cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enhanced Conductivity in CZTS/Cu2–xSe Nanocrystal Thin Films: Growth of a Conductive Shell

Poor charge transport in Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) nanocrystal (NC) thin films presents a great challenge in the fabrication of solar cells without postannealing treatments. We introduce a novel approach to facilitate the charge carrier hopping between CZTS NCs by growing a stoichiometric Cu2Se shell that can be oxidized to form a conductive Cu2–xSe phase when exposed to air. The CZTS/Cu2Se core/shell NCs with varying numbers of shell monolayers were synthesized by the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method, and the variation in structural and optical properties of the CZTS NCs with varying shell thicknesses was investigated. Solid-phase sulfide ligand exchange was employed to fabricate NC thin films by layer-by-layer dip coating and a 2 orders of magnitude rise in dark conductivity (∼10–3 S cm–1 at 0 monolayer and ∼10–1 S cm–1 at 1.5 monolayers) was observed with an increase in the number of shell monolayers. The approach described herein is the first key step in achieving a significant inc...
Epigenetic Modifications of Keap1 Regulate Its Interaction With the Protective Factor Nrf2 in the Development of Diabetic Retinopathy

Purpose. Diabetes induces oxidative imbalance in the retina and impairs Nrf2-mediated antioxidant response, and elevates Keap1, the cytoplasmic repressor of Nrf2. The goal of this study was to understand the role of epigenetic modifications at Keap1 promoter in regulation of Nrf2 function.
Imaging the effects of annealing on the polymorphic phases of poly(vinylidene fluoride).

The effect of annealing on the phase transformation and the dielectric properties of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) is explored using quasi-single molecule (quasi-SM) microscopy. The solvatochromic properties of nile red (NR) are employed to measure the spatial distribution of the local dielectric constant (e) in ∼30 μm thick PVDF films before and after annealing at 90 °C. The results presented here demonstrate that nonannealed films exhibit much larger e distributions, both in terms of magnitude and distribution, when compared to annealed films. The polymorphic phase of PVDF before and after annealing is also confirmed using X-ray diffraction. Nonannealed films are found to be in the γ-phase with annealing promoting the transition to primarily β-phase. Combining these results, we conclude that the decrease in e with annealing time is due to the phase transformation from γ- to β-phase. Using quasi-SM imaging techniques one can readily visualize the e environments present within different polymorphic pha...
Rivaroxaban improves patency and decreases inflammation in a mouse model of catheter thrombosis.

Abstract Introduction Dysfunction of indwelling central venous catheters (CVC) due to tissue ingrowth or clotting is common. The study objective was to determine if the oral anticoagulant rivaroxaban (RIVA) improved CVC patency and inflammation in mice. Materials and methods Polyurethane catheters (0.5 cm length) were placed unilaterally into the external jugular vein (EJV) of mice, which subsequently underwent daily gavage with either vehicle or RIVA (5 mg/kg). CVC patency, as assessed by B-mode and Doppler ultrasound, and hematocrit were measured at 3, 7, 14 or 21 days (n = 8–11 mice/group/time-point). Plasma monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) levels were assessed by ELISA, EJV matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) levels by western immunoblotting, and cell proliferation (anti-Ki67), macrophage infiltration (anti-MAC387) by immunostaining of EJV tissues. Results and conclusions CVC patency was significantly improved in RIVA-treated mice compared to vehicle-treated (93.8% vs. 62.9%) with the probability of patency in RIVA-treated mice being 1.5 times that in vehicle-treated (relative risk [RR], 1.50, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14–1.95, p = 0.002). Plasma MCP-1 levels were lower in RIVA-treated mice vs. vehicle-treated at 21 days (389 ± 260 vs. 804 ± 292 ng/mL, p = 0.005). Cell proliferation was less at day 7 in EJV from the RIVA-treated mice than vehicle-treated (5.0% ± 3.0 vs. 11.5% ± 3.6, p = 0.0006), as were MMP-9 protein levels. There were no differences in hematocrit between vehicle and RIVA-treated groups at any time point. In conclusion, these data indicate RIVA lowers inflammation and improves CVC patency in a mouse model, supporting future studies to assess RIVA for improving CVC patency in patients.
Ankle pain in a young woman with Gaucher disease.

Gaucher disease causes hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, bone marrow disease, bone pain, bone infarcts, and lytic lesions.
The Miracle of East Asian Growth

When in 1993 the World Bank published a book with the dramatic title The East Asian Miracle it gave currency to an already widespread perception and interpretation of the growth process in that region. This particular study singled out eight economies: Japan, the ‘Four Tigers’ and three Southeast Asian countries. These economies were called the high-performing Asian economies (HPAEs). The book pointed out that since 1960, the HPAEs have grown more than twice as fast as the rest of East Asia, roughly three times as fast as Latin America and South Asia, and five times faster than Sub-Saharan Africa. They also significantly outperformed the industrial economies and the oil-rich Middle East-North Africa region. Between 1960 and 1985, real income per capita increased more than four times in Japan and the Four Tigers and more than doubled in the Southeast Asian NIEs. If growth were randomly distributed, there is roughly one chance in ten thousand that success would have been so regionally concentrated. (World Bank 1993: 2)
The Role of Geography

The German navalist Wolfgang Wegener (1929) observed that ‘sea power was a function of strategic geography as well as the possession of a fleet’. Alfred T. Mahan also believed that geographical factors were preeminent in determining the sea power of nations. In fact, four of his six famous ‘principal conditions affecting the sea power of nations’ were geographical. Geography influences naval power at the national level and at the level of individual navies. In the case of the former, geography will help to determine a state’s relationship with the sea, its maritime importance, its vulnerability to threats emanating from seaward and its need for naval power. At the naval level, geography will influence the strategy and tactics adopted by a navy as well as the development of its force structure. The principal aspects of geography which influence naval power are those advanced by Mahan: geographical position, physical conformation and extent of territory. To this list can be added, at least with respect to geography’s influence upon navies, the climatic conditions governing the maritime environment in which they must operate.
Toll like Receptor in Infectious Diseases

Many studies reported that genetic variation in interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptors/Toll like receptors (TLRs) are susceptible to infectious diseases. TLRs play an important role in the innate immune response to invading pathogens. TLRs are emerging in conditions such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, sepsis syndrome, and systemic lupus erythromatosis, suggesting that targeting of TLRs might be useful therapeutically.
A Digital Exploration of Hunger Strikes in British Prisons, 1913–1940

This research uses digital tools including geospatial, timeline, and chart programs to explore the more than 1,200 recorded hunger strikes that took place in British prisons during that span. The primary purpose of the project is to trace instances of hunger strikes over time and space. By viewing large sets of data in this fashion, viewers can identify trends across both time and location much more easily than by relying on the textual records from the Home Office. The project also explores some details about the strikes that the records reveal. For each year of the official record we present data on reasons for the strikes, methods of force feeding, and length of strikes. This project sheds light on some of the many challenges and opportunities that digital applications can offer the humanities. One challenge is how to present data in a way that is clear, accessible, and thought-provoking without overwhelming viewers with complex displays. A dominant question of the project has been how to present such data from multiple vantages in order to provoke new lines of inquiry. Unlike published essays or books, digital projects do not need to be declared complete. While the project cannot answer every question that the records spark, the digital format of the data facilitates new questions, appeals to a range of audiences, and challenges the nature of humanities scholarship.
Early Learning in Autism

Typically developing children are well equipped to learn from their social environment from infancy. Early learning is supported by attentional preferences for novel events, others’ goal directed actions and communication cues, as well as early maturing abilities to share attention with their social partners, imitating them, understanding their actions and emotions, and developing close connections. Additionally, typically developing children experience social interactions as inherently rewarding, and infant learning experiences enabled by these processes contribute to further learning. Early learning is disrupted in young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder due to differences in the ‘built-in’ preferences and responses that support social learning in infants and toddlers. These early abnormalities, in turn, might result in a child who is not receiving the types of learning experiences needed to stimulate the organization and specialization of the neural networks that support the development of social communication and more advanced forms of social learning. Early intervention can play a major role in decreasing these early learning disruptions in children with autism.
Photosensitizers in prostate cancer therapy.

// Taher Gheewala 1 , Troy Skwor 2 and Gnanasekar Munirathinam 1 1 Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois, College of Medicine, Rockford, IL, USA 2 Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Rockford University, Rockford, IL, USA Correspondence to: Gnanasekar Munirathinam, email: // Keywords : prostate cancer, photodynamic therapy, photosensitizers Received : October 29, 2016 Accepted : February 06, 2017 Published : February 18, 2017 Abstract The search for new therapeutics for the treatment of prostate cancer is ongoing with a focus on the balance between the harms and benefits of treatment. New therapies are being constantly developed to offer treatments similar to radical therapies, with limited side effects. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising strategy in delivering focal treatment in primary as well as post radiotherapy prostate cancer. PDT involves activation of a photosensitizer (PS) by appropriate wavelength of light, generating transient levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Several photosensitizers have been developed with a focus on treating prostate cancer like mTHPC, motexafin lutetium, padoporfin and so on. This article will review newly developed photosensitizers under clinical trials for the treatment of prostate cancer, along with the potential advantages and disadvantages in delivering focal therapy.
Reverse Microemulsion-Based Synthesis of (Bis)phosphonate–Metal Materials with Controllable Physical Properties: An Example Using Zoledronic Acid–Calcium Complexes

The development of phosphonate–metal materials is tightly related to the advancement in their synthesis methods. Herein, using zoledronic acid (Zol), a bisphosphonate (bioacitve phosphonate with a “P–C–P” structure), and calcium as model molecules, we applied the reverse microemulsion (RM) method to synthesize a series of Zol–Ca complexes. We comprehensively (i) studied the relationship between RM conditions, including the component ratio of RM, cosurfactants, reaction time, reactant concentration, reaction temperature, and the presence of a phospholipid, 1, 2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphate acid (DOPA), and the physical properties of the complexes synthesized (i.e., shape, size, uniformity, monodispersity, and hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity) and (ii) explored the underlying mechanisms. To evaluate the biomedical application potential of the Zol–Ca complexes synthesized, one type of hydrophobic, DOPA-coated spherical Zol–Ca complexes (denoted as Zol–Ca@DOPA) was formulated into a PEGylated lipid-based nano...
Domestic Outsourcing, Rent Seeking, and Increasing Inequality:

This paper argues that an important mechanism linking increasing rents and the rising earnings’ inequality among workers with similar skills is the increase in domestic outsourcing and the growth o...
The ORMDL3-ceramide axis may be a novel therapeutic target for the control of allergic airway disease

Asthma, defined as a chronic inflammatory condition characterized by episodic shortness of breath with expiratory wheezing and cough, is a serious health concern. The WHO estimates that asthma affects more than 230 million people worldwide. There is a strong genetic component to asthma and numerous genome-wide association studies have identified ORM (yeast)-like protein isoform 3 (ORMDL3) as an asthma associated gene. Surprisingly however, the mechanism by which ORMDL3 contributes to asthma pathogenesis is not well understood. The yeast ortholog of ORMDL3 is a negative regulator of serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT), the rate limiting step in de novo ceramide synthesis, yet elevations of ceramide rather than its reduction have been linked to lung inflammation. Thus, we examined the role of ORMDL3 in asthma immunopathology. Consistent with its role in yeast, we show that decreasing expression of ORMDL3 in lung epithelial cells and macrophages increases ceramide and conversely, modest increases in ORMDL3 decrease ceramide levels. In a house dust mite (HDM) mouse model of allergic airway disease, allergen challenge induced expression of ORMDL3 and resulted in a concomitant increase in lung ceramide. Intriguingly, the use of specific drugs, which inhibit ceramide synthesis, prevented HDM-induced airway hyperreactivity (AHR) and suppressed airway inflammation. Nasal administration of the orally available FDA approved prodrug FTY720/fingolimod reduced both ORMDL3 expression and ceramide production while mitigating airway inflammation, hyperreactivity, and mucus hypersecretion in HDM challenged mice. Thus the ORMDL3 -ceramide pathway may be a novel therapeutic target for the control of allergic asthma.
Abstract 19837: DJ-1/Park7 Protects the Heart Against Ischemia-reperfusion Injury Through the Modulation of SUMOylation (Best of Basic Science Abstract)

Background: DJ-1/Park7 is a ubiquitously expressed protein typically associated with the development of early onset Parkinson’s disease. Recent data suggests that it also plays a role in the cellul...
Physical and microbial mechanisms of decomposition vary in importance among root orders and tree species with differing chemical and morphological traits.

Abstract Decaying roots are the major source of carbon that is stabilized in soil, but our understanding of plant decomposition is primarily based on decay patterns observed in leaf tissues. Chemical traits that impact microbial activity are the primary intrinsic control over leaf decomposition, and it is usually assumed that similar mechanisms control root decay. We hypothesized that root morphological traits may be an alternative control over root decay because root tissue is embedded in soil and is similar in size to soil minerals and aggregates. We compared decomposition of roots from two coexisting tree species with contrasting traits: tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) and American elm (Ulmus americana). If morphological traits are a stronger control over decomposition than chemical traits, Ulmus roots should decompose faster due to their thinner structure and increased surface area. Alternatively, if chemical traits are more important, then Liriodendron roots should decompose faster because of greater nutrient and energy availability. Unlike previous studies, the experiment was conducted in the field using root litterbags that also included mineral soil to simulate realistic physical processes and root-soil mineral interactions. Our results indicate that controls over decomposition depend on root order. For 3–4th order roots, mass loss in Liriodendron roots was double that in Ulmus roots, reflecting chemical control, but the pattern was reversed for 1–2nd order roots, consistent with morphological control. In addition, tissue chemistry shifted dramatically during decomposition for all Liriodendron root orders, but not for Ulmus. In contrast, root morphology shifted for Ulmus, with large reductions in specific root length and tip abundance, but not for Liriodendron. These results indicate that Liriodendron decomposition occurs evenly across root orders through microbial activity, which is regulated by traditional chemical measures of recalcitrance. Ulmus roots are more chemically recalcitrant, but the finer 1–2nd order Ulmus roots still lost mass very rapidly through physical fragmentation. These differing mechanisms of decomposition have implications for how root carbon is deposited into differing pools of soil organic matter. Thick, labile roots may contribute more C to soil microbial biomass and clay-associated simple organic molecules, whereas thin, recalcitrant roots would be expected to contribute to particulate organic matter.
Iron-mediated inhibition of mitochondrial manganese uptake mediates mitochondrial dysfunction in a mouse model of hemochromatosis.

Previous phenotyping of glucose homeostasis and insulin secretion in a mouse model of hereditary hemochromatosis (Hfe−/−) and iron overload suggested mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondria from Hfe−/− mouse liver exhibited decreased respiratory capacity and increased lipid peroxidation. Although the cytosol contained excess iron, Hfe−/− mitochondria contained normal iron but decreased copper, manganese, and zinc, associated with reduced activities of copper-dependent cytochrome c oxidase and manganese-dependent superoxide dismutase (MnSOD). The attenuation in MnSOD activity was due to substantial levels of unmetallated apoprotein. The oxidative damage in Hfe−/− mitochondria is due to diminished MnSOD activity, as manganese supplementation of Hfe−/− mice led to enhancement of MnSOD activity and suppressed lipid peroxidation. Manganese supplementation also resulted in improved insulin secretion and glucose tolerance associated with increased MnSOD activity and decreased lipid peroxidation in islets. These data suggest a novel mechanism of iron-induced cellular dysfunction, namely altered mitochondrial uptake of other metal ions.
Practical Problem-Solving

When the owner of a travel agency decides how many telephones he will install in his office he should know how much extra rental he will pay if he overleases, and the risk he runs of losing customers if he underleases. He should also know that this same basic problem has been solved many times before in different forms—by the management of a sports arena setting up ticket booths, for example, or by a turnpike authority setting up toll booths. People who solve all their problems independently, starting from basics, are doomed to reinvent the wheel repeatedly.
21st Century flood risk projections at select sites for the U.S. National Park Service

Abstract Assessing flood risk using stationary flood frequency analysis techniques is commonplace. However, it is increasingly evident that the stationarity assumption of these analyses does not hold as anthropogenic climate change could shift a site’s hydroclimate beyond the range of historical behaviors. We employ nonstationary flood frequency models using the generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution to model changing flood risk for select seasons at twelve National Parks across the U.S. In this GEV model, the location and/or scale parameters of the distribution are allowed to change as a function of time-variable covariates. We use historical precipitation and modeled flows from the Variable Infiltration Capacity model (VIC), a land-surface model that simulates land–atmosphere fluxes using water and energy balance equations, as covariates to fit a best nonstationary GEV model to each site. We apply climate model projections of precipitation and VIC flows to these models to obtain future flood probability estimates. Our model results project a decrease in flood risk for sites in the southwestern U.S. region and an increase in flood risk for sites in northern and eastern regions of the U.S. for the selected seasons. The methods and results presented will enable the NPS to develop strategies to ensure public safety and efficient infrastructure management and planning in a nonstationary climate.
Recommendations for Increasing the Efficacy & Coverage of the Rotavirus Vaccination Program in Ghana

Rotavirus is the most prevalent cause of severe diarrhea in children worldwide, accounting for up to 600,000 preventable deaths in young children each year. The burden of rotavirus is particularly high in sub-Saharan Africa, the site of 150,000 to 200,000 of these annual deaths. There are two live, oral rotavirus vaccines available globally: RotaTeq, administered in three doses and Rotarix, administered in two doses. In May 2012, Ghana became one of the first countries in the sub-Saharan region to administer a rotavirus vaccine, namely Rotarix. However, when comparing results of clinical trials conducted on children in developing nations to those conducted on children in higher-income nations, it is evident that there is a decreased level of success of rotavirus vaccines in Ghana and other developing nations. In Ghana, longer rotavirus infection seasons, younger ages of infection, poorer health and nutrition of children and decreased access to adequate healthcare are the most relevant obstacles to the success of the rotavirus vaccination program. Therefore, there is a need for a unique set of vaccine delivery strategies to maximize the success of the rotavirus vaccination program in Ghana. This paper explores the most relevant issues through literature reviews, in-person forums with mothers in Ghana and on-site interviews with the Head of Program Planning and Evaluation at Ghana’s Ministry of Health and a rotavirus expert from the University of Ghana’s Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research. Recommendations for improving vaccine success in Ghana include administering a probiotic and micronutrient supplement with the vaccine and broadening age restrictions for the vaccine from eight months up to two years old. In addition, further studies should be conducted to evaluate the risks and benefits of a neonatal dose at two weeks of age, examine the potential impact of restricting breast-feeding 30 minutes before and after immunization and determine the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine in HIV-positive infants. Importantly, the investigation of new candidate vaccines may ultimately be necessary to provide protection against uncommon viral strains found at increasingly higher rates in children in developing nations. These recommendations aim to circumvent the challenges to vaccination to maximize performance of rotavirus vaccines in Ghana and in other developing nations worldwide.
The Puzzle of Squaring Blockchain with the General Data Protection Regulation

Blockchain is a revolutionary technology that enables the secure recording and storage of transactions without the need for a trusted third-party intermediary. This distributed ledger technology has the potential to mainstream entirely new, decentralized business models where determining the operation of a blockchain-based product or service is decided democratically among the systems users. Because of the way that it works, blockchain presents a significant challenge for the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The GDPR is the leading privacy law in the world, serving as a template for privacy laws in many countries and affecting a vast number of multinational organizations. Blockchain, unfortunately, fits rather poorly in the GDPR’s regulatory framework. This is primarily because the legislation makes the assumption that the entities that define the means and purpose of processing users’ personal data, that is, the Data Controllers, are readily identifiable and remain constant. In blockchains with decentralized data governance, where a user’s role can vary over time, this assumption is often false. Several commissions in the European Union have tried to tackle the conundrum of how to fit blockchain into the GDPR’s framework, but the analysis and recommendations of these bodies has failed to adequately resolve the conflicts. This Article is the first to provide an overview of blockchain technology that distinguishes between the variety of centralized and decentralized data governance models. To bring about the truly revolutionary applications of blockchain while ensuring adequate individual personal data protections, this Article proposes that the European Union eliminate untenable GDPR data controller obligations for blockchains with decentralized data governance models.
Abstract PO-017: Annotation-free 3D gland segmentation with generative image-sequence translation for prostate cancer risk assessment

1. Purpose We developed an annotation-free image-translation-based approach for 3D segmentation of prostate glands within 3D-histology datasets of whole biopsies stained with a low-cost and rapid-diffusing fluorescent analog of HE 2021 Jan 13-14. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2021;27(5_Suppl):Abstract nr PO-017.
Area under the expiratory flow-volume curve: predicted values by regression and deep learning methods and recommendations for clinical practice.

Background In spirometry, the area under expiratory flow-volume curve (AEX-FV) was found to perform well in diagnosing and stratifying physiologic impairments, potentially lessening the need for complex lung volume testing. Expanding on prior work, this study assesses the accuracy and the utility of several models of estimating AEX-FV based on forced vital capacity (FVC) and several instantaneous flows. These models could be incorporated in regular spirometry reports, especially when actual AEX-FV measurements are not available. Methods We analysed 4845 normal spirometry tests, performed on 3634 non-smoking subjects without known respiratory disease or complaints. Estimated AEX-FV was computed based on FVC and several flows: peak expiratory flow, isovolumic forced expiratory flow at 25%, 50% and 75% of FVC (FEF25, FEF50 and FEF75, respectively). The estimations were based on simple regression with and without interactions, by optimised regression models and by a deep learning algorithm that predicted the response surface of AEX-FV without interference from any predictor collinearities or normality assumption violations. Results Median/IQR of actual square root of AEX-FV was 3.8/3.1–4.5 L2/s. The per cent of variance (R2) explained by the models selected was very high (>0.990), the effect of collinearities was negligible and the use of deep learning algorithms likely unnecessary for regular or routine pulmonary function testing laboratory usage. Conclusions In the absence of actual AEX-FV, a simple regression model without interactions between predictors or use of optimisation techniques can provide a reasonable estimation for clinical practice, thus making AEX-FV an easily available additional tool for interpreting spirometry.
Intertemporal Pricing via Nonparametric Estimation: Integrating Reference Effects and Consumer Heterogeneity

We consider intertemporal pricing in the presence of reference effects and consumer heterogeneity. Our research question encompasses how to estimate heterogeneous consumer reference effects from data and how to efficiently compute the optimal pricing policy. Understanding reference effects is essential for designing pricing policies in modern retailing. Our work contributes to this area by further incorporating consumer heterogeneity under arbitrary distributions. We propose a demand model that allows arbitrary joint distributions of valuations, responsiveness to prices, and responsiveness to reference prices among consumers. To learn consumer heterogeneity from transaction data, we use a nonparametric estimation method. We formulate the pricing optimization as an infinite horizon dynamic programming problem and solve it by applying a modified policy iteration algorithm. We investigate the structure of optimal pricing policies and prove the sub-optimality of constant pricing policies even when all consumers are loss-averse according to the classical definition. Our numerical studies further show that our estimation and optimization framework improves the expected revenue of retailers via accounting for heterogeneity. We validate our model using real data from JD.com, a large E-commerce retailer, and find empirical evidence of consumer heterogeneity. In practice, ignoring consumer heterogeneity may lead to a significant loss of revenue. Furthermore, the existence of heterogeneous reference effects offers a strong motive for promotions and price fluctuations.
Gaining Confidence, Experience, and Knowledge as Researchers among Undergraduate Sociology Students

Advanced undergraduate students struggle with executing complete research projects that involve data collection and analysis. Research indicates that engaging in undergraduate research is a high-im...
Change in negative attention bias mediates the association between attention bias modification training and depression symptom improvement.

Pre-print for manuscript titled "Change in Negative Attention Bias Mediates the Association Between Attention Bias Modification Training and Depression Symptom Improvement" by Christopher G. Beevers, Kean J. Hsu, David M. Schnyer, Jasper A.J. Smits, & Jason Shumake to appear in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
Modeling billiards games

Two-player games of billiards, of the sort seen in recent Computer Olympiads held by the International Computer Games Association, are an emerging area with unique challenges for A.I. research. Complementing the heuristic/algorithmic aspect of billiards, of the sort brought to the fore in the ICGA billiards tournaments, we investigate formal models of such games. The modeling is surprisingly subtle. While sharing features with existing models (including stochastic games, games on a square, recursive games, and extensive form games), our model is distinct, and consequently requires novel analysis. We focus on the basic question of whether the game has an equilibrium. For finite versions of the game it is not hard to show the existence of a pure strategy Markov perfect Nash equilibrium. In the infinite case, it can be shown that under certain conditions a stationary pure strategy Markov perfect Nash equilibrium is guaranteed to exist.
Photodissociation of water and O(3PJ) formation on a lunar impact melt breccia

Photodissociation of water deposited on an impact melt breccia collected during Apollo 16 was studied by measuring O(3PJ = 2,1,0) photoproducts detected with resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization. For each spin-orbit state, the oxygen atom time-of-flight (TOF) spectrum was measured as a function of H2O exposure and 157 nm irradiation time. Four Maxwell-Boltzmann distributions with translational temperatures of 10,000 K, 1800 K, 400 K, and 102 K were required to fit the data. The most likely formation mechanisms are molecular hydrogen elimination following ion-electron recombination, secondary recombination of hydroxyl radicals, and photodissociation of adsorbed hydroxyls. The irradiation time required to reach maximum oxygen signal suggests that water clusters into islands when adsorbing on the lunar impact melt breccia. After enough irradiation for the oxygen atom yield to reach its maximum, the slowly decreasing signal was fit with an exponential curve to obtain a cross section that represents the rate of surface hydroxyl depletion. For 0.1, 1, and 5 Langmuir (1 L = 10−6 Torr s) H2O exposure, respectively, the measured O(3P) depletion cross sections were 4.9 × 10−20, 6.6 × 10−20, and 4.6 × 10−20 cm2. These results imply that photodissociation of water on the lunar surface cannot account for the large mass-16 (±1 amu) signal observed in the lunar atmosphere. Unless another significant source of oxygen atoms is present, this unexpectedly large signal is likely due to CH4 or OH.
Final-state rule vs the Bethe-Salpeter equation for deep-core x-ray absorption spectra

The independent-electron approximation together with the final-state rule provides a well established method for calculating x-ray absorption spectra that takes into account both core-hole effects and inelastic losses. Recently a Bethe-Salpeter Equation approach based on Hedin's GW approximation that explicitly treats particle-hole excitations has been applied to the same problem. We discuss here the formal relationships between these approaches for deep-core x-ray spectra and show that they are similar, apart from differences in their practical implementations. Their similarity is illustrated with results from both theoretical approaches and compared with experiment. This comparison also suggests ways to improve both approaches.
Can the use of urgent care clinics improve access to care without undermining continuity in primary care

Purpose There is a niche for urgent care clinics as an alternate source of health care in the United States. This systematic review examines whether the use of urgent care clinics can improve access to care or if these facilities undermine continuity of primary care. Data sources Databases used were Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL) and Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE). Articles from 2004 to 2014 were searched using keywords—access, barriers, continuity of care, nurse practitioner (NP), urgent care, retail clinic, emergency, and primary care. Conclusions Urgent care clinics can improve access to care, but may also negatively impact continuity of care, preventative services, and ongoing management of chronic conditions. Barriers to primary care and benefits of urgent care are inversely related. Insufficient knowledge regarding navigation of the healthcare system, perceived urgency of medical need, and deflection of care contribute to use of urgent care over primary care. Implications for practice NPs are frontline healthcare providers essential to developing and maintaining successful communication and collaboration among providers across healthcare settings. In both primary care and urgent care facilities, NPs can ensure continuity of care, decreased healthcare costs, and optimized health outcomes for patients.
Persistent Language Delay Versus Late Language Emergence in Children With Early Cochlear Implantation.

Purpose The purpose of the present investigation is to differentiate children using cochlear implants (CIs) who did or did not achieve age-appropriate language scores by midelementary grades and to...
On Immunogenetic Relationships between the Antigenic Characters Specific to Two Species of Columbidae.

REVIOUS papers from this laboratory have described the isolation and P identification in unit-form of the antigenic characters of the red blood cells whereby Pearlneck (Sneptopelia chinensis) and Senegal (St. senegalensis), respectively, differ from Ringdove (Sl. risovia) (IRWIN 1939; IRWIN and CUMLEY 1947). The cellular antigens specific to the respective species are gene determined, but whether only one gene, or several on a single chromosome, are involved in the production of each of these characters is an open question. From the immunological identity or similarity of these antigenic components can be deduced the relationships of the genes producing the characters specific to each of these two species. Such studies form the basis of this paper.
Asymptotic theory of the linear transport equation for small mean free paths. I

We consider the linear transport equation, which describes the interaction of a rarefied gas with a denser gas. We require the spatial variation of all quantities in this equation to be small over the distance of a typical mean free path, and the time variation of all quantities to be small during a typical mean free time. We also require the average velocity of the denser gas, the external electric field, and the internal sources to be small. These smallnesses are expressed analytically by means of a small parameter $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$. A solution of the transport equation, subject to the above restrictions, is constructed which is asymptotic with respect to $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$. To leading order the solution has the form $\ensuremath{\psi}\ensuremath{\sim}{A}_{0}(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{r}},t)\ensuremath{\varphi}(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{r}},v,t)$, where $\ensuremath{\varphi}$ is the eigenfunction of a certain operator and ${A}_{0}$ satisfies a diffusion equation containing effects due to the motion of the denser gas, inhomogeneities in the denser gas, and the external electric and magnetic fields. We discuss the physical interpretation of this equation and give expressions for the density and average velocity of the rarefied particles.
A new fossil bee from the Oligo-Miocene Dominican amber (Hymenoptera:Halictidae)

Une nouvelle espece d'abeille de la famille des Halictidae, Oligochlora grimaldii, est decrite ici a partir d'inclusions dans l'ambre de la republique Dominicaine, datees de l'oligocene inferieur ou du miocene superieur. C'est le cinquieme halictide de l'ambre connu a ce jour et c'est un representant de la tribu des Augochlorini. Le genre Oligochlora n'est pas represente parmi la faune actuelle et n'est connu que par deux autres especes, O eickworti et O micheneri, qui proviennent egalement de l'ambre dominicaine. L'espece decrite ici differe de la diagnose du genre par sa structure de l'angle lateral pronotal. La variabilite de ce caractere morphologique, desormais incorporee dans la definition du genre, va de l'angle aigu (O grimaldii) a l'angle obtus (O eickworti). La nouvelle espece differe des especes precedemment decrites par l'angle lateral pronotal aigu, la presence d'une carene sur la crete laterale pronotale, des postgenes fortes et densement perforees, une veine alaire Sc+R fortement sclerotinisee et l'absence de striations sur le triangle propodeal.
MR-guided conformal microwave imaging for enhanced inclusion detection within irregularly shaped volumes

Approximately 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Estimates suggest 230,500 new cases of invasive breast cancer in 2011, resulting in approximately 40,000 deaths. Traditional screening technologies, such as X-ray mammography use ionizing radiation and suffer from high false-positive and false-negative rates. Due to the high contrast that exists between the dielectric properties of normal and abnormal breast tissue, microwave-imaging spectroscopy has proven an attractive breast cancer imaging modality. We have shown that the incorporation of a volume’s internal structural information into our image reconstruction algorithm can increase the accuracy of recovered dielectric properties. Additionally, image reconstruction has benefited from the use of a custom reconstruction mesh generated from the imaged volume’s perimeter boundary. This information is used in a conformal microwave image (CMI) reconstruction process, and has increased the accuracy of recovered high contrast regions within the volume’s perimeter without the use of prior internal spatial information. In simulation and phantom experiments with regular geometries, boundary information is obtained through spatial measurements. For irregularly shaped boundaries, alternative means are necessary for accurate boundary extraction. In this paper we demonstrate the MR-guided CMI reconstruction process for an irregularly shaped boundary; boundary information extracted from MR images will be used to generate a custom boundary-derived mesh for microwave image reconstruction. Results from images reconstructed using the MR-guided CMI reconstruction process will be compared with uniformly reconstructed images, highlighting the increased accuracy of high contrast features within the volume without the use of prior internal spatial information.
Evidence for cytogenetic and fluorescence in situ hybridization risk stratification of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma in the era of novel therapies

Overall survival (OS) has improved with increasing use of novel agents in multiple myeloma (MM). However, the disease course remains highly variable, and the heterogeneity largely reflects different genetic abnormalities. We studied the impact of the Mayo risk-stratification model of MM on patient outcome in the era of novel therapies, evaluating each individual component of the model—fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), conventional cytogenetics (CG), and the plasma cell labeling index—that segregates patients into high- and standard-risk categories. This report consists of 290 patients with newly diagnosed MM, predominantly treated with novel agents, who were risk-stratified at diagnosis and were followed up for OS. Of these patients, 81% had received primarily thalidomide (n=50), lenalidomide (n=199), or bortezomib (n=79) as frontline or salvage therapies. Our retrospective analysis validates the currently proposed Mayo risk-stratification model (median OS, 37 months vs not reached for high- and standard-risk patients, respectively; P=.003). Although the FISH or CG test identifies a high-risk cohort with hazard ratios of 2.1 (P=.006) and 2.5 (P=.006), respectively, the plasma cell labeling index cutoff of 3% fails to independently prognosticate patient risk (hazard ratio, 1.4; P=.41). In those stratified as standard-risk by one of the 2 tests (FISH or CG), the other test appears to be of additional prognostic significance. This study validates the high-risk features defined by FISH and CG in the Mayo risk-stratification model for patients with MM predominantly treated with novel therapies based on immunomodulatory agents.
Death and dying: confluences of emotion and awareness

Using data from an introspective ethnography, this paper proposes a modified theory of awareness among dying patients, their families and medical personnel. By incorporating the sociology of emotions, this modified theory provides a richer understanding of the complexity of relationships in death and dying than the previous literature which focuses on knowledge and the management of knowledge in social interactions in the context of dying. It is suggested that awareness based on knowledge and the cognitive processing of information not only obscures the emotional content of terminal illness, but also moves to the background the emotional work performed by dying patients and their families. The modified version of awareness theory recognises that emotion and cognition are intertwined and pays close attention to emotions within the social context.
Acute and delayed effects of diisopropyl fluorophosphate on body temperature, heart rate, and motor activity in the awake, unrestrained rat

Acute exposure to diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP) causes irreversible inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity, leading to various behavioral and autonomic sequelae including hypothermia, reduced motor activity, and other neurological dysfunctions. To characterize the acute response and recovery of autonomic and behavioral processes to DFP exposure, rats of the Long-Evans strain were implanted with radiotransmitters that allowed the monitoring of core temperature, heart rate, and motor activity in unrestrained animals 24 h/d. These parameters were monitored for 96 h following subcutaneous injection of DFP at a dose of 0, 0.1, or 1.0 mg/kg. Rats given 0 and 0.1 mg/kg DFP displayed an increase in core temperature and motor activity during the first 24 h postinjection. The 1.0 mg/kg group showed a typical hypothermic response for the first 24 h following DFP administration. Core temperature decreased a maximum of 1.9 degrees C by 5 h after DFP and then started to recover, reaching control levels by 17 h after DFP treatment. Motor activity was also depressed during the first 24-h period in the 1.0 mg/kg group. Heart rate was initially elevated above basal levels in all treatment groups for several hours after treatment, but the 1.0 mg/kg group showed a decrease in heart rate at the time when core temperature began its recovery from hypothermia. Core temperature was the only parameter significantly affected by DFP during the 24-96 h recovery phase. The 0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg groups showed a significant elevation in core temperature for the 3 d after DFP administration. The elevation in core temperature during the recovery from DFP treatment may represent an important facet of the acute cholinergic neurotoxicity of organophosphate compounds.
Ab initio calculation of the deprotonation constants of an atomistically defined nanometer-sized, aluminium hydroxide oligomer

Aluminium possesses significant and diverse chemistry. Numerous compounds have been defined, and the elucidation of their chemistry is of significant geochemical interest. In this paper, a brucite-like, eight-aluminium aqueous cluster is modelled with density functional theory to identify its primary site of deprotonation and the associated pK a constant using both explicit (a full first solvent shell) and implicit solvent. Two methods for calculating the pK a are compared. We found that a bond density approach is better than a direct energy calculation for ions with large charge and high symmetry. The terminal aluminium atoms have equatorial ligated waters that in solvent have one long O–H bond. This site is more reactive than any of the other protons on the particle. Insights into the experimental crystal structure and Bader's Atoms in Molecules density analysis are presented as routes to reduce the computational time required for the identification of protonation sites.
Extended emission sources observed via two-proton correlations.

Two-proton correlations were measured as a function of the total energy and relative momentum of the protons. The correlation is analyzed for different orientations of the relative momentum, which allows information on the size and lifetime of the emission source to be extracted. The most energetic particles are emitted from a short-lived source of compound-nucleus dimensions while the lower-energy protons appear to be emitted from a source considerably larger than the compound nucleus.
Differentiation of myofibrillae, reticular and collagenous fibrils in vertebrates.

A procedure for the differentiation of the mesenchymal derivatives, myofibrillae, reticular and collagenous fibers is presented. Formol-Zenker fixation (5-12 hours) is followed by the washing, iodinization, dehydration and paraffin embedding steps routine for that fixative with the following modifications. Zirkle's butyl alcohol series is used for dehydration and infiltration with paraffin as well as in the alcohol slide series. Embedding paraffin used is Parawax plus 8-10% bayberry wax. Tissue-exposed surface of paraffin block is soaked in water overnight before cutting serial sections at 3-5μ. Sections are mounted using the dilute albumen method, and the slides, thoroughly dried at 37oC. overnight, are left at 60o for 10 minutes to melt the paraffin of the sections. Before staining, the sections are given a preliminary treatment with potassium permanganate and oxalic acid. For reticular staining a 10% silver nitrate bath is succeeded by an ammoniacal silver carbonate solution followed by reduction in 1%...
Exposure to community violence and social maladjustment among urban African American youth.

Objective Because of the evidence that children living in inner city communities are chronically exposed to violence, the goal of the present study was to longitudinally explore the reciprocal and perpetuating relationship between exposure to violence and child social maladjustment.