cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Symmetries of Accola-MacLachlan and Kulkarni Surfaces

For all g 2 there is a Riemann surface of genus g whose automorphism group has order 8g+8, establishing a lower bound for the possible orders of automorphism groups of Riemann surfaces. Accola and Maclachlan established the existence of such surfaces; we shall call them Accola-Maclachlan surfaces. Later Kulkarni proved that for suciently large g the Accola-Maclachlan surface was unique for g = 0;1; 2 mod 4 and produced exactly one additional surface (the Kulkarni surface) for g = 3 mod 4. In this paper we determine the symmetries of these special surfaces, computing the number of ovals and the separability of the symmetries. The results are then applied to classify the real forms of these complex algebraic curves. Explicit equations of these real forms of Accola-Maclachlan surfaces are given in all but one case.
Light-induced metastability in pure and hydrogenated amorphous silicon

Author(s): Queen, DR; Liu, X; Karel, J; Wang, Q; Crandall, RS; Metcalf, TH; Hellman, F | Abstract: Light soaking is found to increase the specific heat C and internal friction Q−1 of pure (a-Si) and hydrogenated (a-Si:H) amorphous silicon. At the lowest temperatures, the increases in C and Q−1 are consistent with an increased density of two-level systems (TLS). The light-induced increase in C persists to room temperature. Neither the sound velocity nor shear modulus change with light soaking indicating that the Debye specific heat is unchanged which suggests that light soaking creates localized vibrational modes in addition to TLS. The increase can be reversibly added and removed by light soaking and annealing, respectively, suggesting that it is related to the Staebler-Wronski effect (SWE), even in a-Si without H, and involves a reversible nanoscale structural rearrangement that is facilitated by, but does not require, H to occur.
Para-articular calcification and ossification following acute anterior poliomyelitis in an adult.

1. A case of acute anterior poliomyelitis is reported in which para-articular calcification and ossification developed, involving the metacarpophalangeal, shoulder, and hip joints. 2. This para-articular process, of an extent previously unreported, is due to an extensive lesion of the central nervous system and is non-specific to the type of this lesion, whether it be traumatic or inflammatory. 3. It is suggested that early local peripheral vascular stimulation might. be beneficial in similar cases. 4. At the conclusion of the self-limited para-articular ossification surgical removal of the osseous masses re-established joint mobility.
Mutational Disruption of cis-Acting Replication Element 2C in Coxsackievirus B3 Leads to 5′-Terminal Genomic Deletions

Following natural human or experimental murine infections and in cell culture, coxsackievirus B (CVB) RNA can persist for weeks in the absence of a cytopathic effect, yet viral RNA remains detectable. Our earlier studies demonstrated that this persistence produced viral RNA with up to 49 nucleotide deletions at the genomic 5′ terminus which partially degraded the cloverleaf (or domain I), an RNA structure required for efficient viral replication. A cis-acting replication element (CRE) in the 2C protein-coding region [CRE(2C)] templates the addition of two uridine residues to the virus genome-encoded RNA replication primer VPg prior to positive-strand synthesis. Because our previous work also demonstrated that the genomes of CVB with a 5′-terminal deletion (CVB-TD) have VPg covalently linked, even though they rarely terminate in the canonical UU donated by CRE(2C)-mediated uridylylation of VPg, we hypothesized that a functional (uridylylating) CRE(2C) would be unnecessary for CVB-TD replication. Using the same 16 mutations in the CVB3 CRE(2C) structure that were considered lethal for this virus by others, we demonstrate here both in infected cell cultures and in mice that wild-type (wt) and CVB3-TD strains carrying these mutations with a nonuridylylating CRE(2C) are viable. While the wt genome with the mutated CRE(2C) displays suppressed replication levels similar to those observed in a CVB3-TD strain, mutation of the CRE(2C) function in a CVB3-TD strain does not further decrease replication. Finally, we show that replication of the parental CVB3 strain containing the mutated CRE(2C) drives the de novo generation of genomic deletions at the 5′ terminus. IMPORTANCE In this report, we demonstrate that while CVB can replicate without a uridylylating CRE(2C), the replication rate suffers significantly. Further, deletions at the 5′ terminus of the genome are generated in this virus population, with this virus population supplanting the wild-type population. This demonstrates that VPg can prime without being specifically uridylylated and that this priming is error prone, resulting in the loss of sequence information from the 5′ terminus. These findings have significance when considering the replication of human enteroviruses, and we believe that these data are unattainable in a cell-free system due to the poor replication of these CRE-deficient viruses.
Risks and Benefits of Mammography

In general, screening programs for the early detection of cancer have not been as successful as was once expected. Two areas of success are cervical cytology, which has almost certainly reduced mortality from cervical cancer, and screening for breast cancer, which can be helpful for women past the age of 50. On the other hand, breast cancer screening at younger ages has been of no apparent benefit, there is no demonstrated value in testing for occult blood in the stool to detect colon cancer, screening for cancer of the urinary bladder is of little value because of the limited range of treatment options, several well-designed trials for early diagnosis of lung cancer have not yet been successful in reducing mortality, and there has been no benefit shown for screening of persons at high risk for thyroid cancer.
The Role of the Mean State in Meridional Mode Structure and Growth

AbstractThis study uses a simple linear coupled model to investigate the role of the WES feedback and ITCZ mean states in meridional mode variability. Optimal structures that maximize transient growth are calculated for mean states characteristic of boreal spring and boreal fall in the tropical Atlantic. During boreal spring the leading optimal structure is a zonal mode that propagates westward and does not resemble the observed meridional mode. In contrast, the leading optimal structure during fall is a sea surface temperature (SST) monopole over the Northern Hemisphere (NH) that propagates equatorward and westward and that closely matches meridional mode variability during this season. It is found that the boreal fall optimal growth greatly exceeds growth of the corresponding optimal during boreal spring, despite the observed boreal spring peak in Atlantic meridional mode variance.Sensitivity studies are used to explore the role of Northern or Southern Hemisphere initial conditions, ITCZ width, and ITCZ...
DIGGING DEEPER: Bringing a Systems Approach to Food Systems: A Different Way To Approach Policy Change

First paragraphs: A question I've been asked a number of times is: What are the most critical food policies that need to be changed or formulated to meet any number of different goals? My short answer to two such exchanges over the past couple of years have been, "I don't have a clue" and "There are too many to count." If you look at any comprehensive food system map (the one I like best is the Global Food System Map by shiftN (2009) at the Food + Tech Connect website; another good one is the Nourish food system map by WorldLink (2014) at the Nourish website), you'll see uncountable places where a policy or multiple policies are in play. This occurs at every level, from local to global. Some of the existing or recommended policies are supportive of a sustainable, resilient system — and many are not. Furthermore, and most importantly, many have never been examined well enough in a strategic, systemic way to be identified as useful or not. It strikes me that it might be helpful to have some better tools to help people decide what policy change might be most appropriate in a particular situation — not just in terms of the politics of the thing, but in terms of optimizing the most variables. The global map shows, for example, that regional or national food security arises out of the intersection of many sectors: science, technology, politics, sociocultural phenomena, population, and education. The environment supports food production and other parts of supply chains, and economics plays the other key supportive role. The task is to examine those variables in terms of their significance for any particular policy proposal. ...
Human Figure Drawings by Children with Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy

Seventy-two human figure drawings by forty-three patients who had a diagnosis of Duchenne's muscular dystrophy were examined. The study includes a description of these human figure drawings according to eleven emotional indicators and according to directionality quadrants. When the human figure drawings were used as a projective tool, four personality traits of some of the children were identified: physical inadequacy, immaturity, body anxiety, and insecurity. Both the emotional indicators and the quadrant in which the figures appeared were examined in relation to stages of the disease process to see if the human figure drawings of the children might reflect more stress and anxiety at a particular stage of the disease. Suggestions for improvements and recommendations for future study are given.
Gene-Environment Interaction: Methods and Examples in Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity

Although both genetics and environmental factors play important roles in the etiology of type 2 diabetes (T2D), the extent to which genetics influence the environment (or vice versa) is still an open question. In this chapter, we first motivate the study of gene-environment (G × E) interaction with T2D, present statistical models of interaction, and then share illustrating examples of G × E interaction in the literature: PPGARG with T2D, COBLL1/GRB14 with fasting insulin levels and FTO with T2D, obesity, and physical activity.
Vector phase conjugation in photorefractive materials

Current interest in the nonlinear optical properties of photorefractive materials stems from the fact that they are potential components in the design of parallel optical logic architecture. Barium titanate and bismuth silicon oxide are the two candidates being studied, and they show promise provided the polarization states of the input radiation fields are identical. This restriction can be removed if the medium can respond to the interference of two orthogonally polarized light fields.
Endothelial Caveolae-TRPV4-SK Channel Interactions in Shear Stress-Mediated Coronary Arteriole Dilation

We have previously reported that shear stress-mediated dilation (SSD) of coronary arterioles is caveolae-dependent. We found that both TRPV4 and SK channels are targeted to the low-buoyant density caveolin-rich membrane fraction in freshly isolated bovine coronary endothelial cells (BCEC) and TRPV4 and SK3 channels are co-immunoprecipitated by anti-caveolin-1 antibody. Isoproterenol (1 µM) enhanced the whole-cell K+ currents in BCEC by 5-fold that are inhibited by apamin (200 nM), an SK channel-specific inhibitor, but not by iberiotoxin (100 nM) or Tram34 (200 nM). Exposure of the BCEC to the TRPV4 activator, GSK1016790A (150 nM) resulted in a 3.5-fold activation of SK currents. Acute exposure of BCEC seeded in a capillary tube to 10 dynes/cm2 of shear stress (SS) resulted in a 4-fold increase in TRPV4 currents that are inhibited by HC067047 (200 nM), a TRPV4-specific inhibitor, and a 3.5-fold increase in SK currents that are inhibited by apamin (200 nM). However, after incubation with HC067047, a TRPV4 specific inhibitor, SK currents could no longer be activated by SS, suggesting SK activation by SS was mediated through TRPV4. In addition, pre-incubation of isolated coronary arterioles with apamin (200 nM) resulted in a significant diminution of SSD while pre-incubation with HC067047 (150 nM) results in vasoconstriction by SS. Exposure of BECE to SS (10 dynes/cm2 12 h) enhanced the production of endothelium-derived vasodilators, NO and PGI2, and facilitated the translocation of TRPV4 to the caveolae. Inhibition of TRPV4 abolished the SS-mediated [Ca2+]i increase in BECE. These novel results indicate that there is a dynamic interaction in the vascular endothelium between caveolae, TRPV4 and SK channels in the modulation of SSD.
Retrograde Pulmonary Embolectomy for Acute Pulmonary Embolism: A Simplified Technique

Surgical embolectomy in acute pulmonary embolism is usually reserved for patients with massive pulmonary embolism presenting with cardiogenic shock, or for whom thrombolysis is absolutely contraindicated or has failed. Incomplete removal of thrombotic material lodged in the distal pulmonary arterial bed is considered an important cause of persistent pulmonary hypertension. Retrograde pulmonary embolectomy is an adjunct to conventional pulmonary embolectomy, resulting in more complete embolectomy, specifically of material lodged in the distal pulmonary arterial bed. We describe our simplified technique of retrograde pulmonary embolectomy as a safe adjunct to conventional pulmonary embolectomy.
The ICAP Active Learning Framework Predicts the Learning Gains Observed in Intensely Active Classroom Experiences

STEM classrooms (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in postsecondary education are rapidly improved by the proper use of active learning techniques. These techniques occupy a descri...
Dynamic regulation of T follicular regulatory cell responses by interleukin 2 during influenza infection

Interleukin 2 (IL-2) promotes Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cell responses, but inhibits T follicular helper (TFH) cell development. However, it is not clear how IL-2 affects T follicular regulatory (TFR) cells, a cell type with properties of both Treg and TFH cells. Using an influenza infection model, we found that high IL-2 concentrations at the peak of the infection prevented TFR cell development by a Blimp-1-dependent mechanism. However, once the immune response resolved, some Treg cells downregulated CD25, upregulated Bcl-6 and differentiated into TFR cells, which then migrated into the B cell follicles to prevent the expansion of self-reactive B cell clones. Thus, unlike its effects on conventional Treg cells, IL-2 inhibits TFR cell responses.
Perspective on Diamond-Blackfan anemia: lessons from a rare congenital bone marrow failure syndrome.

Perspective on Diamond–Blackfan anemia: lessons from a rare congenital bone marrow failure syndrome
Aza Diels–Alder Reactions of Nitriles, N,N-Dimethylhydrazones, and Oximino Ethers. Application in Formal [2 + 2 + 2] Cycloadditions for the Synthesis of Pyridines

Metal-free, formal [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition strategies for the synthesis of polycyclic pyridine derivatives are described. The overall transformation proceeds via a two-stage pericyclic cascade mechanism. In the first step, an intramolecular propargylic ene reaction generates a vinylallene that is necessarily locked in the s-cis conformation. This vinylallene exhibits exceptional reactivity as a Diels–Alder reaction partner and engages in [4 + 2] cycloadditions with normally unreactive azadienophiles including unactivated cyano groups and heterosubstituted imine derivatives such as dimethylhydrazones and oximino ethers. Few examples of oximino ether Diels–Alder reactions have been reported previously, and normal electron-demand [4 + 2] cycloadditions of unactivated dialkylhydrazones are unprecedented. Overall, this metal-free formal [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition provides access to polycyclic pyridine derivatives and complements transition-metal-catalyzed [2 + 2 + 2] strategies.
Random sparse adaptation for accurate inference with inaccurate multi-level RRAM arrays

An array of multi-level resistive memory devices (RRAMs) can speed up the computation of deep learning algorithms. However, when a pre-trained model is programmed to a real RRAM array for inference, its accuracy degrades due to many non-idealities, such as variations, quantization error, and stuck-at faults. A conventional solution involves multiple read-verify-write (R-V-W) for each RRAM cell, costing a long time because of the slow Write speed and cell-by-cell compensation. In this work, we propose a fundamentally new approach to overcome this issue: random sparse adaptation (RSA) after the model is transferred to the RRAM array. By randomly selecting a small portion of model parameters and mapping them to on-chip memory for further training, we demonstrate an efficient and fast method to recover the accuracy: in CNNs for MNIST and CIFAR-10, ∼5% of model parameters is sufficient for RSA even under excessive RRAM variations. As the back-propagation in training is only applied to RSA cells and there is no need of any Write operation on RRAM, the proposed RSA achieves 10–100X acceleration compared to R-V-W. Therefore, this hybrid solution with a large, inaccurate RRAM array and a small, accurate on-chip memory array promises both area efficiency and inference accuracy.
Aristotle's classical enthymeme and the visual, argumentation of the twenty-first century

This essay explores whether Aristotle's enthymeme applies to visual arguments. Often the enthymeme is defined as “a syllogism with one of its parts missing,” and much debate surrounds whether enthy...
Bounds for the Shear Center Coordinates of Prismatic Beams

The problem of combined torsion and flexure of a cantilever beam is considered. A recent formulation of this problem by Reissner as a three-dimensional mixed boundary value problem where the end of the cantilever is subjected to prescribed translational displacements and a rigid body rotation leads to an unambiguous definition of the center of shear. The coincidence of the centers of shear and of twist follows from the reciprocity relations of linear elasticity. The coordinates of these centers can be expressed in terms of the stiffness coefficients relating the prescribed displacements and rotation to the transverse forces and the torque required. Through use of the principles of minimum potential energy and of minimum complementary energy, upper and lower bounds are obtained for these stiffness coefficients and from this for the coordinates of the shear center. The cross section of the beam is assumed to be arbitrary except having a single axis of symmetry. The effects of material orthotropy and of finite length appear in our potential energy bound. In the case of long beams calculation of the bounds involves the determination of the St. Venant warping function for the section. The results show that when the ratio of the shear modulus to the geometric mean of the Young's moduli tends to zero or when the Poisson's ratio tends to zero, the upper as well as the lower bound approach the shear center location in accordance with the definition given by Trefftz. Numerical results are obtained for the problems of semicircular and equilateral triangular sections.
Uma outra escravidão: a paisagem social no Engenho de São Joaquim, Goiás

Este artigo examina a paisagem social no Engenho de Sao Joaquim, construido em Goias no ano de 1800 por Joaquim Alves, um rico escravocrata da vila de Meia Ponte (atual Pirenopolis). Baseado em dados arqueologicos e documentais, argumento que Alves criou espacos e temporalidades nesse engenho que serviram para um modelo de escravidao, amplamente amparado pelo pensamento iluminista.
High-Frequency Noise Characterization and Modeling of SiGe HBTs

For heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs), the noise correlation influences the noise parameters and is therefore relevant for transistor modeling, especially at sufficiently high frequencies. In order to predict the noise correlation, it is necessary to determine the noise transit time in the noise transport model. In this paper, the noise correlation and noise transit time are predicted from the high current model without measured noise data. The four noise parameters are calculated based on the predicted noise transit time and the Y-parameter noise calculation methodology. The extracted noise transit time is validated by the measured result over bias and temperature, which is determined by fitting NFmin of the silicon-germanium (SiGe) HBT between Y-parameter noise calculation methodology and tuner-based noise measurement. It was found that the noise transit time is independent of frequency but dependent on bias and temperature. Also, the results indicate that the calculated four noise parameters based on the extracted noise transit time have a good agreement with the tuner-based noise measurement.
Laser additive manufacturing of powdered bismuth telluride

Traditional manufacturing methods restrict the expansion of thermoelectric technology. Here, we demonstrate a new manufacturing approach for thermoelectric materials. Selective laser melting, an additive manufacturing technique, is performed on loose thermoelectric powders for the first time. Layer-by-layer construction is realized with bismuth telluride, Bi2Te3, and an 88% relative density was achieved. Scanning electron microscopy results suggest good fusion between each layer although multiple pores exist within the melted region. X-ray diffraction results confirm that the Bi2Te3 crystal structure is preserved after laser melting. Temperature-dependent absolute Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, specific heat, thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity, and dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit ZT are characterized up to 500 °C, and the bulk thermoelectric material produced by this technique has comparable thermoelectric and electrical properties to those fabricated from traditional methods. The method shown here may be applicable to other thermoelectric materials and offers a novel manufacturing approach for thermoelectric devices.
Auditory-induced response in the primary sensory cortex of rodents.

The details of auditory response at the subthreshold level in the rodent primary somatosensory cortex, the barrel cortex, have not been studied extensively, although several phenomenological reports have been published. Multisensory features may act as neuronal representations of links between inputs from one sensory modality to other sensory modalities. Here, we examined the basic multisensory postsynaptic responses in the rodent barrel cortex using in vivo whole-cell recordings of neurons. We observed robust responses to acoustic stimuli in most barrel cortex neurons. Acoustically evoked responses were mediated by hearing and reached approximately 60% of the postsynaptic response amplitude elicited by strong somatosensory stimuli. Compared to tactile stimuli, auditory stimuli evoked postsynaptic potentials with a longer latency and longer duration. Specifically, auditory stimuli in barrel cortex neurons appeared to trigger “up states”, episodes associated with membrane depolarization and increased synaptic activity. Taken together, our data suggest that barrel cortex neurons have multisensory properties, with distinct synaptic mechanisms underlying tactile and non-tactile responses.
Tiny Pipes: 67 Cases of Flow Diversion for Aneurysms in Distal Vessels Measuring Less Than 2.0 mm

Background Flow diversion is increasingly used for off-label treatments of distal circulation aneurysms. Reports of use in sub-2.0-mm vessels are scant. Methods A prospectively collected, institutional review board–approved cerebral aneurysm database was reviewed to identify patients who underwent flow diversion with a 2.5-mm diameter Pipeline embolization device. Results Sixty-seven aneurysms were treated in 67 procedures (66 [99%] successful, 64 [96%] single device, 2 [3%] with 2 devices) in 57 patients. Average age was 56 years and 60% were female. Aneurysm location was 51 (76%) anterior cerebral artery, 14 (21%) middle cerebral artery, and 2 (3%) posterior cerebral artery. Aneurysm size was 4.1 ± 3.0 mm (1–20 mm). Safety outcomes included 3 major strokes (4.5%) resulting in permanent neurologic deficit (modified Rankin Scale score 6,4,4), including 1 mortality (1.5%). Acute stent thrombosis was observed intraprocedurally or within 24 hours of each stroke. There were 2 small-volume ( Conclusions Flow diversion can be safe and effective for aneurysms originating from vessels
Changes in U.S. girls' participation in high school sports: implications for injury awareness.

The number of female athletes has grown exponentially since Title IX. However, little data exists on the proportion of women and girls who play each sport. To quantify changes in female sports part...
Incidental Findings in the Trauma Population: Interdisciplinary Approach and Electronic Medical Record Reminder Association with Pre-Discharge Reporting and Medicolegal Risk.

Background Incidental findings (IFs) are reported in 20% or more of trauma CT scans. In addition to the importance of patient disclosure, there is considerable legal pressure to avoid missed diagnoses. We reported previously that 63.5% of IFs were disclosed before discharge and with 20% were nondisclosed. We initiated a multidisciplinary systemic plan to effect predischarge disclosure by synoptic CT reports with American College of Radiology recommended follow-up, electronic medical records discharge prompts, and provider education. Study Design Prospective observational series patients from November 2019 to February 2020 were included. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS, version 21 (IBM Corp). Results Eight hundred and seventy-seven patients underwent 1 or more CT scans for the evaluation of trauma (507 were male and 370 were female). Mean age of the patients was 57 years (range 14 to 99 years) and 96% had blunt injury. In 315 patients, there were 523 IFs (1.7 per patient); the most common were lung (17.5%), kidney (13%), and liver (11%). Radiology report compliance rate was 84% (210 of 249 patients). There were 66 studies from outside facilities. Sixteen IFs were suspicious for malignancy. A total of 151 patients needed no follow-up and 148 patients needed future follow-up evaluation. Predischarge IF disclosure compliance rate was 90.1% (286 patients); 25 were post discharge. Four patients remained undisclosed. Compared with our previous report, clearer reporting and electronic medical records prompts increased predischarge disclosure from 63.5% to 90.1% (p Conclusions Timely, complete disclosure of IFs improves patient outcomes and reduces medicolegal risk. Collaboration among trauma, radiology, and information technology promotes improved disclosure in trauma populations.
HST observations of [O III] emission in nearby QSO2s: Physical properties of the outflows

We used Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) long slit medium-resolution G430M and G750M spectra to analyze the extended [O III] λ5007 emission in a sample of twelve QSO2s from Reyes et al. (2008). The purpose of the study was to determine the properties of the mass outflows and their role in AGN feedback. We measured fluxes and velocities as functions of deprojected radial distances. Using photoionization models and ionizing luminosities derived from [O III], we were able to estimate the densities for the emission-line gas. From these results, we derived masses, mass outflow rates, kinetic energies and kinetic luminosity rates as a function of radial distance for each of the targets. Masses are several times 103 - 107 solar masses, which are comparable to values determined from a recent photoionization study of Mrk 34 (Revalski). Additionally, we are studying the possible role of X-ray winds in these QSO2s.
Pharmacoepidemiology of Drug Exposure in Intubated and Non-Intubated Preterm Infants With Severe Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

Background: Infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are commonly treated with off-label drugs due to lack of approved therapies. To prioritize drugs for rigorous efficacy and safety testing, it is important to describe exposure patterns in this population. Objective: Our objective was to compare rates of drug exposure between preterm infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia based on respiratory support status at or beyond 36 weeks post-menstrual age. Methods: A cross-sectional cohort study was performed on October 29, 2019. Preterm infants with severe BPD were eligible and details of respiratory support and drug therapy were recorded. Wilcoxon paired signed rank test was used to compare continuous variables between the invasive and non-invasive groups. Fisher's exact test was used to compare binary variables by respiratory support status. Results: 187 infants were eligible for the study at 16 sites. Diuretics were the drug class that most subjects were receiving on the day of study comprising 54% of the entire cohort, followed by inhaled steroids (47%) and short-acting bronchodilators (42%). Infants who were invasively ventilated (verses on non-invasive support) were significantly more likely to be receiving diuretics (p 0.013), short-acting bronchodilators (p < 0.01), long-acting bronchodilators (p < 0.01), systemic steroids (p < 0.01), systemic pulmonary hypertension drugs (p < 0.01), and inhaled nitric oxide (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Infant with severe BPD, especially those who remain on invasive ventilation at 36 weeks, are routinely exposed to multiple drug classes despite insufficient pharmacokinetic, safety, and efficacy evaluations. This study helps prioritize sub-populations, drugs and drug classes for future study.
An Intelligent Parallel Distributed Streaming Framework for near Real-time Science Sensors and High-Resolution Medical Images

Our goals are to address challenges such as latency, scalability, throughput and heterogeneous data sources of streaming analytics and deep learning pipelines in science sensors and medical imaging applications. We present a prototype Intelligent Parallel Distributed Streaming Framework (IPDSF) that is capable of distributed streaming processing as well as performing distributed deep training in batch mode. IPDSF is designed to run streaming Artificial Intelligent (AI) analytic tasks using data parallelism including partitions of multiple streams of short time sensing data and high-resolution 3D medical images, and fine grain tasks distribution. We will show the implementation of IPDSF for two real world applications, (i) an Air Quality Index based on near real time streaming of aerosol Lidar backscatter and (ii) data generation of Covid-19 Computing Tomography (CT) scans using deep learning. We evaluate the latency, throughput, scalability, and quantitative evaluation of training and prediction compared against a baseline single instance. As the results, IPDSF scales to process thousands of streaming science sensors in parallel for Air Quality Index application. IPDSF uses novel 3D conditional Generative Adversarial Network (cGAN) training using parallel distributed Graphic Processing Units (GPU) nodes to generate realistic 3D high resolution Computed Tomography scans of Covid-19 patient lungs. We will show that IPDSF can reduce cGAN training time linearly with the number of GPUs.
Stochastic Inversion of Gravity Data Accounting for Structural Uncertainty

Conventional gravity inversion techniques have limited ability to quantify structural uncertainty in geologic models. In this paper, a stochastic framework is proposed that directly incorporates fault-related and density-related uncertainty into the inversion process. The approach uses Monte Carlo simulation to generate model realizations and the gradual deformation method to further refine models to match observed data. To guarantee that model realizations are structurally restorable, fault displacements are generated using a kinematic modeling approach in which fault model properties such as the number of faults, location, dip, slip, and orientation are considered uncertain. Using a synthetic case study problem, a reference gravity field was inverted to generate a suite of posterior model realizations. Analysis of the posterior models was used to create a fault probability map as well as quantify the distribution of slip and dip of faults in three zones of deformation. Uncertainty in density values was found to be greatly reduced in the top 250 m depth, suggesting limited sensitivity to deeper sources in this example. Following the synthetic case study problem, the inversion approach was applied to a field-observed gravity profile in Dixie Valley, Nevada, and the inversion results were compared to a previously published forward gravity model. By generating a suite of posterior models, structural uncertainty can be better assessed to make more informed decisions in a host of subsurface modeling problems.
Boll Weevil Ode

You wouldn't deserve one either, pal, if this scorched morning of sunflowers twenty feet high didn't mean extinction?if immortal glory didn't require oblivion on the scale of Russian tsars, the tears of at least one librarian shelving old elegies in the soul. But it does. So what the hell you ginhouse Caligula, you sex-nosed Grendel raping the white cups of great and sometime gods. World's Smallest Carpetbagger, Rio Grande Rider, Glutton of the Mississippi Delta. Your mouth full of cotton
Field-Portable Instrumentation for Gas and Vapor Samples

The analysis of gas and vapors in the field is an important part of the environmental characterization and remediation process. The purpose of this article is to familiarize the reader with some of the analytical instrumentation currently used to determine the composition of gaseous samples. Although this section deals with portable instruments, on-site measurements warrant a brief mention. These measurements are often conducted with conventional analytical instruments operating from recreational vehicles. The samples have to be collected and transported to the instrument, and the first part of this article gives an overview of some of the techniques, such as canister and solid adsorbents, used for this purpose. Identification of compounds collected on-site or directly in the field can be done by gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS). A more comprehensive description of these laboratory-based techniques is found in a previous version of this article. An important part of the portable section covers direct-reading instruments such as gas sensors, electrochemical devices, ionization detectors, and colorimetric detectors. These instruments provide a limited amount of information and, most of the time, require prior knowledge of the content of the sample. However, they are small, portable, and cheaper than laboratory analytical instruments and therefore they have found a market. Portable instruments include miniaturized gas chromatographs and mass spectrometers. These instruments do not offer the high performance of their laboratory counterparts, but they give more information about the sample than direct-reading instruments. The next step in process measurement sophistication is to combine these techniques. The most popular hyphenated technique is coupling of a gas chromatograph with a mass spectrometer, but there are also powerful and lesser-known techniques such as GC combined with ion mobility spectrometry (IMS). IMS has found a market in military applications for the detection of chemical warfare agents. It offers less resolution than MS but operates at atmospheric pressure and is therefore truly portable. When combined with GC, it offers some interesting features which are described later.
Improving the Administration of the National Labor Relations Act Without Statutory Change

A great deal of discussion and controversy surrounds whether Congress will enact the proposed Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), a measure that would establish union bargaining authority without elections and allow arbitrators to impose first-time collective bargaining agreements where the parties are unable to. Comparatively little attention is being paid to what can be done under existing law. Whether or not EFCA becomes law, attention needs to be drawn also to how the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the agency responsible for enforcing our labor law, can better organize its resources to minimize the serious problem of administrative delay in holding elections and seeking court injunctions, use forms of rulemaking and advisory opinions to give parties better notice, and opportunity to participate in the formulation, of legal change, and recast existing approaches to give unions better access to the employee electorate once it is clear an election will be held and improve available remedies under existing law to deter employer violations. This paper develops an agenda for regulatory change at the NLRB.
Transitioning to Peace: A Population-Based Survey on Attitudes About Social Reconstruction and Justice in Northern Uganda

Dramatic changes have taken place in Northern Uganda since the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a notoriously brutal rebel group, withdrew its forces in 2005. The displacement camps that previously hosted up to 90 percent of the population, some for over a decade, have been dismantled and people have returned home. They are rebuilding their houses and cultivating their land. From a devastated and dangerous region with little or no economic activity, northern Uganda is beginning to revive. But recovery from decades of conflict takes time, commitment and resources. Much work remains to reach sustainable peace, to develop the economy and establish essential services. The needs and priorities of the people remain largely unknown. At the same time, the LRA has not disbanded. From its current base in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic, it continues to perpetrate serious human rights violations and remains a shadow over the region. This report presents the results of a large-scale population-based survey about peace, justice, and social reconstruction in northern Uganda intended to capture community views on matters that affect ordinary people and the recovery after twenty years of conflicts. The survey was carried out between April and May 2010 in four districts (the Acholi districts) of northern Uganda: Amuru, Gulu, Kitgum, and Pader. The findings are based on a total of 2,498 interviews with adults in various locations, including home villages, resettlement sites, and former camps. They provide results that are representative of the adult population in those four districts.Over half the population lost a household member to the two decades of conflict, and sixty-seven percent witnessed violence such as killings, beatings, and rapes. However, unlike in earlier surveys conducted by the authors, where respondents listed achieving peace as a top priority, needs have shifted as violence subsided.People in the affected region are struggling to meet their basic needs for food, education and health care. One in three people surveyed see improving services such as health and education as necessary to build a lasting peace, and twenty eight percent mention reducing poverty. Thirty-two percent also highlight the need for more unity and reconciliation among the people of Uganda.Highlighting the need for a national dialogue and truth-seeking process on the violence that affected northern Uganda for two decades, respondents called for more information about the conflict and why it had happened, and they wanted those responsible for the violence to be held accountable.The results presented in “Transitioning to Peace” show the importance of a continued effort to establish security for northern Uganda and the region, and addressing cross-border security threats such as the LRA. This should include strengthening existing collaboration with the Congolese and Central African Republic governments to apprehend Joseph Kony and his commanders, say the researchers.
Evidence that an adrenal-specific nuclear protein regulates the cAMP responsiveness of the human CYP21B (P450C21) gene.

Abstract Based on competition analysis of gel shift assays utilizing nuclear extracts from the mouse adrenal Y1 cell line, the cAMP-responsive element of the human CYP21B gene (-129/-96 base pairs (bp] is found to contain two overlapping nuclear protein binding elements. One, -126/-113 bp, interacts specifically with an adrenal-specific protein factor (ASP) while the other, -119/-110 bp, contains a GC boxlike sequence and binds Sp1. The nucleotide replacements (GG----CC at -113 and -112 bp) introduced within the sequence -129/-96 bp greatly decreased the binding affinities of both Sp1 and ASP to the fragment and resulted in a loss of cAMP-enhanced transcription of a reporter gene in transient transfection experiments. When the 14-bp ASP-binding sequence was inserted in front of the reporter gene, induced transcription by cAMP was observed that could be increased by multimerization of this -126/-113-bp sequence. The -126/-113-bp fragment revealed specific binding only with nuclear extracts from adrenal Y1 cells among various types of cells tested, indicating that the protein factor ASP is specifically expressed in adrenal cells. The nucleotide replacement (G----C at -117 bp) of the -126 -113-bp sequence not only abolishes the binding to ASP but also the cAMP-dependent transcription, strongly supporting the hypothesis that ASP is a tissue-specific transacting protein that directly functions as a transcription factor essential to the cAMP-dependent transcription. Furthermore, the -129/-115-bp sequence of the bovine cytochrome P450C21 gene corresponding to the human -126/-113-bp sequence is demonstrated to be functionally conserved with respect to both cAMP-dependent enhancement of transcription and ASP binding.
N to Δ transition amplitudes from QCD sum rules

We present a calculation of the $N$ to $\ensuremath{\Delta}$ electromagnetic transition amplitudes using the method of QCD sum rules. A complete set of QCD sum rules is derived for the entire family of transitions from the baryon octet to decuplet. They are analyzed in conjunction with the corresponding mass sum rules using a Monte Carlo-based analysis procedure. The performance of each of the sum rules is examined using the criteria of operator product expansion convergence and ground-state dominance, along with the role of the transitions in intermediate states. Individual contributions from the $u$, $d$, and $s$ quarks are isolated and their implications in the underlying dynamics are explored. Valid sum rules are identified and their predictions are obtained. The results are compared with experiment and other calculations.
”Prendas” and ”pulperias”: the Fabric of the Neighborhood Credit Business in México City, 1780-1830

El empeno de prendas fue un fenomeno que cruzo las lineas entre las clases sociales en la ciudad de Mexico a fines de la epoca colonial, y la pulperia era el lugar habitual en donde los trabajadores consiguieron prestamos en efectivo sobre prendas. En el articulo se examinan las transacciones de credito popular en los barrios de la ciudad a partir del analisis de los libros mayores de las tiendas de abarrotes y de las leyes de la colonia. La primera parte de este articulo estudia las bases legales del empeno, el papel del estado en la mediacion de las relaciones crediticias locales y los tipos de establecimientos involucrados en la transaccion de los pequenos creditos. La segunda seccion estudia detalladamente la clientela de los prestamistas y la naturaleza de los bienes que empenaban. Por ulti­mo, situa los fundamentos de las casas de empenos hacia los origenes de la ciudad de acuerdo con sus titulos de propiedad y ubicacion y analiza su productividad en una economia volatil.
Silicon Nano-well Arrays for Reliable Pattern Transfer and Locally Confined High Temperature Reactions

Si nano-well arrays, with precisely controlled undercut Si sidewall profiles and flat bottomed pockets, enable uniform nanoscale pattern transfer from resists to metal deposits without degradation of the initial lithographic resolution, as verified by the formation of arrays of Au nano-dots with 10 nm diameter. An additional functionality of the Si nano-wells as local nano-reactors, where the patterned material is enclosed in a Si pocket during high temperature reaction, is demonstrated by thermally inducing a phase transformation of the as-deposited A1 phase of FePt nano-dots to the high coercivity, chemically ordered L10 phase.
Survey of the Potential Environmental and Health Impacts in the Immediate Aftermath of the Coal Ash Spill in Kingston, Tennessee

An investigation of the potential environmental and health impacts in the immediate aftermath of one of the largest coal ash spills in U.S. history at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Kingston coal-burning power plant has revealed three major findings. First, the surface release of coal ash with high levels of toxic elements (As = 75 mg/kg; Hg = 150 μg/kg) and radioactivity (226Ra + 228Ra = 8 pCi/g) to the environment has the potential to generate resuspended ambient fine particles (<10 μm) containing these toxics into the atmosphere that may pose a health risk to local communities. Second, leaching of contaminants from the coal ash caused contamination of surface waters in areas of restricted water exchange, but only trace levels were found in the downstream Emory and Clinch Rivers due to river dilution. Third, the accumulation of Hg- and As-rich coal ash in river sediments has the potential to have an impact on the ecological system in the downstream rivers by fish poisoning and methylmercury format...
Estimation of Head Impact Exposure in High School Football Implications for Regulating Contact Practices

Background:Increased attention is being placed on the role of subconcussive impacts to the head during football participation and long-term cognitive health. Some have suggested that mitigating impacts to the head can be achieved by reducing or eliminating contact football practices. The effect that this might have on the number and magnitude of impacts is unknown.Purpose:To estimate the effect of limiting contact practices on the frequency and magnitude of head impacts through the retrospective assessment of in vivo head impact data.Study Design:Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:Data on impact magnitude and frequency were collected with the Head Impact Telemetry System during the 2009 football season among 42 varsity high school football athletes (mean age, 16.2 ± 0.6 years; mean height, 180.9 ± 7.2 cm; mean weight, 89.8 ± 20.1 kg). Head impacts were compared between player positions and session types (noncontact practice, contact practice, and game). These results were used to estimate...
A Steady-State Method for the Determination of Casing Convective Heat Transfer Coefficient and Reference Free-Stream Temperature in an Axial Flow Turbine

The present study explains a steady-state method of measuring convective heat transfer coefficient on the casing of an axial flow turbine. The goal is to develop an accurate steady-state heat transfer method for the comparison of various casing surface and tip designs used for turbine performance improvements. The free-stream reference temperature, especially in the tip gap region of the casing varies monotonically from the rotor inlet to rotor exit due to work extraction in the stage. In a heat transfer problem of this nature, the definition of the free-stream temperature is not as straight forward as constant free-stream temperature type problems. The accurate determination of the convective heat transfer coefficient depends on the magnitude of the local free-stream reference temperature varying in axial direction, from the rotor inlet to exit. The current study explains a strategy for the simultaneous determination of the steady-state heat transfer coefficient and free-stream reference temperature on the smooth casing of a single stage rotating turbine facility. The heat transfer approach is also applicable to casing surfaces that have surface treatments for tip leakage control. The overall uncertainty of the method developed is between 5% and 8% of the convective heat transfer coefficient.Copyright © 2007 by ASME