cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developing great research questions.

Purpose. The process for developing a good research question is described. Summary. Three steps comprise the formulation of a great research question: (1) ask interesting questions, (2) select the best question for research, and (3) transform the research question into a testable hypothesis. Research is designed to generate information that cannot be gained from any other source. A research question is a narrow, challenging question addressing an issue, problem, or controversy that is answered with a conclusion based on the analysis and interpretation of evidence. A variety of strategies can be applied to stimulate creative thinking and generate new insights into old problems. A good research question challenges researchers to see matters from a new perspective and to learn something new. Practice research questions are evaluated by the probability of achieving their goal, along with the potential impact and feasibility of the project. The proposed research must meet important professional and societal goals, fit with the mission of the organization, garner administrative support, and be accomplished with available resources in a reasonable time frame. The research question should be refined to generate one or more hypotheses that specify the nature of the relationships to be observed and measured. Properly formulated questions yield findings to inform decisions that enhance practice, transfer to other settings, and make efficient use of resources. Conclusion. Developing a good research question is the most important part of the research process. The question should be narrow and address an important issue that fits within the mission of the organization.
Orb‐web Orientation and Modification by the Spiders Araneus diadematus and Araneus gemmoides (Araneae: Araneidae) in Response to Wind and Light

and Summary Most orb-weaving spiders (Araneidae) possess the behavioral capacity to orient and modify their planar webs in response to wind and direct sunlight. These behaviors have generally been interpreted as tactics to avoid thermal loading of the spider or damage to the web. However, previous studies have focused primarily on diurnal araneids that sit at the hubs of their webs in exposed habitats. Here the orientations and modifications of the webs to wind and light for Araneus diadematus and Araneus gemmoides, two spiders which use retreats in less exposed habitats, are examined. Light had no effect on the web structure of A. diadematus or on its web orientation. Araneus gemmoides, however, demonstrated a significant perpendicular orientation of the plane of the web to light; a response which is probably to increase prey interception rather than control isolation. In response to wind, A. diadematus demonstrated a significant reduction in the surface area of the web, while A. gemmoides demonstrated a significant parallel orientation of the web to wind with no change in web structure. The responses of both spiders to wind resemble behaviors shown by other orb-weavers, and probably function to avoid web damage. These responses to wind and light are related to the use of a retreat, and to differences in web building behavior and habitat. Zusammenfassung 1 Die Orientierung und der Bau der Fangnetze zweier Araneus-Arten unter Wind- und Lichteinflus wurden im Windkanal untersucht. 2 Licht hatte auf Struktur und Orientierung der Netze von A. diadematus keinen Effekt. A. gemmoides zeigte jedoch im Licht eine deutliche Vertikal-Orientierung der Netzebene. Diese Spinne scheint ihr Netz nach dem Licht auszurichten; vielleicht steigert das die Beutemenge. 3 Als Reaktion auf Wind nahm bei A. diadematus die Netzflache deutlich ab. A. gemmoides hingegen orientierte das Netz parallel zum Wind, verkleinerte es aber nicht. Beide Reaktionen ahneln dem Verhalten anderer Radnetzspinnen und dienen wahrscheinlich dazu, Netzschaden zu vermeiden.
Active Galactic Nuclei Across the Electromagnetic Spectrum

Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) are active over a wide range of scales, with a tendency for higher energy radiation to emerge from smaller scales. This is illustrated by the following sequence: extended Mpc jets (radio), kpc-sized starburst nuclei (far infrared), broad line regions on pc scales (optical), thermal accretion disk on mpc scales (ultraviolet), and a putative μpc black hole magnetosphere (X-rays). The simple theoretical paradigm of a massive black hole fed by accretion is complicated by two effects. First, there is reprocessing of the primary radiation of AGN to lower energies, such as thermal radiation by dust, or to higher energies, such as inverse Compton scattering of synchrotron radiation. Second, most AGN emit anisotropically. Examples include relativistically beamed emission from compact radio sources, anisotropic obscuration from gas and dust tori, and the effects of the host galaxy itself.
Vesicle cylinders in vapor-differentiated basalt flows

Vesicle cylinders are vertical pipes filled with bubbles and residual melt that differentiate from diktytaxitic basalt flows during crystallization. They grow from about 0.25 m above the base of the flow to the bottom of the chilled flow top. Field relations limit their growth to the period between cessation of lava movement and deep penetration of columnar joints. Basalts containing vesicle cylinders show positive correlations among increasing cylinder abundance, increasing lava porosity, and increasing groundmass crystal size. These features suggest unusually high water contents in the magma before eruption. Although both vesicle cylinders and host lava are “basaltic”, the cylinders are enriched in elements not removed by the initial crystallization of the host: Fe, Mn, Ti, Na, K, P and many incompatible trace elements. The last residues to solidify within the cylinders consist of dacitic-rhyolitic glass, Fe-Ti oxides, anorthoclase, apatite + fayalite &- aegerine. Geothermometry indicates that the cylinders began forming at N 1 lOO-1075°C but ceased crystallizing at N 950°C. Pre-eruptive, high-temperature, iddingsite alteration of olivine phenocrysts in many lavas containing vesicle cylinders shows that the fo, of the magmas was extremely high at eruption ( N 10m4). After eruption, the fo, of the lavas fell dramatically to values of about lo-” and conditions paralleled the FMQ buffer to final crystallization. Because the iddingsite forms before eruption, the magmas may become relatively oxidizing by addition of meteoric water late in their evolution. Oxygen-18 analyses of four basalt-differentiate pairs suggest that meteoric water addition has occurred in some of the magmas. Field relations and thermal profiles of cooling lava flows limit the growth period of vesicle cylinders to l-5 days after flows of typical thickness (3-10 m) come to rest. Estimated viscosities of host lavas and frothy differentiate during cylinder growth are I lo6 and _ lo4 poise, respectively. Although an adequate quantitative model describing growth of vesicle cylinders does not exist, they apparently form by bubble nucleation and resulting density instability above the rising lower solidification front of the cooling flows. As the coalesced bubbles rise, residual melt and additional vapor migrate into the low-pressure, vertical discontinuity formed by tbe plume.
Design of aromatic-containing cell-penetrating peptide mimics with structurally modified π electronics.

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) and their synthetic mimics (CPPMs) represent a class of molecules that facilitate the intracellular delivery of various cargo. Previous studies indicated that the presence of aromatic functionalities improved CPPM activity. Given that aromatic functionalities play prominent roles in membrane biology and participate in various π interactions, we explored whether these interactions could be optimized for improved CPPM activity. CPPMs were synthesized by ring-opening metathesis polymerization by using monomers that contained aromatic rings substituted with electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups and covered an electrostatic potential range from -29.69 to +15.57 kcal mol(-1) . These groups altered the quadrupole moments of the aromatic systems and were used to test if such structural modifications changed CPPM activity. CPPMs were added to dye-loaded vesicles and the release of carboxyfluorescein was monitored as a function of polymer concentration. Changes in the effective polymer concentration to release 50% of the dye (effective concentration, EC50 ) were monitored. Results from this assay showed that the strength of the electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups incorporated in the CPPMs did not alter polymer EC50 values or activity. This suggests that other design parameters may have a stronger impact on CPPM activity. In addition, these results indicate that a wide range of aromatic groups can be incorporated without negatively impacting polymer activity.
Review of Infectious Diseases Applications for iPhone/iPad and Android: from Pocket to Patient

The explosion of medical applications (apps) in the Apple and Google Play app stores has made it increasingly difficult to find relevant and reliable infectious diseases (ID) apps. Apple created a section called "Apps for Healthcare Professionals"; however, several ID apps are missing. Google Play's ID category has several non-ID apps. Many apps involve diagnosis and patient management, creating a need for regulations and oversight by the US Food and Drug Administration. There are no standards to guide accuracy or reliability of medical apps' content. We searched Apple and Google Play app stores to identify new ID apps. Over 1200 apps were identified. We applied several exclusion criteria to identify adult/pediatric apps with data from trustworthy sources that were not reviewed within the last year. Twelve new ID apps were identified with a comprehensive list of 24 ID apps to assist healthcare professionals at the point of care.
Consensus and collision detectors in wireless Ad Hoc networks

We consider the fault-tolerant consensus problem in wireless ad hoc networks with crash-prone nodes. We develop consensus algorithms for single-hop environments where the nodes are located within broadcast range of each other. Our algorithms tolerate highly unpredictable wireless communication, in which messages may be lost due to collisions, electromagnetic interference, or other anomalies. Accordingly, each node may receive a different set of messages in the same round. In order to minimize collisions, we design adaptive algorithms that attempt to minimize the broadcast contention. To cope with unreliable communication, we augment the nodes with collision detectors and present a new classification of collision detectors in terms of accuracy and completeness, based on practical realities. We show exactly in which cases consensus can be solved, and thus determine the requirements for a useful collision detector.We validate the feasibility of our algorithms, and the underlying wireless model, with simulations based on a realistic 802.11 MAC layer implementation and a detailed radio propagation model. We analyze the performance of our algorithms under varying sizes and densities of deployment and varying MAC layer parameters. We use our single-hop consensus algorithms as the basis for solving consensus in a multi-hop network, demonstrating the resilience of our algorithms to a challenging and noisy environment.
Second order statistics target-specified virtual dimensionality

Virtual dimensionality (VD) has received considerable interest in its use of specifying the number of spectrally distinct signatures. So far all techniques are decomposition approaches which use eigenvalues, eigenvectors or singular vectors to estimate the virtual dimensionality. However, when eigenvalues are used to estimate VD such as Harsanyi-Farrand- Chang’s method or hyperspectral signal subspace identification by minimum error (HySime), there will be no way to find what the spectrally distinct signatures are. On the other hand, if eigenvectors/singular vectors are used to estimate VD such as maximal orthogonal complement algorithm (MOCA), eigenvectors/singular vectors do not represent real signal sources. In this paper we introduce a new concept, referred to as target-specified VD (TSVD), which operates on the signal sources themselves to both determine the number of distinct sources and identify their signature. The underlying idea of TSVD was derived from that used to develop high-order statistics (HOS) VD where its applicability to second order statistics (2OS) was not explored. In this paper we investigate a 2OS-based target finding algorithm, called automatic target generation process (ATGP) to determine VD. Experiments are conducted in comparison with well-known and widely used eigen-based approaches.
Synthetic Structures with Parity-Time Symmetry

Parity-time (PT) symmetric wave mechanics is a rapidly developed field with applications in various areas of physics and mathematics. Although originally proposed in the framework of Quantum Field Theory, it was recently recognized to be a natural mathematical language necessary to describe novel wave transport phenomena in synthetic structures where balanced gain and loss mechanisms coexist. Examples of its successful implementation can be found in areas ranging from integrated photonics and electronic circuitry to antenna theory and meta-materials. The objective of this chapter is to highlight some of these successes, both in modeling and experimental implementations, of PT-symmetric optical and electronic systems.
Sputter deposition of thin film MIM capacitors on LTCC substrates for RF bypass and filtering applications

Thin film capacitors for RF bypass and filtering applications were sputter deposited onto low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrates. The capacitors were configured in a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) design featuring 200 nm thick Al electrodes and a 300 nm thick Al2O3 dielectric layer, with dimensions varied between ∼150×150 μm and ∼750×750 μm. DC current-voltage measurements (E ≤ 5 MV/cm) coupled with impedance analysis (≤15 MHz) was used to characterize the resulting devices. More than 90% of the devices functioned as capacitors with high DC resistance (>20 MΩ) and low loss (tan δ <0.1). A second set of capacitors were made under the same experimental conditions with device geometries optimized for high frequency (≥200 MHz) applications. These capacitors featured temperature coefficient of capacitance (TCC) values between 500 and 1000 ppm/°C as well as low loss and high self-resonant frequency performance (ESR <0.6 Ohms at self-resonance of 5.7 GHz for 82 pF). Capacitance and loss values were comp...
Expected Return and the Value Premium

Empirical research has shown that within a cross-section of stocks, investor return increases with book-to-market ratio. The reason is in dispute. One side argues that the market is inefficient; the other, that value stocks are riskier. Statistical analysis of historical data has not resolved the issue. We take a theoretical approach, which suggests that the higher returns for value stocks can be explained without the introduction of risk. Our theory leads to an equation for expected return, which differs from realized return through elimination of a speculative noise factor. The theory defines fundamental factors that determine investor return, and is confirmed by empirical correlations reported by others.
On Connections Of Cartan

Introduction. Consider a differentiable manifold M and the tangent bundle T(M) over M, the structure group of which is usually the general linear group G'. Let P' be the principal fibre bundle associated with T(M). Consider the fibre F of T(M) as an affine space, then we have acting on F the affine transformation group G, which contains G' as the isotropic subgroup.
Polyfunctional ionogenic compound sorption: challenges and new approaches to advance predictive models.

Polyfunctional ionogenic compounds are unique in that they sorb to environmental solids at multiple receptor sites via multiple interaction mechanisms. However, existing sorption models fail to accommodate: (i) sorption via a single mechanism (e.g., cation exchange) at one sorbent receptor site type (e.g., exchange site) distributed across multiple soil components (e.g., organic matter and aluminosilicates); and (ii) sorption at a specific sorbent receptor site (e.g., exchange site) involving distinct sorbate structural moieties (e.g., −NH3+ and −COOH) and distinct interaction mechanisms (e.g., cation exchange and cation bridging). In response, this study offers a mechanism-based framework for conceptualizing the equilibrium solid-water sorption coefficient, Kd, with particular emphasis on the mechanisms of cation exchange and surface complexation/cation bridging. The unique mapping of sorbate structural moieties, sorbent receptor sites, and sorption mechanisms is used to advance mechanism-specific probe ...
The unresolved role of systemic factors in bone metastasis

Systemic factors including cytokines, cell-free nucleic acids, microvesicles, and platelets are appreciated as important regulators of adenocarcinoma progression. Research findings using pre-clinical mouse models have revealed that many such systemically acting factors are either secreted by or responsive to peripheral tumors and impact bone and bone marrow (collectively referred to as the bone microenvironment) to initiate processes that ultimately govern disease progression, even in the absence of detectable bone metastases. In some cases, cancer-driven modulation of the bone microenvironment involves mobilization of bone marrow hematopoietic and mesenchymal cells into the circulation that are subsequently recruited into peripheral tissues and tumors. In other cases, systemic factors alter bone marrow cell (BMC) differentiation and/or gene expression to render the BMCs pro-tumorigenic even prior to their mobilization into the circulation. Given their effect on the bone microenvironment, it stands to reason that such systemic factors might also influence metastases in the bone; however, this hypothesis remains to be comprehensively tested. Here, we briefly review what is known, and not known, about systemic factors that regulate the bone microenvironment and thereby influence bone metastases. We also pose a number of currently unanswered questions in this active area of research. A better understanding of systemic processes that influence bone metastasis should aid discovery of therapeutic approaches that aim to eradicate or reduce disease burden in the bone, which is the cause of significant patient mortality and morbidity and is currently incurable.
Onlay Island Flap Urethroplasty: Variation on a Theme

AbstractThe onlay island flap urethroplasty is useful in patients with distal, mid shaft and proximal hypospadias who have a well developed urethral plate and exhibit little or no curvature after release of chordee. The technique described has 2 main features: 1) use of the entire inner prepuce of the foreskin facilitates its mobilization and protects the vascular pedicle, and 2) additional soft tissue coverage is gained by removing the excess preputial mucosa not used for the neourethra. This extra soft tissue covering of the suture lines should prevent fistula formation. During the last 4½ years the onlay island flap has been used for repair of hypospadias in 61 patients. The complication rate (6%) is low and compares favorably with other techniques. Further refinements in the onlay flap hypospadias repair should decrease the complication rate and widen its applicability.
The G protein-coupled receptor rhodopsin: A historical perspective

Rhodopsin is a key light-sensitive protein expressed exclusively in rod photoreceptor cells of the retina. Failure to express this transmembrane protein causes a lack of rod outer segment formation and progressive retinal degeneration, including the loss of cone photoreceptor cells. Molecular studies of rhodopsin have paved the way to understanding a large family of cell-surface membrane proteins called G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Work started on rhodopsin over 100 years ago still continues today with substantial progress made every year. These activities underscore the importance of rhodopsin as a prototypical GPCR and receptor required for visual perception-the fundamental process of translating light energy into a biochemical cascade of events culminating in vision.
Incorporating Human-Like Walking Variability in an HZD-Based Bipedal Model

Predictive simulations of human walking could be used to investigate a wide range of questions. Promising moderately complex models have been developed using the robotics control technique called hybrid zero dynamics (HZD). Existing simulations of human walking only consider the mean motion; therefore, they cannot be used to investigate fall risk, which is correlated with variability. This study determines how to incorporate human-like variability into an HZD-based healthy human model to generate a more realistic gait. The key challenge is determining how to combine the existing mathematical description of variability with the dynamic model so that the biped is still able to walk without falling. To do so, the commanded motion is augmented with a sinusoidal variability function and a polynomial correction function. The variability function captures the variation in joint angles, while the correction function prevents the variability function from growing uncontrollably. The necessity of the correction function and the improvements with a reduction of stance ankle variability are demonstrated via simulations. The variability in temporal measures is shown to be similar to experimental values.
Locating the electrical junctions in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 and Cu2ZnSnSe4 solar cells by scanning capacitance spectroscopy

We determined the electrical junction (EJ) locations in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) and Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTS) solar cells with ~20-nm accuracy by developing scanning capacitance spectroscopy (SCS) applicable to the thin-film devices. Cross-sectional sample preparation for the SCS measurement was developed by high-energy ion milling at room temperature for polishing the cross section to make it flat, followed by low-energy ion milling at liquid nitrogen temperature for removing the damaged layer and subsequent annealing for growing a native oxide layer. The SCS shows distinct p-type, transitional, and n-type spectra across the devices, and the spectral features change rapidly with location in the depletion region, which results in determining the EJ with ~20-nm resolution. We found an n-type CIGS in the region next to the CIGS/CdS interface; thus, the cell is a homojunction. The EJ is ~40 nm from the interface on the CIGS side. In contrast, such an n-type CZTS was not found in the CZTS/CdS cells. The EJ is ~20 nm from the CZTS/CdS interface, which is consistent with asymmetrical carrier concentrations of the p-CZTS and n-CdS in a heterojunction cell. Our results of unambiguously determination of the junction locations contribute significantly to understanding the large open-circuit voltage difference between CIGS and CZTS. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
How long should dual antiplatelet therapy be used in diabetic patients after implantation of drug-eluting stents?

Purpose of review To analyze evidence from randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that identifies the optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after implantation of newer generation drug-eluting stents (DESs) in diabetic patients. Recent findings Patients with diabetes mellitus have increased risk of ischemic events and bleeding after DES implantation. The optimal duration of DAPT for this population is currently unknown. In a subgroup analysis of 8542 diabetic patients enrolled in eight RCTs of DAPT duration after implantation of newer generation DESs, prolonged courses of DAPT of 12-36 months in duration resulted in rates of major adverse cardiac events that were no different from those seen after shorter courses of DAPT of 3-12 months in duration (odds ratio 1.00, 95% Bayesian credible interval 0.74-1.33). Summary Prolonged DAPT up to 36 months after newer generation DES implantation in diabetic subgroups has not been associated with better outcomes than shorter courses of 3-12 months. Until dedicated trials are completed in diabetic populations, DAPT duration after newer generation DES implantation in patients with diabetes mellitus should follow recommendations for the general population.
School Context Matters: The Impacts of Concentrated Poverty and Racial Segregation on Childhood Obesity†

BACKGROUND Schools are important sites for interventions to prevent childhood obesity. This study examines how variables measuring the socioeconomic and racial composition of schools and counties affect the likelihood of obesity among third to fifth grade children. METHODS Body mass index data were collected from third to fifth grade public school students by teachers from 317 urban and rural North Carolina schools in 38 counties. Multilevel models are used to examine county-, school-, and individual-level effects. RESULTS Low concentrations of poverty at the school level are associated with lower odds of obesity. Schools in rural counties had significantly higher rates of obesity, net the other variables in the model. Students in minority-segregated schools had higher rates of obesity than those in more racially diverse schools, but the effect was not statistically significant once school-level poverty was controlled. CONCLUSIONS Place-based inequalities are important determinants of health inequalities. The results of this study show that school-level variables related to poverty are important for understanding and confronting childhood obesity.
Qualitative Descriptions of Middle-Class, African American Mothers’ Child-Rearing Practices and Values:

During qualitative phone interviews, middle-class, mostly married African American mothers (N = 25) describe their child-rearing responsibilities, practices, and values. They explain (a) why they d...
An Intracellular Ammonium Transporter Is Necessary for Replication, Differentiation, and Resistance to Starvation and Osmotic Stress in Trypanosoma cruzi.

ABSTRACT Trypanosoma cruzi , the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, undergoes drastic metabolic changes when it transits between a vector and mammalian hosts. Amino acid catabolism leads to the production of ammonium (NH 4 + ), which needs to be detoxified. However, T. cruzi does not possess a urea cycle, and it is unknown how intracellular levels of ammonium are controlled. In this work, we identified an intracellular ammonium transporter of T. cruzi (TcAMT) that localizes to acidic compartments (reservosomes, lysosomes). TcAMT has 11 transmembrane domains and possesses all conserved and functionally important amino acid residues that form the pore in other ammonium transporters. Functional expression in Xenopus oocytes followed by a two-electrode voltage clamp showed an inward current that is NH 4 + dependent at a resting membrane potential ( V h ) lower than −120 mV and is not pH dependent, suggesting that TcAMT is not an NH 4 + /H + cotransporter but an NH 4 + or NH 3 /H + transporter. Ablation of TcAMT by clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat analysis with Cas9 (CRISPR-Cas9) resulted in significant defects in epimastigote and amastigote replication, differentiation, and resistance to starvation and osmotic stress. IMPORTANCE Trypanosoma cruzi is an important human and animal pathogen and the etiologic agent of Chagas disease. The parasite undergoes drastic changes in its metabolism during its life cycle. Amino acid consumption becomes important in the infective stages and leads to the production of ammonia (NH 3 ), which needs to be detoxified. We report here the identification of an ammonium (NH 4 + ) transporter that localizes to acidic compartments and is important for replication, differentiation, and resistance to starvation and osmotic stress.
Overcoming interconnect scaling challenges using novel process and design solutions to improve both high-speed and low-power computing modes

Interconnect scaling in future CMOS technology nodes is projected to cause an unprecedented increase in resistance, making interconnects the key performance limiter instead of transistors. Both high-speed and low-power computing modes based on dynamically changing VDD and frequency will be the most impacted by this trend. To overcome this dilemma we present device-circuit-architecture solutions based on the reconfiguration of i) buffered interconnects and ii) execution architecture. Interconnect is dynamically reconfigured by either CMOS transistors or novel Insulator-Metal-Transition “via” devices. Processor execution resources are dynamically re-provisioned based on operating mode and activity metrics. With projected interconnect resistance, a simulated processor design shows 18% and 15% performance improvement from interconnect and execution architecture reconfiguration, respectively. When combined, these techniques provide 35% performance improvement in high-speed mode and energy efficiency in low-power mode.
Introduction: Rights for Whom?

This introduction summarizes how Murdering Animals crisscrosses the intersections of animal rights theory, criminology and the history of the fine and performing arts. It is the first text in any discipline to argue that if the killing of an animal by a human is as harmful to her as homicide is to a human, then the proper naming of such a death—‘theriocide’—offers a remedy, however small, to the extensive privileging of human lives over those of other animals. Whether the focus is on prose, painting, poetry or a play, each chapter addresses the killing of animals by humans, except for Chap. 6, the repeatedly threatening images of which unfold as the homicide of a father seemingly twice committed by his son. Though each of the chapters can stand alone, I hope it is not too fanciful to suggest that each also leads into the next and at strategic points dissects the others.
The role and mechanics of dendritic cells in tumor antigen acquisition and presentation following laser immunotherapy

We extend our model of the antitumor immune response initiated by laser-immunotherapy treatment to more closely examine key steps in the immune response 1) tumor antigen acquisition by antigen-presenting dendritic cells (DCs) and 2) cytotoxic T cell (CTL) priming by lymphatic DCs. Specifically we explore the formation of DC-CTL complexes that lead to CTL priming. We find that the bias in the dissociation rate of the complex influences the outcome of treatment. In particular, a bias towards priming favors a rapid activated CTL response and the clearance of tumors.
HCDN: Hybrid-Mode Clock Distribution Networks

We propose a new hybrid clock distribution scheme that uses global current-mode and local voltage-mode (VM) clocking to distribute a high-performance clock signal with reduced power consumption. In order to enable hybrid clocking, we propose two new current-to-voltage converters. The converters are simple current receiver circuits based on amplifier and current-mirror circuits. The global clocking is bufferless and relies on current rather than voltage, which reduces the jitter. The local VM network improves compatibility with traditional CMOS logic. The hybrid clock distribution network exhibits 29% lower average power and 54% lower jitter-induced skew in a symmetric network compared to traditional VM clocks. To use hybrid clocking efficiently, we present a methodology to identify the optimal cluster size and the number of required receiver circuits, which we demonstrate using the ISPD 2009, ISPD 2010, and ISCAS89 testbench networks. At 1–2-GHz clock frequency, the proposed methodology uses up to 45% and 42% lower power compared to a synthesized buffered VM scheme using ISPD 2009 and ISPD 2010 testbenches, respectively. In addition, the proposed hybrid clocking scheme saves up to 50% and 59% of power compared to a buffered scheme using the ISCAS89 benchmark circuit at 1- and 2-GHz clock frequency, respectively.
Effects of orientation and strain on the topological characteristics of CdTe/ α -Sn quantum wells

It is known that compressive or tensile planar strain determines the band structure topology of the diamond cubic allotrope of tin ($\ensuremath{\alpha}$-Sn) to be either a Dirac semimetal (DSM) or topological insulator (TI), respectively. Using analytical techniques, we show that quantum confinement in negatively strained CdTe/$\ensuremath{\alpha}$-Sn quantum wells induces a phase transition from the DSM state to a quasi-three-dimensional TI as $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-Sn thickness is decreased. The critical thickness of the transition is found to depend strongly on the orientation of the CdTe, and magnitude of the epitaxial strain, which can be experimentally tuned. This result provides a new rationale for why $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-Sn has been observed in a three-dimensional (3D) TI state when pseudomorphically grown on zincblende substrates possessing smaller lattice constants. Additional impacts of strain and orientation on the electronic properties and spin texture of $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-Sn are explored. In particular, we examine the impact of orientation on the critical length of the Bernevig-Hughes-Zhang transition from a 2D TI to trivial insulator, as well as on the Rashba spin orbit coupling effects of an external electric field.
Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols in neonates should focus on the respiratory tract

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols have shown significant benefits in terms of patient outcomes and institutional cost savings in colorectal and bariatric surgery. This has not, however, been tried in the neonatal setting. One of the major barriers to developing ERAS protocols in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is the often-prolonged intubation of neonates after surgery. To this end, we evaluated our institutional data to determine if prolonged intubation post-operatively is associated with adverse events. This is a retrospective cohort study of neonates who were intubated for a surgical procedure from January 2012 to December 2016. Documented data included pre-operative intubation status, timing of post-operative extubation: immediate ( 24 h), and adverse respiratory events. The Fisher exact test and Student’s t test were used to study differences amongst categorical and continuous variables, respectively. 58 surgical procedures were identified, where the patient was intubated specifically for the surgical intervention, of which 28 were extubated immediately and 30 were extubated in a delayed fashion. The overall incidence of adverse respiratory events was increased in the delayed extubation group (P = 0.03). Healthcare providers should encourage early extubation after neonatal surgery. Consideration should be given to implementing ERAS protocols in NICUs. Prognosis study—level II.
Evaluation of the impact of thyroiditis development in patients receiving immunotherapy with programmed cell death-1 inhibitors.

PurposeWe evaluated if the development of thyroiditis in patients who received treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors across various tumor types was associated with tumor response.MethodsIn th...
Isobar Collisions at RHIC to Test Local Parity Violation in Strong Interactions

The discovery of the Higgs boson has completed the Standard Model of fundamental interactions. The Standard Model describes the strong and electroweak interactions by generalizing the concept of lo...
Against Grammatical Competition: The Case of MaxElide

There have been proposed various principles of grammar which rely on competition, whereby one derivation is blocked on the basis of a competing one. This paper begins with the premise that all competition effects should be located in speaker/hearer principles, not formal grammatical principles as the latter greatly complicates the grammar. We focus on one case study: MaxElide. We show that given a variable free semantics (Jacobson 1999) the effects of this principle fall out from type rather than size competition: speakers will frame things with ‘missing material’ to use simpler types over more complex ones, on the assumption that the simpler types are easier for listeners to supply.
Risk Factors and Incidence of Gastric Cancer After Detection of Helicobacter pylori Infection: A Large Cohort Study.

Background & Aims Nearly all studies of gastric adenocarcinoma in the United States have relied on national cancer databases, which do not include data on Helicobacter pylori infection, the most well-known risk factor for gastric cancer. We collected data from a large cohort of patients in the United States to calculate the incidence of and risk factors for nonproximal gastric adenocarcinomas after detection of H pylori. Secondary aims included identifying how treatment and eradication affect cancer risk. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study, collecting data from the Veterans Health Administration on 371,813 patients (median age 62 years; 92.3% male) who received a diagnosis of H pylori infection from January 1, 1994, through December 31, 2018. The primary outcome was a diagnosis of distal gastric adenocarcinoma 30 days or more after detection of H pylori infection. We performed a time to event with competing risk analysis (with death before cancer as a competing risk). Results The cumulative incidence of cancer at 5, 10, and 20 years after detection of H pylori infection was 0.37%, 0.5%, and 0.65%, respectively. Factors associated with cancer included older age at time of detection of H pylori infection (subhazard ratio [SHR], 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11–1.15; P Conclusions In a study of 371,813 veterans with a diagnosis of H pylori infection, we found significantly higher risks of gastric cancer in racial and ethnic minorities and smokers. Treatment of H pylori infection decreased risk only if eradication was successful. Studies are needed on the effects of screening high-risk persons and to identify quality measures for diagnosis, resistance patterns, and treatment efficacy.
Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication

This chapter discusses technical aspects of laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication including instrumentation and equipment, patient positioning, trocar placement, and surgical steps. The authors also offer pearls and pitfalls.
Effects of environmental and management factors on worldwide maize and soybean yields over the 20 th and 21 st centuries

Abstract. The land process model, ISAM, is extended to accurately simulate contemporary soybean and maize crop yields, and estimate changes in yield over the period 1901–2100 driven by past and future changes in environmental factors – atmospheric CO2 level ([CO2]) and climate (temperature and precipitation) – and management factors – nitrogen fertilizer and deposition, irrigation, and crop harvest areas. Over the 20th century, each of these factors contributes to the increase in global crop yield with increasing nitrogen fertilizer application the strongest of these drivers for maize and increasing [CO2] the strongest for soybean. Over the 21st century, two future scenarios – RCP4.5-SSP2 and RCP8.5-SSP5 – of the environmental and management factors are modeled to estimate their influence on future crop yield. For both crops under both scenarios, changing climate drives yield lower, while rising [CO2] drives yield higher. For soybean, the negative climate effect is more than offset by the other drivers – particularly the increase in [CO2] – leading to an increase in global soybean yield by the 2090s. For maize, combined negative climate and harvest area effects are offset in RCP4.5-SSP2, which has continued growth in nitrogen fertilizer application, leaving global yield roughly unchanged. However, in RCP8.5-SSP5 maize yield declines since this scenario has greater warming of climate and weaker nitrogen fertilizer application than RCP4.5-SSP2. The model also projects differences between geographical regions; notably, higher temperatures in tropical regions limit photosynthesis rates and reduce light interception by accelerating phenological development in both crops, particularly for RCP8.5-SSP5 and for soybean.
Chapter 3 – Properties

Publisher Summary The pure elemental sulfur is a bright yellow solid and has no odor. It is sold in many different commercial forms and grades that differ in physical and chemical form, and in purity. The purity of commercial sulfur is often described by its color. The bright sulfur is 99% pure. The Frasch and Claus sulfur contain traces of organic compounds that, upon heating, slowly react, evolving hydrogen sulfide. Such reactions can take place in transit, for example, on liquid sulfur barges. The mineral sulfur is usually less pure. For shipping solid sulfur, the traces of additives are sometimes mixed with sulfur to improve the mechanical handling and reduce dust. These prilled, flaked, granulated, slated, and other grades often contain organic amines. For research purposes, at present, sulfur is commercially available in 99.999% (5N) purity. The ultra-pure sulfur is obtained by zone refining and other methods. The sulfur can exist in at least 12 different forms at room temperature.
A Feedback Guidance Scheme for Orbital Rendezvous

A feedback guidance scheme for autonomous orbital rendezvous is presented. The guidance scheme is developed for spacecraft equipped with thrusters that operate in an on-off mode with constant thrust magnitude. The control law is obtained by solving the discrete-time, steady-state linear quadratic regulator (LQR) problem. A parameter optimization method is used to obtain the optimal weighting matrices for the discrete-time LQR problem so that the total impulsive velocity increment (ΔV) is minimized. Several planar rendezvous maneuvers are presented for spacecraft equipped with electric propulsion thrusters and a range of sample periods (time between thruster firings) is investigated. The guidance scheme exhibits rapid convergence to minimum ΔV solutions and the subsequent simulations show good closed-loop response characteristics.
A case of comorbidities highlighting cerebral stroke, vision impairment, and dementia.

This case report is of a two-time stroke survivor with significant health comorbidities. This report highlights A.R.’s pre-existing, non-neurological vision impairments, stroke-related vision impai...
Integrating harvest and camera trap data in species distribution models

Abstract Wildlife managers need reliable information on species distributions (i.e. patterns of occurrence and abundance) to make effective decisions. Historically, managers have relied on harvest records (collected at broad spatial extents but coarse resolution) to monitor wildlife populations. However, emerging citizen-science datastreams can potentially supplement harvest-based monitoring by providing fine-resolution data that permit identification of species-environment relationships needed to predict occurrence and abundance. We combined harvest records and citizen-science camera-trap data in integrated species distribution models (iSDMs) to estimate species-environment relationships and distribution patterns of six wildlife species in Wisconsin, USA. We expected that iSDMs would more precisely estimate species-environment relationships and predict spatial abundance patterns intermediate between camera- and harvest-only SDMs. We also conducted simulations to explore the consequences of incomplete knowledge of harvest effort for estimates of abundance and species-environment relationships. Integrated models produced more precise species-environment relationships than camera-only models in 53% of the relationships we tested; all harvest-only models failed to converge. Moreover, integrated and camera-only models showed low agreement (mean: 19.67%) in identifying abundance “hotspots” but considerably higher agreement (mean: 45.17%) in identifying abundance “cold spots”. Our simulations showed that abundance patterns estimated by iSDMs may suffer from imprecision if harvest effort is poorly measured. We recommend that harvest records be collected at finer spatial resolutions and be paired with in-depth effort reporting. Our work demonstrates the potential for integrating an existing datastream (harvest records) with an emerging one (citizen-science camera-trap monitoring) for modeling species distributions and providing support for wildlife management decisions.
Understanding housing preferences of slum dwellers in India: A community-based operations research approach

Abstract A significant number of India's urban population living in slums face large-scale challenges to access adequate housing and essential services. However, the solutions implemented by government agencies have been inadequate as they fail to understand the diversity of challenges and preferences of slum residents. While the traditional prescriptive approaches to study slum communities do not capture the uncertainties that riddle slums, we explore this domain of inquiry alternatively through theories of Community Operational Research (COR) and Community Based Operations Research (CBOR) that develop an understanding of housing problems from slum resident perspectives. In this paper, we study slum communities’ housing priorities by learning how they structure their concerns and identify specific solutions that could enable access to improved housing facilities. This is one of the first studies to apply Strategic Options Development & Analysis (SODA) and Value Focused Thinking (VFT) to engage with slum residents and generate in-depth insights into the lives of slum communities. Our findings from a slum in the Indian state of Odisha highlight the diverse challenges and needs of the community with regard to housing and basic infrastructure facilities from the slum-dwellers’ perspective, a voice often missing in slum policymaking. We believe that our findings could inform policymakers about most valued preferences of slum residents among many possible slum upgrading interventions. The study contributes to the extension of Operations Research tools and methodologies for meaningful engagement of vulnerable communities to develop interventions for improving social welfare.
Weiterführende Beispiele aus dem Bereich der Mechatronik

In diesem Kapitel werden die einzelnen Schritte in einem Simulationsprozess anhand weiterfuhrender Beispiele aus der Mechatronik vertieft. Dabei werden spezielle Fragenstellungen aus den Bereichen Mechanik, Hydraulik, Elektrik sowie digitale und zeitdiskrete Systeme behandelt.
Private coins versus public coins in zero-knowledge proof systems

Goldreich-Krawczyk (Siam J of Comp’96) showed that only languages in BPP have constant-round public-coin black-box zero-know-ledge protocols. We extend their lower bound to “fully black-box” private-coin protocols based on one-way functions. More precisely, we show that only languages in BPPSam—where Sam is a “collision-finding” oracle in analogy with Simon (Eurocrypt’98) and Haitner et. al (FOCS’07)—can have constant-round fully black-box zero-knowledge proofs; the same holds for constant-round fully black-box zero-knowledge arguments with sublinear verifier communication complexity. We also establish near-linear lower bounds on the round complexity of fully black-box concurrent zero-knowledge proofs (or arguments with sublinear verifier communication) for languages outside BPPSam. The technique used to establish these results is a transformation from private-coin protocols into Sam-relativized public-coin protocols; for the case of fully black-box protocols based on one-way functions, this transformation preserves zero knowledge, round complexity and communication complexity.
Consumer Alienation and Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction: A Research Paradigm

Marketing literature is replete with the problems of the “disadvantaged” consumer, marketing abuses, and governmental legislation designed to reduce consumer complaints. The data used to establish policies to minimize consumer abuses are based, for the most part, on complaints of dissatisfied consumers.