cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Independent Association Between Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension Over a Period of 10 Years in a Large Inpatient Population

Diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HTN) are common risk factors for heart disease in the population. The goal of this study was to evaluate independent association between type 2 DM and HTN using a very large database. We used ICD-9 codes for type 2 DM (250.00, 250.02) and HTN (401.0, 401.1, 401.9) from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. We randomly selected the years in the database between 1992 and 2002. We used uni- and multi-variate analysis to evaluate any association between type 2 DM and HTN adjusting for co-morbid conditions. The 1992 database contained a total of 6,195,744 patients. Type 2 DM was associated with 37.5% of patients with HTN vs. 11.4% of the control group (odds ratio (OR): 4.63, Confidence interval (CI) 4.61-4.693, p < 0.001). The 2002 database contained a total of 7,853,982 patients. Type 2 DM was associated with 57.2% of patients with HTN vs. 22.9% of the control group (OR: 4.49, CI 4.47-4.52, p < 0.001). Using multivariate analysis adjusting for age, gender, hyperlipidemia, obesity, smoking, and chronic renal failure, type 2 DM remained independently associated with HTN in both years (for the year 1992: OR: 2.49, CI: 2.47-2.51, p < 0.001 and for the year 2002 OR: 2.19, CI: 2.18-2.20, p < 0.001). The same association was persistently found using samples for each year between 1992 and 2002. The presence of type 2 DM is strongly associated with HTN. This association is independent of co-morbid conditions and was persistent with similar odds ratio over a period of 10 years.
Influence of temporal smoothing on quantitation of left ventricular function by gated blood pool scintigraphy

Frequently, indexes of systolic and diastolic left ventricular (LV) function obtained from radionuclide angiography are computed after the LV time-activity curve has been temporally smoothed. This smoothing process may introduce important systematic errors into the analysis. To assess this potential effect, high temporal resolution time-activity curves (20 ms/point) were obtained in 113 normal subjects, 175 patients with coronary artery disease and 171 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The curves were then subjected to 0-, 3-, 5-, 7- and 9-point temporal smoothing. In each group, increased smoothing progressively and consistently underestimated ejection fraction by up to 5% (p less than 0.001) and peak ejection rate by up to 14% (p less than 0.001). A greater effect on peak filling rate was observed: 5-point and 9-point smoothing reduced peak filling rate by 10% and 23% in normal subjects, 3% and 10% in patients with coronary artery disease and 7% and 15%, respectively, in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (all p less than 0.001). These errors were compounded further when the same data obtained at lower temporal resolution (40 ms/point) were analyzed: 5-point and 9-point smoothing resulted in underestimation of peak filling rate by 20% and 46% in normal subjects, 13% and 43% in coronary artery disease and 16% and 34% in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The underestimation was not uniform, and its magnitude varied considerably among individuals in each of the 3 groups. Thus, smoothing of LV time-activity curves may result in significant systematic errors in computation of indexes of LV systolic and diastolic function, especially in data with poor temporal resolution. These concepts apply to other imaging methods, such as magnetic resonance imaging and cine-computed tomography, that assess LV function from the LV volume curve. Although ejection fraction is affected only mildly by these errors, both peak filling rate and peak ejection rate may be severely underestimated.
"complete and in order": Bram Stoker's dracula and the archival profession

Archival literature has discussed the portrayal of archives and archivists in fiction, but has not offered a reading of a work of fiction with little-to-no overt mention of the archival profession. This article demonstrates the value of looking at such works of fiction through an archival lens by providing an "archival reading" of one famous novel that has been the subject of numerous scholarly articles and books, Bram Stoker's Dracula. Although a tale of the supernatural, Dracula's narrative portrays the importance of recordkeeping, research, and access to and organization of information. This article considers the narrative and plot of Dracula from an archival perspective, discusses literature about the portrayal of archives and archivists in fiction, and examines how Dracula reflects nineteenth-century trends in organizing information.
The Physical Oceanography of Long Island Sound

Coastal ocean ecosystems are strongly influenced by circulation, tides, waves, and the rates of mixing of the water. Many shoreline communities are increasingly threatened by the same phenomena, most notably through flooding and coastal erosion. In this review we summarize the observations that have been acquired in LIS to describe and explain the magnitude and variability of these physical processes. We also comment on the status of our theoretical understanding of the links between them and some of their consequences. Analysis of available buoy and coastal wind observations suggests that the shear stress due to wind over LIS is under-predicted by a factor of between 2 and 3 if shore station winds are used to make the estimates. This difference is significant to both water quality and wave forecasting. We describe the magnitude of seasonal variations in wind and waves and use long-term records from coastal stations to show that there are decadal-scale variations in both wind speed and directions. Available wave data from two buoys suggest that the wave field is consistent with that predicted by fetch- limited wind forcing. Semi-diurnal tidal sea level variations and vertically averaged currents are well described by theoretical models, however, recent observations show high amplitude over tides in the western LIS that remain to be explained. The vertical structure of the tidal currents is much more complex and a closer examination of model predictions, particularly of the across Sound velocity components, should be conducted. The interaction of the vertical structure of tidal currents and the salinity and temperature distributions may lead to significant heat and salt transport vertically and horizontally. Observations of the mean density, temperature, and salt distributions and the mean circulation in LIS are qualitatively consistent with several models and we summarize the recent work. A more critical evaluation is now appropriate. We also discuss evidence of long-term trends. The role of shorter time-scale meteorological forcing and the bathymetry of the Sound on the structure and variability of the circulation is summarized using observations and simulation. Long-term observations of both hypoxia duration and hypoxia areal extent in western and west central Long Island Sound are analyzed to determine the directional response to wind forcing. We show that a substantial fraction of the inter-annual variability in area and duration can be explained by the directional statistics of wind. Using simulation, we demonstrate that the geometry of the basin and across isobath flow may be significant. The response of the Sound to severe storms is outlined and the technical developments in simulation and observation that are necessary to the improvement of model predictions are suggested.
Up high and down low: Molecular systematics and insight into the diversification of the ground beetle genus Rhadine LeConte.

Abstract Rhadine LeConte is a Nearctic genus of flightless ground beetles that is poorly studied despite its relevance to evolutionary studies of subterranean fauna. Adults are notable for their slender and leggy habitus and the wide variety of habitat preferences among species, with several known only from mountaintops while others are restricted to caves or more general subterranean habitats. In central Texas, USA there are several cave endemics relevant to conservation. Here we present the first phylogenetic hypothesis for the overall structure of the genus with an emphasis on the troglobites in central Texas. We infer the phylogeny of Rhadine from ∼2.4-kb of aligned nucleotide sites from the nuclear genes, 28S rDNA and CAD, and the mitochondrial gene COI. These data were obtained for 30 species of Rhadine as well as from members of their putative sister group, Tanystoma Motschulsky. Results reveal that Rhadine is polyphyletic, and morphological characters that have been traditionally used to classify the genus into species groups are shown to be convergent in many cases. Rhadine aside from two species of uncertain placement is composed of two major clades, Clades I and II that both include epigean and subterranean species in very unequal proportions. Clade I is primarily composed of subterranean species, and Clade II includes many epigean species and high altitude montane endemics. A clade of troglobitic, cave-restricted species in Texas includes several species of large-eyed cave Rhadine. The slender habitus typical of some species [e.g., R. exilis (Barr and Lawrence), R. subterranea (Van Dyke), R. austinica Barr] evolved independently at least three times. Major biogeographic and evolutionary patterns based on these results include: troglobitic species north of the Colorado River in Texas (that also lack lateral pronotal setae) are found to comprise a monophyletic group, beetles in caves south of the Colorado River likely form another monophyletic group, and the “species pairs” of troglobitic Rhadine known to occur in the same caves are not resolved as each other’s sister group, suggesting that these caves were colonized independently by more than one lineage of Rhadine. Our divergence time estimates support a Miocene age for the split between Clade I and II Rhadine and indicate that all subterranean Clade I Rhadine began diversifying in the late Miocene–early Pliocene, contemporary with cave formation in the Balcones Escarpment.
Millennials and Boomers: increasing alumni affinity and intent to give by target market segmentation

This paper reports on research that seeks to improve our understanding of issues that impact upon the philanthropic gifts of university alumni. Prior research has examined such alumni characteristics as wealth and affinity to the alma mater. Such findings have guided development professionals to conduct different kinds of research that can reveal aspects of affluence (e.g., real estate holdings and professional positions) and institutional engagement (e.g., membership in alumni associations and season tickets to sporting events). This information is housed in databases that can be accessed by the fundraisers. The current research seeks to extend our understanding by examining the potential differences between generations. This article examines survey responses from university alumni in two age cohorts from two large comprehensive universities in the USA. Respondents were asked questions that inquired about their affinity toward their alma mater, intentions to give as well as alumni interest in participating in or attending different events at the university. Significant differences between younger and older alumni were found within each topic. From these results, the importance of market research and applications of alumni segmentation specifically are discussed for administrators and advancement professionals. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Perceived Veracity of PIMS Strategy Principles in Japan: An Empirical Inquiry:

The authors examine Japanese executives’ perceptions of the veracity of various PIMS strategy principles developed from analysis of the pooled experience of businesses in the United States. They dr...
Distance, time, and friends: system-generated cues and impression formation in mediated spaces

More people are turning to apps for connecting with others nearby for a range of relational goals (i.e. dates, sex). These apps themselves constrain profiles in certain ways, while also supplementing them with additional system-generated cues. The proposed experiments are designed to investigate three such popular cues (distance, time, and number of friends) and how they affect the impression formation process in this context of varied relational goals.
Big Data and Monitoring the Grid

A traditional power grid, also known as the legacy grid, collects data at a few locations on the grid to monitor grid performance and forecast energy requirements on a macro level. A smart grid is the next generation of the electric power grid; it includes technologies for real-time data acquisition from various sections of the grid and provides a means for two-way communication between energy suppliers and consumers. Compared to a legacy grid, the smart grid generates large volumes of data that can be exploited for power quality event monitoring, intrusion detection, islanding detection, price forecasting, and energy forecasting at a much more granular level. These large volumes of data have to be analyzed in real-time and with high accuracy in order assist in decision making for power system operations and optimal power flow. This poses a big data challenge, which to be implemented successfully requires changes in infrastructure and data analysis methods. This chapter describes the smart grid and its associated big data and discusses methods for informative feature extraction from raw data, event monitoring, and energy consumption forecasting using these features and visualization methods to assist with data interpretation and decision making.
On-chip infrared sensors: redefining the benefits of scaling

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy is widely recognized as a gold standard technique for chemical and biological analysis. Traditional IR spectroscopy relies on fragile bench-top instruments located in dedicated laboratory settings, and is thus not suitable for emerging field-deployed applications such as in-line industrial process control, environmental monitoring, and point-of-care diagnosis. Recent strides in photonic integration technologies provide a promising route towards enabling miniaturized, rugged platforms for IR spectroscopic analysis. It is therefore attempting to simply replace the bulky discrete optical elements used in conventional IR spectroscopy with their on-chip counterparts. This size down-scaling approach, however, cripples the system performance as both the sensitivity of spectroscopic sensors and spectral resolution of spectrometers scale with optical path length. In light of this challenge, we will discuss two novel photonic device designs uniquely capable of reaping performance benefits from microphotonic scaling. We leverage strong optical and thermal confinement in judiciously designed micro-cavities to circumvent the thermal diffusion and optical diffraction limits in conventional photothermal sensors and achieve a record 104 photothermal sensitivity enhancement. In the second example, an on-chip spectrometer design with the Fellgett’s advantage is analyzed. The design enables sub-nm spectral resolution on a millimeter-sized, fully packaged chip without moving parts.
Assessing local structure motifs using order parameters for motif recognition, interstitial identification, and diffusion path characterization

Structure-property relationships form the basis of many design rules in materials science, including synthesizability and long-term stability of catalysts, control of electrical and optoelectronic behavior in semiconductors as well as the capacity of and transport properties in cathode materials for rechargeable batteries. The immediate atomic environments (i.e., the first coordination shells) of a few atomic sites are often a key factor in achieving a desired property. Some of the most frequently encountered coordination patterns are tetrahedra, octahedra, body and face-centered cubic as well as hexagonal closed packed-like environments. Here, we showcase the usefulness of local order parameters to identify these basic structural motifs in inorganic solid materials by developing classification criteria. We introduce a systematic testing framework, the Einstein crystal test rig, that probes the response of order parameters to distortions in perfect motifs to validate our approach. Subsequently, we highlight three important application cases. First, we map basic crystal structure information of a large materials database in an intuitive manner by screening the Materials Project (MP) database (61,422 compounds) for element-specific motif distributions. Second, we use the structure-motif recognition capabilities to automatically find interstitials in metals, semiconductor, and insulator materials. Our Interstitialcy Finding Tool (InFiT) facilitates high-throughput screenings of defect properties. Third, the order parameters are reliable and compact quantitative structure descriptors for characterizing diffusion hops of intercalants as our example of magnesium in MnO2-spinel indicates. Finally, the tools developed in our work are readily and freely available as software implementations in the pymatgen library, and we expect them to be further applied to machine-learning approaches for emerging applications in materials science.
Venous Thromboembolism, Prophylaxis, and Treatment (Including Fat Embolism Syndrome)

DVT (deep venous thrombosis) and PE (pulmonary embolism), collectively known as VTE (venous thromboembolism), are common in critically ill patients. With proper prophylaxis, VTE is preventable in many patients. Critically ill patients are at high risk due to their underlying disease state and secondary to vasopressor use, venous catheterization, sedation, and/or mechanical ventilation. Most (if not all) ICU patients require pharmacologic prophylaxis unless contraindicated. If contraindicated, mechanical prophylaxis with sequential compression devices or, less commonly, IVC (inferior vena cava) filters can be used. Diagnosis is challenging as VTE often presents with non-specific findings. Gold standard for diagnosis remains duplex ultrasound for DVT and CT pulmonary angiography for PE. Evaluation by echocardiogram can help determine severity of the PE. Therapeutic anticoagulation remains the basic cornerstone treatment for VTE. Some patients may also require catheter-directed or surgical therapies for those who manifest with cardiac or hemodynamic compromise. Appropriate risk stratification, prophylactic measures, proper diagnostic workup, and treatment are critical for the care of ICU patients.
Use of Complementary Health Practices in a Church-Based African American Cohort.

Objectives: Few studies have examined the use of complementary health practices (e.g., mind/body practices and dietary supplements) among African Americans, particularly those who identify as being spiritual and/or religious. Furthermore, research on the health and health behavior profiles of such complementary health users is scant. The purpose of this study was to explore the use of complementary health practices and their lifestyle and health indicator correlates in a large, church-based African American population. Design: Cross-sectional analysis of 1467 African American adults drawn from a church-based cohort study. Participants reported use of complementary health practices, lifestyle behaviors (e.g., diet and smoking status), and health indicators (e.g., physical health and medical problems). Multiple logistic regressions were conducted to examine associations between lifestyle variables, health indicators, and use of complementary health practices. Outcome measures: Outcomes included prevalence of mind/body practices (e.g., meditation and Reiki) and dietary supplements (multivitamins) along with health indicator and lifestyle correlates of use. Results: Use of complementary health practices was high; 40% reported using any mind/body practice and 50% reported using dietary supplements. Poorer physical health was associated with use of mind/body practices, while likelihood of meeting fruit and vegetable recommendations was significantly associated with dietary supplement use. Conclusions: Complementary health practices were used heavily in a church-based sample of African American adults. Poorer physical health was associated with use of complementary health practices, yet users also displayed health conscious behaviors. Given the high engagement in complementary health practices, it may be prudent to consider adapting complementary health approaches for use in wellness interventions targeting African Americans in faith-based settings.
An Empirical Examination of Case Outcomes Under The ADA Amendments Act

Table of ContentsI. Introduction 2029II. The Supreme Court's Contraction of the ADA's Definition of Disability 2032III. The AD AAA 2040A. The Path to a Congressional Override 2040B. A Summary of the AD AAA 2042IV. Empirical Methodology 2045A. Identifying the Cases 2046B. Coding the Outcomes 2048V. The Findings 2049A. The Delayed Effect of the AD AAA 2049B. Disability Status 2050C. Qualified Status 2054VI. A Closer Look at Three Assumptions 2057A. Assumption 1-Fewer Summary Judgment Rulings Denying Disability Status 20571. Mitigating Measures 20582. Episodic Impairments 20593. The "Regarded as" Prong 2062B. Assumption 2-An Enhanced Focus on Qualified Status 2064C. Assumption 3-Higher Win Rates for ADA Plaintiffs 2066VII. Conclusions 2069I IntroductionBoth houses of Congress unanimously approved the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA),1 and President George W. Bush signed the ADAAA into law on September 25, 2008.2 The ADAAA, which went into effect on January 1, 2009,3 explicitly disavows the reasoning of four earlier Supreme Court decisions that had narrowed the scope of the Americans with Disabilities Act's (ADA) disability definition.4 A principal objective of Congress in enacting the ADAAA was to refocus the ADA on issues of discrimination rather than on issues of standing.5Both legislators and commentators have lauded the ADAAA as landmark legislation that will broadly empower employees asserting disability discrimination claims.6 This contention is premised upon a number of frequently asserted assumptions. The first assumption is that the ADAAA will result in fewer summary judgment rulings finding that claimants lack standing as covered individuals with a disability.7 The second assumption is that the amendments will result in a greater proportion of cases being determined on the basis of whether the claimant is a qualified individual with or without a reasonable accommodation.8 The third and final assumption is that the combination of these factors will result in higher overall win rates for ADA plaintiffs.9Most commentators have applauded the apparent expansion of ADA coverage, with Professor Kevin Barry, for example, asserting that "the ADAAA is a radical step in the right direction."10 Some commentators even think that the ADAAA increases the class of disabled individuals too expansively so as unwisely to benefit individuals who are not truly disabled or in need of protection.* 11 But some commentators, including myself, have expressed skepticism about whether the ADAAA will actually affect such a dramatic change in outcomes.12 One reason for such skepticism is that the ADAAA retained the same basic definition of who is a covered individual with a disability, and courts once again may interpret this language narrowly in order to avoid overloaded dockets.13 In addition, many courts have not been receptive to the ADA's reasonable accommodation requirement, finding it to go beyond a simple ban on discrimination to encompass an uncomfortable preferential-treatment mandate. …
kHz-Rate Neural Processors

This chapter presents a design example of a kHz-rate neural processor. A brief introduction to kHz design will be provided, followed by an introduction to neural spike sorting. Several spike-sorting algorithms will be reviewed. Lastly, the design of a 130-μW, 64- channel spike-sorting DSP chip will be presented.
Reed-Sternberg cells in Hodgkin's disease contain fibronectin.

Reed-Sternberg cells in the lymph nodes from five patients with Hodgkin's disease were studied. Indirect immunofluorescence on fixed sections with a monospecific anti-serum to fibronectin revealed abundant cytoplasmic fibronectin in approximately 90% of the Reed- Sternberg cells. In addition, the cells were shown by immunofluorescence to contain polyclonal IgG; however, factor VIII antigen, albumin, fibrinogen, alpha-2-macroglobulin, anti-thrombin III, and ceruloplasmin were not present. The abundant cytoplasmic fibronectin suggests that Reed-Sternberg cells are derived from tissue macrophages.
Medicine, Money, and Christian Rhetoric: The Socio-Economic Dimensions of Healthcare in Late Antiquity

This article explores the socio-economic aspects of medical care in Late Antiquity with a particular emphasis on how payments and medical costs shaped perceptions of physicians as fee-charging individuals. As it illustrates, criticisms of physicians for greed, hucksterism, and chilly indifference to the poor spanned the gamut of ancient literature, and the limited evidence for physicians’ incomes and fees under the Roman Empire does suggest that medical careers were quite profitable. For ethical and philanthropic purposes, though, many ancient physicians chose to forego payment or adjust their fees for patients of lesser means. This essay concludes with a challenge to a common scholarly assertion that the Christianization of Roman society placed greater pressure on physicians to assume more charitable practices. Christians did not differ appreciably from pagans in their criticisms of avaricious physicians; instead, I suggest, Christian leaders who inherited a tradition of censuring physicians for predatory behavior leveraged established Classical discourses about the greedy physicians and the exclusion of the poor from healthcare to persuade parishioners to support almsgiving, particularly the funding of hospitals. Clerics in this way erected a parallel healthcare economy that was explicitly outside of marketplace norms: volunteers, clerics, and paid physicians were to serve the ailing poor at hospitals, while the rich were to fund these operations by treating their diseased souls through the purgative act of almsgiving.
Semi-Supervised Deep Learning System for Epileptic Seizures Onset Prediction

The advance prediction of seizures before its onset has been a challenging task for scientists for a long time. It is still the epileptic patients' hope to find an effective way of preventing seizures to improve the quality of their lives. In this paper, using an innovative mixing of unsupervised and supervised deep learning techniques, we propose a novel epileptic seizure prediction system using electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings from the human brains. The proposed system is built upon classifying between the interictal and the preictal brain states. The proposed system uses two-dimensional deep convolutional autoencoder for learning the best discriminative spatial features from the multichannel unlabeled raw EEG recordings. A Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory recurrent neural network is used for classification based on the temporal information. To help achieve faster learning and reliable convergence for our system, the transfer learning technique is used for initializing the weights for the patient-specific networks. Within, up to one hour of prediction window, our system achieved an average sensitivity of 94.6% and average low false prediction alarm rate of 0.04FP/h which makes it one of the most efficient among state-of-the-art methods.
CYP2C19-Guided Escitalopram and Sertraline Dosing in Pediatric Patients: A Pharmacokinetic Modeling Study

Abstract Objective: Cytochrome P4502C19 (CYP2C19) is a highly polymorphic gene that encodes an enzyme that metabolizes escitalopram and sertraline, two selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI...
Effect of Sodium Hexametaphosphate and Trisodium Phosphate on Dispersion of Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer

Enhancement in dispersion of polycarboxylate superplasticizer (PCE) could be obtained by incorporating retarders in normal concrete. The generally believed reason was that the consumption of free water and polymer at the beginning was reduced by retarding cement hydration. This theory could not convincingly explain why sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) was able to promote the dispersion capacity of PCE, while trisodium phosphate (TSP) could not, despite that both TSP and SHMP could obviously retard the cement hydration. The adsorption behavior of PCE and phosphate was investigated and the mechanism was analyzed in order to gain deeper understanding. The results showed that TSP and SHMP delayed the cement hydration, impeded adsorption process of PCE, and increased thickness of adsorption layer. It was interesting that TSP reduced the dispersion, but SHMP enhanced. The reason for this contradiction was due to the difference in composition of adsorption layer. In the PCE-TSP system, this layer was composed of the precipitates (formed by TSP and Ca2+) and the invalided PCE (caused by these precipitates in the immediate vicinity of the cement grains); the invalided PCE was due to the decrease of PCE dispersion. In the PCE-SHMP system, “Inner-phosphate (multi-layers) + Outer-PCE (single layer)” structure was formed to make the PCE work more effective, hence enhancing the dispersion. These results were expected to be useful for the design of highly efficient dispersants.
Professional Counselors’ Referral Processes to Complementary Health Practitioners

There is a growing interest in the utility of complementary health approaches (CHAs) to promote wellness and health in the United States. Research from medical, allied health, and mental health fie...
Factors associated with viral load kinetics of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus during the 2015 outbreak in South Korea.

We conducted a retrospective study of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) viral load kinetics using data from patients hospitalised with MERS-CoV infection between 19 May and 20 August, 2015. Viral load trajectories were considered over the hospitalisation period using 1,714 viral load results measured in serial respiratory specimens of 185 patients. The viral load levels were significantly higher among non-survivors than among survivors (p=0.003). Healthcare workers (p = 0.001) and non-spreaders (p <0.001) had significantly lower viral loads. Viral RNA was present on the day of symptom onset and peaked 4-10 days after symptom onset.
“They’re Not Going to Do Nothing for Me”: Research Participants’ Attitudes towards Elective Genetic Counseling

As applications of genomic sequencing have expanded, offering genetic counseling support to all patients is arguably no longer practical. Additionally, whether individuals desire and value genetic counseling services for genomic screening is unclear. We offered elective genetic counseling to 5110 individuals prior to undergoing sequencing and 2310 participants who received neutral results to assess demand. A total of 0.2% of the study participants accessed genetic counseling services prior to sequencing, and 0.3% reached out after receiving neutral results. We later conducted 50 interviews with participants to understand why they did not access these services. Many interviewees did not recall the availability of genetic counseling and were unfamiliar with the profession. Interviewees described not needing counseling before sequencing because they understood the study and felt that they could cope with any result. Counseling was considered equally unnecessary after learning neutral results. Although the participants had questions about their results, they did not feel that speaking with a genetic counselor would be helpful. Genomic screening efforts that employ opt-in models of genetic counseling may need to clarify the potential value of genetic counseling support from the outset and feature genetic counseling services more prominently in program materials.
Toward a Low Power E-Skin Interface System on a Chip for Taxel Arrays

Electronic skin (e-skin) interface building blocks are presented that are suitable for integration with array-based tactile sensors for prosthetic applications. The first is a low power, low noise capacitive transimpedance amplifier (CTIA) compatible with charge-based polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) sensors. The second is a high efficiency RISC-V microcontroller unit (MCU) with a custom, on-chip neural processing unit (NPU) to accelerate gesture recognition tasks. Two test chips have been fabricated using a 65 nm CMOS technology: one for the prototype analog front-end (AFE) including the CTIA, and the other for the MCU and NPU. The AFE consumes 112.5 nW per channel, and the MCU consumes 2.83 mW while running the NPU at 112 MHz.
Solving the activity–stability trade-off riddle

Atomically dispersed and nitrogen-coordinated single iron site catalysts hold great promise to replace platinum for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells, but they suffer from significant performance loss. Now, solving the conundrum to distinguish durable and non-durable FeN4 active sites can guide high-performance catalyst design.
Therapeutic regulation of autophagy in hepatic metabolism

Abstract Metabolic homeostasis requires dynamic catabolic and anabolic processes. Autophagy, an intracellular lysosomal degradative pathway, can rewire cellular metabolism linking catabolic to anabolic processes and thus sustain homeostasis. This is especially relevant in the liver, a key metabolic organ that governs body energy metabolism. Autophagy's role in hepatic energy regulation has just begun to emerge and autophagy seems to have a much broader impact than what has been appreciated in the field. Though classically known for selective or bulk degradation of cellular components or energy-dense macromolecules, emerging evidence indicates autophagy selectively regulates various signaling proteins to directly impact the expression levels of metabolic enzymes or their upstream regulators. Hence, we review three specific mechanisms by which autophagy can regulate metabolism: A) nutrient regeneration, B) quality control of organelles, and C) signaling protein regulation. The plasticity of the autophagic function is unraveling a new therapeutic approach. Thus, we will also discuss the potential translation of promising preclinical data on autophagy modulation into therapeutic strategies that can be used in the clinic to treat common metabolic disorders.
Experimental study of three-dimensional CO2-water drainage and fracture-matrix interactions in fractured porous media

Abstract Estimation of CO2 storage capacity in fractured porous reservoirs requires a better understanding of the CO2-water flow fundamentals in fracture-matrix systems. There are few core-flood experiments on three-dimensional CO2-water drainage in a fracture-matrix system, yet none have examined the impacts of the capillary continuity of fractures and fracture-matrix interactions. In this study, twelve drainage experiments were conducted in four fracture-matrix columns, each comprising a vertical stack of a cylindrical rock core, a filter paper serving as an analogue to a horizontal fracture, and a ceramic plate. The core sample was surrounded by open space at the top and circumferential sides to model fractures, allowing for 3-D CO2-water drainage in the rock core and displaced water draining across the horizontal fracture. X-ray computed tomography was conducted to visualize the dynamic invasion/drainage processes in four rock core samples showing contrasts in anisotropy, permeability, and heterogeneity. Experimental results show (1) the equilibrium CO2 saturations in the rock matrix vary from 0.10 to 0.60 at controlled capillary pressures up to 200 kPa, (2) the CO2 saturations in the matrix increaze with water saturation in the horizontal fracture resulting in better capillary continuity for water to drain across the fracture, and (3) the fracture water saturation can be enhanced by the non-uniform fracture capillary pressure and countercurrent flow of CO2 and water across the fracture-matrix interface. In the case of high fracture water saturation, matrix CO2 saturation largely depends on matrix anisotropy and heterogeneity. The core-scale experimental results contribute to understand the fracture-matrix interactions and CO2 storage efficiency in fractured porous media.
Shock-Wave/Boundary-Layer Interactions on an Axisymmetric Body at Mach 2

The flow physics associated with shock-wave/boundary-layer interactions (SBLIs) on an axisymmetric body, simulating a projectile near an aircraft, is of significant interest to the aerodynamic comm...
Soft-X-Ray Harmonics in the Water Window

Over the last decade, much attention has been devoted to the generation and understanding of the process of high-order harmonic generation (HHG).1–5 The potential applications for extremely short-duration (~fs), coherent, VUV and soft-x-ray radiation are numerous.6–9 For in-vitro biological imaging in particular, there has been a need for a compact source of radiation in the so called “water window” region, between the carbon and oxygen K-edges, where water is less absorbing than carbon. In this work we report on our efforts to extend the excellent qualities of high-harmonic generation as a radiation source into the water window region.
Identifying Compounds that Induce Opening of the Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore in Isolated Rat Liver Mitochondria

The mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) is a protein pore that forms in the inner mitochondrial membrane and allows the membrane to be permeable to all molecules of less than 1500 Da. Ca2+, numerous reactive chemicals, and oxidative stress induce MPTP opening, whereas cyclosporin A (CsA) or bongkrekic acid block it. In addition, several drugs have been shown to induce MPTP opening, leading to the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, swelling of the matrix because of water accumulation, rupture of the outer mitochondrial membrane, and release of intermembrane space proteins into the cytosol. This ultimately leads to the rupture of the outer mitochondrial membrane and cell demise. Here, we describe an assay using isolated rat liver mitochondria that can detect Ca2+-dependent drug-induced opening of the MPTP, providing protocols for screening in both cuvette and 96-well format. Curr. Protoc. Toxicol. 60:25.4.1:-25.4.17. © 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: mitochondria permeability transition pore; mitochondrial toxicity; mitochondrial swelling
Studies in partially resolved bacteriophage-host systems: IV. Some properties of the protoplast-infecting agent derived from T2 bacteriophage☆

Abstract Properties of the Escherichia coli protoplast-infective agent (π) derived from T2 are compared with those of T2, as well as with the published properties of pneumococcus transforming principle (TP). π is somewhat more resistant to heat inactivation than T2, much less stable than TP. The destruction of π is a complex process characterized by at least three different reactions. Ultraviolet light inactivates π at a rate closely comparable to that observed for T2 and qualitatively similar to that for TP. The data indicate that the π mixture contains many damaged particles incapable of producing intact virus but capable of contributing to multiplicity reactivation. Unlike T2 and TP, π shows a remarkable instability in solutions of high osmolarity and in solutions containing surface-active agents. The pH stability of all three infective agents is roughly similar. Antiserum against T2 inactivates π, but at a slower rate and to a lesser extent than T2. Protein-inactivating reagents (especially those affecting sulfhydryl groups) have a greater effect on T2. On the other hand, agents primarily affecting DNA and presumed mutagens have parallel effects on T2, on π, and, qualitatively, on TP. DNAase and trypsin have no effect on T2 but destroy π rapidly. TP is destroyed more rapidly by DNAase, but is unaffected by trypsin. It is concluded that π is a highly organized structure consisting of other components in addition to DNA. In size and physical properties π is similar to a phage head, but its sensitivity to various reagents indicates that at least some of the physically protecting protein envelope is lacking or altered. More than one component of the π mixture may contribute to the infectivity for protoplasts; these components seem to differ markedly in their stability to various treatments.
Emergence and artificial life

This paper focuses on emergent phenomena and the utilization of computer simulations, basically agent-based modeling to understand emergent phenomena. Agent-based simulation models have a promising future in the social sciences, from management to economies, political science, sociology and anthropology. This paper attempts to realize their full scientific potential by reviewing recent applications in engineering management and addresses the set of challenges confronted by this method. Common methodology for constructing an agent-based model is also discussed with the aim of highlighting how artificial life and management can be brought together to develop decision making aid tools.
Measurement of Intrinsic Dirac Fermion Cooling on the Surface of the Topological Insulator Bi 2 Se 3 Using Time-Resolved and Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy

We perform time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy of a prototypical topological insulator (TI) Bi_2Se_3 to study the ultrafast dynamics of surface and bulk electrons after photoexcitation. By analyzing the evolution of surface states and bulk band spectra, we obtain their electronic temperature and chemical potential relaxation dynamics separately. These dynamics reveal strong phonon-assisted surface-bulk coupling at high lattice temperature and total suppression of inelastic scattering between the surface and the bulk at low lattice temperature. In this low temperature regime, the unique cooling of Dirac fermions in TI by acoustic phonons is manifested through a power law dependence of the surface temperature decay rate on carrier density.
Dedication to Mikki Jackson

(2005). Dedication to Mikki Jackson. International Journal of Transgenderism: Vol. 8, No. 2-3, pp. xix-xxi.
The Fragility of Public Service: A Leadership Study of Richard II & Measure for Measure

This paper examines how a sustainable ideal of public service and leadership depends upon the attributes and relations among human beings. I will assume that human nature does have substantive referents using the insights of modern cognitive sciences. I will also assume that not only science but also texts and stories can illuminate the constancy of certain attributes of human nature. In particular literature has the capacity to engrave knowledge by uniting the cognitive and emotional dimensions of comprehension. As modern cognitive science and literature studies demonstrate, story telling has the ability to claim attention, engrave knowledge with cognitive and emotional power and provide a forum to expand reflection and possibilities of understanding. Engaging stories bond human minds at multiple levels and permit persons to learn new details and insights about life and themselves. Strong narratives can transform people’s understandings of the world and possibility. Stories also augment people’s theories of mind that enable them to understand other people and actions. The paper examines Shakespeare’s observations about the qualities of persons involved in politics and the tensions that arise between Shakespeare’s models of action and the demands that public service and leadership place upon individuals. Using Shakespeare’s Sonnets and Measure for Measure and Richard II, I examine the attributes of humanity that Shakespeare identifies that make the exercise of public service leadership so fraught; I will examine the dynamics of power and institutions that freight politics and complicate dedication to a public service ideal; I will examine the temptations and distortions of the moral ideal of public service that humans introduce; Finally the paper discusses some ways in which the ideal of public service and leadership can be supplemented with both wider conceptions of the virtue needed by public servants but also institutional constraints upon it.
Faith(fulness) in Christ Jesus in 2 Timothy 3:15

There is a slightly humorous scene in book 2 of Milton's Paradise Lost that describes various actions undertaken by fallen angels after their expulsion from heaven. After breaking into groups in order to pursue a range of interests, some engage in sporting activities, others ready themselves with war exercises, still oth ers sing of their heroic deeds. A fourth group of would-be theologians "Apart sat on a hill retired, / In thoughts more elevate, and reasoned high / Of providence, fore knowledge, will and fate, / Fixed fate, free will, foreknowledge absolute, / And found no end, in wandering mazes lost" (2.558-61). Had Milton lived in our time, he may well have added to this list of seemingly intractable theological topics an additional line: "And they also disputed the πίστις Χρίστου construction in Paul's letters, and from that labyrinth never did emerge." Or perhaps the image of angels practicing for battle provides a more fitting metaphor for the πίστις Χριστοϋ debate. The two primary camps are well known. On the one side, proponents of the objective genitive emphasize that for Paul human faith is placed in Christ, with Christ as the object of such faith. On the other side, advocates of the subjective genitive contend that the πίστις Χριστοϋ con struction refers to the faithfulness of Christ himself. The main lines of interpreta tion have been drawn and many key texts have already been dissected (i.e., Gal
The generalized Riemann-Stieltjes integral

We define a generalized Riemann-Stieltjes integral with respect to charges (i.e., additive continuous functions on bounded \(BV\) sets), and study the linear space of all functions that are integrable with respect to every charge.
Potential Importance of Dissimilatory Fe(III)-Reducing Microorganisms in Hot Sedimentary Environments

Fe(III) is available as an electron acceptor in many modern hot (80-110°C) sedimentary environments which hyperthermophilic microorganisms inhabit and Fe(III) may have been an important electron acceptor as microbial life evolved on hot, ancient Earth. Recent studies have demonstrated that the ability to reduce Fe(III) is a highly conserved characteristic of hyperthermophiles and that the metabolic capabilities of some hyperthermophiles are greatly expanded when Fe(III) is available as an electron acceptor. An increasing diversity of novel hyperthermophiles, including some that are known to be important in the environment from molecular studies, are being recovered from hot environments when Fe(III) oxide is used as the electron acceptor for enrichment and isolation. These include the first hyperthermophiles documented to anaerobically oxidize acetate, a key intermediate in anaerobic carbon and electron flow, as well aromatic compounds and long-chain fatty acids. This suggests that complex organic matter can be oxidized to carbon dioxide with Fe(III) serving as the sole electron acceptor in hot microbial ecosystems. In addition to reducing Fe(III), some hyperthermophiles can reduce a variety of other metals, including U(VI) and Au(III), providing a potential explanation for the deposition of metals in some hot environments. Although the study of Fe(III) reduction in hyperthermophiles is still in its infancy, it is clear that Fe(III) reduction is central to the metabolism of many hyperthermophiles and that when Fe(III) is available in hot, microbial ecosystems, it has the potential to be an important electron acceptor for the anaerobic oxidation of hydrogen and organic matter.
An undergraduate digital signal processing lab as an example of integrated teaching

This paper describes the development of the undergraduate digital signal processing curriculum at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. A real-time digital signal processing laboratory is setup to enhance digital signal, processing courses and to conduct senior capstone design projects. This effort has been supported by an NSF grant and by the University of Michigan-Dearborn.