cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On a framework for the prediction and explanation of changing opinions

One of the greatest challenges in accurately modeling a human system is the integration of dynamic, fine-grained information in a meaningful way. A model must allow for reasoning in the face of uncertain and incomplete information and be able to provide an easy to understand explanation of why the system is behaving as it is. To date, work in multi-agent systems has failed to come close to capturing these critical elements. Much of the problem is due the fact that most theories about the behavior of such a system are not computational in nature, they come from the social sciences. It is very difficult to successfully get from these qualitative social theories to meaningful computational models of the same phenomena. We focus on analysis of human populations where discerning the opinions of the members of the populace is integral in understanding behavior on an individual and group level. Our approach allows the easy aggregation and de-aggregation of information from multiple sources and in multiple data types into a unified model. We also present an algorithm that can be used to automatically detect the variables in the model that are causing changes in opinion over time. This gives our model the capability to explain why swings in opinion may be experienced in a principled, computational manner. An example is given based on the 2008 South Carolina Democratic Primary election. We show that our model is able to provide both predictions of how the population may vote and why they are voting this way. Our results compare favorably with the election results and our explanation of the changing trends compares favorably with the explanations given by experts.
Chamber lidar measurements of biological aerosols

In order to determine the performance of standoff sensors against agents, there is a need to develop methods to characterize the optical properties of biological warfare agents. The goal of this work is to develop a methodology that would allow the characterization of agent optical cross sections from the UV to the longwave IR. The present work demonstrates an optical measurement architecture based on lidar technology, allowing the measurement of backscatter and depolarization ratio from biological aerosols (either simulants or agents) released in a refereed, 1m3 chamber. Measured results on simulant materials are calibrated and compared to theoretical simulations of the cross sections.
Status of surfactant EOR technology

Abstract Surfactant enhanced oil recovery (EOR) includes surfactant flooding and surfactant stimulation. The main functions of surfactants are to reduce interfacial tension and wettability alteration. This paper is to review the EOR technology related to surfactant injection. The reviewed topics include the following: • Surfactant EOR mechanisms • Factors affecting interfacial tension • Trapping number • Screening criteria • Laboratory work • Numerical simulation work • Summary of pilot and large-scale applications • Surfactants used • Salinity gradient • Surfactant EOR in carbonate reservoirs • Surfactant EOR in shale reservoirs
A new AlGaN/GaN power HFET employing partial deep trench drain structure for high voltage application

A new AlGaN/GaN heterojuction field effect transistor (HFET) employing the partial deep trench drain structure for high voltage application has been proposed and verified successfully to achieve low leakage current and small Rdson. In order to reduce leakage current and on-resistance of HFET devices, we propose a partial deep trench on drain edge adjacent to access region for the first time, which contributes to reducing the surface electric field under the off-state. In addition, trenched area under drain Ohmic metal enhances Ohmic contact on the surface of AlGaN layer which reduces contact resistivity of drain Ohmic contact. The proposed deep trench drain successfully reduces Ohmic contact resistance under the on-state and leakage current under the off-state at the same time.
Copyright and the First Amendment; What Eldred Misses - and Portends

This chapter, to be published as part of an anthology about copyright and free speech in the U.S., U.K. and Continental Europe, critically assesses the First Amendment portion of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Eldred v. Ashcroft. In rejecting Eldred's challenge to the Copyright Term Extension Act, the Court held that when "Congress has not altered the traditional contours of copyright protection, further First Amendment scrutiny is unnecessary." In so holding, the Court put to rest the D.C. Circuit's sweeping suggestion that "copyrights are categorically immune from challenges under the First Amendment." But the Court largely (although not entirely) closed the door to First Amendment challenges to "traditional" copyright, thus perpetuating courts' persistent and anomalous refusal to apply to copyright the First Amendment scrutiny regularly applied to other speech burdening private rights. No less disappointing than the Court's holding is its reasoning. Eldred shows remarkably little understanding of, or appreciation for, the First Amendment values at stake in copyright's burdening of speech. And the majority's opinion gives further credence to lower court justifications for exonerating copyright from First Amendment review, some of them no less doctrinally and logically unsound than the broad statement that copyrights are categorically immune from First Amendment challenge. Yet, despite the Court's abjuration of First Amendment scrutiny for traditional copyright, the decision leaves room for the First Amendment both to inform copyright jurisprudence and oversee some Copyright Act amendments. Most broadly, in rejecting (or at least qualifying) copyright's categorical immunity, the Court explicitly recognized that, in principle, copyright does implicate the First Amendment. And, in that vein, the Court then suggested some specific ways in which the First Amendment might yet circumscribe copyright holder prerogatives. These include First Amendment scrutiny of Copyright Act amendments, such as the anticircumvention provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, that do alter copyright's traditional contours. In addition, the Court suggested that copyright's internal free speech safeguards, including the fair use privilege and idea/expression dichotomy, should be broadly construed to accommodate First Amendment concerns. Courts are understandably disinclined to adopt rules that would require them to entertain First Amendment defenses to individual copyright infringement actions. But taking Eldred as a starting point, I suggest some ways in which courts could bring the First Amendment to bear on copyright doctrine by implementing specific and tightly-focused substantive and remedial rules and evidentiary presumptions designed to protect free speech without requiring a case-by-case adjudication of First Amendment principles.
High Performance Computing Systems with Various Checkpointing Schemes

Finding the failure rate of a system is a crucial step in high performance computing systems analysis. To deal with this problem, a fault tolerant mechanism, called checkpoint/ restart technique, was introduced. However, there are additional costs to perform this mechanism. Thus, we propose two models for different schemes (full and incremental checkpoint schemes). The models which are based on the reliability of the system are used to determine the checkpoint placements. Both proposed models consider a balance of between checkpoint overhead and the re-computing time. Due to the extra costs from each incremental checkpoint during the recovery period, a method to find the number of incremental checkpoints between two consecutive full checkpoints is given. Our simulation suggests that in most cases our incremental checkpoint model can reduce the waste time more than it is reduced by the full checkpoint model. The waste times produced by both models are in the range of 2% to 28% of the application completion time depending on the checkpoint overheads.
Innovation and Improvements of Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Systems for Modular Construction Using Building Information Modeling

Modular construction is defined as structure units fabricated in a manufacturing plant away from the jobsite. In the building industry, prefabricated modules are normally completed with mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) installed. Prior to the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) software technology, the coordination of MEP systems had created major challenges for complex buildings and industrial plants and limited the potential for pre-fabrication in modular construction projects. The prefabrication coordination process has historically involved representatives from each all trades working together to locate equipment and route connecting elements for each system. The use of BIM software technology has facilitated the prefabrication coordination process and has increased the potential for prefabrication on multiple levels. This paper explores and presents the current research and demonstrates how BIM software technology can be utilized to further innovation and increase the opportunities for prefabrication of MEP systems for modular construction projects.
Mysticism and Materiality: Pearl and the Theology of Metaphor

Drawing on Elliot Wolfson’s recent analysis of dreams and language, this essay demonstrates that metaphor is the linguistic site of the phenomenon that we call “mysticism.” Through repeated deployments of its central metaphor, the Middle English poem Pearl highlights the paradox that lies at the heart of every metaphor: the simultaneous and irreducible coexistence of similarity and difference. Focusing on metaphor in the poem also demonstrates the importance of thoroughgoing materiality, both to metaphor and to mysticism. The intense materiality of Pearl’s language produces its mysticism; it is through the interplay of immanence and transcendence in the poem that we can identify its mystical effect.
Yield-increasing Effect of Yield-enhancing QTLs from O. rufipogon Transferred to 9311,a Male Parent of Medium Super Hybrid Rice

Five plants containing the yield-enhancing QTLs yld1.1,yld2.1 or both of them were each selected from the(9311/O.rufipogon∥9311)BC4F3 population developed by molecular marker-assisted selection and field evaluation,and they were crossed to Pei′ai 64S to obtain 15 F1 hybrids.The yield-increasing effect of the yield-enhancing QTLs was studied with the 15 hybrid combinations and Liangyou Peijiu(Pei′ai 64S/9311,as the check,a pioneer medium super hybrid rice combination) as materials.The results showed that the average theoretical yield of the hybrids containing the yield-enhancing QTLs was higher than that of the CK by 16.41%,the average harvest yield of them was higher than that of the CK by 7.14% with 14(or 93.3%) hybrids yielding higher than the CK.The hybrids containing the yield-enhancing QTLs had more effective panicles,higher seed-setting rate and heavier 1 000-grain weight than the CK.It is indicated that the yield-enhancing QTLs from O.rufipogon have been well expressed in the F1 hybrids of the improved 9311,and have a remarkable effect on yield increase and show a great potential in hybrid rice breeding.
Transjugular portosystemic shunt. The current concepts

The transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is an alternative therapeutic approach in the treatment of hemorrhagic portal hypertension. The use of this procedure was established in 1988 and since then, its use has extended impressively. Currently, the accepted indication for TIPS is the variceal bleeding secondary to portal hypertension refractory to medical management or sclerotherapy. In this paper the basic concepts of the TIPS procedure are reviewed, including historical perspective, technical aspects, indications, contraindications and complications.
Drug interchanges at the pharmacy: safe for cardiovascular disease?

With the development of sustained-release formulations for various chronic diseases, long-standing questions about the “interchangeability” of drugs have acquired new pertinence. A case in point is provided by verapamil.
Correlation Between the Lauge-Hansen Classification and Ligament Injuries in Ankle Fractures.

Objective:To evaluate the ability of the Lauge-Hansen classification to predict ligament injuries in ankle fractures using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and intraoperative findings.Design:Prospective evaluation in consecutive patients.Setting:Academic level 1 trauma center.Patients:Three-hundred
Review: Bomarzo: il Sacro Bosco Edited by Sabine Frommel, with the collaboration of Andrea Alessi

Edited by Sabine Frommel , with the collaboration of Andrea Alessi . Bomarzo: il Sacro Bosco . Milan: Electa, 2009, 352 pp., 273 b/w and 80 color illus. €90 (cloth), ISBN 9788837063924 883706392X The Sacro Bosco (sacred wood) at Bomarzo is the most extraordinary and endlessly fascinating of Renaissance estates. The creation of Pierfrancesco Orsini, known as Vicino (1523–1585), a cultured and erudite noble condottiere, it was begun about 1552 and continued sporadically through his life. Much was done in the few years after 1560, when his beloved wife, Giulia Farnese, died, including construction of the tempietto dedicated to her. Throughout the bosco are inscriptions, several alluding to Dante, Petrarch, and Ariosto's Orlando Furioso . In letters, Vicino always used the terms bosco or boschetto (little wood) and the moniker Sacro Bosco, which derives from Jacopo Sannazaro's Arcadia , appears in one of the inscriptions. The sculptures, a number carved from the volcanic outcroppings, include fantastic animals, colossal figures, mythological characters, grotesque heads, pseudo-Etruscan tombs, and fake ruins. While some of the garden elements belong to a familiar type, as do the themes of art and nature, love and death, and playful references to the passage of time, their particular manifestations here are unique. Uniqueness was precisely the aim: the inscriptions invite astonishment at the marvels, which compete with the seven wonders of the ancient world. Rediscovered in an abandoned state in the 1940s, the Sacro Bosco has inspired a novel, an opera, Surrealist paintings, Niki de Saint Phalle's Tarot Garden, and numerous popular and scholarly books and essays with a wide variety of interpretations. The garden has been rehabilitated and opened to the public, becoming an off-the-beaten-track tourist attraction, re-imagined as a Park of Monsters and a proto-theme park. This substantial volume began with a conference held at the Palazzo Orsini at Bomarzo in September 2007 and features twenty-three short essays addressed to an audience already familiar with the Sacro Bosco. Those interested in pursuing further the compelling questions of attribution, …
An Experimental Study of the Turbulent Development of Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability from a Three-Dimensional Random Initial Perturbation

The Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI) develops when a perturbed interface between two fluids of different densities is subjected to an impulsive acceleration. The acceleration causes the initial perturbations to grow and eventually become turbulent. The instability is of great fundamental interest in fluid mechanics and physics.
Optimization and sequencing of chilled-water plant based on extremum seeking control

Chilled-water plants with multiple chillers are the backbone of ventilation and air conditioning (VAC) systems for commercial buildings. Optimal operation and sequencing of such plant has great impact on building energy efficiency. Large variations in equipment characteristics and operating conditions make it difficult and expensive to obtain plant models required by model-based control/optimization approaches. For a variable primary flow (VPF) chilled-water plant with parallel chillers, a model-free optimization and sequencing strategy is proposed to maximize energy efficiency in real time, based on a penalty-function based multivariate extremum seeking control (ESC). The ESC takes the total power consumption (chiller compressors + cooling tower fan + condenser water pumps + input-saturation penalty) as feedback, while tower fan airflow, condenser water flows and evaporator leaving chilled-water temperature setpoint as manipulative inputs. A band-pass filter array replaces the high-pass filter in the standard ESC to reduce the cross-channel interference. The chiller sequencing is enabled with input saturation related signals. Simulation study is performed under several testing conditions using a Modelica based dynamic simulation model of a chilled-water plant with two parallel chillers, one cooling tower, one air-handling unit and one zone. Simulation results validate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy with significant energy saving demonstrated.
Denisovans, Melanesians, Europeans, and Neandertals: The Confusion of DNA Assumptions and the Biological Species Concept.

A number of recent articles have appeared on the Denisova fossil remains and attempts to produce DNA sequences from them. One of these recently appeared in Science by Vernot et al. (Science 352:235–239, 2016). We would like to advance an alternative interpretation of the data presented. One concerns the problem of contamination/degradation of the determined DNA sequenced. Just as the publication of the first Neandertal sequence included an interpretation that argued that Neandertals had not contributed any genes to modern humans, the Denisovan interpretation has considerable influence on ideas regarding human evolution. The new papers, however, confuse established ideas concerning the nature of species, as well as the use of terms like premodern, Archaic Homo, and Homo heidelbergensis. Examination of these problems presents a solution by means of reinterpreting the results. Given the claims for gene transfer among a number of Mid Pleistocene hominids, it may be time to reexamine the idea of anagenesis in hominid evolution.
HIV Infection Increases Susceptibility to Smoking-Induced Emphysema

2000;117;285S Chest Henk F. Kauffman and Dirkje S. Postma Steven R. Rutgers, Huib AM Kerstjens, Wim Timens, Nikolaos Tzanakis, * -Monophosphate in COPD ′ Hyperresponsiveness to Adenosine 5 Airway Inflammation and http://chestjournal.chestpubs.org/content/117/5_suppl_1/285S.2.full.html services can be found online on the World Wide Web at: The online version of this article, along with updated information and ISSN:0012-3692 ) http://chestjournal.chestpubs.org/site/misc/reprints.xhtml ( written permission of the copyright holder. this article or PDF may be reproduced or distributed without the prior Dundee Road, Northbrook, IL 60062. All rights reserved. No part of Copyright2000by the American College of Chest Physicians, 3300 Physicians. It has been published monthly since 1935. is the official journal of the American College of Chest Chest
Interactions and consequences of silicon, nitrogen, and Fusarium palustre on herbivory and DMSP levels of Spartina alterniflora

Abstract Sudden Vegetation Dieback (SVD) has been associated with multiple factors affecting the health of Spartina alterniflora . These include altered nutrition (N, Si and various metals), herbivory from the purple marsh crab, and the association with a fungal pathogen ( Fusarium palustre ). A metabolite produced by Spartina alterniflora that has been associated with plant health is dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), but little information exist on how these biotic stressors and nutrition interact to affect DMSP levels. Understanding how these factors might be interrelated might provide insight into the etiology of SVD. Surveys of a marsh affected by SVD confirmed lower levels of DMSP and higher concentrations of Si and other metals were present in Sp. alterniflora when compared to plants from marsh that exhibited no signs of SVD. In repeated greenhouse experiments, the application of Si to Sp. alterniflora had no effect on DMSP concentrations. However, when plants were inoculated with the pathogenic fungus, Fusarium palustre, and then treated with Si, DMSP levels were elevated 27%. Inoculation alone had no effect on DMSP levels. Si application neither favor growth nor suppress the stunting effect of disease by F. palustre . Furthermore, grazing by Sesarma reticulatum , a herbivorous crab, was not affected by Si nutrition. Grazing was increased by nitrogen fertilization and inoculation with F. palustre . Deciphering the role of Si nutrition in Sp. alterniflora and dieback remains unresolved, but no evidence suggests enhancing Si nutrition would directly favor marsh health.
Creating a Theatrical Experience on a Virtual Stage

This paper describes the use of virtual and augmented reality, combined with motion capture technologies, to produce virtual theatre: live theatrical performance fully realized and experienced in a virtual space. The virtual theatre dance performance Farewell to Dawn, which was presented in Rochester, NY in December 2016, is used to illustrate and explore affordances of these technologies in terms the liveness, perspective, and social presence.
Updates on Robotic Intracorporeal Urinary Diversions.

More than a century of development has led to contemporary urinary diversion. It is paramount that robotic intracorporeal diversions uphold the principles defined by open surgery. In this review, we discuss the fundamental open surgical principles that have led to contemporary techniques of urinary diversion. We then outline the technical aspects of several recently described robotic intracorporeal urinary diversions in the context of these surgical principles. Several potential benefits of intracorporeal urinary diversion are being investigated—such as a reduction in gastrointestinal complications, ureteral strictures, and wound complications. Finally, we highlight the important aspects of establishing an intracorporeal urinary diversion program integrated with an Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) program. We have included the perioperative outcomes of 100 consecutive cases of intracorporeal urinary diversion with an Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocol. In this series, 49% were continent diversions. Patients had a median length of stay of 5 days, with 37% staying 4 days or less. High-grade complications and readmissions were noted in 22 and 20% of patients, respectively. The benefits of intracorporeal urinary diversion appear promising, and there is continued need for high-quality randomized controlled trials to define its role in patients undergoing radical cystectomy.
Consecrated Counseling: Reflections on the Distinctives of Christian Counseling:

Authors seeking to clarify the distinctives of Christian counseling have chiefly emphasized (a) the context of counseling—church and parachurch settings, (b) the context or intervention techniques ...
Strong G-Protein-Mediated Inhibition of Sodium Channels.

Summary Voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) are strategically positioned to mediate neuronal plasticity because of their influence on action potential waveform. VGSC function may be strongly inhibited by local anesthetic and antiepileptic drugs and modestly modulated via second messenger pathways. Here, we report that the allosteric modulators of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) cinacalcet, calindol, calhex, and NPS 2143 completely inhibit VGSC current in the vast majority of cultured mouse neocortical neurons. This form of VGSC current block persisted in CaSR-deficient neurons, indicating a CaSR-independent mechanism. Cinacalcet-mediated blockade of VGSCs was prevented by the guanosine diphosphate (GDP) analog GDPβs, indicating that G-proteins mediated this effect. Cinacalcet inhibited VGSCs by increasing channel inactivation, and block was reversed by prolonged hyperpolarization. Strong cinacalcet inhibition of VGSC currents was also present in acutely isolated mouse cortical neurons. These data identify a dynamic signaling pathway by which G-proteins regulate VGSC current to indirectly modulate central neuronal excitability.
Ethical Considerations for Assessing Parent Mental Health during Child Assessment Services.

Parents play an integral role in the mental health service provision of children and adolescents, and they can have significant effects on the outcomes of youth. A growing body of research has link...
Introduction: Our Concerns about the American Family

This book is intended for people who work with families. More specifically, it is written for people whose work with families has concerned them and made them wonder: What’s happening to the American family? People are troubled about different aspects of current family life.
Nutritional and toxicological evaluations of kochia hay (Kochia scoparia) fed to lambs.

Kochia foliage that had tested positive to Dragendorff's reagent (presumptive alkaloids) and had elicited chronic toxicosis when fed to rats was fed to sheep to characterize early stages of kochia toxicosis and evaluate treatments that might improve tolerance. Twelve fine-wool lambs (46 +/- 9 kg BW) were fed chopped kochia hay (35%) mixed with chopped alfalfa hay (65%) for 4 wk. The kochia diet had 14.3% CP and 39.9% ADF. Dry matter intake averaged 3.4% of BW/d. Body weight did not change during 4 wk and blood serum components were not changed from values at the onset. Thereafter, kochia was increased to 50% of diet for five more weeks, during which four treatments were imposed randomly (three lambs/treatment): 1) none; 2) N-acetyl-L-cysteine plus trans-stilbene oxide, 21 and 52 mg/kg of BW, respectively, given i.p. twice weekly; 3) retinyl palmitate, 275 mg, plus alpha-tocopherol, 300 mg/lamb dosed i.m. twice weekly; and 4) zinc sulfate mixed in the feed to provide 500 mg daily. Kochia contained 4.8% oxalate. The diet with 50% kochia had 16% CP and 36% ADF, and digestibility coefficients were 59% for DM, 72% for CP, and 59% for ADF. After 5 wk, blood glucose was elevated slightly, total bilirubin was increased about 1.5-fold (P less than .05), alanine aminotransferase was elevated slightly (P less than .05), and inorganic phosphorus and urea (blood urea N) were diminished (P less than .05); other serum components, including calcium, were unchanged from initial levels (P greater than .10). Treatments had negligible effects for modifying serum signs of mild chronic toxicosis associated with kochia hay fed as 50% of diet.
Review and Validation of Bayesian Dose-Optimizing Software and Equations for Calculation of the Vancomycin Area Under the Curve in Critically Ill Patients

Background Vancomycin area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) has been linked to efficacy and safety. An accurate method of calculating the AUC is needed. Methods Bayesian dose-optimizing software programs available for clinician use and first-order pharmacokinetic equations were evaluated for their ability to estimate vancomycin AUC. A previously published rich pharmacokinetic data set of 19 critically ill patients was used for validation of the AUC estimation. The AUC estimated using subsets of the full data set by Bayesian software and equations was compared with the reference AUC. Accuracy (ratio of estimated AUC to the reference AUC) and bias (percentage difference of estimated AUC to reference AUC) were calculated. Results Five Bayesian dose-optimizing software programs (Adult and Pediatric Kinetics [APK], BestDose, DoseMe, InsightRx, and Precise PK) and two first-order pharmacokinetic equations were included. Of the Bayesian programs, InsightRx was the most adaptable, visually appealing, easiest to use, and had the most company support. Utilizing only the trough, accuracy (range 0.79-1.03) and bias (range 5.1-21.2%) of the Bayesian dose-optimizing software were variable. Precise PK and BestDose had the most accurate estimates with the accuracy values of BestDose exhibiting the most variability of all the programs; however, both programs were more difficult to use. Precise PK was the least biased (median 5.1%). Using a single nontrough value produced similar results to that of the trough for most programs. The addition of a second level to the trough improved the accuracy and bias for DoseMe and InsightRx but not Precise PK and BestDose. APK did not reliably estimate the AUC with input of two levels. Using two levels, the pharmacokinetic equations produced similar or better accuracy and bias as compared with Bayesian software. Conclusion Bayesian dose-optimizing software using one or more vancomycin levels and pharmacokinetic equations utilizing two vancomycin levels produce similar estimates of the AUC.
“My Heart is in That Interest Too”: Recognizing Opportunities for Social Entrepreneurship

This research focuses on the recognition of opportunities for social entrepreneurship. While opportunity recognition in commercial entrepreneurship has been widely studied, lessons from that domain...
A simple algorithm to improve quality while reducing resource utilization in evaluation of suspected appendicitis in children.

Abstract Background With similar effectiveness of ultrasonography, our institution replaced CT imaging with ultrasound for diagnosing appendicitis in children. An unexpected consequence was the overutilization of ultrasound. Our objective was to establish measures that could help prevent this overuse. Methods A retrospective chart review of 327 consecutive pediatric patients evaluated for appendicitis between October 2014 and September 2015 at our institution was performed. Data on clinical, radiographic, and histopathologic findings were reviewed. Diagnostic accuracy of US and white blood cell (WBC) values was determined. An algorithm was created. Results 327 (100%) patients received an ultrasound for suspected appendicitis. WBC of 10,000/μl was determined to be the primary discriminant for management and ultrasound utilization. If a WBC ≥10,000/μL had been utilized as criteria for imaging, 49.5% fewer patients would have received an ultrasound. Conclusions Clinical exam, WBC count, and surgery consultation prior to ultrasonography can lessen then need for ultrasound utilization in children with suspected appendicitis.
Low-temperature characterization of multijunction solar cells using a combined characterization approach

We combined light current-voltage, dark currentvoltage, quantum efficiency, and electroluminescence at varying low temperatures to identify and quantify defects, current mismatch effects, saturation currents, and diode quality of each subcell. We attempt to provide a method for spectral mismatch correction for fill factor for each subcell as well as identify how defects, current mismatch, and radiation will affect performance of multijunction solar cells at LILT, AM 0, and AM 1.5.
Maternal and gestational influences on childhood blood pressure

Exposures that contribute to a sub-optimal intrauterine environment can have an effect on the developing fetus. Impaired fetal growth that results in low birth weight is an established risk factor for cardio-metabolic disorders later in life. Recent epidemiologic and prospective cohort studies that include the maternal and gestational period have identified maternal and gestational conditions that confer increased risk for subsequent cardio-metabolic disorders in the absence of low birth weight. Maternal pre-conception health status, including chronic obesity and type 2 diabetes, increase risk for childhood obesity and obesity-related higher blood pressure (BP) in child offspring. Maternal gestational exposures, including gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, and preeclampsia, are associated with higher BP in offspring. Other maternal exposures such as cigarette smoke and air pollution also increase risk for higher BP in child offspring. Recent, but limited, data indicate that assisted reproductive technologies can be associated with hypertension in childhood, despite otherwise normal gestation and healthy newborn. Gestational exposures associated with higher BP in childhood can be related to familial lifestyle factors, genetics, or epigenetic modification of fetal deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). These factors, or combination of factors, as well as other adverse intrauterine conditions, could induce fetal programing leading to health consequences in later life. Current and developing research will provide additional insights on gestational exposures and fetal adjustments that increase risk for higher BP levels in childhood.
Native IM-Orbitrap MS: Resolving what was hidden

Abstract Native ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) is an emerging biophysical approach to probe the intricate details of protein structure and function. The instrument design enables measurements of accurate first-principle determinations of rotationally-averaged ion-neutral collision cross sections coupled with high-mass, high-resolution mass measurement capabilities of Orbitrap MS. The inherent duty-cycle mismatch between drift tube IM and Orbitrap MS is alleviated by operating the drift tube in a frequency modulated mode while continuously acquiring mass spectra with the Orbitrap MS. Fourier transform of the resulting time-domain signal, i.e., ion abundances as a function of the modulation frequency, yields a frequency domain spectrum that is then converted (s−1 to s) to IM drift time. This multiplexed approach allows for a duty-cycle of 25% compared to
Radiotherapy and Radiosurgery for Craniopharyngiomas

Abstract Although gross total resection of craniopharyngiomas is the gold standard for treatment, extrasellar extension and adhesion to critical neurovascular structures may limit the extent of surgical extirpation. Radiotherapy has emerged as a valuable adjuvant treatment modality for recurrent or residual craniopharyngiomas. Several radiotherapeutic modalities, including fractionated external beam radiation therapy and single session radiosurgery, have been used over the past three decades, and these offer reasonable rates of long-term tumor control. In this chapter, we introduce the various modalities and compare their efficacy and safety. The prognostic factors associated with successful treatment, and radiation-induced complications are analyzed. The goal of this chapter is to define the current role of radiotherapy in the treatment armamentarium for craniopharyngioma patients.
The Diagnostic Borderlands of the Autism Spectrum

We look at children who might have other or additional diagnoses to explain their symptoms; as the autism spectrum expands, it includes other, possibly related conditions. First we explore the differential diagnosis for ASD (section “Differential Diagnostic Conditions”) and then children who are diagnosed later (section “The Older Child: Late Diagnosis and Primary Behavioral Concerns”).
A short proof of Boundary Harnack Principle

Abstract We give a direct analytic proof of the classical Boundary Harnack Principle for solutions to linear uniformly elliptic equations in either divergence or non-divergence form.
The Athens of Plato, Aristotle, and Xenophon

Foundations of political culture in ancient Greece and Rome. Forms of government. Tyranny as usurpation and governing for personal interest. For the ancients, tyranny and despotism were not entirely corrupt or perverse types of government.
Scalp EEG interictal high frequency oscillations as an objective EEG biomarker of infantile spasms

Objective: To investigate the diagnostic utility of high frequency oscillations (HFOs) via scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) in infantile spasms. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed interictal slow-wave sleep EEGs sampled at 2,000 Hz recorded from 30 consecutive patients who were suspected of having infantile spasms. We measured the rate of HFOs (80-500 Hz) and the strength of the cross-frequency coupling between HFOs and slow-wave activity (SWA) at 3-4 Hz and 0.5-1 Hz as quantified with modulation indices (MIs). Results: Twenty-three patients (77%) exhibited active spasms during the overnight EEG recording. Although the HFOs were detected in all children, increased HFO rate and MIs correlated with the presence of active spasms (p < 0.001 by HFO rate; p < 0.01 by MIs at 3-4 Hz; p = 0.02 by MIs at 0.5-1 Hz). The presence of active spasms was predicted by the logistic regression models incorporating HFO-related metrics (AUC: 0.80-0.98) better than that incorporating hypsarrhythmia (AUC: 0.61). The predictive performance of the best model remained favorable (87.5% accuracy) after a cross-validation procedure. Conclusions: Increased rate of HFOs and coupling between HFOs and SWA are associated with active epileptic spasms. Significance: Scalp-recorded HFOs may serve as an objective EEG biomarker for active epileptic spasms.
Distinct Impacts of Land Use and Land Management on Summer Temperatures

Land use has been recognized as an important anthropogenic forcing of climate change in recent studies. However, climatic effects of land management practices have been little discussed and compared to land-use impacts. As land-atmosphere interactions via surface fluxes are particularly strong during the warm season, we investigate the impacts of historical land use and present irrigation practices on summer temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere using the most recent version of Community Earth System Model. Our results suggest that historical land use leads to an overall cooling in the middle latitudes and a warming in the tropics, and the sign and magnitude of the changes in temperature depend on the type of land cover change. On the other hand, summer irrigation leads to a significant cooling over many irrigated areas due to enhanced evapotranspiration, and the local cooling is comparable to and even stronger than the land-use effects. Both land use and irrigation can also significantly influence the intensity and frequency of hot extremes. Land use shows stronger impacts during the night through ground heat flux feedback, while irrigation shows stronger impacts during the day through latent heat flux feedback. Our comparison demonstrates the importance of irrigation in local and regional climate, highlighting the necessity of considering such land management practices in future assessments of regional climate change and climate mitigation.
Self-Reflective Variational Autoencoder

The Variational Autoencoder (VAE) is a powerful framework for learning probabilistic latent variable generative models. However, typical assumptions on the approximate posterior distributions can substantially restrict its capacity for inference and generative modeling. Variational inference based on neural autoregressive models respects the conditional dependencies of the exact posterior, but this flexibility comes at a cost: the resulting models are expensive to train in high-dimensional regimes and can be slow to produce samples. In this work, we introduce an orthogonal solution, which we call self-reflective inference. By redesigning the hierarchical structure of existing VAE architectures, self-reflection ensures that the stochastic flow preserves the factorization of the exact posterior, sequentially updating the latent codes in a manner consistent with the generative model. We empirically demonstrate the advantages of matching the variational posterior to the exact posterior---on binarized MNIST self-reflective inference achieves state-of-the-art performance without resorting to complex, computationally expensive components such as autoregressive layers. Moreover, we design a variational normalizing flow that employs the proposed architecture, yielding predictive benefits compared to its purely generative counterpart. Our proposed modification is quite general and it complements the existing literature; self-reflective inference can naturally leverage advances in distribution estimation and generative modeling to improve the capacity of each layer in the hierarchy.
The Suffering Child: Claims of Suffering in Seminal Cases and What To Do About Them

In all of medicine, there is perhaps nothing so distressing as bearing witness to a patient's suffering, especially if that patient is a child. We want to do everything that we can to avoid or alleviate a child's suffering, yet what do clinicians, ethicists, lawyers, or family members mean when they use the term "suffering," and how should these claims of suffering factor into pediatric decision-making? This question of suffering and what to do about it has played a key role in several prominent pediatric cases over the past decade, including the cases of Charlie Gard, Alfie Evans, and Baby Joseph. These cases have become seminal cases precisely because there is no clear resolution, and the "suffering child" continues to challenge our moral ideals of what it means to live a good life. In this article, I explore the various ways in which the concept of suffering is used in these cases, and I offer new ways in which parents, providers, and all those who work with sick children can approach the suffering child.
Throughput Optimization in Multichannel Cognitive Radios With Hard-Deadline Constraints

In a cognitive radio scenario, we consider a single secondary user (SU) accessing a multichannel system. The SU senses the channels sequentially to detect if a primary user (PU) is occupying the channels and stops its search to access a channel if it offers a significantly high throughput. The optimal stopping rule and power control problem is considered. The problem is formulated as an SU's throughput-maximization problem under power, interference, and packet delay constraints. We first show the effect of the optimal stopping rule on packet delay and then solve this optimization problem for both the overlay system, where the SU transmits only at the spectrum holes, and the underlay system, where tolerable interference (or tolerable collision probability) is allowed. We provide closed-form expressions for the optimal stopping rule and show that the optimal power control strategy for this multichannel problem is a modified waterfilling approach. We extend the work to a multi-SU scenario and show that when the number of SUs is large, the complexity of the solution becomes smaller than that of the single-SU case. We discuss the application of this problem in typical networks where packets simultaneously arrive and have the same departure deadline. We further propose an online adaptation policy to the optimal stopping rule that meets the packets' hard-deadline constraint and, at the same time, gives higher throughput than the offline policy.
Abstract PO-57: Association between cytokine levels and prolonged cytopenia after axicabtagene ciloleucel in patients with refractory large B-cell lymphoma

Introduction: Prolonged grade 3-4 (G3-4) cytopenias lasting beyond day 30 have been observed with various chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell products. Their biologic mechanism remains largely unknown, since it is unclear whether it is related to the effects of the conditioning regimen or due to CAR T-cell activity. Methods: We measured 29 analytes associated with CAR-T cell activity by multiplex assays (V-Plex, Meso Scale Diagnostics) and CAR T-cell amplification by RT-PCR in serial plasma samples at baseline and days 7, 14, and 30 (D30) after standard-of-care axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) in patients with refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) treated at MD Anderson Cancer Center between March and August 2018. Patients with G3-4 cytopenia before conditioning, defined according to CTCAE v5, and those who progressed and/or died before D30 were excluded from the analysis. Unpaired t-test was used for area under the curve (AUC) and mean peak comparison, and the Benjamini-Hochberg method for adjustment of false discovery rate (FDR). Results: Of 19 patients included in the analysis, 9 (47%) had ongoing G3-4 cytopenia at D30. Baseline clinical characteristics were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Patients with D30 G3-4 cytopenia had a significantly higher AUC for the following cytokine levels: IFN-ɣ, FLT3-L, G-CSF, GM-CSF, CXCL1, IL-1Rα, IL-3, IL-8, IL-10, M-CSF, CCL2 (p Conclusions: Development of prolonged cytopenia after axi-cel in patients with LBCL is associated with significant increase in the levels of multiple inflammatory cytokines and with CAR T-cell amplification early after infusion, suggesting this is due to CAR T-cell activity rather than to the myelosuppressive effect of conditioning regimen. The majority of these cytokines appear to be derived from myeloid cells and peak at day 7, providing potential targets for prophylactic intervention in these patients. Citation Format: Paolo Strati, Nahum Puebla-Osorio, Guangchun Han, Jason R. Westin, Loretta J. Nastoupil, Sairah Ahmed, Felipe Samaniego, Nathan H. Fowler, Luis E. Fayad, Hun J. Lee, Christopher R. Flowers, Samer A. Srour, Grace Watson, Linghua Wang, Michael R. Green, Sattva S. Neelapu. Association between cytokine levels and prolonged cytopenia after axicabtagene ciloleucel in patients with refractory large B-cell lymphoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Meeting: Advances in Malignant Lymphoma; 2020 Aug 17-19. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Blood Cancer Discov 2020;1(3_Suppl):Abstract nr PO-57.
Conquest and Theology: The Jesuits in Angola, 1548–1650

The Jesuits played a key role in the evangelization of the Portuguese colony of Angola and its surrounding Kimbundu-speaking neighbors when they came with the colonial mission of Paulo Dias de Novais in 1575. Their experience is an example of evangelization in a colonial setting in Africa, and contrasts with Jesuit approaches to conversion in the neighboring and independent Kingdom of Kongo. They drew heavily on previous experiences in the Kingdom of Kongo, which had itself become Christian a century earlier and pioneered a marriage between African religion and Christian spirituality. When Jesuits came to Kongo in 1548 they found an existing established church and added relatively little to it before they left following political disputes. When Dias de Novais came to found Angola, he initially was militarily dependent on Kongo’s assistance and the Jesuits, too, were dependent on the Kongolese version of Christianity, which is clear in their choice of vocabulary in the Kimbundu catechism that they sponsored and oversaw in 1628. However, the colonial situation in Angola made the Jesuits more willing to accept the idea of conversion by the sword, and they were notably less tolerant of African religious inclusions in Angola than in Kongo. The contrast in the two approaches was particularly evident when the Jesuits reopened a mission in Kongo in 1619.
Psychodrama and Social Work Theory

This chapter includes an overview of foundational psychodrama theories—action theory, catharsis, and surplus reality. The three phases of a psychodrama group (warm-up, enactment, and sharing) and the five elements of a psychodrama (stage, protagonist, director, auxiliary egos, and audience/group) are described. Morenean philosophy and sociometric theory are revisited as they relate to psychodrama. The similar elements of psychodrama theory and social work are underlined including the importance of mutual aid, spontaneity, creativity, empowerment, self-determination, interpersonal skills, relationships, group stages, and roles.