cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bio-inspired effective and regenerable building cooling using tough hydrogels

Abstract Innovative thermal regulation technologies could provide great potential for reducing energy consumption in buildings. In this work, we report, for the first time, the application of highly stretchable and tough double network hydrogels (DN-Gels) as durable and reusable ‘sweating skins’ for cooling buildings. These DN-Gels demonstrate outstanding cooling performance, reducing the top roof surface temperature of wooden house models by 25–30 °C for up to 7 h after only a single water hydration charge. More importantly, compared with single network hydrogels (SN-Gels) previously studied for cooling applications, these DN-Gels exhibit extraordinary toughness and cyclability due to their interpenetrated ionically and covalently cross-linked networks, as demonstrated by constant cooling performance over more than 50 cycles. This excellent cyclability is further demonstrated by the unaltered mechanical properties and charging capability of the hydrogels after many cycles, compared to fresh ones. By coating a 100 m2 roof of a single house with tough DN-Gels, it is estimated that the annual electricity consumption needed for air conditioning can be reduced by ∼290 kW h with associated CO2 emission reductions of 160 kg. Our results suggest that bio-inspired sweat cooling, specifically using tough DN-Gel coatings, represents a promising energy-efficient technology for cooling buildings as well as other devices and systems.
Controlled Release Devices

Several types of devices are under study in the Livestock Insects Laboratory, one of the Agricultural Research Service Laboratories whose research program is oriented toward the management of populations of animal ectoparasites. These include devices familiar and unfamiliar to the participants of this conference and are as follows:
Biological activity of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D2 and 24-epi-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D2

The biological activity of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D2 [1,25(OH)2D2] and 24-epi-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D2 [24-epi-1,25(OH)2D2] has been determined in vitamin D-deficient rats. The biological effectiveness of 1,25(OH)2D2 is equal to that reported previously for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] (15) in intestinal calcium transport, mineralization of bone, mobilization of bone calcium, and elevation of plasma inorganic phosphorus of rachitic rats. However, 24-epi-1,25(OH)2D2 is at best one-half as active as 1,25(OH)2D2 in stimulating intestinal calcium transport and in the mineralization of rachitic bone. The 24-epi-1,25(OH)2D2 is one-third as active as 1,25(OH)2D3 in binding to the chick intestinal receptor for 1,25(OH)2D3. Thus receptor discrimination may account for the twofold difference in intestinal calcium transport activity. 24-Epi-1,25(OH)2D2 appeared inactive in in vivo mobilization of bone calcium or bone phosphorus. On the other hand, in fetal rat bone in culture, the epi compound was only five times less active than 1,25(OH)2D2 in inducing resorption. Short-term experiments on bone mineral mobilization in vivo show that the 24-epi-1,25(OH)2D2 does induce bone calcium mobilization but that its activity in this respect is short lived. It is suggested that 24-epi-1,25(OH)2D2 and, as a result, it shows preferential activity on intestine whose response to a single dose of 1,25(OH)2D2 remains for several days, whereas the short-lived bone system does not remain stimulated during the 24-h period between doses.
Improved outcomes of bile duct injuries in the 21st century.

Objective:The objectives of this analysis were to compare the outcomes of bile duct injuries by specialist over time and the role of management timing and biliary stents.Background:Postoperative bile duct injuries require multidisciplinary management. In recent years, advancements have occurred in p
Records of Some Insects Predacious on Epilachna Corrupta Muls. in Mexico

During the summer of 1930 a great many insects were found associated with Epilachna corrupta Muls. on bean foliage, with E. obscuriella Muls. on beans and squash, and with E. dejecta Muls. and E. mexicana Guer. on wild solanaceous plants, in the Republic of Mexico. In many instances these insects were observed feeding on the immature stages of Epilachninae in the field. Other insects captured on, or near, beans and suspected of preying on E. corrupta were brought to the laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Insects and La Defensa Agricola in cooperation with Truck Crop Insect Investigations in Mexico City, and placed in cages with immature stages of corrupta , where their habits were observed. Twenty-one species of insects were found to feed on E. corrupta under these conditions. No attempt has been made to find additional hosts of these predators in the field, laboratory, or literature. It seems probable, however, that many of them attack insects other than Epilachninae.
Exploring the parametric amplification phenomenon for energy harvesting

Due to inherent system nonlinearities, many vibratory excitation sources possess a frequency spectrum which contains energy components at multiple integers of the fundamental frequency of the source. In this paper, we theoretically explore the prospect of enhancing the transduction of a vibratory energy harvester (VEH) by utilizing the parametric amplification phenomenon to channel energy from one of these superharmonics, namely the one at twice the fundamental frequency, to a purely resistive load. Towards that end, we consider a piezoelectric cantilevered-type bimorph harvester and show that by tilting the axis of the beam through a proper angle with respect to the direction of excitation, it is possible to utilize a parametric pump to enhance the output power at the fundamental frequency. Percentage improvement in the output power depends on the excitation’s parameters and the mechanical damping ratio. It is observed that when the mechanical damping ratio is small, significant enhancement in the output...
Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy for thyroid malignancy: systematic review and meta-analysis

To systematically appraise and summarize the available evidence about the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (USFNA) for thyroid malignancy, and to explore the integration of these estimates with the probability of thyroid malignancy before USFNA. A comprehensive search of multiple databases from each database’s inception to August 2014 was performed. Eligible studies included those that evaluated patients with thyroid nodules who underwent USFNA and subsequent evaluation by histopathology or long-term follow-up. We identified 32 studies at moderate risk of bias evaluating the USFNA diagnostic characteristics for the diagnosis of thyroid malignancy. Results were imprecise and inconsistent across trials. The pooled likelihood ratio (LR) of thyroid malignancy for a benign USFNA result was 0.09 (95 % CI 0.06, 0.14; I 2 = 33 %), whereas the pooled LR for a malignant result was 197 (95 % CI, 68, 569; I 2 = 77 %). In the case of a suspicious for follicular neoplasm result, the pooled LR for malignancy was 0.6 (95 % CI, 0.4, 1.0; I 2 = 84 %) and 8.3 (95 % CI, 3.6, 19.2; I 2 = 89) for a result of suspicious for malignancy. The available evidence regarding the diagnostic accuracy of USFNA warrants only limited confidence due to risk of bias, imprecision, and inconsistency. However, some USFNA results (benign, malignant) are likely very helpful, by significantly changing the pre-test probability of thyroid cancer.
Case records of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Weekly clinicopathological exercises. Case 22-2004. A 30-year-old woman with a pericardial effusion.

A woman sought medical attention because of chest pain and shortness of breath. Physical examination and echocardiographic studies showed evidence of a pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade. She was admitted to the hospital, and the effusion was drained, yielding fluid that was negative on culture and cytologic analysis. She had traveled to Kenya; a tuberculin skin test five months after the trip had been negative, but a test during hospitalization was positive.
Evaluation on the implementation of the TB control programme in Ganzhou City

Objective To evaluate the implementation of the TB control programme in Ganzhou City to provide guidelines for TB control in the future. Methods We implement the Final Evaluation Scheme for National TB Control Programme(2001-2010) issued by the Ministry of Health and the Final Evaluation Questionnaire,through unit-wide self-inspection plus inspection and evaluation by municipal organizations.The approved Final Evaluation Questionnaires were entered into the computer and analyzed.Results The total amount invested in TB control is 45.1704 million during the implementation period of the programme in the city.63 427 active pulmonary TB patients received free clinical management and treatment.Among them,there were 33 339 smear-positive cases(new smear positive were 27 621 cases and the treatment of recurrent smear positive were 5 718 cases) and 27 408 smear-negative cases.the completion of the task targets of initial treatment of tuberculosis is 99.64%,with a 91.11% cure rate.Conclusion Through the implementation of the National TB Control Programme(2001-2010),TB control in this city is enhanced,with improvement in both software and hardware,and TB patients are identified in time and treated effectively.
Major revision points and background introduction of ICH guidance on genotoxicity test S2(R1)

ICH guidance on genotoxicity test S2(R1) was issued in November 2011,which is a reference for Chinese genetic toxicology researchers.The major revision points of the S2(R1),and some new methods and techniques were reviewed in this article.
Congenital supravalvular aortic stenosis; report of a case

We experienced a successful surgical case of extended aortoplasty by means of Doty's method (two sinus reconstruction) for congenital supravalvular aortic stenosis (SAS). Case was 12-year-old boy, who had no complaint except heart murmur. The retrograde aortography demonstrated localized stenosis just above the aortic valve, and it was an hour-glass type. The preoperative peak systolic pressure gradient between the left ventricle and ascending aorta was 56 mmHg, which was improved postoperatively. This case showed excellent results. Doty's aortoplasty was favorable method for SAS without deformity of aortic valve and coronary obstruction.
Repelling Honeybees from Insecticide-Treated Flowers with 2-Heptanone

SummaryThe honeybee (Apis mellifera) pheromone 2-heptanone was evaluated for possible use as a repellent in conjunction with agricultural insecticides. An efficacious repellent would prevent or reduce honeybee mortality by lowering the incidence of contact between bees and toxic chemicals. It was shown that although 2-heptanone repels bees, its use as a repellent would probably not be practical in an agricultural setting, and that under some conditions it acted as an attractant.
Single Agent Gemtuzumab Ozogamycin (Mylotarg) Is Effective in Inducing Hematologic Remission in Elderly Patients with Normal Cytogenetics.

Abstract The treatment of elderly patients with acute myelogeneous leukemia is quite difficult primarily due to the treatment related morbidity and the poor response rate to induction chemotherapy. Elderly patients are often offered supportive care only. Mylotarg has been shown to be an active agent in patients with relapsed AML with a reported response rate of 31%. The role of Mylotarg in front-line therapy for AML remains to be determined. Patients: Six patients with newly diagnosed acute myelogenous leukemia (non-M3) were treated with single agent Mylotarg. The mean age was 77 years (71–84). All patients had low white blood cell counts upon presentation with a mean WBC of 1550. Several patients had other co-morbid conditions upon diagnosis, primarily cardiac. The average ECOG performance status before treatment was 1-1. Treatment Plan: The treatment consisted of Mylotarg 9 mg/m2 on days 1 and 14. The treatment was given either in the hospital or as an outpatient. All patients received full doses of therapy. No further consolidation therapy was given. The bone marrow was re-evaluated within 60 days of the second dose of Mylotarg. Results: One patient died during induction of sepsis and is not evaluable. All patients developed neutropenic fevers and required hospitalizations. One patient developed clinical evidence of pulmonary fungal infection and was treated successfully with oral voriconazole. No other end organ toxicity was encountered. Response: Four of 5 evaluable patients (80%) achieved complete remission as documented by bone marrow evaluation. All four patients became transfusion independent, although the platelet counts remained below 100x109. The remission duration is 5.5+ months with two patients remaining in remission more than 6 months following treatment. All four responders had normal bone marrow cytogenetics upon diagnosis. The patient who died of early sepsis had complex cytogenetics and the patient who did not respond also had abnormal cytogenetics. The treatment was well tolerated despite the neutropenic hospitalizations and all responders regained normal performance status. Conclusion: These results are very encouraging despite the small patient sample and suggest that Mylotarg as a single agent may be an effective therapy for elderly patients with normal cytogenetics. This treatment is less toxic than standard induction chemotherapy that may be poorly tolerated in this patient population. We are currently investigating the role of further Mylotarg consolidation in maintaining the duration of remission in those patients responding to initial therapy.
Intergiciel pour l'exécution efficace et fiable d'applications distribuées dans des grilles dynamiques de très grande taille

L'emergence des grilles de calcul permet a la communaute scientifique d'envisager l'acces a une puissance de calcul jusqu'a present inegalee. Toutefois, les caracteristiques d'une grille telles que la grande echelle, la volatilite des nœuds qui la composent ou encore leur heterogeneite rendent son utilisation complexe. Cette these etudie la conception de services de niveau systeme pour l'execution d'applications distribuees dans des grilles de tres grande taille. Grâce a une approche completement distribuee et generique, notre systeme peut federer les ressources de n'importe quel type de grille, meme ceux composes de ressources volatiles et heterogenes. Afin de simplifier l'utilisation d'une grille, nous proposons d'offrir aux utilisateurs une vue de type systeme a image unique qui permet d'occulter la distribution des ressources. Nous proposons egalement des services permettant d'executer une large gamme d'applications distribuees de facon efficace et fiable.
COMPARING OUTCOMES IN COPD PATIENTS UNDERGOING TAVR AND SAVR: A PROPENSITY MATCHED ANALYSES

Background: Outcomes in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have not been extensively studied in literature. Our objective was to use national data to compare outcomes in patients undergoing transfemoral (TF-TAVR) and surgical aortic valve
An Arabidopsis Lipid Flippase Is Required for Timely Recruitment of Defenses to the Host–Pathogen Interface at the Plant Cell Surface

Deposition of cell wall-reinforcing papillae is an integral component of the plant immune response. The Arabidopsis PENETRATION 3 (PEN3) ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter plays a role in defense against numerous pathogens and is recruited to sites of pathogen detection where it accumulates within papillae. However, the trafficking pathways and regulatory mechanisms contributing to recruitment of PEN3 and other defenses to the host-pathogen interface are poorly understood. Here, we report a confocal microscopy-based screen to identify mutants with altered localization of PEN3-GFP after inoculation with powdery mildew fungi. We identified a mutant, aberrant localization of PEN3 3 (alp3), displaying accumulation of the normally plasma membrane (PM)-localized PEN3-GFP in endomembrane compartments. The mutant was found to be disrupted in the P4-ATPase AMINOPHOSPHOLIPID ATPASE 3 (ALA3), a lipid flippase that plays a critical role in vesicle formation. We provide evidence that PEN3 undergoes continuous endocytic cycling from the PM to the trans-Golgi network (TGN). In alp3, PEN3 accumulates in the TGN, causing delays in recruitment to the host-pathogen interface. Our results indicate that PEN3 and other defense proteins continuously cycle through the TGN and that timely exit of these proteins from the TGN is critical for effective pre-invasive immune responses against powdery mildews.
Impact of climate change and race evolution on the epidemiology and ecology of stripe rust in central and eastern USA and Canada.

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), is one of the most devastating diseases of wheat globally. Since 2000, the geographic footprint of Pst has increased in North Ameri...
Analysis and Design Techniques towards High-Performance and Energy-Efficient Dense Linear Solvers on GPUs

Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) are widely used in accelerating dense linear solvers. The matrix factorizations, which dominate the runtime for these solvers, are often designed using a hybrid scheme, where GPUs perform trailing matrix updates, while the CPUs perform the panel factorizations. Consequently, hybrid solutions require high-end CPUs and optimized CPU software in order to deliver high performance. Furthermore, they lack the energy efficiency inherent for GPUs due to the use of less energy-efficient CPUs, as well as CPU-GPU communications. This paper presents analysis and design techniques that overcome the shortcomings of the hybrid algorithms, and allow the design of high-performance and energy-efficient dense LU and Cholesky factorizations that use GPUs only. The full GPU solution eliminates the need for a high-end CPU and optimized CPU software, which leads to a better energy efficiency. We discuss different design choices, and introduce optimized GPU kernels for panel factorizations. The developed solutions achieve $90+$ percent of the performance of optimized hybrid solutions, while improving the energy efficiency by 50 percent. They outperform the vendor library by 30-50 percent in single precision, and 15-50 percent in double precision. We also show that hybrid designs trail the proposed solutions in performance when optimized CPU software is not available.
PROFIT: Decision Technology for Supply Chain Management at IBM Microelectronics Division

The primary purpose of supply chain management applications is helping an organization respond to events in a synchronized and timely fashion. During the 1990s most research and development work focused on improving the level of centralized (and at times optimal) control. This was and is a huge task and some remarkable successes have been achieved. As with any science, the accomplishment of one goal not only brings a sense of pride, but a huge dose of reality in what is left to achieve. In supply chain management (SCM), achieving reasonable levels of strong central control has dramatically increased organizational performance, but clearly identified gaps in timely synchronized response that can only currently be handled with ad hoc manual intervention that operates without global awareness. Achieving the next leap in SCM support requires harnessing collaborative tools. This chapter explores these issues through a study of recent SCM efforts in support of IBM's Technology Group.
Acute therapy in patients with wide-QRS complex tachyarrhythmias

Treatment of patients with wide-QRS-complex tachyarrhythmias mandates knowledge of both pharmacological and electrical interventions. In haemodynamically unstable patients emergency cardioversion always takes therapeutic precedence over drug therapy.
Morphology of Cancer Cells

The study of morphology of cancer cells belongs to the elusive areas of human endeavor where objective evidence has not kept pace with subjective recognition of patterns.
In Denial: The Role of Law in Preparing for Death

Only approximately 20% of Americans have engaged in any form of advance care planning and, even among older Americans, the process frequently is delayed until an acute illness provides sufficient pressure to act. End of life law, though flawed, offers some opportunity to express individual values and preferences via advance directives of various kinds in order to prepare for death before it is imminent. Yet many people avoid making these preparations because the thought of death is uncomfortable to confront. This Article considers the utility of existing law in preventing and resolving end of life disputes and avoiding over-utilization of life-prolonging technology and the law's inevitable failure to address complex issues concerning quality of life and communication about this inevitable but usually unpredictable event. The so-called technological imperative and the cultural admiration of those who "fight" and "do everything" to defeat illness have created an atmosphere in which physicians and patients often feel complementarily reluctant to engage in thoughtful discussions about the patient's values, preferences, and concerns or, worse, even to acknowledge openly the fact of the patient's dying. In addition, the presumption in favor of continued treatment for patients who have lost decisional capacity has created a situation in which patients are frequently subjected to multiple therapeutic and lifesupportive technologies that they would not wish for if they could make the choice. This lacuna of unconsidered choices suggests a significant need for formal expressions of end of life preferences, or at least serious conversation with family and health care providers about one's preferences. The law allows individuals to express their preferences on these matters, but creates little incentive to do so. As other commentators have noted, advance directives rarely resolve end of life disputes -- these commentators have therefore suggested abandoning efforts to encourage the utilization of advance directives. There is, however, a compelling argument in favor of continuing and expanding the practice -- namely, the inherent and immediate benefit to the individual of carefully and systematically thinking about and executing an advance directive or, at least, discussing preferences with a health care proxy. Laws encouraging advance directives provide a structural context in which individuals can acknowledge their mortality and make the effort to consider and articulate to themselves and others their values and preferences, resulting in much potential benefit to themselves, their families and their health care providers, not only at the end of life but throughout life. Regularizing this practice throughout adulthood may gradually reduce the impact of the technology juggernaut on the dying process. This Article concludes by examining the ways in which end of life law and the medical education system might be reformed to promote individual reflection and conversations between patients and physicians in order to prepare for death.
Non-proportionality of Hazards in the Competing Risks Framework

The simplest means of determining the effect of an exposure on the frequency and timing of two competing events is to contrast the cumulative incidences between the exposed and unexposed groups for each event type. Methods and software are widely available to semi-parametrically model the sub-hazards of the cumulative incidences as proportional and to test whether the constant relative sub-hazards (a1 and a2) are different from 1. In this chapter, we show that a1 and a2 are tethered by a strong relationship which is independent of the timing of the competing events; the relationship is fully determined by the overall frequencies of events, and a1 and a2 must be on opposite sides of 1. When violations of proportionality occur, separate analyses for the two competing events often yield an inadmissible result in which the estimates of a1 and a2 are on the same side of 1, and may even exhibit statistical significance. We further characterize the compatibility of concurrent proportionality of cause-specific hazards and sub-hazards, and show that strong tethering also occurs among these quantities; and that, of the sub-hazards and cause-specific hazards, at most two of the four can be proportional, but without restriction on which two. Because proportionality rarely holds in practice, the default analytical approach should allow the relative hazards to depend on time, which can be easily carried out with widely available software. However, the statistical power of this approach is limited in the case of large numbers of event-free observations. An application using data from a North American cohort study of children with kidney disease is presented.
Paratesticular multicystic mass of Wolffian, probably paradidymal, origin

A unilateral multicystic mass in the connective tissue adjacent to the vas deferens in a 46-year-old man is reported. Anatomically, it was distinct from the epididymis and vas and contained no sperm. The epithelial lining was simple, ciliated, and cuboidal to columnar. The cysts were surrounded by connective tissue collars containing smooth muscle. The authors postulate that this lesion represents a cystic hyperplasia of vestigial Wolffian duct remnants, based on its unique histologic features and the exclusion of other plausible explanations. The supraepididymal, paravasal location suggests origin in the paradidymis.
The Marvelous between Dante and Boccaccio

in the late middle ages , authors of fiction, historical texts, and travel narratives discussed issues related to the places and spaces of marvels. writers debated whether local, western occurrences could be as wondrous — and thus worthy of being recorded in writing — as foreign, eastern phenomena. this article explores how boccaccio's engagement with dante was intertwined with evolving views of the marvelous. it proposes that boccaccio, following dante, likened his writings to natural marvels to defend the status of literature, a mode of discourse sometimes considered unnatural or fraudulent. in addition, this research examines how boccaccio drew on marvels to highlight differences between the properties and ethics of dante's comedy and these aspects of his decameron . in addressing these topics, boccaccio was inspired by late medieval latin historians, who foregrounded the novelty of their texts by self-consciously writing about western marvels. in the decameron, boccaccio recalled ideas about local marvels to champion the dignity of his erotic, mundane stories in comparison to dante's otherworldly, divine poem. boccaccio thus also reminded readers not only to wonder about future, eternal matters, but to cherish the experiences of this our present life.
A case report of health seminars supporting patient education, engagement, and health literacy.

AbstractIncreasingly physicians and patients express concern and frustration about the lack of time spent together during office visits. Some studies suggest a substantial number of patients fail t...
Study on State-of-the-art Cloud Services Integration Capabilities with Autonomous Ground Vehicles

Computing and intelligence are substantial requirements for the accurate performance of autonomous ground vehicles (AGVs). In this context, the use of cloud services in addition to onboard computers enhances computing and intelligence capabilities of AGVs. In addition, the vast amount of data processed in a cloud system contributes to overall performance and capabilities of the onboard system. This research study entails a qualitative analysis to gather insights on the applicability of the leading cloud service providers in AGV operations. These services include Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, Amazon AWS, and IBM Cloud. The study begins with a brief review of AGV technical requirements that are necessary to determine the rationale for identifying the most suitable cloud service. The qualitative analysis studies and addresses the applicability of the cloud service over the proposed generalized AGV's architecture integration, performance, and manageability. Our findings conclude that a generalized AGV architecture can be supported by state-of-the-art cloud service, but there should be a clear line of separation between the primary and secondary computing needs. Moreover, our results show significant lags while using cloud services and preventing their use in real-time AGV operation.
Capnocytophaga canimorsus Periprosthetic Joint Infection in an Immunocompetent Patient: A Case Report.

Introduction A periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a potentially devastating complication following an arthroplasty procedure. There are many organisms that commonly cause this complication; in this case report, we will discuss a PJI caused by an unusual bacteria found in the mouths of domestic pets. Objective To present a case report of a patient with a periprosthetic hip infection from Capnocytophaga canimorsus and review the literature. Methods We present a case of C canimorsus PJI in an immunocompetent woman who had undergone a total hip arthroplasty. The patient was doing well postoperatively for many years until she was bitten on the foot by a domestic canine. Patient diagnosed using Musculoskeletal Infection Society criteria, then treated with explant of the hip prosthesis, irrigation and debridement, placement of an antibiotic cement spacer, and a 6-week course of intravenous antibiotics. Results Unfortunately, while awaiting replant, this patient had a massive myocardial infarction and died. Discussion Current literature suggests treating canine bites with amoxicillinas well as a discussion with patients pre-/postoperatively from a lower extremity arthroplasty specialist. Conclusion Capnocytophaga canimorsus is a rare cause of infection, even more unusual in an immunocompetent patient. This study highlights the importance of considering C canimorsus as a cause of PJI, regardless of the immunologic status of the patient.
Fundamental Understanding and Control of Device-to-Device Variation in Deeply Scaled Ferroelectric FETs

In this work, we present a comprehensive Kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) modeling based statistical framework to evaluate the device-to-device variation of thin-film HfO 2 ferroelectric FET (FeFET). We conclude that the closing of the memory window in a FeFET array with device scaling can be attributed to: 1) limited number of domains; 2) variation among domains; 3) intrinsic stochasticity of individual domain switching. To enable further scaling of FeFET, co-optimization approaches from material, process, and device operation to control variation are proposed: i) increase the number of domains through material/process optimization (e.g. decrease of deposition temperature, etc.); ii) improve the uniformity of domains (e.g. minimizing the domain size variation and defect distribution, etc.); iii) increase the pulse amplitude/width to ensure deterministic switching of individual domains.
Prescriptive Equipment Maintenance: A Framework

The concept of equipment maintenance is as old, if not older, as industrial revolution. However, the mode, medium and timing of maintenance during equipment life cycle have evolved from reactive maintenance to prescriptive maintenance. Reactive maintenance was the main approach practiced until 1980s. The proactive maintenance was introduced in 1990s to insulate customers from equipment failures by using equipment data and fixing problems remotely. Prescriptive maintenance, which incorporates the Internet of Things, digitization and artificial intelligence, especially machine learning, has gained importance as in intelligent approach to equipment maintenance and has the potential to greatly improve upon proactive maintenance. However, existing prescriptive maintenance solutions are piece-meal and lack complete solutions to keep equipment in working conditions most of the time at optimal cost. We propose a Holistic End to End Prescriptive Maintenance (HeePMF) framework resulting in much reduced unplanned equipment downtime at optimal cost. This framework provides solution by integrating maintenance needs analysis, equipment and operational data, predictive technologies with feedback, personnel scheduling, supply chain improvement, part management, process improvement and knowledge management. The working of framework is demonstrated by providing a case study.
Policing markets: The role of the social partners in internal immigration enforcement:

In recent decades, governments have made labour markets sites of immigration enforcement through employer sanctions and other measures. In some countries, unions and employers’ associations facilit...
Performance Analysis and Design of Frequency Controlled Series-Series Compensated Inductive Power Transfer System for Electric Vehicle battery Charging

This paper presents a new method to design the coils of a series-series inductive power transfer system taking into consideration the compensation network, the battery charging profile and the efficiency of the system. Harmonic balance technique is used to derive the transient and steady state model of the coil. Equations defining the possible frequency trajectories for the entire charging profile is derived. A design algorithm for the coil and selection of the compensation network capacitance is presented. To prevent the frequency splitting phenomenon a reduction of the secondary (receiver coil) inductance value is required. To this end the condition under which frequency splitting occurs is derived, without any simplifying assumptions, and used to guide the selection of the new secondary inductor value. An analysis for the redesigned system with the reduced secondary inductance is presented. It is observed that operating the system close to the transmitter coil resonant frequency results in both zero voltage switching and optimum efficiency. For the redesigned system, the upper frequency trajectory of the system operates close to the resonant frequency of the transmitter coil and hence ensuring high efficiency and zero voltage switching.
The Effects of a Zinc-Methionine Supplementation in High Producing Dairy Cows

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of a Zn-methionine complex in diet on milk yield, milk component yields, SCC, and milk Zn concentration of Holstein cows around peak lactation. After matching for parity and days in milk (DIM), 12 lactating Holstein cows (67 ± 2.5 DIM; 1385 ± 43 kg BW) were assigned to one of two dietary treatments: 1) control (CTL, n = 6), a TMR diet with 74 mg/kg added Zn in the form of zinc sulfate, n = 6) or 2) CTL supplemented with Zn-methionine complex (Zn-Met, n =6) providing additional 20 mg of Zn/kg (512 mg/head/d). Dry matter intake (DMI) was lower by 0.8 kg/d for Zn-Met than CTL throughout the study (P =0.05). Milk yield of Zn-Met decreased compared to CTL (40 vs 42 kg/d, P = 0.01) during the first 35 d but had similar milk yield during the last 35 d of the study. Milk protein and fat percentages, and fat yield were not different between treatments. Milk protein yield was similar between treatments during the first 35 d but tended to increase for Zn-Met (1.41 vs. 1.33 kg/d, P= 0.10) during rest of the study. Cows receiving Zn-methionine complex tended to have lower SCC (126 vs 328 ×103 cells/mL, P = 0.07) and greater concentration of Zn (4.48 vs 4.06 ppm, P = 0.05) in milk throughout the study. Overall, the present Zn-methionine complex tended to improve milk protein yield and SCC more prominently as feeding progressed. However, it decreased DMI suggesting a negative impact on palatability of the diet.
Improving emissions inputs via mobile measurements to estimate fine-scale Black Carbon monthly concentrations through geostatistical space-time data fusion.

Abstract Isolating air pollution sources in a complex transportation environment to quantify their contribution is challenging, particularly with sparse stationary measurements. Mobile measurements can add finer spatial resolution to support source apportionment, but they exhibit limitations when characterizing long term concentrations. Dispersion models can help overcome these limitations. However, they are only as reliable as their input emissions inventories. Herein, we developed an innovative method to revise emissions through inverse modeling and improve dispersion modeling predictions using stationary/mobile measurements. One specific revision estimated an adjustment factor of ~306 for warehouse emissions, indicating a significant underestimation of our initial estimates. This revised emission rate scaled up nationally would correspond to ~3.5% of the total Black Carbon emissions in the U.S. Nevertheless, domain-specific revisions only contribute to a 4% increase of area source emissions while improving R2 from monthly estimates at fixed sites by 38%. After revising emissions through inverse dispersion modeling, we combine this model with stationary/mobile measurements through Bayesian Maximum Entropy (I-DISP BME) to produce temporally coarse yet spatially fine data fusion. We compare this novel data fusion approach to BME using only measurements (Flat BME). A 10-fold conventional cross-validation (representative of months with mobile measurements) shows that all BME methods have R2 values that range from 0.787 to 0.798. A 2-fold cross-validation (representative of months with no mobile measurements) shows that the R2 for I-DISP BME increases by a factor 90 when compared to Flat BME. Furthermore, not only is our novel I-DISP BME method more accurate than the classic Flat BME method, but the area it detects as highly exposed can be up to 5 times larger than that detected by the less accurate Flat BME method.
Cultivar Improvement with Exotic Germplasm: An Example from Potato

Potato breeders have abundant germplasm resources at their disposal in wild relatives and landrace varieties. Exotic germplasm has been used mainly for disease resistance and processing quality genes. Linkage drag is common when introgressing wild germplasm, with poor adaptation and high glycoalkaloid levels commonly observed in hybrid offspring. Poor tuber type, late maturity, and short tuber dormancy accompany desirable traits introduced from landraces. More targeted introgression of exotic genes for potato improvement is needed in future breeding efforts. Potato programs worldwide are exploring the conversion of potato into a diploid inbred-hybrid crop. Backcrossing in this system would allow valuable genes from exotic sources to be fixed in high-performing cultivated potato backgrounds. This offers exciting new possibilities for contributions of wild and cultivated potato relatives to potato cultivar improvement.
Vascular Graft Implantation Using a Bilateral End-to-Side Aortoiliac Preclinical Model.

Arterial bypass grafts are a standard preclinical model for evaluating physiology and pathophysiology at graft-material interfaces. Implantations of vascular grafts are commonly done as end-to-end grafts in small animal models. Here we detail bilateral end-to-side aortoiliac graft implantation, which requires open surgery and the creation of vascular anastomoses between the graft material and the infrarenal aorta and iliac artery in a nonhuman primate model. In this model, the aortoiliac graft configuration is created using two 4 mm inner diameter vascular grafts (e.g., ePTFE). After exposure and control of the infrarenal aorta and bilateral common iliac arteries and heparinization, the proximal aortic-graft anastomosis is sewn on the lateral wall of the aorta, and subsequently the distal graft-common iliac anastomosis is sewn on the anterior wall of the common iliac artery with one tube graft. Another tube graft is sewn on the contralateral side in the same manner.
Shoulder skin and muscle hemodynamics during backpack carriage

The purpose of this study was to quantify the effects of loaded backpacks on shoulder muscle oxygenation, skin blood flow, and pain. We hypothesized that backpack load carriage is associated with lower shoulder muscle oxygenation and skin microvascular flow. Near-infrared spectroscopy quantified shoulder tissue oxygenation and laser Doppler flow measured skin microvascular flow. Eight adult volunteers donned a standard backpack without added load, 5 kg load, and 10 kg load for 5 min while standing. An 8 min rest period before each backpack donning condition ensured that all measured parameters returned to baseline. Data were analyzed using a repeated measures ANOVA and significance set at p < 0.05. Donning a 10 kg backpack significantly reduced shoulder muscle oxygenation by 22 ± 23% as compared to the empty backpack control condition (p = 0.023). In addition, a 10 kg backpack load reduced skin microvascular flow by 82 ± 22%, as compared to the empty backpack control condition (p = 0.024). Perceived pain was significantly higher when wearing the 10 kg backpack (level 4 on a 10-maximal pain scale) as compared to the empty backpack (0, 0-no pain) (p < 0.05). In conclusion, backpack loads of 10 kg decrease shoulder muscle oxygenation and skin microvascular flow.
Differentiation of intramyocardial fluid pressure from fiber stress

To characterize the complex force field generated in the ventricular myocardium, intramyocardial pressure (IMP) measurement is used as an indirect means of assessing the distribution of regional wall stress. To resolve the long term confusion associated with this measurement, IMP is divided into its two dominant componentsc intramyocardial fluid pressure (IFP) and intramyocardial fiber stress (IFS). The intramyocardial response to regional and global contractile function is examined in terms of changes in the magnitude and transmural gradient of IMP recording. The experimental results support the theoretical concept proposed where the hydraulic properties of the myocardium proved to have an influence on cardiac function. To gain a deeper understanding of myocardial function, cellular and subcellular components must be considered.
Hyperplastic Gastric Polyps: Medical Management Is Feasible

Ohkusa T, Takashimizu I, Fujika K, et al. Disappearance of Hyperplastic Polyps in the Stomach After Eradication of Helicobacter pylori Ann Intern Med 1998;129:712–5
A test of models of fluvial architecture and palaeosol development: Camp Rice Formation (Upper Pliocene-Lower Pleistocene), southern Rio Grande rift, New Mexico, USA

Numerical, experimental and theoretical models of fluvial architecture and palaeosol development are tested with outcrops of Upper Pliocene-Lower Pleistocene sediment in the southern Rio Grande rift, New Mexico. The sediment was deposited and subsequently exhumed in the Jornada del Muerto basin, a westward-tilted half graben whose footwall corresponds to the Rincon Hills and San Diego Mountain fault blocks. The axial river, the ancestral Rio Grande, shared time between the Jornada del Muerto basin and the adjacent Corralitos basin. The ancestral Rio Grande entered the Jornada del Muerto basin via a gap between the footwall blocks, periodically flowing southward towards San Diego Mountain, or making a broad northward sweep into the northern fluvial salient towards the Rincon Hills fault block and unfaulted northern edge of the basin. Ten logged sections up to 35 m thick are correlated using the top of the formation (La Mesa surface), a 1·59 Ma pumice conglomerate, and a ground-water carbonate/opal bed. Additionally, one of the sections is dated by reversal magnetostratigraphy. Consistent with the model of Bridge & Leeder (1979) and Bridge & Mackey (1993a), differential tilting of the Jornada del Muerto half graben resulted in sections directly adjacent to the faults that consist almost exclusively of multistorey channel sands/sandstones, whereas more distal sections contain a greater proportion of crevasse-splay fine sand and overbank mudstone and calcic palaeosols. Along the axis of the northern fluvial salient, a northward decrease in channel/floodplain ratio, a decrease in channel recurrence interval from 171 kyr to 685 kyr, and an increase in the maturity of calcic palaeosols are consistent with southward tilt of the unfaulted northern edge of the basin. An upsection decrease in sediment accumulation rate in the northern fluvial salient from 0·036 mm/ yr to 0·017 mm/ yr corresponds to an increase in the ratio of channel/floodplain facies and in the number of multistorey channel sands/sandstones, and is consistent with the model of Bridge & Leeder (1979) in which avulsion frequency is independent of sediment accumulation rate. Stage II and III calcic palaeosols indicate 103−105 year of landscape stability and soil formation between periods of floodplain deposition in response not only to basin tilting but also because the ancestral Rio Grande had multiple paths within the Jornada del Muerto basin and shared time between the Corralitos and Jornada del Muerto basins.
Aseptic Technique for Cell Culture

This unit describes some of the ways that a laboratory can deal with the constant threat of microbial contamination in cell cultures. A protocol on aseptic technique is described first. This catch-all term universally appears in any set of instructions pertaining to procedures in which noncontaminating conditions must be maintained. In reality, aseptic technique encompasses all aspects of environmental control, personal hygiene, equipment and media sterilization, and associated quality control procedures needed to ensure that a procedure is, indeed, performed with aseptic, noncontaminating technique. Although cell culture can theoretically be carried out on an open bench in a low-traffic area, most cell culture work is carried out using a horizontal laminar-flow clean bench or a vertical laminar-flow biosafety cabinet. Both are described here.
Mappings make data processing go 'round

Whatever programming paradigm for data processing we choose, data has the tendency to live on the other side or to eventually end up there. The major paradigms for data processing are Cobol, object, relational and XML; each paradigm offers many facets and many versions; each paradigm provides specific forms of data models (object models, relational schemas, XML schemas, etc.). Each data-processing application depends on a horde of interrelated data models and artifacts that are derived from data models (such as data-access layers). Such conglomerations of data models are challenging due to paradigmatic impedance mismatches, performance requirements, loose-coupling requirements, and others. This ubiquitous problem calls for a good understanding of techniques for mappings between data models, actual data, and operations on data. This tutorial lists and discusses mapping scenarios, mapping techniques, impedance mismatches and research challenges regarding mappings.
Rapid Methods for Determining Decarboxylase Activity: Ornithine and Lysine Decarboxylases

A rapid biochemical method for the determination of ornithine and lysine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.18) activity has been developed for use in the routine clinical laboratory. It is based on the detection of the amine end product produced in response to the single key amino acid added to a synthetic medium. A modified ninhydrin reagent is used to detect the amine after a chloroform extraction. This procedure can be used with a 1- to 4-hr incubation period (utilizing an initial concentrated inoculum) or with an overnight culture. Thus, measurements based on the alkalinization of the medium after a lengthy incubation period are avoided. Optimal parameters for enzyme activity are discussed.