cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Oxygen Potential on Crack Growth in Alloys for Advanced Energy Systems

The effect of oxygen partial pressure on fatigue and SCC growth rates in alloy 617 has been studied using both static and fatigue loading @ 650°C over the oxygen partial pressure range 10−19 –10−2 atm. Tests were conducted at either constant stress intensity factor, K, for static conditions or constant ΔK in fatigue. Oxygen concentration was measured on both the inlet and outlet as well as in-situ with a probe located directly at the specimen surface. For fatigue loading the crack path was observed to be transgranular but crystallographic with a decreasing growth rate as the oxygen concentration decreased. However, for static loading the crack path shifted to intergranular and exhibited an increasing crack growth rate with decreasing oxygen concentration.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
The incidence of un-indicated preoperative testing in a tertiary academic ambulatory center: a retrospective cohort study

Despite existing evidence and guidelines advocating for appropriate risk stratification, ambulatory surgery in low-risk patients continues to be accompanied by a battery of routine tests prior to surgery. Using a single-center retrospective cohort study, we aimed to quantify the incidence of un-indicated preoperative testing in an academic ambulatory center by utilizing recommendations by the recently developed American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) “Choosing Wisely” Top-5 list. We utilized data from the EPIC medical records of 3111 patients who had ambulatory surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania during a 6-month period. Data were abstracted from laboratory studies— complete blood count, electrolyte panel, coagulation studies, and cardiac studies—stress test, and echocardiogram obtained within 30 days prior to surgery. Preoperative tests obtained from each patient were categorized into “indicated” (ASA ≥ 3) and “un-indicated” (ASA 1 and 2) tests, and percentages were reported. During the study period, 52.9 % (95 % confidence interval (CI) 37.6–66.4) of all patients had at least one un-indicated laboratory test performed preoperatively. Further analysis revealed variation in the incidence of preoperative ordering between tests; 73 % of all complete blood counts (CBCs), 70 % of all metabolic panels, and 49 % of all coagulation studies were considered un-indicated by “Top-5 List” criteria. Stated differently, of the patients included in the sample, 51 % of patients received an un-indicated CBC, 41 % an un-indicated metabolic panel, and 16 % un-indicated coagulation studies. Twelve percent of “any un-indicated preoperative test” were obtained from ASA 1 healthy patients. Of the 587 patients less than 36 years old, 331 (56 %) had at least one test that was deemed un-indicated. Forty-one patients had either an echocardiogram or stress test ordered and performed within 30 days of surgery. Of these, eight (19.5 %) studies were un-indicated as determined by chart review. The incidence of ordering “at least one un-indicated preoperative test” in low-risk patients undergoing low-risk surgery remains high even in academic tertiary institutions. In the emerging era of optimizing patient safety and financial accountability, further studies are needed to better understand the problem of overuse while identifying modifiable attitudes and institutional influences on perioperative practices among all stakeholders involved. Such information would drive the development of feasible interventions.
Methods to study maternal regulation of germ cell specification in zebrafish

The process by which the germ line is specified in the zebrafish embryo is under the control of maternal gene products that were produced during oogenesis. Zebrafish are highly amenable to microscopic observation of the processes governing maternal germ cell specification because early embryos are transparent, and the germ line is specified rapidly (within 4–5 h post fertilization). Advantages of zebrafish over other models used to study vertebrate germ cell formation include their genetic tractability, the large numbers of progeny, and the easily manipulable genome, all of which make zebrafish an ideal system for studying the genetic regulators and cellular basis of germ cell formation and maintenance. Classical molecular biology techniques, including expression analysis through in situ hybridization and forward genetic screens, have laid the foundation for our understanding of germ cell development in zebrafish. In this chapter, we discuss some of these classic techniques, as well as recent cutting-edge methodologies that have improved our ability to visualize the process of germ cell specification and differentiation, and the tracking of specific molecules involved in these processes. Additionally, we discuss traditional and novel technologies for manipulating the zebrafish genome to identify new components through loss-of-function studies of putative germ cell regulators. Together with the numerous aforementioned advantages of zebrafish as a genetic model for studying development, we believe these new techniques will continue to advance zebrafish to the forefront for investigation of the molecular regulators of germ cell specification and germ line biology.
Notes on Coprinus Micaceus Growing in an Unusual Habitat

The conditions which permitted Peziza domiciliana to develop during the winter of 1937-38 1 were also favorable for the growth and development of Coprinus micaceus, during the winter of 1938-39 and 1939-40. The mushrooms appeared in exactly the same locality, on the floor of a room in a residence, in a narrow strip 1/2" wide and 9" long, bounded by linoleum on one side and a porcelain fixture on the other, and the same room conditions of temperature, light and moisture prevailed. Observations were begun in the fall of 1938 at about the time the first ascocarps of P. domiciliana had previously appeared. Ascocarps, however, did not appear at this time nor at any time during the winter or spring. On January 25th, 1939, three mushrooms were observed, two being old and withered, and one in an active stage of growth. This fungus, which proved to be Coprinus micaceus, was present almost continuously until late spring. Growth was resumed in October, 1939, and continued throughout the winter and spring. The mycelium of Peziza had either died out or had been crowded out, because no apothecia have since appeared. Table I shows the number of specimens which appeared from January 25th, 1939 to March 27th, 1939. The number of mushrooms maturing at one time was not large, usually one or two. Higher numbers were not common although sometimes they did occur, as for example 4 on October 26th, 1939, 5 on November 12th and 5 on December 11th. The total number of mushrooms which appeared during this particular time (October 13th to December 12th) was 35, indicating apparently optimum conditions. Growth periods were generally followed by a resting period. The two resting periods shown in Table I were approximately 14 days
ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY IN INTRAUTERINE GROWTH RESTRICTION

Advances in fetal cardiac ultrasound have provided evidence of the natural history of the fetal cardiac response to many different stresses. Fetal echocardiography lends particular insight into the diverse etiologies of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). For example, structural malformation
Analytical Characterization of Size-Dependent Properties of Larger Aqueous Gold Nanoclusters

Gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) with well-defined structure and arrangement possess particular physical and functional properties. AuNCs that differ only by less than 1 nm in diameter corresponding to one atomic layer show different structural, optical, and physicochemical properties in a size-dependent mode, making their analytical characterization a challenge. Herein we describe an integrative approach to characterization of larger aqueous AuNC (Au102-pMBA44, Au144pMBA60 and higher) selected by gel electrophoresis (PAGE). We employ UV–vis, dynamic light scattering, and zeta-potential in combination with high-performance analytical techniques such as multiwavelength analytical ultracentrifugation and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry were used to separate aqueous AuNCs and to determine their specific hydrodynamic diameter, partial abundance, molecular weight, and mass/charge ratios when present in a complex mixture of AuNCs containing Au102 (1.6 nm), Au144 (2 nm), and Au288–328 (2.5 nm). Advanced analy...
Fabrication of Boron Compensated Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Films with Significantly Improved Stability Using Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition Technique

We have systematically investigated the effects of addition of sub-ppm levels of boron on the stability of a-Si:H films and p-i-n devices, deposited by PE-CVD technique. The films thus produced with appropriate amounts of boron, show a significant improvement in stability, when soaked under both AM 1.5 (short-term) as well as 10×sun (long-term) illumination conditions. The opto-electronic properties of the films are quite respectable It is concluded that boron compensates the native impurities by forming donor-acceptor pairs, which reduces the “fast” defects and hence the initial degradation of the films. It is also speculated that boron may also be improving the short-term stability, by reducing the recombination of light generated electrons and holes, by converting D° into D+ states. The long-term stability appears to get affected by hydrogen dilution which seems to reduce the amount of “slow” defects. As a result of B doping of i-layer, the initial conversion efficiency of the devices decreases. It is presumed that our devices may contain an enhanced level of boron impurity, than expected, making them as worse material and to degrade less.
S.A.M. and Breast Cancer—Focus on Statins, Red Yeast Rice, Sterols, and Other Integrative Cholesterol Medicines: The Real “Natural” Options

The acronym S.A.M. (statins, aspirin, metformin) is a simplistic clinician and patient method of remembering the three most important off-label “natural” products that should be primarily discussed with individuals concerned about breast cancer. And simultaneously it sends a message to patients to always consider the largest source of morbidity and mortality in the world and the need to improve overall health while still allowing the maximum potential benefit against more disease-specific issues. S.A.M. are all low-cost, generic, derived from “natural” sources and have more positive data in the area of breast cancer prevention and reducing the risk of recurrence compared to any dietary supplement I have researched over the past 30 years. S.A.M. is also a unisex name that can be applied to women or men because similar potential benefits in patients concerned about prostate cancer mirror those of breast cancer in regard to off-label or integrative medicine utilization (both diseases are hormonally manipulated as one of their primary forms of treatment). Interestingly, there are now multiple dietary supplements that appear to mimic S.A.M. that could potentially serve as current and future options for those intolerant to S.A.M. and/or those in need of even more treatment options.
Impact of Immigration: Disease Exposure and Health Maintenance

Increasing numbers of individuals and families originally from developing nations are responding to a lack of available jobs and economic, social, and political instability in their home countries by seeking work abroad; immigrating usually to developed countries. The following chapter intends to describe the occupational hazards, disease exposure, and health maintenance issues in immigrants with an illustrative clinical case.
Function of the Antigen Receptor in T Cell Activation

The T lymphocyte plays a central role in both regulatory and effector aspects of the immune response to foreign antigens. In its regulatory role, represented for example by the T helper cell, the T lymphocyte is involved in complex interactions with antigen presenting cells, B cells, and other T cells. Communication in these interactions rely on both cell-to-cell contacts as well as the release of soluble growth and differentiation factors (lymphokines and monokines). In its effector role, represented by the cytotoxic T cell, direct engagement of infected cells results in destruction of the target.
Analysis of recurrence risk by subtype in ≤1 cm breast tumors.

1034 Background: Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) comprise 15% of breast cancers and lack ER, PR, and HER2 expression. TNBC is biologically aggressive with high rates of recurrence, but little...
HoloARt Video Showcase: Painting with Holograms in Mixed Reality

We propose HoloARt, a new media art that explores the use of holograms in mixed reality for creative self expression. We designed a system that allows the user to turn their physical environment into a canvas where digital holograms and physical objects co-exist in the real and virtual world. Users are able to virtually spray and splatter hologram paint on top of physical objects and surfaces as well as painting in the air by only using their hands. The content grows dynamically, following the natural movements of the user. The system is self-contained and does not require hand controllers or positional tracking sensors on the space. This video accompanies our CHI paper and Art Installation [1].
An empirical approach to determine a threshold for assessing overdispersion in Poisson and negative binomial models for count data

Overdispersion is a problem encountered in the analysis of count data that can lead to invalid inference if unaddressed. Decision about whether data are overdispersed is often reached by checking whether the ratio of the Pearson chi-square statistic to its degrees of freedom is greater than one; however, there is currently no fixed threshold for declaring the need for statistical intervention. We consider simulated cross-sectional and longitudinal datasets containing varying magnitudes of overdispersion caused by outliers or zero inflation, as well as real datasets, to determine an appropriate threshold value of this statistic which indicates when overdispersion should be addressed.
A Novel Information Privacy Metric

With the ever-increasing need for sharing data across a wide spectrum of audience, including commercial enterprises, governments, and research organizations, there is an equally growing concern about the privacy of such data. In this paper, we address a specific sharing subdomain where the data is made available only to a selected few and not for public access. Even under this constrained sharing, there are possibilities for privacy violations. The paper addresses issues of quantifying such privacy violations taking into account the degree of trust between the sharing parties. We employ an Embedded Privacy Agreement-based system to evaluate the privacy violation.
Estimation of Population Average Treatment Effects in the FIRST Trial: Application of a Propensity Score-Based Stratification Approach

Objective/Study Question To estimate and compare sample average treatment effects (SATE) and population average treatment effects (PATE) of a resident duty hour policy change on patient and resident outcomes using data from the Flexibility in Duty Hour Requirements for Surgical Trainees Trial (“FIRST Trial”). Data Sources/Study Setting Secondary data from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program and the FIRST Trial (2014–2015). Study Design The FIRST Trial was a cluster-randomized pragmatic noninferiority trial designed to evaluate the effects of a resident work hour policy change to permit greater flexibility in scheduling on patient and resident outcomes. We estimated hierarchical logistic regression models to estimate the SATE of a policy change on outcomes within an intent-to-treat framework. Propensity score-based poststratification was used to estimate PATE. Data Collection/Extraction Methods This study was a secondary analysis of previously collected data. Principal Findings Although SATE estimates suggested noninferiority of outcomes under flexible duty hour policy versus standard policy, the noninferiority of a policy change was inconclusively noninferior based on PATE estimates due to imprecision. Conclusions Propensity score-based poststratification can be valuable tools to address trial generalizability but may yield imprecise estimates of PATE when sparse strata exist.
Evaluation of buprenorphine/naloxone dose and use of sedating supportive medication on treatment outcomes in veterans with opioid use disorder.

Abstract Introduction: This retrospective cohort study evaluated effects of buprenorphine/naloxone dose and concomitant use of selected sedating medications on treatment outcomes in patients with o...
Landau-Zener-Stückelberg-Majorana Interferometry of a Single Hole.

We perform Landau-Zener-Stuckelberg-Majorana (LZSM) spectroscopy on a system with strong spin-orbit interaction (SOI), realized as a single hole confined in a gated double quantum dot. Analogous to electron systems, at a magnetic field B=0 and high modulation frequencies, we observe photon-assisted tunneling between dots, which smoothly evolves into the typical LZSM funnel-shaped interference pattern as the frequency is decreased. In contrast to electrons, the SOI enables an additional, efficient spin-flip interdot tunneling channel, introducing a distinct interference pattern at finite B. Magnetotransport spectra at low-frequency LZSM driving show the two channels to be equally coherent. High-frequency LZSM driving reveals complex photon-assisted tunneling pathways, both spin conserving and spin flip, which form closed loops at critical magnetic fields. In one such loop, an arbitrary hole spin state is inverted, opening the way toward its all-electrical manipulation.
A Protocol for Mixed Autonomous and Human-Operated Vehicles at Intersections

Connected and autonomous vehicle technology has advanced rapidly in recent years. These technologies create possibilities for highly efficient, AI-based, transportation systems. One such system is the Autonomous Intersection Management (AIM), an intersection management protocol designed for the time when all vehicles are fully autonomous and connected. Experts, however, anticipate a long transition period during which human and autonomously operated vehicles will coexist. Unfortunately, AIM has been shown to provide little or no improvement over today’s traffic signals when less than 90% of the vehicles are autonomous, making AIM ineffective for a large portion of the transition period. This paper introduces a new protocol denoted Hybrid Autonomous Intersection Management (H-AIM), that is applicable as long as AIM is applicable and the infrastructure is able to sense approaching vehicles. Our experiments show that this protocol can decrease traffic delay for autonomous vehicles even at 1% technology penetration rate.
Hemispherical image sensor development for wide FOV imaging

Curved image sensors offer a new degree of freedom in optical system design that promise low-cost, small-volume solutions for wide field-of-view imaging. Stretchable polymer backplanes can provide the high-density of interconnects and tolerate the large deformations needed to transform planar, wafer-based image sensors into shapes with large nonzero Gaussian curvature. Here we demonstrate a thermoformable backplane based on glycolated polyethylene terephthalate (PETg) that can be deformed to a 98° spherical cap with 0.5” radius. We introduce a process to integrate such backplanes with a CMOS image sensor and release the circuit from the wafer to form a monolithically integrated image sensor that can be thermoformed to the desired shape.
Bureaucracy and Public Housing

Despite its many well-known problems, public housing is still the government’s major housing program for low-income Americans.1 More than three million people live in its units; and most large cities maintain long waiting lists with names of those applicants anxious for apartments.2 Understandably, with the demand for the public housing so great and the supply so limited, the process by which vacancies are allocated is a vital issue.
Chapter 5 Nanoscale Particles and Processes: A New Dimension in Soil Science

This chapter deals with a fundamental question in soil science and environmental hydro-, bio-, and geochemistry: How do the properties and behaviors of the smallest particles—the nanoparticles—differ from those of ions and molecules, and of the larger particles whose properties are understood based on classic physics and chemistry of bulk systems? We shall see in this chapter that the nanoparticles, defined as particles that have at least one dimension in the nanorange, can have unique size-related structure, composition, stability, and reactivity. Given that nanoparticles and nanostructures are important and widespread components of soils, ranging from the nanomineral ferrihydrite, to a wide variety of mineral nanoparticles, to nanoscale aggregates of natural organic matter, to bacterial appendages known as nanowires, recent developments in nanoscience and nanotechnology are becoming increasingly important to our understanding of soil characteristics and behavior.
Coaching teachers to implement innovations in STEM

Abstract STEM is evolving as a discipline and includes challenging educational practices. Teachers need support to address these challenges and implement STEM. We present an intervention in which a STEM coach supported teachers implementing STEM across a school district. The coach role was valued for (1) connecting to outside resources, (2) teaching teachers and students, and (3) planning STEM initiatives. Educators accessed the coach to improve their practice, comply with or advance the STEM initiative, or avoided the resource. Educators used the resource to distribute their workload. These actions and perceptions informed how the role was co-constructed throughout its launch year.
Quantitative analysis of energy consumption for cylinder efficiency of a Shanghai electric – siemens ultra-supercritical 660 MW steam turbine unit

The Shanghai Electric – Siemens ultra-supercritical 660 MW steam turbine has a large proportion in the newly produced 600 MW units in China in recent years because of its superior performance index. It has become an important development direction of 600 MW level ultra-supercritical power generation technology. Taking a N660-25/600/600 steam turbine as an example, the quantitative sensitivity analysis of energy consumption of the high-pressure cylinder, intermediate-pressure cylinder and low-pressure cylinder were carried out based on the calculation method of rated power and variable condition, the influence of each cylinder efficiency change on the heat consumption rate of steam turbine is obtained. It turns out that the efficiency of high-pressure cylinder is less sensitive to energy consumption, the efficiency of intermediate-pressure cylinder is second, and the efficiency of low-pressure cylinder is more sensitive to energy consumption. The conclusion can provide technical reference for energy conservation diagnosis and energy conservation management and evaluation on this type of steam turbine.
Vehicle Ride Quality - Measurement and Analysis

Presentation de deux modeles de simulation de la qualite du trajet a bord d'un vehicule routier ou ferroviaire
Interactive Meta-Reasoning: Towards a CAD-Like Environment for Designing Game-Playing Agents

We posit that experimentation is a central element of the creative process. The question then becomes how can we support experimentation in creative tasks? We take inspiration from the success of computer aided design (CAD) environments that enable designers to construct, evaluate and revise models of engineering systems. Design of game-playing software agents is another creative task. By analogy, we present a CAD-like environment that enables designers to construct, evaluate and revise models of game-playing agents. However, unlike engineering systems, intelligent agents may learn from experience. In particular, intelligent agents may use meta-reasoning over their own models to redesign themselves. Thus, we envision a CAD-like environment in which the human designer and the intelligent software agent cooperate to perform interactive meta-reasoning to redesign the agent. In this article, we describe three elements of this vision: (2) an agent modeling language called TMKL2, (2) an interactive environment called GAIA for experimenting with the models of game-playing software agents, and (3) GAIA’s module called REM that performs meta-reasoning for self-adaptation in game-playing software agents. We illustrate these concepts for the task of design of software agents that play variants of Freeciv, a turn-based strategy game.
Significance of the gastrointestinal tract in the in vivo metabolism of ethanol in the rat.

The rate of ethanol metabolism and the extrapolated zero time blood ethanol concentration (C0) were compared in naive and ethanol-fed rats following intracardiac or ingastric administration of a test dose of ethanol (3 g/kg). If the gastrointestinal tract is involved in the disposition of ethanol, intragastric administration should result in a lower C0 and a faster overall rate of metabolism than intracardiac administration, since part of the dose would be metabolized in the gastrontestinal tract without having been absorbed and thereby entering the blood. However, no significant differences were observed in C0. The rate of metabolism was sub-stantially higher in the ethanol-fed rats, but was uninfluenced by route of administration. Thus, the gastrointestinal tract plays no significant role in the metabolism of ethanol.
Impact of adverse childhood experiences and fruit and vegetable intake in adulthood.

Objective To assess the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and behaviours of fruit and vegetable consumption among adults. Design Cross-sectional analysis. Weighted χ2 and weighted multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the association between ACE and low fruit and vegetable consumption. Setting The 2017 Nevada Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Participants The sample consisted of 2939 adults. Results After controlling for potential confounders, exposure to three or more ACE (adjusted OR (AOR) 1·42, 95 % CI 1·02, 2·00) and experiencing parental divorce/separation (AOR 1·50, 95 % CI 1·13, 1·98) were significantly associated with low fruit and vegetable consumption. The study did not find a dose-response relationship between the number of ACE and fruit and vegetable consumption. Conclusions The study suggests that participants who experienced three or more ACE or parental divorce/separation were at increased risk for low fruit and vegetable consumption. The findings highlight the continuing need for public health interventions and policies that decrease exposure to ACE and increase fruit and vegetable intake among the populations with ACE.
Reverse Integration Pilot in a Public Safety-Net Hospital’s Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic

Individuals with severe mental illness are at a higher risk for medical illness and premature death and yet receive poorer quality healthcare. Often mental healthcare is the only care this population receives, thus models of integration are being explored. This study examined medical outcomes and care utilization patterns among patients at an outpatient behavioral health center where primary care was integrated with psychiatric and behavioral healthcare. A retrospective chart review of patients seen at the clinic both for mental and primary healthcare was performed and 147 patients were monitored over the course of one year. While medical outcome changes were not significant in the year after enrollment, primary care visits did increase, and emergency department visits decreased over the year analyzed. Decreased emergency department visits and increased attendance at primary care visits suggests this model of integration allows patients access to continuity of care and primary care services.
The Association between Needle Size and Waste Product and Its Effect on Cost-Effectiveness of Botulinum Toxin Injections?

Clostridium botulinum toxin (BT) must be administered intramuscularly with a syringe, but dead space in the syringe–needle complex may cause product waste and result in cost implications for the patient and provider. Syringe dead space is the volume of residual fluid that remains within the syringe after the plunger is fully depressed during medication injection. We calculated the average volume of remaining product in a syringe–needle complex and cost loss implication of this volume of BT. This is a single-center, analytical study using saline and four different sized needles for analytics of waste product and cost-effectiveness. Syringes of 1 mL with attached 18, 21, 30, and 32-gauge (G) needles, respectively, were compared. The syringe–needle complex was weighed before drawing 0.05 mL of saline. The fluid was then discarded with the appropriate syringe and then weighed again. This procedure was repeated for the four needle types and the average difference in weight of the syringe–needle complex before and after saline waste was measured. The volume was converted to units of BT used in clinical practice and the cost of waste product evaluated. The mean difference in needle–syringe complex weight before and after intervention was 0.068, 0.056, 0.04, and 0.026 g for the 18, 21, 30, and 32G needles, respectively. We found a statistically significant difference comparing the 18G with the 30 and 32G (0.02 and 0.0007, respectively) and comparing the 21G with the 30 and 32G (0.0042 and 0.00002, respectively). When we extrapolated the data to BT units (4U/0.1 mL), we found that theoretically 2.72, 2.24, 1.6, and 1.04 units of BT are left in the syringe–needle complex for the 18, 21, 30, and 32G syringes, respectively. At a cost of $6.01/U of onabotulinum toxin A, we then calculated a provider loss of a gross average (mean) revenue of $96 and 62.4 per 10 syringes used with 30 and 32G needles. Needle size used for drawing up and administering BT has an effect on the amount of waste product and subsequently on cost-effectiveness.
Technique for Distinguishing and Determining the Origin of Photon Emissions from He+/Ar+ Plasmas

Experimental studies of electron-ion recombination have traditionally been made in three ways: (1) the determination of recombination rate coefficients, some as a function of temperature, (2) the identification of ground state neutral products and (3) the detection of excited state products. Initial studies of (1) were made in stationary afterglows, predominantly by Biondi and co-workers1 and Smith and co-workers2 and were followed by investigations using the more versatile flowing afterglow.3 In parallel with the latter studies, emission spectroscopy was used primarily for detecting excited state products in ion- and metastable-neutral reactions,4, 5, 6 but with some studies in which excited products of recombination were detected. Studies were later made by Adams and co-workers7,8 and by Johnsen and co-workers9 to detect the ground state products of recombination, a more difficult problem but where substantial progress has been made. At the same time, determination of product distributions was also starting in storage rings.10,11 In this area, storage ring studies have been more numerous, due predominantly to the degree of effort put into the technique by a number of workers. Also, with this method, it is possible to inject a single ion species into the ring, and for heteronuclear ions to radiationally cool the vibrations.12 In the flowing afterglow, it is more complicated to create a single ion plasma, ensure that the ions are vibrationaly relaxed and to detect all of the products simultaneously.
Towards a framework for increasing Students' participation in Quality Assurance procedures

The purpose of this research is to propose and discuss ways of increasing the participation of students in Quality Assurance (QA) activities at all levels, in their University, through cooperation and mobility programs in Higher Education, etc. First, the literature is reviewed and a comparative analysis of the various methods of increasing student participation in QA activities is conducted. Then we propose the creation and use of an Information System (IS) based on the research results. The IS will help students to understand that not only is their opinion recorded, but also that their views have an impact on the University. Eventually, we discuss the design of the four subsystems of the proposed IS: The “Rate your Lecturer” system, the “Evaluation based on Social Networking” system, the “Students’ view on critical issues” system, and the “Sentiment analysis of students’ views on critical issues” system.
Highlights from Faraday Discussion: Reaction mechanisms in catalysis, UK, 17th–19th February 2021 (online)

The 2021 Faraday Discussion on reaction mechanisms in catalysis attracted over a hundred delegates from around the world. Notwithstanding the challenges we faced in 2020, the online platform brought together leading scientists passionate about understanding the mechanisms of catalysed reactions. The meeting showed the great shape of the field and proved the ability of the community to face global challenges, and to be adaptive, flexible, and responsive.
Automated Dynamic Concurrency Analysis for Go.

The concurrency features of the Go language have proven versatile in the development of a number of concurrency systems. However, correctness methods to address challenges in Go concurrency debugging have not received much attention. In this work, we present an automatic dynamic tracing mechanism that efficiently captures and helps analyze the whole-program concurrency model. Using an enhancement to the built-in tracer package of Go and a framework that collects dynamic traces from application execution, we enable thorough post-mortem analysis for concurrency debugging. Preliminary results about the effectiveness and scalability (up to more than 2K goroutines) of our proposed dynamic tracing for concurrent debugging are presented. We discuss the future direction for exploiting dynamic tracing towards accelerating concurrent bug exposure.
An Efficient Convolution Algorithm for the Non-Markovian Two-Node Cyclic Network

Consider a closed cyclic queueing model that consists of two nodes and a total of customers. Each node buffer can accommodate all customers. Node 1 has servers, each having an exponential service time with rate . The second node consists of a single server with a general service time distribution function . The well-known machine repair model with spares, where a set of identical machines, , is served by a single repair person, is a key application of this model. This model has several other applications in performance evaluation, manufacturing, computer networks, and in reliability studies as it can be easily used to compute system availability. In this article, we give an efficient algorithm to derive an exact solution for the steady state system size probabilities. Our approach is based on developing an efficient polynomial convolution method to compute the transition probabilities of a birth process over node 2 service times and solving an imbedded Markov chain at node 2 service completion epochs. This is a significant improvement over the exponential algorithm given in an earlier paper. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the performance of our method.
Mechanical Effects of Lag Screw Retightening in a Simulated Hindfoot Arthrodesis Model

Background:Nonunion following hindfoot arthrodesis may be caused by failure to maintain compression at the arthrodesis site. The ability of lag screws, commonly used in arthrodesis, to maintain com...
Language and Executive Function in Preschoolers With Developmental Language Disorder: The Role of Self-Directed Speech

Purpose Our goal was to examine the relationship between language and executive function in children with specific language impairment (SLI) and/or developmental language disorder (DLD) with a spec...
Assessing California's bar-built estuaries using the California Rapid Assessment Method

Abstract Bar-built estuaries are generally found at the mouths of smaller watersheds with seasonal precipitation, episodic streamflow and seasonal swell dynamics. Low streamflows and constructive wave forces form a sand bar at the mouth isolating the stream from the ocean, creating a ponded lagoon, and inundating the surrounding marsh plain. Bar-built estuaries are wide spread in California comprising over 50 percent of California's more than 500 estuaries. By connecting terrestrial, freshwater, and marine realms bar-built estuaries are complex and dynamic providing great habitat and ecosystem services. California has suffered some of the highest losses of wetland habitats, and the wetland habitats of bar-built estuaries continue to be threatened by further development, pollution, and climate related changes including diminished streamflows and sea level rise. Given this loss and threat we developed a California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM) to assess the condition of California's bar-built estuaries. CRAM uses visual indicators to accurately reflect current wetland condition with regards to buffer habitat, hydrology, physical complexity, plant diversity and structure, and landscape influences. Here we validate this method by comparing results of CRAM for bar-built estuaries to other accepted measures of wetland condition that we simultaneously collected with CRAM including vegetative surveys, water nutrient levels, and GIS landscape scale measures of stress for 32 sites throughout California. CRAM correlated well with each of these three independent methods of assessing condition. Notably, the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) number of natives metric significantly correlated with CRAM Index and all Attribute scores. The strong correlations of CRAM to nutrient levels is particularly important considering the documentation of the negative impact of nutrients on fish populations, the use of bar-built estuaries by juveniles of commercially important species, and the nursery role of bar-built estuaries for maintaining imperiled populations of species such as steelhead. GIS measured percent impervious, percent agriculture, and percent dams all correlated well with expected CRAM Attribute scores at appropriate watershed scales relative to the area of inference for each CRAM metric. Further, CRAM for bar-built estuaries works well throughout California's diversity of environmental conditions and regardless of geography, timing, or whether the bar was open or closed during the survey. We hope that the availability of CRAM combined with available data repositories will enable local, state, and federal decision makers to better manage, restore, and conserve valuable bar-built estuaries in the face of continual threats like development, drought, and sea level rise.
Spatially Prioritized and Persistent Text Detection and Decoding

We show how to exploit temporal and spatial coherence to achieve efficient and effective text detection and decoding for a sensor suite moving through an environment in which text occurs at a variety of locations, scales and orientations with respect to the observer. Our method uses simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) to extract planar "tiles" representing scene surfaces. Multiple observations of each tile, captured from different observer poses, are aligned using homography transformations. Text is detected using Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) and Maximally Stable Extremal Regions (MSER), and decoded by an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) engine. The decoded characters are then clustered into character blocks to obtain an MLE word configuration. This paper's contributions include: (1) spatiotemporal fusion of tile observations via SLAM, prior to inspection, thereby improving the quality of the input data; and (2) combination of multiple noisy text observations into a single higher-confidence estimate of environmental text.
Associative Structures In Instrumental Learning

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the information on the associative structure underlying instrumental performance. It discusses the nature of the associative mechanisms involved in a particular sort of instrumental learning, that in which an animal's action produces a positive outcome. The chapter also describes evidence suggesting that the organism forms response–reinforcer associations—that the reinforcer plays a role beyond that of a catalyst by entering into associations with antecedent responses. It addresses the problem of separating the response–reinforcer view from a two-process alternative and highlights the role that the stimulus might play in an account of instrumental learning that rests primarily on a response-reinforcer association. In addition, the chapter describes techniques and logic that allow analysis of the associative structure of instrumental learning. These techniques are primarily ones that were originally developed for the study of associative structures in Pavlovian conditioning but turn out to have considerable power and generality for studying various instances of associative learning.
Recurrent Peptic Ulcer

From 1 to 5% of patients can be expected to develop recurrent ulceration following current surgical therapy for peptic ulcer disease. The development of recurrent ulcer frequently reflects an inadequacy of the initial procedure. The nature of the inadequacy is often difficult to delineate because of alterations in anatomy and physiology and the lack of accurate diagnostic procedures. Incomplete vagotomy and inadequate gastric resection account for the vast majority of surgical deficiencies. Gastrinoma, retained gastric antrum, and hyperparathyroidism are the most frequently encountered endocrine causes. A thorough evaluation must include gastrointestinal X-rays, fiberoptic endoscopy, multiple serum calcium and gastrin determinations, and provocative testing. Medical management of recurrent ulcer fails in the vast majority of cases. Reoperation is successful in about 70% of cases and has a mortality rate of 4%. Recurrent ulcer after simple gastroenterostomy is best treated by gastric resection or vagotomy and resection. After initial adequate gastric resection, vagotomy alone usually suffices. Antrectomy and, if necessary, re-vagotomy should be done for recurrent ulcer after vagotomy and drainage. Re-vagotomy alone is usually effective therapy for recurrent ulcer after initial vagotomy and resection. Non-acid reducing operations should not be done, as they result in high mortality and high second recurrence rates.
Goethe's Science: An Approach to Research in American Indian Studies

In The Wholeness of Nature (1996), Henri Bortoft shows how a Goethean science of qualitative wholeness complements the analytic and causal- explanatory framework that underlies most research in the natural and social sciences. Goethe's insights and methods suggest that a better understanding of Indian tribes may occur when a tribe is regarded as its own abstraction and its own explanation. In Goethe's approach to science, the human mind is an “organ of perception” and researchers are active participants in the way they see the world. Consider an Indian tribe and the goal of Goethean science is to intuitively “see” patterns of interpenetrating relationships in a dynamic process of self-organization that is the tribe. While analytic science and Goethe's science of wholeness are incommensurable, both are true, and neither is comprehensive.
Secret Ingredients? The Informational Contribution of Factors to Standard VAR Analysis

Recent work with Factor-Augmented Vector Autoregression (FAVAR) suggests that standard VAR analysis can be improved by incorporating the information in a large number of macroeconomic series. I examine what new information FAVAR factors contribute. Using a sparse modication to principal components, I nd that 1) extracted factors (and their impulse responses)
Tensorial Spherical Polar Fourier Diffusion MRI with Optimal Dictionary Learning

High Angular Resolution Diffusion Imaging HARDI can characterize complex white matter micro-structure, avoiding the Gaussian diffusion assumption inherent in Diffusion Tensor Imaging DTI. However, HARDI methods normally require significantly more signal measurements and a longer scan time than DTI, which limits its clinical utility. By considering sparsity of the diffusion signal, Compressed Sensing CS allows robust signal reconstruction from relatively fewer samples, reducing the scanning time. A good dictionary that sparsifies the signal is crucial for CS reconstruction. In this paper, we propose a novel method called Tensorial Spherical Polar Fourier Imaging TSPFI to recover continuous diffusion signal and diffusion propagator by representing the diffusion signal using an orthonormal TSPF basis. TSPFI is a generalization of the existing model-based method DTI and the model-free method SPFI. We also propose dictionary learning TSPFI DL-TSPFI to learn an even sparser dictionary represented as a linear combination of TSPF basis from continuous mixture of Gaussian signals. The learning process is efficiently performed in a small subspace of SPF coefficients, and the learned dictionary is proved to be sparse for all mixture of Gaussian signals by adaptively setting the tensor in TSPF basis. Then the learned DL-TSPF dictionary is optimally and adaptively applied to different voxels using DTI and a weighted LASSO for CS reconstruction. DL-TSPFI is a generalization of DL-SPFI, by considering general adaptive tensor setting instead of a scale value. The experiments demonstrated that the learned DL-TSPF dictionary has a sparser representation and lower reconstruction Root-Mean-Squared-Error RMSE than both the original SPF basis and the DL-SPF dictionary.
Δ(9) Tetrahydrocannabinol attenuates Staphylococcal enterotoxin B-induced inflammatory lung injury and prevents mortality in mice by modulation of miR-17-92 cluster and induction of T-regulatory cells.

Background and Purpose Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) is a potent activator of Vβ8+T-cells resulting in the clonal expansion of ∼30% of the T-cell pool. Consequently, this leads to the release of inflammatory cytokines, toxic shock, and eventually death. In the current study, we investigated if Δ9tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a cannabinoid known for its anti-inflammatory properties, could prevent SEB-induced mortality and alleviate symptoms of toxic shock. Experimental Approach We investigated the efficacy of THC against the dual administration (intranasal and i.p.) of SEB into C3H/HeJ mice based on the measurement of SEB-mediated clinical parameters, including cytokine production, cellular infiltration, vascular leak, and airway resistance. In addition, the molecular mechanism of action was elucidated in vitro by the activation of splenocytes with SEB. Key Results Exposure to SEB resulted in acute mortality, while THC treatment led to 100% survival of mice. SEB induced the miRNA-17-92 cluster, specifically miRNA-18a, which targeted Pten (phosphatase and tensin homologue), an inhibitor of the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway, thereby suppressing T-regulatory cells. In contrast, THC treatment inhibited the individual miRNAs in the cluster, reversing the effects of SEB. Conclusions and Implications We report, for the first time a role for the miRNA 17–92 cluster in SEB-mediated inflammation. Furthermore, our results suggest that THC is a potent anti-inflammatory compound that may serve as a novel therapeutic to suppress SEB-induced pulmonary inflammation by modulating critical miRNA involved in SEB-induced toxicity and death.