The secondary goal of this study was to investigate the effect of reconstructive surgery on lower limb kinematics. Methods Subjects who underwent spinal reconstructive surgery for correction of PSSB greater than or equal to 7 cm participated in this study. Postural sway data while standing quietly for 20 s on a force platform were analyzed pre-operatively, 6–12 months and 24 months post-operatively. Results Reconstructive surgery was successful in correcting PSSB in all individuals. There was a moderate correlation between PSSB and postural sway in the anterior-posterior (AP) direction before surgery (r = 0.58) and at 6–12 months post-surgery (r = 0.63). Reconstructive surgery had a significant main effect on postural sway in both the anterior-posterior (p Significance These results reveal that PSSB in persons with degenerative spinal conditions compromised postural balance, which improved after reconstructive surgery. Additionally, persons with PSSB adopted a crouch posture, which resolved after reconstructive surgery.
Performances of two contention resolution units in optical SOA-MZI router

Abstract . We propose an optical router architecture with contention resolution unit. This router operates with asynchronous and variable length packets. FIFO technique is chosen for packet priority. The proposed router is implemented with SOA-MZI gates. The contention resolution unit is tested with two separate strategies, namely the deflection routing and the wavelength conversion. Error-free transmission up to 100 Gbps is guaranteed for both strategies with a penalty around 1 dB for wavelength conversion.
Stable networks of water-mediated interactions are conserved in activation of diverse GPCRs

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have evolved to recognize incredibly diverse extracellular ligands while sharing a common architecture and structurally conserved intracellular signaling partners. It remains unclear how binding of diverse ligands brings about GPCR activation, the common structural change that enables intracellular signaling. Here, we identify highly conserved networks of water-mediated interactions that play a central role in activation. Using atomic-level simulations of diverse GPCRs, we show that most of the water molecules in GPCR crystal structures are highly mobile. Several water molecules near the G protein-coupling interface, however, are stable. These water molecules form two kinds of polar networks that are conserved across diverse GPCRs: (i) a network that is maintained across the inactive and the active states and (ii) a network that rearranges upon activation. Comparative analysis of GPCR crystal structures independently confirms the striking conservation of water-mediated interaction networks. These conserved water-mediated interactions near the G protein-coupling region, along with diverse water-mediated interactions with extracellular ligands, have direct implications for structure-based drug design and GPCR engineering.
PLASMA SPRAY DEPOSITION OF MATERIALS

Plasma spray deposition is a highly perfected industrial process by which well-adhered protective coatings are applied to metal alloy substrates. Any material which does not chemically decompose prior to melting is a candidate for this technique. Though the technology is fairly well advanced it is recognized that the fundamental principles underlying the process are not well understood and certainly not widely appreciated.
Numerical simulation of reservoir stimulation with reference to the Newberry EGS

Abstract Heat production from an enhanced geothermal system (EGS) requires a successful stimulation. Cold water is injected into hot rocks to enhance the heat reservoir permeability. During injection, pore pressure, temperature and the stress field in the reservoir change significantly. Most hot dry rock masses are to some extent naturally fractured at various scales. Fractures could dilate and slip in shear possibly and propagate as a result of stress changes, increasing reservoir permeability. The objective of this work is to analyze the response of a naturally fractured heat reservoir to water injection. A fully coupled thermo-poroelastic finite element model is developed and used to describe the interaction between fluid flow, rock deformation, and heat transfer within the fractured rock. A fracture network model is generated based on field data and implemented into the coupled model. The model is used to simulate and analyze reservoir stimulation in the Newberry EGS Demonstration. In particular, the Phase 2.2 stimulation is modeled using field data on the fracture network, in-situ stress and laboratory data on rock and fracture properties. The simulated injection profile, the evolution of permeability and induced micro-seismic events agree with field observations. Simulation results also show that injection induced stress state changes occur around the injection well explaining the noted differences between the stress regimes obtained prior and subsequent to stimulation.
Cervical spine biomechanics

The biomechanics of spine and spinal stabilization are both intriguing and often illusive. Due to the complex anatomy of the cervical spine, the clinical application of biomechanical principles is essential and yet challenging. Alterations to normal cervical biomechanics can be induced by many etiologies, most commonly by degenerative changes. The goals of this chapter are to explain the basics of the biomechanics of the cervical spine, the principles of cervical spine stabilization, the factors that impact the degenerative process, and impact of the degenerative process on cervical spinal anatomy. Biomechanical principles can be used to promote the understanding of and to establish guidelines for the management of the degenerative cervical spine.
Synthesis and NMR-Spectral Analysis of Achiral O,O- and N,N-Acetals: Anisochronous pro-R and pro-S Ligands in NMR Spectra

A pedagogically useful undergraduate organic-chemistry-laboratory experiment has been developed that involves the synthesis of two structurally simple, achiral O,O- and N,N-acetal substrates with n...
Some remarks on “ambiguity” and “perceptual processes”

A paper by Bever, Garrett, and Hurtig on the perception of ambiguous sentences is analyzed in terms of (1) the explanation offered for the experimental findings, (2) the linguistic theory underlying the experiment, and (3) the characteristics of the stimuli utilized. It is concluded that Bever, Garrett, and Hurtig's findings are open to serious question, particularly because of multiple deficiencies in the design of the experiment.
Technical note: Glucose concentration in dairy cows measured using 6 handheld meters designed for human use

ABSTRACT The objective was to evaluate the precision and accuracy of 6 handheld glucose meters, designed for human use [Accu-Chek Aviva Plus (AC), Roche Diabetes Care, Mannheim, Germany; Aga Matrix (AM), AgaMatrix Inc., Salem, NH; Contour Next (CT), Bayer HealthCare LLC, Leverkusen, Germany; FreeStyle Precision Neo (FS), Abbott Diabetes Care Ltd., Alameda, CA; Nova Max Plus (NM), Nova Biomedical Corporation, Waltham, MA; and Precision Xtra (PX), Abbott Diabetes Care Ltd., Witney, UK] to measure blood glucose concentration in dairy cows. Blood samples from Jersey and Jersey × Holstein crossbreed cows (n = 97 for all; except CT, n = 71) were collected and analyzed in triplicate using the 6 handheld glucose meters evaluated. Plasma glucose was also measured with the laboratory reference method (hexokinase glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase). Based on the intra-assay coefficient of variation (CV), precision varied across handheld glucose meters: AC (2.2%), CT (4.0%), PX (4.7%), FS (5.6%), AM (6.2%), and NM (6.7%). Lin's concordance correlation coefficients between handheld glucose meters and the reference method were 0.75 for FS, 0.74 for PX, 0.62 for AC, 0.55 for CT, 0.53 for NM, and 0.48 for AM. Based on Passing-Bablok regression, the AM and PX meters showed bias in the measurements of blood glucose. Bland-Altman plots indicated a negative bias (FS = −0.25 mmol/L; CT = −0.60 mmol/L) or a positive bias (AM = 0.29 mmol/L; PX = 0.33 mmol/L; NM = 0.52 mmol/L; AC = 0.65 mmol/L) between handheld glucose meters and the reference method. All handheld glucose meters evaluated had wide limits of agreement (LoA) ranging from −0.18 to 1.47 mmol/L (AC, narrowest LoA) to −1.25 to 1.82 mmol/L (AM, widest LoA). Bias was the major contributor to the total observed error (TEobs), accounting for 81.5% of the TEobs in AC, 72.0% in CT, 64.9% in AM, 61.1% in NM, 57.8% in PX, and 56.2% in FS. Overall, although some handheld meters (AC, CT, and PX) showed satisfactory precision, none were accurate measuring glucose. Future studies should evaluate whether incorporating algorithms designed for cattle can improve accuracy and precision of handheld glucose meters.
The Majority Subsidy.

Academic medical institutions have recognized the need to improve diversity among faculty members, trainees, and students. Persons from underrepresented minority (URM) groups are often asked to ser...
The Progress and Significance of QRS Duration by Electrocardiography in Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

Patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) are now surviving through to Fontan palliation and beyond, however, with increased morbidity and mortality. Prolonged QRSd has become one of the predictors of morbidity and mortality in certain congenital heart diseases. There is limited data characterizing the QRSd in patients with HLHS. We aimed to describe the changes in QRSd at various times during the lifetime and to evaluate whether QRSd correlates with a higher risk of developing a composite endpoint of heart failure, heart transplant, or death. We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients with HLHS who survived Fontan palliation. QRSd was measured on ECGs at various stages pre- and postsurgical palliations and subsequently at 5 year intervals. Patients with a composite endpoint were compared to those without. A total of 89 patients were included in the final analysis. The QRSd increased significantly with time from 68.7 ± 9.0 ms prior to Norwood to 91.0 ± 14.0 ms immediately following Fontan and 104.7 ± 13.6 ms 15 years after Fontan (p 120 ms was independently related to a greater frequency of composite endpoint and this was confirmed by a Kaplan–Meier analysis (p = 0.011). This study unveils a novel relationship between QRSd of 120 ms or more with the composite endpoint. Despite the low sensitivity, this finding on a routine surveillance ECG could help identify HLHS Fontan patients at risk for heart failure, heart transplant, or death.
Increased Release of Soluble MD-2 in Sickle Cell Disease and Its Role in Pro-Inflammatory Signaling in Endothelial Cells

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common hemoglobinopathy worldwide, resulting from a mutation in the beta globin gene. SCD has significant pathophysiological consequences – hemolysis, inflammation, oxidative stress, hypercoagulability, endothelial dysfunction and painful vaso-occlusive crises. The latter can be precipitated by infection or other metabolic stressors. Hemolysis chronically exposes endothelial cells, leukocytes, and platelets to hemoglobin and heme that promote pro-inflammatory and prothrombotic phenotypes. We previously demonstrated that toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling is required for microvascular stasis induced by hemoglobin, heme, or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in sickle mice. MD-2 is a glycoprotein, co-expressed with TLR4 at the surface of various cell types, principally myeloid and endothelial lineages. MD-2 also exists as a soluble plasma protein (sMD-2), mainly as a large disulfide-bound multimeric glycoprotein, as well as oligomers and monomers. sMD-2 binds LPS and confers TLR4 sensitivity to LPS . A marked increase in sMD-2 has been reported in plasma from patients with sepsis and rheumatoid arthritis. sMD-2 in SCD plasma has not been studied. Since SCD has a pro-inflammatory phenotype, we hypothesized that sMD-2 is increased in SCD plasma and promotes pro-inflammatory signaling of endothelial cells. We assessed plasma levels of sMD-2 by Western blot and found that sMD-2 was increased 1.7-fold in SS human plasma (n=8) compared to healthy AA plasma (p To determine if sMD-2 in plasma could activate TLR4 signaling in endothelial cells, we incubated HUVEC with 2% SS or AA human plasma for 18 hours and measured IL-8 in the media by ELISA. Media IL-8 concentration was 2.6-fold higher in HUVEC incubated with SS plasma compared to AA plasma (p Disclosures Belcher: Mitobridge, an Astellas Company: Consultancy, Research Funding. Vercellotti: Mitobridge, an Astellas Company: Consultancy, Research Funding.
Reprogramming inflammatory macrophages with mesenchymal stromal cells

Background & Aim MSCs represent approximately 25% of all cell-based clinical trials with over 1,000 registered on clinicaltrials.gov. Although the safety of MSCs is well-documented, the success in trials over the past 25 years is variable. This is likely due to the differences in the source tissue to generate MSCs, manufacturing procedures, the heterogeneity of the MSC populations, and the disease being targeted. Regardless of these differences, it is absolutely critical to understand the mechanism of action in vivo to optimize the potential of MSCs as a FDA licensed cell therapy product. Recent reports highlight that MSCs are rapidly cleared in vivo yet modulate myeloid cell populations to limit inflammation well after they are no longer detectable. Human umbilical cord tissue is readily available and a rich source of rapidly proliferating MSCs. In this study, we hypothesized that human cord tissue-derived MSCs (hCT-MSCs) can reprogram inflammatory macrophages and limit disease progression in inflammatory diseases. Methods, Results & Conclusion Multiple lines of hCT-MSCs were manufactured from donated cord tissue in the Robertson GMP laboratory within the Marcus Center for Cellular Cures (MC3). Using cell culture assays, we determined that hCT-MSC indirectly suppressed T cells by directly interacting with macrophages. Macrophages did not phagocytosis live MSCs, rather they engulfed cytoplasmic components, which down-regulated genes responsible for presenting antigens and activating T cells. Since vast amounts of information can be stored within cytoplasmic granules call processing bodies (P-bodies), we tested their role in facilitating hCT-MSCs to reprogram macrophages. hCT-MSCs contained substantially numbers of P-bodies in the cytoplasm and when we genetically depleted P-bodies in MSCs, they failed to reprogram macrophages to suppress T cells (Fig. 1). Overall, our data demonstrate that hCT-MSCs reprogram macrophages to suppress a T cell response through P-bodies. This not only explains a potential in vivo mechanism how MSCs can confer long-term benefit after they are cleared but is a potential novel and manipulatable target to promote increased efficacy of MSCs in multiple inflammatory conditions.
Implementation of a hospice pain-education programme.

Background: No studies have explored the pain resource nurse curriculum in the hospice setting. This curriculum offers a structured method to teach pain management to nurses. Aims: The purpose of t...
Association of Household Exposure to Primary Clostridioides difficile Infection With Secondary Infection in Family Members

Importance Clostridioides difficileinfection (CDI) is a common hospital-acquired infection. Whether family members are more likely to experience a CDI following CDI in another separate family member remains to be studied. Objective To determine the incidence of potential family transmission of CDI. Design, Setting, and Participants In this case-control study comparing the incidence of CDI among individuals with prior exposure to a family member with CDI to those without prior family exposure, individuals were binned into monthly enrollment strata based on exposure status (eg, family exposure) and confounding factors (eg, age, prior antibiotic use). Data were derived from population-based, longitudinal commercial insurance claims from the Truven Marketscan Commercial Claims and Encounters and Medicare Supplemental databases from 2001 to 2017. Households with at least 2 family members continuously enrolled for at least 1 month were eligible. CDI incidence was computed within each stratum. A regression model was used to compare incidence of CDI while controlling for possible confounding characteristics. Exposures Index CDI cases were identified using inpatient and outpatient diagnosis codes. Exposure risks 60 days prior to infection included CDI diagnosed in another family member, prior hospitalization, and antibiotic use. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was the incidence of CDI in a given monthly enrollment stratum. Separate analyses were considered for CDI diagnosed in outpatient or hospital settings. Results A total of 224 818 cases of CDI, representing 194 424 enrollees (55.9% female; mean [SD] age, 52.8 [22.2] years) occurred in families with at least 2 enrollees. Of these, 1074 CDI events (4.8%) occurred following CDI diagnosis in a separate family member. Prior family exposure was significantly associated with increased incidence of CDI, with an incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 12.47 (95% CI, 8.86-16.97); this prior family exposure represented the factor with the second highest IRR behind hospital exposure (IRR, 16.18 [95% CI, 15.31-17.10]). For community-onset CDI cases without prior hospitalization, the IRR for family exposure was 21.74 (95% CI, 15.12-30.01). Age (IRR, 9.90 [95% CI, 8.92-10.98] for ages ≥65 years compared with ages 0-17 years), antibiotic use (IRR, 3.73 [95% CI, 3.41-4.08] for low-risk and 14.26 [95% CI, 13.27-15.31] for high-risk antibiotics compared with no antibiotics), and female sex (IRR, 1.44 [95% CI, 1.36-1.53]) were also positively associated with incidence. Conclusions and Relevance This study found that individuals with family exposure may be at significantly greater risk for acquiring CDI, which highlights the importance of the shared environment in the transmission and acquisition ofC difficile.
Electrochromic study to quantify kinetics in PEDOT supercapacitors

Filtering capacitors are essential components in electronic circuits for converting high frequency alternating current (AC) into direct current (DC) with minimal energy dissipation. Yet the bulkiness and rigid configuration of traditional filtering capacitors (e.g. Aluminum electrolyte capacitors) impose size restrictions. Supercapacitor offers the potential of high capacitance density to function as miniaturized filtering capacitors. However, the charging/discharging speed of supercapacitors tend to be slow below 100 Hz and limit their use in ac filtering. To understand the mechanisms of the charging/discharging process in electrode materials, this study measures electrochromic properties of the conducting polymer PEDOT, one of the most widely used electrode materials in organic supercapacitors. The contributions of redox reactions and electrical double layer to the total capacitance were quantified. We found that redox reactions were active and dominant when the switching frequency was higher than 100 Hz. The rate of redox reactions for PEDOT changes with different applied potential due to the changing conductivity of PEDOT . The main bottleneck to fast kinetics were due to the interfacial impedance between the Faradaic materials and the current collector electrode. These results will guide future optimization of the materials and morphology design for filtering capacitor electrode.
Timeline: An Authoring Platform for Parameterized Stories

The Timeline platform aims to afford interactors a novel way of experiencing complex, multi-sequential stories and causal relationships while capitalizing on the affordances of interactive digital narratives. Along with the authoring tool, this paper discusses exploratory techniques and best practices that hope to promote new methods of multi-sequential storytelling, i.e. replay stories centered on multiple instantiations, that emphasize parallelism and orienting milestones.
Expanding freshwater biologger studies to view fish as environmental sensing platforms

While recording fish habitat use by electronic sensors, biologgers can also be viewed as autonomous environmental monitoring systems with the organism as a vehicle. This dual perspective has provided novel results from marine ecosystems, but has not been applied to freshwater ecosystems. To understand limitations in fresh water, we evaluated miniature depth and temperature recorders as aquatic monitoring systems in a Laurentian Great Lake: Erie. As part of an acoustic telemetry study, biologgers were opportunistically implanted in a subsample of walleye Sander vitreus. Biologgers recorded temperature and depth at half-hour intervals for up to 1 year. Recaptures provided six biologgers for analysis of seasonal temperature patterns and lake stratification, key variables for understanding dimictic lakes. Depth-resolved temperature patterns showed close correspondence with independent weather buoy measurements. Because the buoy was deployed late in the season, biologger data provided improved estimates of the start of stratification, which had important implications for understanding development of hypoxia in the hypolimnion. Drawbacks to biologger data included imprecise knowledge of fish location and reliance on tag recoveries from the fishery. Optimistically, our results show how biologgers could be part of a monitoring approach that integrates limnological surveys with fisheries science.
Magnetic Tape Storage (Computer)

This article has no abstract. Keywords: magnetic tape storage (computer); offline archival storage
Alternative View of the Current (2008) Crisis in the US Financial System

In my essay, I formulate an alternative scenario for the current crisis of the US financial system. Unintended and poorly understood consequences of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley (1999) banking reform and, especially, the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (2005) created numerous perverse incentives in the US financial industry.I argue that the trigger for the financial collapse was the refinancing of the short-term consumer debt through home equity loans.
Analysis of Combustion Knock Metrics in Spark-Ignition Engines

Combustion knock detection and control in internal combustion engines continues to be an important feature in engine management systems. In spark-ignition engine applications, the frequency of occurrence of combustion knock and its intensity are controlled through a closedlooped feedback system to maintain knock at levels that do not cause engine damage or objectionable audible noise. Many methods for determination of the feedback signal for combustion knock in spark-ignition internal combustion engines have been employed with the most common technique being measurement of engine vibration using an accelerometer. With this technique single or multiple piezoelectric accelerometers are mounted on the engine and vibrations resulting from combustion knock and other sources are converted to electrical signals. These signals are input to the engine control unit and are processed to determine the signal strength during a period of crank angle when combustion knock is expected. As the accelerometer detects a number of sources of vibrations in addition to the desired vibration from knock, the signal quality varies significantly from engine to engine, cylinder to cylinder, and over the operating conditions of the engine. To evaluate the effectiveness and accuracy of knock detection via accelerometers, a reference system is commonly employed. One of the most common reference metrics is the signal strength of the combustion pressure over the appropriate frequency range as measured with in-cylinder pressure transducers. This analysis examines both cylinder pressure and accelerometer-based knock intensity metrics, where the pressure-based knock intensity metric is used as the reference measure. Distributions of the knock metrics over a number of engine cycles for various engine speeds, loads, cam timings, and knock levels are measured and fit to a log-normal model distribution. The lognormal model is shown to provide a good fit to the measured distribution and also captures the characteristics of the distribution to include skewness and peakness. In addition the accelerometer intensity metric is correlated to the reference pressure intensity metric. The result of this correlation provides the coefficient of determination, which is used as a measure of the accelerometer intensity metric's ability to indicate knock. The effects of the distribution of the pressure intensity metric on the coefficient of determination are examined by analyzing subsets of the distribution
Day-ahead resource forecasting for concentrated solar power integration

Abstract In this work, we validate and enhance previously proposed singe-input direct normal irradiance (DNI) models based on numerical weather prediction (NWP) for intra-week forecasts with over 200,000 hours of ground measurements for 8 locations. Short latency re-forecasting methods to enhance the deterministic forecast accuracies are presented and discussed. The basic forecast is applied to 15 additional locations in North America with satellite-derived DNI data. The basic model outperforms the persistence model at all 23 locations with a skill between 12.4% and 38.2%. The RMSE of the basic forecast is in the range of 204.9 W m−2 to 309.9 W m−2. The implementation of stochastic learning re-forecasting methods yields further reduction in error from 204.9 W m−2 to 176.5 W m−2. To a great extent, the errors are caused by inaccuracies in the NWP cloud prediction. Improved assessment of atmospheric turbidity has limited impact on reducing forecast errors. Our results suggest that NWP-based DNI forecasts are very capable of reducing power and net-load uncertainty introduced by concentrated solar power plants at all locations in North America. Operating reserves to balance uncertainty in day-ahead schedules can be reduced on average by an estimated 28.6% through the application of the basic forecast.