cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The characterization of the power distribution network and the simulation

Power Integrity (PI) is a popular topic in today's electronic equipment industry because recent electric equipment uses various ICs, ex. Microprocessor, Memory, FPGA and ASIC. In addition, PI typically has lower source voltage and larger current required. To realize robust design, better power distribution network (PDN) is required. Good PDN means it can supply stable source voltage even if source current changes due to operation of ICs. It requires lower impedance characteristics of PDN from ICs. This paper describes how to characterize the PDN and how to correlate the measurement data and simulation data to realize better PI design.
THE IMPACT OF LABOR MARKET REGULATION ON EMPLOYMENT IN LOW‐INCOME COUNTRIES: A META‐ANALYSIS

Controversy over labor market policy often centers on achieving a balance between preventing worker exploitation, and avoiding loss of productivity or employment through excessive regulation. Although the literature documenting the impact of labor market regulation on employment is extensive, there is a dearth of evidence on the impact of such policies in low-income countries (LICs). Since it is easier for workers, especially women, to slip into the informal sector in LICs, regulations are likely to have stronger impacts on formal employment in these countries (but lower impacts on unemployment). We systematically reviewed available research from countries that are, or were until recently, LICs. Most studies document that more stringent labor regulations are associated with lower formal sector employment and higher informal sector employment. We also conducted a metaregression analysis of the impact of minimum wages on formal and informal employment. After controlling for publication bias, higher minimum wages are associated with lower formal employment and a higher share of informal workers.
Webs of Life: Biodiversity Conservation as a Species of Information Policy

Legal scholarship on information policy often invokes environmental metaphors. Some scholars fear that repeated legal resort to spatial metaphors will balkanize the World Wide Web, while others urge policymakers to treat telecommunications infrastructure as an environment rather than a highway. Still others urge the development of an intellectual commons movement based on political activism among environmentalists. This article brings the grand analogy full circle. How would environmental policy look if we treated the biosphere as an information platform? This article compares the natural environment with other information platforms such as the Internet. At the appropriate level of abstraction, the electronic commons and the biosphere present similar regulatory challenges. The two realms do differ fundamentally. Although humanity is generating and accruing information of its own design at an exponential rate, human activity is destroying biological information at a pace that qualifies our time as one of the great extinction spasms in geological history. This article then sharpens the comparison between natural and electronic information platforms on a layer-by-layer basis. Every information platform consists of three layers: physical, logical, and content. The biosphere is no exception. This article derives two principles from an examination of the end-to-end principle that underlies the design of the Internet: the maintenance of competitive neutrality and the tailoring of property rules according to the rivalrousness in the use of resources. Components of the environment can and should be analogized with the corresponding parts of a communications network. Land masses, bodies of water, and the atmosphere comprise the physical layer of the environment, while the genetic information encrypted in species and individuals represents the content layer. As is true of communications networks, the logical layer defies easy definition. The incompletely theorized concepts of ecosystem productivity and stability appear to be the best candidates. At each layer, varying degrees of rivalrousness suggest divergent approaches to defining rights in different components of the environment and to patrolling the exercise of those rights. This comparison of natural and human information platforms concludes with a glimpse at the expressive, even quasireligious aspects of the natural world as humanity's deepest well of creative inspiration. Just as the romance of authorship has severely impaired the development of cogent policy for intellectual property in a globalized, information-based society, ineffaceable traces of ecologically inspired spirituality often hamper the quest for solutions to humanity's deepest environmental crises. This article closes with a brief and necessarily imperfect prognosis of the law's ability to reconcile natural spirituality with scientific knowledge.
Estimating the concentration of beta-carotene required for maximal protection of low-density lipoproteins in women

The reportedly inconsistent antioxidant protective effect of beta-carotene on plasma LDL may depend on LDL's beta-carotene concentration. We measured carbonyl production by CuSO4-challenged LDL from nine healthy women living at the US Department of Agriculture-Western Human Nutrition Research Center and consuming a natural food diet that provided only 0.14 micromol beta-carotene/d for 120 d. During the first 60 d, four women received a placebo and the remaining five women received too small a supplement (0.93 micromol beta-carotene/d) to increase plasma or LDL beta-carotene; therefore, the data for all nine women during this time were pooled. From days 61 to 120, all subjects received the small supplement. From days 101 to 120 they all received an additional, larger, mixed carotenoid supplement (6.16 micromol beta-carotene/d). Plasma beta-carotene dropped from 0.76 +/- 0.21 micromol/L (x +/- SEM) on day 2 to 0.33 +/- 0.08 on day 60 (P = 0.035) and rose to 1.73 +/- 0.18 (P = 0.001) on day 120. LDL beta-carotene dropped from 1.67 +/- 0.53 micromol/g LDL protein on day 2 to 1.27 +/- 0.28 micromol/g LDL protein on day 60 (P = 0.650) and rose to 10.04 +/- 1.07 micromol/g LDL protein (P = 0.001) on day 120. Plasma lycopene dropped from 0.20 micromol/L on day 2 to 0.02 micromol/L on day 60 and did not increase by day 120. Carbonyl production rose from 24 +/- 6 micromol/g LDL protein on day 2 to 42 +/- 4 micromol/g LDL protein (P = 0.001) on day 60 and dropped to 6 +/- 1 micromol/g LDL protein (P = 0.001) on day 120. LDL seemed fully protected with 9.7 +/- 2.5 micromol beta-carotene/g LDL protein, or 2.3 +/- 1.8 micromol beta-carotene/L plasma.
Should psychoanalysis become a science

I wish to formulate in broad outline an approach to the conceptualization of psychoanalysis that is divested from theory. This view sees the core of psychoanalysis as a humanistic practice, first and foremost guided by the individuality of the dyadic encounter, rather than as a science. I will not argue for any particular view of psychoanalysis. Instead I marshal a series of considerations from the humanities, to frame a conceptualization of psychoanalysis as a clinically based interpretive discipline having a unique mission. Finally, I will present a futuristic hypothetical scenario whose aim is to show why psychoanalysis will remain a viable enterprise basically as conceived by Freud.
A RIGHT CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS DILEMMA: COMBINED CORONARY ENDARTERECTOMY WITH CORONARY BYPASS SAVED THE DAY

The increasing incidence of diffuse coronary artery disease in the current era challenges cardiac surgeons in accomplishing their goal of complete revascularization. Controversy still exists for CE indications, technique, and results. The purpose of this presentation is to highlight the feasibility
Evaluating the Study Abroad Experience Using the Framework of Rotter's Social Learning Theory.

The authors proposed a framework based on Rotter’s Social Learning Theory (SLT) that is appropriate for the evaluation of students’ experiences in college study abroad programs (McLeod & Wainwright, 2009). In the present paper two concepts originating in SLT, locus of control and self- esteem, were used to gauge the impact of study abroad courses on undergraduates. It was predicted and found that when compared to a peer comparison group, study abroad participants became more internally controlled; however there was no change in self-esteem. It was important to note that the study abroad students maintained the positive change in locus of control six months after the end of the program. Rotter’s SLT appears to be a viable perspective for examining significant aspects of the study abroad experience.
School Attendance and Symptoms in Adolescents After Sport-Related Concussion

A recent retrospective study reported that 45% of a sample of elementary school, high school, and college students returned to school too soon after concussion with a recurrence or worsening of symptoms. Another study found that 38% of high school student athletes reported symptoms and problems in school after concussion, although most students did not miss many days of school. Further studies suggest that excessive mental exertion can aggravate concussion symptoms and perhaps prolong recovery. The 2012 Zurich Consensus Statement highlights modification of school attendance and activities to avoid provocation of symptoms. A gradual return to cognitive activity and to school has been recommended with “pacing” to stay below the cognitive symptom threshold. One study showed that cognitive activity level reported by weekly recall was associated with duration of symptoms in adolescents sustaining sport-related concussion (SRC). While this study was prospective in nature, it relied on weekly recall by subjects and did not look at the specific number of school hours attended after injury. The hours spent in school may have a direct relationship with recovery time after SRC. This relationship requires further study. The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate the relationship of school attendance and symptoms after SRC. We specifically evaluated whether hours of school attended postconcussion was associated with increased concussion symptom severity scores and delayed recovery... Language: en
On-die learning-based self-calibration of analog/RF ICs

We discuss a methodology and the corresponding hardware architecture for performing self-calibration of ana-log/RF ICs through the use of on-die learning. More specifically, we introduce the design of an on-chip analog neural network which can be trained to implement a non-linear regression function. This regression function is, then, used to approximate a Figure-of-Merit (FoM) reflecting the performances of an analog/RF IC. As an input to this regression function, we use the readings of low-cost on-chip sensors in response to simple on-chip generated stimuli. The FoM is predicted for all possible settings of the knobs provided for calibrating the chip performances and the best option is retained. The proposed methodology is demonstrated on a tunable Low-Noise Amplifier (LNA) which was designed and fabricated in IBM's 130nm RF CMOS process. Experimental results show that the proposed self-calibration method achieves not only significant yield enhancement but also a compelling optimization of the LNA's overall performance across the entire chip population.
Cognitive and Linguistic Aspects of Geographic Space: An Introduction

This volume contains papers presented or discussed at a NATO Advanced Study Institute on “Cognitive and Linguistic Aspects of Geographic Space,” held in Las Navas del Marques, Spain, July 8–20,1990. We organized the meeting as a place to discuss people’s understanding of space, specifically geographic space. An important subsidiary goal was to try to understand how such cognitive concepts of space relate to Geographic Information Systems (GISs). We invited researchers from a wide spectrum of disciplines, from geography and linguistics, psychology and anthropology, to mathematics and engineering. Each of the disciplines deals with some aspect of understanding space. Each discipline, and indeed each individual, views the problem in a different way and from a unique vantage point. The papers collected in this volume represent much of the breadth of this spectrum. Any such a collection of papers is of course influenced by the limitations of the size of the meeting, the availability of participants, and their ability to contribute to the topic. Despite this, we believe that the papers in this volume present a valuable perspective on our current understanding, and open5 a host of research avenues.
Integrating motivational interviewing and narrative therapy to teach behavior change to family medicine resident physicians.

IntroductionMotivational interviewing is a useful skill to address the common problem of patient ambivalence regarding behavior change by uncovering and strengthening a person’s own motivation and ...
Cosmos Satellites at 82.3

AbstractAnalysis of the orbital data and signal transmissions of satel1ites launched by the Soviet Union into low earth orbit with an inclination of 82.3° reveals four groups of mission characteristics. These subsets indicate differences in the photocoverage that wil1 be obtained. The prevalent use of photography is a notable feature in the operation of Soviet observation satel1ites and is understood to reflect the cost effectiveness perceived for photographic systems.
History and applications

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews important contributions that shaped the present day intelligent machine. Today, national wealth is calculated in intellectual capital. Nations that have skillful people in such diverse areas as science, medicine, business, and engineering produce innovations that drive the nation toward a better quality of life. In order to better utilize these valuable resources, new machines that could capture the expertise of these talented people were sought. This quest placed required machines powered by knowledge, and into the knowledge revolution era. Success in this effort could provide an enormous benefit to humankind. Nations that lack expertise could use these machines to alleviate their medical care, advance their engineering technology, or increase their manufacturing productivity. Companies could use them to assist decision-making or to proliferate the skills of a scarce number of experts throughout the organization. Researchers could also employ these machines to better comprehend how humans reason. The quest for the holy grail of an intelligent machine is old. The search has been on for over 2000 years; and has been motivated by the practical uses offered by success and, by the sheer fascination of the effort. Philosophers, mathematicians, and technicians have contributed to this quest. In most cases, new discoveries rely on the previous labors of others and, although these other achievements may be small, they are seminal.
The Strategies Compared

We approach the end of our journey. Six broad strategies of economic development have been identified and their features discussed. Five of these strategies apply to capitalist countries and one to the socialist countries. The first five we have called Monetarism, the Open Economy, Industrialisation, the Green Revolution and Redistributive strategies of development. The sixth strategy, the Socialist strategy, has been divided into four sub-strategies which we have called the Soviet or Stalinist strategy, the Yugoslav self-management strategy, the Chinese or Maoist strategy and the self-reliant strategy of North Korea. Although for purposes of analysis we have treated these six strategies as discrete, some of the features overlap or, if one prefers, some of the strategies combine together rather naturally. This is the case, say, of the redistributive and green revolution strategies as well as the open economy and monetarist strategies. These combinations cohere in a way that many assemblages of economic policies do not. In this chapter, however, we shall concentrate on our six “pure” strategies and attempt to compare these different paths to development.
Multi-order transmission line-radial stub networks for broadband impedance matching and power combining in a watt-level silicon power amplifier

In this paper, multi-order, on-chip transmission line-radial stub ladder networks are designed to perform fundamental and harmonic impedance matching and power combining in a broadband silicon power amplifier. A 16–40GHz, 1W PA with integrated 50Ω output matching and power combining is designed in a 130nm SiGe BiCMOS process. The PA achieves a peak gain of 23.8dB and a maximum single ended output power of 30.6dBm with 21.9% power-added efficiency (PAE). On chip transmission line-radial stub-based matching and combing networks are designed and optimized for maximum efficiency to provide optimum load conditions at fundamental and harmonic frequencies and to combine the power of 16 separate amplifiers with minimized passive loss. Load pull simulations are performed in the frequency range considering load conditions up to the 5th harmonic. The simulated total loss from the output matching and the 16-to-1 combining network is less than 2.9dB in the entire frequency band.
Influences of Germline Cells on Organismal Lifespan and Healthspan

Historically, research has focused on the detrimental effects of ageing on fertility, but studies in the last two decades have shown that reproductive status profoundly impacts the length and quality of life. The nematode C. elegans has been at the forefront of these discoveries that have led to a fundamental transformation in our understanding of the relationship between procreation and lifespan in metazoans. In C. elegans, removing a population of proliferative germline-stem cells (GSCs) confers long life and enhances stress resilience. Germline loss is a major physiological challenge that compels the animal to arrest reproduction and reorganize its metabolic profile, so the phenomenon also provides a unique platform to understand how complex metazoans cope with changes in fertility and age. Recent studies have shown that GSC depletion triggers the activation of a group of conserved transcription factors in somatic cells. The transcriptional changes orchestrated by these proteins alter lipid metabolism, proteasomal function, autophagy and stress resistance, events that likely facilitate the adaptation to germline loss and lead to improved health and longevity. Here, we review the current literature on this longevity paradigm and the contributions made by C. elegans to understanding the molecular basis of the reproductive control of ageing.
The emerging importance and challenges of the human mycobiome.

Advances in genomics have significantly expanded our ability to examine human microbes. These studies on the human microbiome are elucidating the integral relationships that hosts have with their m...
Stress intensity factor solutions for welds in lap-shear specimens of dissimilar sheet materials with and without kinked cracks

Abstract Global stress intensity factor solutions for welds with various widths in lap-shear specimens of magnesium alloy AZ31 and high-strength low-alloy steel sheets are developed using finite element analyses. Results are compared to and validated with the analytical solutions based on the beam bending theory and semi-infinite planes with connection. Analyses are also conducted using modified elastic constants with a bimaterial constant of zero for specimens with small kinked cracks. Results indicate that the stress intensity factor solutions for a vanishing kink length can be approximated by the available analytical solutions for the zero bimaterial constant for fatigue cracks growth models. The results of the global stress intensity factor solutions and the local stress intensity factor solutions for kinked cracks with the experimentally observed kink angle as functions of the kink length can be adopted for fatigue life estimations of ultrasonic welds in lap-shear specimens of magnesium and steel sheets.
Controlling cyanobacterial harmful blooms in freshwater ecosystems

Cyanobacteria's long evolutionary history has enabled them to adapt to geochemical and climatic changes, and more recent human and climatic modifications of aquatic ecosystems, including nutrient over-enrichment, hydrologic modifications, and global warming. Harmful (toxic, hypoxia-generating, food web altering) cyanobacterial bloom (CyanoHAB) genera are controlled by the synergistic effects of nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) supplies, light, temperature, water residence/flushing times, and biotic interactions. Accordingly, mitigation strategies are focused on manipulating these dynamic factors. Strategies based on physical, chemical (algaecide) and biological manipulations can be effective in reducing CyanoHABs. However, these strategies should invariably be accompanied by nutrient (both nitrogen and phosphorus in most cases) input reductions to ensure long-term success and sustainability. While the applicability and feasibility of various controls and management approaches is focused on freshwater ecosystems, they will also be applicable to estuarine and coastal ecosystems. In order to ensure long-term control of CyanoHABs, these strategies should be adaptive to climatic variability and change, because nutrient-CyanoHAB thresholds will likely be altered in a climatically more-extreme world.
219 β-GLUCAN ENHANCES HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL MOBILIZATION.

Background Peripheral blood stem cell infusion is the preferred method for establishing hematopoiesis in transplantation. G-CSF is now the most commonly used mobilizing agent. Studies have shown that up to 20 to 25% of patients exhibit poor mobilization and are not able to proceed with autotransplantation. β-Glucan is a soluble yeast composed of a β-D-(1-3)-linked glucopyranosyl backbone with γ-D-(1-6)-linked (1-3) side chains. In previous studies, β-glucan has been shown to induce hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) mobilization to the periphery. In this study, we examined β-glucan9s ability to mobilize HSPC alone and in conjunction with G-CSF and explored its mechanism of action. Methods Using the IV form of β-glucan, PGG, dose kinetic, and response studies were done and showed peak stem cell mobilization at 24 hours and maximum results using the 9.2 mg/kg dose. Four groups of wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 mice were used; control, G-CSF only (125 μg/d × 4 days), PGG only (4.8 or 9.2 mg/kg × 1 dose), and G-CSF/PGG combination. In the combination group, G-CSF injections were given daily for 4 days and one PGG injection on day 3. Four hours after the last G-CSF injection, the mice were sacrificed and final white blood cell counts were collected. Blood was assayed for in vitro mobilization in methycellulose culture. Peritoneal macrophage were stimulated with PGG, supernatant was harvested, and concentration of MMP-9 (matrix metalloproteinase-9) was determined using ELISA. Results All treated groups showed increased mobilization of all major cell lines. β-Glucan alone was able to mobilize peripheral stem cells at both doses. The combination group (G-CSF/PGG-4.8 mg/kg) showed an almost twofold increase in CFU compared with G-CSF alone ( p = .008) β-Glucan mobilizes stem cells via a CR3-independent mechanism and did not induce appreciable levels of cytokine secretion. β-Glucan also stimulated bone marrow-derived macrophages to produce significant amounts of MMP-9. Conclusion β-Glucan is an agent that enhances stem cell mobilization alone and has a synergistic effect when used in conjunction with G-CSF. The mechanism of mobilization by β-glucan involves MMP-9, which results from release of pro-MMP-9 from marrow macrophages. The efficacy of β-glucan and lack of proinflammatory activity make it an attractive agent to supplement mobilization with G-CSF.
Large dynamic range optical cavity based sensor using a low cost three-laser system

An optical cavity based biosensor using a differential detection method has been proposed to provide a novel approach to point-of-care diagnostics. A two-laser based optical cavity based sensor system is designed and experimentally demonstrated. While the calculated differential value of the two-laser system shows larger responsivity compared to individual wavelengths, the dynamic range of the system is rather small. Because of that, it turned out its fabrication tolerance is also small based on the simulation. We employed a three-laser system and redesigned the optical cavity to increase the dynamic range and improve the fabrication tolerance. In this presentation, we report the measurement results of the three-laser system for the first time. This system increases the dynamic range threefold by a chaining action. Because of this large dynamic range, this three-laser system is anticipated to have a larger fabrication tolerance.
An Asymptotic Approach to Multistate Systems Reliability Evaluation

Essentials of multistate system reliability analysis and asymptotic approach to system reliability evaluation are presented. Theorems on asymptotic reliability functions of multistate series and parallel systems are applied to reliability evaluation of a telecommunication network and a rope system.
Transpalpebral ultrasonographic measurement of the optic nerve sheath diameter in healthy dogs.

OBJECTIVE To develop a reference range for ultrasonographically measured optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD-US) in dogs. We hypothesized that ONSD-US can be measured reliably and is associated with weight but not age, sex, or body condition score (BCS), and that the relationship between weight and ONSD-US in dogs is allometric due to canine size variations. DESIGN Prospective, observational study. SETTING University teaching hospital. ANIMALS Seventy-eight healthy adult dogs. INTERVENTIONS The ONSD was measured by a standardized transpalpebral approach. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Regression analysis showed the relationship between weight and ONSD was better fit with a linear model (R2 = 0.8510) than an allometric model (R2 = 0.7917). Multiple regression analysis showed ONSD is associated with weight (P < 0.0001), age (P = 0.0021), and BCS (P = 0.0007), but not with sex. Dominance analysis showed 94.6% of the variance explained by the model was due to weight. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) analysis showed excellent interobserver (ICC = 0.9338-0.9608) and intraobserver (ICC = 0.9893) reliability. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that ONSD-US may be reliably measured in dogs using our described transpalpebral approach, and we have calculated prediction intervals based on body weight. Future studies are needed to determine if ONSD-US measurements are associated with intracranial hypertension as shown in human medicine.
Newborn Screening in the US May Miss Mild Persistent Hypothyroidism.

Objective To determine if newborn screening (NBS) programs for congenital hypothyroidism in the US use thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) cutoffs that are age adjusted to account for the physiologic 4-fold reduction in TSH concentrations over the first few days of life. Study design All NBS programs in the US were contacted and asked to provide information on their NBS protocols, TSH cutoffs, and whether these cutoffs were age adjusted. Results Of 51 NBS programs, 28 request a repeat specimen if the initial eluted serum TSH concentration is mildly increased (between the cutoff and a median upper limit of 50 mU/L), whereas 14 programs perform a routine second screen in all infants. Although these specimens are typically collected between 1 week and 1 month of life, 16 of the 28 programs with a discretionary second test and 8 of 14 programs with a routine second test do not have age-adjusted TSH cutoffs after the first 48 hours of life. Conclusions There is variation in NBS practices for screening for congenital hypothyroidism across the US, and many programs do not adjust the TSH cutoff beyond the first 2 days of life. Samples are processed when received from older infants, often to retest borderline initial results. This approach will miss congenital hypothyroidism in infants with persistent mild TSH elevations. We recommend that all NBS programs provide age-adjusted TSH cutoffs, and suggest developing a standard approach to screening for congenital hypothyroidism in the US.
Tal1, Gata2a, and Gata3 Have Distinct Functions in the Development of V2b and Cerebrospinal Fluid-Contacting KA Spinal Neurons.

Vertebrate locomotor circuitry contains distinct classes of ventral spinal cord neurons which each have particular functional properties. While we know some of the genes expressed by each of these cell types, we do not yet know how several of these neurons are specified. Here, we investigate the functions of Tal1, Gata2a and Gata3 transcription factors in the development of two of these populations of neurons with important roles in locomotor circuitry: V2b neurons and cerebrospinal fluid-contacting Kolmer-Agduhr (KA) neurons (also called CSF-cNs). Our data provide the first demonstration, in any vertebrate, that Tal1 and Gata3 are required for correct development of KA and V2b neurons respectively. We also uncover differences in the genetic regulation of V2b cell development in zebrafish compared to mouse. In addition, we demonstrate that Sox1a and Sox1b are expressed by KA and V2b neurons in zebrafish, which differs from mouse, where Sox1 is expressed by V2c neurons. KA neurons can be divided into ventral KA’’ neurons and more dorsal KA’ neurons. Consistent with previous morpholino experiments, our mutant data suggest that Tal1 and Gata3 are required in KA’ but not KA’’ cells, whereas Gata2a is required in KA’’ but not KA’ cells, even though both of these cell types co-express all three of these transcription factors. In gata2a mutants, cells in the KA’’ region of the spinal cord lose expression of most KA’’ genes and there is an increase in the number of cells expressing V3 genes, suggesting that Gata2a is required to specify KA’’ and repress V3 fates in cells that normally develop into KA’’ neurons. On the other hand, our data suggest that Gata3 and Tal1 are both required for KA’ neurons to differentiate from progenitor cells. In the KA’ region of these mutants, cells no longer express KA’ markers and there is an increase in the number of mitotically-active cells. Finally, our data demonstrate that all three of these transcription factors are required for later stages of V2b neuron differentiation and that Gata2a and Tal1 have different functions in V2b development in zebrafish than in mouse.
OpenHiCAMM: High-Content Screening Software for Complex Microscope Imaging Workflows

High-content image acquisition is generally limited to cells grown in culture, requiring complex hardware and preset imaging modalities. Here we report an open source software package, OpenHiCAMM (Open Hi Content Acquisition for μManager), that provides a flexible framework for integration of generic microscope-associated robotics and image processing with sequential work-flows. As an example, we imaged Drosophila embryos, detecting the embryos at low resolution, followed by re-imaging the detected embryos at high resolution, suitable for computational analysis and screening. The OpenHiCAMM package is easy to use and adapt for automating complex microscope image tasks. It expands our abilities for high-throughput image-based screens to a new range of biological samples, such as organoids, and will provide a foundation for bioimaging systems biology.
Socioeconomic Status and Adolescent E-Cigarette Use: The Mediating Role of E-Cigarette Advertisement Exposure

Among adolescents, low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with greater exposure to tobacco cigarette advertising and cigarette use. However, associations among SES, e-cigarette advertising and e-cigarette use are not well understood. This study examined exposure to e-cigarette advertisements as a mediator of the relationship between SES and adolescent e-cigarette use. Adolescents (N = 3473; 51% Female) from 8 high schools in Connecticut completed an anonymous survey in Spring 2015. Mediation analysis was used to examine whether the total number of sources of recent e-cigarette advertising exposure (e.g., TV, radio, billboards, magazines, local stores [gas stations, convenience stores], vape shops, mall kiosks, tobacco shops, social media) mediated the association between SES (measured by the Family Affluence Scale) and past-month frequency of e-cigarette use. We clustered for school and controlled for other tobacco product use, age, sex, race/ethnicity and perceived social norms for e-cigarette use in the model. Our sample recently had seen advertisements via 2.1 (SD = 2.8) advertising channels. Mediation was supported (indirect effect: β = 0.01, SE = 0.00, 95% CI [0.001, 0.010], p = 0.02), such that higher SES was associated with greater recent advertising exposure, which, in turn, was associated with greater frequency of e-cigarette use. Our study suggests that regulations to reduce youth exposure to e-cigarette advertisement may be especially relevant to higher SES youth. Future research should examine these associations longitudinally and evaluate which types of advertisements target different SES groups.
Women, Mentoring, and a Border University

Institutions of higher education use various models for mentoring early career faculty. The workshop model employs a technique in which early career faculty meet as a group. The mentor-protege mode...
Linking Causal Factors to Areas of Highest Change

This chapter focuses on several key incidents in time that helped shape the landscape of Cuba into law, policy and future landscape characterization. Here reasons for change from the time of the indigenous Indians to current impacts are briefly described and discussed. This chapter begins the dialogue pertaining to linkages between causal factors and areas that exhibited the highest levels of change over time on the Island of Cuba.
The Role of Drugs in the Sexual Lives of Men Who Have Sex with Men: Continuing Barriers to Researching This Question

Barriers to researching links between drug use among men who have sex with men (MSM) and HIV risk fall into three categories: (1) institutional barriers, (2) lack of appropriate theoretical models, and (3) stigmatization of sexual minorities. This paper reviews the status of the progress on the first two issues and presents a historical account of research on the role of drugs in the sexual lives of MSM during the AIDS epidemic. The paper first reviews the history of research on drug use and sexual behavior using Rofes' four-stage model of the gay community's responses to the AIDS epidemic (crisis stage, organizing stage, ‘degaying’ stage, and ‘post-AIDS’ stage) as an organizing strategy. Discussions follow which address the institutional and theoretical barriers that remain and progress that has been made in overcoming these barriers. Finally, there is a review of the published literature on HIV prevention interventions for homosexually active drug users with a focus on their relevance for drug-using (DU) MSM and recommendations for future research. While the published literature on interventions for DU-MSM is in its infancy, it indicates that a variety of intervention models can produce significant changes in drug-related sexual behavior and HIV-risk taking. The future of this field holds promise in both the development of effective interventions for DU-MSM and increased understanding of the causal mechanisms which link drug use to risky sexual behaviors.
Tile-Based DNA Nanostructures: Mathematical Design and Problem Encoding

Abstract The chemical and physical properties of DNA that enable biological functions such as self-replication and encoding of genetic information also allow DNA to be used as a nanoscale building material. This emergent field of self-assembling DNA nanostructures has driven new areas of mathematical and computational investigation. This chapter surveys some self-assembly methods and mathematical tools that can be used to develop early-stage optimal design strategies for creating the target molecules. We review DNA assembly of three-dimensional structures using tile or block assembly (flexible and rigid). The mathematical tools come largely from the field of combinatorics, particularly graph theory, and we also discuss some algorithmic approaches. Further, we give a theoretical description of how self-assembly processes may be used to solve mathematical and computational problems.
Reduced-Basis Multifidelity Approach for Efficient Parametric Study of NACA Airfoils

Multifidelity methods are often used to reduce the cost of parameter space exploration, with applications to design optimization and uncertainty quantification. We present a multifidelity method to...
Nonintegrable systems

We consider field equations in which derivatives of the field are given by products of the field. Data is arbitrary at a single point rather than on a hypersurface as in hyperbolic theory. It is argued that it is unduly restrictive to require that integration of the equations be independent of path as different paths traverse different environments. Systems of equations where integration depends on path are said to be nonintegrable. In a series of papers we have developed the theory of nonintegrable systems which we recount here. We formulate the calculus of nonintegrable systems from two very different approaches. In the special case that the integrability equations are satisfied we get the same results as the conventional calculus. We apply our methods to a particular three space-time dimensional system. The third axis is referred to as the time axis. We find that the way we integrate a no integrability theory can transform a system of soliton paticles having well defined trajectories to one where the solitons can no longer be followed in time as they appear and disappear. The suggestion is made that nonintegrable systems may have a role in the eventual understanding of the basis of quantum mechanics.
Increased protein and mRNA expression of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), decreased CRF receptors and CRF binding protein in specific postmortem brain areas of teenage suicide subjects

Overactivity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function has been implicated in depression and suicidal behavior. This is based on the observation of an abnormal dexamethasone (DEX) and DEX-adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) test in patients with depression and suicidal behavior. Recently, some studies have also found abnormalities of glucocorticoid receptors (GR), mineralocorticoid receptors (MR), corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), CRF receptors (CRF-R) and CRF binding protein (CRF-BP) in depressed and suicidal patients. Some investigators have also observed increased levels of CRF in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and altered levels of MR, GR and CRF in the postmortem brain of depressed and suicidal subjects. We have earlier reported decreased protein and mRNA expression of GR and GILZ, a chaperone protein, in the postmortem brain of teenage suicide subjects. We have further studied CRF and its receptors in different areas of the postmortem brain of suicide subjects, i.e., the prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus (HIPPO), subiculum and amygdala (AMY) from teenage suicide subjects. The CRF and its receptors were determined in the PFC (Brodmann area 9), HIPPO, subiculum and different amygdaloid nuclei from 24 normal control subjects and 24 teenage suicide subjects. Protein expression of CRF, its receptors and CRF-BP was determined by immunolabeling using the Western blot technique and mRNA expression was determined by real-time PCR (qPCR) technique. We found that the mRNA levels of CRF were significantly increased in the PFC, in the central amygdaloid nucleus (CeAMY) and in the subiculum. mRNA levels of CRF-R1 and CRF-BP were significantly decreased in the PFC. We did not find any changes in the HIPPO of any of the CRF components we studied. When we compared the protein expression of CRF components we found that CRF was significantly increased and CRF-R1, CRF-R2 and CRF-BP significantly decreased in the PFC. On the other hand, there were no changes in the protein expression of CRF components in the HIPPO. Our results in the postmortem brain suggest that, as found by clinical studies in the CSF, there are significant alterations of CRF and its receptors in the postmortem brain of teenage suicide subjects. These alterations of CRF and its components were region-specific, as changes were not generally observed in the HIPPO.
'WhatsApp®'ening in nephrology training.

Background Teaching methods in most residency and fellowship programs have not yet addressed the challenges of rapid dissemination of new scientific information. Our Northwell nephrology fellowship program used the smartphone application WhatsApp® to facilitate nephrology education. A qualitative study was conducted to explore perceptions of nephrology fellows and faculty using WhatsApp® as a teaching tool. Methods A WhatsApp® messenger group called 'Northwell Renal Forum' was created in 2018, which included all eight fellows and seven selected faculty members. Multiple choice questions on various nephrology topics were posted, about one to two per week. Fellows responded at their leisure. After 7 months, data were analyzed following two 1-h focus groups (one for faculty and one for fellows). Focus groups were moderated by two qualitative researchers, unknown to the participants, who asked open-ended questions about the WhatsApp® learning approach. Results Faculty feedback was generally positive. Three major themes arose: control over learning material, comfort being fostered between faculty and fellows and faculty perceptions of fellows. The fellows also reported an overall positive experience. Control and comfort were themes again identified in this focus group. Fellows reported feeling control over which faculty member was in the group and when to respond to questions. Fellows also felt comfort from learning without pressure. Variety was the third theme that arose. Conclusion Focus group evaluations elucidated the strengths of using WhatsApp®, and the overall positive experience of both faculty and fellows. This inexpensive and easy-to-use tool can augment the learning of nephrology during fellowship.
The Creativity of Imitation in Remake Videos.

A growth in the popularity of remix culture has led to the phenomenon of people creating videos that explicitly imitate or copy an original work. In order to explore the potential educational value...
Ménière's Disease with Concomitant Vestibular Migraine

Up to a quarter of Meniere’s disease (MD) patients can present with concomitant vestibular migraine (VM). If one considers MD patients with migrainous features who do not meet VM criteria, over half of MD patients may have migraine playing some role in symptom presentation or etiology. This chapter will focus on this difficult and often treatment-resistant patient category of Meniere’s disease with concomitant vestibular migraine (MDVM).
Technical efficiency and spatial spillovers: Evidence from grain marketing cooperatives in the US Midwest

To date, no study has investigated the role of spatial spillovers in the technical efficiency of farmer cooperatives. This study addresses this issue by employing a two‐stage approach, first measuring cooperatives' technical efficiency using a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model and secondly using a bootstrap truncated regression to identify the effect of spatial spillovers and cooperative firm‐level characteristics on technical efficiency. The empirical application focuses on grain marketing cooperatives in the Midwest region of the United States, and shows that spatial spillover effects influence the technical efficiency of neighboring cooperatives. Technical efficiency is also found to be influenced by several cooperative firm‐level characteristics including age, liquidity, differentiation, and membership size. [EconLit citations C21, Q13, R3].
Genetic Predisposition to Cancer

ABSTRACT Evidence of genetic predisposition has to come from specialized investigations of biologically meaningful groups within populations. Such investigations have provided ample and convincing evidence of a genetic basis for virtually all of the major cancer types and sites. However, this should not be construed to mean that all cancers at a given site or of a given type involve an inherited basis; rather, such a basis only applies to a certain fraction of patients. The occurrence of inherited and non-inherited cancers accords with a two-step mutation model, the first of which may be inherited or spontaneous and the second may be spontaneous or induced by environmental mutagens. When the first of these mutations is inherited, the number of subsequent mutations necessary for tumor production is thus reduced and gene carriers are uniquely sensitive to exposure to environmental mutagens. Subsequent tumor development will occur at an earlier than average age and will also develop at multiple sites. Evidence is thus accumulating pointing to the importance of an environmental component in the development of cancer in genetically susceptible individuals.
Supplementation of the diet with silicic acid to reduce body burden of aluminum: A miracle cure or useless treatment for Alzheimer's disease?

The study reported in this present issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease [4] from the research group headed by Dr. Exley, resurrects a decades-long debate as to a possible role of aluminum in neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. Perhaps the perception that aluminum is not a health hazard stems from the fact that it is only in the fairly recent past that applications of aluminum in society have been introduced. There was no “aluminum age” in antiquity as there was an iron age or bronze age. Since aluminum is the most common metal in the Earth’s crust and the third most common element after silicon and oxygen, it is has not been a trivial matter to assess whether exposure to aluminum is detrimental to health since it is so abundant in the environment. Aluminum is highly prevalent in the earth’s crust but is complexed so that the bioavailability of its toxic species is limited.
Electric Power Grid Resilience to Cyber Adversaries: State of the Art

The smart electricity grids have been evolving to a more complex cyber-physical ecosystem of infrastructures with integrated communication networks, new carbon-free sources of power generation, advanced monitoring and control systems, and a myriad of emerging modern physical hardware technologies. With the unprecedented complexity and heterogeneity in dynamic smart grid networks comes additional vulnerability to emerging threats such as cyber attacks. Rapid development and deployment of advanced network monitoring and communication systems on one hand, and the growing interdependence of the electric power grids to a multitude of lifeline critical infrastructures on the other, calls for holistic defense strategies to safeguard the power grids against cyber adversaries. In order to improve the resilience of the power grid against adversarial attacks and cyber intrusions, advancements should be sought on detection techniques, protection plans, and mitigation practices in all electricity generation, transmission, and distribution sectors. This survey discusses such major directions and recent advancements from a lens of different detection techniques, equipment protection plans, and mitigation strategies to enhance the energy delivery infrastructure resilience and operational endurance against cyber attacks. This undertaking is essential since even modest improvements in resilience of the power grid against cyber threats could lead to sizeable monetary savings and an enriched overall social welfare.
Secondary prevention among uninsured stroke patients: A free clinic study.

Objectives:Free clinics manage a diversity of diseases among the uninsured. We sought to assess the medical management of stroke in a population of uninsured patients.Methods:A retrospective chart ...