cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microarchitectural exploration with Liberty

To find the best designs, architects must rapidly simulate many design alternatives and have confidence in the results. Unfortunately, the most prevalent simulator construction methodology, hand-writing monolithic simulators in sequential programming languages, yields simulators that are hard to retarget, limiting the number of designs explored, and hard to understand, instilling little confidence in the model. Simulator construction tools have been developed to address these problems, but analysis reveals that they do not address the root cause, the error-prone mapping between the concurrent, structural hardware domain and the sequential, functional software domain. This paper presents an analysis of these problems and their solution, the Liberty Simulation Environment (LSE). LSE automatically constructs a simulator from a machine description that closely resembles the hardware, ensuring fidelity in the model. Furthermore, through a strict but general component communication contract, LSE enables the creation of highly reusable component libraries, easing the task of rapidly exploring ever more exotic designs.
Evaluation of 50:50 and 70:30 Pulsation Ratios in a Large Commercial Dairy Herd

Abstract An experiment was conducted in a large commercial dairy milking 1350 Holstein cows in Florida to investigate the effects of 50:50 or 70:30 pulsation ratios on milking parlor performance, milk production, and udder health. The experiment used a reversal design in which the two pulsation ratios were tested over four 2-mo periods in nearly identical double-11 herringbone milking parlors. Analysis of milking parlor performance measures of cows milked per hour, milk harvested per hour, parlor turns per hour, and parlor cycle time revealed a small increase in milking parlor performance for the 70:30 pulsation ratio. Milking with the 70:30 pulsation ratio increased cows milked by 4.1 cows per h, increased milk harvested by 38.3 kg/h, increased parlor turns by .2 turns per hr, and decreased parlor cycle time by .4 min compared with the 50:50 pulsation ratio. Average milk production per cow per milking did not differ between the two ratios. Udder health indicators of clinical mastitis incidence, cows culled for mastitis, or bulk tank SCC were not different because of pulsation ratio.
Convective Modes for Significant Severe Thunderstorms in the Contiguous United States. Part I: Storm Classification and Climatology

AbstractRadar-based convective modes were assigned to a sample of tornadoes and significant severe thunderstorms reported in the contiguous United States (CONUS) during 2003–11. The significant hail (≥2-in. diameter), significant wind (≥65-kt thunderstorm gusts), and tornadoes were filtered by the maximum event magnitude per hour on a 40-km Rapid Update Cycle model horizontal grid. The filtering process produced 22 901 tornado and significant severe thunderstorm events, representing 78.5% of all such reports in the CONUS during the sample period. The convective mode scheme presented herein begins with three radar-based storm categories: 1) discrete cells, 2) clusters of cells, and 3) quasi-linear convective systems (QLCSs). Volumetric radar data were examined for right-moving supercell (RM) and left-moving supercell characteristics within the three radar reflectivity designations. Additional categories included storms with marginal supercell characteristics and linear hybrids with a mix of supercell and Q...
A Commentary on Sample Design Issues in Behavioral Accounting Experiments

Behavioral research in accounting deals with the behavior of accountants. As such, it uses accounting subjects. Accounting subjects are very difficult to come by because of the nature of the accounting environment. First, professional accountants operate in a pressured environment in which they have little or no time to participate in behavioral research. Second, professional accountants operate in an environment of high service charges and have little or no interest in participating in behavioral experiments free or for a token remuneration. Third, professional accountants are usually inaccessible because behavioral researchers have few or no opportunities for contacts within a CPA firm. Finally, professional accountants operate in the real world in which they perceive behavioral research as too abstract to have practical value for them to participate in. Given the difficulties in getting accounting subjects, behavioral researchers often lament that the pool of available accounting subjects is very small. As such, they cannot rely on conventional research strategies that assume, among other things, normal distribution and homogeneity of variances. In this paper, we suggest a broad range of research strategies including sampling, design, measurement, and analysis to deal specifically with a very small pool of available accounting subjects. We cite some prior behavioral accounting studies and refer to some statistic textbooks deemed best for the application of these research strategies. Our suggestions should benefit anyone doing behavioral research in accounting.
Certification of NIST Standard Reference Material 640d

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) certifies a variety of standard reference materials (SRM) to address specific aspects of instrument performance for divergent beam diffractometers. This paper describes SRM 640d, the fifth generation of this powder diffraction SRM, which is certified with respect to the lattice parameter. It consists of approximately 7.5 g silicon powder specially prepared to produce strain-free particles in a size range between 1 and 10 μm to eliminate size-broadening effects. It is typically used for calibrating powder diffractometers for the line position and line shape. A NIST built diffractometer, incorporating many advanced design features, was used to certify the lattice parameter of the silicon powder measured at 22.5 °C. Both type A, statistical, and type B, systematic, errors have been assigned to yield a certified value for the lattice parameter of a=0.543 159±0.000 020 nm.
An analysis of voting procedures with nonranked voting

This paper analyzes decision making by simple voting procedures in organizational or societal systems. The simple voting procedures investigated are those that do not require voters to rank candidates when one of three or more candidates is to be elected to a single office or position. The procedures are compared on the basis of their propensities to elect the simple majority candidate when it exists. Propensity is measured in terms of efficiency of the procedure, which equals 100 times the probability that the candidate elected by the voting procedure is the simple majority candidate, given the latter exists. The procedures examined use either one or two ballots. On the first or only ballot they ask each voter either to vote for not more than so many candidates (variable procedures) or to vote for exactly so many candidates (constant procedures). Depending on assumptions about voter preferences and voting behavior, either the best variable procedure or the best constant procedure can have the higher efficiency. However, in both the one-stage and two-stage contexts, the difference in efficiency between the most efficient variable procedure and the most efficient constant procedure is usually negligible from a practical standpoint. On the other hand, efficiency can vary significantly depending on the number of stages and the number of candidates to be voted for, or up to, on the first ballot.
Colon cancer screening in women

Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women. Colorectal cancer is a preventable disease with accepted screening modalities that have been proven to save lives. As women are more likely than men to develop right-sided colon cancers, colonoscopy is the preferred screening test in women. Currently, women are less likely to undergo colorectal cancer screening than men. Frank discussions addressing the fear or embarrassment of endoscopic screening are important in helping women overcome these barriers. Enhanced education of both practitioners and patients targeted to improve colorectal cancer screening adherence will improve early diagnosis and patient survival.
Demand-side integration for customer choice through variable service subscription

Variable Service Subscription is a “Regional Codes and Standards” type method for integrating demand-side resources into power system and market operations. This method has been initially identified in prior work by the authors. This paper details the method in comparison to other demand-side implementation methods and identifies program examples as well as information exchange requirements. The paper discusses smart grid infrastructure as a support for widespread demand-side integration through Variable Service Subscription. By coordinating the automation of electric service according to both subscribed customer preferences and system operational needs, unprecedented levels of customer choice can be enabled in a fashion that benefits both the grid and end-use customers.
Categories of spelling difficulty in speakers of English as a first and second language

An earlier hypothesis claimed that native speakers of English have an internalized set of spelling principles giving them power to spell unfamiliar but regularly spelled words, while speakers of English as a second language tend to learn words as isolated items with unpredictable strings of graphemes. This study tests the hypothesis that both of these groups are relatively poor spellers of low frequency, high regularity words. Having operationally defined the concepts of frequency and regularity, a spelling test was administered to a sample of each of the two populations. The data clearly (p
Evolving crack patterns in thin films with the extended finite element method

This paper develops the extended finite element method (XFEM) to evolve patterns of multiple cracks, in a brittle thin film bonded to an elastic substrate, with a relatively coarse mesh, and without remeshing during evolution. A shear lag model describes the deformation in three dimensions with approximate field equations in two-dimensions. The film is susceptible to subcritical cracking, obeying a kinetic law that relates the velocity of each crack to its energy release rate. At a given time, the XFEM solves the field equations and calculates the energy release rate of every crack. For a small time step, each crack is extended in the direction of maximal hoop stress, and by a length set by the kinetic law. To confirm the accuracy of the XFEM, we compare our simulation to the exiting solutions for several simple crack patterns, such as a single crack and a set of parallel cracks. We then simulate the evolution of multiple cracks, initially in a small region of the film but of different lengths, showing curved crack propagation and crack tip shielding. Starting with multiple small cracks throughout the film, the XFEM can generate the well-known mud crack pattern.
Human mitochondrial branched chain aminotransferase: structural basis for substrate specificity and role of redox active cysteines

Crystal structures of the fold type IV pyridoxal phosphate (PLP)-dependent human mitochondrial branched chain aminotransferase (hBCATm) reaction intermediates have provided a structural explanation for the kinetically determined substrate specificity of hBCATm. The isoleucine side chain in the ketimine intermediate occupies a hydrophobic binding pocket that can be defined by three surfaces. Modeling of amino acids on the ketimine structure shows that the side chains of nonsubstrate amino acids such as the aromatic amino acids, alanine, or aspartate either are unable to interact through van der Waals' interactions or have steric clashes. The structural and biochemical basis for the sensitivity of the mammalian BCAT to reducing agents has also been elucidated. Two cysteine residues in hBCATm, Cys315 and Cys318 (CXXC), are part of a redox-controlled mechanism that can regulate hBCATm activity. The residues surrounding Cys315 and Cys318 show considerable sequence conservation in the prokaryotic and eukaryotic BCAT sequences, however, the CXXC motif is found only in the mammalian proteins. The results suggest that the BCAT enzymes may join the list of enzymes that can be regulated by redox status.
The Role of the Posed Smile in Overall Facial Esthetics

Objective: To evaluate the role of the posed smile in overall facial esthetics, as determined by laypersons and orthodontists. Materials and Methods: Twenty orthodontists and 20 lay evaluators were asked to perform six Qsorts on different photographs of 48 white female subjects. The six Q-sorts consisted of three different photographs for each of two time points (pre- and posttreatment), as follows: (1) smileonly, (2) face without the smile, and (3) face with the smile. The evaluators determined a split-line for attractive and unattractive images at the end of each Q-sort. The proportions of attractive patients were compared across Q-sorts using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test for paired data. The evaluators also ranked nine facial/dental characteristics at the completion of the six Q-sorts. Results: Evaluators found the pretreatment face without the smile to be significantly more attractive than the face with the smile or the smile-only photographs. Dissimilar results were seen posttreatment; there was not a significant difference between the three posttreatment photographs. The two panels agreed on the proportion of ‘‘attractive’’ subjects but differed on the attractiveness level of each individual subject. Conclusions: The presence of a malocclusion has a negative impact on facial attractiveness. Orthodontic correction of a malocclusion affects overall facial esthetics positively. Laypeople and orthodontists agree on what is attractive. Overall facial harmony is the most important characteristic used in deciding facial attractiveness. (Angle Orthod 2010;80:322–328.)
Demographics, Attitudes, and Afterlife Beliefs of Right-To-Life and Right-To-Die Organization Members

Abstract The present study provides within- and between-group comparisons of pro-and anti-euthanasia groups on demographic, afterlife-belief, related-attitude, and attitude-influence variables, using a questionnaire that was filled out by 785 members of the Hemlock Society and 161 members of the California Pro-Life Council. It was conjectured that afterlife belief is the foundation upon which people structure fundamental issues of life and death, such as euthanasia, abortion, and capital punishment, and considerable support was found for this hypothesis.
La influencia política de los (las) chamanes mapuches

En est e articulo expondre el papel judicial jugado por el (la) chaman mapuche, el machi, en la legitimacion del proceso politico de toma de decisiones que influyen los eventos, economicos y sociales y las lineas de conductas mas importantes en la sociedad mapuche.
A New Species of Phacelia (Hydrophyllaceae) from Southern Arizona, U.S.A.

Phacelia sonoitensis S. P. McLaughlin (Hydrophyllaceae) from Santa Cruz County, Arizona, U.S.A., is described and illustrated. The distinctive features of this species are its combination of pinnate leaves and several shallowly cymbiform seeds. The number of seeds per capsule (15 to 30) and seed morphology are not consistent with any currently recognized section of the genus.
Role of endothelin-1 in regulation of the postnatal intestinal circulation

Newborn intestine is uniquely prone to vasoconstriction in response to a wide variety of perturbations. To test the hypothesis that endothelin (ET)-1 is an important factor in this process, we dete...
The Electrophysiology of Cnidocytes

Electrical properties of cnidocytes isolated from the hydroid Cladonema and the scyphomedusa Chrysaora were examined using current- and voltage-clamp recording techniques. The stenoteles of Cladonema produced action potentials when depolarized above 0 m V. The inward current that produced the action potential was a Na + current. These cells also possessed an A-current and a K-current. Atrichous isorhizas from Chrysaora did not spike and did not have any inward currents. All cells examined had K-currents, some had A-currents also. Very few cnidocytes discharged during the course of the recordings, irrespective of the degree to which they were depolarized or hyperpolarized, or the presence or selective blockade of any ionic currents. When discharge did occur it could never be correlated with any obvious electrophysiological event. Recordings from cnidocytes in situ in tentacles of the siphonophore Physalia indicate that these cells do not spike. Their current/voltage relationships were linear. They too did not discharge in response to changes in membrane potential, suggesting that the failure of isolated cnidocytes to discharge cannot be attributed to the isolation procedure.
Why Didnt I Get The Job? White Nonbeneficiaries Reactions To Affirmative Action And Diversity Programs

The purpose of this study was to investigate how justifications for hiring procedures and hiring decisions impact white nonbeneficiaries perceptions of fairness. The results for the procedural and distributive justice hypotheses were strikingly similar. Both the diversity justification and no justification were perceived to be fairer than the affirmative action justification for both procedural and distributive justice. Interestingly, however, the respondents perceived no justification to be fairer than the diversity justification. Of the three different scenarios, no justification was perceived to be the most fair and affirmative action was perceived to be the least fair justification.
Rural Resiliency: Sources of Sustainability in the Chinese Countryside

Rural China, where approximately 800 million citizens live, is experiencing a set of challenges similar to rural areas in other countries. Worldwide, although rural regions are the main sources of natural resources and human capital that feed the economic growth of urban-industrial cores, these regions at the headwaters of globalization are comparatively overexploited, underdeveloped, undervalued, and underappreciated. China’s rural-urban relationship deserves special attention, though, because of the uniqueness of some features of its current transformations, and the speed and volume with which they are occurring. In the following essay, I draw on environmental anthropology, human ecology, and resiliency theory to examine these transformations and challenges, and to propose a fundamental thesis: that China’s rural regions are sites of critically important (1) cultural and biological diversities and (2) embedded and comparatively durable knowledge and practices that are critical to the resiliency of rural systems in particular and, by extension, Chinese society as a whole.
TIMING AND CAUSES OF READMISSION WITHIN 30-DAYS OF DISCHARGE FROM A HEART FAILURE HOSPITALIZATION IN A LARGE MULTI-STATE HEALTHCARE COST AND UTILIZATION PROJECT STATE INPATIENT DATABASE

Identifying 30-day readmission diagnoses after Heart Failure (HF) hospitalization is paramount given current hospital performance measures. The 2007-2011 California, New York, and Florida Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Databases were used to identify adults aged ≥ 18
Review of the U.S. Department of Energy’s “Deep Dive” Effort to Understand Voltage Fade in Li- and Mn-Rich Cathodes

ConspectusThe commercial introduction of the lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery nearly 25 years ago marked a technological turning point. Portable electronics, dependent on energy storage devices, have permeated our world and profoundly affected our daily lives in a way that cannot be understated. Now, at a time when societies and governments alike are acutely aware of the need for advanced energy solutions, the Li-ion battery may again change the way we do business. With roughly two-thirds of daily oil consumption in the United States allotted for transportation, the possibility of efficient and affordable electric vehicles suggests a way to substantially alleviate the Country’s dependence on oil and mitigate the rise of greenhouse gases. Although commercialized Li-ion batteries do not currently meet the stringent demands of a would-be, economically competitive, electrified vehicle fleet, significant efforts are being focused on promising new materials for the next generation of Li-ion batteries.The leading cl...
Fabrication and application of magnetic nano-wire arrays

This paper reviews recent developments of the fabrication methods of magnetic nano-wire arrays by depositing into pores of membraness,uch as the sol-gel method,chemical deposition method and electrochemical deposition method.These membranes include porous anodic aluminum(AAO) template and track-etched polymer membrane.The applications of nano-wire arrays to magnetic recording,giant magneto resistance,quantum disk and super-hgh density magnetic recording are presented.
Temporal characteristics of traffic congestion duration based on floating car data

Based on the Floating Car Data(FCD) in Beijing,this paper first compares temporal measurements for the morning periods of two workdays,i.e.,the time percentage of traffic congestion and the congestion duration.Then,it introduces the Survival Function to describe the congestion duration distribution,which is found after the curve fitting that it can be better described by the LogLogistic model.Further,it compares the congestion duration distributions on different links.In addition,through analyzing comparatively the speed interval distributions during congestion period,it derives the evolution relationship of traffic conditions between the before and after-congestion period.The paper provides directly the contents and methods on studying the temporal characteristics for traffic congestions through an analysis of real data,with an attempt to provide the foundation for the estimation and prediction of traffic congestions.
FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF STRESSES AND STRAINS IN TARGETS IMPACTED BY PENETRATORS

The primary objective of this investigation was to make experimental measurements of stress and strain levels at various depths along the line of penetration in steel plates during long rod impact. Strain levels in the targets affected the stress gauge measurements. A new technique was used to reduce the stress record that allowed for this effect. Thus, the strain-compensated stress records were obtained along with strain histories for four tests. This work forms a base for the better understanding of some aspects of long rod penetration.
A Predictive, Exact Shape Factor Extended Corresponding States Model for Mixtures

In the early 1970s, Leland and co-workers developed the principle of extended corresponding states. This principle allows more accurate predictions of single phase fluid properties of structured molecules by making the effective intermolecular potentials functions of the thermodynamic state. This is accomplished through molecular shape factors. Early applications of the method were limited by the lack of accurate, wide-range equations of state which could be used to determine state dependence of the effective intermolecular potentials. Recent work has, however, provided a broad base of experimental data and correlations which enable accurate determination of the shape factors. In this paper, extended corresponding states using exact shape factors is discussed and applications of the method to cryogenic systems are presented. These later predictions are obtained using the computer program DDMIX which is available through the NIST Office of Standard Reference Data.
Sensor Web Enablement (SWE) for citizen science

Using “the crowd” as a means to collect observations within a certain area is currently explored in various fields. The European Commission funds a set of research and development projects, all flagged as “citizen observatories” projects. The goal is to provide best practices on data modeling and processing for citizen observatories. The best practices help create and maintain crowdsourcing systems in an effective and secure way. The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) has developed a suite of standards to describe, access, and process crowdsourcing data in an interoperable way. Concentrating on Biosphere Reserves in Wales, Germany and Greece, the main aim is to create a testbed environment, which will enable citizens living within Biosphere Reserves to collect environmental data using mobile devices. Information of use for policy formation and delivery is generated by quality controlling the crowdsourced data and aggregating with Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) reference data from authoritative sources. This paper describes how the Sensor Web Enablement suite of standards together with other OGC standards facilitates the setup efficient SDIs that integrate remote sensing data with in-situ crowd sourced data.
Critical Issues in Adolescent Nutrition: Needs and Recommendations

Adolescent nutrition is a critical component of adolescent health and a prerequisite for health, wellness, and quality of life. Adolescents across the globe, however, experience nutritional deficits that threaten their health and well-being; therefore, adolescent nutrition warrants investment from various sectors. Promoting healthful dietary behaviors in adolescents is important for proper growth and development, disease prevention, prevention of overweight and obesity, and the establishment of sound dietary patterns that can be sustained into adulthood. Although behavior change is highly complex, there is evidence to support the efficacy of implementing strategies to promote healthy eating behaviors in adolescents. The nutritional health of adolescents can be addressed through an ecological approach that employs culturally relevant and developmentally appropriate strategies at multiple levels of behavioral influence, including individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, and policy. In addition, social cognitive theory can be infused within the ecological framework to capture the reciprocal and dynamic interchange that takes place with the individual, environment, and behavior. The promotion of adolescent nutrition is a global challenge, but one that can bring invaluable rewards in terms of health and wellness, productivity, and quality of life. Therefore, it is imperative for individuals, families, communities, and nations to address the adolescent nutritional challenges in order to enhance the present and the future for all.
A Profile of Synthetic Cannabinoid Users

Abstract Synthetic cannabinoid use began to gain popularity around 2008 due to a number of reasons, including legal status, accessibility, lack of detection in drug screening, and drug effects. While many demographic studies reveal that synthetic cannabinoid use may be concentrated among teenagers and young adults, use has been reported across all demographics. This chapter presents a typology of synthetic cannabinoid users based on recent research combining reasons for use and user demographics. Our typology is represented by four distinct profiles of synthetic cannabinoid users: (1) those who use the synthetic cannabinoids as a replacement or substitute for another substance, (2) those who experiment with synthetic cannabinoids as a social milestone or to have a single experience with a novel substance, (3) those who regularly use substances and use synthetic cannabinoids to order in extend the breadth of their drug use experiences, and (4) frequent, regular users of synthetic cannabinoids.
Swine Influenza Virus

This chapter provides an overview of the classification, description, hosts, key developments, and diagnostic techniques for the swine influenza virus. The virus belongs to the Orthomyxoviridae family and is a member of the influenza virus genus. It is a type A influenza virus and causes an acute respiratory disease of pigs, which may progress to bronchopneumonia and death or abrupt recovery. Pigs, humans, horses, turkeys, and some free-flying birds are the hosts to the virus. There is evidence that swine influenza does not occur in Australia and Greece. The status of many other countries is yet unknown. While swine flu occurred during the pandemic of human influenza of 1918, it was not until 1931 that a viral etiology was associated with the disease. Humans were infected with the swine influenza virus in 1961 and again in 1976. Virus neutralization and compliment fixation have been developed as the diagnostic techniques for the virus.
Meteorite transport—Revisited

Meteorites are delivered from the asteroid belt by way of chaotic zones (Wisdom 1985a). The dominant sources are believed to be the chaotic zones associated with the ν6 secular resonance, the 3:1 mean motion resonance, and the 5:2 mean motion resonance. Though the meteorite transport process has been previously studied, those studies have limitations. Here I reassess the meteorite transport process with fewer limitations. Prior studies have not been able to reproduce the afternoon excess (the fact that approximately twice as many meteorites fall in the afternoon as in the morning) and suggested that the afternoon excess is an observational artifact; here it is shown that the afternoon excess is in fact consistent with the transport of meteorites by way of chaotic zones in the asteroid belt. By studying models with and without the inner planets it is found that the inner planets significantly speed up the transport of meteorites.
Privacy-Preserving Protocols

One of the exciting mathematical developments of the past decade was the discovery of so-called uncrackable public key codes. These are codes with the characteristic that everyone knows the method of encryption, but the amount of calculation required for an outsider to break the code is considered beyond present computational capabilities. In the best-known example, breaking the code was equivalent to finding the factors of, say, a 100-digit number, which was believed to be computationally infeasible.
EEG-guided robotic mirror therapy system for lower limb rehabilitation

Lower extremity function recovery is one of the most important goals in stroke rehabilitation. Many paradigms and technologies have been introduced for the lower limb rehabilitation over the past decades, but their outcomes indicate a need to develop a complementary approach. One attempt to accomplish a better functional recovery is to combine bottom-up and top-down approaches by means of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). In this study, a BCI-controlled robotic mirror therapy system is proposed for lower limb recovery following stroke. An experimental paradigm including four states is introduced to combine robotic training (bottom-up) and mirror therapy (top-down) approaches. A BCI system is presented to classify the electroencephalography (EEG) evidence. In addition, a probabilistic model is presented to assist patients in transition across the experiment states based on their intent. To demonstrate the feasibility of the system, both offline and online analyses are performed for five healthy subjects. The experiment results show a promising performance for the system, with average accuracy of 94% in offline and 75% in online sessions.
Design and Mechanism of (S)-3-Amino-4-(difluoromethylenyl)cyclopent-1-ene-1-carboxylic Acid, a Highly Potent γ-Aminobutyric Acid Aminotransferase Inactivator for the Treatment of Addiction

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Inhibition of GABA aminotransferase (GABA-AT), a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzyme that degrades GABA, has been established as a possible strategy for the treatment of substance abuse. The raised GABA levels that occur as a consequence of this inhibition have been found to antagonize the rapid release of dopamine in the ventral striatum (nucleus accumbens) that follows an acute challenge by an addictive substance. In addition, increased GABA levels are also known to elicit an anticonvulsant effect in patients with epilepsy. We previously designed the mechanism-based inactivator (1S,3S)-3-amino-4-difluoromethylenyl-1-cyclopentanoic acid (2), now called CPP-115, that is 186 times more efficient in inactivating GABA-AT than vigabatrin, the only FDA-approved drug that is an inactivator of GABA-AT. CPP-115 was found to have high therapeutic potential for the treatment of cocaine addiction and for a variety of epilepsies, has successfully completed a Phase I safety clinical trial, and was found to be effective in the treatment of infantile spasms (West syndrome). Herein we report the design, using molecular dynamics simulations, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a new mechanism-based inactivator, (S)-3-amino-4-(difluoromethylenyl)cyclopent-1-ene-1-carboxylic acid (5), which was found to be almost 10 times more efficient as an inactivator of GABA-AT than CPP-115. We also present the unexpected crystal structure of 5 bound to GABA-AT, as well as computational analyses used to assist the structure elucidation process. Furthermore, 5 was found to have favorable pharmacokinetic properties and low off-target activities. In vivo studies in freely moving rats showed that 5 was dramatically superior to CPP-115 in suppressing the release of dopamine in the corpus striatum, which occurs subsequent to either an acute cocaine or nicotine challenge. Compound 5 also attenuated increased metabolic demands (neuronal glucose metabolism) in the hippocampus, a brain region that encodes spatial information concerning the environment in which an animal receives a reinforcing or aversive drug. This multidisciplinary computational design to preclinical efficacy approach should be applicable to the design and improvement of mechanism-based inhibitors of other enzymes whose crystal structures and inactivation mechanisms are known.
Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Regenerative Medicine: Transforming Biotechnologies for Innovating Patient Care:

Author(s): Giannobile, WV; Chai, Y; Chen, Y; Healy, KE; Klein, O; Lane, N; Longaker, MT; Lotz, JC; Mooney, DJ; Sfeir, CS; Urata, M; Wagner, WR; Wu, BM; Kohn, DH
Allopurinol supplementation of the growth medium enhances the fermentation of lignocellulosic hydrolysates to ethanol by Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract To fully harness lignocellulosic sugars as fermentation substrates for the production of biofuels and fine chemicals, the tolerance of fermenting microbes to lignocellulose-derived microbial inhibitory compounds (LDMICs) must be improved. Towards this goal, we exploited the ability of allopurinol, a xanthine dehydrogenase/oxidase inhibitor, to promote purine salvage and nucleic acid biosynthesis to alleviate LDMIC-induced DNA damage, thereby improving the LDMIC tolerance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae NRRL Y-566 during the fermentation of lignocellulosic sugars to ethanol. By supplementing LDMIC-replete wheat straw and corn stover hydrolysates (CSH) with 0.5–8 mM allopurinol, a concentration-dependent increase in ethanol production was observed. Also, by pulse-feeding allopurinol to a model sugar-LDMIC mixture and switching fermentation from aerobic to microaerophilic condition at the exponential growth phase of S. cerevisiae NRRL Y-566, cell growth, ethanol concentration, productivity, and yield improved by 12.0%, 53.1%, 54.0%, and 50.0%, respectively, when compared to the allopurinol-unsupplemented control. Similarly, when 100% (v/v) CSH was used as carbon source, S. cerevisiae NRRL Y-566 growth, ethanol titer, productivity, and yield increased by 19%, 21%, 20% and 24%, respectively. Additionally, allopurinol reduced the onset of stationary growth phase of S. cerevisiae by 12 h and extended its chronological lifespan by 16 h during growth in100% CSH. These results underscore the feasibility of exploiting allopurinol-mediated increase in LDMIC tolerance by S. cerevisiae for the fermentation of lignocellulosic-derived sugars to ethanol.
Fundamental limits to graphene plasmonics

Plasmon polaritons are hybrid excitations of light and mobile electrons that can confine the energy of long-wavelength radiation at the nanoscale. Plasmon polaritons may enable many enigmatic quantum effects, including lasing 1 , topological protection2,3 and dipole-forbidden absorption 4 . A necessary condition for realizing such phenomena is a long plasmonic lifetime, which is notoriously difficult to achieve for highly confined modes 5 . Plasmon polaritons in graphene—hybrids of Dirac quasiparticles and infrared photons—provide a platform for exploring light–matter interaction at the nanoscale6,7. However, plasmonic dissipation in graphene is substantial 8 and its fundamental limits remain undetermined. Here we use nanometre-scale infrared imaging to investigate propagating plasmon polaritons in high-mobility encapsulated graphene at cryogenic temperatures. In this regime, the propagation of plasmon polaritons is primarily restricted by the dielectric losses of the encapsulated layers, with a minor contribution from electron–phonon interactions. At liquid-nitrogen temperatures, the intrinsic plasmonic propagation length can exceed 10 micrometres, or 50 plasmonic wavelengths, thus setting a record for highly confined and tunable polariton modes. Our nanoscale imaging results reveal the physics of plasmonic dissipation and will be instrumental in mitigating such losses in heterostructure engineering applications. The fundamental limits to plasmon damping in graphene are determined using nanoscale infrared imaging at cryogenic temperatures, and plasmon polaritons are observed to propagate over 10 micrometres in high-mobility encapsulated graphene.
Carbohydrate and Lipid Studies in Women Using the Progesterone Intrauterine Device for One Year

Carbohydrate and lipid metabolism was evaluated in 31 women before and after 1 year's use of a progesterone-releasing intrauterine device. The studies involved measuring blood glucose and plasma insulin levels during a 3-hour oral glucose tolerance test and also measuring fasting cholesterol and triglyceride levels. There was no change in the cholesterol levels, whereas the triglyceride concentration was lower at the 1-year test. The blood glucose values were unchanged at four of the time periods, whereas the 3-hour value was elevated at the 1-year test. The plasma insulin values were increased in the fasting, 0.5-, and 3-hour samples at the 1-year test. The increased insulin secretion needed to maintain the blood glucose concentration suggests that the released progesterone may have a systemic effect.
Ultrasonic welding of medical plastics

Abstract: A technical review of ultrasonic welding for medical plastics is presented in this chapter. The fundamentals of the ultrasonic-heating mechanism are explained followed by a description of the ultrasonic-welding process and process parameters. Key factors affecting the welding process and weld quality are discussed based on practical industrial applications. Selection of medical plastics and impacts of material structure for ultrasonic-welding applications are covered under the weldability discussion. Principles for joint designs and horn designs for ultrasonic-welding applications are explained. The chapter also discusses some approaches for the ultrasonic-welding process optimization and troubleshooting. Finally, the overall advantages and limitations of the ultrasonic-welding process are discussed, and the chapter concludes with an overview.
Nanotube-reinforced facilitated transport membrane for CO2/N2 separation with vacuum operation

Abstract A novel facilitated transport membrane was synthesized in a composite membrane configuration with a 170-nm selective layer coated on a polyethersulfone nanoporous substrate. In the selective layer, poly(N-vinylformamide-co-vinylamine) with amino groups covalently bound to the polymer backbone was used as the fixed-site carrier and an aminoacid salt, synthesized by deprotonating sarcosine with 2-(1-piperazinyl)ethylamine, was blended as the mobile carrier. The membrane demonstrated a CO2 permeance of 975 GPU (1 GPU = 10-6 cm3 (STP) cm-2 s-1 cmHg-1) and a CO2/N2 selectivity > 140 at 57 °C with 1 atm feed and permeate pressures. The membrane performance was also characterized with a vacuum pulled on the permeate side to simulate actual separation process conditions. However, the rubbery selective layer of the synthesized membrane sank into the nanoporous substrate, resulting in a drastically reduced CO2 permeance. To address this issue, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) wrapped by a copolymer poly(1-vinylpyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate) were dispersed in the selective layer as reinforcement nanofillers. The gas permeation measurements showed that the incorporation of MWNTs strengthened the polymer matrix and the selective layer penetration was refrained by a 3 wt% MWNT loading. The presence of MWNTs also mitigated the polymer compaction if the feed gas was compressed.
The impact of patient-physician alliance on trust following an adverse event.

Abstract Objective Adverse events in maternity care have a negative impact on the patient-physician relationship. This study assesses the effects of healthcare institutions, communication, and patient involvement on patient trust following adverse events. Methods Surveys were distributed online to women across the US who had given birth. Women were asked to recount their experiences during their most recent pregnancy including unexpected procedures, adverse events, support from healthcare institutions, and perceived betrayals by healthcare institutions. Results Adverse events were negatively correlated with patient trust in their physician. This study’s results illustrated that patient involvement and institutional betrayal mediated patient trust following adverse events. Patients who were more involved in decision-making with their physician were found to have more trust in them following adverse events than those who did not. Conclusions Patient-physician trust is negatively affected by adverse events, but patient-physician alliance in decision-making can decrease this impact. Therefore, physicians can work proactively to lessen the detrimental effects of adverse events on patient trust, but the patient-physician relationship is still impacted by healthcare institutions. Practice implications This study demonstrates the benefits of encouraging patient alliance with their physician and supports a need for education on the use of these strategies in healthcare.
Gaussian Signal Detection With Product Arrays

The paper specifies the probability density function (PDF) for the detection statistic for a product processor of colinear arrays. The product processor's detection PDF is a scaled product of the detection statistic with modified Bessel functions. Using the PDF, this research compares the product processor's detection performance against a conventional beamforming (CBF) linear array with an equal number of sensors. For the basic detection case of a single known signal in Gaussian noise with a single Gaussian plane wave interferer, receiver operation characteristics curves and mean discriminating information over a range of interferer power illustrate that the product processor's performance is inferior to the CBF detector with an equal number of sensors over all possible interferer locations. The detection performance of a product processor matches or outperforms the CBF detector only for high power interferers in specific locations.
Toward an Animist Reading of Postcolonial Trauma Literature

This book uses the conceptual framework of animism, the belief in the spiritual qualities of nonhuman matter, to analyze representations of trauma in postcolonial fiction from Nigeria and India. Toward an Animist Reading of Postcolonial Trauma Literature initiates a conversation between contemporary trauma literatures of Nigeria and India on animism. As postcolonial nations move farther away from the event of decolonization in real time, the experience of trauma take place within and is generated by an increasingly precarious environment of resource scarcity, over-accelerated industrialization, and ecological crisis. These factors combine to create mixed environments marked by constantly changing interactions between human and nonhuman matter. Examining novels by authors such as Chinua Achebe, Jhumpa Lahiri, Nnedi Okorafor, and Arundhati Roy, the book considers how animist beliefs shape the aesthetic representation of trauma in postcolonial literature, paying special attention to complex metaphor and narrative structure. These literary texts challenge the conventional wisdom that working through trauma involves achieving physical and psychic integrity in a stable environment. Instead, a type of provisional but substantive healing emerges in an animist relationship between human trauma victims and nonhuman matter. In this context, animism becomes a pivotal way to reframe the process of working through trauma. Offering a rich framework for analyzing trauma in postcolonial literature, this book will be of interest to scholars of postcolonial literature, Nigerian literature and South Asian literature.
Speed Versus Efficacy: Quantifying Potential Tradeoffs in COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment.

The global effort to develop a vaccine for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has already produced 2 candidates, each requiring 2 doses, with reported efficacies exceeding 90% The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Emergency Use Authorization for both vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) Their reported efficacies greatly exceed the 50% threshold the FDA cited in a June 2020 guidance document Additional vaccine candidates at earlier stages of development hold the promise of single dosing, simpler storage requirements, and more rapid immunity after vaccination Here, a study that aims to quantify the speed-versus-efficacy tradeoff using a previously published model of a COVID-19 vaccination program is offered
The impact of hybridization, engine combustion method, and energy management system connectivity on heavy-duty vehicle operation:

A wide range of strategies for reducing energy consumption from heavy-duty vehicles have been explored from vehicle electrification to real-time vehicle energy management based on vehicle-to-vehicl...