cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Statistical modeling of cross modulation in multichannel power amplifiers using a new behavioral modeling technique

A statistically based analysis technique is developed for multichannel amplifier environments enabling in-band and out-of-band intermodulation and cross modulation distortions to be predicted with very little computation. This is coupled with the introduction of a multiple envelope behavioral modeling technique that captures the black box characteristics of multichannel amplifiers. A CDMA two channel amplifier with a two-channel signal is characterized experimentally and verifies the approach presented here.
A note on system modelling, aggregation and reductionism.

Abstract Zeigler and Weinberg (1970) presented a system theoretic discussion of biological modelling. In this paper some implications of this formulation for the wider problem of reductionism are examined. It is argued that the reduction of biology to physics, for example, involves a relation between co-ordinates typical of biological models and those typical of quantum-mechanical models. This relation is shown to be rather special and not empirically or methodologically necessary.
A comparison of exact and quasi-static methods for evaluating grounding systems at high frequencies

Recently, it has been suggested that traditional quasi-static methods for evaluating power network grounding systems are not valid at high frequencies. However, the conditions under which exact full wave theory must be used have not been established. In this paper, exact full wave and quasi-static methods are used to evaluate touch and step potentials of a simple ground stake. It is shown that a sufficient condition for quasi-static theory to be valid is if the size of the buried electrode is less than one-tenth of a wavelength in the earth.
The oxidative degradation of polyethylene. II

The nature and extent of the atmospheric oxidation at elevated temperatures of various polyethylenes in the form of thin films has been studied. A grating spectrophotometer covering the 5–7 μ region was used to follow the production of carbonyl groups during the oxidation. The use of deuterated polyethylenes supports the formation of aldehydes, in addition to ketones, in the primary oxidation step after the production of hydroperoxides. Normally the aldehydes and some of the ketones are oxidized to acids, which react with hydroxyl groups produced in other reactions to give esters. The branched polymers start to oxidize sooner than the linear ones, but when the latter do start to oxidize the rate and extent are greater. None of the accepted mechanisms suggest that linear chains should oxidize rapidly, so it is probable that the high crystallinity or degree of order provides the resistance to oxygen; when this order is lost, oxidation takes place and the fast reaction ensues. This also occurs in the branched materials, but since they have already partially oxidized and have a lower crystallinity, the effect is not so marked.
Limb-State Information Encoded by Peripheral and Central Somatosensory Neurons: Implications for an Afferent Interface

A major issue to be addressed in the development of neural interfaces for prosthetic control is the need for somatosensory feedback. Here, we investigate two possible strategies: electrical stimulation of either dorsal root ganglia (DRG) or primary somatosensory cortex (S1). In each approach, we must determine a model that reflects the representation of limb state in terms of neural discharge. This model can then be used to design stimuli that artificially activate the nervous system to convey information about limb state to the subject. Electrically activating DRG neurons using naturalistic stimulus patterns, modeled on recordings made during passive limb movement, evoked activity in S1 that was similar to that of the original movement. We also found that S1 neural populations could accurately discriminate different patterns of DRG stimulation across a wide range of stimulus pulse-rates. In studying the neural coding in S1, we also decoded the kinematics of active limb movement using multi-electrode recordings in the monkey. Neurons having both proprioceptive and cutaneous receptive fields contributed equally to this decoding. Some neurons were most informative of limb state in the recent past, but many others appeared to signal upcoming movements suggesting that they also were modulated by an efference copy signal. Finally, we show that a monkey was able to detect stimulation through a large percentage of electrodes implanted in area 2. We discuss the design of appropriate stimulus paradigms for conveying time-varying limb state information, and the relative merits and limitations of central and peripheral approaches.
Simulation of Drive-Induced Oscillation in Coupled-Cavity TWTs

Drive-induced oscillation (DIO) is an instability that limits the achievable output power in wideband coupled-cavity traveling wave tubes (CC-TWTs). It occurs under large-signal conditions, when the electron beam is slowed as a result of its interaction with the circuit at the drive frequency. DIO occurs at a frequency very near the $2\pi $ point (band edge) of the lower branch of the cold circuit dispersion diagram. It is commonly accompanied by a sudden increase in the body current and a flattening of the power transfer curve at the drive frequency. The accurate prediction of the conditions for onset of DIO would be useful to the designers of CC-TWTs. In this paper, we present an approach to the prediction of DIO thresholds using the multifrequency large-signal simulation code TESLA-CC.
Low barrier hydrogen bonds within salicylate mono-anions

Abstract Progressive incorporation of electron-withdrawing substituents into the aromatic ring of salicylic acid selectively acidifies the ArOH group, until the intrinsic pKa values of the ArOH and ArCO2H groups become matched, as in the case of 3-chloro-5-nitrosalicylic acid. The corresponding salicylate mono-anion at −50°C in aqueous deuterioacetone solution exhibits a low barrier hydrogen bond intramolecularly linking the adjacent anionic oxygens, according to NMR evidence (δ 18.1 ppm for bridging proton, H–D fractionation factor φ 0.4, versus δ 14 and φ 0.7 for a more typical asymmetric salicylate H-bond). Induction of this unique linkage correlates with a 1.4 pK-unit increase in acidity for pKa1 of a substituted salicylic acid, while not perturbing pKa2. For the postulated occurrence of such anomalous H-bonds in the course of enzymic catalysis, the implications are that only ∼2 kcal/mol of special transition-state stabilization energy might be available from this source, and that it should become manifested chiefly in a facilitation of general acid–base proton transfers.
Trying to Get What You Want: Heresthetical Maneuvering and U.S. Supreme Court Decision Making

Riker famously theorized that political actors faced with suboptimal outcomes might be able to garner a more desirable one by adding issues to the agenda. To date, limited support for Riker’s theory of heresthetics exists, primarily consisting of case studies and anecdotal evidence. We offer a systematic analysis of heresthetical maneuvers in the context of Supreme Court decision making. We argue justices who oppose a potential case outcome may add alternative issues to the record in an effort to restructure the terms of debate. Data from justices’ behavior during oral argument support Riker’s theory.
Tet 42, a Novel Tetracycline Resistance Determinant Isolated from Deep Terrestrial Subsurface Bacteria

Tet 42, a novel tetracycline resistance determinant from deep subsurface bacteria, was characterized and found to have a 30% sequence similarity to TetA(Z). The protein is a putative efflux pump that shares characteristics with previously characterized pumps, including a divergently transcribed TetR repressor, a conserved GxxSDRxGRR motif, and transmembrane domains.
Acute Eosinophilic Pneumonia Secondary to Daptomycin: A Report of Three Cases

We describe 3 cases of daptomycin-induced pulmonary toxic effects that are consistent with drug-induced acute eosinophilic pneumonia. Patients presented similarly with dyspnea, cough, hypoxia, and diffuse ground-glass opacities at chest computed tomography. Clinical suspicion for this adverse drug event and cessation of daptomycin until definitive diagnosis can be made is crucial.
The effect of Co60-radiation on development and DNA synthesis in the 11-day rat embryo.

Female albino rats of a Wistar strain were exposed to either 135 r or 270 r of Co60-radiation on the morning of day 11 (Witschi stage 17). Autopsy on day 20 revealed that the lower dose produced a slight increase in the degree of resorption, no effect on fetal weight and no malformations in the survivors. The higher dose, on the other hand, produced a large increase in the degree of resorption, a pronounced effect on fetal weight and many malformations. Radioactive phosphorus (P32) was injected into irradiated and non-irradiated pregnant females to study DNA synthesis in individual litters after irradiation. Isotopically-labeled DNA was extracted from embryo homogenates by a modified Schmidt-Thannhauser procedure. DNA synthesis was suppressed in both series of irradiated embryos at 3, 6 and 12 hours after irradiation, the higher dose producing the larger amount of suppression. At 24 hours after irradiation, no significant difference was observed in the degree of DNA synthesis in control and irradiated embryos. No difference was observed between the specific activity of P32 in the acid-soluble fractions of placenta and embryo in control and irradiated litters, indicating that suppression of DNA synthesis reflected a change in the cellular population which is synthesizing DNA. Histological criteria indicate that this initial effect is cellular death and that the embryo compensates for this damage by regulatory processes.
Retroviral Pathogenesis: Unexpectedly High Levels of HIV-1 RNA and Protein Synthesis in a Cytocidal Infection

I am pleased to be able to participate in this conference honoring Dr. Friend. I first met Dr. Friend in Tokyo in 1966 when she, I, and Dr. Duesberg shared a cab. At that time I was just beginning work with avian leukosis viruses, and my interests were focused on how these viruses transformed normal cells to malignant cells. At the time of this symposium honoring Dr. Friend and her research contributions, I am again starting a new area of research, work with human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1). It is the early work of my laboratory with HIV-1 that I am going to report on today. The work I will be describing was done by Dr. Mohan Somasundaran, a highly accomplished postdoctoral fellow in my laboratory.
Ligand-binding domain of an α7-nicotinic receptor chimera and its complex with agonist.

The authors determine the crystal structure of the extracellular domain of a receptor chimera constructed from the human α7 acetylcholine receptor (AChR) and acetylcholine binding protein (AChBP), as well as the structure with bound epibatidine, a potent AChR agonist. The structures provide a realistic template for structure-aided drug design and for defining structure-function relationships of α7 AChRs. The α7 acetylcholine receptor (AChR) mediates pre- and postsynaptic neurotransmission in the central nervous system and is a potential therapeutic target in neurodegenerative, neuropsychiatric and inflammatory disorders. We determined the crystal structure of the extracellular domain of a receptor chimera constructed from the human α7 AChR and Lymnaea stagnalis acetylcholine binding protein (AChBP), which shares 64% sequence identity and 71% similarity with native α7. We also determined the structure with bound epibatidine, a potent AChR agonist. Comparison of the structures revealed molecular rearrangements and interactions that mediate agonist recognition and early steps in signal transduction in α7 AChRs. The structures further revealed a ring of negative charge within the central vestibule, poised to contribute to cation selectivity. Structure-guided mutational studies disclosed distinctive contributions to agonist recognition and signal transduction in α7 AChRs. The structures provide a realistic template for structure-aided drug design and for defining structure–function relationships of α7 AChRs.
Significant improvement of thermoelectric performance in nanostructured bismuth networks

Abstract We present here the first experimental evidence of a significant enhancement in the thermoelectric properties of networks containing bismuth nanotubes and nanowires fabricated via aqueous chemical routes. The as-prepared samples revealed two dominant morphologies: double wall nanotubes with 4–6 nm diameter and nanowires of 15–30 nm diameters. Transport measurements in the range 15–300 K were performed on cold pressed pellets which contained these bismuth nanostructures. We find that the cold pressed networks of nanostructured bismuth exhibit a non-metallic behavior, the corresponding room temperature resistivities vary from ∼0.54 to 5.8 mΩ-cm, depending on the detailed nanomorphology. The measured thermal conductivity for the networks of bismuth nanotubes and nanowires is almost 5 times lower compared to bismuth powder at room temperature. The observed improvement in the thermoelectric performance has been attributed to the reduced lattice thermal conductivity of nanostructured bismuth networks via interface scattering.
Assessing suicidal ideation in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis.

Background The majority of individuals with schizophrenia and other psychotic illnesses have had suicidal ideation at some point during the illness. However, little is known about the variation in level and intensity of suicidal ideation and symptoms in the attenuated stage of psychotic illness. Our aims were to assess prevalence of suicidal ideation in this at risk group, and to examine the severity and intensity of suicidal ideation, and their relation to symptoms.
A cytoplasmic dynein motor in Drosophila: identification and localization during embryogenesis

We have characterized a cytoplasmic dynein motor isoform that is present in extracts of Drosophila embryos. A prominent high molecular weight (HMW) polypeptide (> 400 kDa) is enriched in microtubules prepared from nucleotide-depleted embryonic extracts. Based on its ATP-sensitive microtubule binding activity, 20 S sedimentation coefficient, sensitivity to UV-vanadate and nucleotide specificity, the HMW polypeptide resembles cytoplasmic dyneins prepared from other organisms. The Drosophila cytoplasmic dynein acts as a minus-end motor that promotes microtubule translocation in vitro. A polyclonal antibody raised against the dynein heavy chain polypeptide was used to localize the dynein antigen in whole-mount preparations of embryos by immunofluorescence microscopy. These studies show that the dynein motor is associated with microtubules throughout embryogenesis, including mitotic spindle microtubules and microtubules of the embryonic nervous system.
Quite the appetite: juvenile island apple snails (Pomacea insularum) survive consuming only exotic invasive plants

Most aquatic snails derive their energy by grazing periphyton. However, certain species, including the invasive island apple snail, Pomacea insularum, readily consume aquatic macrophytes. These snails often overlap in their distribution with other exotic, invasive plants. We sought to discover if juvenile P. insularum could survive and grow when fed only three reportedly less palatable food sources: Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), wild taro (Colocasia esculenta) and water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes). Snails received nonrooted macrophytes simultaneously in a multiple-resource experiment. Using enclosures with compartments that separated plants but allowed snails full access, we housed individual early (10.7+ 0.9 mm operculum width; 0.56 –1.11 g blotted wet weight; mean+ 1 SD) or late (23+ 2 mm; 4.60– 14.82 g) juvenile P. insularum. We monitored snail survival and growth for 6 weeks. As controls, we placed standardized nonrooted macrophytes in enclosures without snails for 1 week. Replacing plants weekly, we calculated average daily consumption rates. Both size classes of snails grew substantially in terms of operculum width, shell height and blotted wet weight, with early juveniles exhibiting relatively larger gains in size over the 6-week period. No mortality occurred. Both size classes consumed significantly more watermilfoil than taro and more taro than water hyacinth. Collectively, these results translate into the potential for one single 10-g P. insularum (i.e. representative of the larger snails used in our experiment) to consume a combined 0.35 g of dried plant matter (or c. 3.5 g) of live macrophytes per day. Our study suggests that available resources offered by a community of exotic invasive plants may sustain snail survival.
Dynamically Consistent Formulations in Meteorological and Air Quality Models for Multiscale Atmospheric Studies. Part II: Mass Conservation Issues

Abstract Eulerian air quality models that require gridded meteorological inputs have to adapt to recent advances in meteorological models for fully compressible atmosphere. When the input meteorological data are recast with a robust fully compressible governing set of equations, chemistry-transport models can follow the dynamic and thermodynamic descriptions of the meteorological data closely. For evaluating mass consistency in meteorological data, one may take advantage of the characteristics of the governing set of equations applicable for a specific vertical coordinate system. This paper discusses how the data from meteorological models should be used in air quality simulations. It proposes a general methodology to conserve mass of trace species in air quality models by maintaining consistency in the wind and air density fields. Limitations of several simplifying assumptions on atmospheric dynamics are also discussed. In summary, it attempts to bridge the information gap between dynamic meteorologists ...
A Raman “spectroscopic clock” for bloodstain age determination: the first week after deposition

Knowing the time since deposition (TSD) of an evidentiary bloodstain is highly desired in forensics, yet it can be extremely complicated to accurately determine in practice. Although there have been numerous attempts to solve this problem using a variety of different techniques, currently, no established, well-accepted method exists. Here, a Raman spectroscopic approach was developed for determining the age of bloodstains up to 1 week old. Raman spectroscopy, along with two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D CoS) and statistical modeling, was used to analyze fresh bloodstains at ten time points under ambient conditions. The 2D CoS results indicate a high correlation between several Raman bands and the age of a bloodstain. A regression model was built to provide quantitative predictions of the TSD, with cross-validated root mean squared error and R (2) values of 0.13 and 0.97, respectively. It was determined that a "new" (1 h) bloodstain could be easily distinguished from older bloodstains, which is very important for forensic science in helping to establish the relevant association of multiple bloodstains. Additionally, all bloodstains were confirmatively identified as blood by comparing the experimentally measured spectra to multidimensional body fluid spectroscopic signatures of blood, saliva, semen, sweat, and vaginal fluid. These results demonstrate that Raman spectroscopy can be used as a nondestructive analytical tool for discriminating between bloodstains on the scale of hours to days. This approach shows promise for immediate practical use in the field to predict the TSD with a high degree of accuracy. Graphical Abstract Bloodstain aging over time illustrating naturally ocurring processes.
Emerging Topics in the Surgical and Critical Care Treatment of Trauma Patients

In 1896, Bridget Driscoll had the dubious honor of becoming the first fatality from an auto versus pedestrian collision. At the coroner’s inquiry, the judge stated that he “trusted that this sort of nonsense will never happen again” (How the UK’s first fatal car accident unfolded. BBC News Magazine. 2010. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-10987606). Unfortunately, more than 100 years later, fatalities still occur, but the treatment of trauma patients has greatly improved as a result of both the basic science and clinical research of traumatic injuries. The purpose of this discussion is to include a brief description of 3 topics in the surgery of trauma that have been widely discussed at national conferences and have had important new publications in the past year. Although this discussion cannot be all inclusive, it should highlight the important facts and help provide a general overview of these exciting advances in the critical care of trauma patients.
The Determination of Surface Area of Living Children

Three major methods for obtaining surface area have been applied to both the living body and the cadaver. The first is the geometric. The second is to cover the body with pieces of paper of known area or with a thin sheet of pliable but non-elastic substance which is later measured with a planimeter, by direct weighing or by weighing pieces of paper of the same area as the coating. The third method is the application of the surface integrator.A variation of the coating method has been devised and applied to plaster of Paris casts of living children.1 This use of the intermediate stage of a model permits a check on the reliability of the coating method through seriatim measurements.The casts were obtained as follows: The child, after having his body coated with stearine and his hair covered with a close-fitting silk stocking top, was placed on his back in a thick layer of semisolid, quick-setting plaster of Paris with his legs apart, arms away from the sides and the fingers spread apart. The child was remo...
Distribution and Abundance of the Northern Walkingstick, Diapheromera femorata,

The northern walkingstick, Diapheromera femorata (Say), is widely distributed throughout the eastern United States but outbreaks have been observed only in the northern tier of States and at high elevations. An analysis of this situation is made on the basis of pertinent biological characteristics of the species as related to bioclimatic considerations, and an explanation is given for its presence in small numbers in its southern range and its potentiality for becoming very abundant farther north.
The Court's Separationist Approach to the Establishment Clause in Aguilar v Felton

In Aguilar v. Felton, the Court broadly applied the Lemon test to strike down parochial school participation in a special education program in the New York City school system. The decision in Aguilar came under criticism as taking an overly separationist approach to the Establishment Clause and was overruled in Agostini v. Felton.
Approach to Building Labs for Efficiency

Labs in universities are basic sites for teaching and scientific research, whose level will effect on students' ability and scientific fruits. So to improve the building of labs is the important task for the construction of subject in the new situation.
A mixed-integer formulation of the minimum patch size problem.

Forest harvest scheduling models have addressed wildlife habitat concerns in a variety of ways. One way is through minimum patch size constraints specifying that a certain amount of the forest must consist of patches meeting both minimum size and minimum age requirements. Patch size requirements may be necessary because a forest with only small patches of mature habitat may not be able to support populations of some wildlife species. Maximum harvest opening size constraints, which are often imposed for legal or policy reasons, tend to divide forest habitat into small patches. Minimum patch size constraints may be able to help mitigate the negative impact of maximum harvest opening size restrictions. Patch size requirements have been considered elsewhere, but a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) formulation has never been presented. This article presents such a formulation, which allows minimum patch size problems to be solved using the branch and bound algorithm available through commercial solver packages. An example problem is formulated, solved, and discussed.
Spatial analysis of disease--applications.

The objective of this chapter is to provide useful information for taking the spatial analysis of health data “from the lab to the clinic.” The preceding chapter reviewed the history and theory of spatial statistics as applied to health data. This chapter provides examples of how this theory can be used in practice. Emphasis is placed on the tools and resources available to enable a statistical analyst to perform a spatial statistical analysis. Because the methods and software are constantly improving, the author advises the reader to review the latest literature as a first step in embarking on a spatial analysis.
Safety envelope for load tolerance of structural element design based on multi-stage testing:

Structural elements, such as stiffened panels and lap joints, are basic components of aircraft structures. For aircraft structural design, designers select predesigned elements satisfying the desig...
A review of surface wipe sampling compared to biologic monitoring for occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs

ABSTRACTThe potential for adverse health effects from occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs (AD) is well known. Control measures recommended by the NIOSH Alert[3] include medical and biologic monitoring, and environmental monitoring where available. At present no guidelines or published best practices exist to guide EHS managers on how to carry out this biologic or environmental monitoring. Studies investigating surface wipe sampling for AD have been numerous in the past decade, but very limited research exists to correlate surface contamination with actual absorption by pharmacists and nurses.This article reviews the studies with concurrent surface wipe sampling and urine monitoring for the same AD, and tests their correlation. Methodologic limitations are reviewed.Twenty-one studies were identified that concurrently measured surface contamination by AD by wipe sampling and AD absorption by urine monitoring. Two studies directly evaluated the AD by wipe sampling and urine levels and neither found...
Jump-Filtration Consistent Nonlinear Expectations with $${\mathbb {L}^{p}}$$ L p Domains

Given $$p \in (1,2]$$ , the wellposedness of backward stochastic differential equations with jumps (BSDEJs) in $$\mathbb {L}^p$$ sense gives rise to a so-called g-expectation with $$\mathbb {L}^p$$ domain under the jump filtration (the one generated by a Brownian motion and a Poisson random measure). In this paper, we extend such a g-expectation to a nonlinear expectation $$\mathcal{E}$$ with $$\mathbb {L}^p$$ domain that is consistent with the jump filtration. We study the basic (martingale) properties of the jump-filtration consistent nonlinear expectation $$\mathcal{E}$$ and show that under certain domination condition, the nonlinear expectation $$\mathcal{E}$$ can be represented by some g-expectation.
Environmentally relevant concentrations of herbicides impact non-target species at multiple sublethal endpoints

There is concern over herbicide exposure effects on aquatic primary production and zooplankton as herbicides are found in aquatic ecosystems at concentrations potentially toxic to phytoplankton. We first aimed to determine the effect concentrations (growth inhibition) and mixture interactions of the herbicides diuron (0.5 to 50μg/L) and hexazinone (0.5 to 40μg/L) on the green algae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. Secondly, we evaluated chronic effects on Daphnia magna that were periodically fed on P. subcapitata that had been exposed to low, medium, and high concentrations. We hypothesized that based on the mode of action of the herbicides we would observe additive growth inhibition in algae, and sublethal effects on D. magna. Growth inhibition in P. subcapitata following mixture exposure was most consistent with the concentration addition (CA) concept; while the independent action (IA) model underestimated the combined effect. The lowest observed effect concentrations (LOEC) were 1.50μg/L hexazinone, 1.18μg/L diuron, and 0.125 TU (0.30μg/L diuron×0.12μg/L hexazinone) in the single and binary mixture exposures, respectively. High hexazinone exposure decreased D. magna survival (80% vs. 55.6%). Neonate number was reduced by 13.9% in high mixture and 23.5% in high hexazinone treatments. Gravid body length was reduced by 9.5% following exposure to the high mixture. Herbicide exposure decreased neonate size, especially in later broods. Herbicides decreased the phototaxic responses of neonates in most treatments. Herbicide exposure effects were detected at environmentally relevant concentrations, levels considered to be safe according to current USEPA aquatic life benchmarks, suggesting that these benchmarks need to be updated to improve ecological risk assessment. As herbicides are some of the most applied pesticides worldwide, sublethal endpoints can serve as sensitive early warning tools to indicate their presence and can support regulatory assessments and monitoring to protect aquatic life.
Statins and Musculoskeletal Conditions in U.S. Air Force Active Duty Service Members

ABSTRACT Background: This study examined the association of statin use and musculoskeletal conditions in statin users and nonusers within the population of U.S. Air Force active duty Service members in the military health care system. Methods: The study was a retrospective cohort analysis of Service members between 2004 and 2014 as identified from personnel data having physical fitness and cardiac risk data available and who were free of musculoskeletal diagnoses for 6 months before the study period. Based on pharmacy data, participants were divided into two groups: statin users (received a statin for at least 90 days) and nonusers (never received a statin throughout the study period). Using participants' baseline characteristics, a propensity score was generated and used to match statin users to nonusers in a 1:3 ratio. Conditional logistic regression was used to determine the odds ratio (OR) for a musculoskeletal injury. Findings: A total of 123,138 participants met study criteria (592 statin users and ...
Effects of a Brief Mindfulness Based Group Intervention On College Students

Increases in the number of college students seeking mental health services require counseling centers to explore innovative strategies to provide effective and efficient treatments. Group intervent...
Aggregation of Gridded Emulated Rainfed Crop Yield Projections at the National or Regional Level

To estimate the impact of climate change on yields, researchers traditionally use process-based models or statistical models. To benefit from the capabilities of processed-based models while preserving the application simplicity of statistical models, Blanc and Sultan (2015) and Blanc (2017) provide an ensemble of statistical tools emulating crops yields from global gridded crop models at the grid cell level using a simple set of environmental variables. This paper and companion code provide a tool for researcher to use those statistical emulators and estimate crop yields of rainfed maize, rice, soybean and wheat at the regional level. Crop yields estimates for various regional delineations can them simply be used as input into a variety of numerical equilibrium models and other analyses.
Design of Exponentially Weighted Moving Average Schemes

Plots of optimal smoothing parameters and control limit constants are given which make the design of exponentially weighted moving average charts simple. A design strategy is reviewed...
Pharmacokinetics and drug interactions of medications used to treat hepatitis C virus infection in the setting of chronic kidney disease and kidney transplantation

Hepatitis C infection in patients with chronic kidney disease or kidney transplant carries higher morbidity and mortality compared to noninfected patients. Historically, patients with advanced kidney disease and kidney transplant recipients were undertreated given the multiple adverse effects and limited efficacy of interferon-based therapies for chronic hepatitis C. The development of direct-acting antivirals in the past few years has opened an unprecedented opportunity for treating these populations. However, the impaired renal clearance of some of these medications in patients with kidney disease, and the potential interactions of antiviral therapies with immunosuppressants after kidney transplantation, present some challenges in choosing the proper regimen. This review provides an overview of the essential pharmacokinetics and drug interactions of relevant antiviral therapies in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in patients with advanced kidney disease and after kidney transplantation.
“Thinking Like a Mountain”: Ethics and Place as Travelling Concepts

The phrase ‘ethics of place’ comes with a host of ambiguities. It is not simply ethics derived from specific locations, much less ethics applied to specific places. It is not ethics that is situational, or relativist, or historicized, or subjective. It is not ‘applied’ ethics, as opposed to meta-ethics.
Bistable Transition Metal Complexes

In the field of molecular electronics the goals are to encode, manipulate and retrieve information at a molecular level.1–5 Either a small collection of molecules, or ideally an individual molecule, will be used as the electronic device. There have been many proposals for the possible construction of a device based on a single molecule, including Aviram and Ratner’s rectifier6,7 the hydrogen atom switch,6,7 Carter’s soliton switch,8 a Langmuir-Blodgett monolayer photodiode,9 and a proton transfer system.10
Lipids in membrane development.

Publisher Summary This chapter explores lipids and their role in membrane development. The study of the role of lipids is primarily concerned with the synthesis of the bacterial cell wall and the lipopolysaccharides has any definition of some of the possible roles emerged. These two cases exemplify the great value that remains to be obtained from the investigation of the appropriate biochemical mutants of microorganisms in which there is some disturbance of membrane assembly. The use of mutants for the study of the morphogenesis of the bacteriophage particle has provided a beautiful illustration of this principle. It is now becoming quite clear that polar lipid classes exhibit considerable heterogeneity of composition, metabolism, and turnover even perhaps within the same polar lipid molecule. The possibility of ready exchange of many phospholipids between membranes, now demonstrated at least in vitro in the case of mitochondrial and microsomal membranes, has also to be borne in mind.
Analog-to-Feature (A2F) Conversion for Audio-Event Classification

Always-on sensors continuously monitor the environment for certain events. Such sensors are often integrated on battery-powered devices, e.g., home automation devices or virtual assistants, which require power-efficient classification pipelines. However, conventional classification pipelines that digitize the analog signals at Nyquist rate followed by digital feature extraction and classification are wasteful in a sense that the “feature rate” is generally much smaller than the Nyquist rate. In this paper, we propose a novel classification pipeline called analog-to-feature (A2F) conversion that directly acquires features in the analog domain using non-uniform wavelet sampling (NUWS). Our approach effectively combines Nyquist-rate sampling and digital feature extraction, which has the potential to significantly reduce the power and costs of signal classification. We demonstrate the efficacy of our approach for the detection of audio events and show that NUWS-based A2F conversion is able to outperform existing methods that use compressive sensing.
Government effectiveness in the provision of public goods: the role of institutional quality

While poorer countries have a much smaller public sector and correspondingly a smaller tax burden than richer countries, their economic performance has not been necessarily better. This paper discu...
A Novel Classification System for Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis Based on the Radiographic Relationship of the Epiphyseal Tubercle and the Metaphyseal Socket.

Recent studies have suggested that the epiphyseal tubercle serves as a fulcrum for rotation in slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE). However, radiographic evidence of the rotational mechanism is limited. In this study, we describe a novel radiographic staging system for SCFE based on the anatomic relationship between the epiphyseal tubercle and the metaphyseal socket. Methods We reviewed the cases of 469 patients with SCFE who were treated at our institution between 2000 and 2017. SCFE was classified according to our proposed staging system using the preoperative lateral radiograph. Normal hips were considered to be Stage 0. In Stage 1, the tubercle is concentric within its metaphyseal socket, which is enlarged and may present peritubercle radiolucency. In Stage 2, there is evidence of eccentricity of the tubercle, which remains in contact with the posterior wall of the socket. In Stage 3, the tubercle and metaphyseal lucency reach the posterior cortex of the femoral neck. A complete dislodgment of the tubercle from the metaphysis is present in Stage 4. Intra- and interobserver agreement, and correlations between the staging system and the traditional classifications of severity, stability, and chronicity, were estimated. Results The distribution by stage was as follows: 2% of the hips were classified as Stage 0, 19% were Stage 1, 48% were Stage 2, 15% were Stage 3, and 16% were Stage 4. The staging system had excellent intraobserver (κ = 0.89 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.83 to 0.96]) and interobserver agreement (κ = 0.87 [95% CI = 0.72 to 1.00]). There was a high correlation between the staging system and SCFE severity as assessed by the Southwick angle (r = 0.77 [95% CI = 0.73 to 0.82]; p < 0.001). There was a moderate correlation between the staging system and the Loder classification of stability (r = 0.55 [95% CI = 0.48 to 0.62]; p < 0.001) and a negligible correlation with the classification of chronicity (r = 0.19 [95% CI = 0.10 to 0.28]; p < 0.001). Conclusions The proposed staging system for SCFE is highly reliable and correlates well with the severity of SCFE based on the degree of displacement, with moderate correlation shown for stability. This new staging system helps in understanding the rotational mechanism of SCFE, warranting further investigation to determine its clinical application. Clinical Relevance The novel classification has the potential for the identification of hips that demonstrate subtle SCFE or are at pre-slip stage, or those at risk for osteonecrosis of the femoral head, failure of fixation, or slip progression.
Integrative Immunogenomic Characterization of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) Identifies Four Molecular Subtypes with Distinct Immune Landscapes

Background: Effective treatment of relapsed/refractory (r/r) DLBCL remains a major unmet need. Checkpoint blockade therapy (CBT) leads to durable responses in a small subset of r/r DLBCL patients, but limited understanding of predictive biomarkers and characteristics of host immune responses have slowed development of DLBCL immunotherapy. We previously described a subset of “T-cell inflamed” DLBCLs marked by PD-L1 gene alterations and increased likelihood of response to CBT. In this study, we aimed to identify and group gene expression patterns associated with immune features in a large number of DLBCL cases available in published datasets. We investigate the immunogenomic features of each group and corroborate findings in primary DLBCLs. Methods: Gene sets reflecting a broad array of activation states or subtypes of tumor-infiltrating immune cells were selected from previous studies (n = 143). Expression by case was scored for each set by applying gene set variation analysis (GSVA) to previously published DLBCL bulk RNAseq profiles (n = 1189). The resulting score matrix was reduced with principal component analysis (PCA); the first 10 components were used to hierarchically cluster each case into related groups. Immune cell fractions were estimated from RNAseq counts via deconvolution analysis. Differentially expressed genes (DEG) for each cluster were identified by false discovery rate (FDR) 1.5. The cytolytic gene expression (CYT) score, associated with T-cell immunity against solid tumors, was computed for each case. Protein-coding mutations found in ≥ 5% of cases by whole exome sequencing analysis were filtered for driver mutations (MutSig2CV q-value Results: Four clusters of immune gene set expression were identified in existing DLBCL datasets, termed “inflamed”, “intermediate-M”, “intermediate-T” and “cold”. There is no association of any cluster with a difference in overall survival or enrichment in a cell of origin subtype. The inflamed cluster has the highest mean CYT score (Fig 1A, p Conclusion: In this first comprehensive immunogenomic study of DLBCL, we define differences in host immune response by gene set expression, associate oncogenic mutations with immune exclusion, and discover expression of a number of immune escape genes in inflamed cases. Primary samples analyzed to date support the immune response patterns found by computational analysis. A greater understanding of heterogeneity in host response to DLBCL may help identify subsets of DLBCLs with inherent vulnerability to CBT and other immunotherapies. Download : Download high-res image (120KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures Smith: Portola Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding. Kline: Merck: Honoraria; Merck: Research Funding.
Light-sheet micro-dissection microscopy for improved molecular analysis of clinical specimens

In recent years we have developed open-top light-sheet microscopes for a variety of clinical applications. Here we present a new light-sheet micro-dissection microscope for improved molecular analysis of intact tissue specimens.
Pulse-Width Modulation

Pulse-width modulation (PWM) is the foundation of control in power electronics. Its design affects almost all aspects of converter operation, from steady-state and dynamic control performance to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and thermal design. The basic principle of commonly used PWM methods has been well established and easy to understand. Yet achieving optimal performance in terms of control, power quality and EMI requires in-depth understanding of the modulation process as well as its spectral and dynamic characteristics, which are mathematically much more involved due to the highly nonlinear nature of the PWM process.
Predictors of return visits to the emergency department among different age groups of older adults.

Abstract Objective To identify predictors of 30-day emergency department (ED) return visits in patients age 65–79 years and age ≥ 80 years. Methods This was a cohort study of older adults who presented to the ED over a 1-year period. A mixed-effects logistic regression model was used to identify predictors for returning to the ED within 30 days. We stratified the cohort into those aged 65–79 years and aged ≥80 years. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported. This study adhered to the STROBE reporting guidelines. Results A total of 21,460 ED visits representing 14,528 unique patients were included. The overall return rate was 15% (1998/13,300 visits) for age 65–79 years, and 16% (1306/8160 visits) for age ≥ 80 years. A history of congestive heart failure (CHF), dementia, or prior hospitalization within 2 years were associated with increased odds of returning in both age groups (for age 65–79: CHF aOR 1.36 [CI 1.16–1.59], dementia aOR 1.27 [CI 1.07–1.49], prior hospitalization aOR 1.36 [CI 1.19–1.56]; for age ≥ 80: CHF aOR 1.32 [CI 1.13–1.55], dementia aOR 1.22 [CI 1.04–1.42], and prior hospitalization aOR 1.27 [CI 1.09–1.47]). Being admitted from the ED was associated with decreased odds of returning to the ED within 30 days (aOR 0.72 [CI 0.64–0.80] for age 65–79 years and 0.72 [CI 0.63–0.82] for age ≥ 80). Conclusion Age alone was not an independent predictor of return visits. Prior hospitalization, dementia and CHF were predictors of 30-day ED return. The identification of predictors of return visits may help to optimize care transition in the ED.
Active Deception Framework: An Extensible Development Environment for Adaptive Cyber Deception

Cyber deception provides a proactive cyber defense that can reverse the asymmetry in cyber warfare through confusing, misleading, or diverting attackers to false goals. However, developing and deploying adaptive cyber deception techniques in real-life operational networks is an extremely complex and time-consuming task due to the extensive efforts required to implement the underlying network infrastructure configuration functions that are necessary to support active cyber deception operations, including observing, planning, and deploying honey resources at real-time. Therefore, developers in this field often spend significant time and effort building such infrastructural functions rather than focusing on developing sophisticated strategies for cyber deception applications.In this paper, we developed an active cyber deception framework (ADF) that provides an extensible rich API and synthesis engine for developing advanced cyber deception applications. The API can be used to observe adversary actions, compose multi-strategy deception plans, and ensure safe yet quick deployment of deception plans by automatically managing the network configuration and operational tasks. In addition, ADF provides deception as a service by automatic orchestration of deception planning and deployment with minimal human involvement. We implemented our deception framework using the OpenDaylight Software-defined networking controller. We evaluated ADF using various case studies that demonstrate the rapid and cost-effective deployment of advanced application of active deception on real networks within a few seconds.
Telomere Length and Preterm Birth in Pregnant Mexican-Origin Women.

Despite the obstacles of limited education and employment opportunities—and the stress associated with immigration and pregnancy—Mexican immigrant women have low rates of preterm birth (PTB) compared to the US national average for all races and ethnicities. Stressors during pregnancy, and stressors associated with acculturation, may accelerate cellular aging manifested by shortened telomere length (TL) in pregnant women. Our objectives were to: (1) determine whether women with PTBs had shorter telomere lengths compared to women who had full term births; (2) assess the association of acculturation with TL and PTB. This prospective pilot study collected data from 100 self-identified Mexican-origin pregnant women. Survey data included self-administered sociodemographic and acculturation measures and was collected from participants via paper and pen, while biologic data was collected via a single blood draw during a regularly scheduled prenatal visit between 26 and 36 weeks gestation. PTB data was collected from the participant’s medical record after delivery. TL was significantly associated with PTB; the median TL of the women with PTB was less than the median TL for the full sample (p = 0.02). Based on regression analysis for PTB vs acculturation, we found no significant associations between acculturation and PTB or TL. This study provides important evidence of the association between shortened maternal TL and adverse birth outcomes. By linking social, clinical and biologic data, we can enhance our understanding of social determinants that may affect racial and ethnic disparities in preterm birth.