cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anomalous freezing point depression of swollen gels

The anomalous freezing point depression, ΔT, of benzene-swollen vulcanizates has previously been attributed to the limitation of (benzene) crystallite size by the polymer network. This study was initiated to determine the benzene crystallite size in a number of rubber and benzene systems. A special low-temperature specimen holder was designed and constructed in the Cambridge Laboratories for running diffraction patterns at temperatures near −30°C. X-ray line broadening techniques were used to study a series of filled and unfilled vulcanizates of varying crosslink density. The results indicate that crystallite size is not depressed to the degree predicted by freezing-point measurements. Benzene crystallite sizes were similar in all rubber benzene systems, regardless of degree of crosslinking or benzene fraction, although carbon black loading appears to increase crystallite size. This effect may be attributed to lesser depth of penetration of the x-rays due to greater density as carbon black loading increases. Additional studies measuring the ΔT for solutions and similar vulcanizates of NR and SBR over a wide range of rubber concentrations showed that at the same rubber in benzene fraction, crosslinking increases ΔT but the addition of carbon black reduces ΔT. An explanation for the observed phenomena is advanced.
On Distributed Distortion Optimization for Correlated Sources

We consider lossy data compression in capacity-constrained networks with correlated sources. We develop, using dual decomposition, a distributed algorithm that maximizes an aggregate utility measure defined in terms of the distortion levels of the sources. No coordination among sources is required; each source adjusts its distortion level according to distortion prices fed back by the sinks. The algorithm is developed for the case of squared error distortion and high resolution coding where the rate distortion region is known, and is easily extended to consider achievable regions that can be expressed in a related form. Our distributed optimization framework applies to unicast and multicast with and without network coding. Numerical example shows relatively fast convergence, allowing the algorithm to be used in time-varying networks.
Universal Service: When Technologies Converge and Regulatory Models Diverge

This article examines several instances where Congress and the Federal Communications Commission have created opportunities for stakeholders to exploit differences in regulatory treatment. Such asymmetry in regulatory requirements have destabilized or reduced the potential for full and fair competition, because they tilt the competitive playing field in favor of one class of stakeholder. The article examines a number of semantically driven regulatory dichotomies, e.g., common carrier versus private carrier, basic versus enhanced services and incumbent local exchange carrier versus market entrant with an eye toward determining whether technological convergence and regulatory opportunism defeats the possibility of establishing a dual track regulatory regime. Additionally the article scrutinizes several marketplace anomalies resulting when a regulatory dichotomy triggers a diversion or inflow of funds based on an operator's regulatory classification and its adeptness at exploiting arbitrage opportunities. The article concludes with suggestions on how legislators and regulators might curb regulatory opportunism by abandoning the strategy of classifying carriers based on static technological or economic definitions.
Toward Comprehensive Attribution of Healthcare Cost Changes

Health insurance companies wish to understand themain drivers behind changes in their costs to enable targeted and proactive management of their operations. This paper presents a comprehensive approach to cost change attribution that encompasses a range of factors represented in insurance transaction data, including medical procedures, healthcare provider characteristics, patient features, and geographic locations. To allow consideration of such a large number of features and their combinations, we combine feature selection, using regularization and significance testing, with a multiplicative model to account for the nonlinear nature of multi-morbidities. The proposed regression procedure also accommodates real-world aspects of the healthcare domain such as hierarchical relationships among factors and the insurer's differing abilities to address different factors. We describe deployment of the method for a large health insurance company in the United States. Compared to the company's expert analysis on the same dataset, the proposedmethod offers multiple advantages: 1) a unified view of themost significant cost factors across all categories, 2) discovery of smaller-scale anomalous factors missed by the experts, 3) early identification of emerging factors before all claims have been processed, and 4) an efficient automated process that can save months of manual effort.
Expression and Activity of Both IGF and Insulin Signaling Pathways in a Large Panel of Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

BACKGROUND: Insulin and insulin like growth factor-I (IGF-I) are key regulators in growth and metabolism. IGF-I signaling is known to be involved in tumor progression and drug resistance, and growing evidence also suggests that insulin signaling may play an important role in cancer. To gain a better understanding of these signaling pathways in human breast cancer, we measured the levels of IR and IGF-IR, and the activity of insulin and IGF-I, in a large panel of human breast cancer cell lines.METHODS: Comparative gene expression analysis was performed using publicly available gene expression data among a panel of 51 breast cancer cell lines. Q-RT-PCR was used to validate IR and IGF-IR expression differences in 19 breast cell lines. For 8 breast cancer cell lines we immunoblotted for total IR and IGF-IR levels, as well as p-Akt and p-Erk1/2 following insulin and IGF stimulation. Reverse phase protein array (RPPA) analysis was performed on MCF7 cells stimulated with increasing doses of insulin or IGF-I.RESULTS: IR and IGF-IR mRNA levels measured by microarray on breast cancer cell lines showed divergent levels with cells positive or negative for expression of each gene. There was no obvious correlation of levels with breast caner subtype. Q-RT-PCR results were generally consistent with the gene expression data with cell lines categorized into four groups: high IGF-IR and low IR e.g. MCF7 and MDA-MB-134; low IGF-IR and high IR e.g. ZR-75-1 and MDA-MB-468; intermediate levels of IGF-IR and IR e.g. MDA-MB-231 and HCC1954; and low IGF-IR and IR e.g. MDA-MB-415 and HS-578T. IGF-IR protein levels correlated with Q-RT-PCR (Spearman Rank Correlation r=0.93, p=0.0067) whereas IR didn9t. We found significant activation of Akt in both insulin and IGF treated MCF7 and MDA-MB-134 cells as well as Akt activation in IGF stimulated MDA-MB-453. Interestingly, significant Erk1/2 activation was observed only in insulin and IGF stimulated MCF7 and insulin stimulated AU565 cells. Cell lines that didn9t respond to insulin or IGF stimulation generally had constitutively high p-Akt and/or p-Erk1/2. From our preliminary RPPA analysis in MCF7, we observed an increase in phosphorylation of IGF-IR, Akt, Erk1/2 and p70S6K upon increasing dose of IGF stimulation and a similar effect was also observed following insulin stimulation.DISCUSSION: IGF-IR and IR mRNA and protein levels are divergent in a panel of breast cancer cell lines with cells expressing mRNA for both, one alone, or neither receptor. IGF-IR and IR protein levels indicated similar divergent expression. Interestingly, response to both IGF-IR and insulin stimulation was restricted to cells showing high levels of IGF-IR. To better understand insulin and IGF activities in breast cancer, we are currently performing RPPA on a large panel of 21 breast cancer cell lines. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 4168.
Observations on Feeding and Prey Selection by Phidippus audax (Hentz) (Araneae: Salticidae)

Phidippus audax Hentz of varying ages were field-collected and observed for feeding on a range of commonly occurring insects. Insects offered to the spiders included crop pests, economically unimportant species, and insect predators. Twenty insect species previously unreported as prey of P. audax were found to be consumed by spiders of various ages. In addition, late-instar and adult P. audax were presented with a series of paired insect prey choices and their feeding behavior was observed. The spiders were found to attack prey selectively, with some species being attacked and consumed readily, whereas others were avoided and still others were only taken occasionally. The coccinellids, Hippodamia convergens Guerin-Meneville and Coleomagilla maculata (DeGeer), were generally avoided, but Geocoris punctipes (Say) was readily attacked and consumed by the spiders. Similarly, bollworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), larvae were attacked and consumed significantly more often by the spiders than adults of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman.
Vacuolar H+-ATPase Signaling in Cancer

The vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) is an electrogenic H+ pump responsible for the regulation of pH in endomembranous compartments; and for the extrusion of H+ across the plasma membrane in certain cell types, including metastatic cells. The study of the regulation of V-ATPase has been daunting. Regulation of V-ATPase by assembling and disassembling of V1 and V0 domain by glucose has emerged as one important mechanism. Tumor cells preferentially employ glycolysis to generate energy, even under well oxygenated conditions. This imposes in tumor cells the need to consume large amounts of glucose to generate energy via glycolysis. Elevated glycolysis produces lactic acid and cytosolic acidosis. To eliminate acid, metastatic cells use V-ATPase at the cell surface. Regulation of V-ATPase by glucose provides an exciting link between metabolism and tumor biology that warrants future studies. In addition to its widely accepted role of V-ATPase in regulating pH, a series of new noncanonical functions have emerged in the past few years, including cell signaling, metabolic sensing, and fusiogenic events. We provide a brief overview of past and new developments towards understanding the significance of this remarkable nanomotor for cell function, and its involvement in cancer biology.
Strategies for Intrafirm Transfers and Outside Sourcing

In this article the author discusses research she carried out that examined the vertical integration strategies for corporations. She notes that the internal purchasing strategies for companies var...
Research and Design Idea of a New Type of Power Supply System of Central Substation of Coal Mine

A design idea of new type of power supply system of central substation of coal mine was proposed on the basis of analyzing existing technology status of power supply system of central substation of coal mine.The power supply system is mainly used to solve problem of reliability of control power supply of distribution devices of central substation of coal mine.The actual application showed that the system can make high-vacuum electric distributor of central substation of coal mine operate accurately and reliably.
Lag Time for Diverging Overland Flow

This paper presents kinematic solutions, both analytically and nomographically, of surface water lag time for diverging overland flow. These solutions can be utilized to estimate lag time from physically measurable watershed characteristics.
Incomplete data sets: coping with inadequate databases.

Three problems arise in handling numerical values in databases : bad data, missing data, and sloppy data. The effects of bad data are mitigated by using statistical subterfuges such as robust statistics or outlier removal. Missing data are replaced by creating a substitute through interpolation or by using statistics appropriate to unbalanced designs. Sloppy, semiquantitative data are relegated to innocuous positions by using nonparametric, rank, or attribute statistics. These techniques are illustrated by the telephone directory, a database of carcinogenicity test results, and a database of precision parameters derived from method performance (collaborative) studies.
Future Trends and Needs

MORE THAN A DECADE INTO THE NEW MILLENNIUM, at a time when it appears that much of the United States continues to suffer from the despair of a deep and unpredictable recession, there are many reasons to be optimistic about US cities and the health of the people who live in them. Most important, twentieth—century reform and revitalization movements have successfully mitigated many of the problems caused by nineteenth-century immigration, industrialization, and urbanization. Today, almost all housing in this country has indoor toilets, kitchen facilities, access to water, and a window in every habited room. Raw sewage no long routinely fills the streets of our cities and the threat of fire does not hang over most neighborhoods. Parks, though lacking in many communities, are considered to be a basic function of government. Contrast these successes with the problems of the nineteenth century described in Chapter 2.
Methods for eliminating AC corona in polymeric film capacitors

Higher AC corona threshold levels can be obtained for plastic films by using metalized coating on the film with suitable liquid or gas impregnation. Further increases may be obtained by corona bombardment in the presence of fluorinated gases. Although this work was done with capacitors, the techniques should be applicable for other electrical apparatus where corona can occur.
Relational Maintenance Strategies During the Post Sex Time Interval

The present study contributes to a growing line of research exploring the role of post sex communication in building and sustaining romantic relationships. More specifically, this study explores the use of relational maintenance strategies during the post sex time interval (PSTI). One-hundred and fifty-two individuals completed surveys after sexual activity and indicated the relational maintenance strategies they enacted during the PSTI. Results revealed that individuals enact the strategies of positivity and assurances to the greatest degree during the PSTI. Furthermore, extending the post sex disclosures model, results revealed that orgasm predicted differences in the use of assurances during the PSTI and that the strategy of assurances mediated the association between orgasm and several relationship outcomes (i.e., liking, commitment, control mutuality, and satisfaction). These findings suggest that individuals may use the PSTI as a time to reinforce their commitments to their partners, and that such b...
Abstract 4560: Targeting chronic lymphocytic leukemia with p53 deficiency with phenethyl isothiocyanate

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common adult leukemia in the United States and Europe. Despite recent advance in new therapeutic agents that have improved treatment outcomes, CLL remains incurable. CLL patients with loss of p53 due to unfavorable cytogenetic alterations such as chromosome 17p deletion often exhibit more malignant disease phenotype, are resistant to many standard therapeutic agents, and have poor clinical outcomes. Thus, finding effective treatment for CLL with p53 deficiency represents a significant challenge, and development new agents and therapeutic strategies to effectively kill CLL cells with loss of p53 function would have profound clinical implications in CLL treatment. We have recently created a mouse model with Tcl1-Tg:p53-/- genotype that resembles the aggressive human CLL disease with p53 deficiency (17p-deletion). We showed that leukemia cells isolated from this mouse model as well as primary human leukemia cells with 17p deletion isolated from CLL patients are resistant to standard anti-CLL agents. Because p53 plays important roles in regulation of apoptosis and in maintaining mitochondrial function/normal metabolism/redox homeostasis, we hypothesized that a loss of p53 function in CLL with 17p- or p53 mutations would on one hand lead to drug resistance and poor therapeutic response to conventional treatment, and would on the other hand also cause mitochondrial dysfunction and high ROS stress. Our study tested the possibility to use the high oxidative stress as a biochemical basis to effectively target the drug-resistant CLL cells with p53 deletion using redox-modulating strategy in vitro and in vivo. Our results showed that ROS-mediating strategies could overcome drug resistance of CLL cells with p53 deficiency, and was able to effectively eliminate fludarabine-resistant CLL cells using phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), which induced rapid glutathione depletion and caused severe ROS accumulation leading to massive death of CLL cells in culture. Importantly, PEITC also exhibited promising in vivo therapeutic activity in the CLL mouse model as a single agent, leading to a significant prolongation of the mouse survival time. Since PEITC is a natural compound found in vegetables with very low toxicity to normal cells, the results of this study may have important therapeutic implications. Our study suggests that PEITC may potentially be used for clinical treatment of CLL with 17p deletion and improve the outcome of this subpopulation of CLL patients, who would otherwise refractory to standard therapeutics. Citation Format: Jinyun Liu, Gang Chen, Helen Pelicano. Targeting chronic lymphocytic leukemia with p53 deficiency with phenethyl isothiocyanate. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 4560. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-4560
The Democratic Leadership Council: An Explanation of the Organization through an Examination of Education Policy

Founded in 1984 by a group of moderate Southern politicians, the Democratic Leadership Councilâ€™s goal was to move the Democratic Party toward the center of the political spectrum. Although it struggled at first the DLC caught a break in 1992 when Bill Clinton, one of the organizationâ€™s founders, was elected President. Since then the DLC has grown in size and become a major factor in national politics and policy making. The organization has achieved its success by pioneering a â€œThird Wayâ€ of approaching the problems that confront the nation. Instead of being couched in the old terms of â€œliberalâ€ and â€œconservative,â€ the DLC has moved the debate above partisan politics and toward logical solutions. Many feel that this move toward the center is the wave of the future in politics. But simply talking about the â€œThird Wayâ€ in an abstract manner is confusing. This essay, by taking one issue â€” in this case education reform â€” and examining ideas held by liberals, conservatives and â€œThird Wayers,â€ is an endeavor to make the purpose of the DLC more easily understood.
Metabolic reprogramming in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Research in many cancers has uncovered changes in metabolic pathways that control tumour energetics and biosynthesis, so-called metabolic reprogramming. Studies in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) have been particularly revealing, leading to the concept that ccRCC is a metabolic disease. ccRCC is generally accompanied by reprogramming of glucose and fatty acid metabolism and of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Metabolism of tryptophan, arginine and glutamine is also reprogrammed in many ccRCCs, and these changes provide opportunities for new therapeutic strategies, biomarkers and imaging modalities. In particular, metabolic reprogramming facilitates the identification of novel and repurposed drugs that could potentially be used to treat ccRCC, which when metastatic has currently limited long-term treatment options. Further research and dissemination of these concepts to nephrologists and oncologists will lead to clinical trials of therapeutics specifically targeted to tumour metabolism, rather than generally toxic to all proliferating cells. Such novel agents are highly likely to be more effective and to have far fewer adverse effects than existing drugs.
Model-based calibration of reaction-based diesel combustion dynamics:

This paper presents a control-oriented, reaction-based diesel combustion model that predicts the time-based rate of combustion, in-cylinder gas temperature, and pressure over one engine cycle. The ...
Comparison of Configurations of Inertial Measurement Units for Determination of Motion Parameters of Mobile Robots – Part 2: Experimental Investigations

The paper is concerned with the problem of determination of motion parameters of a mobile robot using Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) in three different configurations. The practical goal of this research is investigation of possibilities of improvement of quality of data obtained from a 3D scanning head thanks to the application of information about motion parameters of the robot in a cost effective way. PIAP GRANITE four-wheeled skid-steered mobile robot was used as a mobile platform for the investigations. In Part 1 of the paper, the three configurations of IMUs are discussed and formulas for obtaining the motion parameters are given. In Part 2, methods discussed in Part 1 are compared experimentally. Main metrological properties of the IMUs used during experiments are provided. The precisions of measurements for particular configurations of IMUs were estimated using the introduced quality indexes. Main findings are stated in the conclusion.
Spatial correlation of elastic heterogeneity tunes the deformation behavior of metallic glasses

Metallic glasses (MGs) possess remarkably high strength but often display only minimal tensile ductility due to the formation of catastrophic shear bands. Purposely enhancing the inherent heterogeneity to promote distributed flow offers new possibilities in improving the ductility of monolithic MGs. Here, we report the effect of the spatial heterogeneity of elasticity, resulting from the inherently inhomogeneous amorphous structures, on the deformation behavior of MGs, specifically focusing on the ductility using multiscale modeling methods. A highly heterogeneous, Gaussian-type shear modulus distribution at the nanoscale is revealed by atomistic simulations in Cu64Zr36 MGs, in which the soft population of the distribution exhibits a marked propensity to undergo the inelastic shear transformation. By employing a mesoscale shear transformation zone dynamics model, we find that the organization of such nanometer-scale shear transformation events into shear-band patterns is dependent on the spatial heterogeneity of the local shear moduli. A critical spatial correlation length of elastic heterogeneity is identified for the simulated MGs to achieve the best tensile ductility, which is associated with a transition of shear-band formation mechanisms, from stress-dictated nucleation and growth to structure-dictated strain percolation, as well as a saturation of elastically soft sites participating in the plastic flow. This discovery is important for the fundamental understanding of the role of spatial heterogeneity in influencing the deformation behavior of MGs. We believe that this can facilitate the design and development of new ductile monolithic MGs by a process of tuning the inherent heterogeneity to achieve enhanced ductility in these high-strength metallic alloys.
Surgical Treatment of Epilepsy: Opportunities for Research Into Basic Mechanisms of Human Brain Function

Numerous technological developments in neurology have increased the ability to localize structural and functional abnormalities within the human brain. Such techniques have contributed to a renewed interest in resective surgical treatment for medically refractory partial seizures. Enhanced capacity to carry out detailed in vivo and in vitro measurements of neuronal activity in patients, during the course of presurgical evaluation and following surgical resection, now offers unprecedented opportunities for invasive research into normal and abnormal human cerebral function. Electrophysiological, microanatomical, biochemical and behavioral studies can be carried out without presenting undue risk or discomfort to the patient. Such research in a clinical setting presents difficulties in experimental design for the basic neuroscientist. Problems are reduced in clinical programs where diagnostic and surgical procedures are carried out in a standardized fashion according to specific protocols. The UCLA clinical protocol for anterior temporal lobectomy, based on presurgical evaluation with stereotactically implanted depth electrodes, is particularly amenable to the integration of basic research projects. This protocol and related ongoing research projects are described.
Evaluation of Teat Coverage Persistency and Teat Health for 3 Dry Period Persistent Barrier Teat Sealant Dips (Hydromer)

Mastitis research has shown that 40-50% of intramammaryinfections (IMI) are contracted during the dry or non-lactating period with the greatest percentages of these occurring during the first and last two weeks of the dry period. The ability to develop and apply external persistent barrier teat dip products (like a liquid bandage) that can persist for these 1 week periods could decrease IMI, thus improving animal health and performance, and product quality and safety.The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare 3persistent barrier dry cow teatsealant dips with particular interest and comparisons of dip persistency in providing teat end protection, and overall teat end and skin health. Cows dipped with alldipshad significantly greater persistency and protection compared to previous 4 trials (last 2 years).All dips were easy to apply and showed excellent teat health. Films were very consistent and very flexible over time (limited ripping, shredding or flaking).Overall, Dip C showed greatest persistency in the first 5-7days post dipping which is a very critical time period.
Immersed in Aqueous Atmospheres: Philip Johnson's Open Glass

This article is an examination of Philip Johnson's Crystal Cathedral (1980) as an architectural environment intersecting with the televisual entertainment industry. Although the Crystal Cathedral h...
Fatigue crack propagation influenced by laser shock peening introduced residual stress fields in aluminium specimens

Laser Shock Peening (LSP) enables the generation and modification of residual stresses deep below the surface of metallic components. LSP-induced residual stress profiles provide penetration depths of compressive residual stresses in mm range, which can be used to retard the fatigue crack propagation (FCP) within thin sheets. These compressive residual stresses may lead to crack closure at significant applied tensile loads. This crack closure phenomenon is assumed to be one of the dominant mechanisms to reduce the load range at the crack tip, resulting in a fatigue crack retardation. This work provides an experimental and numerical investigation of the FCP in AA6056 based on C(T)100 specimens. Residual stresses were introduced by two-sided LSP treatment of the sheet material. The resulting residual stresses were determined by the incremental hole drilling method with electronic speckle pattern interferometry. The residual stress measurements on both sides of the specimens reveal differences of the residual stresses due to the laser shock peening process design. The occurrence of crack closure was evaluated by crack opening displacement vs. load curves, which can be used to determine the crack opening force. A multi-step simulation is applied to predict the residual stress field, the stress intensity factor range and rate if residual and applied stresses are present simultaneously as well as the FCP rate. Numerical predictions and measurements of the FCP rates are in excellent agreement.
Dynamic production control for flexibility in Cyber-Physical Production Systems using an autonomous transport system

Abstract The increasing demand of flexibility in manufacturing systems requires changes concerning the structure of decision processes on resource and on control level. Autonomous transport systems are able to cope with these challenges due to their capability to make decisions in an independent manner. However, the difficulty to integrate adaptive production resources in a conventional central organised production control arises. This paper presents an approach to restructure the decision process in production control based on the results of a simulation study. The method identifies a threshold between centralised and decentralised decision making with the objective of reaching a dynamic production flow.
Bond dissociation energies of FeB, CoB, NiB, RuB, RhB, OsB, IrB, and PtB

The bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of the diatomic late transition metal borides (MB, M = Fe, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Os, Ir, and Pt) have been assigned from the measurement of a predissociation threshold using resonant two-photon ionization (R2PI) spectroscopy. The open d-shell configurations of the transition metal constituents in the molecules studied here lead to large ML degeneracies, resulting in a dense manifold of states near the ground separated atom limit. This high density of states causes prompt predissociation to occur as soon as the ground separated atom limit is exceeded, allowing a precise assignment of the BDE of the molecule. The measured predissociation thresholds give BDEs of D0(FeB) = 2.43(2) eV, D0(CoB) = 2.954(3) eV, D0(NiB) = 3.431(4) eV, D0(RuB) = 4.815(3) eV, D0(RhB) = 5.252(3) eV, D0(OsB) = 4.378(3) eV, D0(IrB) = 4.928(10) eV, and D0(PtB) = 5.235(3) eV. The gaseous enthalpies of formation at 0 K for these molecules have been derived using a thermochemical cycle that relates atomic enthalpies of formation and the BDE of the molecule, giving ΔfH0K°(g) (FeB) = 733.6(12.2) kJ mol−1, ΔfH0K°(g) (CoB) = 695.1(12.2) kJ mol−1, ΔfH0K°(g) (NiB) = 652.1(14.7) kJ mol−1, ΔfH0K°(g) (RuB) = 740.2(12.7) kJ mol−1, ΔfH0K°(g) (RhB) = 600.1(12.7) kJ mol−1, ΔfH0K°(g) (OsB) = 921.7(13.6) kJ mol−1, ΔfH0K°(g) (IrB) = 748.0(13.6) kJ mol−1, and ΔfH0K°(g) (PtB) = 613.9(12.2) kJ mol−1. This work reports the first experimental measurements of the BDEs of FeB, CoB, NiB, and OsB. Periodic trends are discussed.
SQUID: A Scalable System for Querying, Updating and Indexing Dynamic Graph Databases

Graph databases such as chemical databases, protein databases, and RNA motif databases, are simply a collection of graphs. Querying a graph database involves the computation of a subgraph isomorphism problem (which is NP-complete) for each graph in the database. Therefore, an index is required to filter out false positives and reduce the number of subgraph isomorphisms to compute.In this demo, we introduce SQUID, a scalable system for querying, updating and indexing dynamic graph databases, i.e., databases changing over time, and showcase it on chemical databases. The tool uses a graph coarsening-based index that is able to answer both subgraph and supergraph queries. It also allows the database to be changed with an automatic index update. Also, it displays information found in the graph database in a concise manner that is easier to understand.
David Oliver: Guidance tools won’t solve long hospital stays

NHS England and NHS Improvement have launched “Where Best Next?”—a campaign to reduce the number of patients staying in hospital for three weeks or longer.1 Announcing the campaign, NHS England reported that 350 000 hospital patients had stayed for over 21 days in the past year.2 Getting 140 000 of them home sooner could free up 7000 beds, or “the equivalent of 15 large hospitals.” I have some big reservations about this claim. Preventing avoidably long stays for older patients is a worthy ambition. Such stays put these patients at risk of physical and psychological harm3 and add to considerable pressure on a hospital system that already has the fewest …
Seeing Divine Speech: Sensory Intersections in Luke’s Birth Narrative and Beyond:

This article explores how divine discourse in Luke–Acts intersects with the sense of sight. Divine discourse is never simply heard, for speech crosses sensory lines and blurs any clear demarcation ...
Soils2026 and digital soil mapping – A foundation for the future of soils information in the United States

Abstract Soils are our most critical natural resource. However, urgent social, economic, and environmental issues such as carbon sequestration, drought mitigation, and nutrient management are forcing us to seek answers to questions using incomplete soil data and/or inappropriate soil information. The United States (US) Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS), Soil and Plant Science Division has launched Soils2026, an ambitious initiative to provide a new inventory of soils and provisional ecological sites for all areas of the United States by 2026. Soils2026 aims to provide basic soil and ecological site information that will be useful to land managers, ecologists, modelers, and other natural resource professionals. This effort will rely heavily on digital soil mapping (DSM) to produce the next generation of raster-based soil information products for the interpretation of soil physical, chemical, and biological properties across the United States. The USDA-NRCS Digital Soil Mapping Focus Team was formed to support Soils2026 and includes collaborating members from the National Cooperative Soil Survey representing the NRCS, US Geological Survey, USDA Forest Service, West Virginia University, and New Mexico State University. The DSM Focus Team is applying the latest DSM methods to produce continuous soil property predictions and estimates of uncertainty for all areas of the United States. Initially, the 30-m resolution products will include predictions for 12 key soil properties at six depth intervals, conforming to GlobalSoilMap specifications, with the option to expand properties or add class predictions as user needs demonstrate. Interpretations for use and management will be derived from the continuous properties products and provided to users. Fundamental pedology and communication of soil knowledge will be the primary focus of this effort, yielding a framework for delivery of seamless raster-based soils data for all areas of the United States on yearly cycles. This framework will foster an environment of continuous improvement and support a complete, consistent, correct, comprehensive, and current inventory of the soil resources of the United States.
“Doubtful Cases”: Intermarried Families in the Post-Holocaust Jewish World

After World War II, thousands of non-Jews – most of them married to Jewish Holocaust survivors – sought relief and emigration assistance from Jewish aid organisations working in Europe. Yet Jewish ...
Maternal Hypertensive Disorders in Pregnancy and Postpartum Plasma B Vitamin and Homocysteine Profiles in a High-Risk Multiethnic U.S., Population.

Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a recognized risk factor of a woman's future cardiovascular risk. The potential role of micronutrients in mitigating hypertensive disorders is not fully understood. This study examined maternal postpartum plasma B vitamin profiles by hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in a high-risk multiethnic U.S. population. Materials and Methods: The analyses included 2584 mothers enrolled within 3 days postpartum at the Boston Medical Center. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy included gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia disorders (pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and/or low platelets syndrome) as documented in the medical records. Plasma folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine levels were measured in blood samples collected at enrollment. Kernel density plots and multivariable regressions were used to examine the relationship between hypertensive disorders and postpartum B vitamin profiles. Results: Of the 2584 mothers, 10% had pre-eclampsia disorders that were associated with significantly lower plasma folate (adjusted beta coefficient (aβ): -0.10; 95% CI: -0.22 to -0.06) and increased homocysteine (aβ: 0.08; 95% CI: 0.04-0.13), but not with vitamin B12 concentrations. These associations remained robust after adjusting for a range of pertinent covariables and were more pronounced in non-Hispanic Black women compared with other groups. However, gestational hypertension was not significantly associated with any postpartum biomarker. Conclusions: We found that pre-eclampsia disorders, but not gestational hypertension, was associated with lower folate and higher homocysteine levels postpartum, especially among Black mothers. This finding, if further confirmed, may have implications for postpartum care, including attention to maternal micronutrient status to reduce and prevent hypertensive disorders in pregnancy-associated consequences in subsequent pregnancies and lifespan. Registration date: July 25, 2017; Registry website: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03228875.
Association of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm and Simple Renal Cysts: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background-Objective Prior studies have suggested a higher prevalence of simple renal cysts (SRC) among patients with aortic disease, including abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). Thus, the aim of this study was to systematically review all currently available literature and investigate whether patients with AAA are more likely to have SRC. Methods This study was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines. A meta-analysis was conducted with the use of random effects modeling and the I-square was used to assess heterogeneity. Odds ratios (OR) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were synthesized to compare the prevalence of several patients’ characteristics between AAA vs. no-AAA cases. Results Eleven retrospective studies, 9 comparative (AAA vs. no-AAA groups) and 3 single-arm (AAA group), were included in this meta-analysis, enrolling patients (AAA: N = 2,297 vs. no-AAA: N = 35,873) who underwent computed tomography angiography as part of screening or preoperative evaluation for reasons other than AAA. The cumulative incidence of SRC among patients with AAA and no-AAA was 55% (95% CI: 49%–61%) and 32% (95% CI: 22%–42%) respectively, with a statistically higher odds of SRC among patients with AAA (OR: 3.02; 95% CI: 2.01–4.56; P Conclusions Our meta-analysis demonstrated a 3-fold increased prevalence of SRC in patients with AAA compared to no-AAA cases, indicating that the pathogenic processes underlying SRC and AAA could share a common pathophysiologic mechanism. Thus, patients with SRC could be considered at high risk for AAA formation, potentially warranting an earlier AAA screening.
Associated Neurotrophic Keratopathy in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.

Purpose To report a case of neurotrophic keratopathy (NK) in a patient with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) with ipsilateral facial involvement. Methods Case report. Results An 18-year old woman with a 5-year history of CRPS type I, a systemic disorder with a neuropathic component with associated limb and right facial involvement, presented with an insidious onset of blurred vision and pain in the right eye. Ocular examination revealed decreased corneal sensation, as measured by Cochet-Bonnet testing, associated with recurrent epithelial defects and whorl-like superficial corneal epitheliopathy. NK was suspected and confirmed by in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM), which revealed rarefaction of the subbasal nerve plexus in the affected eye. To enhance corneal nerve health, plasma rich in growth factors drops were used. Persistence of NK prompted a superficial keratectomy with placement of an amniotic membrane graft and a course of cenegermin 0.002% (Oxervate; Dompe Farmaceutici SpA, Italy) in the postoperative period. This combination therapy resulted in successful epithelial closure and vision improvement after 8 weeks of therapy with no recurrence of disease for 11 months. Importantly, at that final visit, IVCM demonstrated growth of corneal nerves for the first time in this patient. Conclusions This is the first case report of NK occurring in the context of CRPS, a neuropathy with ipsilateral facial pain involvement. IVCM was important in the diagnosis of NK, which responded successfully to ocular surface treatments focused on nerve health stimulation that ultimately resulted in corneal nerve growth.
Transient Left Bundle Branch Block Associated with Septal Edema after Orthotopic Heart and Lung Transplant

Introduction The development of left bundle branch block (LBBB) after orthotopic heart transplant is uncommon. We present a case of transient left bundle branch block associated with septal edema after orthotopic heart and lung transplant. Case Report A 47-year-old female with hereditary pulmonary arterial hypertension is on 4L oxygen despite the use of sildenafil, macitentan, and intravenous epoprostenol. She had severe right ventricular, right atrial, and pulmonary artery dilation with severe pulmonic and tricuspid insufficiency on echocardiogram (TTE). Right heart catheterization revealed PVR of 10.1 wood units. Patient underwent uncomplicated dual heart and lung transplantation (CBT 225 minutes, DIT 130 minutes, basiliximab induction). Donor was a 40-year-old female with ejection fraction 50%, septal wall (IVS) 1.45 cm, CI 6.6 L/min/m2. On post-op day 1 (POD#1) patient was in sinus tachycardia with a new LBBB on electrocardiogram (ECG). QRS interval increased from 94 ms to 154 ms. TTE showed preserved left ventricular function with no wall motion abnormality but significant IVS edema measuring 1.7 cm. Immunosuppression regimen was tacrolimus 1 mg twice daily, mycophenolate mofetil 1 g twice daily, and prednisone 10 mg daily. QRS interval remained stable over the next few days and normalized to 98 ms on POD#5. Repeat TTE showed decrease in IVS thickness to 1.5 cm. Patient had an uneventful remainder of hospital stay and was discharged home two weeks later. Her IVS on TTE three months post-transplant decreased to 1.1 cm and she continues to do well. Summary The development of LBBB acutely after orthotopic heart transplant is uncommon and the clinical significance is unknown. We highlight a case of a 47-year-old female who underwent heart and lung transplantation complicated by the acute onset of LBBB due to significant post-operative septal edema. Serial ECGs demonstrated stable QRS interval and spontaneous resolution of LBBB with improvement of septal edema on day 5 after transplant.
Advanced Optimization for Process Systems Engineering

Based on the author's forty years of teaching experience, this unique textbook covers both basic and advanced concepts of optimization theory and methods for process systems engineers. Topics covered include continuous, discrete and logic optimization (linear, nonlinear, mixed-integer and generalized disjunctive programming), optimization under uncertainty (stochastic programming and flexibility analysis), and decomposition techniques (Lagrangean and Benders decomposition). Assuming only a basic background in calculus and linear algebra, it enables easy understanding of mathematical reasoning, and numerous examples throughout illustrate key concepts and algorithms. End-of-chapter exercises involving theoretical derivations and small numerical problems, as well as in modeling systems like GAMS, enhance understanding and help put knowledge into practice. Accompanied by two appendices containing web links to modeling systems and models related to applications in PSE, this is an essential text for single-semester, graduate courses in process systems engineering in departments of chemical engineering.
The Growth of Family Medicine Resident Debt.

The history of people and their relationships with debt is an interesting one. Although some embrace debt as necessary or even opportunistic, for many, debt represents stigma–a scarlet letter and constant reminder of something that is owed or has been left incomplete. For many, debt is something
Register variation in L1 and L2 student writing: A multidimensional analysis

Abstract While there have been many studies describing L2 academic writing, most of these studies have used corpora of first year or assessment writing (Crosthwaite 2016; Weigle & Friginal 2014). The present study seeks to describe linguistic variation in L2 writing for content classes and to compare these linguistic patterns to those found in L1 writing. A multi-dimensional (MD) analysis was conducted in two corpora, BAWE and BrAWE, extracting five dimensions. The L2 corpus contained 379 texts written by Brazilian students doing part of their undergrad in the UK and the L1 corpus contained 395 texts from BAWE. The results of this study indicate that L1 and L2 writers use similar linguistic resources to convey the purpose of university registers, with the exception of case studies, designs, exercises and research reports. This linguistic variation between L1 and L2 writers might be explained by students’ interpretation of these registers’ communicative purposes.
A data-driven real-time stability metric for SST-based microgrids

Abstract In this paper, a data-driven based Real-time Stability Metric (RSM) is proposed to evaluate the stability in Solid State Transformer (SST)-based modern distribution systems based on nonlinear time series analysis. This approach brings two main advantages to the analysis. First, the time series dataset is obtained from the terminal measurement; therefore, linearization is not necessarily needed as opposed to linear approaches. Second, fast dynamics in the system can be captured by an appropriate time resolution in data acquisition and it facilitates the proposed stability analysis capable in real-time. In this study, three Solid State Transformers are considered in a microgrid as the test system. Stability is evaluated by real-time determination of Lyapunov exponents through a real-time processor coordinated with the microgrid.
Micropropagation of Hibiscus moscheutos L. ‘Luna White’: effect of growth regulators and explants on nuclear DNA content and ploidy stability of regenerants

Hibiscus moscheutos L., also known as hardy hibiscus, is valued for its medicinal and ornamental attributes. It is usually propagated via seeds or cuttings. The purpose of this investigation was to develop a dependable micropropagation for H. moscheutos ‘Luna White’. To that end, the effect of four explant types (leaf, root, node, shoot tip) and two growth regulators 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) and meta-Topolin (mT) (6-(3-hydroxybenzylamino) purine) on in vitro growth of H. moscheutos was investigated. Genetic stability of the in vitro grown plants was assessed using flow cytometry, and chromosome count was investigated. No shoots were obtained from leaf or root explants. An efficient protocol for micropropagation of H. moscheutos using two explant types, 2-node and shoot tip explants, and two cytokinins (BA and mT) capable of producing true-to-type regenerants was established. Both BA and mT can be used at 2 μM or 4 μM using either 2-node or shoot tip explants. No significant difference was found between the nuclear DNA contents of seed-derived and in vitro grown plants (P < 0.05). The mean 2C DNA and monoploid 1Cx-values of seed-derived plants were 3.25 ± 0.08 pg and 1.62 ± 0.04 pg, respectively, compared with 3.26 ± 0.06 pg and 1.63 ± 0.02 pg, respectively, for in vitro grown plants. The chromosome number of both seed-derived plants and regenerants was determined to be 2n = 2x = 38. The mature regenerants obtained were fertile and phenotypically similar to seed-derived plants.