cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Residential Pesticide Exposures in Pregnancy and the Risk of Sporadic Retinoblastoma: A Report From the Children's Oncology Group

Purpose To examine whether parental pesticide exposure contributes to the development of sporadic retinoblastoma. Design Case-control study. Methods Data were collected by a large multicenter study of sporadic retinoblastoma in which parents of 99 unilateral and 56 bilateral age-matched case-control pairs were interviewed by telephone. Retrospective exposure information was collected on the type, location, timing, and frequency of residential pesticide use. We used conditional logistic regression analyses to estimate odds ratios for maternal pesticide exposure in the month before or during pregnancy and to assess whether the type of product, and the circumstances under which it was applied, were associated with risk of disease. Results Unilateral retinoblastoma was associated with parental insecticide use (odds ratio [OR], 2.8; confidence interval [CI], 1.1–6.7) and the use of professional lawn or landscape services (OR, 2.8; CI, 1.0–8.2). For bilateral disease we observed large point estimates for several exposures but the small number of cases rendered these results uninformative (ie, resulted in wide confidence intervals). Whether parents used the pesticide inside vs outside the home did not appear to modify risk estimates for unilateral retinoblastoma (OR, 2.5; CI, 0.9–7.0 vs OR, 2.5; CI, 1.0–6.5), nor did the type, frequency, timing related to pregnancy, or applicator of pesticide used influence estimates to an appreciable degree for disease. Conclusions Our results suggest that parental pesticide exposure before or during pregnancy may play a role in the development of childhood retinoblastoma. Retrospectively collected exposure data introduces the possibility of recall bias; therefore, results should be interpreted cautiously until additional studies are conducted.
Oral Cavity Avascular Bone Necrosis - a Newly Recognized Complication of Intravenous (IV) Bisphosphonate Therapy in Cancer Patients.

Cancer patients with skeletal complications are frequently treated monthly with intravenous bisphosphonates over an extended period of time. The bisphosphonates have been useful in strengthening the bone, in pain control, and in some cases, decreasing the incidence of further skeletal -related events (SRE’s), including the hypercalcemia of malignancy. Although bisphosphonate treatment is remarkably well tolerated, recently, a serious complication has been reported in the dental literature - oral cavity avascular bone necrosis. We report on 2 cases of intraoral osteonecrosis in patients treated for more than 2 years with, initially, pamidronate (Aredia; Novartis) and later zoledronic acid (Zometa; Novartis). Patient JG is a 65 year-old man with a 7-year history of IgG kappa multiple myeloma. The patient was originally treated with vincristine, adriamycin and Decadron (VAD) chemotherapy along with monthly pamidronate infusions followed by high-dose melphalan (HDM) and autologous peripheral stem cell transplantation (PBSCT). At the time of relapse
Whitewashing City Spaces

Despite the tangible and documented impact race plays in questions of housing, employment, education, and health, discourses of antiracialism perpetuate the idea race—and by extension, racism—is no longer a relevant marker of disparity. In this alleged “post race” context, how do news accounts cover stories on urban crisis and renewal? This article takes up scholarly calls to develop “conceptual tools” that may enable critical scholars to explore how racism continues undercover in the 21st century. I argue for the importance of exploring how strategic forgetting operates in conjunction with the familiar and formulaic frame of personalization to erase or evade the continued presence of structured, systemic racism in the (re)construction/renewal of city spaces.
Neuroimaging markers associated with maintenance of optimal memory performance in late-life

Abstract Background Age-related memory decline has been well-documented; however, some individuals reach their 8th−10th decade while maintaining strong memory performance. Objective To determine which demographic and biomarker factors differentiated top memory performers (aged 75+, top 20% for memory) from their peers and whether top memory performance was maintained over 3 years. Methods Clinically normal adults (n=125, CDR=0; age: 79.5±3.57 years) from the Harvard Aging Brain Study underwent cognitive testing and neuroimaging (amyloid PET, MRI) at baseline and 3-year follow-up. Participants were grouped into Optimal (n=25) vs. Typical (n=100) performers using performance on 3 challenging memory measures. Non-parametric tests were used to compare groups. Results There were no differences in age, sex, or education between Optimal vs. Typical performers. The Optimal group performed better in Processing Speed (p=0.016) and Executive Functioning (p Conclusions Excellent memory performance in late life does not guarantee protection against cognitive decline. Those who maintain an optimal memory into the 8th and 9th decades may have lower levels of AD pathology.
Influence of D1-Glu189 on the Properties of YZ and the Manganese Cluster in Photosystem 2

Recent models for water oxidation in PS2 postulate either that YZ participates directly in water oxidation by abstracting protons [1] or hydrogen atoms [2] from water-derived ligands of the Mn cluster, or that YZ• electrostatically increases the oxidizing power of the Mn cluster [3]. Two residues that have key roles in these models are D1-His190 and D1-Glu189. Mutagenesis [4–6] and chemical complementation [7] studies have identified Dl-His190 as the proton acceptor for YZ, and structural simulations place D1-G1u189 between the lumen and YZ [8,9]. Recent models postulate that D1-G1u189 participates in a network of hydrogen bonds that modulates the properties of YZ and that D1-Glu189 and D1-His190 interact directly via a hydrogen bond [10,11].
Prolog Architecture Measurements

In this chapter, a methodology is described for measuring the dynamic memory performance of Prolog programs compiled into the instruction set architectures described in the previous chapter. The benchmarks measured with this experimental approach are then described. Next, high-level statistical characterizations of Prolog’s memory request behavior are presented. From these high-level statistics, problem areas and performance bottlenecks are noted which give credence to various local memory models. In the next chapter, these memory models are described and simulation measurements are presented and analyzed.
Diagnosis and treatment of a multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli in a wild eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina)

An adult male eastern box turtle presented to the Turtle Rescue Team at North Carolina State University with clinical signs of an upper respiratory tract infection. After unsuccessful treatment with broad spectrum antibiotics, multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli was cultured from the infection that was resistant to commonly used antimicrobial agents. Based on the culture and susceptibility testing, 10 mg/kg of meropenem was administered intramuscularly every 24 hours for seven days. Meropenem plasma concentrations were measured to ensure that an optimum antibiotic dose was administered. Following treatment with meropenem, clinical signs ceased and subsequent culture reports were negative. Meropenem plasma concentrations identified a short half-life (4.17 hours) necessitating once-daily dosing to maintain effective concentrations. Because multiple doses were delivered from a single administration vial, the strength of reconstituted vials of meropenem during storage in the refrigerator was tested. The meropenem concentration was maintained above 90 per cent for 48 hours.
Alley cropping: Global patterns of species composition and function

Abstract Alley cropping − the intentional integration of trees and crops − is one of the most common agroforestry practices around the world. To better understand its potential to provide economic and ecological benefits over separately cultivated trees and crops, alley cropping research has expanded significantly over the last few decades. While alley cropping is inherently diverse in its composition and function, no comprehensive inventory of its many forms has been performed. We analyzed historical and geo-climatic trends in species composition and function of all alley cropping field experiments in the literature. A total of 1244 publications from 77 countries over the last 35 years were included. Tree diversity was high across all regions, with 410 species utilized from 192 genera. Dominant trees included Populus and Juglans in the temperate zone, Eucalyptus and Populus in the subtropics, and Leucaena and Gliricidia in the tropics. Alley crops were also highly diverse − 276 species within 181 genera − but were dominated by a few annual grains in each region. Despite the diversity in composition across systems, the agricultural functions of both trees and crops were limited. Trees for biomass were utilized in 82% of temperate experiments, while trees for food, fodder, and crop facilitation were more common in the subtropics and tropics. To best orient the growing interest in alley cropping around the world, this inventory was used to identify existing gaps in the literature and inform future opportunities in alley cropping research. Four frontiers in alley cropping research were identified as (1) within-system tree diversity, (2) tree crops for food and fodder production, (3) perennial alley crops, and (4) trees for crop facilitation via shade, nitrogen fixation, and mulch production.
Improving water service to the urban poor through delegated management: Lessons from the city of Kisumu, Kenya

Partnerships like the delegated management model (DMM), in which a utility delegates management of infrastructure and service delivery to slum residents, are being promoted to improve services to the urban slums in subâ€ Saharan Africa. However, there is little empirical evidence of the benefits that DMM offers beneficiaries and its potential limitations. This study, conducted in 2013, compared water service in two slums in the city of Kisumu in Kenya where DMM has been implemented with another where it has not been implemented. Results showed that DMM had lowered the cost of water compared to water kiosks in neighbourhoods in which DMM had not been implemented. The study findings contribute toward an evidence base for stakeholders and regulators who see an opportunity in the integration of DMM into local drinking water provision solutions in urban slums.
Mary E. Richmond: The Philadelphia Years:

Mary E. Richmond is a central figure in the evolution of professional social work. Yet details of much of her life remain unknown. This article, which focuses on the decade she spent in Philadelphi...
The surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation: III. Development of a definitive surgical procedure

On the basis of the known electrophysiologic mechanisms of atrial fibrillation, multiple surgical procedures were designed and tested in dogs to determine the feasibility of developing a surgical cure for human atrial fibrillation. These experimental studies culminated in a surgical approach that effectively creates an electrical maze in the atrium. The atrial incisions prevent atrial reentry and allow sinus impulses to activate the entire atrial myocardium, thereby preserving atrial transport function postoperatively. Since September 1987, this surgical procedure has been applied in seven patients, five with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation of 2 to 9 years' duration and two with chronic atrial fibrillation of 3 and 10 years' duration. All seven patients have been cured of atrial fibrillation and none is receiving any postoperative antiarrhythmic medications.
Weak D in Pregnancy

It is important to determine if a patient is RhD positive or negative for the purposes of transfusion and pregnancy. Occasionally, the RhD type is not able to be resulted or the result differs from results obtained in the past due to underlying genetic variation in the RHD gene. In these cases, it is important to do further testing using genotype testing to determine if the woman should be managed as RhD positive or RhD negative. If a woman of child-bearing potential makes anti-D antibody, her future pregnancies are at risk of hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) if a fetus is RhD positive. RhIg is used to protect RhD negative women from this HDFN due to anti-D sensitization. These critical decisions are informed by clarifying the RhD type.
USING THE KANSAS CITY UNDERGROUND FOR CIVIL DEFENSE: AN ALTERNATIVE TO EVACUATION OF AN URBAN POPULATION

ABSTRACT Greater Kansas City possesses over thirty underground space sites, of which fifteen have been identified as potential civil defense shelters. A few are being used for civil defense supply storage at the present time. It is estimated that 20–30 million square feet could immediately be used, given minor modifications and stockage. Planning is underway with area civil defense officials and underground operators to give the population of Greater Kansas City another option for survival.
A play-the-winner-type urn design with reduced variability

We propose a new adaptive allocation rule, the drop-the-loser, that randomizes subjects in the course of a trial comparing treatments with dichotomous outcomes. The rule tends to assign more patients to better treatments with the same limiting proportion as the randomized play-the-winner rule. The new design has significantly less variable allocation proportion than the randomized play-the-winner rule. Decrease in variability translates into a gain in statistical power. For some values of success probabilities the drop-the-loser rule has a double advantage over conventional equal allocation in that it has better power and assigns more subjects to the better treatment.
ON THE n,2n PROBLEM OF MICHAEL FRIED

Publisher Summary The following situation arises in a number-theoretic investigation of Michael Fried: G is a primitive permutation group on a set Г of cardinality 2n, and G also acts doubly transitively on a set r of cardinality n. In addition, G contains an element x that acts as a product of two n-cycles on Ω and as a single n-cycle on Г, and G is not transitive on Ω × Г. This chapter presents a proof of G having rank 3 on Ω and this having the consequence that 2n = m2 + 1 for some integer m. In particular, n must be odd.
Involving Families in Programs for Pregnant Adolescents: Practices and Obstacles:

This study investigates the family-involvement strategies employed in Adolescent Family Life (AFL)-funded care programs for pregnant and parenting teenagers. Results from a survey of directors, sup...
Misconceptions About the Bioarchaeology of Plague

Bioarchaeological research is yielding important new information about past epidemics that has generated considerable public interest. Reports that health improved following the fourteenth-century Black Death provide an example of how our work has been misinterpreted. These findings have led to sensationalized accounts arguing that the Black Death was ultimately good for affected populations because it preferentially killed frail individuals and/or produced a better balance between population size and resources. However, from an anthropological and public health perspective, the importance of these findings lies in the observation that poor health conditions, influenced by the stark socioeconomic disparities preceding the Black Death, may have favored high epidemic mortality and led to the dramatic differences observed in pre- and post-epidemic populations. Media emphasis on the perceived “benefits” of the Black Death diverts attention from the insight that decreased social inequities in access to food or other resources could have lowered mortality rates during the epidemic. This important observation should motivate efforts to reduce social inequities today. Bioarchaeologists have a responsibility to correct such misconceptions, which hold profound implications for future epidemics and humankind’s future.
A Simplified Technique for the Collection of an HCl/DCl Gas Mixture

A simple and safe procedure is proposed which allows for the collection of HCl and DCl gas produced via slow heating of an aqueous mixture of each component.
An Examination of Preterm Birth and Residential Social Context among Black Immigrant Women in California, 2007-2010.

The foreign-born black population contributes a considerable amount of heterogeneity to the US black population. In 2005, black immigrants accounted for 20% of the US black population. Compared to native-born black women, black immigrant women are at lower risk for adverse birth outcomes, including preterm birth. Some scholars posit that differential exposures to socioeconomic disadvantage and structural racism in the residential context may account for this advantage. However, to date, few studies offer comprehensive examinations of the black immigrant residential social context, particularly in settlement regions beyond predominantly black and historically segregated regions. Further, studies examining the black immigrant residential context typically use a single indicator, which limits discussion of the intersecting domains that simultaneously increase or decrease risk among black immigrants. We addressed these gaps by examining black immigrant neighborhoods in the state of California, where racial residential segregation of the black population is low. We operationalized the residential context of black immigrant women using three distinct attributes: immigrant co-ethnic density, black racial concentration, and neighborhood deprivation. We linked 2007–2010 California birth records of black immigrant women and 2010 census data on tract-level social attributes (N = 6930). OLS regression analyses showed that immigrant co-ethnic density, black racial concentration and neighborhood deprivation were not associated with preterm birth among black immigrants. Our findings indicate that in California, residential social context has little relation to black immigrant preterm birth—a finding that is unique compared to residential settings of other settlement contexts.
Exportando “marginalidad”: Consuelo Tamayo Hernández, “la Tortajada” (1867–1957)

Although nowadays barely remembered, the dancer and singer Consuelo Tamayo Hernandez, “la Tortajada” (1867–1957), once was a Spanish performer of considerable talent. She was a diva skilled at self...
Smart Resistor for Stability Improvement of the dc Link in Turbo-Electric Aircrafts

The electrification of aircrafts is transforming the traditional power distribution architectures of the previous century. Turbo-electric propulsion power system features a dc link between turbo-electric generators on each wing tip and the distributed motor drives. Among the challenges of turbo-electric distributed propulsion (TEDP), the stability of the dc bus is vital to safe operation during flight. When these motor drives tightly regulate their output speed, they appear as constant power loads (CPL) on the bus. These CPLs exacerbate the effect of disturbances to the dc bus, such as load transients and voltage sags which can destabilize the system. It is important to keep the system stable without increasing the weight of the system with bulky filters. The Smart Resistor concept has been proposed as one such solution that reduces input capacitor sizes by making the CPL behave as an equivalent droop resistance. This is accomplished by interfacing existing energy storage at the point of load to provide high bandwidth current compensation. This paper first defines stability metrics for a system utilizing the Smart Resistor concept. A case study for a 2 MVA motor drive is used to showcase the improvement of stability using Smart Resistor based on these metrics. Finally, the quantitative improvement in the stability metrics is validated using a scaled down hardware prototype.
Total and trimester-specific gestational weight gain and infant anthropometric outcomes at birth and 6 months in low-income Hispanic families.

OBJECTIVE To describe total and trimester-specific gestational weight gain (GWG) among low-income Hispanic women and determine whether these GWG exposures are associated with infant anthropometric outcomes at birth and 6 months. STUDY DESIGN Data were from 448 mother-infant pairs enrolled in the Starting Early child obesity prevention trial. Prenatal weights were used to calculate total GWG and 2nd and 3rd trimester GWG rates (kg/week) and categorized as inadequate, adequate, and excessive according to the 2009 Institute of Medicine recommendations. Multivariable linear and modified Poisson regressions estimated associations of infant anthropometric outcomes (birthweight, small-for-gestational age [SGA], large-for-gestational age [LGA], rapid weight gain, and weight-for-age, length-for-age, and weight-for-length z-scores at 6 months) with GWG categories. RESULTS For total GWG, 39% and 27% of women had inadequate and excessive GWG, respectively. 57% and 46% had excessive GWG rates in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, respectively, with 29% having excessive rates in both trimesters. Inadequate total GWG was associated with lower infant weight and length outcomes (s range for z-scores = -0.21 to -0.46, p < 0.05) and lower risk of LGA (adjusted Relative Risk, aRR = 0.38; 95% confidence intervals, CI: 0.16, 0.95) and rapid weight gain (aRR = 0.72; 95%CI: 0.51, 1.00). GWG rates above recommendations in the 2nd trimester or 2nd /3rd trimesters were associated with greater weight outcomes at birth and 6 months (s range for z-scores = 0.24 to 0.35, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Counseling women about health behaviors and closely monitoring GWG beginning in early pregnancy is necessary, particularly among populations at high-risk of obesity.
Study of MRI Compatible Piezoelectric Motors by Finite Element Modeling and High-Speed Digital Holography

The use of intra-operative images with a magnetic resonance imager (MRI) can enable more precise surgical procedures when treating deep brain tumors. The constrained space inside the imager creates the need for robotic assistive devices. However, the strong static magnetic fields, fast changing magnetic gradients and sensitivity to electrical noise create challenges that can be partly addressed by a novel class of MRI compatible resonant piezoelectric motors to actuate the robots. These motors consist of a stator that is mechanically excited by a bonded piezoelectric ring and a frictionally coupled rotor. Steady-state excitation at certain frequencies leads to specific mode shapes with surface waves having both in- and out-of-plane displacement components. The interaction between the surface waves of the stator with the rotor results in the rotor spinning. Optimal operation of these motors depends on the stator’s mode shapes generating waves that result in maximizing torquing of the rotor while reducing tangential force components. We present a finite element multi-physics model of the stator using COMSOL in frequency and time-domain. We combine the FEM with stroboscopic and time averaged, high-speed digital holography to create a validated model useful for optimizing motor design and performance. The methodology is used in the study of 30 mm diameter 40–60 kHz driven motor that have been demonstrated in an in-bore MRI compatible surgical robot.
Refractive status during pregnancy in the United States: results from NHANES 2005–2008

Anecdotal reports of refractive changes in pregnancy are familiar to optometrists and ophthalmologists. Refractive stability during pregnancy has implications in both prescribing of refractive correction and candidacy for refractive surgery. This study aims to examine refractive status in a nationally representative sample of US pregnant women. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is a weighted, stratified, cross-sectional survey of the US population conducted every 2 years. During 2005–2006 and 2007–2008, the exam included multiple ophthalmic tests including refraction, keratometry, and lensometry. Female participants aged 20–44 years with available vision examination data were included in the study. Subjects were excluded if best obtainable visual acuity was worse than 20/40 or there was prior history of cataract or refractive surgery. The primary outcome was defined as refractive change stratified by trimester of pregnancy. 301 pregnant women were matched with 301 nonpregnant controls based on age, ethnicity, and education. There was no difference in refractive error between pregnant women and matched nonpregnant controls (all p > 0.99). For the refractive change analysis, a subgroup of 60 pregnant subjects with glasses at presentation was matched to 60 nonpregnant controls. Multivariate regression showed a significant increase in refractive change versus prior to glasses prescription by trimester of pregnancy (p = 0.02), though this change was not in a specific direction (i.e., no significant shift toward either myopia or hyperopia). Pregnant women have greater refractive difference from prior spectacle prescription later in pregnancy, but the direction of this change is variable and not significant. This finding may reflect a longer time to last glasses prescription later in pregnancy, given concerns that refractive error fluctuates in pregnancy. Additional longitudinal studies are needed to better characterize the effects of pregnancy on refractive status.
Successful use of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway to improve outcomes following the Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum.

Abstract Purpose Pectus excavatum is a common chest wall deformity amenable to surgical correction, most commonly by a technique known as the Nuss Procedure. The surgery is associated with significant postoperative pain and lengthy hospital stays. We hypothesized that a standardized enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway would result in significantly reduced length of stay (LOS) and reduced levels of postoperative pain without an increase in readmissions or emergency department (ED) visits. Methods We instituted a pectus excavatum ERAS program at a high-volume academic center. Our ERAS protocol standardized perioperative exercise and pharmacologic regimens, pre- and post-operative education, and early return to activity. We conducted a retrospective review of all patients undergoing the Nuss procedure from 2015 to 2018. ERAS was implemented at the mid-point of the study period, and pre- and post-protocol patients were compared in our analysis. The primary outcome measure was LOS. The secondary outcomes included pain scores, incidence of urinary retention, and readmissions or ED visits. Results One hundred nine patients were included in this study (51 patients pre-ERAS and 58 post-ERAS). The average length of hospitalization prior to implementation of ERAS was 3.49 and after the implementation 2.90 (p = 0.0007). The implementation of ERAS showed a trend of decreasing readmissions and emergency department visits, but this did not reach statistical significance. There was a statistically significant decrease in both requirement for urinary catheter placement and pain scores on postoperative day 0. Conclusions Implementation of ERAS for the Nuss procedure leads to a significant reduction in LOS, early pain scores, and urinary catheter usage, without an increase in post-operative ED visits and hospital readmissions. An ERAS protocol should be utilized in this patient population. Type of study Retrospective comparative study. Type of evidence Level III.
Form, Topics, and Harmonic Schemata in Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 18 No. 4/I, in C Minor

Bridging the gap between different cultural contexts such as the one between a modern listener and an 18 th -century listener has been a constant interest of contemporary musicologists and theorists— especially those dedicated to the study of galant schemata, topic theory, and formal functions. Although these theories are usually used separately when analysing a musical discourse, recent studies have been leaning on the benefits of entwining them in order to build a richer understanding of a piece of music. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to present an analysis of the first movement of Beethoven’s String Quartet in C Minor, Op. 18 No. 4 where all of the aforementioned analytical techniques are used to better expose different levels of interpretation that emerge from overlapping topic theory, formal functions, and galant schemata analyses.
The Failure of Amanda's Law in Kentucky: Creating Best Practices for Legislatures Passing Domestic Violence Statutes

In 2009, the Kentucky General Assembly rushed to enact changes to the Commonwealth’s domestic violence statutes. The legislation, House Bill One, known as the Amanda Ross Domestic Violence Protection Act, or Amanda’s Law, was in response to the murder of Amanda Ross. Within six months of obtaining a domestic violence order (DVO), Ms. Ross was dead. She had been murdered by her ex-fiancee, Steve Nunn, a former Kentucky State Representative. Amanda’s Law amended the domestic violence statutes in a few significant ways, but the most significant change was the ability of the court to order the offender to wear a Global Positioning Monitoring System (GPMS) device. The court could order this type of tracking after being presented with evidence that the offender had committed a substantial violation of the previous order. The irony of Amanda’s Law is that, even if it had been in effect when she was brutally shot down outside of her home, it would not have had any impact on her survival. This is because the statute requires the following: that a DVO be entered, that the offender have committed a criminal offense against the survivor in violation of the DVO, that the domestic violence survivor then go back to the court issuing the original DVO with evidence of the criminal conduct, and that the survivor make a showing to the court that this conviction qualifies as a substantial violation of the court’s domestic violence order. Only then will the issuing court consider a GPMS be used. Amanda Ross had not achieved any of these steps prior to her death. As such, this knee-jerk reaction by the Kentucky legislature would not have helped her. In the nine years since its passage, a GPMS has been ordered only three times pursuant to Amanda’s Law. The law is a failure in this respect and needs to be amended.
Hybrid quark model of Λ nonmesonic decay in nuclei

It is shown in the hybrid quark-two-baryon model of a $\ensuremath{\Lambda}N$ cluster in nuclei that the short distance, six-quark part dominates the nonmesonic decay. For a six-quark probability of 15% for a nuclear cluster the nonmesonic lifetime is ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{\mathrm{NM}}\ensuremath{\approx}\frac{1}{3}{\ensuremath{\tau}}^{\mathrm{free}}$, which is consistent with present experiment.
Low Mach number fluctuating hydrodynamics model for ionic liquids

Author(s): Klymko, K; Nonaka, A; Bell, JB; Carney, SP; Garcia, AL | Abstract: We present a new mesoscale model for ionic liquids based on a low Mach number fluctuating hydrodynamics formulation for multicomponent charged species. The low Mach number approach eliminates sound waves from the fully compressible equations leading to a computationally efficient incompressible formulation. The model uses a Gibbs free-energy functional that includes enthalpy of mixing, interfacial energy, and electrostatic contributions. These lead to a new fourth-order term in the mass equations and a reversible stress in the momentum equations. We calibrate our model using parameters for [DMPI+][F6P-], an extensively studied room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL), and numerically demonstrate the formation of mesoscopic structuring at equilibrium in two and three dimensions. In simulations with electrode boundaries the measured double-layer capacitance decreases with voltage, in agreement with theoretical predictions and experimental measurements for RTILs. Finally, we present a shear electroosmosis example to demonstrate that the methodology can be used to model electrokinetic flows.
Salt Production and Social Hierarchy in Ancient China: An Archaeological Investigation of Specialization in China's Three Gorges

This book examines the organization of specialized salt production at Zhongba, one of the most important prehistoric sites in the Three Gorges of China's Yangzi River valley. Rowan K. Flad demonstrates that salt production emerged in the second millennium BCE and developed into a large-scale, intense activity. As the intensity of this activity increased during the early Bronze Age, production became more coordinated, perhaps by an emergent elite who appear to have supported their position of authority by means of divination and the control of ritual knowledge. This study explores evidence of these changes in ceramics, the layout of space at the site and animal remains. It synthesizes the data retrieved from years of excavation, showing not only the evolution of production methods, but also the emergence of social hierarchy in the Three Gorges region over two millennia.
A phase field model of crack propagation in anisotropic brittle materials with preferred fracture planes

Abstract In this work, a phase field fracture model is proposed that includes single crystal anisotropy in both the elastic constants and the fracture energy. The strain energy is decomposed into tensile and compressive parts, and only the tensile part contributes to crack propagation. Anisotropic fracture energy is included to capture the impact of crystal orientations on crack paths. The performance of our model is demonstrated using simulations of single edge notched tension specimens with four different microstructures. Firstly, crack propagation is predicted in single crystal specimens with anisotropic fracture energy but isotropic elastic constants to investigate the impact of the anisotropy strength parameter and the crystal orientation. The anisotropy strength impacts the crack angle and the maximum stress experienced before fracture. The crystal orientation impacts the crack angle but not the maximum stress. Next, similar single crystal simulations are carried out with both anisotropic fracture energy and anisotropic elastic constants, and the crystal orientation impacts the crack direction, the initial slope of the stress strain curve, and the maximum stress before fracture. The capabilities of the model are demonstrated in bicrystal and polycrystal geometries, with cracks changing direction as they cross grain boundaries.
"Let Food Be Thy Medicine": Diet and Supplements in Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Overview: The purpose of this review is to introduce options for dietary therapies and supplements for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBS is a common condition with heterogeneity in pathogenesis and clinical presentation. Current treatment options are targeted at symptom relief with medications. Patients naturally pursue dietary modifications when dealing with symptoms. Dietary therapy for IBS has been poorly studied in the past; however, newer evidence suggests the use of certain diets, such as the low FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols) diet, as an intervention in patients with IBS for symptom improvement. Exclusion strategies are frequently tried, such as gluten restriction or lactose avoidance, but lack quality evidence behind their use. Additionally, supplements, such as fiber, probiotics, and peppermint oil, have also been used for IBS with more recent data suggesting the use of these supplements with specific caveats.
ASM-HEMT Embedding Model for Accelerated Design of PAs

A nonlinear embedding model for a body-grounded version of the industry standard ASM-HEMT model is presented in this paper for accelerated power amplifier (PA) design. This embedding model is able to simulate any PA mode of operation at its intrinsic reference planes and predict the impedances and harmonic terminations required at the extrinsic reference planes to sustain that targeted mode for the modeled transistor. The ASM-HEMT embedding model is further extended to account for the transistor's manifold using six-port ABCD parameters, enabling more accurate design of MMIC PAs.
The Interplay of Modulus, Strength, and Ductility in Adhesive Design Using Biomimetic Polymer Chemistry

High-performance adhesives require mechanical properties tuned to demands of the surroundings. A mismatch in stiffness between substrate and adhesive leads to stress concentrations and fracture when the bonding is subjected to mechanical load. Balancing material strength versus ductility, as well as considering the relationship between adhesive modulus and substrate modulus, creates stronger joints. However, a detailed understanding of how these properties interplay is lacking. Here, a biomimetic terpolymer is altered systematically to identify regions of optimal bonding. Mechanical properties of these terpolymers are tailored by controlling the amount of a methyl methacrylate stiff monomer versus a similar monomer containing flexible poly(ethylene glycol) chains. Dopamine methacrylamide, the cross-linking monomer, is a catechol moiety analogous to 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, a key component in the adhesive proteins of marine mussels. Bulk adhesion of this family of terpolymers is tested on metal and plastic substrates. Incorporating higher amounts of poly(ethylene glycol) into the terpolymer introduces flexibility and ductility. By taking a systematic approach to polymer design, the region in which material strength and ductility are balanced in relation to the substrate modulus is found, thereby yielding the most robust joints.
Analysis of Temperature Model on Device Characteristics for AlGaN/GaN MODFET for High Power Electronics

An investigation of the temperature model of a 1 mum gate AlGaN/GaN n-type modulation-doped field effect transistor (MODFET) is presented. The investigated temperature range is from 100 degK-600 degK. The critical parameters for dc characteristics are the maximum drain current (IDmax), the threshold voltage (Vth), and the peak dc transconductance (gm). The small signal microwave parameters have been evaluated to determine the unity current gain cut-off frequency (fT). High fT (10-70 GHz) values and high current levels ( ~450 mA/mm) are achieved for a 1 mum AlGaN/GaN MODFET
Use of semantic workflows to enhance transparency and reproducibility in clinical omics

Recent highly publicized cases of premature patient assignment into clinical trials, resulting from non-reproducible omics analyses, have prompted many to call for a more thorough examination of translational omics and highlighted the critical need for transparency and reproducibility to ensure patient safety. The use of workflow platforms such as Galaxy and Taverna have greatly enhanced the use, transparency and reproducibility of omics analysis pipelines in the research domain and would be an invaluable tool in a clinical setting. However, the use of these workflow platforms requires deep domain expertise that, particularly within the multi-disciplinary fields of translational and clinical omics, may not always be present in a clinical setting. This lack of domain expertise may put patient safety at risk and make these workflow platforms difficult to operationalize in a clinical setting. In contrast, semantic workflows are a different class of workflow platform where resultant workflow runs are transparent, reproducible, and semantically validated. Through semantic enforcement of all datasets, analyses and user-defined rules/constraints, users are guided through each workflow run, enhancing analytical validity and patient safety. To evaluate the effectiveness of semantic workflows within translational and clinical omics, we have implemented a clinical omics pipeline for annotating DNA sequence variants identified through next generation sequencing using the Workflow Instance Generation and Specialization (WINGS) semantic workflow platform. We found that the implementation and execution of our clinical omics pipeline in a semantic workflow helped us to meet the requirements for enhanced transparency, reproducibility and analytical validity recommended for clinical omics. We further found that many features of the WINGS platform were particularly primed to help support the critical needs of clinical omics analyses. This is the first implementation and execution of a clinical omics pipeline using semantic workflows. Evaluation of this implementation provides guidance for their use in both translational and clinical settings.
The Minimal Dimensionality of Stable Faces Required to Guarantee Stability of a Matrix Polytope

We consider the problem of determining whether a polytope of n×n matrices is stable, by checking stability of low-dimensional faces of the polytope. We show that stability of all (2n-4)-dimensional faces guarantees stability of the entire set. Furthermore, we prove that, for any n and any k?2n-4, there exists an unstable polytope of dimension k such that all its (2n-5)-dimensional subpolytopes are stable.
Regulation Fair Disclosure and Information Asymmetry

With the institution of Regulation Fair Disclosure (FD) on October 23, 2000, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) imposed higher transparency requirements on the voluntary disclosure practices of public companies. This paper investigates whether the regulation induced companies to commit to higher or lower levels of voluntary disclosures by studying the changes in information asymmetry. The analysis is based on the extant economic theory suggesting that increases in the quantity and/or quality of disclosures should reduce companies' levels of information asymmetry. We study two proxies of information asymmetry - the probability of informed trading and the adverse selection component of the spread. After the implementation of Regulation FD we find a significant increase in both proxies of information asymmetry and the probability of new information events that contain private information while the proportion of informed traders decreases. An analysis of the volume of disclosures shows that the regulation was successful in increasing the quantity of available public information. Combined with the previous results we are able to conclude that, at least initially, companies responded to the regulation by providing more public information of lower quality.
Law, Arbitrariness and Ethics

aminations, from various points of view, of a series of interconnected issues: the essential nature of constitutional government, the function of force in political affairs, the proper sphere of governmental authority, the necessity and limits of discretion, the sphere of reason in politics, the basis and applicability of an adequate political ethics, and the essential nature of law and its relationship to society. Such renewed interest in basic issues is, no doubt, heartily to be welcomed. The recognition that the fundamental problem is that of arbitrary versus responsible government, rather than the question of different ways of institutionalizing the latter, is pure gain at a time when democracy is peculiarly endangered from within by ancient, and increasingly irrelevant, dogmas concerning the patterns necessary for the securing of its purity. For these are, in practice, all too often encumbrances, calculated to ensure only its ineffectiveness as government.
Digital Signal Processing Applications of Systolic Algorithms

VLSI structures and algorithms are given for bit-serial FIR filtering, IIR filtering, and convolution. We also present a bit-parallel FIR filter design. The structures are highly regular, programmable, and area-efficient. In fact, we will show that most are within log factors of asymptotic optimality. These structures are completely pipelined; that is, the throughput rate (bits/second) is independent of both word size and filter length. This is to be contrasted with algorithms designed and implemented in terms of, say, multipliers and adders whose throughput rates may depend on word length.
Water-quality trends in White Rock Creek Basin from 1912-1994 identified using sediment cores from White Rock Lake reservoir, Dallas, Texas

Historical trends in selected water-quality variables from 1912 to 1994 in White Rock Creek Basin were identified by dated sediment cores from White Rock Lake. White Rock Lake is a 4.4-km2 reservoir filled in 1912 and located on the north side of Dallas, Texas, with a drainage area of 259 km2. Agriculture dominated land use in White Rock Creek Basin before about 1950. By 1990, 72% of the basin was urban. Sediment cores were dated using cesium-137 and core lithology. Major element concentrations changed, and sedimentation rates and percentage of clay-sized particles in sediments decreased beginning in about 1952 in response to the change in land use. Lead concentrations, normalized with respect to aluminum, were six times larger in sediment deposited in about 1978 than in pre-1952 sediment. Following the introduction of unleaded gasoline in the 1970s, normalized lead concentrations in sediment declined and stabilized at about two and one-half times the pre-1952 level. Normalized zinc and arsenic concentrations increased 66 and 76%, respectively, from before 1952 to 1994. No organochlorine compounds were detected in sediments deposited prior to about 1940. Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and DDE (a metabolite of DDT) increased rapidly beginning in the 1940s and peaked in the 1960s at 21 and 20 µg kg-1, respectively, which is coincident with their peak use in the United States. Concentrations of both declined about an order of magnitude from the 1960s to the 1990s to 3.0 and 2.0 µg kg-1, respectively. Chlordane and dieldrin concentrations increased during the 1970s and 1980s. The largest chlordane concentration was 8.0 µg kg-1 and occurred in a sediment sample deposited in about 1990. The largest dieldrin concentration was 0.7 µg kg-1 and occurred in the most recent sample deposited in the early 1990s. Agricultural use of chlordane and dieldrin was restricted in the 1970s; however, both were used as termiticides, and urban use of chlordane continued at least until 1990. Recent use of dieldrin and aldrin, which degrades to dieldrin, has not been reported; however, increasing trends in dieldrin since the 1970s suggest recent urban use could have occurred.
The dynamics, prediction, and control of wing rock in high–performance aircraft

This study is an investigation of the nonlinear aircraft behavior known as wing rock. An eightstate F15 model is analyzed by using bifurcation theory and root locus techniques. The wing rock onset ...
Planar First-Passage Percolation Times are not Tight

Let the edges of ℤ2 be assigned independent, identically distributed passage times that are exponentials of mean one, and let T(0, n) denote the resulting first-passage time from the origin to the point (0, n). We show that T(0, n) is not tight around its median. A fractional power lower bound for the dispersion of T(0, n) may be obtained by combining this method with that of Newman and Piza (1993).
Ultrasonograms of Lactating Mammary Glands

Abstract The use of ultrasound for locating and identifying structures in the lactating mammary gland was explored. A method was outlined for using ultrasound. Internal mammary gland measurements were taken at two different locations; i.e., Spots 1 and 2 being one-third and two-thirds the distance from the floor to the top of the udder, respectively. Change in quarter width as well as median width and gap were compared under five stimulative states—i.e., prestimulation; post-stimulation, premilking; post-normal milking; post-oxytocin injection, precomplementary milking; and post-complementary milking. Sonograms were presented which identified the skin, median and lateral suspensory ligaments, milk ducts, and supramammary lymph nodes. Some general observations were reported on the relation among quarter width, intramammary pressure, and quarter milk production, using limited data. It was shown that following a complete milking, the milk ducts are probably collapsed. The feasibility of using ultrasound to visualize internal structures and measure their responses to vary physiological conditions was demonstrated.