cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ovarian response of individuals to different doses of human menopausal gonadotropin

Hormonal profiles were compared in 14 ovulatory women who were treated with two different doses of gonadotropins in successive in vitro fertilization cycles. All patients suffered from mechanical causes of infertility. Serum estradiol (E 2 ), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and progesterone (P) were measured daily during the follicular phase. Women were arbitrarily classified as high responders (E 2 >1000pg/ml on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin administration, n=8) or as low responders (E 2 2 levels during the cycle when they received 3 ampules of human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG). When patients were treated with 3 ampules of hMG, serum FSH, LH, and P concentrations increased significantly during the follicular phase in high responders but remained unchanged in low responders. When these patients were treated with 2 ampules of hMG, the temporal profiles of the hormones were similar, but the magnitude of increases in serum levels of gonadotropins and sex steroids was significantly reduced in high responders. The authors conclude that temporal individuality of endocrine profiles cannot be altered by varying the dose of gonadotropin. Increases in hormone levels accompanying a high response to hMG can, however, be dampened by lowering the dose. In contrast, hormone concentrations are not influenced by changing the dose of hMG in low responders.
Identification of subject-specific brain functional networks using a collaborative sparse nonnegative matrix decomposition method

We propose a novel method to identify subject specific intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) from functional data in a collaborative matrix decomposition framework. Particularly, our method is built upon sparse nonnegative matrix decomposition techniques with a collaborative consensus prior to capture inter-subject common structures and subject-specific variations in ICNs. Our method is further enhanced by adopting an intra-subject manifold structure prior in the spatial domain and a parsimonious prior, which improve functional coherence and spatial locality of the identified ICNs and encourage a compact representation of ICNs respectively. We evaluate the performance of the proposed method based on a simulated dataset and a large cohort of resting state fMRI dataset. The experimental results have demonstrated the proposed method could obtain ICNs that better capture subject specific functional connectivity information with better spatial and temporal accuracy.
Use of three-dimensional models to assist in the resection of malignant cardiac tumors

The application of three-dimensional (3D) printing enables the creation of material objects from digital images by depositing layers of plastic material into 3D structures and can be used for training, education, and surgical planning. We report two patients with large complex cardiac tumors where 3D technology was utilized to analyze the tumor size, location, and extension more precisely, allowing better preoperative planning and decision making.
Targeting iodothyronine deiodinases locally in the retina is a therapeutic strategy for retinal degeneration.

Recent studies have implicated thyroid hormone (TH) signaling in cone photoreceptor viability. Using mouse models of retinal degeneration, we found that antithyroid treatment preserves cones. This ...
Extending the Reach and Role of History Didactics

Freedom and peace are precious gifts that cannot be taken for granted. The regimes of twentieth-century Germany are powerful examples demonstrating that this statement is fundamentally true. Both are embodiments of tyranny affecting just one country and continue to provide lessons for Germans and Europeans as a whole in the twenty-first century. National Socialism had profound consequences for the shaping of global events that followed World War II, ultimately leading to the rise of Germany’s second repressive state, a regime that not only impacted global politics but also significantly influenced the mental and physical well-being of those that lived through it and subsequent generations.
Realizing a Moore’s Law for Fibers

Professor Fink will share the vision of creating the “AFFOA Law” enabling the transformation of fiber and fabric materials into highly functional devices and systems that will see, hear, sense, communicate, store and convert energy and change color.
Passive Heat Therapy as a Novel Approach for Inducing Angiogenesis in Humans: Roles of Nitric Oxide

Chronic passive heat therapy is a novel health intervention which may have widespread cardiovascular benefits. Studies in animals suggest chronic heat exposure promotes angiogenesis via NO, indepen...
Concepts in Early Vision

Seventeen years of research of cyclopean perception — that is now called early vision — is reviewed particularly from a point of view to be of interest to physicists and engineers. Recent neurophysiological findings show neurons at the input stage to the cortex (layer IVB in VI) that fire for dynamic random-dot stereograms. So, global stereopsis is an early (bottom-up) process and as shown psychophysically is not influenced by semantic (top-down) processes. A new experiment, based on depth-from-shading processes, also shows that global stereopsis occurs first. Here is thus a model system where psychological phenomena [level-i] can be linked to neurophysiological events [level(i-1)]. Several cooperative and noncooperative models of global stereopsis are also discussed and since they are quite robust, only psychobiological evidence can decide which of them are likely to be used in human and monkey vision.
Gust Factors and Alongwind Pressure Correlations

An expression for gust response factors for tall buildings is derived using an analysis, based on first principles, of three-dimensional structures subjected to random loading. The expression permits an evaluation of the effect of the alongwind pressure correlations, with regard to which differences exist between various methods presently in use. It is found that depending on the assumptions to which they resort in order to take this effect into account, some methods overestimate, while other methods underestimate, gust factor values by as much as 15 to 30%. The expression derived offers, in addition, the potential for obtaining more economical gust factors by incorporating in their structure a more realistic model of the pressure in the wake.
Using KBase to Assemble and Annotate Prokaryotic Genomes

The DOE Systems Biology Knowledgebase (KBase, http://kbase.us/) is an open-access bioinformatics software and data platform for analyzing plants, microbes, and their communities. KBase enables scientists to create, execute, collaborate on, and share reproducible analyses of their biological data in the context of public data and private collaborator data. For microbiologists researching prokaryotes, KBase offers analysis tools for performing quality control and assessment of Next-Generation Sequencing reads, de novo assembly, genome annotation, and tools for analyzing structural and functional features of genomes. This unit demonstrates an example workflow for taking a comparative and iterative approach to assembly and annotation of prokaryotic genomes using KBase that can be used by microbiologists seeking to perform isolate analysis in a rapid and reproducible fashion. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: annotation; assembly; genomics; systems biology; KBase
Wealth, reservation wealth, and the decision to retire

This paper introduces a model of retirement wealth choice. Reservation wealth is defined as the level of wealth at which an individual is indifferent between retiring and not retiring. Economic theory is used to generate hypotheses concerning how an individual's characteristics determine his or her reservation wealth. An econometric strategy is outlined for estimating these determinants, given that reservation wealth is not directly observed. This strategy is then employed using the 1992 Survey of Consumer Finances. The findings imply that individuals respond fairly conservatively, with respect to their retirement planning, to changes in their income. It is also found that married men and women choose their reservation wealth in very different ways.
Production of lignin based insoluble polymers (anionic hydrogels) by C. versicolor

Unlike previous lignin biodegradation studies, white rot fungi were used to produce functional biopolymers from Kraft lignin. Lignin-based polymers (hydrogel precursors) partially soluble in both aqueous and organic solvents were produced employing a relatively fast (6 days) enzymation of Kraft lignin with basidiomycetes, primarily Coriolus versicolor, pre-grown on kenaf/lignin agar followed by either vacuum evaporation or acid precipitation. After drying followed by a treatment with alkaline water, this intermediate polymer became a pH-sensitive anionic hydrogel insoluble in either aqueous or organic solvents. The yield of this polymer increased from 20 to 72 wt% with the addition of 2% dimethylsulfoxide to distilled water used as a medium. The mechanical stability and buffering capacity of this hydrogel can be adjusted by washing the intermediate polymer/hydrogel precursor prior to drying with solvents of different polarity (water, methanol or ethanol). Any of these polymers featured a significant thermal resilience assessed as a high thermostable “coked” fraction in thermal carbon analysis, apparently resulting from significant covalent cross-linking that occurs during the treatment of their intermediate precursors.
Die meisten Nieren sind paarig; die meisten Menschen nicht

Wahrend viele Saugetiere in der glucklichen Lage sind, ihre Nachkommen alle auf einen Schlag zur Welt zu bringen, mus sich das menschliche Geschlecht meistens mit Kindern erhalten, die einzeln geboren werden. Menschliche Mutter haben Zwillinge, aber nur einmal unter 90 Schwangerschaften, was bedeutet, das jede Mutter nur eine geringe Chance eines solch glucklichen Ereignisses besitzt. Die meisten dieser Zwillinge ahneln sich nicht. Sie sind geschwisterliche Zwillinge. Sie entstanden, weil zwei Eier aus dem mutterlichen Eierstock zur gleichen Zeit in der Gebarmutter ankamen. Dort wurden sie von 2 der vielen abgelagerten Millionen vaterlichen Spermien befruchtet. Einer dieser Zwillinge kann rote Haare, der andere braune haben. Der eine kann ein Knabe, der andere ein Madchen sein. Der eine kann lang, der andere kurz, der eine ein Mathematiker, der andere ein Dichter werden. Solche geschwisterliche Zwillinge werden „dizygot“1 genannt, weil sie von zwei Eiern stammen. Mit groser Wahrscheinlichkeit sind sie nicht identisch.
Leaf Composition of American Bur-Reed (Sparganium americanum Nutt.) to Determine Pesticide Mitigation Capability

American bur-reed (Sparganium americanum Nutt.), a common aquatic plant in the middle and eastern United States and Canada, is often located in water-retaining drainage areas. The purpose of this study was to determine the leaf composition of S. americanum, paying attention to the cuticular waxes and the epidermis, and its ability to sorb pesticides. S. americanum leaves (n = 100) were collected in both early (June) and late (August) summer. Transverse sections of S. americanum were stained and studied with brightfield and fluorescence microscopy to estimate the structural and chemical nature of the leaf tissues cross sections. Mean total lipid content in early summer leaf samples (1.47 ± 0.83 mg mL-1) was significantly greater (alpha 0.05) than late summer leaves (0.15 ± 0.36 mg mL-1). In vitro analysis of epidermal peel permeability exposed to atrazine and malathion determined little to no sorption by the plant. Therefore, the structure of S. americanum leaves suggest this species does not have the capacity of sorbing these pesticides from runoff water.
Measurement of Oxidized/Reduced Glutathione Ratio

Glutathione (GSH) is the most abundant antioxidant in aerobic cells, present in micromolar (microM)-concentrations in bodily fluids and in millimolar (mM) concentrations in tissue. GSH is critical for protecting the brain from oxidative stress, acting as a free radical scavenger and inhibitor of lipid peroxidation. GSH also participates in the detoxification of hydrogen peroxide by various glutathione peroxidases. The ratio of reduced GSH to oxidized GSH (GSSG) is an indicator of cellular health, with reduced GSH constituting up to 98% of cellular GSH under normal conditions. However, the GSH/GSSG ratio is reduced in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Measuring the GSH/GSSG ratio in pathological tissues and experimental models thereof in comparison to the results in controls is an excellent way to assess potential therapeutics efficacy in maintaining cellular redox potential. The availability of UV/Visible instruments equipped with 96-well plate readers as common laboratory equipment has made measuring the GSH/GSSG ratio on multiple samples a manageable procedure.
Zoonotic Diseases of Swine: Food-borne and Occupational Aspects of Infection

Swine and their products have become a central part of food systems around the world. Global pork production has rapidly increased over the past 30 years, leading to the intensification of the swine industry: though there are fewer farms now, those farms that do persist raise ever-larger numbers of animals. This increases the transmission of pathogens both amongst animal herds, and between animals and their human caretakers. Furthermore, increased stress to animals and the potential for amplification of pathogens in the farming environment can lead to a higher burden of disease-causing organisms in and on meat products, which then make their way to consumers world-wide. As such, swine and their meat products have the potential to introduce new zoonotic diseases into populations via multiple routes of transmission. Here we discuss several examples of zoonotic diseases of swine origin, reviewing diseases with bacterial, viral, or parasitic causes.
Instructions for God’s Gift: Emotional Management in the Cultural Transmission of Evangelical Sexuality:

Drawing on a comparative study of evangelical premarital counseling programs, I analyze how the leadership construct sexual discourses that reimagine and reify existing views about sex and how to f...
Inducing synesthesia in non-synesthetes: Short-term visual deprivation facilitates auditory-evoked visual percepts.

Abstract Sounds can modulate activity in visual cortex, facilitating the detection of visual targets. However, these sound-driven modulations are not thought to evoke conscious visual percepts in the general population. In individuals with synesthesia, however, multisensory interactions do lead to qualitatively different experiences such as sounds evoking flashes of light. Why, if multisensory interactions are present in all individuals, do only synesthetes experience abnormal qualia? Competing models differ in the time required for synesthetic experiences to emerge. The cross-activation model suggests synesthesia arises over months or years from the development of abnormal neural connections. Here we demonstrate that after ∼5 min of visual deprivation, sounds can evoke synesthesia-like percepts (vivid colors and Kluver form-constants) in ∼50% of non-synesthetes. These results challenge aspects of the cross-activation model and suggest that synesthesia exists as a latent feature in all individuals, manifesting when the balance of activity across the senses has been altered.
Clinical Surrogates of Right Ventricular-Pulmonary Arterial Uncoupling

Purpose Right ventricular (RV) function is best represented by the ratio of RV contractility to pulmonary arterial (PA) load (RV-PA coupling). Gold standard measurement of RV-PA coupling, using multi-beat pressure-volume (P-V) loop to obtain the ratio of end-systolic elastance (Ees) to effective arterial elastance (Ea), is costly and invasive. Therefore, we sought to identify clinical surrogates of reduced Ees/Ea and RV-PA uncoupling. Methods We prospectively studied 35 patients suspected to have pulmonary hypertension (PH) with same day echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), right heart catheterization, and supine bicycle submaximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Multi-beat RV P-V loop measurements were also performed. Ees/Ea Results Of 35 patients, 26 had resting PH while 9 did not (20/26 had group I PH). Average age was 57±13 years; 30 were women. Compared with baseline Ees/Ea ≥ 1.0, Ees/Ea Conclusion Readily attainable clinical variables correspond to the gold standard Ees/Ea. We identified a novel parameter, exercise change in ΔESV/ΔESP, a marker of RV reserve, which had the best ability to predict RV-PA uncoupling. Future studies will investigate RV ΔESV/ΔESP and other markers of RV reserve.
Sex and the First Amendment Through the Lens of Professional Speech

First Amendment theory and doctrine apply in distinctive ways in the context of professional speech. Within the professional-client relationship, the law constrains professionals in various ways. Professionals are subject to licensing and malpractice regimes. They have fiduciary duties to their clients or patients. Because clients and patients seek professional advice in order to access knowledge they lack but need to make important decisions, professional advice must be comprehensive and accurate according to the insights of the relevant professional knowledge community. And dispensing professional advice within the professional-client relationship ought to remain free from state interference that seeks to prescribe its content in a way that contradicts professional knowledge. Implicit in the professional speech story are themes of sex, gender, sexual orientation, and religion. Much of professional speech doctrine in the courts has most recently developed around conversion therapy laws and legislation concerning reproductive rights. In part due to continued contestation surrounding these issues, the development of professional speech doctrine has been uneven and still lacks theoretical coherence. This Article charts the sites of conflict that typically arise in the professional context, and further unpacks how professional speech theory and doctrine apply in likely future conflicts around reproductive rights and transgender healthcare.
Complications related to entry techniques for laparoscopy in 159 dogs and cats.

OBJECTIVE: To report the frequency and risk factors of complications related to 3 entry techniques for laparoscopy in small animals. STUDY DESIGN: Single‐institution retrospective case series. ANIMALS: 159 client‐owned dogs and cats. METHODS: Medical records were reviewed for dogs and cats undergoing laparoscopic surgery with carbon dioxide (CO₂) insufflation between 2006 and 2018. Data including entry site, entry technique, signalment, body conformation, complications, and operating surgeon/resident were analyzed by univariate regression analysis. Factors with P < .25 were included in multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: Complications occurred in 33 of 159 (21%) surgeries and were considered minor (CO₂ leaks, omental insufflation, repeated entry) in 30 of 33 (91%) cases. The Ternamian visual entry, modified Hasson, and Veress needle entry techniques were associated with complications in 7 (9%), 17 (26%), and 9 (60%) surgeries, respectively. Major complications occurred in 3 of 159 (2%) surgeries, in which entry‐related hemorrhage prompted conversion to an open technique (2 [13%] entries with Veress needle) and 1 [1%] with the Ternamian visual). Entry location and entry technique remained significant in the final multivariate model. Complications were 11.7 times more likely after a paramedian entry than after a midline entry; the odds ratio of complications were 5 and 28 times higher after modified Hasson and Veress needle entries, respectively, than after Ternamian visual entry. CONCLUSION: In this study, a Ternamian visual entry technique and midline entry site appeared associated with fewer complications than 2 other techniques. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The findings in this study are preliminary, and superiority of any entry technique must be reevaluated in a prospective randomized controlled study.
Developing Machine Learning Based Predictive Models for Smart Policing

Crimes are problematic where normal social issues are confronted and influence personal satisfaction, financial development, and quality-of-life of a region. There has been a surge in the crime rate over the past couple of years. To reduce the offense rate, law enforcement needs to embrace innovative preventive technological measures. Accurate crime forecasts help to decrease the crime rate. However, predicting criminal activities is difficult due to the high complexity associated with modeling numerous intricate elements. In this work, we employ statistical analysis methods and machine learning models for predicting different types of crimes in New York City, based on 2018 crime datasets. We combine weather, and its temporal attributes like cloud cover, lighting and time of day to identify relevance to crime data. We note that weatherrelated attributes play a negligible role in crime forecasting. We have evaluated the various performance metrics of crime prediction, with and without the consideration of weather datasets, on different types of crime committed. Our proposed methodology will enable law enforcement to make effective decisions on appropriate resource allocation, including backup officers related to crime type and location.
Efficient recursive estimation of the Riemannian barycenter on the hypersphere and the special orthogonal group with applications

Abstract Finding the Riemannian barycenter (center of mass) or the Frechet mean (FM) of manifold-valued data sets is a commonly encountered problem in a variety of fields of science and engineering, including, but not limited to, medical image computing, machine learning, and computer vision. For example, it is encountered in tasks such as atlas construction, clustering, principal geodesic analysis, and so on. Traditionally, algorithms for computing the FM of the manifold-valued data require that the entire data pool be available a priori and not incrementally. Thus, when encountered with new data, the FM needs to be recomputed over the entire pool, which can be computationally and storage inefficient. A computational and storage efficient alternative is to consider a recursive algorithm for computing the FM, which simply updates the previously computed FM when presented with a new data sample. In this chapter we present such an alternative called the inductive/incremental Frechet mean estimator (iFME) for data residing on two well-known Riemannian manifolds, namely the hypersphere S ( d ) and the special orthogonal group SO ( d ) . We prove the asymptotic convergence of iFME to the true FM of the underlying distribution from which the data samples were drawn. Further we present several experiments demonstrating the performance iFME on synthetic and real data sets.
Teacher Preparation Pathways: Differences in Program Selection and Teacher Retention.

A comparison of population and employment projections shows the gap between teacher supply and demand growing through 2025. Alternative certification programs (ACPs) were created to increase teache...
Association of Germline Genetic Testing Results With Locoregional and Systemic Therapy in Patients With Breast Cancer.

Importance The increasing use of germline genetic testing may have unintended consequences on treatment. Little is known about how women with pathogenic variants in cancer susceptibility genes are treated for breast cancer. Objective To determine the association of germline genetic testing results with locoregional and systemic therapy use in women diagnosed with breast cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants For this population-based cohort study, data from women aged 20 years or older who were diagnosed with stages 0 to III breast cancer between 2014 and 2016 were accrued from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registries of Georgia and California. The women underwent genetic testing within 3 months after diagnosis and were reported to the Georgia and California SEER registries by December 1, 2017. Exposures Pathogenic variant status based on linked results of clinical germline genetic testing by 4 laboratories that did most such testing in the studied regions. Main Outcomes and Measures Potential deviation of treatment from practice guidelines was assessed in the following clinical scenarios: (1) surgery: receipt of bilateral mastectomy by women eligible for less extensive unilateral surgery (unilateral breast tumor); (2) radiotherapy: omission in women indicated for postlumpectomy radiotherapy (all lumpectomy recipients except age ≥70 with stage I, estrogen and/or progesterone receptor [ER/PR] positive,ERBB2[formerlyHER2]-negative disease); and (3) chemotherapy: receipt by women eligible to consider chemotherapy omission (stages I-II, ER/PR-positive,ERBB2-negative, and 21-gene recurrence score of 0-30, which was the upper limit of the intermediate risk range during the study years). The adjusted percentage treated and adjusted odds ratio (OR) are reported based on multivariable modeling for each treatment-eligible group. Results A total of 20 568 women (17.3%) of 119 198 were eligible (mean [SD] age, 51.4 [12.2]). Compared with women whose test results were negative, those withBRCA1/2pathogenic variants were more likely to receive bilateral mastectomy for a unilateral tumor (61.7% vs 24.3%; OR, 5.52, 95% CI, 4.73-6.44), less likely to receive postlumpectomy radiotherapy (50.2% vs 81.5%; OR, 0.22, 95% CI, 0.15-0.32), and more likely to receive chemotherapy for early-stage, ER/PR-positive disease (38.0% vs 30.3%; OR, 1.76 (95% CI, 1.31-2.34). Similar patterns were seen with pathogenic variants in other breast cancer–associated genes (ATM, CDH1, CHEK2, NBN, NF1, PALB2, PTEN,andTP53) but not with variants of uncertain significance. Conclusions and Relevance Women with pathogenic variants inBRCA1/2and other breast cancer–associated genes were found to have distinct patterns of breast cancer treatment; these may be less concordant with practice guidelines, particularly for radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Disposable Chronoamperometric Sensor Coated with Silver Nanowires for Detecting Levofloxacin

The authors have developed an inexpensive and portable biosensor for the rapid determination of levofloxacin (Levo) in water. A screen-printed electrode (SPE) coated with silver nanowires was used ...
Interventions to Enhance Behavioral Engagement

A student who arrives to class prepared to learn and engages in the learning process through on-task behavior and class participation is exhibiting the broad indicators of behavioral engagement: attendance, participation, and behavioral incidents. Behavioral engagement has implications for academic achievement and behavior functioning, including dropout. Thus, it is imperative that schools intervene at the universal and individual levels (when necessary) to ensure behavioral engagement of students. This chapter explores the implications of behavioral engagement, through the lens of broad and specific indicators. As well, universal and individual interventions that align with each indicator are discussed.
Using Constraints in Freight Volume to Identify Regional Needs for Roadway Infrastructure

Policy decisions on the allocation of funds among sub-national regions for transportation infrastructure, specifically for motorways, face budgetary constraints and problems of geographical allocation. The purpose of this research is to assist the policymakers in efficiently allocating resources. The objective of this research is to test the ability of a limited model to identify regions whose freight transport capacity is constrained by lack of motorway infrastructure. This paper conducts an analysis of the relationship between freight transport volume, indicators of the demand for goods, indicators of congestion, and the availability of motorways and class one roadways across regions to determine if a model based on available data may inform the policymakers to effectively use limited funds and avoid unnecessary construction. The NUTS3 regions in the Czech Republic are used to estimate a preliminary model that may be generalized for the use across countries. The analysis finds sufficient variability across regions in the marginal effect of motorways on freight transport to assist the policymakers in determining which regions face the most economically severe constraints, and to separate the effects of population density from the lack of infrastructure. Although the Czech Republic is a developed country, there is significant emphasis, due to the increasing volumes of transportation flows, on the analysis of transportation in relation with the land use.
Imaging for Oncoplastic Procedures

In breast cancer management, the balance between a good surgical cosmetic result and adequate removal of cancer cells can be challenging. Evolving surgical oncoplastic techniques, improvements in breast imaging tools, improvements in chemotherapy/hormonal treatments, and improvements in radiation techniques, are making it easier to achieve this balance. Accurate preoperative determination of the extent and location of disease, which is highly reliant on imaging, guide the surgeon in developing a successful breast conservation approach.
Enhancement of electrical conductivity of carbon nanotube sheets through copper addition using reduction expansion synthesis

Abstract The ability to translate the high electrical conductivity of individual carbon nanotubes to bulk carbon nanotube materials has proven challenging. In this work, we present the use of reduction expansion synthesis to attach copper nanoparticles to the surface of tubes within carbon nanotube sheets. Those metallic particulates serve as a link between the tube strands in the carbon nanotube network and promote an increase in electrical conductivity. The reduction expansion synthesis process included the introduction of copper salts into the carbon nanotube structure and thermal treatment of the sheets in the presence of urea, under inert atmospheres. As a result, through the reduction process promoted by the urea decomposition byproducts, copper nanoparticles directly nucleate on the nanotube surface. The enhanced conductive nature of the Cu-carbon nanotube sheets observed establishes reduction expansion synthesis as an inexpensive, rapid and scalable alternative to increase the electrical conductivity of bulk carbon nanotube materials.
Productivity, Prices and Productivity in Manufacturing: a Demsetzian Perspective

Concentration has increased since the 1980s in a variety of industries. Price-cost margins have also increased over this period. These developments have raised concern about weakened competition and resulting harm to consumers. Calls for tougher antitrust enforcement have become louder. Many years ago Harold Demsetz (1973) cautioned against inferring weakened competition from a confluence of rising margins and concentration. He argued that productivity differences across firms were a potential “omitted variable.” This paper provides evidence on the interplay between concentration, prices and productivity across several hundred US manufacturing industries over two 15 year periods from 1982-2012. The consistent pattern is that high and rising concentration has been on average associated with better productivity growth. Rising concentration has also been associated with widening margins of price-cost margins. I show that widening margins generally, whether related to concentration or not, are mainly driven by productivity gains, not prices. as in the competitive process outlined in Demsetz (1973). Some skepticism about tougher antitrust policy may be warranted, since this would risk harm to productivity without benefiting consumers.
Curative effect of Omeprazole under different treatment courses in treatment of children with PU and HP infection and its influence on inflammatory factors.

Objective: To compare curative effect and safety of omeprazole under different treatment courses in treatment of children with peptic ulcer (PU, diameter ≤1.0cm) and helicobacter pylori (HP) infection and its influence on inflammatory cytokines. Methods: The study was a randomized controlled study and conducted at Baoding children’s hospital from June 2015 to June 2018. In this study 100 PU children with positive HP were chosen and classified into two groups at random. The 58 cases in the observation group were given omeprazole + amoxicillin + clarithromycin, and the antibiotics were not used two weeks later. Then, omeprazole was used to treat for two weeks. 42 cases in the control group were given omeprazole + amoxicillin + clarithromycin for two weeks. Curative effect, HP eradication rate, clinical symptoms, incidence of adverse reactions, level of serum inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) and level of tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) in two groups were compared. Results: Total effective rate, HP eradication rate and clinical symptom relief of observation group were better than those of control group, and the differences showed statistical significance (P<0.05). The differences of two groups in the incidence of adverse reactions had no statistical significance (P<0.05). Serum IL-6 level and TNF-a level of observation group were significantly lower than those of control group and before the treatment, and the differences had statistical significance (P<0.05). Conclusion: The application of omeprazole in treatment of PU patients with positive HP for four weeks can significantly improve PU cure rate and HP eradication rate, relieve clinical symptoms and reduce inflammatory response, so it deserves to be promoted clinically. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.7.3048 How to cite this:Zhang S, Zhang Y, Dong Q, Gu F. Curative effect of Omeprazole under different treatment courses in treatment of children with PU and HP infection and its influence on inflammatory factors. Pak J Med Sci. 2020;36(7):1623-1627. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.7.3048 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
A novel idea: calculating anisotropic turbulence only by Kolmogorov structure constant C$_n^2$ and power law $\alpha$

As stated in the present research, the anisotropic non-Kolmogorov turbulence model is more in line with the actual turbulence. However, anisotropic factor is vital for the accuracy of calculations, and measuring it precisely is a challenging task. In this paper, utilizing three modeling approaches, we derive four different equivalence formulas between the anisotropic non-Kolmogorov and the Kolmogorov structure constants, and apply them to the extant anisotropic results. It is found that the anisotropic factor is eliminated and the anisotropic turbulence can be predicted only by Kolmogorov structure constant and power law.
Design, synthesis and biological applications of glycopolypeptides

Carbohydrates play essential structural and biochemical roles in all living organisms. Glycopolymers are attractive as well-defined biomimetic analogs to study carbohydrate-dependent processes, and are widely applicable biocompatible materials in their own right. Glycopolypeptides have shown great promise in this area since they are closer structural mimics of natural glycoproteins than other synthetic glycopolymers and can serve as carriers for biologically active carbohydrates. This review highlights advances in the area of design and synthesis of such materials, and their biomedical applications in therapeutic delivery, tissue engineering, and beyond.
Examining the self-assembly of patchy alkane-grafted silica nanoparticles using molecular simulation

In this work, molecular dynamics simulations are used to examine the self-assembly of anisotropically coated “patchy” nanoparticles. Specifically, we use a coarse-grained model to examine silica nanoparticles coated with alkane chains, where the poles of the grafted nanoparticle are bare, resulting in strongly attractive patches. Through a systematic screening process, the patchy nanoparticles are found to form dispersed, string-like, and aggregated phases, dependent on the combination of alkane chain length, coating chain density, and the fractional coated surface area. Correlation analysis is used to identify the ability of various particle descriptors to predict bulk phase behavior from more computationally efficient single grafted nanoparticle simulations and demonstrates that the solvent-accessible surface area of the nanoparticle core is a key predictor of bulk phase behavior. The results of this work enhance our knowledge of the phase space of patchy nanoparticles and provide a powerful approach for future screening of these materials.
Sound, Truth, and Paradigm

This essay proposes a phenomenology of sound and music focused on the notions of truth and paradigm. It begins with Heidegger’s view of art as a tool for achieving truth, followed by Kuhn’s ideas on advances in science by way of paradigms and revolutions. The notion of paradigm as a disciplinary matrix leads to a comparative approach between science and art, aiming to observe similarities and differences. With a brief look at Wittgenstein’s concept of the language game, we will examine the notions of paradigm and signature in Agamben’s philosophical archeology. Three cultural paradigms within the history of Western music are explored: vocal, instrumental, and electroacoustic. Delving into the notion of apparatus as a process of subjectivation, we will investigate how the electroacoustic paradigm builds capacity for apparatuses to expand consciousness of sound phenomena. A paradigm shift has occurred from a subjective hermeneutic view of the world, to a thinking shaped by cybernetics and information theory. The automaticity of music apparatuses is viewed through several lenses, including the way that the electroacoustic paradigm inaugurated the era of music as a torture apparatus. Flusser’s notion of the telematic paradigm highlights the communicative complexity of modern society and the idea of chamber music as a model for dialogic telematic communication. A final question is posed on how creativity continues to shape contemporary music.
Citizen Kane (1941) and Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby (2013)

Baz Luhrmann’s Red Curtain trilogy of Strictly Ballroom, Romeo and Juliet, and Moulin Rouge! progressively reduces narrative in favor of recounting already known stories, emphasizing performance and spectacle, and deploying music to stimulate “participation.” For The Great Gatsby, Luhrmann deploys Leonardo DiCaprio’s star person—constructed from roles as a troubled youth, an idealistic lover, a con artist, and a man of mystery—as a short hand in presenting Fitzgerald’s protagonist. DiCapro especially evokes Howard Hughes from Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator, which in turn references Citizen Kane. Amalgamating Jay Gatsby, directly and indirectly, with DiCaprio, Hughes, Charles Foster Kane, William Randolph Hearst, and Orsen Welles clarifies and mythologizes the already simplified outline of Fitzgerald’s hero for Luhrmann’s operatic and ritualistic mode of cinema.
The Elasticity of Partisanship in Congress: An Analysis of Legislative Bipartisanship

In recent election cycles, Republican members of Congress distanced themselves, at least rhetorically, from an unpopular party image and president. In more recent months, we've seen the economic crisis draw out fierce displays of partisanship over stimulus spending. Why should the behavior of members change in the short-term if there are no changes in ideology or membership? This project explores three complementary questions central to this puzzle. First, do members of Congress go beyond rhetoric, to actually changing their legislative behavior, in response to changes in the legislative context (specifically, an unpopular president or poor economic conditions)? Second, do all members change their behavior or are changes restricted to the most electorally vulnerable members? Third, can changes in the composition of the legislative agenda (that correspond with changes in presidential approval or economic crisis) explain these short-term fluctuations in bipartisan cooperation? By looking at the bill cosponsorship patterns of individual members from the 98th-109th Congresses, I examine the likelihood that members engage in bipartisan coalitions as a function of presidential popularity and economic conditions. The evidence suggests that while the response of legislative behavior to presidential approval varies across Congresses, there is more support for an agenda content argument than for concern with the popularity of the party as a brand. The results of this study have implications for a number of areas of legislative politics, including legislative behavior and preferences, the study of the congressional agenda, and party branding.
Raza y etnicidad en la cocina argentina: una historia de la cocina criolla y de Doña Petrona

Este articulo analiza las relaciones entre alimentos e identidad racial en el siglo XX en Argentina.Excepto por un pequeno numero de trabajos sobre historia de los alimentos que exploran su dimension etnica, o mas precisamente de los pueblos y grupos que las preparan y consumen, la raza no se ha constituido en un topico de analisis. No obstante, tomado demanera conjunta, las historias de los alimentos en Argentina demuestran que las personas que los preparaban provenian de tradiciones etnicas y raciales distintas, muchas de ellas noeuropeas, que desempenaron un papel principal en crear platos y preparar alimentos. Entre la mas influyente estaba Dona Petrona C. de Gandulfo, mujer de Santiago del Estero, entrenadaen la herencia de la cocina francesa, europea e indigena, y autora del best-seller El libro de Dona Petrona. Reconstruyendo los relatos considerados como “cocina nacional” durante el siglo XX, este texto busca desarmar los complejos significados etnicos y raciales asociados a la “cocina criolla” en Argentina.
The voltage-dependent, slow inward current induced by the neuropeptide FMRFamide in Aplysia neuron R14

The effects of the peptide FMRFamide (Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-NH2) on the soma of neuron R14 in the abdominal ganglion of Aplysia californica and A. brasiliana were characterized. Pressure-ejected FMRFamide caused 3 types of responses, (1) a fast outward current (duration, less than 30 sec), (2) a fast inward current (duration, less than 20 sec), and (3) a slow inward current (peak at 0.5-1 min; duration, 2-3 min). The slow inward current, the chief object of this study, arises from a voltage-dependent conductance increase. The FMRFamide-elicited slow inward current is largest between -40 mV and -20 mV, the region of a negative slope resistance in the normal current-voltage relationship for R14. The slow FMRFamide-induced inward current is largely carried by Na+. This current is independent of external [K+] but depends inversely on external [Ca2+] and [Cl-]. The concentrations of the latter ions may influence the voltage dependence of the response. The slow inward current has many properties in common with inward currents induced in other molluscan neurons by applications of neuropeptides or intracellular injections of cyclic nucleotides.
DCO + in Nearby Dense Cores

Myers and Benson (1983) conducted a survey of nearby molecular cores for NH3. They identified 27 such cores, with an average TK ~ 10 K and an average density of 104. This sample allows one to investigate physical conditions in low mass cores, with a variety of techniques. In addition, it is possible to test chemical models of processes such as deuterium fractionation. We observed the NH3 cores using the DCO+ and H13CO+ (J=1−0) lines with the NRAO 12 meter, and the DCO+ (J=2−1) line with the MWO 5 meter. The line intensities were corrected to TR, where a source size of 2′ was assumed for ηc. We compare the observed DCO+/HCO+ ratio with current models of deuterium fractionation, and we compare the derived properties of the DCO+ core with those derived from NH3 and CS.
The CMU-Avenue French-English Translation System

This paper describes the French-English translation system developed by the Avenue research group at Carnegie Mellon University for the Seventh Workshop on Statistical Machine Translation (NAACL WMT12). We present a method for training data selection, a description of our hierarchical phrase-based translation system, and a discussion of the impact of data size on best practice for system building.
Health care supply and county-level variation in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder prescription medications.

PURPOSE Although much literature reports small-area variation in medication prescriptions used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), scant research has examined factors that may drive this variation. We examine, across counties in the USA, whether the use of prescription medications to treat ADHD varies positively with supply-side healthcare characteristics. METHODS We retrieved annual prescription data for ADHD medications in 2734 US counties from a nationally representative sample of 35 000 pharmacies in 2001-2003. We used a county-level, multivariable fixed effects analysis to estimate the relation between annual changes in healthcare supply and ADHD medication prescriptions. Methods controlled for time-invariant factors unique to each county as well as ADHD prevalence. RESULTS From 2001 to 2003, retail prescription purchases for ADHD medications increased 33.2%. In the multivariable analysis, ADHD medication prescriptions move positively with an increase in the concentration of total physicians. In addition, ADHD medication prescriptions move inversely with changes in the percentage of non-Hispanic Black population. CONCLUSIONS Supply-side healthcare factors may contribute to the rise from 2001 to 2003 in ADHD medication prescriptions. This finding warrants attention because it implies that the relative capacity of the healthcare system may influence population prescription rates. We encourage further exploration of the contribution of the supply-side of the healthcare market to secular changes in ADHD medication prescriptions.
Fragment spanning the SV40 replication origin is the only DNA sequence required in cis for viral excision

A 311-base pair fragment containing the SV40 origin of replication was linked to the chicken thymidine kinase gene on a recombinant plasmid. This molecule was transfected into human 143 thymidine kinase-deficient (TK-) cells, and colonies positive for thymidine kinase were selected. When cell lines derived from these colonies were fused to permissive simian cells that produce SV40 T antigen, the recombinant plasmid excised itself from the human cellular genome and replicated with a high copy number per cell. These results show that this segment of the viral genome is the only sequence required in cis to mediate SV40 excision and replication upon fusion to permissive cells. In addition, we have shown that excised plasmids apparently identical to the input DNA can be efficiently rescued in Escherichia coli. SV40 excision and replication may therefore be useful for the recovery of cloned genes from eukaryotic cells.