cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
First principles calculation of lattice thermal conductivity of metals considering phonon-phonon and phonon-electron scattering

The effect of phonon-electron (p-e) scattering on lattice thermal conductivity is investigated for Cu, Ag, Au, Al, Pt, and Ni. We evaluate both phonon-phonon (p-p) and p-e scattering rates from first principles and calculate the lattice thermal conductivity (κL). It is found that p-e scattering plays an important role in determining the κL of Pt and Ni at room temperature, while it has negligible effect on the κL of Cu, Ag, Au, and Al. Specifically, the room temperature κLs of Cu, Ag, Au, and Al predicted from density-functional theory calculations with the local density approximation are 16.9, 5.2, 2.6, and 5.8 W/m K, respectively, when only p-p scattering is considered, while it is almost unchanged when p-e scattering is also taken into account. However, the κL of Pt and Ni is reduced from 7.1 and 33.2 W/m K to 5.8 and 23.2 W/m K by p-e scattering. Even though Al has quite high electron-phonon coupling constant, a quantity that characterizes the rate of heat transfer from hot electrons to cold phonons i...
Special Districts and Local Government Debt: An Analysis of “Old Northwest Territory” States

Special districts potentially offer a way for local governments to issue more debt than allowed by debt limits. This research examines the relationship between the number of special districts in a county and local government debt levels. Using data from states formed from the Northwest Territory and controlling for other local governments, demographic, and fiscal factors, we find that the number of special districts in a county is positively related to local government debt in four of the five states examined (Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin). The results for Illinois were insignificant.
Single neuron modeling

This chapter discusses the generation and propagation of the action potential, which is the main signal exchanged among neurons. It reviews the classical model, particularly known as the firing-rate version. It further expands this model to cover more recent experimental and computational modeling results. An activation function delimits how the voltage of the neuron is integrated to produce its output, a firing rate. Five of the most commonly used activation functions are linear, hardlim, sigmoidal, satlin, and tanh. It is common to draw the activation function from the class of nonlinear functions, especially those that are continuous, saturating, and positive monotonically increasing. These properties provide the relevant nonlinear functions with an incipient ability to classify their input to reject it or accept it, which can become the mathematical basis of many of the pattern-classification techniques. Each of the four non-linear functions is specialized for different effects.
Ablation monitoring with a regularized 3D elastography technique

We have previously developed regularized 2D and 3D elastography methods using Dynamic Programming (DP). A cost function which incorporates similarity of echo amplitudes and displacement continuity was minimized using DP to obtain the displacement map. In this work, we present a novel hybrid method for calculating the displacement map between two ultrasound images. The method uses DP in the first step to find an initial estimate of the motion field. In the second step, we assume a linear interpolation for the reference image and obtain a closed-form solution for a subpixel accuracy motion field. The closed-form solution enables fast displacement estimation. We present three in-vivo patient studies of monitoring liver ablation with the hybrid elastography method. The thermal lesion was not discernable in the B-mode image but it was clearly visible in the strain image as well as in validation CT. We also present 3D strain images from thermal lesions in ex-vivo ablation. We introduce a novel volumetric rendering model for visualization of the volumetric B-mode images. We exploit strain values in the opacity of the volumetric B-mode data to better classify soft tissue. It is possible to observe the surface of the hard lesions, its size and its appearance from a single 3D rendering picture.
Mixed Aortic Stenosis and Regurgitation Demands Our Attention

As the assessment of aortic valve disease has evolved over the last 60 years, newer methods have largely added to our armamentarium rather than replacing previous ones. In 1951, the Gorlins recognized that what could be measured—pressure gradients—depends not only on orifice size but also on
Dental Implant Survival and Complication Rate over 2 Years for Individuals with Poorly Controlled Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background Emerging evidence suggests that implant therapy may be a viable option for diabetic individuals with elevated glycemic levels. Purpose The purpose of this 2 year observational study was to evaluate survival and clinical complications of dental implants following placement in type 2 diabetes individuals having poor glycemic control. Materials and Methods Adult participants (n = 24) with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes (8.0% ≤ HbA1c ≤ 12.0%) received two or more transgingival dental implants. Survival was evaluated after 1 (23 participants, 72 implants) and 2 (20 participants, 59 implants) years. Clinical complications were evaluated in 18 participants (52 implants) after 21-34 months. Relationships between complications and stratified HbA1c levels were assessed using Pearson's correlation test. Results Survival rates were 98.6% (71/72 implants) after 1 year and 96.6% (57/59 implants) after 2 years. Complications were identified in 29% of participants with peri-implant mucositis, the most common event. Complications correlated directly with number of implants across HbA1c strata (0.42, R2 = 0.66). There was no correlation between HbA1c and the occurrences of complications or mucositis. Conclusions This 2-year evaluation supports the broader application of implant therapy in type 2 diabetes individuals with poor glycemic control in demonstrating high survival rates with limited complications.
Preferential diffusion in concentrated solid solution alloys: NiFe, NiCo and NiCoCr

Abstract Single-phase concentrated solid solution alloys, including high entropy alloys, exhibit remarkable mechanical properties as well as extraordinary corrosion and radiation resistance compared to pure metals and dilute alloys. However, the mechanisms responsible for these properties are unknown in many cases. In this work, we employ ab initio molecular dynamics based on density functional theory to study the diffusion of interstitial atoms in Ni and Ni-based face-centered cubic concentrated alloys including NiFe, NiCo and NiCoCr. We model the defect trajectories over 100 ps and estimate the tracer diffusion coefficients, correlation factors and activation energies. We find that the diffusion mass transport in concentrated alloys is not only slower than that in pure components, i.e. sluggish diffusion, but also chemically non-homogeneous. The results obtained here can be used to understand and predict atomic segregation and phase separation in concentrated solid solution alloys under irradiation.
Implantation of Responsive Neurostimulation for Epilepsy Using Intraoperative Computed Tomography: Technical Nuances and Accuracy Assessment.

Introduction Implantation of responsive neurostimulation (RNS) system has been previously discussed in the literature but there is a paucity of data on target accuracy and the use of intraoperative imaging. We describe our experience with 8 patients using intraoperative computed tomography (iCT) during implantation of the NeuroPace RNS system. Methods A frame-based system was used. CT images were obtained and merged with preoperative magnetic resonance imaging and metabolic imaging studies to calculate target coordinates. An occipital entry point with a trajectory parallel to the hippocampus was planned. The leads were placed in the parahippocampal white matter circuitry. iCT images were obtained for immediate confirmation of lead accuracy. Images were computationally merged and superimposed on the magnetic resonance images and final coordinates of the distal contact were compared with the intended target. Targeting error was calculated in each axis as well as Euclidean distance. Preoperative and postoperative seizure frequency per month was used to evaluate outcomes. Results Fifteen occipitotemporal leads were placed in 8 patients. The vector error means in the x, y, and z planes were 0.57 mm ± 0.44 mm, 0.71 mm ± 0.84 mm, and 2.23 mm ± 1.43 mm, respectively. The mean Euclidean distance error was 2.63 mm ± 1.32 mm. The z axis was found to have a significantly higher error [F2,42 = 12.955; P = 0.001] when compared with the x or y axes. The median preoperative and postoperative seizure frequency per month was 3.4 and 0.78 seizures, respectively. Conclusions Frame-based stereotactic implantation of the NeuroPace RNS system using iCT is feasible and allows for intraoperative target accuracy confirmation and correction.
Country-by-Country Reporting and the International Allocation of Taxing Rights

In this paper, I discuss the OECD/BEPS country-by-country reporting requirements and the disconnect between country-by-country reporting data and current tax policy of the arm’s length principle of transfer pricing. I also discuss potential benefits of country-by-country data as well as potential costs, such as increased compliance costs, future controversy costs, and possible misinterpretations of the data. I end by considering what implications country-by-country reporting might have for the international allocation of taxing rights.
David Oliver: Should NHS doctors work in unsafe conditions?

The case of Hadiza Bawa-Garba—the paediatrics registrar convicted of gross negligence manslaughter when Jack Adcock, an acutely septic, learning disabled child, died at Leicester Royal Infirmary—highlights a very specific issue with no useful answer as yet. In 2016 the General Medical Council (GMC) made it clear in public advice that, if doctors believed that their workload, staffing, or supervision was unsafe, they had a professional obligation to report this up the line and to have a clear paper trail of the concerns they had flagged.1 But the GMC stopped short of telling doctors to down tools if those conditions put their patients’ or their own health at risk. The new junior doctors’ contract, meanwhile, contains a clause that in “occasional emergencies and exceptional circumstances”2 they may be asked and expected to take on additional duties and responsibilities (consultants and juniors alike were doing plenty of this through December and January, to keep the acute hospital show on the road under intense pressures). As is now …
Building a Bridge Between Genetics and Outcomes Research: Application in Autism (The AutGO Study)

Concerns over the need to improve translational aspects of genetics research studies and engaging community members in the research process have been noted in the literature and raised by patient advocates. In addition to the work done by patient advocacy groups, organizations such as the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute advocate for a change in the culture of research from being researcher-driven to becoming more patient-driven. Our project, Autism Genetics and Outcomes (AutGO), consists of two phases. The goal for phase I was to initiate a general discussion around the main topic (i.e., linking genetics and outcomes research). We used the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute engagement approach to: (aim 1) develop a partnership with a wide range of stakeholders to assess their perspective on developing projects that use both genetics and outcomes research data/principles; (aim 2) identify barriers, facilitators, and needs to promote engagement in patient-centered genetics research; and (aim 3) distill and describe actions that may facilitate utilization of patient/parent perspectives in designing genetics research studies. In phase I, we formed a community advisory board composed of 33 participants, including outcomes and genetics researchers, clinicians, healthcare providers, patients/family members, and community/industry representatives, and convened six sessions over the 12-month period. We structured the sessions as a combination of online PowerPoint presentations, surveys, and in-person group discussions. During the sessions, we discussed topics pertaining to linking genetics and outcomes research and reviewed relevant materials, including patient stories, research projects, and existing resources. Two sets of surveys, project evaluations (k = 2) and session evaluations (k = 6), were distributed among participants. Feedback was analyzed using content analysis strategies to identify the themes and subthemes. Herein, we describe: the established partnership (aim 1), the identified barriers, facilitators, and needs (aim 2), as well as the lessons learned and suggested recommendations for the research community (aim 3). Following phase I participants’ recommendation, in phase II, we will focus on a specific disease (i.e., autism); this projected plan is briefly outlined to highlight the overarching goal of the project and its potential significance. We also discuss the study limitations, challenges for conducting this type of multidisciplinary work, as well as potential ways to address them. The AutGO project has created a unique collaborative forum to facilitate the much needed dialogue between genetics and outcomes researchers, which may contribute to finding ways to improve the translational aspects of genetics research studies.
Impact of meningococcal vaccination on carriage and disease transmission: A review of the literature

Colonization of the human nasopharyngeal tract by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis is usually asymptomatic, but life-threatening meningococcal disease with a clinical presentation of meningitis, septicemia, or more rarely, gastrointestinal symptoms, can develop. Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) can be fatal within 24 hours, but IMD is vaccine-preventable. Vaccines used to protect against IMD caused by 5 of the 6 most common serogroups (A, B, C, W, and Y) may also influence carriage prevalence in vaccinated individuals. Lower carriage among vaccinated people may reduce transmission to nonvaccinated individuals to provide herd protection against IMD. This article reviews observational and clinical studies examining effects of vaccination on N. meningitidis carriage prevalence in the context of mass vaccination campaigns and routine immunization programs. Challenges associated with carriage studies are presented alongside considerations for design of future studies to assess the impact of vaccination on carriage.
Organoid Models of Cancer Explode with Possibilities

Organoids have tremendous promise for modeling human cancers and revealing new biological insights. Sachs et al. (2018), Seino et al. (2018) (in this issue of Cell Stem Cell), and Broutier et al. (2017) derive cancer organoids from breast, pancreas, and liver, respectively, not only reporting new methodologies but also showing their utility for translational and clinical cancer research.
Outcomes of Unstable Scaphoid Nonunion With Segmental Defect Treated With Plate Fixation and Autogenous Cancellous Graft.

Purpose Treatment of scaphoid nonunion with a segmental defect presents a challenging clinical problem. Various techniques have been proposed, often involving structural grafting with vascularized and nonvascularized bone. The authors hypothesize that satisfactory clinical and radiographic outcomes are possible with a relatively simplified technique of volar plate fixation with autogenous, purely cancellous graft. Methods The authors performed a retrospective review of 34 patients with scaphoid nonunions with segmental defects, treated with plate fixation and purely cancellous bone grafting . Cases with avascular necrosis were excluded. Surgical management included a volar incision, reduction, bone grafting from the ipsilateral distal radius and/or olecranon , and application of a volar locking plate. Postoperative outcome measures included time to union based on computed tomography , return to work and sports, patient-reported pain and disability scores, grip strength, and range of motion. Results Thirty-four patients with an average age of 31 years (range, 16–55 years) were treated with volar plate fixation and cancellous grafting, an average of 34 months after initial injury. Twenty-six patients (76%) were treated for nonunion at the scaphoid waist, 7 (21%) at the proximal pole, and 1 (3%) at the distal pole. Mean final follow-up was 18.7 months (range, 12–34 months). When union was defined by computed tomography evidence of healing, 2 (6%) scaphoids healed by 6 weeks after surgery, 28 (82%) healed by 12 weeks, and 100% healed by 18 weeks. Mean Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score improved from 27.1 ± 7.3 before surgery to 11.8 ± 5.8 after surgery. Grip strength, corrected for hand dominance, improved from 77.5% of the nonsurgical side before surgery to 90.5% after surgery. All employed patients returned to work, although 3 (9%) did not return to full capacity. Conclusions The combination of scaphoid plate fixation and pure cancellous bone grafting for scaphoid nonunion with segmental defects yields reliable union rates and good patient outcomes. Autogenous cancellous grafting may be an alternative to more technically demanding or morbid grafting procedures for the treatment of scaphoid nonunion. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.
Elevated mRNA expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in retinal ganglion cell layer after optic nerve injury

Purpose. Recent studies show that exogenous brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) can promote retinal ganglion cell survival in vivo and in vitro. BDNF is expressed by a subpopulation of cells in the ganglion cell layer (GCL), To investigate whether endogenous BDNF may. play a role in neuronal protection after ganglion cell trauma, BDNF expression in the retina was examined after optic nerve (ON) injury. Methods. The optic nerve in Sprague-Dawley rats was crushed intraorbitally posterior to the optic disc. For controls, the optic nerve on the opposite side in each animal was similarly exposed but was not crushed. After intervals of hours to 6 weeks, eye tissues were processed for in situ hybridization, Northern blot, and RNase protection assay using radiolabeled rat riboprobes. Results. After ON injury, BDNF expression was significantly elevated in cells restricted to the GCL, and more cells demonstrated expression of BDNF than were observed in the controls. Elevated BDNF expression was first observed at 24 hours, peaked at 48 hours, and declined to the basal level 2 weeks after ON injury. Quantitative analysis showed a fivefold to sixfold increase in the number of BDNF-positive cells and a 54% increase in BDNF signal intensity in individual cells in the GCL 48 hours after ON injury. In control retinas without ON injury, BDNF expression was localized to some cells in the GCL, as was observed in normal eyes without surgery. Northern blot and RNase protection assay demonstrated a 38% elevation in BDNF expression above control levels 48 hours after ON injury. Conclusions. These results indicate that cells in the GCL can upregulate gene expression of BDNF in response to ganglion cell axonal injury and suggest that endogenous BDNF may contribute to a natural neuroprotective process after ON injury.
Aberrant early endosome biogenesis mediates complement activation in the retinal pigment epithelium in models of macular degeneration.

Abnormally enlarged early endosomes (EEs) are pathological features of neurodegenerative diseases, yet insight into the mechanisms and consequences of EE expansion remains elusive. Here, we report swollen apical EEs in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) of aged human donors and in the pigmented Abca4−/− mouse model of Stargardt early-onset macular degeneration. Using high-resolution live-cell imaging, we show that age-related and pathological accumulation of lipofuscin bisretinoids increases ceramide at the apical surface of the RPE, which promotes inward budding and homotypic fusion of EEs. These enlarged endosomes internalize the complement protein C3 into the RPE, resulting in the intracellular generation of C3a fragments. Increased C3a in turn activates the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), a regulator of critical metabolic processes such as autophagy. The antidepressant desipramine, which decreases ceramide levels by inhibiting acid sphingomyelinase, corrects EE defects in the RPE of Abca4−/− mice. This prevents C3 internalization and limits the formation of C3a fragments within the RPE. Although uncontrolled complement activation is associated with macular degenerations, how complement contributes to pathology in a progressive disease is not well understood. Our studies link expansion of the EE compartment with intracellular complement generation and aberrant mTOR activation, which could set the stage for chronic metabolic reprogramming in the RPE as a prelude to disease. The pivotal role of ceramide in driving EE biogenesis and fusion in the Abca4−/− mice RPE suggests that therapeutic targeting of ceramide could be effective in Stargardt disease and other macular degenerations.
Nonlinear Unidimensionality in Communication Science: Tests, Examples, and Implications

The ability to evaluate predictions and theories hinges on accurate, error-free measurement. As a result, communication scientists seek both highly valid and highly reliable measures. Regarding val...
Improving test adequacy assessment by novel JavaScript mutation operators

Software testing is an essential process to verify that software meets its specifications and to detect faults. Mutation testing is an effective software testing technique to assess the adequacy of test suite. A lot of research has been done on mutation testing and number of mutation operators are proposed for Java and other programming languages. However, mutation operators for Java Script language are few in number as compared to mutation operators for other programming languages. The focus of our research is on mutation operators. Nowadays, Java Script is regressively used in front end development of web applications. To check the adequacy of test suite of Java Script applications, mutation testing is an appropriate approach. These Java Script mutation operators are used to seed faults in Java Script source programs. Currently available mutation operators cover some of the specific Java Script features as there exists some specific Java Script features that are not yet addressed and require more mutation operators. In this paper, we propose a set of new Java Script mutation operators to address features like variable scope, variable type etc., that are not covered by existing operators. We implemented these mutation operators in a tool called Mutant Tracer.
Buffalo Bill from Prairie to Palace and The Life of Hon. William F. Cody, Known as Buffalo Bill and The Wild West in England

Review of: "Buffalo Bill from Prairie to Palace," written by John M. Burke, edited by Chris Dixon, "The Life of Hon. William F. Cody, Known as Buffalo Bill, written by William F. Cody, edited by Frank Christianson, and "The Wild West in England," written by William F. Cody, edited by Frank Christianson.
Molecular Electronics, Circuits, and Processing Platforms

When microelectronic devices replaced vacuum tubes, it marked a revolution in electronics that opened the way to the computer age. We are on the verge of witnessing another equally profound shift. As molecular devices replace semiconductors, we will achieve new levels of performance, functionality and capability that will hugely impact electronics, as well as signal processing and computing. Molecular Electronics, Circuits, and Processing Platforms guides you confidently into this emerging field. Helping you to forge into the molecular frontier, this book examines the various concepts, methods and technologies used to approach and solve a wide variety of problems. The author works from new devices to systems and platforms. He also covers device-level physics, system-level design, analysis, and advanced fabrication technologies. Explore the latest and emerging molecular, biomolecular, and nanoscale processing platforms for building the next generation of circuits, memories and computations. By examining both solved and open issues, this book thoroughly develops the basic theory and shows you how to apply this knowledge toward new developments and practical hardware implementation. Dont fall behind. Let Molecular Electronics, Circuits, and Processing Platforms take you to the next level of electronics design and applications.
High temperature stability of transparent silica aerogels for solar thermal applications

Solar thermal energy systems combined with low-cost thermal storage provide a sustainable, dispatchable source of renewable energy. One approach to increase the attractiveness of these systems is to use high-performing solar transparent, thermally insulating silica aerogel to significantly increase efficiency. Several past works have proposed using these ultra-nanoporous materials to reduce thermal losses in the receiver, but only recently have aerogels reached the high solar transparency necessary to be considered for concentrated solar applications (>97%). However, the durability and stability of optically transparent silica aerogels at the operating conditions of solar-thermal receivers has not been examined. Here, we investigate the high temperature stability of transparent silica aerogel for use in concentrated solar thermal energy applications. Transparent samples (visible transmission >95% at 4 mm thickness) were annealed for several months at 400, 600, and 800 °C to investigate the relative change in nanostructure, solar transparency, and effective thermal conductivity. Results showed that at 400 and 600 °C, the temperature-dependent changes reach a plateau within 30 days of continuous annealing, but at 800 °C, samples are structurally unstable. A simple receiver efficiency model was used to show stable performance at 400 and 600 °C temperatures, even after months of exposure. This work validates that transparent silica aerogels can be used in solar thermal receivers below 800 °C, yielding appreciable increases in efficiency for solar energy harvesting operation.
Towards an ultra-compact x-ray free-electron laser (Conference Presentation)

The short-wavelength FEL is a revolutionary instrument, which for the first time has permitted the structure of atomic and molecular matter to be interrogated at the spatial and temporal scales relevant to electron rearrangement – A and fsec, respectively. This frontier tool has produced a paradigm shift in imaging, but suffers from limited access, as the $1B-class instruments needed for both photon science and exploring the attosecond world of the FEL are located at a few national labs worldwide. Due to this expense, access to coherent X-rays for iterative experimentation by the optimal width of the photon science community is suppressed. Further, R&D aimed at cutting edge FEL physics and in the US, has extremely limited resources, thus dimming the prospects for a new, approach to FELs in which the cost and scale of the machine is consistent with university financial and space budgets. The scientific and technological environment of the free-electron laser and related next generation instruments is complex, embracing a wide range of cutting edge fields which are undergoing rapid maturation. This infrastructure is intended to address both scientific and educational roadblocks in the current FEL and photon science communities, by pursuing a vision of an FEL that is an extension of current techniques, pushed to the limits of current performance. This vision entails an approach based on progress in three areas: very high brightness electron beam production; compact, high gradient acceleration; advanced beam manipulations aimed a current enhancement without phase space dilution; and new techniques in realizing very short period undulators. UCLA has played a lead role in high brightness beam production for several decades. It has recently, with support of the NSF through the Center for Bright Beams (CBB), brought a new concept towards fruition, a cryogenic RF photoinjector capable of operations at very high field, and achieving an order of magnitude improvement in electron beam brightness. This beam can be accelerated to GeV energies with the same technical approach, recently shown in proof-of-principle experiments by a Stanford and UCLA. These beams can, further, be compressed by optical bunching techniques, as has been studie successfully at SLAC and UCLA in recent years. Finally, one can utilize a new generation of undulators with periodicity in the mm-scale, exploiting MEMS-based research in this area. In combination, this approach may produce an Angstrom X-ray FEL with fluxes up to ~5% of the LCLS, yet costing an estimated $20M and occupying a footprint of a few tens of meters. This new class of coherent light source will be exploited UCLA and collaborating scientists to explore a new model for both advanced FEL and photon science experimentation. UCLA and its direct collaborators in universities, national labs worldwide, and industry are leaders in these fields, the expertise needed to push thiss state-of-the-art concept is available.
Agrarian Puerto Rico: Reconsidering Rural Economy and Society, 1899–1940

Fundamental tenets of colonial historiography are challenged by showing that US capital investment into this colony did not lead to the disappearance of the small farmer. Contrary to well-established narratives, quantitative data show that the increasing integration of rural producers within the US market led to differential outcomes, depending on pre-existing land tenure structures, capital requirements to initiate production, and demographics. These new data suggest that the colonial economy was not polarized into landless Puerto Rican rural workers on one side and corporate US capitalists on the other. The persistence of Puerto Rican small farmers in some regions and the expansion of local property ownership and production disprove this socioeconomic model. Other aspects of extant Puerto Rican historiography are confronted in order to make room for thorough analyses and new conclusions on the economy of colonial Puerto Rico during the early twentieth century.
Trends in Telestroke Care Delivery: A 15-Year Experience of an Academic Hub and Its Network of Spokes.

Background: Telestroke provides access to vascular neurology expertise for hospitals lacking stroke coverage, and its use has risen rapidly in the past decade. We aim to characterize consultations,...
Comparison of the Panther Fusion and a laboratory-developed test targeting the envelope gene for detection of SARS-CoV-2.

Abstract Background Numerous nucleic acid amplification assays have recently received emergency use authorization (EUA) for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and there is a need to assess their test performance relative to one another. Objectives The aim of this study was to compare the test performance of the Hologic Panther Fusion SARS-CoV-2 assay targeting two regions of open reading frame 1ab (ORF1ab) to a high complexity molecular-based, laboratory-developed EUA from Stanford Health Care (SHC) targeting the SARS-CoV-2 envelope (E) gene. Study design We performed a diagnostic comparison study by testing nasopharyngeal samples on the two assays. Assay agreement was assessed by overall percent agreement and Cohen’s kappa coefficient. Results A total of 184 nasopharyngeal samples were tested using the two assays, of which 180 showed valid results and were included for the comparative analysis. Overall percent agreement between the assays was 98.3 % (95 % confidence interval (CI) 95.2–99.7) and kappa coefficient was 0.97 (95 % CI 0.93–1.0). One sample was detected on the SHC laboratory developed test (LDT) and not on the Panther Fusion, and had a Ct of 35.9. Conversely, 2 samples were detected on the Panther Fusion and not on the LDT, and had Ct values of 37.2 and 36.6. Conclusion The Panther Fusion SARS-CoV-2 assay and the SHC LDT perform similarly on clinical nasopharyngeal swab specimens. Other considerations, including reagent availability, turnaround time, labor requirements, cost and instrument throughput should guide the decision of which assay to perform.
The Implications of Firm‐Specific Policy Risk, Policy Uncertainty, and Industry Factors for Inventory: A Resource Dependence Perspective

The risk created by government policymaking can be daunting, but little is known about the extent to which this risk is disruptive to business in general and to supply chain operations in particular. Because government is a powerful and omnipresent entity, scholars and executives alike could benefit from greater understanding of how firms react to risk emanating from the policymaking process. To help address this gap, we use resource dependence theory to develop hypotheses concerning the accumulation of inventory by firms to buffer against their exposure to potential policy changes and how such a link might be moderated by macro‐level and industry‐level factors. Data from 19,634 firm‐year observations reveal that firms accumulate more inventory as a buffer against policy risk under conditions of high policy uncertainty and high industry dynamism. Overall, our findings support the predictions of resource dependence theory and refine understanding of supply chain responses to macro‐level uncertainty by demonstrating the contingent influence of government policy. In doing so, our study provides a foundation for future research to explore the intersections between government actions and supply chain activities and offers insights for managers and policymakers about how to factor government into their decision calculi.
Very Low Rate of New Brain Lesions After Vulnerable Carotid Artery Stenting Cases Using Only FilterWire EZ as Distal Embolic Protection.

Background Although carotid artery stenting (CAS) has been widely acknowledged as an effective alternative option for patients at high risk of carotid endarterectomy, embolic stroke is a major complication of CAS. Several reports have emphasized that distal protection filter alone is associated with a high risk of embolic complications of CAS with vulnerable plaque. Thus, relatively complicated protection systems have recently been recommended to prevent distal embolic complications. However, those protection systems require many steps, which, themselves, can also cause complications. The FilterWire EZ embolic protection device (EPD) for use in CAS was approved for national health insurance coverage in Japan in 2010. Since then, we have been using it as an EPD in all CAS procedures, even those with vulnerable plaque. Methods The medical records of 80 patients who had undergone CAS from February 2014 to September 2019 at Moriyama Memorial Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Emergent cases with distal mechanical thrombectomy were not included. We enrolled patients whose target lesion was vulnerable as evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging and who had undergone diffusion-weighted imaging studies the next day. Results Of the 80 patients, 60 had met the inclusion criteria. No symptomatic embolic complications developed, and only 5 patients (8.3%) had shown new lesions on diffusion-weighted imaging after CAS. The rate of new lesions after CAS with vulnerable plaque was much lower than that in previous studies. We meticulously analyzed the data to determine the predictive factors. Conclusion The FilterWire EZ as an EPD for CAS is quite safe, even for vulnerable carotid stenosis.
Introducing Alexa for E-learning

E-learning is becoming popular as it provides learners the flexibility, targeted resources across the internet, personalized guidance, and immediate feedback during learning. However, lack of social interaction, an indispensable component in developing some skills, has been a pain point in e-learning. We propose using Alexa, a voice-controlled Intelligent Personal Assistants (IPA), in e-learning to provide in-person practice to achieve some desired learning goals. With Alexa enabled learning experiences, learners are able to practice with other students (one role of Alexa) or receive immediate feedback from teachers (another role of Alexa) in an e-learning environment. We propose a configuration driven conversation engine, which can support instructional designers to create diverse in-person practice opportunities in e-learning. We demonstrate that learning designers can create an Alexa activity with a few configuration steps. We also share results on the effectiveness of an Alexa activity with formative assessment evaluation in real world applications.
Metropolitan Networks: A Socio-spatial Analysis of Social Ties in Tehran:

Previous research shows that residents of metropolitan areas tend to have social ties outside their neighborhoods, but ties’ locations and what they indicate in terms of social relations and urban ...
Nuclear Spin Relaxation of Very Dilute 3He impurities in Solid 4He

We report measurements of the nuclear spin-lattice and spin-spin relaxation times of very dilute 3He in solid 4He in the temperature range 0.01 ≤ T ≤ 0.5 K for densities where anomalies have been observed in torsional oscillator and shear modulus measurements. We compare the results with the values of the relaxation times reported by other observers for higher concentrations and the theory of Landesman that takes into account the elastic properties of the 4He lattice. A sharp increase in the magnitude of the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation times compared to the the classical Landesman theory is observed close to the temperatures where the torsional and shear modulus anomalies are observed. The NMR results suggest that the tunneling of 3He impurities in the atomic-scale elastic distortion is affected by the same processes that give rise to the macroscopic elastic dissipation anomalies.
Forest carbon trajectories: Consequences of alternative land-use scenarios in New England

Abstract The extent to which forest carbon sequestration can help mitigate climate change will be determined in large part by future land use. Here we quantify the impacts of five divergent future land-use scenarios on aboveground forest carbon stocks and fluxes throughout New England. These scenarios, four co-designed with stakeholders from throughout the region and the fifth a continuation of recent trends in land use, were simulated by coupling a land-cover change model with a mechanistic forest growth model to produce estimates of aboveground carbon over 50 years. We tracked the fate of forest carbon removed through harvesting and development using a standard carbon accounting methodology, modified to fit our modeling framework. Of the simulated changes in land use, changes in harvesting had the most profound and immediate impacts on carbon stocks and fluxes. In one land-use scenario that included a rapid expansion of harvesting for biomass energy, New England’s forests stopped serving as a net carbon sink and became a net carbon source by 2060. In an alternative scenario, relatively small reductions in harvest intensities (i.e., ~10% less biomass removed), coupled with an increased percent of wood going into longer-term storage, led to substantial reductions in net carbon emissions (909 MMtCO2eq) as compared to a continuation of recent trends in land use. However, these projected gains in carbon storage and reduction in emissions from less intense harvesting regimes can only be realized if they are paired with a reduction in the consumption of the timber products, and their replacements, that otherwise would result in additional emissions from leakage and substitution.
Facing Human Suffering: Psychology and Psychotherapy As Moral Engagement

In this thought-provoking book, Ronald B. Miller contends that we seek psychotherapy to relieve our suffering. For those who practice clinical psychology, therapy is thus a moral undertaking. Yet for historical reasons, psychological science has, in the author's view, become a de-moralized realm of theory and research, with limited relevance to practice. As frustrated graduates of clinical psychology programs often come to realize, scientific knowledge is not, in and of itself, a satisfactory preparation for clinical work. The greatest strength of scientific knowledge, its combination of abstract principles and objective data, becomes in the clinical realm also its greatest weakness. One can know the research cold and still be unprepared for a useful clinical interaction with a troubled person. In a broad, multidisciplinary review of the literature, Miller argues that there is an urgent need for a learning process that helps prepare students to understand the intrinsically moral nature of therapeutic encounters and to cultivate the clinical knowledge that is produced by such work. He proposes that the clinical case-study is the optimal vehicle for communicating clinical knowledge and conducting clinical research. While case studies are frequently derided as being of limited applicability, Miller shows how, by following a quasi-judicial method, "case law" and reliable principles of practice can be developed. Designed for the undergraduate, graduate student, or professional psychologist who has become disenchanted with the limitations of experimental and quantitative approach to psychology, this compassionate book provides answers for those who seek a legitimate alternative.
Injured brain endothelial cells release neurotoxic thrombin.

Abstract The multifunctional serine protease thrombin has been shown to be neurotoxic in vitro and in vivo and is demonstrable in the Alzheimer disease (AD) brain. We have documented that in AD the cerebral microvasculature is a source of inflammatory and neurotoxic proteins. The objective of this study was to determine if injured brain endothelial cells could be a source of neurotoxic thrombin. Brain endothelial cells were incubated with either sodium nitroprusside (SNP, 10 microM), inflammatory proteins (IL-1beta, IL-6, TNFalpha, LPS, IFNgamma) or the PKC inhibitor bisindolymaleimide (1 microM) for 24 h and conditioned media collected. Endothelial cell conditioned medium was incubated with purified apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) for 24 h, and then analyzed for neurotoxic activity against primary cortical cultures and for apoE4 fragments by western blot. Endothelial cell conditioned medium collected after treatment with either SNP, inflammatory proteins, or the PKC inhibitor bisindolymaleimide, demonstrated a significant (p < 0.005) level of thrombin activity, the presence of apoE4 fragments, and was capable of evoking neuronal cell death. These data demonstrate that endothelial cell injury results in thrombin release and suggest that the brain microcirculation could be a source of neurotoxic factors in AD.
Interpretation of Landsat-4 Thematic Mapper and Multispectral Scanner data for forest surveys

Landsat-4 Thematic Mapper (TM) and Multispectral Scanner (MSS) data were evaluated by interpreting film and digital products and statistical data for selected forest cover types in California. Significant results were: (1) TM color image products should contain a spectral band in the visible (bands 1, 2, or 3), near infrared (band 4), and middle infrared (band 5) regions for maximizing the interpretability of vegetation types; (2) TM color composites should contain band 4 in all cases even at the expense of excluding band 5; and (3) MSS color composites were more interpretable than all TM color composites for certain cover types and for all cover types when band 4 was excluded from the TM composite.
Critical assessment of optical properties of CVD diamond films

Abstract The basic phenomena that determine the optical properties of diamond, which include the electronic band structure, the phonon structure, and defects, are discussed. Experiments on chemical vapor deposited diamond relevant to its applications as an optical material are reviewed. The most immediate application is the diamond x-ray window. Other applications, such as infrared transmissive elements and coatings, will require considerable improvement in material quality. Surface roughness is a major impediment. The ability to deposit smooth surfaces would make diamond considerably more attractive as optical material. Diamond also has promise as a blue luminescent or laser material. Identifying and controlling the relevant luminescent centers will be needed to improve the quantum efficiencies of such devices.
Alphaherpesvirus origin-binding protein homolog encoded by human herpesvirus 6B, a betaherpesvirus, binds to nucleotide sequences that are similar to ori regions of alphaherpesviruses.

Abstract We previously identified a human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) homolog of the alphaherpesvirus origin-binding protein (OBP), exemplified by the herpes simplex virus type 1 UL9 gene product. This finding is of particular interest because HHV-6B is otherwise more closely related to members of the betaherpesvirus subfamily. The prototypic betaherpesvirus, human cytomegalovirus, does not encode an obvious OBP homolog and contains a more complex origin of replication than do alphaherpesviruses. Thus, analysis of the function of the HHV-6B OBP homolog is essential for understanding the mechanism of HHV-6B DNA replication initiation. The HHV-6B OBP homolog, OBPH6B, was expressed in vitro by coupled transcription and translation and in insect cells by infection with recombinant baculoviruses. The expressed protein bound to two DNA sequences located upstream of the HHV-6B major DNA-binding protein gene homolog, within a region that was predicted to serve as an origin of replication on the basis of its sequence properties. The binding sites lie within 23-bp segments and are similar to OBP-binding sites of herpes simplex virus type 1. The two OBPH6B-binding sequences are separated by an AT-rich region and have an imperfect dyad symmetry as do the alphaherpesvirus origin regions. We identified OBPH6B transcripts by reverse transcription PCR in HHV-6B-infected Molt-3 cells. These results suggest that OBPH6B functions in a manner analogous to the alphaherpesvirus OBP and that initiation of HHV-6B DNA replication may resemble that of alphaherpesviruses.
The number of ways to assemble a graph

Motivated by the question of how macromolecules assemble, the notion of an assembly tree of a graph is introduced. Given a graph G, the paper is concerned with enumerating the number of assembly trees of G, a problem that applies to the macromolecular assembly problem. Explicit formulas or generating functions are provided for the number of assembly trees of several families of graphs, in particular for what we call (H, p)-graphs. In some natural special cases, we apply powerful recent results of Zeilberger and Apagodu on multivariate generating functions, and results of Wimp and Zeilberger, to deduce recurrence relations and very precise asymptotic formulas for the number of assembly trees of the complete bipartite graphs Kn,n and the complete tripartite graphs Kn,n,n. Future directions for reseach, as well as open questions, are suggested
Primary Mouse Keratinocyte Culture

Mouse epidermal keratinocytes have traditionally been difficult to grow in vitro. In this chapter, we present a method for isolating epidermal keratinocytes from a single, newborn mouse pup for long-term culture. The protocols we describe will be especially useful for the isolation and analysis of cells harvested from transgenic or knockout mice. We explain how to use a supplemented fibroblast-conditioned medium, along with mouse collagen IV-coated culture dishes, to establish and subculture these fastidious cells for multiple passages. We describe how to induce expression of markers of the late stages of epidermal differentiation in cultured cells and how to ship whole mouse skins for culture at a site removed from the mice, should it be required. This chapter also contains a method of cryopreservation that ensures high cell viability after periods of storage over liquid nitrogen. The techniques described here in detail should be of interest to investigators currently producing transgenic or null mice with epidermal defects.