cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing the Discourse Factors that Influence the Quality of Machine Translation

We present a study of aspects of discourse structure — specifically discourse devices used to organize information in a sentence — that significantly impact the quality of machine translation. Our analysis is based on manual evaluations of translations of news from Chinese and Arabic to English. We find that there is a particularly strong mismatch in the notion of what constitutes a sentence in Chinese and English, which occurs often and is associated with significant degradation in translation quality. Also related to lower translation quality is the need to employ multiple explicit discourse connectives (because, but, etc.), as well as the presence of ambiguous discourse connectives in the English translation. Furthermore, the mismatches between discourse expressions across languages significantly impact translation quality.
The hierarchical relationship between MAPK signaling and ROS generation in human leukemia cells undergoing apoptosis in response to the proteasome inhibitor Bortezomib

The hierarchy of events accompanying induction of apoptosis by the proteasome inhibitor Bortezomib was investigated in Jurkat lymphoblastic and U937 myelomonocytic leukemia cells. Treatment of Jurkat or U937 cells with Bortezomib resulted in activation of c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase), inactivation of extracellular signal-regulating kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), cytochrome c release, caspase-9, -3, and -8 activation, and apoptosis. Bortezomib-mediated cytochrome c release and caspase activation were blocked by the pharmacologic JNK inhibitor SP600125, but lethality was not diminished by the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580. Inducible expression of a constitutively active MEK1 construct blocked Bortezomib-mediated ERK1/2 inactivation, significantly attenuated Bortezomib lethality, and unexpectedly prevented JNK activation. Conversely, pharmacologic MEK/ERK1/2 inhibition promoted Bortezomib-mediated JNK activation and apoptosis. Lastly, the antioxidant N-acetyl-l-cysteine (LNAC) attenuated Bortezomib-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, ERK inactivation, JNK activation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis. In contrast, enforced MEK1 and ERK1/2 activation or JNK inhibition did not modify Bortezomib-induced ROS production. Together, these findings suggest that in human leukemia cells, Bortezomib-induced oxidative injury operates at a proximal point in the cell death cascade to antagonize cytoprotective ERK1/2 signaling, promote activation of the stress-related JNK pathway, and to trigger mitochondrial dysfunction, caspase activation, and apoptosis. They also suggest the presence of a feedback loop wherein Bortezomib-mediated ERK1/2 inactivation contributes to JNK activation, thereby amplifying the cell death process.
Smith-Purcell radiation emission in aligned nanoparticles

Smith-Purcell (SP) radiation produced by interaction of fast electron beams running parallel to strings of nanoparticles is investigated. Results for the radiation emission probability and electron energy loss spectra using finite and infinite strings of Al and silica spheres are presented. Both of these quantities are obtained by solving Maxwell's equations exactly using a multipole expansion approach. The response of the spheres is described in terms of their local frequency-dependent dielectric functions. In silica, the emission probability is seen to coincide with the energy loss probability within the gap region, where the solid cannot absorb any energy. Large emission rates are predicted for Al, suggesting its possible application in tunable soft uv light generation. The dependence of the emission on the size of the spheres, the string period, and the electron energy is discussed in detail. Finite size effects are also studied for strings of 1-15 Al spheres. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.
Stabilization of phosphofructokinase during air-drying with sugars and sugar/transition metal mixtures.

Phosphofructokinase (PFK) purified from rabbit skeletal muscle is fully inactivated after air-drying and rehydration. The addition of trehalose, maltose, or sucrose to the enzyme solution prior to rapid drying results in a recovery of almost 70% of the original activity, whereas about 30% is recovered during slow drying. Similar stabilization is seen with up to 200 mM lactose, but at higher concentrations the sugar comes out of solution during drying, and there is a dramatic drop in the activity recovered. Glucose at concentrations up to 500 mM is ineffective at protecting air-dried PFK. Addition of ionic zinc to enzyme-sugar mixtures prior to drying greatly enhances the stabilization imparted by the above sugars, but zinc alone affords no protection. Several other organic solutes (proline, glycine, trimethylamine N-oxide, glycerol, and myo-inositol) that afford cryoprotection to PFK, an effect enhanced by the addition of zinc, do not stabilize the enzyme during air-drying, even if zinc is present. The addition of ionic copper, cobalt, or nickel to trehalose-PFK solution prior to rapid drying results in a large increase in the activity recovered, and the presence of cadmium or manganese leads to a minor increase. Magnesium and calcium are ineffective in this respect. During slow drying, the presence of cadmium or calcium leads to increased preservation, magnesium and manganese have no influence on stabilization, and copper and nickel inactivate the enzyme.
PAH and other emissions from burning of JP-8 and diesel fuels in diffusion flames

Abstract Jet fuel JP-8 is of technical interest to the military aviation industry. JP-8 is now the single battlefield fuel for all US Army and Air Force equipment, replacing gasoline altogether and gradually replacing diesel fuel. Hence, emissions from the combustion of this fuel are the subject for this investigation. The emissions from the combustion of JP-8 fuel are examined and are compared to those from diesel fuel No. 2, burned under identical conditions. Combustion occurred inside a laboratory furnace in sooty diffusion flames, under adverse conditions that typically emit large amounts of products of incomplete combustion (PIC). Under such conditions, even compounds that otherwise might appear only in trace amounts were present in sufficient quantities for detection. The study reports on emissions of CO, light volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds with an emphasis on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), particulate emissions, oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and oxides of sulfur (SO2). Some PAH compounds are suspected of posing a threat to human health, benzo[a]pyrene being listed as a bio-accumulative toxin by the EPA. An afterburner was also used to examine the effects of longer furnace residence time. Results have demonstrated that PAH emissions from the combustion of diesel fuel were higher than those of JP-8, under most conditions examined. Moreover, as the temperature of the primary furnace was increased, in the range of 600–1000 °C, most of the emissions from both fuels increased. Particulate emissions were reduced by the afterburner, which was operated at 1000 °C, only when the primary furnace was operated at the lowest temperature (600 °C), but that condition increased the CO emissions. Overall, transient combustion of these two fuels, burning in laminar and sooty diffusion flames, did not reveal major differences in the emissions of the following PIC: C1–C4 light aliphatic hydrocarbons, PAH, CO and particulate matter.
Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School MD oral and maxillofacial surgery program: a 30-year review.

Abstract Purpose The first resident enrolled in the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard MD Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (MD/OMFS) program graduated from Harvard Medical School (HMS) in 1972. The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of the first 30 years of the program and to outline plans for its future. Materials and methods This was a retrospective cohort study and the sample was composed of the residents enrolled in the MD/OMFS program between 1971 and 2000. Study variables included the dental school from which the resident graduated, successful completion of the MD/OMFS program, performance on parts I and II of the United States Medical Licensing Examination/National Board of Medical Examinations (USMLE/NBME), HMS grades, and career trajectories (full- or part-time academic or private practice). Appropriate descriptive and bivariate statistics were computed for all study variables. Results During the study interval, 56 residents entered the MD/OMFS program and graduated from HMS. All members of the cohort, regardless of the dental school from which they graduated, performed well as evidenced by USMLE/NBME scores and medical school grades. Ninety-four percent of eligible graduates have completed the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery examination. The pass rate was 100%. Thirty-four graduates are involved in full- or part-time academic practice. Four trainees completed medical school but did not complete the OMFS program. Conclusion The overwhelming majority of trainees completed the program, became board certified, and currently practice OMFS or a related specialty. A disproportionate number entered academic careers.
Roillo: Creating a Social Robot for Playrooms

In this paper, we introduce Roillo, a social robotic platform for investigating, in the context of children?s play-rooms, questions about how to design compelling nonverbal interactive behaviors for social robots. Specifically, we are interested in the importance of rhythm to natural interactions and its role in the expression of affect, attention, and intent. Our design process has consisted of rendering, animation, surveys, mechanical prototyping, and puppeteered interaction with children.
Preventing recurrence of thromboembolic events through coordinated treatment in the District of Columbia

RationalePROTECT DC examines whether stroke navigators can improve cardiovascular risk factors in urban underserved individuals newly hospitalized for stroke or ischemic attack. Within one-year of ...
Standard transition matrix

According to Theorem 1.3, the analytic study of (p ij ) is reduced to that of (П IJ if the set of indices F is ignored. In fact, the curtailed matrix (p ij ), i, j∈I – F, is a transition matrix and its elements differ from those of П IJ only in certain constant factors depending on the second index. From the standpoint of probability, it will be seen (in § 4) that the set F plays a nuisance role and can indeed be ignored. Moreover, the reduction from (P ij ) to (П IJ is also justified on probabilistic grounds (see Theorem 4.3). The distinctive feature of the transition matrix (П IJ ) is the property (1.14) which will now be formulated as a definition.
Using a Regional Cluster of AmeriFlux Sites in Central California to Advance Our Knowledge on Decadal-Scale Ecosystem-Atmosphere Carbon Dioxide Exchange

Continuous eddy convariance measurements of carbon dioxide, water vapor and heat were measured continuously between an oak savanna and an annual grassland in California over a 4 year period. These systems serve as representative sites for biomes in Mediterranean climates and experience much seasonal and inter-annual variability in temperature and precipitation. These sites hence serve as natural laboratories for how whole ecosystem will respond to warmer and drier conditions. The savanna proved to be a moderate sink of carbon, taking up about 150 gC m-2y-1 compared to the annual grassland, which tended to be carbon neutral and often a source during drier years. But this carbon sink by the savanna came at a cost. This ecosystem used about 100 mm more water per year than the grassland. And because the savanna was darker and rougher its air temperature was about 0.5 C warmer. In addition to our flux measurements, we collected vast amounts of ancillary data to interpret the site and fluxes, making this site a key site for model validation and parameterization. Datasets consist of terrestrial and airborne lidar for determining canopy structure, ground penetrating radar data on root distribution, phenology cameras monitoring leaf area index and its seasonality,more » predawn water potential, soil moisture, stem diameter and physiological capacity of photosynthesis.« less
A Quasi-Experimental Analysis of Schoolwide Violence Prevention Programs

Violence prevention programs are commonplace in today’s schools, though reviews of the literature reveal mixed empirical findings on their effectiveness. Often, these programs include a variety of components such as social skills training, student mentoring, and activities designed to build a sense of school community that have not been tested for individual effectiveness. To fill this gap, we wanted to determine the relationships between specific violence prevention program components and aggression and violence outcomes. Using the U.S. Department of Education’s School Survey on Crime and Safety, we estimated the effects of components of violence prevention programs through analyses with proportional odds logistic regression and Poisson regression models. We found significant relationships between three violence prevention program components (individual attention, mentoring, tutoring, and/or coaching; recreational, enrichment, or leisure activities; and involving students in resolving student conduct pro...
High Resolution Infrared Spectra Of ν 1 And ν 3 Of Nitrogen Trifluoride

With the high resolution Fourier transform spectrometer now available the vibration-rotation spectra of many of the heavier molecules can now be resolved. In previous mid-infrared rotation analysis of the fundamentals of nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) resolutions ranging from 0.05 to 0.2 cm-1 were used (1,2). The high resolution Fourier transform spectra of v1 and v3 have been recorded with a Bomem interferometer with an apodized resolution of about 0.004 cm-1. The v1 parallel band is centered at 1032 cm-1 and has the classic appear-ance of a parallel band with small changes in the rotational constants. The higher resolution spectra reveals the K structure in the different branches. From the intensity alternation, definitive numbering of the K branches could be obtained and more accurate rotational and distortion constants obtained from the rotational analysis. The v3 perpendicular band is centered at 909 cm-1 . With the higher resolution spectra the rotational structure that is observed under lower resolution is shown to be due to the PQ branches. The RQ branches are not apparent. The large intensity variation in the Q branches is due to e-type resonances. The intense PQ branches versus weak RQ branches indicate that the Q,-type doubling constant q3 is negative, as calculated earlier (3,4). The ς3 constant (.81) determined from the sum rule is too large to explain the smaller separation observed (6.4 cm-1 versus 4.7 cm-1). A strong Coriolis perturbation is indicated, probably with the 2v4 (A1) vibration at 984 cm-1. The analysis of this vibrational band is in progress and will be reported.
Using Control Charts for Quality Assurance

Statistical analysis is essential to quality control in the laboratory. Laboratorians use a series of numerical observations called data to provide information to the clinician. To enhance interpretation, data may be displayed numerically and graphically. Control charts have been used since the 1930s to document quality control, and their applications have evolved over time. In 1981, Westgard’s multirule control procedure set forth rules to interpret control chart data in the laboratory and to indicate whether a run should be rejected and why. This is the first in a four-part continuing education series on statistics. In this series, we will explore four essential topics—the control chart, the use of regression analysis, assessment of linearity, and the creation of reference ranges—and their use in the clinical laboratory. This article will focus on the control chart and Westgard’s multirule control procedure.
Implementing and Evaluating a Four-Year Integrated End-of-Life Care Curriculum for Medical Students

abstractProblem: Meeting the needs of patients with life-limiting and terminal illness requires effectively trained physicians in all specialties to provide skillful and compassionate care. Despite mandates for end-of-life (EoL) care education, graduating medical students do not consistently feel prepared to provide this care. Intervention: We have developed a longitudinal, integrated, and developmental 4-year curriculum in EoL care. The curriculum's purpose is to teach basic competencies in EoL care. A variety of teaching strategies emphasize experiential, skill-building activities with special attention to student self-reflection. In addition, we have incorporated interprofessional learning and education on the spiritual and cultural aspects of care. We created blended learning strategies combining interactive online modules with live workshops that promote flexibility, adaptability, and interprofessional learning opportunities. Context: The curriculum was implemented and evaluated in the 4-year program...
Laplacian Equivalents to Subsonic Cascade Flows

This paper presents a mapping method for the solution of Laplacian equivalents to steady subsonic potential flows in two dimensional cascades. The method employs a coordinate transformation to map a given cascade in a compressible flow to a related cascade in a Laplacian flow, with differences in the geometries stemming only from compressibility effects. Unlike past methods, the mapping is valid for nonlinear flows with arbitrary density–velocity relations and depends upon the local flow field solution. The theory is implemented by first solving the compressible flow over the original cascade geometry and then solving an elliptic boundary value problem for the mapping using a finite difference technique. The method is exact in the sense that the inverse mapping of the equivalent Laplacian field recovers the subsonic full potential solution within the originally given cascade, up to numerical accuracy. Because incompressible potential flows are Laplacian, the mapping may have utility in certain aerodynamic test applications for turbomachinery cascades.
Phase behavior of multi-component hydrocarbon systems in nano-pores using gauge-GCMC molecular simulation

Abstract In recent years, the phase behavior of hydrocarbons in shale reservoirs has received significant attention. One of the main complexities in modeling the phase behavior in shale reservoirs is the confinement effect. Surface–fluid interactions in nanoscale shale pores can lead to a heterogeneous distribution of molecules and can significantly alter the phase behavior compared to that in bulk conditions. Molecular simulation has shown promising results in modeling phase behavior under confinement. In this study, we present a novel molecular simulation method for studying the confinement effect on the phase behavior of multicomponent systems. We validate our method by comparing the phase diagrams of pure and binary hydrocarbon systems with experimental data (where available) and the simulation results from other techniques. We also apply the proposed method in modeling the phase behavior of a ternary system ( C 1 / C 3 C 5 ) under a 4 nm slit pore confinement. Our results show that critical density increases under confinement in binary and ternary systems, and the confinement effect produces in a significant shift in the composition of the critical point. Heavier components have a higher concentration in the adsorbed layers than that of lighter components, which results in significant phase density differences under confinement.
HIGH SPEED INTEGRATED DIGITAL CIRCUITS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the high speed integrated digital circuits. Many of the presently available integrated circuits have largely been designed from a conventional circuit approach and generally have a conventional component equivalent circuit. This is emphasized by the master slice concept for integrated circuits where different circuits may be produced from different interconnection patterns evaporated onto discrete components. The most suitable integrated circuit transistor is dependent upon the circuit used. If negative logic is assumed then DCTL is limited to NAND configurations. Antisaturation techniques, which would relieve the storage requirements on the coupling diodes, will achieve a significant speed improvement. Manufacturing problems are associated with reducing the gain of the pnp associated with the multiemitter to negligible proportions otherwise the base drive passing through the multiemitter is drastically reduced and the circuit becomes inefficient.
Predicting Corporate Governance Risk: Evidence from the Directors' and Officers' Liability Insurance Market

This Article examines how liability insurers transmit and transform the content of corporate and securities law. D&O liability insurers are the financiers of shareholder litigation in the American legal system, paying on behalf of the corporation and its directors and officers when shareholders sue. The ability of the law to deter corporate actors thus depends upon the insurance intermediary. How, then, do insurers transmit and transform the content of corporate and securities law in underwriting D&O coverage? In this Article, we report the results of an empirical study of the D&O underwriting process. Drawing upon in-depth interviews with underwriters, actuaries, brokers, lawyers, and corporate risk managers, we find that insurers seek to price D&O policies according to the risk posed by each prospective insured and that underwriters focus on corporate governance in assessing risk. Our findings have important implications for several open issues in corporate and securities law. First, individual risk-rating may preserve the deterrence function of corporate and securities law by forcing worse-governed firms to pay higher D&O premiums than better-governed firms. Second, the importance of corporate governance in D&O underwriting provides evidence that the merits do matter in corporate and securities litigation. And third, our findings suggest that what matters in corporate governance are deep governance variables such as culture and character, rather than the formal governance structures that are typically studied. In addition, by joining the theoretical insights of economic analysis to sociological research methods, this Article provides a model for a new form of corporate and securities law scholarship that is both theoretically informed and empirically grounded.
Pioneering patterns of ballast treatment in the emerging era of marine vector management

Abstract Human-mediated transfer and invasions of organisms have permanently altered distribution patterns on a global scale. In response to growing numbers and impacts of invasions, global-scale vector management is advancing to curtail unintentional and unwanted species re-distributions. In marine systems, ocean-going ships have been the major dispersal mechanism across biogeographic barriers, and maritime vector management has become a priority global initiative, including national regulations and recent ratification of an international convention to manage ballast water. This paper provides the first analysis of the pioneering patterns of ballast water treatment systems (BWTS) on board commercial ships, using vessel arrivals to the United States as a model system. Over an opening 28-month period, >200 unique vessels arriving to the U.S. reported BWTS operations, using 58 different systems to treat 4.42 million m3 of discharged ballast water. Although this volume represents
Reoperation for Recurrent Intervertebral Disc Herniation in the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial: Analysis of Rate, Risk Factors, and Outcome.

STUDY DESIGN This study was a post-hoc subgroup analysis of prospectively collected data in the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT). OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors for and to compare the outcomes of patients undergoing revision disc excision surgery in SPORT. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Risk factors for reherniation and outcomes after revision surgery have not been well-studied. This information is critical for proper patient counseling and decision-making. METHODS Patients who underwent primary discectomy in the SPORT intervertebral disc herniation cohort were analyzed to determine risk factors for undergoing revision surgery. Risk factors for undergoing revision surgery for reherniation were evaluated using univariate and multivariate analysis. Primary outcome measures consisted of Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), the Sciatica Bothersomeness index (SBI), and the Short Form 36 (SF-36) at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and yearly to 4 years. RESULTS Of 810 surgical patients, 74 (9.1%) received revision surgery for reherniation. Risk factors for reherniation included: younger age (hazard ratio [HR] 0.96 [0.94-0.99]), lack of a sensory deficit (HR 0.61 [0.37-0.99]) lack of motor deficit (HR 0.54 [0.32-0.91]), and higher baseline ODI score (HR 1.02 [1.01-1.03]). The time-adjusted mean improvement from baseline to 4 years was less for the reherniation group on all outcome measures (Bodily Pain Index [BP] 39.5 vs. 44.9, P = 0.001; Physical Function Index [PF] 37.1 vs. 44.5, P < 0.001; ODI 33.9 vs. 38.3, P < 0.001; SBI 8.7 vs. 10.5, P < 0.001). At 4 years, only SBI (-9 vs. -11.4, P = 0.002) was significantly lower in the reherniation group. CONCLUSION Younger patients with higher baseline disability without neurological deficit are at increased risk of undergoing revision surgery for reherniation. Those considering revision surgery for reherniation will likely improve significantly following surgery, but possibly not as much as with primary discectomy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3.
US Environmental Protection Agency's framework for human health risk assessment to inform decision making

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a framework for human health risk assessment to inform decision making. The National Research Council, in Science and Decisions, recommended that EPA adopt a framework for risk-based decision making, which maximises the utility of risk assessment. The framework considers the NRC's recommendations and builds upon existing agency guidance by emphasising the need to design risk assessments to provide information most applicable to the decision-making process. The framework ties together existing human health guidance, is flexible to accommodate the range of assessments conducted across the agency as well as future advances in risk assessment science, and considers overarching themes including environmental justice and susceptible lifestage risk. The framework integrates the concepts of planning and scoping and problem formulation and provides for incorporation of stakeholder involvement and peer review.
Reactive AgAuS and Ag3AuS2 Synthons Enable the Sequential Transformation of Spherical Nanocrystals into Asymmetric Multicomponent Hybrid Nanoparticles

Nanoscale heterostructures that interface with multiple distinct materials provide opportunities to engineer functional complexity into single-particle constructs. However, existing synthetic pathways to such hybrid nanoparticles emphasize surface-seeded growth, which limits the scope of accessible systems. Here, we introduce an alternative approach that transforms isotropic nanocrystals into asymmetric, multicomponent Janus particles through sequential deposition, reactive phase segregation, and cation exchange processes that are mediated by an unusual class of reactive synthons. After Ag–Au seed particles had formed and had reacted with sulfur, a series of segregated Au1–xAgx–AgAuS and Au1–xAgx–Ag3AuS2 hybrid nanoparticles form. The AgAuS and Ag3AuS2 domains provide a synthetic entryway into solution-mediated cation exchange reactions, with the compositions of the Ag–Au–S synthons defining the components, morphologies, and interfaces of the hybrid nanoparticle products. Upon cation exchange with Pb2+, A...
Habit formation and change.

This review highlights emerging findings and new directions in research on habit formation and change. We first identify the cognitive, attentional mechanisms that contribute to habit formation. Then we show how habit is transforming the way researchers think about self-control, and how changing habits involves environmental pressures as much as intrapsychic forces. Finally, we describe big data and new technologies that offer novel methods to study habits outside the lab by capturing repeated actions in the natural environments in which they occur.
Surgical Accuracy of an Early Intervention Knee Implant Instrumentation System.

Accuracy of component and limb alignment are critical parameters for the long-term success of unicompartmental knee implants. In this study, we performed a laboratory evaluation of an instrumentation system which was designed for an early intervention (EI) type of unicompartmental knee. The accuracy of fit was evaluated by implanting in 20 sawbones full leg models. The overall alignment of the limb was compared pre- and postoperatively. The accuracy of placement of each component on its bone was measured. The mean overall alignment angle in the frontal plane was within 1° of target with less than 1° standard deviation. The components were positioned in frontal and sagittal planes with maximum errors of 2°. The angular accuracy was better than in studies reported in the literature for manual instruments, and almost approached the accuracy of computer-assisted systems. The position of the femoral component in the recess was within 1 mm in most cases but the sagittal flexion angle was variable with a standard deviation of 6°. Evaluation of a surgical technique in this way was a valuable method for determining accuracy and for highlighting any deficiencies in the system which could then be corrected.
Renoalimentary fistula: Case report of a renoduodenal fistula and systematic literature review.

Fistulae between the renal and gastrointestinal (GI) systems are rare, constituting less than one percent of all fistulous connections between the urinary and intestinal tracts.1 We present a patient with a two-month history of flank pain and fevers who was found on imaging to have a right renal calculus and emphysematous pyelonephritis associated with a renoduodenal fistula. We also present a systematic literature review of the etiologies and frequencies of renoalimentary fistulae. Case presentation Our patient is a 76-year-old female with anemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, and cerebrovascular accident who was transferred to the emergency department (ED) from her nursing home for concerns of sepsis. In the ED, she reported intermittent right flank pain and subjective fevers for the past two months. On physical examination, she was febrile to 102 °F with a heart rate of 122 and blood pressure of 131/55. Her physical exam was non-focal, with no localizing tenderness. Initial laboratory studies were significant for leukocytosis (white blood cell count 19,000; 82% neutrophils) and a urinalysis suspicious for infection. The patient was started on empiric ceftriaxone for urosepsis and admitted for antibiotic treatment. An abdominal ultrasound was performed, showing echogenic foci within the right renal collecting system and parenchyma concerning for emphysematous pyelonephritis. A subsequent abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a staghorn calculus in the right kidney complicated by emphysematous pyelonephritis and a 22 × 9 × 5 cm retroperitoneal abscess (Fig. 1). A nephrostomy catheter was then placed into the right renal pelvis by interventional radiology. During the procedure, an antegrade nephrostogram revealed a fistulous connection between the right collecting system and the small bowel. Six days later, after medical optimization, the patient underwent a combined right nephrectomy, retroperitoneal abscess drainage, separation of fistulous tract, and primary duodenal repair (Fig. 2). Open in a separate window Fig. 1 Coronal and axial views of abdominal CT scans showing a staghorn calculus in the right kidney complicated by emphysematous pyelonephritis and a retroperitoneal abscess.
Zeros of a Function

In this chapter, we present methods for finding the zeros of f(x) when f(x) is a polynomial. By the time one has finished high school, the methods for finding the roots of first- and second order polynomials have been learned. It is well known that it is not possible to solve for the roots of a polynomial in f(x) in terms of the coefficients of x for a polynomial of order N ≥ 5.
Demonstration of Fully Integrated $6\lambda \times 200$ Gbps (1.2 Tbps) PICs and Transceivers in L-Band

We present the first fully monolithically integrated coherent receiver and transmitter PIGs in L-band with performance capability comparable to their C-band counterparts, and demonstrate a C+L link with superchannels under dual-polarization, 16-QAM modulation at 33 GBaud $(200\ Gbps/\lambda)$ .
Does passion for wine matter? The effects of owner motivation on pricing and quality decisions in emerging US wine regions.

Increasing the success rate of start‐up wineries and fostering the wine–hospitality‐tourism clusters in emerging wine regions with substantial entrepreneurial activities have attracted considerable attention among public and private stakeholders. Understanding entrepreneur's motivation to enter the industry is crucial to understand winery behaviors and industry dynamics. Some entrepreneurs enter the industry motived by passion for wine whereas others are motived by profits. Differences in motivation may contribute to the high variability in quality and quality‐adjusted prices of wines in emerging wine regions. We used ordinary least square and Tobit regression models to investigate the influence of motivation on winery pricing and quality decisions using data on 700 wines from 102 wineries in emerging US wine regions. We find that passion‐oriented owners produce higher quality wines and set higher quality‐adjusted prices relative to profit‐oriented owners. Recognizing differences in owner motivation is critical to establish appropriate policies to support the development of the wine industry in emerging regions. [EconLit citations: Q13; L83; O25].
Multi-scale modeling of mechanical behavior of cured woven textile composites accounting for the influence of yarn angle variation

Abstract In most current works related to the structure analysis of cured woven composites, the influence of yarn angle variation on the local material properties is neglected. In this paper, its influence was studied, and an integrated preforming-performance simulation model, accounting for the influence of yarn angle variation, was proposed. The multi-scale modeling approach was adopted to predict the material properties of cured woven composites with different yarn angles. The results were compared with experiments to validate its effectiveness. In the integrated preforming-performance simulation model, non-orthogonal constitutive law was used in the preforming simulation to compute yarn orientations and yarn angle distribution. To demonstrate the capabilities of the integrated simulation model, simulations were conducted and compared with experiments. The results show that the proposed simulation model has more accurate prediction than the simulation model without considering the influence of yarn angle, and the impact of yarn angle shouldn’t be neglected.
MAGIC: A Fundamental Framework for Gesture Representation, Comparison and Assessment

Gestures play a fundamental role in instructional processes between agents. However, effectively transferring this non-verbal information becomes complex when the agents are not physically co-located. Recently, remote collaboration systems that transfer gestural information have been developed. Nonetheless, these systems relegate gestures to an illustrative role: only a representation of the gesture is transmitted. We argue that further comparisons between the gestures can provide information of how well the tasks are being understood and performed. While gesture comparison frameworks exist, they only rely on gesture’s appearance, leaving semantics and pragmatical aspects aside. This work introduces the Multi-Agent Gestural Instructions Comparer (MAGIC), an architecture that represents and compares gestures at the morphological, semantical and pragmatical levels. MAGIC abstracts gestures via a three-stage pipeline based on a taxonomy classification, a dynamic semantics framework and a constituency parsing; and utilizes a comparison scheme based on subtrees intersections to describe gesture similarity. This work shows the feasibility of the framework by assessing MAGIC’s gesture matching accuracy against other gesture comparison frameworks during a mentor-mentee remote collaborative physical task scenario.
Poética de la memoria en el Libro del caballero Zifar

La memoria, heredada de la Antiguedad como un concepto de elaborada y compleja composicion, y desarrollada luego desde la patristica y la escolastica con amplias repercusiones de caracter religioso y filosofico, constituye uno de los elementos culturales mas importantes a analizar en la literatura medieval. El objetivo de este trabajo es determinar de que manera este concepto se establece como uno de los ejes articuladores del Libro del caballero Zifar , anonimo castellano del siglo xiv. A traves del analisis del prologo y de varios pasajes destacados del libro, pretendo dar cuenta del proceso compositivo y narrativo por medio del cual se funda una poetica de la memoria, que hablaria de un fenomeno de asimilacion del modelo cultural vigente en Castilla al momento de su composicion y que, a la postre, evidenciaria la complejidad y riqueza literarias de esta obra.
Property Taxation in India : Issues Impacting Revenue Performance and Suggestions for Reform

While property taxes are ideally suited for cities to generate own source revenue to provide services underpinning global competitiveness, the technical complexity of establishing tax rolls and administering them has traditionally been a deterrent to their more widespread use. We use the example of India to show how national initiatives for regulatory reform, combined with ICT-based approaches and private sector outsourcing, allowed to increase property tax receipts and client satisfaction by creating complete rolls, ensuring realistic valuation, reducing unwarranted exemptions, and improving administration. Beyond offering lessons for other developing countries, this can also reduce cost of service delivery and provide the stepping stone for a complete property register.
Preconception Marijuana Use in Rhode Island: Rates, Demographics, and Psychosocial Correlates.

INTRODUCTION Rates of marijuana use in Rhode Island (RI) exceed the national average; prevalence during preconception and characteristics of users remain unknown. METHODS Prevalence of marijuana use in the 3 months preconception was assessed by a RI-based telephone survey of a diverse, low-income sample of pregnant women (n=1683). Sociodemographic characteristics, substance use, and mental health were compared between preconception marijuana users, tobacco users and non-users. RESULTS 25.1% of respondents reported using marijuana during preconception. Marijuana users were younger, poorer, and less educated than non-users (ps<0.001) and more likely to report alcohol use and mental illness (ps<0.001). Marijuana users were younger with fewer children than tobacco-only users (ps<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Rates of preconception marijuana use in RI exceed national rates of prenatal use. Preconception marijuana users have a distinct sociodemographic profile, with higher rates of concurrent mental health conditions and alcohol use. Understanding this characterization enables targeted screening and interventions.
Growth of C -Axis Textured AlN Films on Vertical Sidewalls of Silicon Microfins

A fabrication process is developed to grow ${c}$ -axis textured aluminum nitride (AlN) films on the sidewall of single-crystal silicon (Si) microfins to realize fin bulk acoustic wave resonators (FinBARs). FinBARs enable ultradense integration of high-quality-factor ( ${Q}$ ) resonators and low-loss filters on a small chip footprint and provide extreme lithographical frequency scalability over ultra- and super-high-frequency regimes. Si microfins with large aspect ratio are patterned and their sidewall surfaces are atomically smoothened. The reactive magnetron sputtering AlN deposition is engineered to optimize the hexagonal crystallinity of the sidewall AlN film with ${c}$ -axis perpendicular to the sidewall of Si microfins. The effect of bottom metal electrode and surface roughness on the texture and crystallinity of the sidewall AlN film is explored. The atomic-layer-deposited platinum film with (111) crystallinity is identified as a suitable bottom electrode for deposition of ${c}$ -axis textured AlN on the sidewall with ${c}$ -axis orientation of 88.5° ± 1.5° and arc-angle of ~12° around (002) diffraction spot over film thickness. A 4.2-GHz FinBAR prototype is implemented showing a ${Q}$ of 1574 and effective electromechanical coupling ( ${k}_{\text {eff}}^{{2}}$ ) of 2.75%, when operating in the 3rd width-extensional resonance mode. The lower measured ${Q}$ and ${k}_{\text {eff}}^{{2}}$ compared to simulations highlights the effect of granular texture of sidewall AlN film on limiting the performance of FinBARs. The developed ${c}$ -axis textured sidewall AlN film technology paves the way for realization and monolithic integration of multifrequency and multiband FinBAR spectral processors for the emerging carrier aggregated wireless communication systems.
Battery materials for low-cost electric transportation

Abstract This review considers key parameters for affordable Li-ion battery (LIB) – powered electric transportation, such as mineral abundance for active material synthesis, raw materials’ processing cost, cell performance characteristics, cell energy density, and the cost of cell manufacturing. We analyze the scarcity of cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni) resources available for intercalation-type LIB cathode materials, estimate the demands for these metals by transportation and other industries and discuss risk factors for their price increase within the next two decades. We further contrast performance and estimated costs of LIBs based on intercalation materials, such as lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide (NCM), lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA), lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and other oxide-based cathodes and carbonaceous anodes, with those of LIBs based on conversion-type active materials, such as lithium sulfide (Li2S) and lithium fluoride/iron (Fe) and copper (Cu)-based cathodes and silicon (Si)-based anodes. Our analyses of industry data suggest that in the long-term the LIB price will be dominated by cost of the cathode materials. In addition, the cost contributions of manufacturing, overhead and inactive materials will be reversely proportional to the cell energy density. As such, we expect that to-be developed energy-dense conversion-type LIBs should be able to reach the $30–40/kWh by around 2040–2050, while the intercalation-type LIBs will likely be 60% more expensive and sensitive to the Ni price variations. By analyzing the availability and costs of lithium (Li), sulfur (S), Si, fluorine (F), Fe and Cu we conclude that the lower cost, broader accessibility, much greater abundance, and improved health and safety aspects of employing conversion-type chemistries should warrant dedication of substantial efforts in their development. Furthermore, we predict that based on pure economics, the widespread introduction of zero carbon-emission transportation and sustainable energy sources is inevitable and independent on the winning LIB chemistry.
Seasonal variability of upwelling and downwelling surface current patterns in a small coastal embayment

Abstract Upwelling in coastal embayments is important to a variety of physical and biological processes. Despite their ubiquity, circulation patterns in small bays (width and length scales ≤ 20 km) in eastern boundary current upwelling systems are relatively understudied compared to their larger counterparts. In this study, we apply a conditional averaging technique to investigate upwelling- and downwelling-driven circulation in a small coastal embayment located in Central California (San Luis Obispo Bay). We also investigate intraseasonal differences in the current patterns. Conditional averaging reveals distinct intraseasonal differences and features that are obscured by traditional seasonal averages when examining the upwelling jet separation and onshore advection, horizontal divergence patterns, and particle trajectories. We show that the upwelling circulation and resulting upwelling jet separation and onshore advection reinforce a convergent upwelling shadow front at this site, with important ecological ramifications. While tuned specifically for San Luis Obispo Bay, these findings can be used as a baseline for similar small upwelling bays, highlight the importance of conditional averages (versus traditional temporal averages), and underline the importance of coastal upwelling seasonality beyond the common bimodal upwelling and non-upwelling description.
Using journey mapping to understand the patient experience with selecting a Medicare part D plan using a pharmacy consultation service

Abstract Background Patient experience with community pharmacy services can be informed by human-centered design principles and approaches. Pharmacy services may benefit from detailed evaluations of consumer experience and patient-centered service design. Objectives To use an online journey mapping platform to understand the patient experience with selecting a Medicare Part D plan for individuals that did, and did not, use a free, pharmacy-led, Medicare Part D consultation service. Methods This was a two-group cross-sectional survey study in a single, rural community pharmacy. Surveys consisted of 7 demographic items, 30 Likert-type items, and 7 open-ended response items. The pharmacy used purposeful convenience sampling to distribute a paper survey to individuals 65 years of age and older currently enrolled in Medicare Part D between June and August 2019. Surveys were distributed to 36 patients currently enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan, with 18 surveys distributed to patients who had previously used a pharmacy-led Medicare Part D consultation service and 18 surveys distributed to patients who did not use the service. Surveys were uploaded to an online journey mapping platform, producing data visualizations for each group. Multiple choice survey items were analyzed using descriptive statistics, wth service user and nonuser groups compared using Mann-Whitney U tests. Open-ended survey responses were coded by the research team using an inductive approach. Results In total, 36 surveys were returned to the community pharmacy for a response rate of 100%. The journey map platform generated Persona, Empathy, and Current Journey outputs, which mapped Good Experiences and Bad Experiences within the Medicare Part D plan selection experience. Personas differed in their median household incomes ($25,000–$39,999 for service users compared to $50,000–$74,999 for nonusers). Empathy and Current Journey outputs showed that service users had a wider variety of emotions compared to non-users. Mann-Whitney U tests yielded 5 items with statistically significant differences (p-values Conclusions An online journey mapping platform provided insight into how patients experience a pharmacy service that extends beyond satisfaction. For community pharmacies providing Medicare Part D plan consultation services, pharmacies should consider how they can improve the service experience through communication style and patient-centered service design.