cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Hierarchical Key Establishment Scheme forWireless Sensor Networks

This paper presents hierarchical key establishment scheme (HIKES) for wireless sensor networks. In this scheme, the base station, acting as the central trust authority, empowers randomly selected sensors to act as local trust authorities authenticating on its behalf the cluster members and issuing all secret keys. HIKES uses a partial key escrow scheme that enables any sensor node selected as a cluster head to generate all the cryptographic keys needed to authenticate other sensors within its cluster. This scheme localizes authentication and key distribution, thereby reducing the communication cost with the base station. HIKES also provides one-step broadcast authentication mechanism and shows robustness against most known routing attacks. Simulation results show that HIKES provides an efficient and scalable solution to the key management problem.
Susceptibility to ozone-induced acute lung injury in iNOS-deficient mice

Mice deficient in inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS; C57Bl/6Ai-[KO]NOS2 N5) or wild-type C57Bl/6 mice were exposed to 1 part/million of ozone 8 h/night or to filtered air for three consecutive nights. Endpoints measured included lavagable total protein, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, cell content, and tyrosine nitration of whole lung proteins. Ozone exposure caused acute edema and an inflammatory response in the lungs of wild-type mice, as indicated by significant increases in lavage protein content, MIP-2 and MMP-9 content, and polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The iNOS knockout mice showed significantly greater levels of lung injury by all of these criteria than did the wild-type mice. We conclude that iNOS knockout mice are more susceptible to acute lung damage induced by exposure to ozone than are wild-type C57Bl/6 mice and that protein nitration is associated with the degree of inflammation and not dependent on iNOS-derived nitric oxide.
Preschool Personality Prototypes: Internal Coherence, Cross-Study Replicability, and Developmental Outcomes in Adolescence

This study classified for resemblance 102 preschool children, who were described by their nursery school teachers using the California Child Q-sort. Inverse (Q) factor analysis identified three personality prototypes initially defined in terms of ego resiliency and ego undercontrol: overcontrolled resilient, resilient under-controlled, and brittle. These personality prototypes showed strong to moderate similarity with typologies obtained in comparable studies and theoretical meaningful relations with experimental measures of ego functioning and IQ. Ten years later, as adolescents, overcontrolled resilients were shy and restrained yet conscientious and intelligent; resilient undercontrollers were extraverted, assertive, and impulsive; and brittles were relatively unintelligent. The discussion focused on the several meanings of person-centered methods, the sample-dependence of personality typologies, and the complementary contributions made by person versus variable-centered analytical strategies in the stu...
Modeling, analysis and design of resonant free power distribution network for modern microprocessor systems

This paper presents design-oriented analysis of the power distribution network (PDN) for high performance microprocessor systems to realize the resonant free, close to flat output impedance magnitude over a wide frequency range. Based on the frequency domain analysis, closed form design equations and parametric curves relating the system parameters are derived. A systematic method of estimating the optimum parameters of the decoupling capacitors used in a single or multistage PDN is described to realize the output impedance of specified magnitude for the noise-free, and critically damped voltage at the microprocessor core. The design examples and simulation results are discussed to demonstrate the application of the design equations and parametric curves.
Turning lectures into comic books using linguistically salient gestures

Creating video recordings of events such as lectures or meetings is increasingly inexpensive and easy. However, reviewing the content of such video may be time-consuming and difficult. Our goal is to produce a "comic book" summary, in which a transcript is augmented with keyframes that disambiguate and clarify accompanying text. Unlike most previous keyframe extraction systems which rely primarily on visual cues, we present a linguistically-motivated approach that selects keyframes that contain salient gestures. Rather than learning gesture salience directly, it is estimated by measuring the contribution of gesture to understanding other discourse phenomena. More specifically, we bootstrap from multimodal coreference resolution to identify gestures that improve performance. We then select keyframes that capture these gestures. Our model predicts gesture salience as a hidden variable in a conditional framework, with observable features from both the visual and textual modalities. This approach significantly outperforms competitive baselines that do not use gesture information.
Writing Instruction in Elementary Classrooms: Why Teachers Engage or Do Not Engage Students in Writing.

This qualitative study explored reasons K–6 teachers did or did not engage students regularly in writing. Interviews with 14 teachers, classified as high, transitional, and low implementers of writing instruction, revealed three themes: hindrances and helps, beliefs concerning practice, and preparation and professional development. Both high and low implementers identified time constraints, varying student needs, and tensions between content and conventions as hindrances, but dealt with them differently. High implementers reported receiving help from mentors, unlike low implementers. High implementers valued writing as a process and viewed themselves as good writers. They scaffolded students’ writing and integrated writing with content. Low implementers valued writing but did not view themselves as good writers. High and low implementers viewed university courses and professional development differently.
First-principles calculation of lattice stability of C15–M2R and their hypothetical C15 variants (M=Al, Co, Ni; R=Ca, Ce, Nd, Y)

When combining a stoichiometric Laves phase C15–A2B1 with a solid solution C15 phase(s) into a multicomponent system, a sublattice remodeling of the (A,B)2(A,B)1 compound is needed for the sake of database compatibility. This then requires a set of physically-grounded thermodynamic parameters for the hypothetical C15 variants (in the simplest case, A2A, B2B, and B2A), in order to avoid distortion of the phase field relating to the C15 phase in the A–B phase diagram due to the sublattice remodeling. For this purpose, the present investigation employed first-principles (FP) calculations to study the lattice stability of the stable binary C15–M2R (M=Al, Co, Ni; R=Ca, Ce, Nd, Y) and their hypothetical (unstable) C15 variants at T=0K. Our results demonstrated that use of the empirical parameters and energy constraint commonly used in the literature leads to a too large homogeneity range in some of the systems studied and, consequently, significant distortions of the phase diagram. In contrast, when enthalpies of formation based on FP calculations were used for the hypothetical C15 phases, such distortion of the phase diagram is minimized. The other advantage is that there is no need for re-optimization of the existing thermodynamic databases. Therefore, it is proposed that FP enthalpies of formation should be used for the thermodynamic descriptions of hypothetical C15 phases, at least when the empirical parameters fail to reproduce a reasonably accurate A–B binary phase diagram.
A functional role for central glucagon-like peptide-1 receptors in lithium chloride-induced anorexia

The present study sought to determine whether central glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-receptor signalling contributes to the anorexigenic effects of systemically administered lithium chloride (LiCl...
Caution-Electrostatic Discharge at Work!

Static charge generation by three mechanisms is explained, including two which do not involve physical contact. The sensitivity of various component technologies to electrostatic discharge (ESD) is tabulated and myths about the effects of environment and level of assembly refuted. A three-part program of ESD prevention and protection for component manufacturers and users is proposed.
Spin and structural halo properties at high redshift in a Λ cold dark matter universe

In this paper, we examine in detail the key structural properties of high-redshift dark matter haloes as a function of their spin parameter. We perform and analyse high-resolution cosmo- logical simulations of the formation of structure in acold dark matter universe. We study the mass function, shapes, density profiles and rotation curves for a large sample of dark matter haloes from z = 15 to 6. We also present detailed convergence tests for individual haloes. We find that high-spin haloes have stronger clustering strengths (up to 25 per cent) at all mass and redshift ranges at these early epochs. High-redshift spherical haloes are also up to 50 per cent more clustered than extremely aspherical haloes. High-spin haloes at these redshifts are also preferentially found in high-density environments, and have more neighbours than their low- spin counterparts. We report a systematic offset in the peak of the circular velocity curves for high- and low-spin haloes of the same mass. Therefore, estimating halo masses without knowledge of the spin, using only the circular velocity can yield errors of up to 40 per cent. The significant dependence of key structural properties on spin that we report here likely has important implications for studies of star formation and feedback from these galaxies. The currently favoured model that describes the formation of struc- ture in the Universe is thecold dark matter (LCDM) paradigm. In this model, the initial density distribution of the Universe was nearly homogenous, with small Gaussian density perturbations imprinted during an inflationary epoch. These fluctuations expand linearly, un- til the overdense regions undergo non-linear gravitational collapse to form bound dark matter haloes. These haloes form in a hierar- chical fashion: small haloes form first, then larger ones assemble later via merging. In the LCDM paradigm, baryons follow the dark matter. Since they can dissipate and cool, baryons condense and eventually form observable galaxies in the centres of dark matter haloes.
Constructive and destructive deviance in organizations

There are two streams of research on deviance in the management literature, one on its positive effects and one on its negative effects. Although the underlying behavior is the same—a departure from norms—these two research streams remain separate. Here I review the literature, develop an integrative typology of deviance, and call for further advancements with respect to identifying reference groups and establishing normative standards.
Computer Models of the Patient-Artificial Kidney System

This paper reviews the history of mathematical models of the patient-artificial kidney system and describes some recent advances in the application of these models to the prediction of patient chemistry changes during the hemo-dialysis procedure. The paper emphasizes the necessity of the computer for the solution of complex models which are presently being used to describe water and solute exchange in the patient.
XML Query Optimization Using the Binding Hash Method

XML query processing involves searching an XML document and returning results that satisfy a query while choosing the best method for the particular query and document. In this paper we develop a method called binding hash (BH) that performs a subset of XML query operations focusing on structural join. The BH method answers Xpath expressions directly or generates witness trees that can be used as intermediate results in a query processor. It uses pointer-based traversal and index-based access simultaneously to speed-up structural joins. A performance study indicates that the BH method performs better than existing competitive techniques for queries that are deeply nested and non-bushy. The BH method can be integrated into a larger system to be selected for an execution plan when it achieves the best performance.
Will Future Measurement Needs of the Semiconductor Industry Be Met

We discuss the ability of the nation's measurement system to meet future metrology needs of the semiconductor industry. Lacking an acceptable metric for assessing the health of metrology for the semiconductor industry, we identify a limited set of unmet measurement needs. Assuming that this set of needs may serve as proxy for the galaxy of semiconductor measurement needs, we examine it from the perspective of what will be required to continue the semiconductor industry's powerful impact in the world's macro-economy and maintain its exceptional record of numerous technological innovations. This paper concludes with suggestions about ways to strengthen the measurement system for the semiconductor industry.
What Is Next in Single-Chain Nanoparticles?

With the increasing appeal of nanotechnology, there is a demand for development of synthetic techniques for the fabrication of nano-sized objects that allow for precise size control and tailored functionalization. To this end, the collapse or folding of single polymer chains into architecturally defined nanostructures is a rapidly growing research topic in polymer science. Many synthetic approaches have been developed for the formation of single-chain nanoparticles (SCNP), and a variety of characterization methods and computational efforts have been utilized to detail their formation and probe their morphological characteristics. Interest in this field continues to grow partially due to the variety of potential applications of SCNP including catalysis, sensors, nanoreactors, and nanomedicine. While numerous developments have been made, the field is continuing to evolve, and there are still many unanswered questions regarding synthesis and characterization of SCNP. This Perspective serves to identify recen...
Mathematical Formalism and Political-Economic Content

Human economic interactions spontaneously express themselves in the quantitative form of prices and transactions quantities. This makes it dicult to avoid quantitative reasoning in political-economic research altogether. Mathematical methods, however, are only one moment in a layered process of theory generation in political economy, which starts from Schumpeterian vision, progresses to the identification of relevant abstractions, the development of mathematical and quantitative models, and the confrontation of theories with empirical data through statistical methods. Mathematical formalism is subject to the “garbage in, garbage out” principle; its conclusions can have no more validity than the assumptions supplied to the formalism. Samuelsonian mathematical economics and its general equilibrium variants imported optimization techniques from statistical physics to the problem of studying of full-information allocation, but neglected to include theories of statistical fluctuations in the resulting models. This encouraged the “Samuelsonian vice” of modifying the relevant
Investigations and Litigation Follow S.S. El Faro Tragedy

On October 1, 2015, the U.S. flag cargo ship El Faro sank with all hands in the Atlantic Ocean east of The Bahamas, during Hurricane Joaquin. The casualty is under investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board. In response to claims by families of some of the 33 crew member, the vessel owner invoked the U.S. Shipowner Limitation of Liability Act. Events leading up to the tragedy will be given strict scrutiny in the coming months.
The diet of the nuns in the Ss. Quattro Coronati monastery (Rome) at the beginning of the 17th century

Summary - This research is part of a larger project on the study of the faunal remains collected during the excavations at the Ss. Quattro Coronati Monastery (Rome). Such remains cover a wide chronological range, from the Early Middle Ages to the 17 th century, when different religious communities lived successively in this area. The present work will focus on a sample of materials referable to the beginning of the 17 th century when the monastery was occupied by the Augustinian nuns and by the orphans they were taking care of. The data obtained from this site will allow to add further details to our knowledge on the diet in monastic contexts in the urban area of Rome. Riassunto - L'alimentazione della monache nel monastero dei Ss. Quattro Coronati (Roma) all'inizio del XVII secol o Questa ricerca fa parte di un progetto piu ampio relativo allo studio dei reperti osteologici faunistici rinvenuti durante gli scavi effettuati presso il monastero dei Ss. Quattro Coronati (Roma). Tali reperti coprono un arco cronologico molto ampio, dall’Alto Medioevo al XVII secolo, durante il quale diverse comunita religiose si sono succedute in quest’area. Nel presente lavoro l’attenzione sara focalizzata su un campione di materiali riferibili all’inizio del XVII secolo, periodo in cui il monastero era frequentato dalle monache agostiniane e dalle orfane di cui esse si occupavano. I dati mostrano una prevalenza di ovicaprini, soprattutto giovani, mentre bovini e suini sono piu rari; la dieta era completata da volatili, tartarughe, pesci e molluschi. Si segnala inoltre l’occasionale presenza di mammiferi selvatici. Le informazioni ottenute per questo sito permetteranno di aggiungere un ulteriore tassello alle conoscenze sull’alimentazione in contesti monastici dell’area urbana di Roma.
A Review of Cross-craft Interactions Between the Development of Glass Production and the Pyrotechnologies of Metallurgy and other Vitreous Materials

Distinctions between the concepts of ‘invention’ and ‘innovation’ are often confusing and ambiguous. Rarely, if ever, is invention the result of a lightening-strike ‘aha’ moment. Rather, invention tends to be the application of clever innovation from one aspect of life to another, shaped through personal observations and/or experiences. The ‘invention’ of metallurgy, for example, did not simply spring from the earth one morning, but rather evolved from observations of and experiences in other pyrotechnological processes. Past scholars have speculated on the invention of various early pyrotechnological activities, such as glass making and glaze production. What has not been fully explored, however, are the aspects of cross-craft interactions linking these and other pyrotechnologies. An example of this is the limited research exploring the technological connections between the advent and development of glass technologies and developments in metallurgical and other vitreous technologies. In this paper, these connections will be explored from pyrotechnological and craft technique perspectives. Ideas concerning connections between glass and non-ferrous metallurgy and glazing are discussed.
Circulatory Effects of Pentothal Sodium

SummaryThe first undesirable effect of a single sublethal dose of pentothal sodium is sudden cessation of respiration. Repeated administration of small amounts, sufficient to maintain light anesthesia, suddenly produces signs of heart muscle poisoning. There seems to be a definite cumulative action. Whether this is due to damage of liver tissue, or whether the drug is changed into simpler, larger dose, and longer acting forms (diethyl-barbiturate?) we are not prepared to suggest. The longer the administration is continued, the more does the threat seem to shift to the more fatal circulatory side.
New colonoscope technology: impact on image capture and quality and on confidence and accuracy of endoscopy-based polyp discrimination.

Background and study aims: A newer colonoscope series has optical magnification and improvement in image freezing function. We aimed to assess the impact on image capture, image quality, and polyp discrimination. Patients and methods: In consecutive patients undergoing outpatient colonoscopy images of colorectal polyps were taken with Olympus 190 or 180 series instruments. The number of image captures needed to obtain an adequate image, quality of stored images, proportion of polyps with a high confidence estimate of likely histology, and accuracy of interpretations were compared. Results: An acceptable image at the first attempt was obtained in 97.3 % of photos with the 190 device vs. 83.8 % with the 180 instrument (P 98 % of polyps in both the 180 group and the 190 group. A second endoscopist agreed with the original high confidence interpretations for 90 % of polyps imaged with either the 180 or the 190 scope. Conclusion: The new colonoscope had less image blurring, improved subjective quality of stored images, and increased the proportion of high confidence endoscopic estimates of polyp histology, but did not improve accuracy in estimating polyp histology.
The monovalent cation content and adenosine triphosphatase activity of human normal and leukemic granulocytes and lymphocytes: relationship to cell volume and morphologic age.

Differences in volume, water content and weight of leukocytes of different morphologic type are described. These differences make it mandatory that the influence of those factors which contribute to the denominator in comparative studies of leukocyte characteristics be considered if different cell types are being compared. The influence of cell isolation on monovalent cation content is emphasized. Restoration of a high potassium, low sodium steady-state occurred at 37 C. after incubation in physiologic solutions. Inhibition of this cation restoration by ouabain, or deviations from optimal extracellular pH, optimal ambient temperature and optimal extracellular potassium concentration coupled with the presence of ouabain inhibitable monovalent cation activated adenosine triphosphate hydrolysis in vitro support the presence of active cation transport in all types of human leukocytes studied. It is likely that discrepant values for leukocyte cation content and absence of monovalent cation activated ATPase previously reported are related to technical factors. Leukemic and normal granulocytes and lymphocytes of similar morphologic type do not differ in their monovalent cation content or in sodium-potassium ATPase activity. Cell volume of leukemic and normal small lymphocytes and PMNG’s parallels their cation content. Immature granulocytes and small lymphocytes have higher sodium-potassium ATPase activities than mature granulocytes. Sodium concentration and water content were also slightly higher in immature granulocytes and lymphocytes as compared to PMNG’s. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that increased sodium-potassium ATPase activity is a biochemical feature of leukocytes with the potential to divide and differentiate. The impaired mitotic capacity of human leukemic blast cells does not appear to be related to a deficiency in sodium-potassium ATPase activity or a resultant alteration in intracellular monovalent cation content.
Art and Ethics: An Historical Sketch

The relation between ethics and aesthetics, between art and morality, has been thought about and understood in a number of different ways throughout the history of aesthetic theory and the philosophy of art. A survey, even if cursory, of some of that history is therefore necessary to bring the issues I want to examine into focus. The historical termini of the discussion are Plato at one end and recent critical and art historical controversies over the nature of abstract art at the other. These historical termini are also very conveniently the logical poles in terms of which the different ways the issues have been understood and thought about can be sorted out. While the eighteenth century is certainly not the chronological midpoint in the history of thinking about the arts, it is without doubt the logical centre of the intellectual adventure; it was the time when the legacy of Plato’s way of thinking about the arts was finally rejected and is generally recognised as the crucial period for the understanding of the development of modern aesthetic theory. It will be in order to begin by recalling some of those crucial eighteenth-century developments and then work back toward the beginning and forward toward the end of the story.
A Study on Reducing Contact Resistance in Solution-Processed Organic Field-Effect Transistors

We report on the reduction of contact resistance in solution-processed TIPS-pentacene (6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene) and PTAA (poly[bis(4-phenyl)(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)amine]) top-gate bottom-contact organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) by using different contact-modification strategies. The study compares the contact resistance values in devices that comprise Au source/drain electrodes either treated with 2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorothiophenol (PFBT), or modified with an evaporated thin layer of the metal–organic molecular dopant molybdenum tris-[1,2-bis(trifluoromethyl)ethane-1,2-dithiolene] (Mo(tfd)3), or modified with a thin layer of the oxide MoO3. An improved performance is observed in devices modified with Mo(tfd)3 or MoO3 as compared to devices in which Au electrodes are modified with PFBT. We discuss the origin of the decrease in contact resistance in terms of increase of the work function of the modified Au electrodes, Fermi-level pinning effects, and decrease of bulk resistance by e...
Advances in Molecular Modeling of Nanoparticle–Nucleic Acid Interfaces

Nanoparticles (NPs) play increasingly important roles in nanotechnology and nanomedicine in which nanoparticle surface chemistry allows for control over interactions with other nanoparticles and biomolecules. In particular, for applications in drug and gene delivery, a fundamental understanding of the NP–nucleic acid interface allows for development of more efficient and effective nanoparticle carriers. Computational modeling can provide insights of processes occurring at the inorganic NP–nucleic interface in detail that is difficult to access by experimental methods. With recent advances such as the use of graphics processing units (GPUs) for simulations, computational modeling has the potential to give unprecedented insight into inorganic–biological interfaces via the examination of increasingly large and complex systems. In this Topical Review, we briefly review computational methods relevant to the interactions of inorganic NPs and nucleic acids and highlight recent insights obtained from various comp...
Field validation of an invasive species Maxent model

Abstract Accurate and reliable predictions of invasive species distributions are urgently needed by land managers for developing management plans and monitoring new potential areas of establishment. Presence-only species distribution models are commonly used in these evaluations, however they are rarely tested with independent data over time or compared with presence-absence models fit with the same presence data. Using Maxent, we developed a presence-only model of invasive cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) distribution in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA in 2007 fit with limited data, and then tested the model with independent presence and absence data collected between 2008 and 2013. This model was verified using threshold dependent and threshold independent evaluation metrics. Next, we developed a Maxent model with cheatgrass presence data from 2007 through 2013 (i.e. Maxent 2013), and compared this model to a presence-absence method (i.e., generalized linear model; GLM 2013) using the same data. Threshold dependent and threshold independent evaluation metrics suggested Maxent 2013 outperformed GLM 2013, and a two-tailed Wilcoxon signed rank test indicated relative probability outputs were not significantly different between the models in geographic space. Based on known presences and absences of cheatgrass collected in the field, the Maxent 2013 and GLM 2013 relative probability outputs were highly correlated at absence locations but less correlated at presence locations. A Kappa comparison of Maxent 2007 and Maxent 2013 binary output provides evidence that Maxent is robust when fit with limited data. Our results indicate Maxent is an appropriate model for use when land management objectives are supported by limited resources and thus require a conservative, but highly accurate estimate of habitat suitability for invasive species on the landscape.
Postnatal treatment with metyrapone attenuates the effects of diet-induced obesity in female rats exposed to early-life stress.

Experimental studies in rodents have shown that females are more susceptible to exhibiting fat expansion and metabolic disease compared with males in several models of fetal programming. This study...
Primary colon adenocarcinoma with metastatic disease to the rectum followed by the left axilla.

INTRODUCTION Adenocarcinoma of the colon can metastasize to multiple organs but very rarely metastasizes to the axilla. CASE We present a case of a 56-year-old male with metastatic colon adenocarcinoma that metastasized to the rectum and then the axilla. Three years after initial diagnosis and treatment of right colon mucinous adenocarcinoma a metastatic mass was found in the rectum. The mass was successfully resected, but within a year of finding the rectal mass, metastatic disease to the axilla was discovered. CONCLUSION This case provides valuable teaching points about routes of metastasis and the importance of continued clinical follow-up in patients diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the colon.
Does collaboration affect the duration of environmental permitting processes

While collaborative governance has many benefits for environmental planning and management, those benefits are not politically feasible if they impact on process efficiency. This study assesses collaboration's effect on the duration of water permitting processes, specifically the United States’ Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's hydropower relicensing process. Collaboration was measured using a survey of participants in 24 recent hydropower relicensing processes. A Cox proportional hazards model with mixed effects assessed the relationship between collaboration, regulatory framework, hydropower facility characteristics, and relicensing process duration. Collaboration was not associated with time to license. Instead, process duration depended on the regulatory framework (especially the switch to the Integrated Licensing Process and presence of endangered species) and facility characteristics (generating capacity and facility type). The results suggest that agencies should consider engaging collaborativ...
Social Media, Social Capital, and Knowledge Sharing in Enterprise

This article provides insight into the transformative role that social media can play in informal knowledge sharing (KS) in an enterprise through the lens of social capital. This work explores the ways in which the use of social media results in digital transformation of informal ties that provide the social capital needed for KS, both within and across organizations. The empirical basis of this article is a field study focused on the use of social media by knowledge workers from 17 consulting firms.
Sustaining Resources: Water

Shortages of water — the most limited of all agricultural resources — are more likely to cause agricultural problems in the near future than are soil erosion and environmental pollution. Competition for water occurs among the agricultural, industrial, public, and energy-producing sectors of the United States. Further restraints upon water supplies are also imposed by the need to maintain aquatic systems and to preserve the environment. As such the sustainability of agricultural water resources is the most pressing problem in U.S. agriculture.
Modeling the Long-Term Consequences of Repeated Blast-Induced Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries.

Abstract Repeated mild traumatic brain injury (rmTBI) caused by playing collision sports or by exposure to blasts during military operations can lead to late onset, chronic diseases such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive neurodegenerative condition that manifests in increasingly severe neuropsychiatric abnormalities years after the last injury. Currently, because of the heterogeneity of the clinical presentation, confirmation of a CTE diagnosis requires post-mortem examination of the brain. The hallmarks of CTE are abnormal accumulation of phosphorylated tau protein, TDP-43 immunoreactive neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions, and astroglial abnormalities, but the pathomechanism leading to these terminal findings remains unknown. Animal modeling can play an important role in the identification of CTE pathomechanisms, the development of early stage diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, and pharmacological interventions. Modeling the long-term consequences of blast rmTBI in animals is espec...
Evaluation and monitoring of community youth prevention programs using a robust productivity index

Abstract Evidence-based prevention and intervention programs for youth behavioral and mental problems have been implemented by many local community program providers. Due to the differences among communities in resource availability and the demand for services, however, policymakers and program practitioners require ways of measuring organizational efficiency in terms of resource commitment and improvement in individual outcomes. In this paper, we propose a robust productivity index for monitoring managerial performance and detecting exceptions in dynamic environments. Robust productivity bounds are constructed to identify innovators who make a technical shift. The approach is illustrated with panel data on youth outcomes from a selected multi-site community prevention program between the fiscal years 2010 and 2015. The results suggest that our approach not only permits classification of the innovators, but also recognizes patterns of change in productivity.
Informal Service Access in Pro-Cyclical Welfare States: A Comparison of Electricity Theft in Slums and Regular Residential Areas of Montevideo

AbstractIt is often thought that political incumbents in developing countries abandon the poor during economic crises because of narrow and pro-cyclical welfare policies. In contrast to that view, this article argues that informal transfers for those excluded from the welfare state represent an example of “social policy by other means”. During dire economic conditions, democratic incumbents, who need the support or acquiescence of dislocated groups, expand irregular access to the electricity service counter-cyclically. Comparative time series data from slums and residential areas of Montevideo show that electricity losses respond to the political provision of both informal social insurance and informal redistribution.
Basic Cross Polarization Magic Angle Spinning

This lecture will illustrate the efficacy of various parts of the scheme in achieving the beautiful resolution shown in the 13C CPMAS spectrum of a solid benzil derivative shown in Fig. 1(d) below.
Impact of stone characteristics on cavitation in burst wave lithotripsy

Non-invasive kidney stone treatments such as shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) and burst wave lithotripsy (BWL) rely on the delivery of pressure waves through tissue to the stone. In both SWL and BWL, the potential to hinder comminution by exciting cavitation proximal to the stone has been reported. To elucidate how different stones alter prefocal cavitation in BWL, different natural and synthetic stones were treated in vitro using a therapy transducer operating at 350 kHz (peak negative pressure 7 MPa, pulse length 20 cycles, pulse repetition frequency 10 Hz). Stones were held in a confined volume of water designed to mimic the geometry of a kidney calyx, with the water filtered and degassed to maintain conditions for which the cavitation threshold (in the absence of a stone) matches that from in vivo observations. Stone targeting and cavitation monitoring were performed via ultrasound imaging using a diagnostic probe aligned coaxially with the therapy transducer. Quantitative differences in the extent and location of cavitation activity were observed for different stone types—e.g., “softer” stones (natural and synthetic) that disintegrate into dusty fragments produced larger prefocal cavitation clouds. Future work will focus on correlation of such cavitation metrics with stone fragmentation. [Funding support by NIH P01-DK043881, K01-DK104854.]
Medical complications of opioid use disorder in pregnancy

Women with opioid use disorder are at increased risk of other medical complications of pregnancy. Providing care for such complex patients requires the ability to 1) acknowledge addiction as a chronic disease, 2) incorporate the altered physiology of pregnancy, and 3) devise a treatment plan that can effectively manage acute conditions. A basic tenet of care is rooted in experience, rather than evidence, but includes stabilization of opiate use disorder (OUD) as a primary goal of management of other medical complications of pregnancy. Proceeding with treatment for other medical conditions will be suboptimal without stabilization of the underlying chronic disease process. This chapter outlines some associated medical complications of OUD both in general and some of which are unique to pregnancy: infectious diseases, soft tissue infections, endocarditis, cholestasis of pregnancy, and overdose.
Noise Measurements of a Low-Noise Top-Mounted Propulsion Installation for a Supersonic Airliner

A model-scale exhaust system was tested to validate low-noise concepts and noise prediction methods. The tests involved far-field acoustics, translating phased array, and particle image velocimetry; this report covers the far-field acoustic measurements. Data were acquired for a series of nozzles with different chevron designs, both uninstalled and installed on a representative aircraft planform. The impact of the various chevron treatments on the far-field noise was documented, along with the impact of the pylon and planform. For the baseline nozzle, installation produced a 2EPNdB reduction, as assumed in system studies. Chevrons were used to shift noise sources upstream to maximize the installation benefits and to reduce unshielded sources downstream. These resulted in reductions of 4-5EPNdB relative to the uninstalled baseline nozzle. Detailed analysis of spectral directivities behind the integrated EPNL metric gave insight into how well these concepts actually work. When correlated with particle image velocimetry measurements and phased array measurements, reported in companion papers, the explanation of acoustic benefits from top-mounted propulsion is clear as is the path toward optimization of the concept.
From Tramadol to Methadone: Opioids in the Treatment of Pain and Dyspnea in Pediatric Palliative Care.

Background More than 15,000 children die annually in the United States due to an underlying life-limiting disease and the majority of those children experience distressing symptoms, which are not adequately relieved, such as pain and dyspnea. Multimodal analgesia, that is multiple agents, interventions, rehabilitation, psychological modalities, and integrative (nonpharmacologic) therapies, act synergistically for more effective pediatric pain and symptom control with fewer side effects than a single analgesic or modality. However, opioids, such as morphine, fentanyl, hydromorphone, oxycodone, and methadone (in the United Kingdom: diamorphine) remain the mainstay medication to effectively treat pain and dyspnea in children with serious illness. Methods This article reviews commonly used opioids in Pediatric Palliative Care, which a special emphasis on 2 potentially particularly effective multimechanistic opioids: tramadol and methadone. Results Methadone, due to its multimechanistic action profile, is possibly among the most effective and most underutilized opioid analgesics in children with severe unrelieved pain at end of life. However, methadone should not be prescribed by those unfamiliar with its use: Its effects should be closely monitored for several days, particularly when it is first started and after any dose changes. Conclusions Tramadol appears to play a key role in treating episodes of inconsolability in children with progressive neurologic, metabolic, or chromosomally based condition with impairment of the central nervous system. However, the recent 2017 United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning against pediatric use of tramadol does not seem to be based on clinical evidence, and therefore puts children at risk for unrelieved pain or increased respiratory depression.
Molecular interactions in T-cell mediated cytotoxicity: discrimination between the binding and lethal hit stages of cytolysis.

The role of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in immunity has been well documented. The exact mechanism, however, by which a CTL kills a corresponding target cell is not known. Several studies have investigated the mechanism of lysis using different probes and these have been reviewed extensively (1–4). These studies showed that T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity (CMC) can be resolved into at least three distinct steps, namely recognition or binding, programming for lysis or the lethal hit, and target cell disintegration in the so-called lymphocyte-independent phase. These studies have therefore suggested that multiple cell-cell interactions between effector cell (EC) and target cell (TC) may be involved in cytolysis.
Patterns of medical student engagement in a second-year pathophysiology course: relationship to USMLE Step 1 performance.

Historically, attendance has been a marker of academic performance, but the current medical education literature has had mixed results. In addition, attendance is dropping in the preclinical curric...
Exploring Balloon Sinuplasty Adverse Events With the Innovative OpenFDA Database.

BackgroundBalloon sinuplasty (BSP) has become a common, minimally invasive treatment for chronic sinusitis. Like any surgical procedure, there are definite risks when using it as a stand-alone proc...
Geometric approach to 3D interfaces at strong coupling

We study four-dimensional (4D) systems in which parameters of the theory have position dependence in one spatial direction. In the limit where these parameters jump, this can lead to 3D interfaces supporting localized degrees of freedom. A priori, this sort of position dependence can occur at either weak or strong coupling. Demanding time-reversal invariance for $U(1)$ gauge theories with a duality group $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}\ensuremath{\subset}SL(2,\mathbb{Z})$ leads to interfaces at strong coupling which are characterized by the real component of a modular curve specified by $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}$. This provides a geometric method for extracting the electric and magnetic charges of possible localized states. We illustrate these general considerations by analyzing some 4D $\mathcal{N}=2$ theories with 3D interfaces. These 4D systems can also be interpreted as descending from a six-dimensional theory compactified on a three-manifold generated by a family of Riemann surfaces fibered over the real line. We show more generally that 6D superconformal field theories compactified on such spaces also produce trapped matter by using the known structure of anomalies in the resulting 4D bulk theories.
The Reasonable Robot Standard: Bringing Artificial Intelligence Law into the 21st Century

This is a review of The Reasonable Robot: Artificial Intelligence and the Law, by Ryan Abbott. The book does an excellent job providing insights into the legal challenges that arise from the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI). It is well organized, divided into the four main areas of AI legal impact: tax, tort, intellectual property, and criminal. While each area could be read on its own, it is interesting to note the underlying theme all these areas have in common. Namely, as AI increasingly occupies the roles once held by people, it will need to be treated under the law more like a person. Overall, the book does an outstanding job discussing proposed solutions for AI technology and the law. However, some of Abbott’s proposals are based on a faulty assumption. Like many modern-tech analysts, Abbott overemphasizes the threat that adopting new technology will displace human workers.
Synergy between early-incorporation immunotherapy and extracranial radiotherapy in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer

Background Combining radiotherapy (RT) and immunotherapy (IT) may enhance outcomes for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC). However, data on the immunomodulatory effects of extracranial RT remains limited. This retrospective database analysis examined real-world practice patterns, predictors of survival, and comparative effectiveness of extracranial radioimmunotherapy (RT + IT) versus early-incorporation immunotherapy (eIT) in patients with mNSCLC. Methods Patients diagnosed with mNSCLC between 2004-2016 treated with eIT or RT + IT were identified in the National Cancer Database. Practice patterns were assessed using Cochrane-Armitrage trend test. Cox proportional hazards and Kaplan-Meier method were used to analyze overall survival (OS). Propensity score matching was performed to account for baseline imbalances. Biologically effective doses (BED) were stratified based on the median (39 Gy10). Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) was defined as above median BED in ≤5 fractions. Results eIT utilization increased from 0.3% in 2010 to 13.2% in 2016 (P<0.0001). Rates of RT + eIT increased from 38.8% in 2010 to 49.1% in 2016 among those who received eIT (P<0.0001). Compared to eIT alone, RT + eIT demonstrated worse median OS (11.2 vs. 13.2 months) while SBRT + eIT demonstrated improved median OS (25 vs. 13.2 months) (P<0.0001). There were no significant differences in OS based on sequencing of eIT relative to RT (log-rank P=0.4415) or irradiated site (log-rank P=0.1606). On multivariate analysis, factors associated with improved OS included chemotherapy (HR 0.86, P=0.0058), treatment at academic facilities (HR 0.83, P<0.0001), and SBRT (HR 0.60, P=0.0009); after propensity-score multivariate analysis, SBRT alone showed improved OS (HR 0.28, P<0.0001). Conclusions Utilization of RT + eIT in mNSCLC is increasing. SBRT + eIT was associated with improved OS on propensity-score matched analysis. There were no significant differences in OS based on RT + eIT sequencing or site irradiated. Whether these observations reflect patient selection or possible immunomodulatory benefits of RT is unclear and warrants further study.
New Technologies Can Cost Effectively Reduce Oil and Gas Methane Emissions, but Policies Will Require Careful Design to Establish Mitigation Equivalence.

Reducing methane emissions from oil and gas systems is a central component of US and international climate policy. Leak detection and repair (LDAR) programs using optical gas imaging (OGI) based surveys are routinely used to mitigate fugitive emissions or leaks. Recently, new technologies and platforms such as planes, drones, and satellites promise more cost-effective methane mitigation than existing approaches. To be approved for use in LDAR programs, new technologies must demonstrate equivalent emissions mitigation to existing approaches. In this work, we use the FEAST modeling tool to (a) identify cost vs. mitigation trade-offs that arise from the use of new technologies, and (b) provide a framework for effective design of alternative LDAR programs. We identify several critical insights. First, new technologies and tiered LDAR programs can achieve equivalent emissions reductions at lower cost as current OGI-based approaches by varying survey frequency. Second, low median detection threshold technologies can trade sensitivity for speed without sacrificing mitigation outcomes. Third, emissions mitigation from technologies with high median detection thresholds have an effective upper bound independent of the survey frequency. Finally, vented emissions play a critical role in the cost-effectiveness of tiered detection programs that direct ground crews based on site-level emissions detection. The FEAST model will enable operators and regulators to systematically evaluate the role of new technologies in next generation LDAR programs.