cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Behaviour of silver(II) in phosphoric acid media and a general mechanism for solvent oxidation

Abstract A spectrophotometric investigation of silver(II) in phosphoric acid solution has revealed the presence of two predominant silver(II) phosphate complexes, which undergo reduction by water according to a rate law second order in silver(II), inverse first order in silver(I) and complex in solvent anion and hydrogen ion concentrations. A comparison of trends in molar absorptivities and pseudo-first order rate constants indicates that the reduction step is preceded by rapid equilibria involving silver(II) complexes. A single oxidation-reduction mechanism seems to be common to the three acidic media studied to date.
Numerical methods for nonlinear integro-parabolic equations of fredholm type

Abstract This paper is concerned with iterative methods for numerical solutions of a class of nonlocal reaction-diffusion-convection equations under either linear or nonlinear boundary conditions. The discrete approximation of the problem is based on the finite-difference method, and the computation of the finite-difference solution is by the method of upper and lower solutions. Three types of quasi-monotone reaction functions are considered and for each type, a monotone iterative scheme is obtained. Each of these iterative schemes yields two sequences which converge monotonically from above and below, respectively, to a unique solution of the finite-difference system. This monotone convergence leads to an existence-uniqueness theorem as well as a computational algorithm for the computation of the solution. An error estimate between the computed approximations and the true finite-difference solution is obtained for each iterative scheme. These error estimates are given in terms of the strength of the reaction function and the effect of diffusion-convection, and are independent of the true solution. Applications are given to three model problems to illustrate some basic techniques for the construction of upper and lower solutions and the implementation of the computational algorithm.
A Method for Estimating Uptake and Production Rates for Urea in Seawater using [14C] Urea and [15N] Urea

Improved estimates of the rates of urea production and uptake by natural populations of phytoplankton were made after determining the change in 15N-atom% enrichment of urea during incubations. A [1...
World poverty, another look

The World Bank used the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to calculate changes in the world poverty level (measured in U.S. dollars) prior to 1982. In 1983, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) replaced the CPI with several indices including CPI-W which was then adopted by the World Bank. This caused the inflated rate of the U.S. dollars and the percentage of the world population in poverty to be dramatically underestimated. This new incorrect procedure gives 25% (1.5 million) below the poverty line in 2005, while the more appropriate procedure (described herein) gives 52% (3.3 million in 2005). The rapid rise of the poverty line (using the preferable CPI) starting in 1987 occurred at nearly the same time as the peak in per capita annual cereal production.
SHOREBIRD DISTRIBUTIONS ON OCEAN BEACHES OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Abstract Use of coastal beaches by nonbreeding shorebirds along the Pacific coast of North America is poorly understood because survey efforts have targeted large bays and wetlands where birds concentrate. Consequently, we studied coastal shorebird distributions and community composition by conducting monthly surveys at 40, 0.5-km linear plots along sandy beaches of coastal northern California from January through April 1996. We recorded 12 species, whose ranked abundances were consistent between winter (January–February) and spring (March–April). However, five of the six commonest species were more abundant in winter than spring. Among beaches, we detected a mean of 2.6 ± 2.3 (SD; range: 0–9) species and 12.0 ± 14.1 (range: 0–62) individuals. Number of species correlated positively with total shorebird abundance. Most species' abundances varied greatly among sites; nine taxa had aggregated spatial distributions, one species was hyper-dispersed, and two species were randomly distributed among beaches. Spe...
Visualization of swept hyperpatch solids

A swept solid is obtained by sweeping an object (the generator) along a second object (the trajectory). This paper introduces methods of creating and visualizing swept objects, where the generator belongs to the class of B-spline hyperpatch solids and the trajectory is a B-spline-curve. A method was given that refines the swept object into one or more hyperpatch objects, each of which can be further refined into a set of B-spline boundary patches. The boundary patches can then be inserted directly into a rendering algorithm. These operations, together with modeling tools generated for free-form surface design, form a powerful tool kit for the design of complex solids.
Graphitic Petal Electrodes for All‐Solid‐State Flexible Supercapacitors

The charge storage characteristics of a composite nanoarchitecture with a highly functional 3D morphology are reported. The electrodes are formed by the electropolymerization of aniline monomers into a nanometer-thick polyaniline (PANI) film that conformally coats graphitic petals (GPs) grown by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) on conductive carbon cloth (CC). The hybrid CC/GPs/PANI electrodes yield results near the theoretical maximum capacitance for PANI of 2000 F g−1 (based on PANI mass) and a large area-normalized specific capacitance of ≈2.6 F cm−2 (equivalent to a volumetric capacitance of ≈230 F cm−3) at a low current density of 1 A g−1 (based on PANI mass). The specific capacitances remain above 1200 F g−1 (based on PANI mass) for currents up to 100 A g−1 with correspondingly high area-normalized values. The hybrid electrodes also exhibit a high rate capability with an energy density of 110 Wh kg−1 and a maximum power density of 265 kW kg−1 at a current density of 100 A g−1. Long-term cyclic stability is good (≈7% loss of initial capacitance after 2000 cycles), with coulombic efficiencies >99%. Moreover, prototype all-solid-state flexible supercapacitors fabricated from these hybrid electrodes exhibit excellent energy storage performance.
UNDERGRADUATE NURSING STUDENTS' Perceptions of Service-Learning Through a School-Based Community Project

Abstract Service-learning (SL) is an experiential teaching method that combines instruction with community service, with the aim of enriching students' academic learning, interpersonal skills and sense of responsibility while making meaningful contributions to the community. However, measuring outcomes of service-learning projects is difficult. This article reports on the perceptions of 18 third-year undergraduate nursing students who took part in a pilot service-learning project targeting tobacco use in a local elementary school. Faculty members evaluated the program's outcomes by engaging students in structured reflection on the program about its relevance to their future careers as practicing professionals, especially in community-based settings. The students' perceptions were elicited through three sets of reflective assignments following the project. Findings from the reflective assignments suggest that the pilot program was successful in enhancing the students' academic, social, and personal develop...
The ethics of cardiac arrest research

In cardiac arrest research, prior informed consent is not available to resolve the conflict between the rights and well-being of subjects and the possible benefit to future patients. The right to autonomy is the fundamental right that is protected by the legal doctrine of informed consent. As a fundamental right, it cannot be balanced against other goods. Rather, it is a constraint, or trump, on the balancing of goods and can be overridden only for a narrow range of reasons: its recognition in a given case conflicts with another basic right, infringing the right will prevent great harm to others, and excluding a particular case from its scope will recognize and advance the right in the long run. Proxy consent, deferred consent, and presumed consent to cardiac arrest research are examined to determine if they qualify as justified infringements of the right to autonomy. The conclusion is that only presumed consent can be used, provided that the researcher can honestly say that outside of the randomized clinical trial of two or more treatments, a physician would have no basis for choosing one over the others.
Optical amplification and lasing by stimulated Raman scattering in silicon waveguides

Achieving light amplification and lasing in silicon is one of most challenging goals in silicon-based optoelectronics. As a nonlinear optical effect, stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) provides a means to generate optical gain in silicon. Recent results of a nonlinear optics approach to optical amplification and lasing in silicon at the Photonics Technology Laboratory of Intel Corporation are reviewed. This paper starts with the description of the underlying physics related to the Raman scattering in silicon and experimental results of SRS in silicon waveguides. Then, it is shown that nonlinear optical absorption associated with the two-photon absorption (TPA)-induced free carrier absorption (FCA) is a dominant loss mechanism limiting optical gain in a silicon waveguide in addition to the linear optical scattering loss due to the waveguide sidewall roughness. The design and fabrication of a low-loss silicon waveguide containing a p-i-n diode to reduce the nonlinear optical loss are described. It is demonstrated that the free carrier density inside the waveguide can be reduced significantly with a reverse bias of the p-i-n diode. As a result, net optical gain in a silicon waveguide is achieved. The design, fabrication, and characterization of a Raman silicon laser are also described. Both pulsed and continuous-wave (CW) lasing in silicon are achieved using SRS
Regression of Cardiac Amyloidosis After Stem Cell Transplantation Assessed by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging

A previously fit 52-year-old man presented with severe progressive exertional dyspnea. He was in heart-failure with an elevated jugular-venous-pressure, edema, and increased plasma-NTpro-BNP levels of 4285 μg/mL (upper limit of normal <900 μg/mL). His ECG demonstrated sinus-rhythm with low limb and chest lead voltages (Figure 1). He had significant proteinuria with renal and bone marrow biopsies confirming light-chain amyloidosis. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging revealed concentric left-ventricular hypertrophy with an ejection fraction of 65%, left-ventricular end-diastolic volume of 146 mL, left-ventricular end-systolic volume of 51 mL, left-ventricular mass of 245 g, and left-atrial volume of 144 …
Neurotransmitter Control of Neocortical Neuronal Activity and Excitability

The pattern of activity and excitability of cortical neurons and neuronal circuits is dependent upon the interaction between glutamatergic and GABAergic fast-activating transmitter systems as well as the state of the more slowly acting transmitters such as ACh, norepinephrine, 5-HT, and histamine. Through the activation of GABAA receptors, GABAergic neurons regulate the amplitude and duration of EPSPs and, in so doing, control the level of functional activation of NMDA receptors. In contrast, activation of muscarinic, adrenergic, serotoninergic, histaminergic, and glutamate metabotropic receptors controls the excitability and pattern of action potential generation in identified pyramidal cells through increases or decreases in various K+ conductances. Activation of muscarinic, alpha 1-adrenergic, or glutamate metabotropic receptors on layer V burst-generating corticotectal or corticopontine neurons results in depolarization through a reduction in a K+ conductance and a switch in the firing mode from repetitive burst firing to single-spike activity. In contrast, activation of muscarinic, beta-adrenergic, H2-histaminergic, and serotoninergic receptors on regular-spiking layer II/III, V, and/or VI corticogeniculate pyramidal cells results in a decrease in spike frequency adaptation and increased responsiveness to depolarizing inputs through a reduction in a slow Ca(2+)-activated K+ current IAHP, and/or a voltage-dependent K+ current, IM. Through these, and other, mechanisms the spatial and temporal pattern of activity generated in cortical circuits is regulated by both intracortical and extracortical neurotransmitter systems.
An output-feedback MPC-based scheduling method for enhancing immune response to HIV

Recently developed models of the interaction of the human immune system and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) suggest the possibility of using interruptions of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) to simulate a theraputic vaccine and induce cytotoxic lymphocyte (CTL) mediated control of HIV infection. In previous work we have developed a model predictive control (MPC) based method for determining optimal treatment interruption schedules for this purpose. In this paper, we introduce a nonlinear observer for the HIV-immune response system and an integrated output-feedback MPC approach for implementing the treatment interruption scheduling algorithm using the easily available viral load measurements. We explore the robustness of this method to inevitable variations in the patient model, and discuss the implications of the results.
Complicated inferior vena cava filter retrieval using an amplatz snare device.

2Department of Surgery, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, CO. ercutaneous placement of retrievable inferior vena cava (IVC) filters is becoming increasingly common. Although early studies promoted placement of IVC filters [1–5], long-term results of such devices is lacking. Some express concern that the devices may be overused, particularly when placed prophylactically or in younger individuals (< 30 years old in some instances) in whom the filter cannot be removed. In this article, we describe a complication of removal of one of the commercially available retrievable IVC filters to remind practitioners of the potential morbidity associated with these devices.
Plasma levels of nitrate and risk of prostate cancer: a prospective study.

Background:Nitrate and nitrite supplements have recently been shown to improve cardiovascular health, but there is concern that these supplements could contribute to the development of cancer. Previous small, cross-sectional studies reported positive associations between circulating nitrate/nitrite levels and cancer. Prospective studies examining the association between plasma nitrate and cancer, especially prostate cancer (PCa), are lacking. Methods:We conducted a nested case-control study within the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Baseline blood samples were collected in 1994, and incident cases of PCa were identified from 1997-2005. Baseline plasma levels of nitrate were measured in the 630 cases and 630 matched controls. Results:We have found that baseline levels of plasma nitrate were not associated with risk of PCa. Compared to quintile 1, the relative risk from quintiles 2-5 were 1.13 (95% CI 0.78-1.63), 0.93 (95% CI 0.63-1.38), 0.95 (95% CI 0.65-1.39), and 0.99 (95% CI 0.68-1.48); p for trend was 0.9 after adjustment of multivariate risk factors. Further, plasma nitrate appeared to be inversely associated with advanced-stage PCa. The relative risk across extreme quartiles was 0.44 (95% CI 0.17-1.12; p for trend = 0.07) for the whole data set and 0.30 (95% CI 0.09-0.99; p for trend = 0.05) for the fasting data set. Conclusions:We did not find an increased risk of PCa associated with higher plasma nitrate levels. A potential protective association between nitrate and aggressive forms of PCa requires confirmation. Impact:Nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide pathway has emerged as a new therapeutic pathway for chronic diseases. The results of this study certainly merit replications.
Lattice tower ground line corrosion and mitigation; a case study

This typical tower line is an example of what happens to steel structures which go without maintenance for extended periods. A method of inspection, repair and below ground line maintenance is presented. This paper addresses only lattice towers on grillage foundations. The recognition that below ground steel may not be in the same condition as above ground steel is presented along with a repair method for legs and bracing which have been damaged by corrosion.
Axonal transport of membranous and nonmembranous cargoes: a unified perspective

Membranous and nonmembranous cargoes are transported along axons in the fast and slow components of axonal transport, respectively. Recent observations on the movement of cytoskeletal polymers in axons suggest that slow axonal transport is generated by fast motors and that the slow rate is due to rapid movements interrupted by prolonged pauses. This supports a unified perspective for fast and slow axonal transport based on rapid movements of diverse cargo structures that differ in the proportion of the time that they spend moving. A Flash feature (http://www.jcb.org/cgi/content/full/jcb.200212017/DC1) accompanies this Mini-Review.
DRAMATIC DISAPPEARANCES: MARY ELIZABETH BRADDON AND THE STAGING OF THEATRICAL CHARACTER

Finding themselves with more money and more time in which to spend it, the middle classes began in the 1860s to renegotiate their relationship to the arts, and to theater in particular. Recording and rendering visible this process of cultural change are the popular sensation novels of Mary Elizabeth Braddon, author of Lady Audley's Secret, and the numerous dramatic adaptations of her work. Braddon shares with Charles Dickens and Sir Walter Scott the distinction of being one of the novelists whose work was most frequently adapted for the stage. Unlike Dickens, however, she often responded favorably to the efforts of her adapters. This congenial relationship resulted, no doubt, from the three years she spent performing on the provincial stage in the late 1850s. Her continuing interest in the theater and theater people is reflected in their frequent appearance in her novels.
Large-scale evaluation of automated clinical note de-identification and its impact on information extraction

Objective (1) To evaluate a state-of-the-art natural language processing (NLP)-based approach to automatically de-identify a large set of diverse clinical notes. (2) To measure the impact of de-identification on the performance of information extraction algorithms on the de-identified documents. Material and methods A cross-sectional study that included 3503 stratified, randomly selected clinical notes (over 22 note types) from five million documents produced at one of the largest US pediatric hospitals. Sensitivity, precision, F value of two automated deidentification systems for removing all 18 HIPAA-defined protected health information elements were computed. Performance was assessed against a manually generated ‘gold standard’. Statistical significance was tested. The automated de-identification performance was also compared with that of two humans on a 10% subsample of the gold standard. The effect of deidentification on the performance of subsequent medication extraction was measured. Results The gold standard included 30815 protected health information elements and more than one million tokens. The most accurate NLP method had 91.92% sensitivity (R) and 95.08% precision (P) overall. The performance of the system was indistinguishable from that of human annotators (annotators’ performance was 92.15%(R)/93.95%(P) and 94.55%(R)/88.45%(P) overall while the best system obtained 92.91%(R)/95.73%(P) on same text). The impact of automated de-identification was minimal on the utility of the narrative notes for subsequent information extraction as measured by the sensitivity and precision of medication name extraction. Discussion and conclusion NLP-based deidentification shows excellent performance that rivals the performance of human annotators. Furthermore, unlike manual de-identification, the automated approach scales up to millions of documents quickly and inexpensively. This paper studied automated de-identification of clinical narrative text using natural language processing (NLP)-based methods. The specific aims were (1) to evaluate a state-of-the-art NLP-based approach to automatically de-identify a large set of diverse clinical notes for all HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)-defined protected health information (PHI) elements and (2) to measure the impact of de-identification on the performance of information extraction (IE) algorithms executed on the de-identified documents. In addition, we hope that our studydby contrasting the performance of human and automated de-identificationdwill shape policy expectations.
Novel porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus strains in the United States with deletions in untranslated regions

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) still causes major problems for the swine industry worldwide. Here, we report the detection and genomic characterization of two novel PRRS virus (PRRSV) strains from the United States with deletions in untranslated regions (UTRs). The OH155-2015 strain has two single-nucleotide deletions in the 5’ UTR, whereas the OH28372-2013 strain has a 13-nt deletion in the 3’ UTR. In addition, OH155-2015 and OH28372-2013 have a unique deletion and mutations in the NSP2 and N gene, respectively. Our study highlights the importance of continued monitoring of PRRSV using whole-genome sequencing.
Effect of Combined Ketogenic Diet and Valproate Treatment for Intractable Seizures

The safety and tolerability of ketogenic diet (KGD) and valproate (VPA) cotherapy in the treatment of intractable seizures were evaluated retrospectively at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
The occurrence of hemolytic streptococci in the normal throat

The incidence of hemolytic streptococci in the throat has been studied by many workers. In normal persons the percentages as given range from 10 to 60 per cent, or higher. From the mass of literature on this point I think the impression may be gained, indeed the conclusion has been drawn by some, that this organism does not occur in the throats of some persons. Others have the impression that certain persons are definite carriers in that they constantly harbor large numbers of the organisms in the throat. The data have been obtained in most instances by making ordinary throat swabs and then plating either by the poured plate method or by surface plate smears. These methods will determine with reasonable accuracy the incidence of hemolytic streptococci on the surface of the mucosa of the throat. It is now known, however, that hemolytic streptococci prefer to inhabit the crypts and grooves of tissues about the throat. In the crypts of the tonsils Pilot and Davis 1 have shown that they are found in nearly 100*^? of cases, and others have obtained substantially the same results. Pilot,2 recently has also shown that in the folds of the adenoids these organisms are found in about 60% of cases. The surface flora and the crypt flora, therefore, are by no means alike.
Surgical approach of cochlear implantation in patients with common cavity

OBJECTIVE To discuss the surgical approach of cochlear implantation in patients with common cavity. METHOD Seventeen patients with common cavity underwent cochlear implantations through facial recess approach or transmastoid lateral semicircular canal approach,according to the preoperative imaging and audiological evaluation. RESULT Common cavity was opened and electrodes were inserted smoothly in all cases. Facial recess approach was used in 3 patients, while transmastoid lateral semicircular canal approach was used in the others. Intraoperative "gush" occurred in 4 cases. None of the cases developed intraoperative or postoperative complications, such as facial paralysis, meningitis and cerebrospinal fluid leakage. All cases had improvements in hearing. Atypical postoperative EABR responses were detected, the average free filed hearing threshold was 65 dB HL, the average speech recognition score of Chinese vowels was 75%, and the average speech recognition score of Chinese consonant was less than 10%. CONCLUSION (1) Selection of surgical approach for patients with common cavity: if the basal turn of cochlear could be distinguished at the posterior tympanum side of common cavity, the facial recess approach was used; if the cochlear,vestibule and the lateral semicircular canal merged to be a spherical cavity, the transmastoid lateral semicircular canal approach was used. (2) Surgical approach of cochlear implantation affected the postoperative outcomes. (3) Outcomes of cochlear implantation in common cavity patients were much poorer than normal cochlear cases.
A mixed method study of hurricane evacuation: demographic predictors for stated compliance to voluntary and mandatory orders

ABSTRACTThe present paper examines the role of several demographic indicators on stated hurricane evacuation thresholds, or the lowest category storm for which participants indicated they would evacuate, for mandatory and voluntary orders. Quantitative analyses reveal that race was significantly associated with a lower stated evacuation threshold in both the bivariate and multivariate models and that previous refusal to comply with evacuation orders was associated with higher stated evacuation thresholds. Qualitative analyses reveal two key findings: (1) wind is perceived as more dangerous than water (rain and storm surge) associated with hurricanes; (2) traffic concerns were the most frequently cited reason listed for possible refusal to comply with evacuation orders. Implications of the findings include the value of future evaluations of race and trust, storm characteristics and threat perception, and other practical considerations for improving evacuation compliance such as the amelioration of traffic ...
The Self-Pressurising Air-Q® Intubating Laryngeal Airway for Airway Maintenance during Anaesthesia in Adults: A Report of the First 100 Uses:

The self-pressurising air-Q® Intubating Laryngeal Airway is a new, commercially available, supraglottic airway device that incorporates a self-regulating periglottic cuff. In this retrospective review, we describe our initial clinical experience using the device in 100 patients. The ease and number of insertion attempts, airway seal pressure, device positioning, intubation success and oropharyngeal morbidity were recorded. The air-Q Intubating Laryngeal Airway was successfully inserted in all 100 patients and functioned adequately as a primary airway in 70 of the 72 patients in which it was used for this purpose. The median (interquartile range [range]) airway seal pressure was 22 (19-29, [10-40]) cmH2O. Intubation via the air-Q Intubating Laryngeal Airway was successful in 28 of 29 (97%) patients. Eleven percent of patients complained of sore throat postoperatively before discharge. In our series, the air-Q Intubating Laryngeal Airway performed adequately as a primary airway during anaesthesia with respect to ease of insertion, adequacy of airway maintenance and as a conduit for intubation in both anticipated and unanticipated difficult airways. Although our initial experience is positive, further investigation with larger numbers of observations are needed as the upper limits of the 95% confidence intervals for device failure (the worst failure rate the clinician could expect) are still high.
Radiation Dose to Hands from Radiopharmaceuticals—Preparation Versus Injections

Since there has not been a great deal in the literature on personnel radiation exposure, particularly to the hands, we investigated the question of which phase of radionuclide handling causes the greatest radiation dose to the hands: preparation or injection. Results indicate that the major radiation dose occurs during preparation. The total dose, however, is well below the maximum permissible dose set by the National Council on Radiation Protection. Lead foil wrapped around the syringe cuts the dose to the hands somewhat, but the overall exposure to the hands while injecting is quite small.
Differential Longitudinal Decline of White Matter Integrity in Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration and Alzheimer’s Disease (P4.023)

Objective: To identify imaging biomarkers of disease progression in frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) that can be used in longitudinal assessments. Background: Recent years have witnessed the emergence of treatment trials for FTLD and AD, creating a need for sensitive biomarkers of disease progression. Cross-sectional studies have shown that white matter integrity, measured via diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), is affected by both AD and FTLD. Few studies have quantified or compared the rates of change in white matter integrity in these disorders. Methods: Diffusion weighted 3T MRIs from a cohort of 60 FTLD patients (27 behavioral-variant, 19 semantic-variant, 14 progressive non-fluent aphasia), 19 AD, and 69 healthy age-matched controls were acquired at baseline and 1-year on average follow up. Images were processed using a longitudinal DTI pipeline implemented in SPM12 to identify annualized changes in fractional anisotropy (FA). Results: Compared to controls, FTLD showed more reduction in FA over 1-year in the corpus callosum (CC), superior longitudinal fasciculus, inferior longitudinal fasciculus, the uncinate, and anterior portions of the internal capsule and corona radiata. In AD, FA reductions were seen in the splenium and posterior portions of the thalamic radiation. Rates of decline were -0.028 FA units per year in FTLD in the genu of the CC, and -0.017 FA units per year in AD in splenium of the CC. Conclusions: Decline in white matter integrity in FTLD and AD is measurable over 1 year and reflects established patterns of brain pathology in these two disorders. This suggests that changes in white matter integrity can provide a viable surrogate marker in both FTLD and AD for future clinical trials. In addition, similar to previous clinical and volumetric studies, white matter is shown to degrade nearly twice as rapidly in FLTD compared to AD. Disclosure: Dr. Marx has nothing to disclose. Dr. Elahi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Elofson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cobigo has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tosun has nothing to disclose. Dr. Schuff has nothing to disclose. Dr. Miller has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rosen has nothing to disclose.
Fault Tolerant Margins for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Flight Safety

Consider an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operation from the time it is launched until the time it is put into an autonomous flight control mode. The control input u(t) during this time duration is modeled σu(t) and assumed healthy with σ = 1. In practice, however, the control inputs are less effective with a σ-value in the interval [0, 1) (Fan et al. 2012; Jayakumar and Das 2006; Hu et al. J. Guid. Control. Dyn. 34(3), 927–932, 2011). Complete damaged condition is inferred from σ = 0. Given a stabilizing controller, a range of σ-values in the interval [0,1) for which the closed loop system would remain stable is referred as the fault-tolerant margin (FTM). Flight operations with control effectiveness beyond the FTM are catastrophic. Further, when aerodynamic parameter variations due to an uncertain atmospheric condition in an UAV are present, it is shown that the FTMs are extremely sensitive to these parameter perturbations. In this paper, the FTMs are presented. The effects of control effectiveness factor on the nonlinear UAV when it is in the stable range are investigated. An UAV model in Ashokkumar and York (2016) is considered to illustrate the FTMs as a threshold to guarantee the safe operation.
Pre-sternal and Extended Catheters

Peritoneal dialysis is an important dialysis modality used in the management of the patients with end stage renal disease. Success of the peritoneal dialysis depends on obtaining and maintaining a good access to the peritoneal cavity. Obtaining a peritoneal access with longer survival, reduced catheter related infections and complications are crucial for effective peritoneal dialysis. The introduction of Missouri Swan neck pre-sternal catheters gave whole new dimension to the world of peritoneal dialysis. These catheters are not only associated with reduced catheter associated complications but also reduced exit site and tunnel infections, peri-catheter leaks, catheter tip migration, cuff extrusion and peritonitis. Further, patients with ostomies and obesity also do better with the pre-sternal catheters. Overall, patient’s acceptance of pre-sternal exit site is better. These catheters have a coiled intra-abdominal segment; a titanium adaptor joins the abdominal segment to the upper segment. The upper segment has two cuffs, one on either side of pre-sternal swan-neck segment. The present chapter describes the advantages of pre-sternal swan neck catheters over conventional abdominal peritoneal dialysis catheters with various methods of implantation of pre-sternal catheters.
The role of shear stress and altered tissue properties on endothelial to mesenchymal transformation and tumor-endothelial cell interaction

Tumor development is influenced by stromal cells in aspects including invasion, growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Activated fibroblasts are one group of stromal cells involved in cancer metastasis, and one source of activated fibroblasts is endothelial to mesenchymal transformation (EndMT). EndMT begins when the endothelial cells delaminate from the cell monolayer, lose cell-cell contacts, lose endothelial markers such as vascular endothelial-cadherin (VE-cadherin), gain mesenchymal markers like alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and acquire mesenchymal cell-like properties. A three-dimensional (3D) culture microfluidic device was developed for investigating the role of steady low shear stress (1 dyne/cm2) and altered extracellular matrix (ECM) composition and stiffness on EndMT. Shear stresses resulting from fluid flow within tumor tissue are relevant to both cancer metastasis and treatment effectiveness. Low and oscillatory shear stress rates have been shown to enhance the invasion of metastatic can...
Child-specific, maternal, and environmental stressors in the context of adolescent weight outcomes

ABSTRACTStress increases risk for pediatric obesity, yet limited research has simultaneously examined stressors from various areas of adolescent development while examining which stressors are most strongly associated with obesity risk. Among 675 adolescent–mother dyads from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, child, maternal, and environmental stressors were associated with poorer weight outcomes. Independent markers of stress were associated with higher levels of adolescent zBMI, including lower cortisol levels, greater adolescent depressive symptoms, and lower income-to-needs ratio. Future interventions may build upon these findings to identify at-risk youth and further examine how stressors relate to pediatric obesity risk.
Extension to multiple temperatures of a three-reaction global kinetic model for methane dehydroaromatization

Abstract An alternative to flaring of surplus natural gas is methane dehydroaromatization (MDA) to benzene (C 6 H 6 ) over a bifunctional molybdenum/zeolite catalyst. Byproducts include H 2 , C 2 H 4 , and naphthalene (C 10 H 8 ). While an MDA detailed elementary reaction mechanism is now available, a simpler global kinetic model is more useful for engineering and screening calculations. A literature three-step reaction model exists but with rate constants only at 950 K. In the current work, Arrhenius parameters for the three global reactions have been determined over 948–1023 K based on a regression of major gas species concentration data generated from Chemkin ® simulations of a packed bed reactor running the detailed MDA mechanism. In addition, the three-step model is used to illustrate the need to remove H 2 , perhaps through a membranous reactor wall, in order to overcome strong equilibrium CH 4 conversion limitations. Such H 2 removal, though, improves C 10 H 8 selectivity at the expense of C 6 H 6 .
RSK2 drives cell motility by serine phosphorylation of LARG and activation of Rho GTPases

Directed migration is essential for cell motility in many processes, including development and cancer cell invasion. RSKs (p90 ribosomal S6 kinases) have emerged as central regulators of cell migration; however, the mechanisms mediating RSK-dependent motility remain incompletely understood. We have identified a unique signaling mechanism by which RSK2 promotes cell motility through leukemia-associated RhoGEF (LARG)-dependent Rho GTPase activation. RSK2 directly interacts with LARG and nucleotide-bound Rho isoforms, but not Rac1 or Cdc42. We further show that epidermal growth factor or FBS stimulation induces association of endogenous RSK2 with LARG and LARG with RhoA. In response to these stimuli, RSK2 phosphorylates LARG at Ser1288 and thereby activates RhoA. Phosphorylation of RSK2 at threonine 577 is essential for activation of LARG-RhoA. Moreover, RSK2-mediated motility signaling depends on RhoA and -B, but not RhoC. These results establish a unique RSK2-dependent LARG-RhoA signaling module as a central organizer of directed cell migration and invasion.
Improving the psychometric properties of dot-probe attention measures using response-based computation.

Abstract Background and objectives Abnormal threat-related attention in anxiety disorders is most commonly assessed and modified using the dot-probe paradigm; however, poor psychometric properties of reaction-time measures may contribute to inconsistencies across studies. Typically, standard attention measures are derived using average reaction-times obtained in experimentally-defined conditions. However, current approaches based on experimentally-defined conditions are limited. In this study, the psychometric properties of a novel response-based computation approach to analyze dot-probe data are compared to standard measures of attention. Methods 148 adults (19.19 ± 1.42 years, 84 women) completed a standardized dot-probe task including threatening and neutral faces. We generated both standard and response-based measures of attention bias, attentional orientation, and attentional disengagement. We compared overall internal consistency, number of trials necessary to reach internal consistency, test-retest reliability (n = 72), and criterion validity obtained using each approach. Results Compared to standard attention measures, response-based measures demonstrated uniformly high levels of internal consistency with relatively few trials and varying improvements in test-retest reliability. Additionally, response-based measures demonstrated specific evidence of anxiety-related associations above and beyond both standard attention measures and other confounds. Limitations Future studies are necessary to validate this approach in clinical samples. Conclusions Response-based attention measures demonstrate superior psychometric properties compared to standard attention measures, which may improve the detection of anxiety-related associations and treatment-related changes in clinical samples.
The Georgia Crawl

This is an introduction to a Lilly Endowment symposium on The Theology of the Practice of Law produced by the Mercer Law Review. It is intended to raise the issue of the theology of the practice through an analogy to the theological tensions in the life and work of the famous Georgia bluesman, Blind Willie McTell, using an imagined conversation between Blind Willie and an Atlantic Records producer.
In Vitro Analysis of Cyanobacterial Nonheme Iron-Dependent Aliphatic Halogenases WelO5 and AmbO5

Abstract Aliphatic carbon–halogen (C–X) bonds are prevalent in modern pharmaceuticals and bioactive natural products. Three distinct chemical strategies are known in Nature to generate these structural motifs. The first is via the nucleophilic substitution at a prefunctionalized electrophilic carbon center with a halide anion (X−), known for the S-adenosyl- l -methionine-dependent halogenases. The second is via the electrophilic activation of an alkene or its equivalent by a halenium ion (X+) donor, known for the haloperoxidases and flavin-dependent halogenases. The third is via the direct functionalization of an unactivated aliphatic C–H bond with a halogen radical (X ) equivalent, known for the 2-oxo-glutarate and nonheme iron-dependent halogenases. Due to the ubiquitous nature of aliphatic C–H groups in organic molecules, transformations that permit chemo-, regio-, and stereo-selective modification(s) at an unactivated sp3-carbon center have been a long sought-after goal in chemical science. Two nonheme iron-dependent halogenases, WelO5 and AmbO5 involved in the biogenesis of cyanobacterial hapalindole-type alkaloids, have been recently shown able to perform this type of challenging transformation. In this chapter, experimental details for the in vitro reconstitution of WelO5 and AmbO5 enzymatic activities are presented.
Alterations in Inflammatory Cytokine Production Following Hemorrhage and Resuscitation

Hemorrhage is a prevalent complication in trauma victims arising from soft tissue and bone injuries causing life-threatening blood loss. Hemorrhage is also frequently encountered during complex surgical procedures. The resulting sepsis and multiple organ failure (1–6) following trauma/hemorrhage is responsible for 60% of the deaths in surgical intensive care units (7). Although the improved resuscitation of trauma victims has resulted in increased short-term survival, late septic complications continue to prevail (2). It is encouraging, however, that the complex pathophysiology of hemorrhagic shock is becoming better understood as more studies are being reported (8–15) which will lead to better management of such patients.
Sign Language and Psycholinguistic Process: Fact, Hypotheses, and Implications for Interpretation

It is true, as some of the papers in this conference have recognized, that laboratory studies of language cannot directly be carried over and used as models of naturally occurring language processes. Yet, even if laboratory experiments do represent artificial situations, the people in those experiments are very real. Thus, we cannot uncritically reject laboratory results any more than we can uncritically accept them. Instead, we should ask empirically just how relevant lab results are, and carry out the studies needed to find out. My work is based on long-standing psychological laboratory paradigms, but I hope that you will agree that it has much broader implications. Each of its implications will, of course, require separate test.
The Russian Empire: 1450–1801. By Nancy Shields Kollmann. (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2017. Pp. xiii, 497. $110.00.)

At the height of the Cold War, the late Harvard historian Edward Keenan observed that Western interpretations of Russia's early development were based largely on a “deprivation hypothesis.” They at...
Performance Evaluation of the Policy Enforcement Fog Module for Protecting Privacy of IoT Data

The rapid development of the Internet of Things (IoT) results in generating massive amounts of data. Significant portions of these data are sensitive since they reflect (directly or indirectly) peoples' behaviors, interests, lifestyles, etc. Protecting sensitive IoT data from privacy violations is a challenge since these data need to be communicated, processed, analyzed, and stored by public networks, servers, and clouds; most of them are untrusted parties for data owners. We propose a solution for protecting sensitive IoT data called Policy Enforcement Fog Module (PEFM). The major task of the PEFM solution is mandatory enforcement of privacy policies for sensitive IoT data—wherever these data are accessed throughout their entire lifecycle. The key feature of PEFM is its placement within the fog computing infrastructure, which assures that PEFM operates as closely as possible to data sources within the edge. PEFM enforces policies directly for local IoT applications. In contrast, for remote applications, PEFM provides a self-protecting mechanism based on creating and disseminating Active Data Bundles (ADBs). ADBs are software constructs bundling inseparably sensitive data, their privacy policies, and an execution engine able to enforce privacy policies. To prove effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed module, we developed a smart home proof-of-concept scenario. We investigate privacy threats for sensitive IoT data. We run simulation experiments, based on network calculus, for testing performance of the PEFM controls for different network configurations. The results of the simulation show that—even with using from 1 to 5 additional privacy policies for improved data privacy—penalties in terms of execution time and delay are reasonable (approx. 12-15% and 13-19%, respectively). The results also show that PEFM is scalable regarding the number of the real-time constraints for real-time IoT applications.
The level of evidence of medical marijuana use for treating disabilities: a scoping review

Purpose: Twenty-nine states have bypassed federal regulations by legalizing marijuana (MJ) either medicinally, recreationally or both. The FDA states that there is no empirical evidence that MJ is effective to treat these disorders. With over a billion individuals living with a disability across the globe, it is crucial to fully research the efficaciousness and safety of medical MJ to treat this population. The purpose to present the results of a scoping review of studies focused on the levels of evidence currently available on medical MJ's efficacy in treatment across a large range of disabilities.Methods: Databases were searched for research articles on the current level of evidence to support medical MJ use among people with disabilities.Results: Forty-one peer reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria. Articles focused on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, schizophrenia, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis/movement disorders, fibromyalgia, epilepsy, with some that focused on multiple disabilities.Conclusions: The level of evidence for the use of medical MJ among people with disabilities varies greatly, and has a clear lack of methodologically sound studies. Overall, medical MJ does not improve the level of functioning, but it may improve the overall quality of life for people with disabilities.Implications for RehabilitationEpilepsy can be a disabling chronic disorder which not only impacts physically but can restricts quality of life.Quality of life is diminished even more with treatment resistant epilepsy.Chronic pain is the leading cause of disability and is the most common cause of long-term disability.There is sufficient evidence that medical marijuana is effective in treating epileptic seizures and chronic pain.Medical marijuana may improve the level of functioning and quality of life for individuals with certain disabilities.