cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Drift mobility measurements in porous silicon

Modulated electroluminescence (EL) measurements performed on a series of porous silicon (PSi) diodes are presented. The maximum response time of the devices scales with the square of the PSi layer thickness and inversely with the applied forward bias voltage. These scaling results indicate that the maximum response time is a carrier transit time from which a drift mobility {mu} of 10{sup {minus}4} cm{sup 2}/Vs is deduced at room temperature. Time-of-flight transport measurements on PSi are in qualitative agreement with this value for {mu}; in addition, they identify {mu} as the electron mobility and show that transport is dispersive, in contrast to the interpretation of the modulated EL experiments.
Texture and Anisotropy of Polycrystalline Piezoelectrics

Piezoelectricity is manifested in ferroelectric ceramics by inducing a preferred volume fraction of one ferroelectric domain variant orientation at the expense of degenerate orientations. The piezoelectric effect is therefore largely controlled by the effectiveness of the electrical poling in producing a bias in ferroelectric (180°) and ferroelastic (non-180°) domain orientations. Further enhancement of the piezoelectric effect in bulk ceramics can be accomplished by inducing preferred orientation through grain-orientation processes such as hot forging or tape casting that precede the electrical-poling process. Coupled crystal orientation and domain orientation processing yields ceramics with an even greater piezoelectric response. In this paper, preferred orientations of domains and grains in polycrystalline piezoelectric ceramics generated through both domain- and grain-orientation processing are characterized through pole figures and orientation distribution functions obtained using data from a variety of diffraction techniques. The processing methods used to produce these materials and the methods used to evaluate preferred orientation and texture are described and discussed in the context of prior research. Different sample and crystal symmetries are explored across a range of commercial and laboratory-prepared materials. Some of the variables presented in this work include the effects of in situ thermal depoling and the detailed processing parameters used in tape casting of materials with preferred crystallite orientations. Preferred orientation is also correlated with anisotropic properties, demonstrating a clear influence of both grain and domain orientations on piezoelectricity.
Constitutional Interpretation and Original Meaning

I. CONSTITUTIONAL ORIGINALISMBy “originalism” I mean the familiar approach to constitutional adjudication that accords binding authority to the text of the Constitution or the intentions of its adopters. At least since Marbury, in which Chief Justice Marshall emphasized the significance of our Constitution's being a written document, originalism in one form or another has been a major theme in the American constitutional tradition.
The Arabidopsis tail-anchored protein PEROXISOMAL AND MITOCHONDRIAL DIVISION FACTOR1 is involved in the morphogenesis and proliferation of peroxisomes and mitochondria.

Peroxisomes and mitochondria are multifunctional eukaryotic organelles that are not only interconnected metabolically but also share proteins in division. Two evolutionarily conserved division factors, dynamin-related protein (DRP) and its organelle anchor FISSION1 (FIS1), mediate the fission of both peroxisomes and mitochondria. Here, we identified and characterized a plant-specific protein shared by these two types of organelles. The Arabidopsis thaliana PEROXISOMAL and MITOCHONDRIAL DIVISION FACTOR1 (PMD1) is a coiled-coil protein tethered to the membranes of peroxisomes and mitochondria by its C terminus. Null mutants of PMD1 contain enlarged peroxisomes and elongated mitochondria, and plants overexpressing PMD1 have an increased number of these organelles that are smaller in size and often aggregated. PMD1 lacks physical interaction with the known division proteins DRP3 and FIS1; it is also not required for DRP3’s organelle targeting. Affinity purifications pulled down PMD1’s homolog, PMD2, which exclusively targets to mitochondria and plays a specific role in mitochondrial morphogenesis. PMD1 and PMD2 can form homo- and heterocomplexes. Organelle targeting signals reside in the C termini of these proteins. Our results suggest that PMD1 facilitates peroxisomal and mitochondrial proliferation in a FIS1/DRP3-independent manner and that the homologous proteins PMD1 and PMD2 perform nonredundant functions in organelle morphogenesis.
The Lazarus effect: rejuvenation of leaf senescent seedlings in a rare grassland perennial

Abstract Over 75% of the seedlings of the endemic sandplain grassland perennial, northern blazing star (Liatris scariosa var novae-angliae), die within their first growing season. During a study of the reproductive ecology of this rare plant, we found 17 seedlings whose leaves had become completely desiccated and brown and were classified as dead. Upon subsequent inspection, we discovered that these seedlings had developed a new shoot with green leaves. We have called this rejuvenation “the Lazarus effect.” These seedlings became dormant by late June, which coincided with extended periods of drought, and were senescent for periods of 4–10+ wk. Rejuvenation of leaf-senescent seedlings occurred in late July and August, coincident with periods of increased precipitation. Survivorship of “Lazarus” seedlings to their second summer (9 of 17, 53%) was similar to survivorship of “normal” seedlings (≈58%) which did not senesce. Thus, becoming senescent did not have undue costs to survivorship.
A month-by-month examination of long-term stock returns

This study provides a month-by-month examination of stock returns. The results suggest two powerful monthly anomalies occurring in January and September. Investing in the CRSP equal-weighted index in only January turns $1 in 1926 to $87.40 by 2006. The second closest month is July, during which $1 grows to $3.11. No such anomaly occurs, however, when using the CRSP value-weighted index indicating the January Effect is due to small firm performance. September is a poor month to invest. The same $1 invested in September decreases to a mere $0.43 if invested in the value-weighted CRSP index or $0.49 if invested in the equal-weighted CRSP index. The Halloween Effect is attributable to abnormally high January returns and abnormally low September and October returns. The September Effect is also established in four of the five international markets tested.
Sexual and contraceptive behavior in young unmarried women.

The psychological processes important in the sexual and contraceptive behavior of young women were studied by comparison of a group of sexually active never pregnant young women with a group of sexually active women with a recently confirmed unwanted pregnancy. Psychological and behavior patterns for the 2 groups were strikingly similar. Internalized sexual prohibitions and a lack of accurate knowledge characterized the early teen sexual initiation period of both groups of girls. Internal and external factors influenced sexual behavior at that and later times. The interrelationships among a subjective assessment of the risk of pregnancy pregnancy anxiety and contraceptive practice were examined. It was found that there was a natural sequence of sexual and contraceptive behaviors as the young women launched their sexual careers. Both individual psychology and partner interaction were studied. It is concluded that the psychological determinants of sexual and contraceptive behavior are individually unique complex and variable through time. Family planning programs will succeed best if they allow for individual face-to-face contact. The clinician should prescribe a method suitable currently for each individual.
Mexican Migrant Entrepreneurial Readiness in Rural Areas of the United States

A significant literature on minority entrepreneurship exists, but comparable literature on Latin American migrants and their role in local community enterprise development is very sparse. This paper is an extension of earlier work focusing on characteristics of recent Mexican migrants to rural and urban areas. Measures of entrepreneurial readiness are examined along with measures of human, social and migration capital. Migrants with previous experience in owning a business provide rural communities with an unrealized pool of talent and experience. This research demonstrates that business owners who migrate are likely to be married, have non-agricultural work experience and other household assets in the form of land and/or properties, and are more likely to be legally documented arrivals. Additionally, these migrants express additional risk-taking behavior, because they are more likely—along with their siblings—to be family "pioneers" in migrating, but still attached to migration networks through their community or other close, non-parental relatives. These characteristics illustrate entrepreneurial capacity within these migrant communities in rural areas. Keywords: Entrepreneurship, rural communities, migration, general estimating equations
Latina and Non-Latina Mothers’ Perceived Health Barriers and Benefits and Their Relationship to Children’s Health Behaviors

Objectives Disparities exist in rates of overweight/obesity between Latino and non-Latino populations. Attention should be given to risk factors that may be modifiable through interventions involving both the parent and child. The current study sought to identify ethnic differences in parental health beliefs and their relation to children’s health behaviors. Methods Latina and non-Latina mothers (N = 203) at rural and urban clinics and health departments completed self-report questionnaires. Key information included beliefs about barriers and benefits to health practices and children’s health behaviors. Results Children of Latina mothers consumed significantly more soda and fried foods and exercised less than children of non-Latina mothers. Latina mothers were significantly more likely to perceive barriers to healthy eating and significantly less likely to perceive benefits to healthy eating and physical activity than non-Latina mothers. Ethnicity mediated the relationship between maternal views of health benefits and soda consumption. Conclusions Policy changes are needed to promote health education and increase the accessibility of healthy foods and safe places to exercise for Latino families.
Pathological Gleason prediction through gland ring morphometry in immunofluorescent prostate cancer images

The Gleason score is the most common architectural and morphological assessment of prostate cancer severity and prognosis. There have been numerous quantitative techniques developed to approximate and duplicate the Gleason scoring system. Most of these approaches have been developed in standard H and E brightfield microscopy. Immunofluorescence (IF) image analysis of tissue pathology has recently been proven to be extremely valuable and robust in developing prognostic assessments of disease, particularly in prostate cancer. There have been significant advances in the literature in quantitative biomarker expression as well as characterization of glandular architectures in discrete gland rings. In this work we leverage a new method of segmenting gland rings in IF images for predicting the pathological Gleason; both the clinical and the image specific grade, which may not necessarily be the same. We combine these measures with nuclear specific characteristics as assessed by the MST algorithm. Our individual features correlate well univariately with the Gleason grades, and in a multivariate setting have an accuracy of 85% in predicting the Gleason grade. Additionally, these features correlate strongly with clinical progression outcomes (CI of 0.89), significantly outperforming the clinical Gleason grades (CI of 0.78). This work presents the first assessment of morphological gland unit features from IF images for predicting the Gleason grade.
Development of Methods for Characterization of Hydrodynamic Ram Cavity Dynamics

Hydrodynamic Ram (HRAM) poses significant safety hazards to commercial and military aircraft such as fire and structural damage. For example, fire from HRAM can result from the transient spray after a high-energy projectile has entered into a closed fluid filled container such as a fuel tank. Understanding the HRAM cavity dynamics to the transient spray associated with fire initiations within the aircraft dry bay is a critical part of aircraft survivability and safety. This research will develop the methods to determine the underlying mechanisms for the HRAM cavity dynamics and the resulting transient spray through experimental analysis.
Cutaneous Perception of Microwaves

ABSTRACTThe most obvious effect produced when microwaves are directed into an absorbing substance is the conversion of electromagnetic energy into heat. Awareness of microwave exposure is developed by several mechanisms among which are cutaneous thermal sensation or pain. Although the subjective awareness of warmth is only a rough indicator of microwave exposure, nevertheless, several investigators have established the thresholds for microwave induced thermal sensation and pain in man. The threshold for warmth perception is reached at a warming of the skin at a rate of about .001 °C per second. Threshold and intensity of temperature sensation depend to a large extent on the size of the skin area changing temperature. This paper is a review of the available information on cutaneous sensation of microwave energy which indicates that when a 40 cm2 area of the face is exposed to microwaves, thermal sensation can be elicited within 1 second at power densities of 21 mW/cm2for 10,000 MHz and 58.6 mW /cm2 for 3,0...
Pixel-wise absolute phase unwrapping using geometric constraints of structured light system

This paper presents a method to unwrap phase pixel by pixel by solely using geometric constraints of the structured light system without requiring additional image acquisition or another camera. Specifically, an artificial absolute phase map, Φmin, at a given virtual depth plane z = zmin, is created from geometric constraints of the calibrated structured light system; the wrapped phase is pixel-by-pixel unwrapped by referring to Φmin. Since Φmin is defined in the projector space, the unwrapped phase obtained from this method is absolute for each pixel. Experimental results demonstrate the success of this proposed novel absolute phase unwrapping method.
Follow-up and surveillance of patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma

Medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTC) are among rare thyroid cancers and can occur either sporadically or in a hereditary form such as a component of type 2 multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN). Total thyroidectomy with cervical neck dissection remains the standard treatment in patients with MTC as more than 50% of patients with MTC have cervical lymph nodes metastases at the time of diagnosis. The staging system can predict prognosis of the patients. The 10-year survival rate in patients with stage I MTC is great at 100% and dismal with stage IV MTC at 21%. Calcitonin and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels are important markers to follow after surgery to detect persistent versus recurrent disease and tailor treatment appropriately. the doubling time of calcitonin can also provide further information about the 10-year survival of patients with MTC. When calcitonin levels rise, varieties of imaging modalities are available to locate the tumour recurrence. Patients with history of MTC need surveillance and regular follow up to detect early recurrence and treat accordingly.
Generation, amplitude and phase characterization of 10/sup 21/ W/cm/sup 2/ intensity

The intensity of 10/sup 21 /W/cm/sup 2/ was generated by correcting F/l off-axis paraboloid aberration in 30 TW diffraction limited laser system. The importance of using diffraction calculation over spot size measurement in determining intensity is discussed.
Chemomechanical Coupling in Hexameric Protein–Protein Interfaces Harnesses Energy within V-Type ATPases

ATP synthase is the most prominent bioenergetic macromolecular motor in all life forms, utilizing the proton gradient across the cell membrane to fuel the synthesis of ATP. Notwithstanding the wealth of available biochemical and structural information inferred from years of experiments, the precise molecular mechanism whereby vacuolar (V-type) ATP synthase fulfills its biological function remains largely fragmentary. Recently, crystallographers provided the first high-resolution view of ATP activity in Enterococcus hirae V1-ATPase. Employing a combination of transition-path sampling and high-performance free-energy methods, the sequence of conformational transitions involved in a functional cycle accompanying ATP hydrolysis has been investigated in unprecedented detail over an aggregate simulation time of 65 μs. Our simulated pathways reveal that the chemical energy produced by ATP hydrolysis is harnessed via the concerted motion of the protein–protein interfaces in the V1-ring, and is nearly entirely con...
Biological Safety and Security in Teaching Laboratories

Any discussion of biological safety within undergraduate basic science and clinical teaching laboratories should be prefaced by several important caveats. First, the foundation of any science laboratory experience should include a solid understanding of safety. Practicing safety teaches responsibility and respect for life and property. Regardless of unique institutional conditions and oversight agencies, adherence to common safety and biosafety practices demonstrates a good-faith effort to students, parents, faculty, administrators, and even accreditors, that academic laboratory users are valued. Additionally, most safety practices were developed in response to documented need and thus serve to mitigate hazards. At its core, the teaching laboratory should be an environment where students are challenged by the science of microbiology, not by fear of infection. Furthermore, as the science of microbiology evolves, time-tested biosafety practices continue as a microbiology legacy, passed down to subsequent generations of microbiologists as resume staples.
Structural basis of bacterial transcription activation

In bacteria, the activation of gene transcription at many promoters is simple and only involves a single activator. The cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate receptor protein (CAP), a classic activator, is able to activate transcription independently through two different mechanisms. Understanding the class I mechanism requires an intact transcription activation complex (TAC) structure at a high resolution. Here we report a high-resolution cryo–electron microscopy structure of an intact Escherichia coli class I TAC containing a CAP dimer, a σ 70 –RNA polymerase (RNAP) holoenzyme, a complete class I CAP-dependent promoter DNA, and a de novo synthesized RNA oligonucleotide. The structure shows how CAP wraps the upstream DNA and how the interactions recruit RNAP. Our study provides a structural basis for understanding how activators activate transcription through the class I recruitment mechanism.
Sémiologie/sémiotique chez Saussure et Jakobson: concepts, filiation, débats

C’est en developpant la phonologie selon les principes semiologiques du Cours de linguistique generale (CLG) que le Cercle linguistique de Prague a reussi a imposer la linguistique comme etant la plus avancee des sciences humaines pendant des decennies. Ce faisant, le groupe tcheque a aide a faire reconnaitre Ferdinand de Saussure comme maitre a penser pour l’ere moderne, a cote de figures telles que Freud, Marx et Nietzsche. Roman Jakobson en particulier a beaucoup contribue au rayonnement du saussurisme, par son genie et sa production scientifique abondante, par ses vues genereuses et sa longue carriere variee. Dans une premiere partie, cet essai retracera brievement quelques etapes dans l’elaboration de l’idee du semiologique chez Saussure. Dans la deuxieme partie, nous verrons comment Jakobson a repris la these saussurienne tout en elaborant ses propres idees semiotiques qui completent, developpent et contestent parfois certaines propositions du CLG .
Fundamental sources of error and spectral broadening in Doppler ultrasound signals

Analysis of the signals, spectra and error bounds for Doppler ultrasound signals is challenging and involves numerous concepts in signal analysis, probability, acoustics, and fluid mechanics. Nonetheless, the results of this analysis must be accessible to both engineers and clinicians who work with ultrasound technology. The engineer who designs, builds, or maintains equipment must know whether specific artifacts are fundamental or can be eliminated. The clinician must be able to interpret whether specific signal features accurately represent the flow field or result from limitations of Doppler ultrasound. This article reviews recent advances in both conceptual and numerical models of the Doppler ultrasound process, and relates these advances to practical aspects such as spectral broadening, velocity estimation error, and data analysis error. It then reviews recent innovations in system implementation and signal analysis which are indicative of the future potential of Doppler ultrasound instrumentation.
Phosphorothioate oligonucleotides inhibit the intrinsic tenase complex.

Systemic administration of ISIS 2302, a 20-mer antisense phosphorothioate oligonucleotide targeting human intercellular adhesion molecule-1 mRNA, causes prolongation of plasma clotting times in both monkey and human studies. The anticoagulant effects of ISIS 2302 were investigated with both in vitro coagulation assays in human plasma and purified enzyme systems. At high oligonucleotide plasma concentrations (>100 microgram/mL), prolongation of the prothrombin and thrombin times was observed. In a thrombin time assay using purified components, high concentrations of ISIS 2302 inhibited thrombin clotting activity both by stimulating inhibition by heparin cofactor II and directly competing with fibrinogen for binding to anion binding exosite I. In contrast, low concentrations of ISIS 2302 (<100 microgram/mL) showed a selective, linear prolongation of the activated partial thromboplastin time (PTT). The rate limiting effect of 50 microgram/mL ISIS 2302, which prolonged the PTT to 1.5 times control, was identified by sequential modification of the clotting assay. Delaying addition of oligonucleotide until after contact activation failed to correct prolongation of the PTT. The calcium-dependent steps of the intrinsic pathway were individually assessed by adding sufficient activated coagulation factor to correct the PTT in plasma deficient in that specific factor. Addition of factor XIa, IXa, VIIIa, or Va failed to correct the PTT in the presence of ISIS 2302. In contrast, 0.2 nmol/L factor Xa corrected prolongation of the PTT in factor X-deficient plasma with or without oligonucleotide present. ISIS 2302 (50 microgram/mL) did not prolong a modified Russel viper venom time, suggesting no significant inhibition of prothrombinase. Thus, 50 microgram/mL ISIS 2302 prolonged the PTT by selectively inhibiting intrinsic tenase activity. ISIS 2302 showed partial inhibition of intrinsic tenase activity (to approximately 35% of control) at clinically relevant oligonucleotide concentrations in a chromogenic assay. This activity was oligonucleotide sequence-independent but required the phosphorothioate backbone, suggesting that inhibition of intrinsic tenase is a general property of this class of oligonucleotides. These results are relevant to both the therapeutic use of phosphorothioate oligonucleotides and the potential design of inhibitors of the intrinsic tenase complex, a novel target for anticoagulation.
Fiction in the Code

One of the major branches of the field of law and literature is often described as “law as literature.” Scholars of law as literature examine the law using the tools of literary analysis. The scholarship in this subfield is dominated by the discussion of narrative texts: confessions, victim-impact statements, and, above all, the judicial opinion. This article will argue that we can use some of the same tools to help us understand non-narrative texts, such as law codes and statutes. Genres create expectations. We do not expect a law code to be literary. Indeed, we tend to dissociate the law code from the kind of imaginative fiction we expect to find in a narrative text. This article will take a historical example, the medieval Icelandic legal manuscript known as Konungsbok, and examine it for its fictional elements. This article will examine Konungsbok for the ways in which it creates an imagined world, populated by free, equal householders, a world that was very different from the Iceland in which its creator lived. Its creator may have created it less to tell his reader anything about the law as it stood in thirteenth-century Iceland than as an elegy to a world he thought he had lost. It therefore stands as a testament to the law code’s literary potential.
Relationships between home ventilation rates and respiratory health in the Colorado Home Energy Efficiency and Respiratory Health (CHEER) study.

Abstract Background As societies adopt green building practices to reduce energy expenditures and emissions that contribute to climate change, it is important to consider how such building design changes influence health. These practices typically focus on reducing air exchange rates between the building interior and the outdoor environment to minimize energy loss, the health effects of which are not well characterized. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between air exchange rates and respiratory health in a multi-ethnic population living in low-income, urban homes. Methods The Colorado Home Energy Efficiency and Respiratory Health (CHEER) study is a cross-sectional study that enrolled 302 people in 216 non-smoking, low-income single-family homes, duplexes and town-homes from Colorado's Northern Front Range. A blower door test was conducted and the annual average air exchange rate (AAER) was estimated for each home. Respiratory health was assessed using a structured questionnaire based on standard instruments. We estimated the association between AAER and respiratory symptoms, adjusting for relevant confounders. Results Air exchange rates in many homes were high compared to prior studies (median 0.54 air changes per hour, range 0.10, 2.17). Residents in homes with higher AAER were more likely to report chronic cough, asthma and asthma-like symptoms, including taking medication for wheeze, wheeze that limited activities and dry cough at night. Allergic symptoms were not associated with AAER in any models. The association between AAER and asthma-like symptoms was stronger for households located in areas with high potential exposure to traffic related pollutants, but this was not consistent across all health outcomes. Conclusions While prior studies have highlighted the potential hazards of low ventilation rates in residences, this study suggests high ventilation rates in single-family homes, duplexes and town-homes in urban areas may also have negative impacts on respiratory health, possibly due to the infiltration of outdoor pollutants.
Safety of thoracic magnetic resonance imaging for patients with pacemakers and defibrillators

Background During magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) leads can be antennae to focus energy onto myocardium, leading to heating and arrhythmias. Clinical data on thoracic MRI safety for patients with legacy devices are limited. Objective The purpose of this study was to identify patients undergoing thoracic MRI with legacy devices, compare the incidence of adverse events of those patients with control patients undergoing brain MRI with legacy devices, and compare paired cardiac troponin T (cTnT) values. Methods In this single-center study, we reviewed a prospectively collected database of patients with CIED undergoing MRI from January 25, 2008, through February 28, 2017. Results Of 952 patients (1290 scans), 120 patients (12.6%) underwent 134 thoracic MRI scans with legacy CIEDs (median [range] age 61.98 [21.24–86.96] years; male 71.1%). Median (range; interquartile range [IQR]) age of leads across devices was 3.5 (1.6–7.1; 5.5) years; implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) were oldest (median [range; IQR], 3.7 [1.1–8.0; 6.9] years). No difference was observed in incidence of adverse events between groups. Paired cTnT values were compared for 19 patients (19 scans) with no difference between pre- and postimaging values. No significant difference was present in device setting values before and after MRI (mean follow-up 72.5 days). Incidence of adverse events was no different after adjustment for ICD coil number. Conclusion Thoracic MRI is relatively safe in an institutional multidisciplinary program. It does not represent greater risk than brain MRI for patients with legacy CIEDs.
Population Genetics of Host-Associated Microbiomes

Host-associated microbiomes can play key roles in the health of animals and plants, but fundamental aspects of the dynamics and evolution of microbial communities are not fully understood. Several recent studies have sequenced and analyzed the entire diversity of microbial species and strains in different host-associated microbiomes. These studies analyze the population genetics of host-associated microbes, yet many questions remain unanswered. In this review, we describe the key insights that have been gained by recent microbiome population genetics studies and how they have contributed to our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms that alter the population dynamics of entire microbial communities. We further discuss the technical limitations of current approaches and how new methods and model systems would allow for better genetic characterization of host-associated microbiome populations.
Salzmann nodular degeneration: prevalence, impact, and management strategies.

Purpose This review will summarize the clinical and histological presentation of Salzmann nodular degeneration (SND), its prevalence and risk factors, potential underlying mechanisms, diagnostic tools, management options, and impact on cataract surgery and co-morbid ocular surface diseases. Method PubMed review of 44 articles published between 1976 and 2018. Results SND is a corneal disease characterized by whitish gray or bluish nodules on the peripheral or central cornea. The clinical presentation of SND is variable and the nodules can be asymptomatic or cause foreign body sensation and/or blurred vision. Histologically, SND appears as subepithelial nodules with thin overlying epithelium, disrupted or absent Bowman's layer, and activated fibroblasts within the nodule. SND pathogenesis is not fully understood but is thought to involve poor epithelial protection and disruption of the epithelial-stromal interface, allowing for penetration of epithelially derived growth factors into the stroma and subsequent activation of stromal fibroblasts, eventually leading to sub-epithelial deposition of disorganized extracellular membrane components. SND most commonly occurs in Caucasian females in a bimodal distribution, occurring in the fifth or eighth and ninth decades of life. Risk factors for SND include ocular surface diseases and surgery. Surgical intervention is recommended in individuals with symptomatic nodules - primarily superficial keratectomy performed with or without intraoperative mitomycin C, photokeratectomy, and/or amniotic membrane transplantation. These procedures have been successful in removing the lesion and reducing corneal irregularity, but have variable recurrence rates (0-31%). Conclusion The pathogenesis of SND is complex and multifactorial. Advances in diagnostic and treatment modalities have allowed for earlier and more accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of SND.
Radiation Evaluation of the Texas Instruments TPS7H2201-SP eFuse

Single Event Effects and Total Ionizing Dose characterization results for the TPS7H2201-SP are summarized. The data shows the device is SEL-free (at T$\approx$125 °C), SEB-free, SEGR-free, SEFI-free and SET-free (at T$\approx$23 °C) up to LET EFF =75 MeV$\cdot$ cm2/mg and across the full electrical specifications. The eFuse is also ELDRS-free with a TID rating of 100 krad(Si).
A distributed smart camera apparatus to enable scene immersion: work-in-progress

In this paper, we investigate the potential of an immersion technology system implemented on embedded devices. Our system consists of distributed smart cameras with overlapping views, covering numerous viewpoints of a monitored scene so that each smart camera knows the position of its neighbors. The system provides an on-demand panoramic field-of-view (FOV) in real-time. To generate the panoramic view, we design and implement an image stitching system using images captured from a subset of adjacent embedded cameras. We verify the effectiveness of our method in terms of quality of result (QoR) and computation efficiency. Initial results show up 12 FPS with 8MP cameras.
Human factor approaches to understand health information technology impacts on patient safety

Abstract Health information technology (HIT) has been widely adopted by many healthcare systems, providing a digital infrastructure to store, retrieve, and share data and information. Understanding the impacts HIT has on patient safety is challenging as the HIT- contributing factors are often latent and not easily recognizable. Human factor approaches offer an integrated, evidence-based, coherent approach to improving the science and understanding factors impacting the delivery of health care. This chapter provides a brief overview of HIT impacts on patient safety and the common human factor approaches used.
Reply to Robinson and Michaud, arXiv:2002.08893

We respond to Robinson and Michaud's (RM) comment (arXiv:2002.08893) on our recent preprint arXiv:2002.06937, in which we discuss recent excesses in low-threshold dark matter searches, and offer a potential unifying dark matter interpretation. We thank RM for their feedback, which highlights the critical need for future measurements to directly calibrate plasmon charge yields for low $\sim$ 10 eV energy depositions. RM objected to our assertion that plasmons generated at energy scales below 100~eV may have a large branching fraction into phonons. As we argue below, the points raised by RM do not invalidate our primary conclusions, as they pertain to a much different energy scale than we discuss in our paper.
Sparse MP4

MP4 is currently the gold standard for video compression. Here we demonstrate that MP4 can be augmented by using a spatiotemporal sparse code optimized for the reconstruction of video portraits to up-sample data streams in which 75% of the pixels have been removed. Lossless MP4 can then be used to transmit the decimated video stream, yielding additional compression via a hybrid algorithm we refer to as Sparse MP4. We report that when compared with standard MP4 tuned for a similar overall compression ratio, Sparse MP4 achieves significantly higher PSNR and similar SSIM scores.
Conditional inactivation of the mouse SBP2 gene to elucidate the function of selenoproteins in prostate cancer

3881 Selenium (Se) has been shown to effectively prevent prostate cancer in epidemiological, animal and human clinical studies. The protective effect of Selenium (Se) in prostate cancer could be due to the antioxidant function of the selenoproteins and/or the anti-tumorigenic effect of the Se metabolites. The phenotype of mice lacking selenoproteins, along with their response to Se supplementation regimen, will help to distinguish between the relative importances of these two factors in prostate cancer. Since the mammalian selenoproteome consists of multiple proteins with potential overlapping function, we are developing gene knockout and knockdown methods to eliminate key elements specifically involved in the translation of all selenoproteins that include a special tRNA - Sec-tRNASec and the SECIS-binding protein-2 (SBP2). Pre-natal lethality occurs in mouse embryos deficient for the Sec-tRNASec, which suggests that some of these selenoproteins are essential for normal development. Our own in vitro RNAi studies, using different anti-SBP2 shRNA constructs transfected into mouse NIH-3T3 and human 293 HEK cells have indicated that SBP2 protein is essentially required in these cells since its absence results in apoptosis. Therefore, we are interested in generating a targeted mouse model, using the traditional Cre-loxP strategy, to determine the effects of conditional loss of the SBP2 gene in the prostate gland, thus addressing the role of selenoproteins in prostate cancer. To accomplish this goal we will be generating 2 strains of mice - one carrying a floxed-SBP2 allele and the other carrying a prostate-specific inducible Cre. Crossing these 2 strains would enable tamoxifen-inducible and prostate tissue-specific loss of the floxed-SBP2 allele in targeted mice. The early steps in generating the floxed-SBP2 strain involved screening a mouse 129 BAC library to isolate BAC clones containing the entire mouse SBP2 gene and subsequently cloning about 8 kb of the the 59 end of the gene. We are currently generating a targeting vector, which includes loxP sites flanking the putative transcriptional start site and exons 1 and 2 of SBP2 gene. Thus on Cre-catalyzed recombination this region would be deleted and SBP2 gene would be functionally knocked out. We would then electroporate the construct into murine embryonic stem (ES) cells, select for targeted ES cells and inject into mouse blastocysts to generate the SBP2-floxed strain of mice. To generate the Cre strain we injected into the pronucleus of FVB mice a transgenic construct (aR2D3), which includes a tamoxifen-inducible Cre (Cre-ERT2) under the control of a prostate-specific promoter (ARR2PB) and a red fluorescent protein marker (DsRedT3). We have acquired at least 4 founder mice transgenic for the aR2D3 construct and have setup matings to identify the ones that have an expressible and transmissible form of the transgene.
A'ingae =sa'ne 'APPR' and the semantic typology of apprehensional adjuncts

We explore the semantics and typology of functional morphemes encoding apprehensional , i.e. negative prospective, meanings through a detailed case study of the adjunct uses of =sa'ne 'APPR' in A'ingae (or Cofan, ISO 639-3: con, an Amazonian isolate). We provide one of the first formal accounts of apprehension: In a structure [ p [ q=sa'ne ]], =sa'ne 'APPR' encodes a modal semantics where the goal worlds of the actor responsible for p avoid a salient situation r => q . Finally, we reveal two inherent asymmetries among apprehensional functions ( precautioning asymmetry and timitive asymmetry ), thus making substantial predictions with regards to typological patterns in apprehensional morphology.
Prenatal smoking and the risk of early childhood caries: A prospective cohort study.

Abstract Introduction Dental caries is a chronic complex disease of multifactorial etiology that affects a quarter of U.S. children. This study evaluated the association between prenatal smoking and offspring caries experience and used a negative control exposure analysis to assess if the association is causal. Methods Data from 1429 mother-offspring participants of the 1991/92 Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children conducted in Bristol, England were analyzed. Prenatal smoking (yes v. no) and quantity smoked (none, Results Overall, 22% smoked during pregnancy while 36% of partners smoked. The adjusted hazard odds of first occurrence of caries experience in the offsprings of prenatal smokers compared to the offsprings of non-smokers was 1.42 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.86). Relative to non-smoking, smoking Conclusions Prenatal and partner smoking appear associated with greater offspring caries experience. The positive association with partner smoking suggests either a shared genetic predisposition or unmeasured common environmental factors with the mother as opposed to a direct biological effect of the intrauterine environment.
A Multicentered Academic Medical Center Experience of a Simulated Root Cause Analysis (RCA) for Hematology/Oncology Fellows

Quality improvement and patient safety education is an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) common program requirement for hematology/oncology fellowships. Interprofessional clinical patient safety activities, such as root cause analyses (RCA), can be challenging to incorporate into busy schedules. We report on a multicentered experience utilizing a simulated RCA educational module in an attempt to provide fellows with the tools needed to participate in a live RCA and to increase awareness of the need to analyze patient safety events. The 2-h module included a didactic session explaining the basics of an RCA including common terminology, effective chart review, and personal interviews. The fellows assessed a patient safety event of a missed coagulopathy and created an event flow map and fishbone analysis. They then formed root cause/contributing factor statements and proposed a solution. Twenty-three fellows from two institutions completed the experience. There was a significant difference in fellow reported comfort with participating in a live RCA (p = 0.03), and in utilizing the tools of an RCA following the mock RCA experience (p = 0.005). About 70% of respondents felt that as a result of the mock RCA, they were more likely to report a near miss or adverse event and were more likely to be thorough in their documentation. Mock RCAs are a feasible method of incorporating ACGME-required patient safety activities into hematology/oncology fellow education and are effective in increasing their comfort and understanding of important quality improvement skills.
Outcome Luck Assessment and the Luck Equation

Luck—be it good or bad—enters when an uncertain, unforeseen outcome is beneficial (or detrimental) to someone. Its assessment is a matter of the extent to which unforeseeable developments impinge on people’s interests. The calculus of luck fuses the calculus of probability with value theory to provide a means for assessing the benefit (or detriment) that chancy evaluations provide for people. Any adequate account of the matter must determine not only whether and how it is that an agent is lucky or unlucky but must also enable us to tell to what extent this is so. It must, in sum, be quantitative. And the Calculus of Luck is the project of measuring extent to which the outcome of a chance eventuation represents good (or bad) luck for the individuals involved.
A critical look at commonly used stimuli in speech perception experiments

Speech is an attractive stimulus to use for testing the auditory system because it is both highly relevant to everyday life and also replete with acoustic complexity that can test a variety of auditory skills. This presentation shines a light on some commonly used test stimuli or stimulus practices and raises questions about their use, or the interpretations of previous results. For example, the vowel acoustic data published by Hillenbrand et al. (1995) has been adopted as a de facto gold standard even though it was intended as a snapshot of a single dialect at a particular point in time. In that paper, the dynamics of vowel spectra were emphasized, though this aspect of vowels has been often overlooked. In consonant testing, the use of the /a/ context is pervasive, and yet this consonant environment is far from “neutral,” especially in situations where perception of voicing/voice onset time is measured. Perception of consonants and words will be examined with regard to their generalization to perception of longer utterances. Finally, we will examine the balance between convenience and generalizability, including strengths and weaknesses of closed-set speech stimuli.
Model-based digital holographic imaging using mulit-shot data

Imaging through deep-atmospheric turbulence is a challenging and unsolved problem. However, digital holography (DH) has recently demonstrated the potential for sensing and digitally correcting moderate turbulence. DH uses coherent illumination and coherent detection to sense the amplitude and phase of light reflected off of an object. By obtaining the phase information, we can digitally propagate the measured field to points along an optical path in order to estimate and correct for the distributed-volume aberrations. This so-called multi-plane correction is critical for overcoming the limitations posed by moderate and deep atmospheric turbulence. Here we loosely define deep turbulence conditions to be those with Rytov numbers greater than 0.75 and isoplanatic angles near the diffraction limited viewing angle. Furthermore, we define moderate turbulence conditions to be those with Rytov numbers between 0.1 and 0.75 and with isoplanatic angles at least a few times larger than the diffraction-limited viewing angle. Recently, we developed a model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) algorithm for sensing and correcting atmospheric turbulence using single-shot DH data (i.e., a single holographic measurement). This approach uniquely demonstrated the ability to correct distributed-volume turbulence in the moderate turbulence regime using only single-shot data. While the DH-MBIR algorithm pushed the performance limits for single-shot data, it fails in deep turbulence conditions. In this work, we modify the DH-MBIR algorithm for use with multi-shot data and explore how increasing the number of measurements extends our capability to sense and correct imagery in deep turbulence conditions.
Analysis of the transition to a virtual learning semester in a college software testing course

This report presents observations from two semesters of the same course, Software Testing, within the same department, in different school years. The first semester, Fall 2019, was the last semester completely in-person before the COVID-19 pandemic made it so that our courses changed to a virtual setting. The second semester, Spring 2021, is the most recent virtual semester at the time that this report is being written (in May of 2021). Though the course was modified to some extent for the purpose of it being online, we had a goal for it to remain largely the same. In both versions of the course, there was a heavy emphasis on interactive exercises as a means to increase engagement and performance within the class and in regards to software testing as a whole. The virtual semester gave us an opportunity to try out a variety of new avenues of learning and an exercise in trying to keep consistency from an in-person environment to a virtual one. This report will address added benefits of the virtual settings, consistencies that we managed to maintain throughout the transition, and lost exercises from the course along with ideas of how to mitigate the loss in any future virtual semesters. It will also address feedback from a survey given to students as we consider the results of the semesters.