cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hemostasis with Erythropoietin in Massive, Uncontrollable, Diffuse GI Bleeding.

Abstract Purpose : Erythropoietin currently used as a hemopoietic agent, has remarkable hemostatic activity which can be lifesaving in diffuse, uncontrollable bleeding processes. Following is an example case report: Case presentation : 47 y/o male was admitted with massive GI bleeding and a Hemoglobin (Hg) of 6.7 mg/dl requiring transfusion of 26U Packed Red Blood Cells {PRBC) and 9U of Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP). The work up revealed a large cell lymphoma infiltrating the mesenteric lymph nodes, the retroperitoneum and the spleen. The small intestine was diffusely infiltrated and bleeding. A portion of the small intestine was resected in an attempt to stop the bleeding; still, the bleeding continued and the Hg could not be raised above 7.8. Erythropoietin 20,000U was administered subcutaneously on day 9 to help correct the anemia. An additional 40,000U were administered on day 14 and 21. Three days after the 2nd dose of Erythropoietin the bowel movement did not appear grossly bloody, the Hg stabilized, and chemotherapy could be administered. After discharge with a follow up of 10 months his Hg stabilized at 12–12.5 mg/dl without any bleeding or transfusion. Discussion : Erythropoietin has been shown to shorten the bleeding time in chronic renal failure patients on hemodialysis by improving the platelet/subendotelial cell interaction and by raising the platelet count. An enhanced platelet aggregation in response to Ristocetin was noted in Erythropoietin treated uremic patients. This effect was correlated with a rise in platelet Serotonin. Erythropoietin also has been found to have a procoagulant effect in uremic patients by decreasing the protein C, protein S, antithrombin III level. These observations offer an explanation for the clinically observed hemostatic effect of Erythropoietin. Conclusion : This and other cases have shown that Erythropoietin is a potent hemostatic factor in anemic patients with diffuse uncontrollable bleeding processes, where large amounts of transfused PRBC can barely keep up with the losses and hemostatic procedures can either not be done or failed. As more experience accumulates Erythropoietin may start a second life as a hemostatic factor. Download : Download high-res image (99KB) Download : Download full-size image
Does Naming Therapy Make Ordering in a Restaurant Easier? Dynamics of Co-Occurring Change in Cognitive-Linguistic and Functional Communication Skills in Aphasia

Purpose This study was conducted to investigate the static and dynamic relationships between impairment-level cognitive-linguistic abilities and activity-level functional communication skills in persons with aphasia (PWA). Method In Experiment 1, a battery of standardized assessments was administered to a group of PWA (N = 72) to examine associations between cognitive-linguistic ability and functional communication at a single time point. In Experiment 2, impairment-based treatment was administered to a subset of PWA from Experiment 1 (n = 39) in order to examine associations between change in cognitive-linguistic ability and change in function and associations at a single time point. Results In both experiments, numerous significant associations were found between scores on tests of cognitive-linguistic ability and a test of functional communication at a single time point. In Experiment 2, significant treatment-induced gains were seen on both types of measures in participants with more severe aphasia, ye...
Building New Platforms for Civil Society: the Right to Image in Syrian Abounaddara Collective’s Cinema of Emergency

In the past five years, the Syrian conflict became “the most socially mediated civil conflict in history” i, bringing into spotlight controversial debates that involve freedom of expression, freedom of information, and the urgency to create a balance between them. In this context, Syrian Abounaddara Collective, a group of self-taught filmmakers based in Damascus, launched the concept of emergency cinema. Starting with April 2011, Abounaddara uploaded every week a film on Facebook, Twitter, and on Vimeo, aiming to represent Syrians in a just and dignified way and offering an alternate narrative to those of Assad’s regime and (inter)national media. The project is very accessible since the Collective is a promoter of the power of “smaller screens” like computers and smartphones, with all films being subtitled from the original Arabic to French and English. Their works combines visual culture and film with philosophy, history, science, sociology etc. inviting critics to provide in-depth analyses of cultural phenomena linked to visuality. The films are supposed to make the viewer look at reality differently, to empathize, and demand for justice; however, the message is intended to be open to interpretation, not merely reduced to the clash between good and evil. The article explores the interdisciplinary features of emergency cinema, especially its juridical dimension and the emphasis on one person’s right to image, that recommend it as an updated version of social cinema. By concisely analyzing several films created by Abounaddara Collective and by relying on information made available by interviews, I aim to offer a fresh perspective on the role of cinema in today’s geopolitical context and open a dialogue on how innovative artistic and media forms can challenge the dominant representations of politics and events.
Validity and power of minimization algorithm in longitudinal analysis of clinical trials

We studied the validity of longitudinal statistical inferences of clinical trials using minimization, a dynamic randomization algorithm designed to minimize treatment imbalance for prognostic factors. Repeated measures analysis of covariance and the random intercept and slope models, were used to simulate longitudinal clinical trials randomized by minimization or simple randomization. The simulations represented a wide range of analyses in real-world trials, including missing data caused by dropouts, unequal allocation of treatment arms, and efficacy analyses on either the original outcome or its change from baseline. We also analyzed the database from the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network (DIAN), and used the estimated parameters to simulate the ongoing DIAN trial. Our analyses demonstrated minimization had conservative type I errors when the prognostic factor used in the minimization algorithm had a relatively strong correlation with the outcome and was not adjusted for in analyses. In contrast, adjusted tests for the prognostic factor as a covariate resulted in type I errors close to the nominal significance level. In many simulation scenarios, the adjusted tests using minimization had slightly greater statistical power than those using simple randomization, whereas in the other scenarios, the power of adjusted tests using these two randomization methods are almost indistinguishable.
Tweeting Mass Shootings: The Dynamics of Issue Attention on Social Media

Mass shootings in the United States have gained public attention in the past decade and have elicited heated debate over firearm regulations. Meanwhile, social media outlets like Twitter have become a central platform for such attention. In this paper, we propose to detect patterns of issue attention on mass shootings by tracing the volume of relevant tweets. We compiled two datasets using both traditional and computational methods. One dataset is of mass shooting events, and the other is of tweets about mass shootings on Twitter. Our focus is twofold, as we conceptualize social media discourse as both an indicator and a construction of issue attention. First, we examine the longitudinal trend of issue attention in association to mass shooting events. Second, we deconstruct the issue attention into discursive themes and check the variation among those themes. We explore how mass shooting event features affect the ebbs and flows of issue attention.
Research to support optimization of prescription drug monitoring programs.

Purpose Research is needed to evaluate the impact of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs). This paper describes research priorities for PDMPs that were initially discussed at a 2015 meeting of PDMP administrators, researchers, public health officials, and other stakeholders. Methods Meeting participants defined the current landscape of PDMP research and identified research gaps. Research priorities were grouped by theme. Results Prescription drug monitoring program research priorities were identified for 3 key areas: individual patient health outcomes, prescriber use and decision making, and population-level outcomes. Research areas for individual patient outcomes include examining drug-use thresholds that best predict risk for overdose or substance use disorder and unintended consequences of PDMP use. Proposed research on prescriber PDMP use include evaluating how enhancements to the content and format of PDMP reports informs clinical decision making and optimal clinician actions in response to a concerning PDMP report. Finally, research topics related to population-level outcomes include measuring the impact of PDMP policies on the incidence of substance misuse and harms and assessing the return on investment for these databases. Conclusions The clinical, public health, and economic impacts of PDMPs must be evaluated, using both quantitative and qualitative methods. In addition to assessing patient outcomes, qualitative research should examine how clinicians use and interpret PDMP information. Research should also examine the impact of PDMP features and policies on prescriber utilization. Comparative analyses across states with differing PDMP policies should be conducted to inform best practices.
Animating Flames: Recovering Fire-Gazing as a Moving-Image Technology

In nineteenth-century England, the industrialization of heat and light rendered fire-gazing increasingly obsolete. Fire-gazing is a form of flame-based reverie that typically involves a solitary viewer who perceives animated, moving images dissolving into and out of view in a wood or coal fire. When fire-gazing, the viewer may perceive arbitrary pictures, fantastic landscapes, or more familiar forms, such as the faces of friends and family. This article recovers fire-gazing as an early and more intimate animation technology by examining remediations of fire-gazing in print. After reviewing why an analysis of fire-gazing requires a joint literary and media history approach, I build from Michael Faraday’s mid-nineteenth-century theorization of flame as a moving image to argue that fire-gazing must be included in the history of animation technologies. I then demonstrate the uneasy connections that form between automatism, mechanical reproduction, and creativity in Leigh Hunt’s description of fire-gazing in his 1811 essay ‘A Day by the Fire’. The tension between conscious and unconscious modes of production culminates in a discussion of fireside scenes of (re)animation in Charles Dickens’s Our Mutual Friend (1864–65), including those featuring one of his more famous fire-gazers, Lizzie Hexam. The article concludes with a brief discussion of the 1908 silent film Fireside Reminiscences as an example of the continued remediations of fire-gazing beyond the nineteenth century.
Shot noise in a diffusive ferromagnetic-paramagnetic-ferromagnetic spin valve

Fluctuations of electric current in a spin valve consisting of a diffusive conductor connected to ferromagnetic leads and operated in the giant magnetoresistance regime are studied. It is shown that fluctuations due to spin-flip scattering enhance strongly shot noise up to a point where the Fano factor approaches the full Poissonian value.
Antioxidant and angiotensin-I converting enzyme inhibitory activities of phenolic extracts and fractions derived from three phenolic-rich legume varieties.

Abstract Lentil, black soybean and black turtle bean are commonly consumed legumes of different genera, containing high phenolic contents, which are effective antioxidants and angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. However, these legumes’ phenolic compositions and ACE inhibition ability have not been compared. Crude water extract (CE) was semi-purified (SPE) and fractionated using column chromatography. Results showed that purification and fractionation could substantially increase phenolic contents and antioxidant capacities. Heating and variety had great effect on phenolic substances, antioxidant potential and mass yield of extracts and fractions. Only crude extracts showed potent ACE inhibitory activity. Black turtle bean’s ACE inhibition potential was largely reduced by cooking. The order from low to high in terms of ACE inhibitory activity was black turtle bean
The Promise of the Tropics: Wealth, Illness, and African Bodies in Early Anglo-Caribbean Medical Writing

The early Caribbean was made distinctive by the medical challenges facing its inhabitants and by the medical practices and communications that European colonists and enslaved Africans employed to meet those challenges. Classical western philosophies indicated that the Caribbean was uninhabitable: located in a tropical zone, it was characterized by extreme heat that, if it was capable of producing great mineral wealth, was hostile to life. These theories were revised when Spanish explorers found the Caribbean to be habitable: natural historians paired accounts of natural fecundity with reports of horrible illnesses and rotting flesh. Furthermore, the transatlantic slave trade and plantation slavery introduced unprecedented challenges of maintaining the health of a huge labor force as enslaved Africans were transported across the Atlantic. The peoples who met in the Caribbean brought a variety of medical practices and conceptions of disease with them, and they adapted this prior knowledge to their new contexts.
Automated Model Synthesis

In Chapters 12 to 14 of this text, we tried to imitate (model) the human ability to reason about system structure and system behavior. Now we shall let go of this constraint and discuss whether we can duplicate this capability in an analogical rather than a homomorphic fashion, i.e., we shall try to simulate human reasoning capabilities without restricting ourselves to methods that humans would or could use in their reasoning processes.
Dimensions of maltreatment and academic outcomes for youth in foster care.

Abstract Childhood maltreatment is often associated with youth’s ability to successfully function in school. Youth with a history of maltreatment often receive lower grades and scores on tests of academic achievement, as well as demonstrate more negative behaviors in school, as compared to non-maltreated youth. However, there are many inconsistencies in previous studies examining the association between maltreatment and academic outcomes in youth. One potential reason for mixed findings within the literature could be a result of how maltreatment is measured and operationalized. The current study examined if the methods used to define and describe maltreatment contribute to the association between maltreatment and academic functioning in youth. Youth in foster care (N = 490, Mage = 13.13[3.09]) were recruited and information on their maltreatment history and academic functioning was obtained from official agencies, school records, and self-reported measures. Using a SEM framework when examining each dimension separately in the same model, results suggested that frequency maltreatment was more predictive of academic behavior, as compared to type and severity. No dimensions were associated with grades and significant findings were only observed for models using self-report data. However, when examined using a measurement model approach, maltreatment as a whole was associated with school behavior, which was found for both self-report and case file measurement models. The findings suggest a need for research on academic functioning to take a comprehensive approach when measuring and defining maltreatment as this may be a more robust and accurate predictor of academic functioning.
POLICY SERIES: ALIGNING RESEARCH WITH PUBLIC POLICY: RECOMMENDATIONS FROM EXPERTS IN POLICY AND AGING

Given the projected growth and diversity of the older population in the United States, researchers and clinicians are exploring ways to promote the health and well-being of older adults and their family caregivers through public policies. This symposium, co-sponsored by GSA’s Emerging Scholars and Professional Organization (ESPO) and the Public Policy Committee, brings together national experts to discuss how and why to integrate policy in research studies. Emerging scholars have a unique opportunity to contribute to the development and implementation of policy at the federal, state and local levels, and engage in important discussions with policy makers to advocate for improving the lives of older adults and their families in an aging society. This symposium will highlight best practices in aligning research with the public policy arena. Presenters will examine the intersection between public policies and older adults, describe the difference between conducting research in aging relevant to policy and actual policy research studies, and discuss how to conceptualize public policy upfront in research. Presenters will also offer examples of how research informs policy, using family caregiving, long-term services and supports, and livable communities as examples of relevant policy areas from a research perspective. Implications of how research informs policy for an aging society, including how an advocacy organization looks to research to support its policy agenda for older adults, and lessons learned from aging advocacy will be addressed.
Liquid cryogenic targets for fast ignition fusion

Fast ignition fusion targets require a uniform cryogenic D-T fuel layer for efficient fuel assembly. Uniform beta layering of solid D-T fuel within a fast ignition capsule will be complicated by th...
A Series Elastic Actuator Design and Control in a Linkage Based Hand Exoskeleton

This paper presents the design of a series elastic actuator and a higher level controller for said actuator to assist the motion of a user's hand in a linkage based hand exoskeleton. While recent trends in the development of exoskeleton gloves has been to exploit the advantages of soft actuators, their size and power requirements limit their adoption. On the other hand, a series elastic actuator can provide compliant assistance to the wearer while remaining compact and lightweight. Furthermore, the linkage based mechanism integrated with the SEA offers repeatability and accuracy to the hand exoskeleton. By measuring the user's motion intention through compression of the elastic elements in the actuator, a virtual dynamic system can be utilized that assists the users in performing the desired motion while ensuring the motion stability of the overall system. This work describes the detailed design of the actuator followed by performance tests using a simple PD controller on the integrated robotic exoskeleton prototype. The performance of the proposed high level controller is tested using the integrated exoskeleton glove mechanism for a single finger, using two types of input motion. Preliminary results are discussed as well as plans for integrating the proposed actuator and high level controller into a complete hand exoskeleton prototype to perform intelligent grasping.
A 3-D Field Solution for Axially Polarized Multi-Pole Ring Permanent Magnets and its Application in Position Measurement

Axially polarized multi-pole ring permanent magnets are industrially valuable in the construction of sensors and actuators. Available analytic field solutions for these magnets typically provide spatially incomplete or imaginary-valued results that do not reflect real-world measurement. This article presents simplified and real-valued 3-D field solutions for axially polarized ring magnets. The individual components are expressed in terms of elementary functions and incomplete elliptic integrals for easy evaluation with standard scientific computing libraries. These models are employed to analyze the effects of nonidealities in magnetic position systems. Demonstrations are offered through simulation and experimental measurement of two real-world ring permanent magnets, along with comparisons to prior models.
The role of absorption saturation in optical refrigeration (Conference Presentation)

The role of pump saturation in high-power optical refrigeration is investigated. Employing both Z-scan and intensity-dependent PL techniques, we measure the pump saturation intensity in Yb:YLF versus the temperature. We find that the absorption efficiency, and consequently the cooling efficiency can be limited at cryogenic temperatures under power scaling (when substantial heat lift is desired) unless multi-pass pumping schemes are tailored to control the average pump intensity inside the crystal.
Rapid large-scale fabrication of multipart unit cell metasurfaces

Periodic diffractive elements known as metasurfaces constitute platform technology whereby exceptional optical properties, not attainable by conventional means, are attained. Generally, with increasing unit-cell complexity, there emerges a wider design space and bolstered functional capability. Advanced devices deploying elaborate unit cells are typically generated by electron-beam patterning which is a tedious, slow process not suitable for large surfaces and quick turnaround. Ameliorating this condition, we present a novel route towards facile fabrication of complex periodic metasurfaces based on sequential exposures by laser interference lithography. Our method is fast, cost-effective, and can be applied to large surface areas. It is enabled by precise control over periodicity and exposure energy. With it we have successfully patterned and fabricated one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) multipart unit cell devices as demonstrated here. Thus, zero-order transmission spectra of an etched four-part 1D grating device are simulated and measured for both transverse-electric (TE) and transverse-magnetic (TM) polarization states of normally incident light. We confirm non-resonant wideband antireflection (∼800 nm) for TM-polarized light and resonance response for TE-polarized light in the near-IR band spanning 1400-2200 nm in a ∼100 mm2 device. Furthermore, it is shown that this method of fabrication can be implemented not only to pattern periodic symmetric/asymmetric designs but also to realize non-periodic metasurfaces. The method will be useful in production of large-area photonic devices in the realm of nanophotonics and microphotonics.
Hybrid methods for muon accelerator simulations with ionization cooling1

Muon ionization cooling involves passing particles through solid or liquid absorbers. Careful simulations are required to design muon cooling channels. New features have been developed for inclusion in the transfer map code COSY Infinity to follow the distribution of charged particles through matter. To study the passage of muons through material, the transfer map approach alone is not sufficient. The interplay of beam optics and atomic processes must be studied by a hybrid transfer map-Monte-Carlo approach in which transfer map methods describe the deterministic behavior of the particles, and Monte-Carlo methods are used to provide corrections accounting for the stochastic nature of scattering and straggling of particles. The advantage of the new approach is that the vast majority of the dynamics are represented by fast application of the high-order transfer map of an entire element and accumulated stochastic effects. The gains in speed are expected to simplify the optimization of cooling channels which is usually computationally demanding. Progress on the development of the required algorithms and their application to modeling muon ionization cooling channels is reported.
Substoichiometric Tuning of the Electronic Properties of Titania

Abstract Reduced titania phases such as Ti2O3, Ti3O5, and TixO2x-1 (the magneli phase, 4 ≤ x ≤10) are collectively a promising class of materials due to the stoichiometric tunability of their electronic structure. This flexibility, combined with their relatively high electrical conductivity, high corrosion resistance, and photostability makes reduced titania a candidate for many applications. In this work, stable reduced titania films were synthesized on silicon substrates via pulsed laser deposition (PLD) under a forming gas environment at elevated temperatures. The atomic/electronic structure and the electrical properties of the PLD reduced titania films were investigated using four-point probe, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS). The PLD films demonstrated a notable decrease in resistivity compared to those of stoichiometric TiO2 films reported in the literature. Raman spectroscopy and XAS revealed that the observed resistivities in these films are correlated to substoichiometric titania phases (Ti2O3 between 400-600 °C and the Ti3O5-like at 700 °C) present in them. UPS measurements on the sub-stoichiometric titania indicated a decrease in the work functions with a decrease in the titanium oxidation state. The ability to tune such electrical properties with careful control of preparation is key to using reduced titania as a flexible platform for material design.
On-farm reservoir monitoring using Landsat inundation datasets

Abstract On-farm reservoirs (OFRs)—artificial water impoundments that retain water from rainfall and run-off—enable farmers to store water during the wet season to be used for crop irrigation during the dry season. However, monitoring the inter- and intra-annual change of these water bodies remains a challenging task because they are typically small (
Progressive apraxia of speech: delays to diagnosis and rates of alternative diagnoses.

Progressive apraxia of speech (PAOS) is a neurodegenerative disorder of speech programming distinct from aphasia and dysarthria, most commonly associated with a 4-repeat tauopathy. Our objective was to better understand the reasons for possible delays or diagnostic errors for patients with PAOS. Seventy-seven consecutive PAOS research participants from the Neurodegenerative Research Group were included in this study. The medical records for these patients were reviewed in detail. For each speech-related visit, data such as the chief complaint, clinical findings, and neuroimaging findings were recorded. Apraxia of speech was the initial diagnosis in 20.1% of participants at first evaluation noted in the historical record. Other common diagnoses included primary progressive aphasia (PPA) (20.1%), dysarthria (18.18%), MCI/Dementia (6.5%), and motor neuron disease (3.9%). It took a median of 2.02 (range: 0.16–8.18) years from symptoms onset for participants to receive an initial diagnosis and 3.00 (range: 0.49–9.42) years to receive a correct diagnosis. Those who were seen by a speech-language pathologist (SLP) during their first documented encounter were more likely to be correctly diagnosed with PAOS (37/48) after SLP consultation than those who were not seen by an SLP on initial encounter (5/29) (p < 0.001). Approximately 80% of patients with PAOS were imprecisely diagnosed at their first visit, with it taking a median of 3 years from symptom onset to receiving a diagnosis of PAOS. Being seen by a speech-language pathologist during the initial evaluation increased the likelihood of a correct apraxia of speech diagnosis.
Same, Same but Different: Portraits of Low-Income Colombians in the Urban Labor Market

While the size of Colombia’s middle class have soared in the past decade (2002-12), most of the population remains poor or vulnerable, that is out of poverty but with high odds of falling back. Poor and vulnerable people typically face high precariousness in the labor market but little is known about the particular combination of constraints of specific subgroups to participate to the labor force or access quality jobs. This paper seeks to propose a new perspective on the heterogeneous situation of these worst-off individuals in the urban labor market by reaching a classification of at-risk groups, built from an advanced profiling method: a Latent Class Analysis. This approach allows identifying unobservable subgroups by considering simultaneously a range of characteristics observed from survey data. The results show that the selected sample could be categorized in seven groups, conditional on selected clustering indicators capturing labor market attachment, human capital, and household dynamics. Each cluster is characterized by a different kind of vulnerability, calling for tailored policy interventions.
“Es porque tienen ganas de aprender”: How a Non-profit Teacher Creates a Learning Environment to Help College-Aged Syrian Displaced Students Adapt and Learn Spanish in México

This chapter draws from an ethnographic study of Syrian displaced young adults living in Mexico, who are commencing their university studies. Since the beginning of the Syrian conflict in 2011, many of these young adults spent several years in refugee camps or in cities under siege before arriving in Mexico through special arrangements made by a non-governmental organization (NGO). Using an ethnographic and discourse analytic approach (Rymes B, Classroom discourse analysis: a tool for critical reflection. Routledge, 2016; Wortham S, Reyes A, Discourse analysis beyond the speech event. Routledge, 2015), this chapter looks at how a Spanish language arts teacher is able to foster a learning environment where Syrian displaced students are engaged and willing to participate in their new educational environment. Although today many language education programs for migrants are dominated by monolingual ideologies and practices, there is a growing concern among educators and administrators about how to best promote academic success among the refugee and transnational student population (Cummins J, Can J Appl Linguist 10:221–240, 2007; Garcia O, Kleyn T, Translanguaging with multilingual students: learning from classroom moments. Routledge, New York, 2016; Naidoo L, Int Educ 26:210–217, https://doi.org/10.1080/14675986.2015.1048079, 2015; Warriner D, Curric Inq 47:50–61, https://doi.org/10.1080/03626784.2016.1254501, 2017). This chapter argues that understanding the pedagogical practices enacted by language instructors can give educators and administrators an insight into advancing the language goals of displaced students.
De-biased Lasso for Generalized Linear Models with A Diverging Number of Covariates.

Modeling and drawing inference on the joint associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms and a disease has sparked interest in genome-wide associations studies. In the motivating Boston Lung Cancer Survival Cohort (BLCSC) data, the presence of a large number of single nucleotide polymorphisms of interest, though smaller than the sample size, challenges inference on their joint associations with the disease outcome. In similar settings, we find that neither the de-biased lasso approach (van de Geer et al. 2014), which assumes sparsity on the inverse information matrix, nor the standard maximum likelihood method can yield confidence intervals with satisfactory coverage probabilities for generalized linear models. Under this "large $n$, diverging $p$" scenario, we propose an alternative de-biased lasso approach by directly inverting the Hessian matrix without imposing the matrix sparsity assumption, which further reduces bias compared to the original de-biased lasso and ensures valid confidence intervals with nominal coverage probabilities. We establish the asymptotic distributions of any linear combinations of the parameter estimates, which lays the theoretical ground for drawing inference. Simulations show that the proposed refined de-biased estimating method performs well in removing bias and yields honest confidence interval coverage. We use the proposed method to analyze the aforementioned BLCSC data, a large scale hospital-based epidemiology cohort study, that investigates the joint effects of genetic variants on lung cancer risks.
A relational database model and algebra integrating fuzzy attributes and probabilistic tuples

Abstract Although there have been many fuzzy or probabilistic relational database models proposed for representing and handling imprecise and uncertain information of objects in real-world applications, models combining the relevance and strength of both fuzzy set theory and probability theory appear sporadic. In this paper, we propose a new fuzzy and probabilistic relational database model where the imprecision of an attribute value is represented by a fuzzy set and the uncertainty of a relational tuple is represented by a probability interval. The mass assignment theory is employed to deal with the challenge of integration and computation of both fuzzy sets and probabilities in the same model. The conjunction and disjunction strategies to combine imprecise and uncertain information are introduced. Then the fundamental concepts of the classical relational database model are extended and generalized in this new model. The syntax and semantics of the selection operation are formally defined. Finally, the other important algebraic operations on imprecise attributes and uncertain tuples are developed.
Reconciling supercontinent cycle models with ancient subduction zones

Abstract Long-term patterns of mantle convection are illustrated by the locations of large low-shear-velocity provinces (LLSVPs) in the lowermost mantle, as well as an enclosing girdle of subduction zones. These structures, stable since Pangea's breakup, have been proposed to provide an absolute reference frame to anchor plate motions in deep time. Simple conceptual models of the supercontinent cycle (introversion, extroversion, orthoversion) predict differing loci of global subduction zones and inferred LLSVPs. We develop a tool to statistically compare idealized supercontinent cycle models with paleolatitude distributions of global subduction zones from paleogeographic reconstructions. We find that subduction zone locations younger than 250 Ma are moderately well described by an idealized girdle around the LLSVPs, but more robust conceptual models must take into account a Tethyan locus or “arm” within the girdle. Between 540 and 250 Ma, such an orthogonal arm is not needed to generate robust correlations with paleogeography; but the global subduction girdle is found to rotate progressively by approximately 90°. Our results suggest that planetary degree-two mantle structures are long-lived but not eternal: they reorganize their absolute locations from one supercontinent cycle to the next.
Learning control with neural networks

A neural control model based on learning of the system inverse is proposed. Learning control is a control method wherein experience gained from previous performance is automatically used to improve future performance. A learning scheme called the inverse transfer learning scheme is introduced. Compared to previous learning schemes, this scheme provides faster convergences to the minimum error state and reflects properties of highly coupled nonlinear dynamic systems. The scheme is applied to the pole-balancing control problem through computer simulation to demonstrate control capability. >
Breakdown of scaling invariance in the generalized bjorken limit of perturbation theory

We examine the cross-sections for meson electroproduction in two model field theories. We find that for the interaction of neutral scalar mesons with nucleons the structure functions exhibit scaling in thegeneralized Bjorken limit, but that for the case of the charge-independent pseudoscalar-meson-nucleon interaction scaling does not always occur. We comment on the origin of this breakdown and on its significance for parton models of deeply inelastic electron-hadron scattering.
Heterotrophic Metabolism of the Chemolithotroph Thiobacillus ferrooxidans

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and the enzymes of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrase and 2-keto-3-deoxy-6-phosphogluconate aldolase (assayed together), are induced during heterotrophic growth of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans on an iron-glucose-supplemented medium or on glucose alone. By contrast, autotrophic cells (iron-grown) contain low levels of these enzymes. Fructose 1, 6-diphosphate aldolase, an enzyme of the Embden-Meyerhof pathway, is present at low levels irrespective of the growth medium, suggesting that this enzyme is not involved in energy-yielding reactions but merely provides intermediates for biosynthesis. The Entner-Doudoroff and pentose-phosphate pathways are the principle means through which glucose is dissimilated and is presumed to be concerned with energy production. Isotopic studies showed that a high rate of CO2 formation from specifically labeled glucose came from carbon atoms 1 and 4. An unexpectedly high rate of evolution of CO2 also came from carbon 6, suggesting that the triose phosphate formed during glucose breakdown and specifically as a result of 2-keto-3-deoxy-6-phosphogluconate aldolase activity, was metabolized via some unorthodox metabolic route. Cells grown in the iron-supplemented and glucose-salts media have a complete tricarboxylic acid cycle, whereas autotrophically grown T. ferrooxidans lacked both α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide oxidase. Two isocitrate dehydrogenases [nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and NAD phosphate (NADP) specific] were present. NAD-linked enzyme was constitutive, whereas the NADP-linked enzyme was induced upon adaptation of autotrophic cells to heterotrophic growth.
Philosophy in Eastern Han Dynasty China (25–220 CE)

The philosophy of the Han Dynasty, especially that of the Eastern Han (25–220 CE), is an unjustly neglected area of scholarship on early Chinese thought. In this article, I introduce the thought of a number of important Eastern Han philosophers, with particular attention to Wang Chong, Wang Fu, Xu Gan, and Wang Su. I also explain the major features of Eastern Han thought as distinct from that of the Warring States and Western Han periods, and consider their origins in reaction to Western Han ideas and their further development in the Wei-Jin period.
Physics considerations for laser-plasma linear colliders

Physics considerations for a next-generation linear collider based on laser-plasma accelerators are discussed. The ultrahigh accelerating gradient of a laser-plasma accelerator and short laser coupling distance between accelerator stages allows for a compact linac. Two regimes of laser-plasma acceleration are discussed. The highly nonlinear regime has the advantages of higher accelerating fields and uniform focusing forces, whereas the quasilinear regime has the advantage of symmetric accelerating properties for electrons and positrons. Scaling of various accelerator and collider parameters with respect to plasma density and laser wavelength are derived. Reduction of beamstrahlung effects implies the use of ultrashort bunches of moderate charge. The total linac length scales inversely with the square root of the plasma density, whereas the total power scales proportional to the square root of the density. A 1 TeV center-of-mass collider based on stages using a plasma density of ${10}^{17}\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ requires tens of $J$ of laser energy per stage (using $1\text{ }\text{ }\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$ wavelength lasers) with tens of kHz repetition rate. Coulomb scattering and synchrotron radiation are examined and found not to significantly degrade beam quality. A photon collider based on laser-plasma accelerated beams is also considered. The requirements for the scattering laser energy are comparable to those of a single laser-plasma accelerator stage.
A reduced quenched large N hamiltonian

Abstract A matrix hamiltonian with quenching is proposed conjecturing that it represents the infinite volume lattice gauge theory at N = ∞ for both weak and strong couplings. At weak couplings nonperturbative configurations are identified and it is argued that they cause a phase transition. Similar nonperturbative configurations are shown to persist at infinite N raising the hope that they might be relevant to long distance phenomena.
Fatigue-induced thick oxide formation and its role on fatigue crack initiation in Ni thin films at low temperatures

Abstract This study highlights an oxidation-assisted fatigue crack initiation mechanism in 20 μm thick electroplated Ni films under loading conditions relevant for a wide range of microelectromechanical systems, such as extreme stress gradients at the surface (50% decrease over the first micrometer from the surface). Microresonators subjected to in-plane bending at ∼8 kHz were fatigued for billions of cycles in humid air, at 30 °C, 50% relative humidity (RH), and 80 °C, 90% RH, for maximum stress amplitudes up to ∼500 MPa (∼55% of the ultimate tensile strength). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed highly localized thick oxides (∼1 μm) on specimens fatigued for several billions of cycles. These oxides are two to three orders of magnitude thicker than the regular native oxides at these low temperatures, and only form at the location of cyclic slip bands. These oxides appear to be thicker for higher partial pressures of water, based on the TEM comparison of one specimen fatigued at 30 °C, 50% RH to one fatigued at 80 °C, 90% RH. Fatigue microcracks were observed within these highly localized thick oxides. Finite element models were also employed to confirm these results based on the interpretation of the evolution of the devices’ resonance frequency. This oxidation-assisted fatigue crack initiation mechanism at low temperatures constitutes a significant departure from the established mechanisms for bulk metals and their environmental effects. A possible explanation for the different governing mechanism is the presence of extreme stress gradients in these microscale components. Under these loading conditions, the classical fatigue crack initiation mechanisms are not operational, allowing this alternative mechanism to become dominant. This study highlights the need to further understand the coupled size and environmental effects on the fatigue of metallic thin films.
Psilocybin-induced contraction of nearby visual space.

Using apparent fronto-parallel plane (AFP) monitoring techniques, the relative stability of the abathic plane, i.e. Euclidean visual space, was investigated in 16 volunteers with a median age of 23.5 years under 160 μg/kg psilocybininduced ergotropic arousal. Handwriting area and pressure were also measured in the same subjects. Drug-induced contraction of nearby visual space was inferred from changes of AFP curvature and tilt, as well as from increased handwriting area at drug peak. The ‘rising horizon’ (Rennert) in the drawings of schizophrenics is also considered a manifestation of the contraction of visual space and is described in terms of an arousal-dependent transformation of constancies. The ‘projection’ of central nervous system activity as experience ‘out there’ is also discussed as an arousal-dependent learned constancy.
Intimate partner violence and sexually transmitted disease symptoms in a national sample of married Bangladeshi women

Abstract Objectives To assess associations of intimate partner violence (IPV) with women’s sexually transmitted disease (STD) symptoms, and to clarify biological and behavioral mechanisms underpinning heightened STD rates among abused women. Methods A cross-sectional investigation of married couples (n = 2865) sampled via the Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey. Results Over one third (38%) of married Bangladeshi women experienced physical or sexual IPV in the 12 months preceding the survey. Victimization was bivariately associated with vaginal irritation/discharge, pelvic pain during intercourse, genital sores/ulcers, and vaginal discharge with odor (OR 1.39–2.09). IPV demonstrated an independent effect on vaginal irritation with discharge (adjusted OR 1.34) and vaginal discharge with odor (adjusted OR 2.08) after accounting for STD exposure (i.e., husbands’ recent STD). Conclusions IPV elevates married Bangladeshi women’s STD symptoms beyond the risk represented by husbands’ STD alone, suggesting that high rates of STD among abusive men and the context of violence itself both relate to abused women’s STD risk.
Extended graphynes: simple scaling laws for stiffness, strength and fracture

The mono-atomistic structure and chemical stability of graphene provides a promising platform to design a host of novel graphene-like materials. Using full atomistic first-principles based ReaxFF molecular dynamics, here we perform a systematic comparative study of the stability, structural and mechanical properties of graphynes – a variation of the sp2 carbon motif wherein the characteristic hexagons of graphene are linked by sp1 acetylene (single- and triple-bond) carbyne-like chains. The introduction of acetylene links introduces an effective penalty in terms of stability, elastic modulus (i.e., stiffness), and failure strength, which can be predicted as a function of acetylene repeats, or, equivalently, lattice spacing. We quantify the mechanical properties of experimental accessible graphdiyne, with a modulus on the order of 470 to 580 GPa and a ultimate strength on the order of 36 GPa to 46 GPa (direction dependent). We derive general scaling laws for the cumulative effects of additional acetylene repeats, formulated through a simple discrete spring-network framework, allowing extrapolation of mechanical performance to highly extended graphyne structures. Onset of local tensile buckling results in a transitional regime characterized by a severe reduction of strength (ultimate stress), providing a new basis for scaling extended structures. Simple fracture simulations support the scaling functions, while uncovering a “two-tier” failure mode for extended graphynes, wherein structural realignment facilitates stress transfer beyond initial failure. Finally, the specific modulus and strength (normalized by areal density) is found to be near-constant, suggesting applications for light-weight, yet structurally robust molecular components.
Model determination tool (MDT): a multipurpose software engineering learning utensil

This paper describes a technique used in introductory undergraduate and graduate software engineering courses at Stephen F. Austin State University. It provided a team software development experience, encouraged enriched learning about software process models, served as the object of black-box testing, and gave students the opportunity to perform software maintenance activities that mimic real-life situations. A graduate software engineering class developed a tool to recommend consideration of appropriate software process models according to the responses to a small set of questions concerning the development environment and the nature of the project. Later, undergraduate classes performed black-box testing to determine whether the artifact performed correctly. More than a year after the original development, a second graduate class was challenged to perform maintenance actions on the product, about which none of the students had any knowledge or experience.
Equilibrium strength at the deterministic limit of a stochastic model for bistable systems

Abstract The behavior of the stationary probability density of a stochastic differential equation is investigated as the variance parameter for multiplicative noise is reduced to zero. In the region of bistability of the noisy system, the density converges to a Dirac distribution located at one or the other of the stable equilibria, according to a criterion based on the strength of the equilibrium. In an exceptional case, a linear combination of Dirac distributions occurs in this limit. This helps to explain the behavior in first order transitions, and the observability of hysteresis in these transitions.