cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microwave AlGaN/GaN HFETs

This article presents the operating physics, performance potential, and status of device development of microwave AlGaN/GaN heterostructure field-effect transistors. AlGaN/GaN HFETs show potential for use in improved RF performance microwave amplifier applications. Development progress has been rapid, and prototype devices have demonstrated RF output power density as high as 30 W/mm. Microwave amplifier output power is rapidly approaching 100 W for single-chip operation, and these devices may soon find application for cellular base station transmitter applications. Devices are being developed for use in X-band radars, and RF performance is rapidly improving. The HFET devices experience several physical effects that can limit performance. These effects consist of nonlinearities introduced during the high-current and high-voltage portions of the RF cycle. High-current phenomena involve the operation of the conducting channel above the critical current density for initiation of space-charge effects. The source resistance is modulated in magnitude by the channel current, and high source resistance results. High voltage effects include reverse leakage of the gate electrode and subsequent charge trapping effects on the semiconductor surface, and RF breakdown in the conducting channel. These effects can produce premature saturation effects. Also, under certain conditions, high voltage operation of the device can initiate an IMPATT mode of operation. When this occurs, the channel current increases and RF gain is increased. This phenomenon enhances the RF output power of the device. The physical limiting effects can be controlled with proper design, and the outlook for use of these devices in practical applications is excellent.
Altered GABA function in Major Depression

Disrupted information transfer and processing at gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate synapses, especially in corticolimbic circuits, has been proposed as a critical component of the pathophysiology of mood disorders. Here we review evidence of the primary pathology from human postmortem brains, supported by imaging studies in living subjects, for alterations in pyramidal excitatory neurons, GABA inhibitory neurons, and supporting glia, including oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. The data suggest combinatorial changes in most investigated components, converge on putative functional changes at glutamate and GABA synapses, and indicate that a subset of GABA neurons, which express specific cellular markers (calbindin, somatostatin, neuropeptide Y) and target distal dendrites of pyramidal neurons, may be more selectively and robustly affected in major depression. Pathologies in this subset of GABA neurons display a continuum of changes across brain disorders, may significantly contribute to deregulated GABA-containing tripartite synapses providing dendritic inhibition, and have implications for corticolimbic information processing in major depression and other brain disorders sharing similar pathologies.
Improved millimeter-wave mixer performance analysis using a drift diffusion capacitance model

The capacitance-voltage characteristics of a Schottky diode as derived from Poisson's equation predicts erroneously high values of capacitance for large forward bias. The use of this capacitance model predicts temperature-dependent mixer noise-performance in contradiction with experimentally measured trends. It is shown that by using a drift-diffusion model for the diode capacitance the computed mixer performance is in better agreement with experiments. The need for better diode models to accurately predict high-frequency temperature-dependent mixer noise performance is also emphasized. >
VITAMIN AND MINERAL SUPPLEMENT PRIOR TO AND DURING PREGNANCY

Vitamin and mineral supplementation during pregnancy is a common practice in the United States, but is often unnecessary. An assessment of dietary practices is recommended for all women to evaluate the need for improved diet or vitamin and mineral supplementation. Most women do not receive enough folic acid from dietary sources and should take a folic acid supplement in the preconception period to minimize their risk of neural tube defect. Iron supplementation is recommended in the second and third trimester. A multivitamin and mineral supplement is recommended during pregnancy for women who do not ordinarily consume an adequate diet and for women in high-risk categories, such as multifetal gestation, heavy cigarette smokers, and alcohol and drug abusers.
In vivo sequencing of camptothecin-induced topoisomerase I cleavage sites in human colon carcinoma cells

Camptothecin (CPT) is a specific topoisomerase I (top1) poison which traps top1 cleavable complexes; e.g. top1-linked DNA single-strand breaks with 5'-hydroxyl and 3'-top1 linked termini. CPT is also a potent anticancer agent and several of its derivatives have recently shown activity in the chemotherapy of solid tumors. Our aim was to apply the ligation-mediated polymerase chain reaction (LM-PCR) method to DNA extracted from CPT-treated cells in order to: (i) evaluate LM-PCR as a sensitive technique to detect in vivo CPT-induced cleavable complexes; (ii) investigate the frequency and distribution of CPT-induced DNA damage in vivo ; and (iii) compare the distribution and intensity of cleavage sites in vivo and in vitro. This report describes a protocol allowing the sequencing of top1-mediated DNA strand breaks induced by CPT in the coding strand of the 18S rRNA gene of human colon carcinoma cells. CPT or its clinical derivatives, topotecan, CPT-11, SN-38, and 9-aminocamptothecin differed in their potency and exhibited differences in their DNA cleavage pattern, which is consistent with our previous in vitro studies [Tanizawa et al . (1995) Biochemistry , 43, 7200-7206]. CPT-induced DNA cleavages induced in the presence of purified top1 were induced at the same sites in the human 18S rDNA. However, the relative intensity of the cleavages were different in vivo and in vitro. Because mammalian cells contain approximately 300 copies of the rDNA gene per genome, rDNA could be used to monitor CPT-induced DNA cleavage in different cell lines and possibly in tumor samples.
Interpreting and implementing the 2006 CDC recommendations for HIV testing in health-care settings.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MAAddress correspondence to: Michael S. Lyons, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, 231 Albert Sabin Way, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, P.O. Box 670769, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0769; tel. 513-558-0890; fax 513-558-5791; e-mail .©2007 Association of Schools of Public Health
Follicular lymphoma can be distinguished from benign follicular hyperplasia by flow cytometry using simultaneous staining of cytoplasmic bcl-2 and cell surface CD20

The distinction between benign follicular hyperplasia (FH) and follicular lymphoma (FL) is sometimes problematic. We wanted to determine whether the expression of bcl-2 of FH was quantitatively different from that of FL, using surface CD20 expression as a discriminator of the various lymphoid compartments. Lymph node cell suspensions from 12 cases of FH and 17 cases of FL were analyzed by flow cytometry using a combined surface CD20 and intracellular bcl-2 staining. CD20- T cells in FH demonstrated the same bcl-2 expression as the CD20+ mantle cells, but the bright CD20+ germinal center cells showed near absence of bcl-2 expression. In contrast, the neoplastic cells of FL showed greater bcl-2 expression than the T cells of the same tumors and all cell populations of FH. This difference was particularly significant between the neoplastic B cells of FL and the germinal center cells of FH. The combined analysis of CD20 and bcl-2 should be useful for the differential diagnosis between FH and FL and particularly applicable to limited samples or when B-cell clonality is in question. Whether the quantitation of bcl-2 expression can be of further discriminatory value in malignant lymphomas remains to be determined.
Long-term telemetric measurement of cardiovascular parameters in awake mice: a physiological genomics tool

The recent miniaturization of implantable radiotelemetric devices offers the possibility of an accurate, reliable, and simple phenotyping tool for long-term, hands-off measurement of blood pressure...
Potassium transport in nonpigmented epithelial cells of ocular ciliary body: inhibition of a Na+, K+, Cl- cotransporter by protein kinase C.

The mechanism by which 86Rb+ (used as a tracer for K+) enters human nonpigmented ciliary epithelial cells were investigated. Ouabain-inhibitable bumetanide-insensitive 86Rb+ transport accounted for ∼70–80% of total, whereas bumetanide-inhibitable ouabain-insensitive uptake accounted for 15–25% of total. K+ channel blockers such as BaCl2 reduced uptake by ∼5%. Bumetanide inhibited 86Rb+ uptake with an IC50 of 0.5 μM, while furosemide inhibited with an IC50 of about 20 μM. Bumetanide-inhibitable 86Rb+ uptake was reduced in Na+-free or Cl−-free media, suggesting that Na+ and Cl− were required for optimal uptake via this mechanism. These characteristics are consistent with a Na+, K+, Cl− contransporter in NPE cells. Treatment of NPE cells for 15 min with phorbol 12-myristate, 13-acetate (PMA), an activator of protein kinase C, caused a 50–70% decrease in 86Rb+ uptake via the Na+, K+, Cl− cotransporter. Other 86Rb+ uptake mechanisms were not affected. 86Rb+ uptake via the Na+, K+, Cl− contransporter could be inhibited by other phorbol esters and by dioctanoylglycerol, an analog of diacylglycerol, but not by 4α phorbol didecanoate, an ineffective activator of protein kinase C. Staurosporine, a protein kinase C inhibitor, blocked phorbol ester inhibition of 86Rb+ uptake. These data suggest that a Na+, K+, Cl− cotransporter in NPE cells is inhibited by activation of protein kinase C. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Interannual variability of evapotranspiration and energy exchange over an annual grassland in California

[1] We report on the interannual variability of evapotranspiration (E) and energy exchange of an annual grassland in the Mediterranean climate zone of California. They were measured directly with the eddy covariance technique over a 6-year period that spanned between July 2001 and June 2007 and experienced a large range in precipitation (376 mm to 888 mm). Despite a two-fold range in precipitation, annual E ranged much less, between 266 mm and 391 mm. We found that pronounced energy-limited and water-limited periods occurred within the same year. In the water-limited period, monthly integrated E scaled negatively with solar radiation and was restrained by precipitation. In the energy-limited period, on the other hand, the majority of E scaled positively with solar radiation (Rg) and was confined by potential E (Ep). E was most sensitive to the availability of soil moisture during the transition to the senescence period rather than onset of the greenness period, causing annual E to be strongly modulated by growing season length. Bulk surface conductance scaled consistently with Priestley-Taylor α coefficient regardless of interannual and seasonal variability of precipitation, E, and solar radiation.
Macrohabitat and Microhabitat Affinities of Small Mammals in a Fragmented Landscape on the Upper Coastal Plain of Virginia

Abstract We analyzed macrohabitat and microhabitat associations of four soricid and five rodent species in five macrohabitats on the Coastal Plain of Virginia. There were no significant differences in total small mammal abundance among macrohabitat types based on total captures/unit effort. However, abundances of four species, Cryptotis parva, Reithrodontomys humulis, Microtus pennsylvanicus and Zapus hudsonius, were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in old fields than in four forested habitats. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that 27% of the variation in small mammal distributions was attributable to microhabitat characteristics. Three characteristics that had a particular influence on small mammal presence in forested habitats were shrub frequency (Sorex longirostris), canopy openness (S. hoyi) and diameter of downed woody debris (S. hoyi, Blarina brevicauda, Microtus pinetorum). Correlations between small mammals and microhabitat characteristics are due to local moisture gradients and structur...
Kooperationen beim Betrachtungsteilfeld Zahlungsverkehr

Die Funktionsfahigkeit des Zahlungsverkehrs ist eine wesentliche Voraussetzung fur ein effizientes Wirtschaftssystem. Dem Zahlungsverkehr kommt daher per se eine zentrale Stellung innerhalb der Volkswirtschaft zu. Fur Banken stellt die Abwicklung des Zahlungsverkehrs insbesondere im Mengengeschaft der Privat­kunden die wesentliche Geschaftsgrundlage dar. Wer den Zahlungsverkehr ab­wickelt, hat auch den Kunden, so wird haufig behauptet. Doch bei den meisten Banken kann der Zahlungsverkehr nur defizitar abgewickelt werden, obgleich eine Vielzahl von Standardisierungen und Automatisierungen in der Vergangen­heit bereits zu Kosteneinsparungen gefuhrt hat. Daher streben die meisten Banken weiterhin eine Verlagerung des kostenintensiven beleghaften Zahlungsverkehrs zum beleglosen Zahlungsverkehr im Rahmen der Kundenselbstbedienung an. Dem Zahlungsverkehr als Teilbereich der elektronischen Bank-Kunde­Schnittstelle kommt daher eine bedeutende Rolle zu.
Intrinsic thermal Hall conductivity in the mixed state of d -wave superconductors: From wave-packet dynamics to scaling

Recent numerical calculation of the intrinsic thermal Hall conductivity of nodal $d$-wave superconductors in the mixed state revealed a rapid increase of this quantity above an onset temperature. Interestingly, this defines a measurable energy scale in an otherwise gapless state. Using the mathematics of magnetic coherent states, in this paper such energy scale is related to a dynamical process associated with the Andreev scattering of an electron wave packet moving along the constant energy contours in the momentum space. This energy scale is then used to obtain an improved scaling collapse of numerically calculated thermal Hall conductivity in a tight-binding model as a function of temperature, magnetic field, and the $d$-wave pairing amplitude at various band fillings. The results indicate that the mentioned onset temperature is associated with the ability of the quasiparticle wave packet to complete its semiclassical orbit before it is appreciably scattered by the superconducting condensate.
Assays for Fibrinogen and Its Derivatives

(1977). Assays for Fibrinogen and Its Derivatives. CRC Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences: Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 145-192.
Three reading-intervention teachers' identity positioning and practices to motivate and engage emergent bilinguals in an urban middle school

Abstract This study investigated three urban middle-school teachers' practices with respect to motivating and engaging emergent bilinguals in reading-intervention classrooms by exploring the teachers' identity positioning. The three teachers' sociocultural and sociopolitical positioning of their students (e.g., students as individuals, as monolithic learners, or as problems) was found to be related to their practices for motivating and engaging the students (e.g., hybrid, calibrated, or imposed practices). The teachers' historical and current resources partially shaped how they positioned their students. The findings support that teachers should not only learn motivational practices but also reflect critically on positioning processes in the classroom.
Religious Commitment and Secular Reason: Religious Conviction and Political Activism

The overall theory developed in this book can be clarified and shown to be fruitful by application to some deeply troubling issues. The abortion question is among the most divisive and will be my main example, but there are many other issues that raise difficulties concerning the proper balance of religious and secular considerations in public policy decisions. I will not propose a stand on the moral or legal status of abortion; but I believe that my overall position on the balance between the religious and the secular provides a basis on which a free society can operate without undue strife despite irreconcilable religious differences among its citizens on abortion and other profound issues. If, as individuals or as occupants of government roles, we are guided by the principles defended in this book, and by appropriate ideals of civic virtue that reflect them, we can at least agree on a framework for accommodating civilized disagreement and on the kinds of reasons needed to justify governmental coercion. The two sets of separation principles I propose, those addressed to individual citizens and those addressed to governmental or other institutions, can strengthen that framework without undermining the respect and autonomy that religious people and institutions should have. This is not to suggest that the problem of the moral status of abortion can be resolved in the foreseeable future. It is not even clear that we may hope that the problem will soon be less hotly contested.
A Critical Study of Thailand's Higher Education Reforms: The Culture of Borrowing: (doi: 10.14425/jice.2016.5.1.57)

Book ReviewA Critical Study of Thailand's Higher Education Reforms: The Culture of Borrowing By Rattana Lao (2015), 209 pp. ISBN: 9781317691921, New York: Routledge.
Summary of the Legal and Policy Landscape Surrounding Accessibility and 911

This white paper summarizes the current landscape of federal, state, and local regulations as they relate to provisioning 911 emergency service for deaf, hard of hearing, and speech disabled communities in Colorado. This document also looks ahead to those regulations that are currently under consideration at the federal, state, and local levels that may affect 911 accessibility.Our research was conducted at the request of the Colorado Public Utility Commission’s 911 Task Force. Next-generation 911 (NG911) applications such as text-to-911 (TT911), are especially important to people who are deaf, hard of hearing, and speech disabled, who may not be able to directly access emergency services through traditional means. In addition, NG911 access will benefit all members of a community by offering additional means of access during emergencies when calling may not be feasible or safe. Much of the focus of this paper reflects the current state of technology used, with TT911 at the forefront of NG911 technologies being implemented. It is important to note that TT911 and other NG911 applications currently being considered at the federal, state, and local levels may not directly serve the Deaf/Blind community or even all members of the deaf and hard of hearing communities. Further research is necessary to determine how TT911 may resolve the emergency access problems facing these communities, and how or whether other NG911 technologies such as video or multi-mode communications may better address the accessibility of emergency services.In Colorado, the decision to upgrade to NG911 rests largely with individual public-safety answering points (PSAPs). The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has authority over wireless carriers, but almost none over PSAPs. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued PSAP requirements for ensuring 911 accessibility for all users, but has not taken action on that issue in more than four years. Several Colorado counties have implemented TT911 already, but many more have not due to budget or logistical reasons.The paper concludes by exploring several case studies of TT911 implementation in other states, including states with total TT911 across the state.
Pulmonary Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis Masquerading as Adenocarcinoma of the Lung

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), also designated as histiocytosis-X or eosinophilic granuloma, is an uncommon dendritic cell disorder characterized by the infiltration of abnormally proliferating Langerhans cells into 1 or more organs.1 The clinical presentation of LCH varies depending on the site(s) of involvement and aggressiveness of disease. In children, it may present as LettererSiwe disease, an acute disseminated form of LCH that is invariably fatal if left untreated. Conversely, in patients with a unifocal lesion, it may remain undiagnosed for prolonged periods. Among adults, it usually occurs in association with smoking, either as a unifocal eosinophilic granuloma (approximately one-third of patients), or by affecting multiple organ systems; lungs and bones are the most commonly involved sites.1
Urinary Tract Infection in Children

Bacterial infection of the urinary tract in infancy and childhood may be etiologic in the development of chronic pyelonephritis with renal insufficiency. Demonstration of asymptomatic bacteriuria in women who have had urinary tract infection and of unsuspected pyelonephritis in postmortem material has given rise to the speculation that pyelonephritis is a lifelong process. Diagnostic and therapeutic implications are obvious. If bacteria are visualized on smears of centrifuged urine, usually the culture is significantly positive.
Treatment planning processes in dental schools.

Treatment planning is a critical aspect of clinical education in the dental school curriculum. It is surprising, therefore, that so little attention has been given to this subject in the dental literature. The importance of treatment planning is reinforced in the standards and the tests that clearly present methods and necessity for treatment planning. However, there is minimal evidence about how these treatment planning courses have been evaluated, how they were incorporated into the curriculum, or how they have been integrated into treatment planning in the academic clinical setting. The purpose of this study was to survey and profile current treatment planning processes in U.S. dental schools. A questionnaire consisting of twenty-nine items relating to treatment plan preparation, process, and outcomes was mailed to fifty-four U.S. dental schools. The primary topics included patient assignments, treatment planning, plan sequencing, plan presentation, informed consent, and plan modifications. Forty-seven of the fifty-four U.S. dental schools (87 percent) completed and returned the surveys. Profiling the treatment planning process in dental schools reveals many similarities. Typically, the schools screen patients prior to assignment to students and expect the student diagnostician to complete the planning process as well as comprehensive care. The patient's welfare is the primary determinant of the content of the plan in 92 percent of U.S. dental schools. Secondly, though current accreditation standards are concentrated on competencies, the treatment plans are influenced by quantitative requirements. Third, the plan is usually completed during the second patient visit after screening. Fourth, the approaches vary among the schools when a multidisciplinary or complex treatment plan is appropriate. Some depend on a panel of experts, whereas others do not have interactive planning with specialists. A significant number of schools decentralize treatment planning and delegate part of the plan to disciplines or group practice leaders. Fifth, the treatment plans and treatment risks are presented in accordance with the intent of the accreditation guidelines; however, fewer than half the schools explain the risk of procedures to patients at the time of plan presentation. Finally, plans change frequently, but the modifications are generally considered to be minor.
Structure-Activity Relationship Studies of New Cyclic MSH Analogues Using Cloned-Human Melanocortin Receptors Lead to Greater Selectivity and Inverse Agonists

Melanotropins are peptides derived through a series of proteolytic cleavages from the precusor protein pro-opiomelanocortin. These melanotropin peptides are known to have a broad spectrum of physiological actions including regulation of pigmentation, thermoregulation, regulation of feeding behavior and erectile dysfunction [1]. The melanocortin receptors (MCRs) are members of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) family and to date five subtypes of melanocortins have been cloned and characterized. To evaluate specific pharmacophore hypotheses regarding agonist, antagonist, and inverse-agonist affinities for hMCR3, hMCR4, hMCR5, a series of α-MSH analogues have been designed and synthesized for this work based on earlier results [2,3].
Use Your Words Carefully: What Is a Chronic Disease?

One important element of effective communication is having a shared language or at least a shared understanding of the meaning of the central words used in a conversation. One term that is often used in discussions between patients and medical providers, in the academic literature, and in policy discussions, is “chronic disease.” There is not only tremendous variation in the diseases that are included under the umbrella term “chronic disease” but also variation in the time a disease must be present for something to be referred to as chronic. Furthermore, there is a move to include chronic conditions that are not indicators of disease, but long-standing functional disabilities, including developmental disorders and visual impairment (1–4). Within professional communities (i.e., medical, public health, academic, and policy), there is a large degree of variation in the use of the term chronic disease. For example, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) classify the following as chronic diseases: heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and arthritis (5). The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have a more extensive list of 19 chronic conditions that includes Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and HIV, to name a few. This difference, within the Department of Health and Human Services alone, although not surprising to those in the field, has the potential to create confusion and misunderstanding when speaking in generalities about the impact of chronic disease, the cost of chronic disease, and overall measures to reduce chronic disease. The academic literature is not immune to the same kind of terminology variation. Differences in how “chronic disease” is used are largely dependent on the data used for the research and the discipline of the lead authors (i.e., public health and sociology). For example, one study, authored by individuals from Harvard Medical School, explored the prevalence of chronic disease using NHANES data (1999–2004). The study classifies the following as chronic diseases: cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, asthma, COPD, and previous cancer (6). Another academic study on chronic disease, authored by a geriatrician, classifies chronic illness as “conditions that last a year or more and require ongoing medical attention and/or limit activities of daily living” (7). The implication of a non-uniform use of the term is that a detailed read of each study is necessary to avoid erroneous conclusions regarding interventions necessary to reduce chronic disease burden for the individual and society. Popular Internet sources used by the general public to gather medical information use the terms “chronic disease” or “chronic condition” to mean slightly different things. For example, MedicineNet describes a chronic disease as,
Could ICG-aided robotic cholecystectomy reduce the rate of open conversion reported with laparoscopic approach? A head to head comparison of the largest single institution studies

Comparative studies between robotic and laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) focus heavily on economic considerations under the assumption of comparable clinical outcomes. Advancement of the robotic technique and the further widespread use of this approach suggest a need for newer comparison studies. 676 ICG-aided robotic cholecystectomies (ICG-aided RC) performed at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Division of General, Minimally Invasive and Robotic Surgery were compiled retrospectively. Additionally, 289 LC were similarly obtained. Data were compared to the largest single institution LC data sets from within the US and abroad. Statistically significant variations were found between UIC-RC and UIC-LC in minor biliary injuries (p = 0.049), overall open conversion (p ≤ 0.001), open conversion in the acute setting (p = 0.002), and mean blood loss (p < 0.001). UIC-RC open conversions were also significantly lower than Greenville Health System LC (p ≤ 0.001). Additionally, UIC ICG-RC resulted in the lowest percentages of major biliary injuries (0 %) and highest percentage of biliary anomalies identified (2.07 %). ICG-aided cholangiography and the technical advantages associated with the robotic platform may significantly decrease the rate of open conversion in both the acute and non-acute setting. The sample size discrepancy and the non-randomized nature of our study do not allow for drawing definitive conclusions.
Deep phenotyping unveils hidden traits and genetic relations in subtle mutants

Discovering mechanistic insights from phenotypic information is critical for the understanding of biological processes. For model organisms, unlike in cell culture, this is currently bottlenecked by the non-quantitative nature and perceptive biases of human observations, and the limited number of reporters that can be simultaneously incorporated in live animals. An additional challenge is that isogenic populations exhibit significant phenotypic heterogeneity. These difficulties limit genetic approaches to many biological questions. To overcome these bottlenecks, we developed tools to extract complex phenotypic traits from images of fluorescently labelled subcellular landmarks, using C. elegans synapses as a test case. By population-wide comparisons, we identified subtle but relevant differences inaccessible to subjective conceptualization. Furthermore, the models generated testable hypotheses of how individual alleles relate to known mechanisms or belong to new pathways. We show that our model not only recapitulates current knowledge in synaptic patterning but also identifies novel alleles overlooked by traditional methods.
Flexural-torsional vibration of a tapered C-section beam

Abstract Previous studies have shown that numerical models of tapered thin-walled C-section beams based on a stepped or piecewise prismatic beam approximation are inaccurate regardless of the number of elements assumed in the discretization. Andrade recently addressed this problem by extending Vlasov beam theory to a tapered geometry resulting in new terms that vanish for the uniform beam. (See One-Dimensional Models for the Spatial Behaviour of Tapered Thin-Walled Bars with Open Cross-Sections: Static, Dynamic and Buckling Analyses, PhD Thesis, University of Coimbra, Portugal, 2012, https://estudogeral.sib.uc.pt ) In this paper, we model the coupled bending-twisting vibration of a cantilevered tapered thin-walled C-section using a Galerkin approximation of Andrade's beam equations resulting in an 8-degree-of-freedom beam element. Experimental natural frequencies and mode shapes for 3 prismatic and 2 tapered channel beams are compared to model predictions. In addition, comparisons are made to detailed shell finite element models and exact solutions for the uniform beams to confirm the validity of the approach. Comparisons to the incorrect stepped model are also presented.
Hyperventilation. Benign symptom or harbinger of catastrophe

Hyperventilation is a common feature of many acute clinical conditions that can be benign or potentially catastrophic. The symptoms accompanying hyperventilation are diverse and non-specific, reflecting a physiologic state of hypocapnia secondary to alveolar overventilation. Results of arterial blood gas analysis confirm hypocapnia and may lead to identification of the clinical cause, with pH or PaO2 measurements indicating acid-base abnormalities or hypoxemia. Treatment should be directed at correcting the underlying clinical condition. In patients whose hyperventilation is caused by anxiety states, anxiolytic drug therapy in the acute phase should be followed by education, reassurance, retraining to change breathing patterns, and psychotherapy.
Rules of Inference, Induction, and Ampliative Frameworks

Sellars distinguishes the reasoning appropriate to developing hypotheses and theories, i.e., induction, from that appropriate to testing and justifying its results, deduction. Induction is a legitimate mode of inference; it must be if scientific inquiry is to have any respectability. Sellars not only argues that induction is legitimate, but that empirical science in general is essentially inductive. ([47], p. 355; [40], p. 304) Empirical science proceeds within an inductive framework: a framework which accepts inductive inference as rational.
Educational Attainment Better Protects African American Women than African American Men Against Depressive Symptoms and Psychological Distress

Background: Recent research has shown smaller health effects of socioeconomic status (SES) indicators such as education attainment for African Americans as compared to whites. However, less is known about diminished returns based on gender within African Americans. Aim: To test whether among African American men are at a relative disadvantage compared to women in terms of having improved mental health as a result of their education attainment. This study thus explored gender differences in the association between education attainment and mental health, using a representative sample of American adults. Methods: The National Survey of American Life (NSAL; 2003) recruited 3570 African American adults (2299 females and 1271 males). The dependent variables were depressive symptoms and psychological distress. The independent variable was education attainment. Race was the focal moderator. Age, employment status, and marital status were covariates. Linear regressions were used for data analysis. Results: In the pooled sample that included both male and female African American adults, high education attainment was associated with lower depressive symptoms and psychological distress, net of covariates. Significant interactions were found between gender and education attainment with effects on depressive symptoms and psychological distress, suggesting stronger protective effects of high education attainment against depressive symptoms and psychological distress for female as compared to male African Americans. Conclusion: A smaller gain in mental health with respect to educational attainment for male African American males as compared to African American females is in line with studies showing high risk of depression in African American men of high-socioeconomic status. High-SES African American men need screening for depression and psychological distress.
RIGHT VENTRICULAR THROMBUS IN TRANSIT: RAISING THE STAKES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PULMONARY EMBOLISM

Right heart thrombi are rare, found in up to 4% of pulmonary emboli (PE), and associated with significantly increased mortality. Therapeutic management is not well defined and requires multidisciplinary coordination. A 40 year-old woman with history of DVT and PE, on rivaroxaban, and a new pelvic
Economic Importance of the Common Agricultural Policy in Terms of Agricultural Production in Hungary and Its Implications after 2020

The development of agricultural production and structures is of high importance in the context of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Our research is based both on evidence from former research, and on assessments obtained by simulating the functioning of the different direct support measures of the CAP in the period from 2014 to 2020. The impacts of voluntarily coupled support schemes and compulsory greening, as well as the optional introduction of total external convergence of area based direct payments are examined, and projections by the Common Agricultural Policy Regional Impact Analysis (CAPRI) simulation model for 2020 are used for the evaluation. The results show that the different policy options have had a very moderate impact on agricultural production. The economic impacts of the second pillar of the CAP are examined in the light of the results of the ex post evaluation of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2007-2013 and the evaluation of the RDP plan 2014-2020 of Hungary. Trends in farm structures are also presented through the changes in the context indicators during the period of 2005-2013. The results imply that no significant economic development occurred. Conclusions are drawn and recommendations are formulated to help with designing future agricultural policies.
Mitochondrial genomes of the bird genus Piranga: rates of sequence evolution, and discordance between mitochondrial and nuclear markers.

We report the characteristics of the mitochondrial genomes of 22 individuals in the bird genus Piranga, including all currently recognized species in the genus (n = 11). Elements follow the standar...
Optimizing placement of residential shelters for human trafficking survivors

Abstract Residential shelters play a critical role in the stabilization and eventual reintegration to society for trafficked persons and entail a large investment. In the United States, survivors of human trafficking live in every state. However, in 2018 a majority of states lack dedicated residential shelters for trafficking survivors. Even in states with shelters, data suggests that demand greatly exceeds capacity, and significant disparity exists between states with respect to the legislative environment and provision of auxiliary services for survivors. We present an optimization approach to evaluate the societal impact of locating dedicated shelters for trafficking survivors at a regional level. Using concepts from health and social welfare economics, we develop an optimization model that allocates a budget for locating residential shelters in a manner that maximizes a measure of societal impact while respecting budgetary constraints. For our case study, we measure this impact via a societal value quantified by a combination of labor productivity gained, reduction in juvenile arrests, disability-adjusted life years averted, and legislative environment, adjusted for the demand for shelters and the current number of shelters available, less construction and operating costs. We illustrate the utility of the model via our case study that allocates a budget among a candidate set of residential shelters for female sex trafficking survivors in the United States. Via sensitivity analyses on a robust set of uncertain parameters, we present policy implications of shelter placements to support this critical societal concern.
Collective Action in the Wild

Twentieth-century dispositions to model human cognition as logical systems have been undermined by evidence from the wild. Formal models of cognition as symbolic, algorithmic, internally consistent, disembodied, and sequentially marching through linear inference are not ecologically valid and are being replaced by pragmatic, usage-based theories, most notably in linguistics. In this article, we argue that game-theoretic models of human collective action must find new foundations, given the evidence that human behavior in experimental settings and in the wild does not conform to theoretical predictions. We propose an alternative, pragmatic theory of decision-making, founded on different conceptions of selves and decisions, conceptions that are consistent with new cognitive neuroscience.
Impact of an external ventricular drain bundle and limited duration antibiotic prophylaxis on drain-related infections and antibiotic resistance.

Abstract Background/Objective Systemic prophylactic antibiotics have been used to reduce the rate of neurosurgical drain-related infections (DRIs) but the optimal duration is unknown. The Neurocritical Care Society Consensus Statement for External Ventricular Drain (EVD) management recommends a single antibiotic dose preoperatively. Data regarding antibiotic management for other neurosurgical drains (e.g. subgaleal and subdural drains) are lacking. Previously at our institution antibiotics were continued for the duration of drain placement. In 2016 an EVD bundle was implemented to standardize nursing care, and antibiotic duration was changed to one preoperative dose for all neurosurgical drains. The objective of this study was to compare the incidence of DRI, non-DRI, and antibiotic resistance before and after the implementation of an EVD bundle and limited duration antibiotics. Patients and methods This was a single center, quasi-experimental study that included patients status post EVD or craniotomy/craniectomy with subgaleal or subdural drain placement. The pre-intervention period was June 2014 through May 2015 and the post-intervention period was January 2017 through December 2017. Results Ninety-one patients were included in the pre-intervention group and 54 in the post-intervention group. The use of limited duration antibiotics ( Conclusions Implementation of an EVD bundle and limited duration antibiotics reduced antibiotic exposure with no associated increase in risk of DRI. Rates of resistant non-DRI were significantly lower in the post-intervention group.
Research on the Operation Mode Construction and Stability Control Measures of Half-WaveLength Transmission Test System

The half-wavelength transmission technology is a super long distance transmission mode with strong competitiveness and good application prospects. Compared with conventional AC transmission projects, the half- wavelength transmission line has highly different transient and steady-state characteristics. Therefore, it is very necessary to carry out engineering test before the construction of half-wave length transmission project. Focusing on the two kinds of stability problems with the half-wavelength transmission line put into operation, the basic selection principles for the half- wavelength transmission test line are proposed in this paper. And based on the electric power planning network frame of the Western China, three construction schemes of half-wavelength transmission test lines are put forward. According to the situation of grid structure and power supply nearby, the operation mode of half-wavelength transmission test system is arranged. And influence on the stability characteristics of the regional power gird with different construction schemes of test systems are analyzed by simulation calculation. Further, relevant stability control measures are put forward to ensure the safe and stable operation of test system and near area power grid.
Internal kinematics of Globular Clusters: Current state of the art, issues, and what to expect from the future

The advent of the Gaia mission is bringing astrometry to a new renaissance. Although Gaia will make important breakthroughs in many different scientific areas, stars in the crowded central fields of globular clusters (GCs) and at the faint end of the color-magnitude diagram are and will be out of Gaia’s reach. The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is an excellent astrometric tool that has allowed us to distinguish and measure positions and brightness of faint stars in pencil-beam fields down to the very center of some GCs. Gaia and HST are two wonderful, complementary tools, but are yet far from being able to offer a complete dynamical picture of GCs. There is now great prefiguration for what the next-generation telescopes will be able to do, both ground- and space-based. This document highlights strengths and weaknesses of different facilities at different spatial and spectral regimes.
Effects of fuel composition and octane sensitivity on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and soot emissions of gasoline–ethanol blend surrogates

Abstract The sooting propensity of a fuel is closely coupled with the fuel composition and chemistry. A detailed understanding of their effects is, therefore, needed to develop next-generation fuels which can minimize particulate emissions. With this overarching goal, the present work numerically investigates the effects of fuel composition and octane sensitivity (S) on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and soot emissions, for four-component gasoline–ethanol blend surrogates comprising isooctane, n-heptane, toluene, and ethanol. A partially-premixed counterflow flame is chosen as the canonical configuration for this study and simulations are performed using CHEMKIN-Pro-employing a kinetic mechanism developed by Park et al. (2017). In addition, a, detailed soot model based on the sectional method is used to capture the spatial characteristics of soot emissions. The kinetic mechanism and soot model are validated using available experimental data for various targets. A total of 86 TPRF-E mixtures, spanning a wide range of concentration of each component, and a wide range of S are analyzed. The effect of each non-paraffinic fuel component on the resultant PAH and soot emissions is investigated. PAH and soot emissions are found to vary significantly depending upon the blend composition. Based on the parametric sweeps, a regression analysis is carried out to identify global parameters that govern the formation of PAHs and soot. The analysis shows that both toluene content and S have a prominent effect on the formation of PAHs and soot, with toluene content having a stronger impact. Moreover, larger PAHs have higher dependency on toluene content and S. Furthermore, a detailed analysis is carried out to understand the physical and chemical phenomena associated with the observed trends of PAH and soot emissions.
COVIDOSE: A Phase II Clinical Trial of Low-Dose Tocilizumab in the Treatment of Noncritical COVID-19 Pneumonia.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6)-mediated hyperinflammation may contribute to the mortality of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The IL-6 receptor-blocking monoclonal antibody tocilizumab has been repurposed for COVID-19, but prospective trials and dose-finding studies in COVID-19 have not yet fully reported. We conducted a single-arm phase II trial of low-dose tocilizumab in nonintubated hospitalized adult patients with COVID-19, radiographic pulmonary infiltrate, fever, and C-reactive protein (CRP) ≥ 40 mg/L. We hypothesized that doses significantly lower than the emerging standards of 400 mg or 8 mg/kg would resolve clinical and laboratory indicators of hyperinflammation. A dose range from 40 to 200 mg was evaluated, with allowance for one repeat dose at 24 to 48 hours. The primary objective was to assess the relationship of dose to fever resolution and CRP response. Thirty-two patients received low-dose tocilizumab, with the majority experiencing fever resolution (75%) and CRP decline consistent with IL-6 pathway abrogation (86%) in the 24-48 hours following drug administration. There was no evidence of a relationship between dose and fever resolution or CRP decline over the dose range of 40-200 mg. Within the 28-day follow-up, 5 (16%) patients died. For patients who recovered, median time to clinical recovery was 3 days (interquartile range, 2-5). Clinically presumed and/or cultured bacterial superinfections were reported in 5 (16%) patients. Low-dose tocilizumab was associated with rapid improvement in clinical and laboratory measures of hyperinflammation in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Results of this trial provide rationale for a randomized, controlled trial of low-dose tocilizumab in COVID-19.