cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Burst mode control and switched-capacitor converters losses

The feasibility of applying burst mode control in regulation of classical switched-capacitor converters is reevaluated. The results show that contrary to switched inductor based converters, this simple and easy to implement control has no efficiency advantage in terms of conduction losses over frequency modulation control when used to regulate classical switched-capacitor based converters. It is expected, however, that the burst mode could be viable for very low power applications in reducing biasing and housekeeping associated losses if reduced during the burst off time.
Wound management of the traumatically injured patient.

All trauma patients have one thing in common: the presence of a wound. The critical care nurse’s knowledge of the mechanism of injury, host risk factors, physiology of wound healing, and wound treatment allows the nurse to develop a plan of care which will optimize wound healing. Critical care nurses play a pivotal role in the establishment and maintenance of an environment which will maximize traumatic wound healing.
A CONTRIBUTION TO THE THEORY OF BULK QUEUES

SUMMARY Two general models for a queue in which groups of entities arrive at a single service line and are serviced in groups are defined. Various equilibrium properties for both models are established in terms of the traffic intensity p. For the special case of Poisson arrivals the first model is analyzed with reference to the imbedded Markov chain, the waiting time, and the busy period. It is demonstrated that if the entities arrive in groups the stationary distribution of the imbedded Markov chain does not agree with the general equilibrium distribution obtained by letting time t -> oo. For the special case of exponential service the stationary distribution of the imbedded Markov chain for the second model is obtained and the waiting time problem is discussed briefly. 1. GENERAL DEFINITION OF A BULK QUEUE The first treatment of a group queue occurred in the work of N. T. J. Bailey (1954) and F. Downton (1955). In their model the customers still arrived singly but were serviced in groups of s. Bailey derived the stationary distribution of the number of customers in the queue, and Downton obtained the Laplace transform of the waiting time distribution in equilibrium. In this paper an attempt is made to treat the general problem in which the customers arrive in groups and are serviced in groups. Since both Bailey and Downton referred to their group service as bulk service, this general model will be given the title of "bulk queue". The general model for a bulk queue can be described as follows. Groups of entities (individuals or elements) arrive at a service line and are serviced in groups; the service groups do not necessarily coincide with the arrival groups. The number of entities in an arrival group and the length of time to the arrival of the next group (inter-arrival time) are independent random variables which are identically (respectively) distributed with each succeeding group. Similarly, the number of entities allowed in a service group, and the service period time for that group, are independently and identically (respectively) distributed with each succeeding service group. The service random variables are independent of the arrival random variables.
LITHISTID SPONGE-MICROBIAL REEF-BUILDING COMMUNITIES CONSTRUCT LAMINATED, UPPER CAMBRIAN (FURONGIAN) ‘STROMATOLITES'

Laminoid, weakly fused sponge spicule networks are intercalated between convex stromatolitic laminae in an upper Cambrian (Furongian) reef. Sponges are small, millimeter to centimeter-sized lithistids that encrusted automicritic laminae and in turn were encrusted by microbial biofilms, eventually leading to columnar, crudely laminated ‘stromatolites'. Weakly fused desmas, now replaced with fine, blocky calcite, possess an arcuate geometry along the medial to distal ray axes. Minimal decay and separation of sponge tissue from these spicules produced arcuate, filament-like cavities that obscure the former presence of spicule networks when viewed in cross-section. Further deterioration produced peloidal networks and voids. These observations have important implications when reconstructing middle to late Cambrian reef-building communities. Until recently, these periods were assumed to be virtually devoid of calcified metazoan reefal components. An increasing number of recent studies, however, are demonstrating that metazoan reef-builders were more prevalent. This paper adds a unique element to the nature of framebuilding by demonstrating that lithistid sponge-microbial reef-building communities constructed laminated ‘stromatolites,' and thus may have had a flourishing ecology within late Cambrian microbial buildups.
An Image Compression System

A lossless image compression system is described, which consists of a statistical model and an arithmetic code. The model first performs a prediction of each pixel by a plane, and then it collects the occurrence counts of the prediction errors, conditioned on past pixels forming a "context". The counts are collected in a tree, constructed adaptively, and the size of the context with which each pixel is encoded is optimized.
Intervento sulla crisi con vittime di crimini violenti

Nel campo dell’intervento sulla crisi, un’attenzione specifica viene riservata alla vittimologia, lo studio scientifico di mali e lesioni fisiche, mentali e finanziarie di cui le persone possono soffrire a causa di attivita criminali. I vittimologi studiano la diffusione della vittimizzazione, le reazioni della gente alla condizione di essere vittima, l’impatto delle lesioni e delle perdite inflitte dai colpevoli, nonche il trattamento delle vittime da parte del sistema di giustizia criminale.
GPU-Based Branchless Distance-Driven Projection and Backprojection

Projection and backprojection operations are essential in a variety of image reconstruction and physical correction algorithms in computed tomography (CT). The distance-driven (DD) projection and backprojection are widely used for their favorable image quality properties, highly sequential memory access pattern and low arithmetic cost. However, a typical DD implementation has an inner loop that adjusts the calculation depending on the relative position between voxel and detector cell boundaries. The irregularity of the branch behavior makes it inefficient to be implemented on massively parallel computing devices, such as graphics processing units (GPUs). Such irregular branch behaviors can be eliminated by factorizing the DD operation as three branchless steps: integration, linear interpolation, and differentiation, all of which are highly amenable to massive vectorization. In this paper, we implement and evaluate a highly parallel branchless DD algorithm for three-dimensional cone beam CT. The algorithm utilizes the texture memory and hardware interpolation on GPUs to achieve fast computational speed. The developed branchless DD algorithm achieved 137-fold speedup for forward projection and 188-fold speedup for backprojection relative to a single-thread CPU implementation. Compared with a state-of-the-art 32-thread CPU implementation, the proposed branchless DD achieved eight-fold acceleration for forward projection and ten-fold acceleration for backprojection. The GPU-based branchless DD method was evaluated by iterative reconstruction algorithms with both simulation and real datasets. It obtained visually identical images as the CPU reference algorithm.
The police patrol rifle: Training standards in American law enforcement agencies

This work focuses upon the training associated with patrol rifles in American police agencies. Patrol rifles are the firearms most commonly employed by tactical units, but are now often carried by police officers in their patrol cars. The inevitability thesis suggests that arming street-level officers with patrol rifles is part of the natural evolution of firearms in policing. Officers, however, must be adequately trained. Data were gathered from a broad sample of police agencies from across the country. Police officers attending the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy in the spring and summer of 2015 completed a pen and paper survey with questions about police agency training and policies regarding the use of patrol rifles. In total, 370 usable surveys were completed. Results show that over 95% of American police agencies allow street-level officers to deploy with patrol rifles. Although training is primarily provided by internal sources, officers are trained for a variety of situations in...
The Dilemma of Narcissistic Leadership: Overcoming Resistance to Consultations

In response to growing corporate interest in assessments of toxic leaders, this paper presents a description of a consultation within an organization suffering through significant dysfunction and d...
The Psychological Effects of Playing Exergames: A Systematic Review.

Abstract Successful exergames should lead players not only to achieve enough level of energy expenditure but also to engage in the play itself. The aim of this study is to review studies that explored the psychological effects of playing exergames, from the viewpoint of player engagement. Peer-reviewed journal articles in English collected via database search (Science Direct, Web of Science, ACM Digital Library) from 2011 to 2015 were considered, and 45 experimental studies were selected out of 911 studies. The results show that a variety of psychological effects of engagement including enjoyment, immersion, and flow were measured in the exergame studies. In addition, physiological variables (e.g., energy expenditure), feedback modality (e.g., auditory and tactile), and play modes (e.g., solitary or group play mode) are related to psychological effects of playing exergames. Finally, salient methodological issues (e.g., validated measurement, sample size calculation) in the studies are identified and discu...
Early Detection of Molecular Residual Disease in Localized Lung Cancer by Circulating Tumor DNA Profiling

Identifying molecular residual disease (MRD) after treatment of localized lung cancer could facilitate early intervention and personalization of adjuvant therapies. Here, we apply cancer personalized profiling by deep sequencing (CAPP-seq) circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis to 255 samples from 40 patients treated with curative intent for stage I-III lung cancer and 54 healthy adults. In 94% of evaluable patients experiencing recurrence, ctDNA was detectable in the first posttreatment blood sample, indicating reliable identification of MRD. Posttreatment ctDNA detection preceded radiographic progression in 72% of patients by a median of 5.2 months, and 53% of patients harbored ctDNA mutation profiles associated with favorable responses to tyrosine kinase inhibitors or immune checkpoint blockade. Collectively, these results indicate that ctDNA MRD in patients with lung cancer can be accurately detected using CAPP-seq and may allow personalized adjuvant treatment while disease burden is lowest.Significance: This study shows that ctDNA analysis can robustly identify posttreatment MRD in patients with localized lung cancer, identifying residual/recurrent disease earlier than standard-of-care radiologic imaging, and thus could facilitate personalized adjuvant treatment at early time points when disease burden is lowest. Cancer Discov; 7(12); 1394-403. ©2017 AACR.See related commentary by Comino-Mendez and Turner, p. 1368This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1355.
Designing for Narrative-Like Learning Experiences

Recent emphasis in instructional design literature on the aesthetic qualities of learning experiences can be enhanced with tools and resources from other design fields similarly focused on designing experiences. Disney Imagineers create theme park experiences around some sort of story, and they often use storyboarding and methods like it to design the experiences beforehand. Though instructional designers likely do not have Disney’s physical or financial resources, this paper suggests that designers can nevertheless design for learning experiences that follow a narrative-like arc. Recommendations from instructional design scholars as well as others are brought to bear on the potential for narrative-like sequencing in designing for learning experiences. Practical support for designers is also offered to aid designers in making small but significant changes in their typical design work.
Improving Virus Taxonomy by Recontextualizing Sequence-Based Classification with Biologically Relevant Data: the Case of the Alphacoronavirus 1 Species.

ABSTRACT The difficulties related to virus taxonomy have been amplified by recent advances in next-generation sequencing and metagenomics, prompting the field to revisit the question of what constitutes a useful viral classification. Here, taking a challenging classification found in coronaviruses, we argue that consideration of biological properties in addition to sequence-based demarcations is critical for generating useful taxonomy that recapitulates complex evolutionary histories. Within the Alphacoronavirus genus, the Alphacoronavirus 1 species encompasses several biologically distinct viruses. We carried out functionally based phylogenetic analysis, centered on the spike gene, which encodes the main surface antigen and primary driver of tropism and pathogenesis. Within the Alphacoronavirus 1 species, we identify clade A (encompassing serotype I feline coronavirus [FCoV] and canine coronavirus [CCoV]) and clade B (grouping serotype II FCoV and CCoV and transmissible gastroenteritis virus [TGEV]-like viruses). We propose this clade designation, along with the newly proposed Alphacoronavirus 2 species, as an improved way to classify the Alphacoronavirus genus. IMPORTANCE Our work focuses on improving the classification of the Alphacoronavirus genus. The Alphacoronavirus 1 species groups viruses of veterinary importance that infect distinct mammalian hosts and includes canine and feline coronaviruses and transmissible gastroenteritis virus. It is the prototype species of the Alphacoronavirus genus; however, it encompasses biologically distinct viruses. To better characterize this prototypical species, we performed phylogenetic analyses based on the sequences of the spike protein, one of the main determinants of tropism and pathogenesis, and reveal the existence of two subgroups or clades that fit with previously established serotype demarcations. We propose a new clade designation to better classify Alphacoronavirus 1 members.
An Interactive Program for the Analysis of Data from Two-Level Factorial Experiments via Probability Plotting

An interactive computer program that expedites the analysis for unreplicated two-level factorial and fractional factorial experimental designs advocated by Daniel (1976) and Box, Hunter, and Hunter...
Axial InAs(Sb) inserts in selective-area InAsP nanowires on InP for optoelectronics beyond 25 µm

In this work, we report on the growth of high yield small bandgap InAs and InAsSb inserts embedded in InAsP nanowires grown on an InP substrate by catalyst-free selective-area metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. It is observed that the growth of the inserts with high aspect ratios can be achieved by properly tuning the V/III ratio. Nanowire arrays with InAs(Sb) inserts exhibit strong photoluminescence at 77 K from interband transitions, spanning a wavelength range of 2.30–3.70 µm. In addition, the InAsP/InAs heterointerfaces are characterized by a scanning transmission electron microscope and an energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. We believe that these results pave the way to engineering interband transitions and enabling hybrid integration for nanoscale optical devices at the mid-wavelength infrared.
Medium for External Acoustic Transmission

The transducer-skin interface artifact makes single crystal, sector-scanner and multicrystal echocardiographic assessment of anterior cardiac structures technically more difficult than posterior structure evaluation. Furthermore, because of transducer fulcrum effect (pie wedge), relatively less area of the anterior heart can be evaluated with standard single crystal echocardiography during a sweep or with use of sector-scanners. In smaller children, further problems exist with two dimensional instruments. These include the sector-scanner transducer vibrations which might frighten children and loss of transducer-skin contact with small degrees of transducer angulation from multicrystal instruments.
A scheme for feature construction and a comparison of empirical methods

A class of concept learning algorithms CL augments standard similarity-based techniques by performing feature construction based on the SBL output. Pagallo and Hausslcr's FRINGE, Pagallo's extension Symmetric FRINGE (Sym-Fringe) and a refinement we call DCFringe are all instances of this class using decision trees as their underlying representation. These methods use patterns at the fringe of the tree to guide their construction, but DCFringe uses limited construction of conjunction and disjunction. Experiments with small DNF and CNF concepts show that DCFringe outperforms both the purely conjunctive FRINGE and the less restrictive SymFringe, in terms of accuracy, conciseness, and efficiency. Further, the gain of these methods is linked to the size of the training set. We discuss the apparent limitation of current methods to concepts exhibiting a low degree of feature interaction, and suggest ways to alleviate it. This leads to a feature construction approach based on a wider variety of patterns restricted by statistical measures and optional knowledge.
LA-iQID: A novel high-resolution CCD-based gamma camera for lymphatic imaging

iQID is an intensified quantum imaging detector developed at the Center for Gamma-Ray Imaging, University of Arizona. Based on the combination of a columnar scintillator, image intensifier, relay lens and fast-frame-rate CCD/CMOS sensor, iQID features ultra-high spatial resolution $( < 100 \mu \mathrm {m})$, versatility, portability, and photon-counting capability. Originally developed for preclinical imaging, iQID cameras have been successfully used in small-animal scintigraphy, SPECT imaging, and particle imaging. As the first translation of iQID technology to clinical applications, this paper describes the design and development of a large-area iQID (LA-iQID) camera with sub-mm resolution performance and FOV of 188mm $\times 188$ mm for dedicated point-of-care lymphatic imaging.
Study of the Operation of a Continuous Modular Bioreactor Used for Treatment of Wastewater from a Recycling Industry of by-Products from Slaughterhouses

The objective of this paper was to present the operational performance of a bioreactor’s technology for treating wastewater from a recycling industry of by-products from slaughterhouses. In addition, it contributes to overcome the main disadvantages of treatment using Australian pond systems. The modular bioreactor described in this work consists of an alternative and innovative equipment that operates continuously on an industrial scale, which enables the treatment of liquid waste. The modular bioreactor was constructed of reinforced concrete with dimensions 70 m in length, 1.2 m in width, and 0.6 m in height, with an internal volume of 35,000 L, the process of wastewater degradation alternating between aerobic and anoxic conditions, being predominantly anoxic. The bioreactor was tested in two stages, by using this industrial wastewater. In the first stage, totaling 243 days, a primary effluent was added, consisting of high concentration of pollutants; and in a second stage, totaling 288 days, it was added a biologically pretreated effluent (after an anaerobic post-digestion process). The input-output parameters pH, turbidity, conductivity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen were monitored weekly, while total phosphorus, orthophosphate, total nitrogen, ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, total suspended solids, sedimented solids, oils and greases, COD, BOD, and alkalinity parameters were determined monthly. The bioreactor was promising in terms of pollutant removal efficiency, and partial nitrification may have occurred on a continuous scale in the first stage of the tests.
Inversion Climatology in High-Production Agricultural Regions of Missouri and Implications for Pesticide Applications

ABSTRACTMost pesticides applied in the United States have labels that include language prohibiting application during temperature inversions. This restriction, which is well known and is followed b...
Vocal fold contact pressure in a three-dimensional body-cover phonation model

The goal of this study is to identify vocal fold geometric and mechanical conditions that are likely to produce large contact pressure and thus high risk of vocal fold injury. Using a three-dimensional computational model of phonation, parametric simulations are performed with co-variations in vocal fold geometry and stiffness, with and without a vocal tract. For each simulation, the peak contact pressure is calculated. The results show that the subglottal pressure and the transverse stiffness of the vocal folds in the coronal plane have the largest and most consistent effect on the peak contact pressure, indicating the importance of maintaining a balance between the subglottal pressure and transverse stiffness to avoiding vocal fold injury. The presence of a vocal tract generally increases the peak contact pressure, particularly for an open-mouth vocal tract configuration. While a low degree of vocal fold approximation significantly reduces vocal fold contact pressure, for conditions of moderate and tight vocal fold approximation changes in vocal fold approximation may increase or decrease the peak contact pressure. The effects of the medial surface thickness and vocal fold stiffness along the anterior-posterior direction are similarly inconsistent and vary depending on other control parameters and the vocal tract configuration.
Aquaporin-4 IgG seropositivity is associated with worse visual outcomes after optic neuritis than MOG-IgG seropositivity and multiple sclerosis, independent of macular ganglion cell layer thinning.

Background:Comparative studies of characteristics of optic neuritis (ON) associated with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-IgG (MOG-ON) and aquaporin-4-IgG (AQP4-ON) seropositivity are limited.Ob...
Do local governments use business tax incentives to compensate for high business property taxes

Abstract Why do municipalities set business property taxes higher than the costs of business services when, in competitive markets, this would result in the inefficient provision of public goods? Statutory tax rates may be set artificially high to allow selective reductions for targeted firms through incentives. We examine the nearly 2500 tax codes—sub-municipal geographic areas—that host business locations in 134 municipalities in Cook County, Illinois. We explain spatial variation in tax incentives as a function of the relative competitiveness of tax codes. Our findings suggest that municipalities apply property tax abatements to offset their own relatively uncompetitive tax rates but use Tax Increment Financing (TIF) incentives to engage in vertical competition in order to capture revenue from overlapping governments.
Review of Kolmogorov Complexity and Algorithmic Randomness by A. Shen, V. A. Uspensky, and N. Vereshchagin

This is a book about Kolmogorov complexity and algorithmic randomness. The main idea in Kolmogorov complexity, introduced by A. N. Kolmogorov and others in the 1960's, is to use an algorithmic approach to measure the amount of information in finite objects [1]. Kolmogorov wanted to create an information theory that, unlike Shannon information theory, is founded independently from probability theory. This approach results in a notion of randomness that is independent from the notion of probability and is closer to the intuition that "randomness is the absence of regularities" [2, 1]. As authors stated in the introduction, this book is not intended to be comprehensive, especially with respect to the more recent results; However, the authors cover a wide range of topics and results in Kolmogorov complexity theory and whenever a result is not rigorously investigated, sufficient references are provided. The book starts from the basic concepts and builds its way up toward the more advanced concepts and techniques. The progress from the introductory to the advanced topics is seamless which makes the reading an enjoyable experience. Concepts and techniques are explained very well and proofs are rigorous, detailed, and clear. Important and complicated proofs are usually followed by excellent discussions about the main ideas and techniques used in them. The book also contains many interesting and insightful philosophical discussions.
EUCAST and CLSI Point-Counterpoint on Susceptibility Breakpoints: Do Two "I Agree"s Miss the Point?

To paraphrase (in my own words) a Sufi teaching parable that is apropos for the Point-Counterpoint on differences between CLSI and EUCAST with respect to reporting a bacterial isolate as “intermediate” (I) or as “susceptible dose dependent” (SDD) ([1][1]), I offer the following. A wise man
On the Tunable Sparse Graph Solver for Pose Graph Optimization in Visual SLAM Problems

We report a tunable sparse optimization solver that can trade a slight decrease in accuracy for significant speed improvement in pose graph optimization in visual simultaneous localization and mapping (vSLAM). The solver is designed for devices with significant computation and power constraints such as mobile phones or tablets. Two approaches have been combined in our design. The first is a graph pruning strategy by exploiting objective function structure to reduce the optimization problem size which further sparsifies the optimization problem. The second step is to accelerate each optimization iteration in solving increments for the gradient-based search in Gauss-Newton type optimization solver. We apply a modified Cholesky factorization and reuse the decomposition result from last iteration by using Cholesky update/downdate to accelerate the computation. We have implemented our solver and tested it with open source data. The experimental results show that our solver can be twice as fast as the counterpart while maintaining a loss of less than 5% in accuracy.
Retention of primary bile salts by dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) during in vitro digestion: Role of bean components and effect of food processing

The positive effect of common beans on reducing blood cholesterol levels has been linked to their ability to sequester bile salts (BS) and prevent their recycling. We have examined the preferences of major bean components (soluble/insoluble fiber, starch and proteins) to retain BS, and the role played by the bean matrix. Additionally, the kinetics of BS-release were evaluated in bean flours generated by a combination of hydrothermal or high-hydrostatic pressure (HHP), and mechanical treatments. An in vitro digestion model combined with dialysis was used to evaluate separately the retention of primary individual BS. Soluble fiber retained a significant proportion of BS mainly due to an increased digesta viscosity; however, the protein fraction exhibited the greatest BS retention without affecting viscosity. The thermal properties of proteins and starch were more significantly affected in presence of tauro-chenodeoxycholate, which correlated to the affinity of both fractions to retain more hydrophobic BS during digestion. Glyco-chenodeoxycholate and tauro-cholate were the most and least effectively retained BS by bean flours, respectively. Neither of the processing treatments had an impact on the binding preferences of bean flours to the primary BS; however, the largest BS retention was caused by HHP at 600 MPa. Bean materials preferentially delayed the release of chenodeoxycholate BS, which is probably related to BS micelle formation. These findings demonstrate that a combination of viscosity, molecular and compositional factors is triggering the BS-retention capacity of beans, and indicate the importance of evaluating contribution of individual bean components and as whole system.
In Reply: Menopause, vitamin D, and oral health (August 2009)

Readers comment on how vitamin D deficiency may affect oral health in menopause (August 2009), and on whether drugs for prostate cancer prevention are equivalent (August 2009).
Memorializing Migration: Immigrant Patronage, Public Memory and the Syrian Centennial Monument to Argentina (1910)

Debates surrounding immigration came to an apex during Argentina’s Centennial in 1910, when the country honoured the 100-year anniversary of its declared independence. Amidst the monuments sponsored by immigrant groups for the event, the first memorial built by a Middle Eastern diaspora community emerged—the Monument of the Syrian Residents to the Argentine Nation, 1810–1910. The sculpture reflects the construction of revised collective memories and transnational identities. By unpacking migrant flows and ideologies that travelled from the Eastern Mediterranean to Argentina, the Syrian monument reveals itself as a strategic tool for its patrons in the urban fabric. Its tangible form, along with theoretical frameworks of memory and performativity, illustrates how this monument countered anti-immigrant discourses while crafting transregional allegiances and idealized memories of migration.
AdaPrune: An Accelerator-aware Pruning Technique for Sustainable CNN Accelerators

Convolutional neural network (CNN) accelerators have achieved great success from cloud to edge scenarios. However, given the trend towards even larger and deeper neural network models, it remains a challenging problem to efficiently process these CNNs especially on edge devices with limited energy budget. Accordingly, reducing the energy consumption is of paramount importance for sustainable CNN accelerators. In this paper, we propose AdaPrune, a novel pruning technique that reduces model size and computation to achieve performance improvement and energy savings for CNN accelerators. Unlike previous pruning techniques that sacrifice either computational regularity or accuracy, AdaPrune maintains both by customizing CNN pruning for the underlying accelerators to maximally leverage the sparsity benefits. AdaPrune consists of two techniques: input channel group pruning and output channel group pruning. By analyzing the weight fetching patterns of sparse CNN accelerators, AdaPrune adaptively switches between the two techniques to guarantee that the zeros are evenly distributed in each fetching group. In doing so, the pruned network structure preserves customized computational regularity for the underlying accelerators, thereby boosting the performance and energy efficiency. The experimental results show that AdaPrune achieves up to 1.6 $\times$ performance speedup, and 1.5 $\times$ energy savings compared to unstructured pruning
The US-China Trade War and Debunking Myths about China’s Intellectual Property Regime

Complaints about China’s intellectual property (IP) regime have contributed to one of the largest trade wars in modern history: the US-China trade war starting in 2018. How did we get here? I offer a somewhat counter-intuitive explanation for this state of affairs. I argue that a notable portion, albeit certainly not all, of the recent US-China trade war is attributable to major conflicting myths about China’s IP regime borne in scholarly, government, and business circles.
Pathologic correlation with near infrared-indocyanine green guided surgery for pediatric liver cancer

Abstract Purpose Hepatoblastoma (HB) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are the most common primary malignant tumors of childhood. Intraoperative indocyanine green (ICG) administration with near-infrared imaging (NIR) has emerged as a surgical technology that can be used to assist with localization of pulmonary metastases secondary to HB; however, there has been limited application as an adjunct for resection of the primary liver tumor and assessment of extrahepatic disease. Methods We present 14 patients treated for HB, HCC, and malignant rhabdoid tumor at our institution with the use of intraoperative NIR-ICG guidance. All patients were treated with 0.2–0.75 mg/kg IV ICG, 48–96 h prior to surgery. Intraoperative NIR-ICG guided imaging was performed with several commercial devices. Results Intraoperative NIR-ICG guidance allowed pulmonary metastasectomy in five patients using thoracoscopy or thoracotomy allowing for visualization of multiple nodules not seen on preoperative imaging most of which were positive for malignancy. NIR-ICG guidance allowed for assessment of extrahepatic extension in three patients; an HCC patient with extrahepatic lymph node extension of disease, an HB patient with extrapulmonary thoracic recurrence in the diaphragm and chest wall, and a patient with tumor rupture at diagnosis with peritoneal nodules at the time of surgery. This technique was used to guide partial hepatectomy in 11 patients for which the technique enabled successful identification of tumor and tumor margins. Three patients had nonspecific staining of the liver secondary to decreased timing from ICG injection to surgery or biliary obstruction. NIR-ICG enabled resection of satellite HB lesions in three multifocal patients and confirmed a benign satellite lesion in two additional patients. Conclusions Intraoperative use of NIR-ICG imaging during partial hepatectomy enabled enhanced identification and guidance for surgical resection of extrahepatic disease and multifocal liver tumors for the treatment of children with primary liver cancer.
Letter to the Editor: A case study on engineering failure analysis of link chain

Abstract The article by Tae-Gu Kim et al. conducted elastic FE modeling, which was inappropriate for fracture of elastic-plastic chain material (11.3% of elongation). FE analysis results and the findings in the fractographic analysis did not tally but contradicted each other. The article identified “incorrect installation”/ bending forces as the root cause while FE results of the chain under bending forces showed very low stresses at fracture locations but the highest stress in the middle of shank of the chain. The article's “step-like topographies indicating the fracture due to bending moment rather than uniaxial tension” lacked scientific support. The load value carried by each chain section under bending/incorrect installation was only half of that under tension, thus the article using same load value in FE simulation comparison for bending and tension was incorrect. The real cause of the chain fracture was likely improper checking the lifted load or/and using the wrong chain with much lower safety working load.
Tracer diffusion

The properties of point defects are of major concern in the interpretation and application of irradiation effects in solids. To this end, diffusion studies provide valuable understanding and information. A central tool is the high specific-activity radiotracer, itself a product of nuclear research. This paper reviews the development of our understanding of atomic migration phenomena, starting from the period just after World War II, when radiotracers became generally available. Application of these techniques, along with developments in other fields, soon provided detailed thermodynamic and dynamic information about microscopic point defect processes. In the cases of such simple metals as the pure noble metals, we now have convincing models of mechanism, along with quantitative values of such parameters as activation enthalpies and entropies, correlation factors, activation volumes, and the energetics of interactions with solute ions and with other defects. For other systems, such as the bcc metals, tracer studies have provided a wealth of knowledge and have revealed a rich range of phenomena, many of which have not yet been unambiguously explained.
Political disobedience and the climate emergency

Climate activists have recently engaged in widely publicized acts of politically motivated lawbreaking. This article identifies and critically analyzes two seemingly overlapping but in fact divergi...
Compact PCM-based thermal stores for shifting peak cooling loads

Thermal energy stores, when used as part of a demand management system, can shift peak cooling loads to off-peak hours or to periods when intermittent renewable energy sources are available. This enables more efficient use of baseline and renewable electric capacity, and reduces dependence on less efficient and more costly peak energy power plants. High density thermal stores can be an effective retrofit option for existing buildings and environmental control systems. This paper investigates the development of a simple, compact, high density thermal storage unit suitable for use in small to medium residential or commercial applications that utilize, or can be retrofitted to use, chilled water cooling coils. This thermal store design is based on the use of a widely available phase change material (PCM), macro-encapsulated into cylindrical tubes that are packed into a containment tank. An experimental scale model of this thermal store is constructed for test purposes, and tests are conducted to determine the feasibility of this design and to characterize its operation. A numeric model is developed to demonstrate the feasibility of modeling such a store using simplified assumptions, both for design purposes and real-time predictive control strategies. The results show that such a design increases thermal capacity over that of a simple chilled water tank, and that a simplified numeric model for use by control systems can predict the short-term performance of the store in near real-time.
Urea cycle disorders revisited – clinical, biochemical and therapeutical aspects

Urea cycle disorders (UCDs) are inherited defects of nitrogen metabolism that can result in life-threatening hyperammonemia and severe neurological disease [1]. The overall incidence of the entire group of disorders is estimated at about 1 in 35.000 to 40.000 [2, 3] but there may still be underreporting due to undiagnosed patients. The affected pathway, the urea cycle, is only expressed in the liver and is the main route for detoxification of ammonia in the human body [4]. There are six enzymes and two transporters directly involved in this pathway but, in addition, several inherited and acquired conditions can lead to impaired urea cycle function. Accordingly, there is a long list of differential diagnoses that can result in primary or secondary hyperammonemia, i.e. direct or indirect defects of the urea cycle [5]. UCDs are panethnic diseases but the distribution of disorders around the world is heterogeneous resulting in different frequencies of single UCDs in Japan, Europe or the US. 
Subcellular Zinc Deficiency Links with ER and Mitochondria Cell Death Signaling in Alcoholic Liver Disease

Induction of hepatic zinc deficiency and apoptotic cell death are consistently observed in patients with alcoholic liver disease. This study aimed to determine how chronic alcohol exposure affects subcellular zinc homeostasis and whether organelle zinc deficiency drives ER and mitochondrial cell death signaling. Rats were pair-fed with control or ethanol liquid diet for 5 months. Alcohol exposure reduced zinc level in whole liver and isolated ER and mitochondria. Zinc transporter proteins were detected in both isolated ER and mitochondria, and alcohol exposure increased ER ZIP 13, an export transporter. Alcohol exposure induced cell death signaling from both ER as indicated by increased ER stress marker proteins (p-eIF2α, ATF4, and CHOP) and mitochondria as indicated by increased mitochondrial Bax and cytosolic cytochrome c. To define the role of zinc deficiency in generation of cell death signaling, hepatoma cells were treated with zinc chelator, 3 µM TPEN. Zinc deprivation induced caspase-3 activation a...
A comparison of quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance methods: internal, external, and electronic referencing

The performance of three quantitative NMR methods was compared in terms of short-term and long-term precision and accuracy, robustness, linear range, and general applicability. The Internal Reference method employs a reference material co-dissolved with sample; the External Reference method employs a reference material contained in a separate solution; and the third method, known as Electronic REference To access In vivo Concentrations (ERETIC), employs an externally calibrated digital reference peak. The Internal Reference method results were the most precise and remained stable within 0.1% for at least 4 weeks. The results from the External Reference and ERETIC methods were practically equivalent to each other during this time. These methods exhibited small differences relative to the standard set by the Internal Reference method and slightly lower precision, establishing them as practical alternatives to the Internal Reference method. In contrast to the Internal Reference method, the External Reference and ERETIC methods possess several advantages that address peak overlap, flexibility of calibration, and duration of applicability. The study was designed such that each spectrum contained the information needed to compare the three methods while all other variables were kept constant. Applicability of pulse width compensation is addressed. ERETIC software compensation and minor adjustments to 90° pulse width were concluded to be unnecessary for this system. Although each of the methods was applied here to specifically calculate and compare chemical purity values, this evaluation applies generally to absolute quantitation by NMR. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
From #mcdonaldsfail to #dominossucks: An analysis of Instagram images about the 10 largest fast food companies

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the crisis information posted by publics on the social media platform Instagram about leading fast food companies as well as the responses by the companies and their general use of Instagram. Design/methodology/approach – In two quantitative content analyses, 711 Instagram posts were identified in a two-week constructed time period that related to the ten largest fast food chains in the world. Findings – It was found that negative content about these companies is posted by customers and employees alike and that the negative tonality primarily stems from issues with service and the work environment. The study also showed that the companies are just starting to discover Instagram and have very little engagement with users. None of the companies responded to the negative posts of customers and employees. Research limitations/implications – The analysis only evaluated posts with negative hashtags about ten fast food companies. Future research should expand the...
Glycosidases. Ligands for affinity chromatography. III. Syntheses of p-aminophenyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-1-thio-beta-D-glucopyranoside and -galactopyranoside.

Abstract p -Aminophenyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-1-thio-β- D -glucopyranoside and -galactopyranoside were synthesized for use as ligands in the purification of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β- D -glucosidase, from Aspergillus niger and Phaseolus vulgaris , by affinity chromatography. The condensation of 2-acetamido-1,3,4,6-tetra- O -acetyl-2-deoxy-α- D -glucose and -β- D -galactose with p -nitrothiophenol in the presence of zinc chloride afforded p -nitrophenyl 2-acetamido-3,4,6-tri- O -acetyl-2-deoxy-1-thio-β- D -glucopyranoside and -galactopyranoside, respectively. The former was also obtained by the reaction of 2-acetamido-3,4,6-tri- O -acetyl-2-deoxy-α- D -glucopyranosyl chloride with p -nitrothiophenol in the presence of potassium hydroxide. O -Deacetylation followed by reduction with hydrogen over palladium on barium sulfate gave the p -aminophenyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-1-thio-β- D -glucopyranoside and -galactopyranoside. Inhibition constants ( K i ) of the p -nitrophenyl and p -aminophenyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-1-thio-β- D -glucosides and -galactosides for A. niger 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β- D -glucosidase were determined by using p -nitrophenyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β- D glucopyranoside and -galactopyranoside as substrates.
Survival by radiation therapy oncology group recursive partitioning analysis class and treatment modality in patients with brain metastases from malignant melanoma: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND In a population of patients with brain metastases from melanoma, the authors sought to determine whether various therapies provided any benefit at all, whether local therapy was better than whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT), and whether combined local therapy and WBRT provided any advantage over local therapy alone. They also analyzed survival according to a Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) to determine how well the RTOG RPA classes predicted survival in this patient population and whether treatments varied in effectiveness from category to category. METHODS A total of 74 patients with brain metastases from melanoma were treated at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation between 1984 and 1998. For this study, the authors reviewed patient charts and confirmed survival status. Survival was compared by treatment modality (surgical resection, WBRT, stereotactic radiosurgery, or WBRT combined with local therapy). Survival also was compared according to the RTOG RPA prognostic classes (Class 1, Class 2, or Class 3), which has not been validated previously in patients with malignant melanoma. RESULTS The median survival was 5.5 months for all patients. Survival varied significantly by RTOG prognostic class; The median survival was 10.5 months (range, 2.2–99.2 months) for patients in Class 1, 5.9 months (range, 0.2–43.9 months) for patients in Class 2, and 1.8 months (range, 0.1–6.9 months) for patients in Class 3 (P < 0.0001). Survival analysis showed that combined treatment offered significantly better survival (P < 0.0001; combined vs. other). The median survival was 8.8 months (range, 1.8–99.2 months) for the combined therapy group, 4.8 months (range, 1.2–27.8 months) for the local therapy alone group, 2.3 months (range, 0.2–9.6 months) for the WBRT alone group, and 1.1 months (0.1–3.0 months) for the group that received no therapy. CONCLUSIONS Adding WBRT to local therapy may improve survival in this group of patients: Combined therapy was superior to WBRT alone. The RPA classification scheme likely has prognostic value for patients with brain metastases from malignant melanoma. Prospective studies are required to overcome selection bias and confirm these results. Cancer 2002;94:2265–72. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10426
Diagnosis and treatment of malignant melanoma of the foot.

Background: Patients diagnosed with melanoma of the foot have been reported to have a poor prognosis. We reviewed our experience at a tertiary-care medical clinic to determine the disease course in patients diagnosed with melanoma of the foot. Methods: A retrospective review was performed of 38 patients with a diagnosis of primary or locally recurrent melanoma of the foot treated between January, 1988, and July, 2004. The main outcome measures included methods of diagnosis, clinical and histopathologic features, and patterns of recurrence. Results: The mean age at diagnosis was 61 years; most were women (58%) and Caucasian (95%). The average time to diagnosis was 17 months. Initial clinical diagnosis had been considered benign in 12 (32%). The median Breslow thickness was 1.75 mm, T1 lesions were the most common, and acral lentiginous melanoma accounted for 42%. Thirteen patients (34%) had ulcerated lesions. Sentinel lymph node biopsy specimens of 25 patients identified four (16%) with metastatic disease....