cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gate dielectric integrity and reliability in 0.5- mu m CMOS technology

Gate dielectric process and process-integration decisions involving the 0.5- mu m 16-Mb DRAM process for 200-mm wafers are discussed. Process-integration issues before, during, and after thin gate dielectric growth all affect the resulting dielectric reliability. Processes which are critical factors in gate dielectric integrity and reliability are discussed. IBM's 16-Mb DRAM CMOS technology employs shallow-trench isolation between the deep-trench storage capacitors. P-channel transfer devices are used and are connected to the deep-trench capacitors via a doped polysilicon surface strap. The gate dielectric is a 13-nm planar oxide and the transfer device channel lengths are 0.5 mu m. Gate dielectric yields were measured using long serpentine antenna test structures consisting of 128-kb cells in addition to segments of 16-Mb arrays. Dramatic gate dielectric reliability improvements have been achieved even with a starting point that was known to be less than optimal for the gate dielectric reliability. These improvements are graphically summarized. >
Use of a High Involvement Instructional Method to Enhance Students' Learning of Distribution Concepts

An innovative instructional method using high student involvement was employed to improve the teaching of distribution concepts. Student groups conceptualized and developed a videotape case study examining components of a firm's distribution activities. Students were better able to learn distribution concepts with a videotape project than with a more traditional written report.
A novel nonsteroidal antifibrotic oligo decoy containing the TGF‐β element found in the COL1A1 gene which regulates murine schistosomiasis liver fibrosis

Schistosomiasis mansoni disseminated worm eggs in mice and humans induce granulomatous inflammations and cumulative fibrosis causing morbidity and possibly mortality. In this study, intrahepatic and I.V. injections of a double-stranded oligodeoxynucleotide decoy containing the TGF-beta regulatory element found in the distal promoter of the COL1A1 gene into worm-infected mice suppressed TGF-beta1, COL1A1, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1, and decreased COL3A1 mRNAs to a lesser extent. Sequence comparisons within the mouse genome found homologous sequences within the COL3A1, TGF-beta1, and TIMP-1 5' flanking regions. Cold competition gel mobility shift assays using these homologous sequences with 5' and 3' flanking regions found in the natural COL1A1 gene showed competition. Competitive gel mobility assays in a separate experiment showed no competition using a 5-base mutated or scrambled sequence. Explanted liver granulomas from saline-injected mice incorporated 10.45 +/- 1.7% (3)H-proline into newly synthesized collagen, whereas decoy-treated mice showed no collagen synthesis. Compared with the saline control schistosomiasis mice phosphorothioate double-stranded oligodeoxynucleotide treatment decreased total liver collagen content (i.e. hydroxy-4-proline) by 34%. This novel molecular approach has the potential to be employed as a novel antifibrotic treatment modality.
Culture-independent characterization of bacterial communities associated with the cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico

Bacteria are recognized as an important part of the total biology of shallow-water corals. Studies of shallow-water corals suggest that associated bacteria may benefit the corals by cycling carbon, fixing nitrogen, chelating iron, and producing antibiotics that protect the coral from other microbes. Cold-water or deep-sea corals have a fundamentally different ecology due to their adaptation to cold, dark, high-pressure environments and as such have novel microbiota. The goal of this study was to characterize the microbial associates of Lophelia pertusa in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. This is the first study to collect the coral samples in individual insulated containers and to preserve coral samples at depth in an effort to minimize thermal shock and evaluate the effects of environmental gradients on the microbial diversity of samples. Molecular analysis of bacterial diversity showed a marked difference between the two study sites, Viosca Knoll 906/862 (VK906/ 862) and Viosca Knoll 826 (VK826). The bacterial communities from VK826 were dominated by a variety of unknown mycoplasmal members of the Tenericutes and Bacteroidetes, whereas the libraries from VK906/862 were dominated by members of the Proteobacteria. In addition to novel sequences, the 16S rRNA gene clone libraries revealed many bacterial sequences in common between Gulf of Mexico Lophelia corals and Norwegian fjord Lophelia corals, as well as shallow-water corals. Two Lophelia-specific bacterial groups were identified: a cluster of gammaproteobacteria related to sulfide-oxidizing gill symbionts of seep clams and a group of Mycoplasma spp. The presence of these groups in both Gulf and Norwegian Lophelia corals indicates that in spite of the geographic heterogeneity observed in Lophelia-associated bacterial communities, there are Lophelia-specific microbes.
Cumulative effect assessment in Canada: a regional framework for aquatic ecosystems

Abstract Sustainable development of the aquatic environment depends upon routine and defensible cumulative effects assessment (CEA). CEA is the process of predicting the consequences of development relative to an assessment of existing environmental quality. Theoretically, it provides an on-going mechanism to evaluate if levels of development exceed the environment's assimilative capacity; i.e., its ability to sustain itself. In practice, the link between CEA and sustainable development has not been realized because CEA concepts and methods have developed along two dichotomous tracks. One track views CEA as an extension of the environmental assessment (EA) process for project developments. Under this track, stressor-based (S-B) methods have been developed where the emphasis is on local, project-related stressors, their link with aquatic indicators, and the potential for environmental effects through stressor-indicator interactions. S-B methods focus on the proposed development and prediction of project-related effects. They lack a mechanism to quantify existing aquatic quality especially at scales broader than an isolated development. This limitation results in the prediction of potential effects relative to a poorly defined baseline state. The other track views CEA as a broader, regional assessment tool where effects-based (E-B) methods specialize in quantification of existing aquatic effects over broad spatial scales. However, the predictive capabilities of E-B methods are limited because they are retrospective, i.e., the stressor causing the effect is identified after the effect has been measured. When used in isolation, S-B and E-B methods do not address CEA in the context necessary for sustainable development. However, if the strengths of these approaches were integrated into a holistic framework for CEA, an operational mechanism would exist to better monitor and assess sustainable development of our aquatic resources. This paper reviews the existing conceptual basis of CEA in Canada including existing methodologies, limitations and strengths. A conceptual framework for integrating project-based and regional-based CEA is presented.
Effect of Phenobarbital Pretreatment on the Plasma and Urinary Levels of (−)-α-Acetylmethadol and its Metabolites

The effect of phenobarbital (PB), an inducer of the hepatic microsomal enzyme system, on the plasma levels and urinary elimination of (−)-α-acetylmethadol 1 and its metabolites have been examined in the rat. [3H]1 was administered to saline control and PB-pretreated rats at doses of 5 mg/kg ip (55 μCi/kg). The concentration of 1 and its metabolites noracetylmethadol 2, dinoracetylmethadol 3, methadol 4, normethadol 5, and N-acetylnormethadol 6 were quantitated in plasma and urine over 48 h by TLC and liquid scintillation counting. PB pretreatment significantly decreased the plasma total radioactivity and the levels of 1 and its five metabolites over the 48-h period investigated. Urinary total radioactivity and elimination of 1 and its five metabolites were also reduced in PB-pretreated rats. The results indicated that PB pretreatment markedly affects the in vivo transformation and elimination of 1 and its metabolites. The decrease in the levels observed for 1 and its metabolites in the plasma and urine can be due either to an increase in the metabolism of 1 via a different pathway than the formation of the biologically active metabolites 2, 3, 4, and 5, or it may be that PB is enhancing the further metabolism of these compounds to more polar water-soluble products which are mainly excreted through the bile.
A Comparison of Variability among Measurements of Subjective Tinnitus and Objective Stimuli

8 patients with subjective tinnitus were trained in pitch-matching, loudness-matching, and simultaneous-masking tasks using narrow-band noise and/or pure-tone stimuli. Extensive pitch-matching, loudness-matching and masking measurements were then obtained for their tinnitus, after which the same measurements were obtained for objective stimuli which approximated the frequency and intensity of the tinnitus. Variability for pitch and loudness matching to tinnitus was extremely large relative to the same measurements for objective stimuli. This was particularly true for pitch-matching where even the most consistent patients showed variability for matches to their tinnitus which was an order of magnitude greater than for matches to objective stimuli in the same frequency region. No evidence of frequency-specific masking of tinnitus was seen in any of the patients although such evidence was obtained for the masking of objective stimuli. The results suggest that the large variability in matches to tinnitus, and...
Grouping Pavement Segments to Form Realistic Projects

The problem of selecting suitable segments for treatment in a pavement management system is complex because pavements exhibit considerable spatial variability in performance. This paper presents an algorithm for grouping small segments with uniform performance into large segments that are appropriate for a construction project. The algorithm works across lanes and along the traveled way and uses multiple years of predicted treatments rather than raw information on condition. A series of subprocedures is used to do the grouping, which is centered on a statistical approach to joining adjacent segments. A final treatment that is based on the treatments that were merged into the group is recommended, although the larger segments can also be used in the pavement management system, with aggregated performance, for optimization and project selection.
Learning from HGTV: Media Convergence and Design Branding in America

Abstract In the United States, Home and Garden Television (HGTV) has become an authoritative design brand that defines popular tastes through near-total commercial dominance. Established in 1994 as a basic cable channel, HGTV currently reaches over 99 million American households with daily programming on interior design, real estate, and do-it-yourself decorating. Beyond television, the HGTV trademark spans magazines, building materials, model houses, and digital media. The stability of its “lifestyle brand” across media platforms makes HGTV appealing to advertisers and audiences alike. Yet, to the small degree that design scholars discuss HGTV, they usually criticize or mock its unrealistic and commercialized depictions of design practices. In contrast, I argue that the value of HGTV is found in its performance as a media convergent brand. Whereas old media, including magazines and model houses, bolster HGTV's identity as a trusted source for design products and ideas, new media platforms encourage audie...
ZooCrit: An Introduction and "The Beginning".

In this article the author examines how we might imagine justice across specied and man-made divisions. Taking into account how we are enclosed by our own social and institutional constructions, through this short story the author explores the nuances of critical inquiry, captivity, and our ecological fate.
Studies of the combined effect of heat recirculation and stretch on mesoscale flame propagation

*† Flame propagation and extinction in two-dimensionally mesoscale channels are numerically investigated accounting for flame-wall interaction, channel width, fuel concentration, and flow velocity. A new eigenvalue approach is developed to predict the multiple flame regimes and their transitions of mesoscale combustion. The results show that at small channel widths, there is a non-monotonic dependence of flame speed on fuel concentration due to the appearance of multiple flame regimes. With the decrease of fuel concentration, the fast flame first extinguishes and then transits to the slow flame regime. At large channel widths, it is found that the two flame regimes merge together and fast flame can transit to slow flame regime smoothly without extinction. The results also demonstrate that the flow velocity has a significant impact on flame speed. A non-linear dependence of flame speed on flow velocity via the flame-wall interaction and the change of flame geometry is obtained. The present results gave a good explanation to experimental observation.
Orphaned Children: A Continuing Problem in the HIV/AIDS Epidemic

HIV/AIDS affected orphaned children are a growing problem in the HIV/AIDS epidemic.Orphaned children who need placement include HIV seropositive infants who are well but abandoned at birth, chronic...
Analytica Acta-2014 Conference: the Past, Present and Future

Copyright: © 2014 Rogatsky E. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Recently, the 5th International Conference and Exhibition on Analytical and Bioanalytical Techniques: Analytica Acta-2014 took place in Beijing, China, August 18-20, 2014. This notable event was the result of a joint effort between the Omics publishing group, Omics conference department, scientists around a world, and the editorial boards of the journals Analytical and Bioanalytical Techniques, Pharmaceutical Analytica Acta and Journal of Chromatography and Separation Techniques.
Analysis on Micro-structure of 12X18H12T/TP347H Dissimilar Steel Welding Joints

The process test of 12X18H12T/TP347H dissimilar steel welding for final superheater was studied.The butt ring welded joints under the two kinds of process test were qualified by means of face and appearance of weld,micro-structure analysis,SEM, EDS,intergranular corrosion test and so on,and the properties of welded joint based on the root passes welded by manual TIG welding with nickel based alloy wire HlCrl8Ni9Ti,the subsequent filling and top passes with wire A132 were superior to the properties of welded joint based on the root passes welded by manual TIG welding with nickel based alloy wire TGS347,the subsequent filling and top passes with wire A137.
Leave no stone unturned: Understanding the genetic bases of calcium-containing urinary stones in children

Urinary stones in children are being recognized with increasing frequency. Formerly thought to be the result of dehydration, urinary obstruction, or infection, most urinary calculi in children now are recognized to have an underlying metabolic abnormality. A number of challenges face pediatricians in evaluating and treating children with urinary stone disease. Often the clinical symptomatology is nonspecific and lacks the excruciating renal colic seen in adults. Furthermore, diagnostic clinical laboratory values vary with age and must be differentiated from normal values reported for adult patients. Both environmental and genetic factors are responsible for urinary stones. Many stones have a hereditary basis. Exciting new information is developing about the genetic propensity for urinary stones. Current medical therapies attempt either to reduce the production of a lithogenic solute or to increase urinary solubility. New therapies for prevention and treatment of urinary stone disease are likely to evolve as our understanding of the pathogenesis of these conditions grows.
Prospective Evaluation of Continence Following Radical Cystectomy and Orthotopic Urinary Diversion Using a Validated Questionnaire

Purpose: We evaluated continence outcomes in male patients undergoing orthotopic neobladder diversion after radical cystectomy using a validated questionnaire.Materials and Methods: Using our institutional review board approved bladder cancer database we identified 1,269 patients who underwent open radical cystectomy from 2002 to 2015. Orthotopic neobladder was constructed in 935 (74%) patients, of whom 798 (85%) were male. Beginning in 2012 the patients completed a validated pictorial pad use questionnaire at each followup visit. The questionnaire assessed pad number, size and wetness as well as catheter use. Continence was defined as use of no pads or pads that are almost dry. Questionnaires were stratified into distinct postoperative intervals for analysis. Female patients, or patients with artificial urinary sphincters or prior radiotherapy were excluded from the study.Results: A total of 188 male patients with available questionnaires were followed from September 2012 to August 2015. Overall 447 ques...
Evaluation and Treatment of Priapism

AbstractWe herein review the last 29 patients with priapism treated at our hospitals with respect to the physiology and pathophysiology of erection and priapism, respectively, and present a rational approach to the management of priapism. Emphasis is given to the corpus cavernosum to corpus spongiosum shunt with a vascular anastomosis technique.
Future Thrusts for Development of Insect Sex Pheromones as Monitoring Tools

Monitoring pest populations with pheromone-baited traps has long been recognized as one of the major benefits of sex pheromone research. At first glance this technique seems simple enough. After all we have powerful synthetic pheromones, manufactured traps, and reasonably effective formulation systems. The problem lies in interpreting the trap catches. We find it difficult to estimate population sizes from the number of trapped insects. The season of the year, population level, plant host, weather conditions, and many other conditions affect our ability to extrapolate from our trapping sample to the whole population.
Pacific Basin Small Business Needs Assessment

Specific purposes of the Pacific Basin Small Business Needs Assessment Study were: (1) To inventory and understand the small business needs of the Pacific Island communities of Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Kauai, Guam, and American Samoa with regard to the desire for additional information and services categorized as accounting, marketing, finance, management, personnel, and other. (2) To gather demographic information related to organizations engaged in or serving small business in the Pacific Island communities studied.
The Role of Lactadherin in the Phagocytosis of Phosphatidylserine-Expressing Sickle Red Blood Cell by Macrophages.

Sickle cell anemia, the most common serious hemoglobinopathy, is associated with a markedly reduced life span of red blood cells due to their preferential clearance by macrophages. During polymerization of sickle hemoglobin, phosphatidylserine, an anionic phospholipid normally present exclusively on the inner leaflet of the membrane bilayer is exteriorized to outer leaflet. This exposure of phosphatidylserine is thought to be a tag for macrophage recognition. Lactadherin, also known as milk fat globule-EGF factor 8, is a phosphatidylserine-binding glycoprotein secreted by macrophages that promotes the engulfment of apoptotic cells. Here, we investigated the role of lactadherin in the phagocytosis of sickle red blood cells. The binding of fluorescein-lactadherin to normal and sickle red blood cells was studied by flow cytometry. We quantified the effect of lactadherin on phagocytosis of red blood cells by monocyte-derived macrophage. In normal individuals, less than 0.5% of red blood cells showed any binding to lactadherin when analyzed by flow cytometry. However, in sickle cell patients, circulating red blood cells showed 2 to 10- fold increase in lactadherin binding (P<0.0002). Lactadherin stimulated the phagocytosis of resting sickle red blood cells by macrophages but had no significant effect on the phagocytosis of normal red blood cells. Deoxygenation of sickle red blood cells further increased the lactadherin binding and phagocytosis. Antibodies to integrin αVβ3 also inhibited macrophage binding and phagocytosis. These results show lactadherin may play a major role in sickle red cell clearance by anchoring the phosphatidylserine-expressing sickle red blood cells to integrins on tissue macrophages.
Fluted Points in the Eastern Forests

East of the Mississippi River, fluted points with general morphological and technological relationships to western Clovis and Folsom types are widespread and numerous, although their geological and biological contexts are very different. They occur in natural settings so diverse as to defy generalizations about cultural adaptations by archaeologists just as they must have defied traditional patterns of behavior by the people who produced and used the fluted points. The chronology of early Paleo-Indian appearance and subsequent dispersal in the eastern forests is very poorly known. Radiocarbon dates, all in the 11th millennium B.p. (Haynes et al. 1984), are available only in and near the northern deglaciated areas, where the earliest eastern fluted points are not expected. The available dates indicate that fluted point styles in the East may span the 11th millennium B.P. By 10,000 years ago, the beginning of the Holocene, fluted points were no longer made.
POST-RACISM?: Putting President Obama's Victory in Perspective1

Does President Obama's momentous election victory signify a new, post-racism era in America? Many observers, such as a New York Times science editor, think so. But, unfortunately, this claim is premature for a host of reasons. [1] It took “a perfect storm” of interlocking factors to elect Obama. [2] Many bigots actually voted for Obama. [3] Two logical fallacies underlie this too-optimistic view. [4] Racist attitudes and actions repeatedly occurred throughout the campaign. [5] White Southern and older voters both demonstrated that rank racism remains. [6] Increased turn-out of young and minority voters was crucial. The paper closes by considering what changes in American race relations may take place during the Obama presidency.
Luxury Suite Administrators: Essential to Success

The purpose of this study was to understand the role of the luxury suite administrator in professional sports and to further the knowledge of those in the suite sales and services industry. Luxury suite revenue is an important income stream for sport teams in the United States and accounts for an average of $9.8 million annually per professional sports venue (Lawrence, Contorno, Kutz, Hendrickson & Dorsey, 2007). Having a better understanding of client needs could help improve revenue through increased suite sales and renewal rates. Luxury suite administrators (N = 145) from the five major sport leagues (National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Baseball (MLB) and Major League Soccer (MLS) were surveyed. The results helped to define the role of the suite administrator and their perception of what is important to corporate suite purchasers. Specifically, suite administrators responded that upgrading suite amenities is an important area for teams to improve. They also indicated that customer service, food/beverage prices, and entertaining current and prospective clients were top factors in corporate purchasing/renewal decisions. Not only will professional sport franchises looking to acquire and retain customers benefit from this information, but luxury suites owners will have an improved understanding of the industry as well.
Close to Home: Social Justice Activism and Human Rights

In commentary and scholarly articles, the words “U.S. human rights policy” invariably seem to be followed by the word “exceptionalist.” This exceptionalism is reflected in the history of American ratification of human rights treaties and the treatment of ratified treaties under domestic law. The United States has ratified only three of the eight core human rights treaties. The United States has attached reservations, understandings, and declarations (RUDs) to the three human rights treaties it has ratified, whittling down the substantive obligations it will accept in an attempt to make its international obligations roughly equivalent to what existing domestic law already requires. And -- for good measure -- the United States has declared the treaties non-self-executing as a matter of domestic law. While the narrative of U.S. exceptionalism is both accurate and compelling, it only tells part of the story. A narrow focus on the policies of the federal government and its record on human rights treaty ratification necessarily fails to capture the role that social justice movements play in building acceptance for new normative rights arguments that over time are reflected in changes in law, either through evolving interpretation of existing law or new legislation and policies. By looking beyond the status of treaty ratification for the sites of domestication of international human rights standards, we can get a fuller picture of human rights advocacy in the United States. Within our federal system these sites are numerous and include state legislatures, city councils, national organizations of local officials, and courts. In some instances, such as human rights litigation brought pursuant to the Alien Tort Statute (ATS), legislation explicitly contemplates the incorporation of international human rights law into domestic law, and courts have tried to articulate how this should occur. In other instances, mobilized activists and citizens use human rights standards to engage in a dialogue to inform, expand, and contest domestic definitions of rights. Recognition that there are what Judith Resnik has described as “multiple ports of entry” for human rights law helps us to understand the project that American lawyers and activists undertake when they engage in human rights advocacy. This introductory essay to a special issue of the Columbia Human Rights Law Review discusses the history of human rights advocacy in the United States. It traces the roots of United States exceptionalism, discusses the political and institutional factors that have led to a renewed interest in human rights domestically, and provides insight into the advocacy benefits that human rights strategies can offer in particular cases.
Counting Terrestrial Sources and Sinks of Carbon

One of the issues that the nations of the world need to resolve for reducingemissions of greenhousegases is the accounting of terrestrial sources and sinks of carbon. If noneare counted, then an incentive to reducedeforestation is lost, although attention becomes more focused on reducingemissions of carbon from fossil fuels.At the other extreme, counting all terrestrial sources and sinks of carbonwould be both expensive and inequitable.The most logical approach is to count those sources and sinks that resulteither directly or indirectly from humanactivity, but scientifically this is difficult, if not impossible: methodsexist for measuring changes in terrestrial carbonstocks, but they do not currently exist for attributing measured changes tohuman-induced, as opposed to natural,processes. The most feasible option seems to be the one that the KyotoProtocol recognizes: counting changes incarbon storage that result from a limited number of activities.
Are more corporate social investments better? Evidence of non-linearity effect on costs of U.S. Bank loans

Abstract We explore a research issue of whether corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities have a monotonic relationship with the cost of bank debt. Employing extensive data of private syndicated loans issued by U.S. firms, we find that the benefit of CSR strengths is not monotonic but declines at a decreasing rate, relative to the loan spread of private bank loans. Our findings indicate that there is an optimal level of CSR engagement with respect to the cost of debt. Undocumented for U.S. firms in the CSR literature, our results offer new evidence on the non-linearity effect of CSR on debt financing costs and suggest that a borrower's CSR investments beyond an optimal level are viewed as ineffective and wasteful.
SMART Note: Student-Centered Multimedia Active Reading Tools for Tablet Textbooks

Active reading is a fundamental task for the study experience, yet existing tablet textbook platforms fail to provide the wide range of flexibility required for active reading, particularly when multimedia content is included. To address this, we propose SMART Note, a set of active reading tools that provides learners with novel annotation and reorganization methods intended to better support active reading in the tablet environment. In an evaluation study with SMART Note prototypes, users had high success rates with usability inspection tasks and rated novel annotation and reorganization tools more favorably than tools offered by most existing tablet textbook platforms. Our work builds a foundation for future research that explores how SMART Note affects active reading and learning with multimedia tablet textbooks.
Indian Economic Superpower: Fiction or Future?

Change in Indian Economy Business Process Outsourcing Software Manufacturing Logistics Healthcare Aviation Leveraging India Fiction or Future.
Longitudinal Study of Dark Adaptation as a Functional Outcome Measure for Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Purpose To investigate the natural history of dark adaptation (DA) function as measured by the change in rod intercept time (RIT) over 4 years and to correlate RIT change with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) severity. Design Longitudinal, single-center, observational study. Participants A total of 77 participants aged ≥50 years with a range of AMD severities. Methods Participants each contributing a single study eye to the analysis were assigned into person-based AMD severity groups based on fundus characteristics (drusen, pigmentary changes, late AMD, and subretinal drusenoid deposits [SDDs]). The DA function was assessed in study eyes at baseline and 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, and 48 months. Mean change in DA function over time was calculated using the slope of linear regression fits of longitudinal RIT data. Patient-reported responses on a Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) were obtained at baseline and yearly. Nonparametric statistical testing was performed on all comparisons. Main outcome measure The RIT, defined as the time taken after a photobleach for visual sensitivity to recover detection of a 5×10-3 cd/m2 stimulus (a decrease of 3 log units), was monitored in study eyes over 4 years, and the mean rate of change was computed. Results Longitudinal analysis of 65 study eyes followed on the standard testing protocol (mean age, 71±9.3 years; 49% were female) revealed that higher rates of RIT prolongation were correlated with AMD severity group assignment at baseline (P = 0.026) and with severity group assignments at year 4 (P = 0.0011). Study eyes that developed SDD during follow-up demonstrated higher rates of RIT prolongation relative to those that did not (P Conclusions Longitudinal decline in DA function, which correlated with patient-reported functional deficits, was accelerated in eyes with greater AMD severity and especially in eyes with SDD both at baseline and at 4 years. The RIT prolongation as a measure of changing DA function may be a functional outcome measure in AMD clinical studies.
Enhancement of Axonal Myelination in Wounded Spinal Cord Using Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cell Transplantation

Oligodendrocytes (OLs) myelinate axons in the central nervous system (CNS). OLs form myelin sheath which is a spiral structure around a neuron axon. Each OL forms multiple segments of myelin that wrap around many spinal axons. The myelination increases the propagation rate of action potentials through the axon, thereby allowing more efficient signal transmission through the nervous system. Spinal cord injury causes massive tissue destruction and vascular rupture. Such trauma causes the loss of oligodendrocytes and demyelination. Following CNS injury, OLs proliferate and migrate into the neural lesion and limited myelin regeneration. A number of genes that are activated and involved in process of remyelinating damaged axons have been identified. The transplantation of OPCs has been shown as an effective treatment in restoring remyelinated neurons. A biomaterial scaffold can act as a vehicle for OPC delivery and create a permissive environment for transplanted cells to improve axonal myelination. It was also demonstrated that electric fields (EFs) can direct OPCs migration. This emerging treatment may be used as a novel therapeutic method to enhance OPCs migration toward the lesion.
Colon cancer: Characteristics and survival rates in young versus old patients.

3585 Background: Colon cancer is detected at a later stage in younger patients (YP) (< 50 years) probably due to lack of screening in this age group. There has been an increased incidence of colon ...
Scaled sequential threshold least-squares (S2TLS) algorithm for sparse regression modeling and flight load prediction

Abstract This paper presents a Scaled Sequential Thresholded Least Squares (S2TLS) algorithm to construct sparse regression models for flight load prediction. The combined use of a sparsification parameter λ and a magnification factor χ is proposed to tune both the model complexity and the regressor complexity. A bumpiness function is introduced to preferentially select simple regressors to improve model prediction. A cost function J consisting of the estimation residual and the bumpiness is then proposed to determine parameters (χ, λ) satisfying balanced performance. Parametric analysis is undertaken to investigate the effect of χ and λ on sparse regression performance. It is found that the optimal solution is hidden within a trench-like region of the (χ, λ) domain. Two methods using different optimization variables and algorithms are then presented to search for optimal combinations of λ and χ. Case studies are performed, and model results are compared against the test and CFD data of flight loads. Excellent agreement is observed, and the data (even with significant complications) is well bounded by the 95% confidence interval. Importantly, the underlying load-driving factors can be successfully identified. The new S2TLS algorithm represents a robust, efficient, and accurate method for flight load modeling and prediction.
Nanoscale layers in polymers to promote ion transport

Polymer membranes with enhanced charge transport properties would enable solid-state batteries with improved safety, increased lifetime, and decreased cost. However, the ion conductivity of polymers remains low after decades of research. Here, we advocate for an alternative design strategy for ion-conducting polymers, wherein a precisely periodic chemical microstructure leads to backbone crystallization, controlled hairpin chain folding at the position of each functional group, and ordered layers of sub-nanometer thickness that function as pathways for charge transport. This chain-folded layered structure is observed in a linear polyethylene with sulfonic acid groups pendant to precisely every 21st carbon atom, and the membrane exhibits high proton conductivity at high humidity, matching the benchmark membrane Nafion 117. We discuss related instances of ion and proton transport through thin layers in polymers, as well as other examples of controlled polymer folding leading to ordered nanoscale layers. We also propose design rules for achieving the chain-folded layered structure in new polymers. This layered structure has the potential for improved charge transport relative to amorphous polymers, representing a significant advance in ion-conducting polymer membranes.
Experiential Learning as a Strategy for Student Completion and Course Success in the Community College.

ABSTRACTCommunity college leaders seeking best practices to improve completion rates and student success have a strategy to consider – experiential learning as part of a course. An accounting business course, at a mid-sized community college in the southeast, recently implemented an experiential learning activity to determine the association with students obtaining a degree and completing a course successfully. A comparison of graduation rates and end-of-course grades, between experiential and non-experiential learning participants, yielded positive benefits for the experiential learning participants.
Neutron-Induced Radiation Damage in BaF2, LYSO/LFS and PWO Crystals

One crucial issue for applications of inorganic scintillators in future HEP experiments is radiation damage in a severe radiation environment, such as the HL-LHC. While radiation damage induced by ionization dose is well understood, investigations are on-going to understand radiation damage induced by hadrons, including both charged hadrons and neutrons. Aiming at understanding neutron induced radiation damage in fast inorganic scintillators, BaF_2, LYSO/LFS and PWO crystals were irradiated at LANSCE by a combination of particles, including neutrons, protons and γ-rays. The results indicate that LYSO/LFS and BaF_2 crystal plates are radiation hard up to 4 × 10^(15) fast neutrons/cm^2.
Non-thrust cervical manipulations reduce short-term pain and decrease systolic blood pressure during intervention in mechanical neck pain: a randomized clinical trial.

Objectives: To evaluate the association of resting blood pressure with pain response and evaluate the cardiovascular effects of anterior-to-posterior [AP] versus lateral [LAT] techniques of cervica...
Turista in Teheran. Travellers' diarrhoea at the Eighth International Congresses of Tropical Medicine and Malaria.

Abstract Of 600 of the scientific visitors to a medical congress held in Teheran in 1968, 28% had diarrhœa. The syndrome was similar to the travellers' diarrhœa, or "turista", affecting U.S. visitors to Mexico. Only 8% of the 163 travellers from tropical countries (where diarrhœa is considered to be common) became ill, whereas 41% of those from countries with more temperate climates had diarrhœa. Only 1 out of 48 Iranians was affected. These findings suggest that immunity plays an important part in travellers' diarrhœa, and provide some support for the idea that the syndrome is caused by a living agent of disease.
Tobacco 21 Laws in Europe: A Policy Whose Time Has Come.

INTRODUCTION A 21 tobacco age of sale has been proposed for European nations. METHODS We briefly review past studies of underage purchase policies and their enforcement. RESULTS Past evaluations and modeling studies indicate important public health gains from 21 tobacco age of sale laws. However, further attention should be given to issues of compliance, the availability of social sources, and the breadth of coverage. In particular, the application of the law to e-cigarettes merits further attention. CONCLUSIONS Past literature indicates potential benefits of a 21 tobacco age of sale in terms of reducing tobacco use in European nations. IMPLICATIONS We review past studies of underage purchase laws, and the potential implications of applying that law to e-cigarettes. Past studies indicate the effectiveness of raising tobacco age of sale laws to 21. This law should be implemented and enforced in Europe.
Black and White Beads in the African Diaspora

African diaspora archaeology has its roots in American plantation archaeology of the 1960s and 1970s. One of the first artifacts recovered from these contexts was the simple blue glass bead, recognized by some as signifying retentions of African belief. Simultaneously emerging in the 1970s was the field of historical mortuary archaeology, in which graves of African Americans were treated as archaeological resources for the first time. When these graves were studied scientifically, greater emphasis was placed on the skeletal biology than associated grave goods, and a very different set of questions was explored. Combining these two fields, this study documents a heretofore unrecognized pattern of not blue, but black beads and white beads—almost exclusively associated with infants and women––and ties these color choices and demographic patterns to specific West African cultures and the underlying meanings of womanhood, marriage, fertility, birth, and protection.
A study of relationships in traffic oscillation features based on field experiments

Abstract Despite numerous theoretical models, only limited field experiments have been conducted to investigate traffic oscillation propagation, and the relationships between traffic oscillation features (e.g., period, speed variation, spacing and headway) have not received quantitative analysis. This study conducts a set of field experiments designed to inspect such relationships. In these experiments, 12 vehicles equipped with high-resolution global positioning system (GPS) devices following one another on public roads, and the lead vehicle was asked to move with designed trajectory profiles incorporating various parameters. Measurements of five features are extracted from processing the field vehicle trajectory data with a time-domain method. Frequency analysis is also proposed with the Fourier transform method to verify the effectiveness of the features measured by the time-domain method. Compared to the frequency-domain method, the time-domain method yields more measurements with comparable quality and is more robust on trajectories with a small number of oscillation cycles. Then, a series of linear regression analyses reveal a number of new findings on the relationships between these features. For example, the time gap between two consecutive vehicles is negatively correlated with the speed standard deviation of the preceding vehicle and the initial speed of the following vehicle. It is also positively correlated with the average speed of the preceding vehicle and the initial spacing. The findings are helpful in constructing new microscopic traffic models better describing traffic oscillation dynamics. To illustrate this benefit, revised car following models are proposed to capture the relationship between time gap and other features. The simulation results show that the revised models yield better prediction accuracy (in range of 18% to 40% with the oscillation experiment dataset and in range of 30–63% with the stationary experiment dataset) than the classical models on reproducing real-world trajectories.
Economic Growth, Income Inequality, and the Rule of Law

We consider 134 countries during the period 1984-2019 and find a significant positive relation between Rule of Law (law and order provided by police and courts, respect for private property rights) and GDP per capita. Notably, this positive relation is getting stronger with time. This positive relation is robust to alternative measurements of Rule of Law. Additionally, we document that lesser corruption in the political system is correlated with higher levels of GDP per capita. Besides the size of the national pie, which is measured by GDP, senior policy makers and the media across the globe are increasingly concerned about how this pie is sliced, that is, about income inequality. We find that countries with greater adherence to Rule of Law are characterized by less income inequality. These results highlight the importance of Rule of Law in generating economic growth and decreasing income inequality.
The Ethics of AI: What Does AI Do When Humans Cannot Agree What Is ‘Right’?

One of the appealing features of artificial intelligence is the ability to come up with the “right” answer automatically, faster and more reliably than humans. In many cases, the right answer is singular and unambiguous, such as 2 + 2 = 4 (3.9 or 4.1 are close, but not right.). But, as is often the case in matters of ethics, what is AI to do if humans cannot agree on the right answer?
Does operative treatment of geriatric pelvic ring injuries lead to a high risk of one-year mortality?

Abstract Introduction Non-operative management of pelvic ring injuries in the elderly is associated with a high risk of one-year mortality. The majority of these injuries are the result of a low-energy mechanism, however, due to the multiple medical comorbidities in this patient population the injuries are associated with a high degree of morbidity. The purpose of this study was to determine the one-year mortality risk after operative treatment of pelvic ring injuries in a geriatric patient population and the effect of patient and injury characteristics on the risk of mortality. Patients and methods We performed a retrospective review of patients over the age of 70 who underwent operative fixation of a pelvic ring injury at two Level 1 trauma centers between January 2016 and June 2019. Medical records were reviewed for patient and injury characteristics including: Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status score or Injury Severity Score (ISS), hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS). The primary outcome of interest was the one-year mortality risk following operative treatment. Secondary outcomes included the effect of patient and injury characteristics on the one-year mortality risk and the hospital LOS. Results Ninety patients were included with an average age of 79.8 ± 6.5 years. The overall mortality was 8.9% (n = 8) and was significantly associated with the CCI. There was no significant effect related to the ASA physical status score or ISS. The average hospital LOS was 9.2 ± 7.3 days and was associated with the CCI, ASA physical status score, and ISS. Discussion Non-operative management of pelvic ring injuries in geriatric patients is associated with a high risk of one-year mortality. Our findings suggest operative treatment of these fractures is associated with an acceptable risk of one-year mortality that falls below the commonly reported range for non-operatively managed injuries. Furthermore, the risk of mortality was significantly associated with the patient's pre-injury state as determined by the CCI.
A continuum model of heat transfer in electrical double-layer capacitors with porous electrodes under constant-current cycling

Abstract This study presents a theoretical framework to model spatio-temporal heat generation rates and temperature evolution in electrochemical double layer capacitors composed of porous electrodes during constant-current cycling. Expressions for reversible and irreversible heat generation rates are derived based on porous electrode theory. Temperature predictions obtained from the model are found to match experimental trends reported in prior literature as well as quantitative results under various charge/discharge conditions. The model has been applied to investigate the influence of electrode and separator porosity on the operating temperature inside the capacitor during charge/discharge. Furthermore, scaling analysis of the electrothermal model leads to a reduced number of meaningful dimensionless parameters governing electric potential, heat generation rate and temperature rise in the capacitor. We explore the influence of these dimensionless parameters using detailed numerical simulations.
Reduction of Graft Diameter: Taking Out a “Dart”

Not infrequently, one end of the resected aorta is markedly smaller than the other. In such an instance, it is best to reduce the diameter of the smaller end of the graft. This is preferable to trying to force the large graft down to the size of the smaller aorta by taking wide bites on the graft and small bites on the aorta.