cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of wastewater treatment plant effluent on bat foraging ecology in an urban stream system.

Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent in the Cape Fear River Basin headwaters in North Carolina, USA, has influenced stream water quality and aquatic components of the stream food web. To examine effects of WWTP effluent on terrestrial predators in this system we determined prey availability, bat community structure, and bat foraging and commuting behavior at sites above and below WWTPs. We predicted an effect of effluent in the riparian habitat specialist Perimyotis subflavus but not the habitat generalists Eptesicus fuscus, Lasiurus borealis, or Nycticeius humeralis. Nocturnal insect abundance was higher upstream of the WWTPs. There were more Diptera, Coleoptera, and Lepidoptera upstream of the WWTPs whereas there were more Odonata downstream of the WWTPs. There were more E. fuscus upstream of the WWTPs and more P. subflavus downstream of the WWTPs. Despite the difference in bat community structure up-and downstream of the WWTPs, bat commuting and foraging activity levels were the same; there was no difference in the total number of echolocation sequences we recorded per night up- and downstream of the WWTPs nor was there a difference in the proportion of those sequences that contained a feeding buzz. Our results suggest the effect of anthropogenic nutrients in the stream persists through higher food web trophic levels as we found impacts on nocturnal flying insects as well as two common species of insectivorous bats. Perimyotis subflavus and E. fuscus may serve as easily tractable terrestrial bioindicators of water quality as influenced by WWTP effluent in this, and other, urban watersheds.
Provider Perceptions Concerning Use of Chest X-Ray Studies in Adult Blunt Trauma Assessments

Abstract Background Although they infrequently lead to management changing diagnoses, chest x-rays (CXRs) are the most commonly ordered imaging study in blunt trauma evaluation. Objectives To determine: 1) the reasons physicians order chest X-ray studies (CXRs) in blunt trauma assessments; 2) what injuries they expect CXRs to reveal; and 3) whether physicians can accurately predict low likelihood of injury on CXR. Methods At a Level I Trauma Center, we asked resident and attending physicians treating adult blunt trauma patients: 1) the primary reason(s) for getting CXRs; 2) what, if any, significant intrathoracic injuries (SITI) they expected CXRs to reveal; and 3) the likelihood of these injuries. An expert panel defined SITI as two or more rib fractures, sternal fracture, pulmonary contusion, pneumothorax, hemothorax, or aortic injury on official CXR readings. Results There were 484 patient encounters analyzed—65% of participating physicians were residents and 35% were attendings; 16 (3.3%) patients had SITI. The most common reasons for ordering CXRs were: "enough concern for significant injury" (62.9%) and belief that CXR is a "standard part of trauma work-up" (24.8%). Residents were more likely than attendings to cite "standard trauma work-up" (mean difference=13.5%, p = 0.003). When physicians estimated a 25% likelihood, 9.1% (95% CI 3.0–20.0%) had SITI. Conclusions Physicians order CXRs in blunt trauma patients because they expect to find injuries and believe that CXRs are part of a "standard" work-up. Providers commonly do not expect CXRs to reveal SITI. When providers estimated low likelihood of SITI, the rate of SITI was very low.
Simultaneous design of cockpit display of traffic information and air traffic management procedures

This paper examines two general considerations for designers of CDTI: the information required for intended applications, and the mechanisms capable for providing the pilot with that information. Methods for defining information requirements are summarized, and a case study using control theory analysis is given. The information available from procedures and from CDTI are compared. Finally, suggestions are given for the design of CDTI and air traffic procedures.
Genome-wide matching of genes to cellular roles using guilt-by-association models derived from single sample analysis.

High-throughput methods that ascribe a cellular or physiological function for each gene product are useful to understand the roles of genes that have not been extensively characterized by molecular or genetic approaches. One method to infer gene function is "guilt-by-association", in which the expression pattern of a poorly characterized gene is shown to co-vary with the expression of better-characterized genes. The function of the poorly characterized gene is inferred from the known function(s) of the well-described genes. For example, genes co-expressed with transcripts that vary during the cell cycle, development, environmental stresses, and with oncogenesis have been implicated in those processes. While examining the expression characteristics of several poorly characterized genes, we noted that we could associate each of the genes with a cellular phenotype by correlating individual gene expression changes with gene set enrichment scores from individual samples. We evaluated the effectiveness of this approach using a modest sized gene expression data set (expO) and a compendium of gene expression phenotypes (MSigDBv3.0). We found the transcripts that correlated best with enrichment in mitochondrial and lysosomal gene sets were mostly related to those processes (89/100 and 44/50, respectively). The reciprocal evaluation, ranking gene sets according to correlation of enrichment with an individual gene’s expression, also reflected known associations for prominent genes in the biomedical literature (16/19). In evaluating the model, we also found that 4% of the genome encodes proteins that are associated with small molecule and small peptide signal transduction gene sets, implicating a large number of genes in both internal and external environmental sensing. Our results show that this approach is useful to infer functions of disparate sets of genes. This method mirrors the biological experimental approaches used by others to associate individual genes with defined gene expression changes. Moreover, the approach can be used beyond discovering genes related to a cellular process to discover meaningful expression phenotypes from a compendium that are associated with a given gene. The effectiveness, versatility, and breadth of this approach make possible its application in a variety of contexts and with a variety of downstream analyses.
A survey of direct-to-consumer teledermatology services available to US patients: Explosive growth, opportunities and controversy

Introduction Direct-to-consumer (DTC) teledermatology is radically changing the way patients obtain dermatological care. Now, with a few clicks, patients can obtain dermatological consultations and prescription medications without a prior physician-patient relationship. To analyse all DTC teledermatology services available to US patients. Methods We performed Internet searches to identify DTC teledermatology services available through Internet webpages or through smartphone applications. For each service, the scope of care provided, cost, wait times, prescription policies and other relevant information were recorded. Results Twenty-two DTC teledermatology services are available to US patients in 45 states. Six (27%) services offer care from international physicians. Sixteen (73%) services allow patients to seek care for any reason, while six (27%) limit care to acne or anti-aging. The median reported response time for DTC teledermatology services is 48 hours from the time of patient request. The median consultation fee for companies providing care from US board-certified physicians is US$59. Across all services, consultation fees range from US$1.59 to US$250. Conclusions DTC teledermatology services are readily available to patients in most states. These services may reduce the cost of patient visits, expand access to care and increase patient convenience. However, the presence of services staffed by physicians who are not US board-certified, as well as the use of incautious language regarding prescription medications, is concerning.
Reducing the Secondary Structure Bias in the Generalized Born Model via R6 Effective Radii

The generalized Born model (GB) provides a reasonably accurate and computationally efficient way to compute the electrostatic component (ΔGel) of the solvation free energy. In this work, we have de...
A SURPRISING BUT EASILY PROVED GEOMETRIC DECOMPOSITION THEOREM

(1998). A Surprising but Easily Proved Geometric Decomposition Theorem. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 71, No. 1, pp. 3-11.
HIGH SERUM SORTILIN ASSOCIATES WITH SEVERE ABDOMINAL AORTIC CALCIFICATION (AAC) AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK IN ELDERLY MEN

Arterial calcification associates with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. GWAS identified a link between the 1p13.3 locus, encoding SORT1, and coronary artery calcification. Here, we showed the association of serum sortilin with AAC and its prognostic implication to predict cardiovascular
Design of Detection Equipment for Digital Electrical Energy Meters

In order to adapt to the rapid development of digital substation,Zhejiang Electric Power Test and Research Institute has developed a detection equipment for digital electrical energy meter.This paper introduces the design scheme,data generation principle,system structure,functions and features of the equipment.According to the characteristics of digital electrical energy meter,the equipment was added many new functions on the basis of traditional detection items.The equipment applies to detection of digital electrical energy meter used in digital substation.
Fine-grained concurrency in test scheduling for partial-intrusion BIST

Partial-intrusion BIST reduces area overhead and increases chip performance by reducing the number of test registers, but it requires a test schedule definition. The scheduling of the tests impacts directly the test application time. This paper presents a novel model of the test plan scheduling problem for partial-intrusion BIST circuits. Test application time is reduced by performing scheduling to allow the execution of test plans in a pipelined fashion. Test scheduling conflicts are avoided by exploiting the parallelism which is revealed by a flexible test representation; consequently, test concurrency is increased. Computational efficiency is gained by performing incremental, subtractive heuristic test scheduling decisions. The effects of each test decision are rigorously propagated, limiting the test scheduling possibilities to only those which lead to a feasible scheduling solution. Experimental results show that high levels of test concurrency are achieved in a computationally efficient manner by limiting the state of the scheduling search space using conflict probability estimation and rigorous pruning of infeasible test options. >
Reorganization and Bankruptcy of Banks in Switzerland

This paper explores main steps of the Swiss Debt Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law for banks and securities dealers. It provides analysis of competences of the Swiss Financial Markets Supervisory Authority FINMA according to current Swiss law on insolvency for banks and securities dealers. FINMA orders and supervises restructuring and insolvency of banks. As Swiss bankruptcy proceedings for banks applies to all assets of the insolvent and bankrupt bank, regardless whether they are located in Switzerland or in another jurisdiction, FINMA is involved in recognition of the foreign insolvency proceedings and satisfaction in foreign proceedings, transfer of the remainder to the foreign bankruptcy administrator, foreign compositions with creditors. The analysis of competences of FINMA during the restructuring, bankruptcy and liquidation of insolvent banks is the main focus of the current article.
The effect of evaluation time variance on asynchronous Particle Swarm Optimization

Optimizing computationally intensive models of real-world systems can be challenging, especially when significant wall clock time is required for a single evaluation of a model. Employing multiple CPUs is a common mitigation strategy, but algorithms that rely on synchronous execution of model instances can waste significant CPU cycles if there is variability in the model evaluation time. In this paper, we explore the effect of model run time variance on the behavior of PSO using both synchronous and completely asynchronous particle updates. Results indicate that in most cases, asynchronous updates save considerable time while not significantly impacting the probability of finding a solution.
A Parallel Approximation Algorithm for Scheduling Parallel Identical Machines

We present the design and analysis of a parallel approximation algorithm for the problem of scheduling jobs on parallel identical machines to minimize makespan. The design of the parallel approximation algorithm is based on the best existing polynomial-time approximation scheme (PTAS) for the problem. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first practical parallel approximation algorithm for the minimum makespan scheduling problem that maintains the approximation guarantees of the sequential PTAS and it is specifically designed for execution on shared-memory parallel machines. We implement and run the algorithm on a multi-core system and perform an extensive experimental analysis. The results show that our proposed parallel approximation algorithm achievessignificant speedup with respect to both the sequential PTAS and the CPLEX-basedsolver that solve the integer program formulation of the problem.
“Gimme a Pigfoot and a Bottle of Beer”: Food as Cultural Performance in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the federal levee failures, hundreds of thousands of volunteers went to New Orleans to help rebuild. Food was quickly used as a way to welcome volunteers, to compensate them for their hard work, to celebrate progress in rebuilding community, and to interact with others. In time, however, the giving and consuming of food was renegotiated. Volunteers coming to New Orleans expected meals representative of New Orleans's foodways. This article looks at the cultural performance of food in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In particular, I analyze the symbolic exchanges of food in what I call performances of reciprocity and performances of solidarity. This study adds to the burgeoning work in symbolic interaction on food, especially as it pertains to progressive spaces of cultural politics.
Localizing and Fixing Faults in SQL Predicates

Fault localization is very important to both researchers and practitioners. Running tests is a useful approach to identify the fault location. Researchers have studied how to automatically identify faults in database applications [1], [2], [3]. However, those research considers the entire SQL statement as one line of code, indicating that the whole SQL statement contains errors. Little attention has been paid to ?nding faults in individual components of SQL statements such as a predicate clause. My research includes two major aspects: 1) Finding an effective and ef?cient method to localize faults in SQL predicates 2) Automatically fixing the reported faults The effectiveness is defined in terms of the faults found and the efficiency is defined with regards to the execution time. I have proposed a new approach that is more effective in ?nding fault in SQL predicates than existing methods. This approach and evaluation has been accepted to ICST 2017 [4].
A Survey of White Matter Neurons at the Gyral Crowns and Sulcal Depths in the Rhesus Monkey.

Gyrencephalic brains exhibit deformations of the six neocortical laminae at gyral crowns and sulcal depths, where the deeper layers are, respectively, expanded and compressed. The present study addresses 1) the degree to which the underlying white matter neurons (WMNs) observe the same changes at gyral crowns and sulcal depths, and 2) whether these changes are consistent or variable across different cortical regions. WMNs were visualized by immunohistochemistry using the pan-neuronal label NeuN, and their density was quantified in 8 rhesus monkey brains for four regions; namely, frontal (FR), superior frontal gyrus (SFG), parietal (Par), and temporal (TE). In all four regions, there were about 50% fewer WMNs in the sulcal depth, but there was also distinct variability from region to region. For the gyral crown, we observed an average density per 0.21mm2 of 82 WMNs for the FR, 51 WMNs for SFG, 80 WMNs for Par, and 93 WMNs for TE regions. By contrast, for the sulcal depth, the average number of WMNs per 0.21mm2 was 41 for FR, 31 for cingulate sulcus (underlying the SFG), 54 for Par, and 63 for TE cortical regions. Since at least some WMNs participate in cortical circuitry, these results raise the possibility of their differential influence on cortical circuitry in the overlying gyral and sulcal locations. The results also point to a possible role of WMNs in the differential vulnerability of gyral vs. sulcal regions in disease processes, and reinforce the increasing awareness of the WMNs as part of a complex, heterogeneous, and structured microenvironment.
Classification of multi-class motor imagery EEG using four band common spatial pattern

Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs) serve as an integration tool between acquired brain signals and external devices. Precise classification of the acquired brain signals with the least misclassification error is an arduous task. Existing techniques for classification of multi-class motor imagery electroencephalogram (EEG) have low accuracy and are computationally inefficient. This paper introduces a classification algorithm, which uses two frequency ranges, mu and beta rythms, for feature extraction using common spatial pattern (CSP) along with support vector machine (SVM) for classification. The technique uses only four frequency bands with no feature reduction and consequently less computational cost. The implementation of this algorithm on BCI competition III dataset IIIa, resulted in the highest classification accuracy in comparison to existing algorithms. A mean accuracy of 85.5 for offline classification has been achieved using this technique.
An Early Change of Neurofibrillary Tangle Formation

Neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) is a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (1). NFT’s are fibrous masses in neuronal perikarya and proximal neurites, and usualy hematoxylinophilic on H&E stain and very argyrophilic on silver impregnation (intracellular tangles). They are not static lesions and show evolutionary changes from intracellular to extracellular location. Extracellular NFT’s are eosinophilic and less argyrophilic, and often are regarded as tombstones of neurons or ghost tangles (2,3). However, little has been known about initial changes of NFT formation. In this communication, we describe that there is an early change of NFT formation demonstrable by the modified Bielschowsky (Hirano) method.
Reducing Operating Temperature in Photovoltaic Modules

Reducing the operating temperature of photovoltaic modules increases their efficiency and lifetime. This can be achieved by reducing the production of waste heat or by improving the rejection of waste heat. We tested, using a combination of simulation and experiment, several thermal modifications in each category. To predict operating temperature and energy yield changes in response to changes to the module, we implemented a physics-based transient simulation framework based almost entirely on measured properties. The most effective thermal modifications reduced the production of waste heat by reflecting unusable light from the cell or the module. Consistent with previous results and verified in this work through year-long simulations, the ideal reflector resulted in an annual irradiance-weighted temperature reduction of 3.8 K for crystalline silicon (c-Si). Our results illustrate that more realistic reflector concepts must balance detrimental optical effects with the intended thermal effects to realize the optimal energy production advantage. Methods improving thermal conductivity or back-side emissivity showed only modest improvements of less than 1 K. We also studied a GaAs module, which uses high-efficiency and high-subbandgap reflectivity to operate at an annual irradiance-weighted temperature 12 K cooler than that of a c-Si module under the same conditions.
Minority Stress Among Transgender Adolescents: The Role of Peer Victimization, School Belonging, and Ethnicity

Transgender youth peer relations is understudied when compared to lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth (LGB). Likewise, transgender youth of color (YOC) are also understudied given the difficulties associated with accessing the sample. This study examines the relations among peer victimization, school belonging, and mental health with an ethnically diverse sample of transgender adolescents (N = 4778). Invariance testing and structural equation modeling were employed to explore these relations as well as the potential moderating role of ethnic minority status. Findings demonstrate that an alarming number of transgender youth were exposed to victimization and that victimization predicted mental health issues like suicidal ideation. Furthermore, analyses showed that peer victimization was associated with diminished school belonging. School belonging was associated with better mental health and appeared to mediate the relation between victimization and mental health issues. Ethnic minority status did not moderate these associations. Implications for research are discussed.
Awaiting the King: Reforming Public Theology

Awaiting the King: Reforming Public Theology is Smith’s third and final volume in his Cultural Liturgies series, following Desiring the Kingdom (Smith, 2009) and Imagining the Kingdom (Smith, 2013)...
Non-Hermitian Boundary Modes and Topology

We consider conditions for the existence of boundary modes in non-Hermitian systems with edges of arbitrary codimension. Through a universal formulation of formation criteria for boundary modes in terms of local Green's functions, we outline a generic perspective on the appearance of such modes and generate corresponding dispersion relations. In the process, we explain the skin effect in both topological and nontopological systems, exhaustively generalizing bulk-boundary correspondence to different types of non-Hermitian gap conditions, a prominent distinguishing feature of such systems. Indeed, we expose a direct relation between the presence of a point gap invariant and the appearance of skin modes when this gap is trivialized by an edge. This correspondence is established via a doubled Green's function, inspired by doubled Hamiltonian methods used to classify Floquet and, more recently, non-Hermitian topological phases. Our work constitutes a general tool, as well as a unifying perspective for this rapidly evolving field. Indeed, as a concrete application we find that our method can expose novel non-Hermitian topological regimes beyond the reach of previous methods.
Policy Blame in Austere Times

The chapter uses empirical research conducted in an inner London Borough (South Borough) to produce evidence-led policy recommendations for the formulation of a local gangs strategy at a time when national policy had accepted the existence of gangs in the UK. The research set out to capture the views of different voluntary groups and statutory professionals and offers a unique insight into the thoughts and opinions of those informed and experienced people who worked on the ground to translate policy decisions into practice to address serious youth violence in South Borough. The chapter describes the changing picture of gang structures in South Borough and also focuses on worrying cultural trends towards more exaggerated hyper-masculinity amongst many gang-involved young men. The chapter highlights the challenges to local evidence-led approaches in the face of big policy ideas and sets out core recommendations for a strategy to address local gang related problems.
Measures of Financially Related Attitudes and Behaviors

This chapter includes peer-reviewed empirically derived instruments that can be used to assess attitudes and behaviors that are related to financial stress, strain, well-being, satisfaction, savings, spending, and confidence. These instruments, which include scales, indexes, and one-item measures have the potential to be used in both research and practice. A description of each assessment instrument is provided. Descriptive information includes background information on the sample norm, as well as the reliability and validity of each instrument.
Pair Creation with Strong Laser Fields, Compton Scale X Rays, and Heavy Nuclei.

Electron-positron pair creation is considered when intense laser pulses collide head-on with $l1\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{MeV}$ x-ray photons in the presence of stationary Coulomb charges $Z(\ensuremath{-}e)$. The analysis employs Coulomb-corrected Volkov states and is not limited to Born's approximation in $Z$. The cross section and the yield increase dramatically with increasing $Z$, potentially enabling (i) measurable yields with petawatt lasers and (ii) sensitive tests of strong-field QED.
Implementation of Quality-of-Life Assessment Increases Referrals for Intervention in Patients with Tetralogy of Fallot.

Mortality from surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) has decreased dramatically over the last several decades. Despite excellent surgical outcomes, studies reveal that patients with TOF continue to have decreased physical functioning, academic difficulties, and psychosocial impairments. We hypothesized that administering a validated quality-of-life assessment to patients with TOF during routine cardiology follow-up visits would help identify deficits and increase referrals to appropriate interventional programs. Between May 2017 and November 2018, TOF patients (5–20 years) and/or their families completed a standardized quality-of-life assessment (PedsQL 4.0) during cardiology clinic visits. Providers were encouraged to refer patients with abnormal PedsQL 4.0 scores to appropriate services including cardiovascular rehabilitation, psychological evaluation, neurodevelopmental testing, and school intervention. Referrals for the intervention group were compared to those of a control group using χ2 analysis. The PedsQL 4.0 was completed by 79 patients at 90 clinic visits. At least one abnormal PedsQL 4.0 score was identified in 58% (52/90) of patient encounters, and of those 52 encounters, 38% (20/52) received at least one referral for intervention. The most commonly placed referrals were for neurodevelopmental testing (16) and school intervention (11). When comparing the number of referrals from the intervention group to those of the control group, referrals to all intervention services were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Our quality improvement initiative successfully utilized a quality-of-life assessment to detect deficits and subsequently increased the number of referrals to intervention services. Future studies will address barriers that prevent completion of the PedsQL and assess how interventions impact quality-of-life scores.
Editor’s Valedictory

I am grateful and honored to have served as editor of Advances in the History of Rhetoric for four years (2016–2019). A valedictory is an occasion for expressing gratitude, here to all who have mad...
Science in Service to Society: The National Academy of Kinesiology

The purpose of this article is to acquaint/re-acquaint readers to the National Academy of Kinesiology, which has been intertwined with JOPERD and SHAPE America for years, and whose leaders have bee...
Heat removal enhancement in a channel with a single or an array of metallic foam obstacles

Abstract A single or an array of metallic porous structures of various geometries are introduced on the inside surface of a partially heated wall of a channel with air or water flow. Forced convective heat transfer rate from the heated wall to the fluid, as well as the average pressure drop along the channel are numerically studied. Effects of the aluminum porous block's structural parameters such as porosity (ϵ), Darcy number (Da) and Forchheimer coefficient (F) are taken into account. The optimum geometrical conditions of the system is extensively explored considering parameters such as blocks' height, width and spacing between them. Our results demonstrate great potential for metal foams to perform as heat sinks and pave the way for their further implementation in applications such as solar thermal collectors and electronic cooling.
Towards understanding the lifespan and spread of ideas: epidemiological modeling of participation on Twitter

How ideas develop and evolve is a topic of interest for educators. By understanding this process, designers and educators are better able to support and guide collaborative learning activities. This paper presents an application of our Lifespan of an Idea framework to measure engagement patterns among individuals in communal socio-technical spaces like Twitter. We correlated engagement with social participation, enabling the process of idea expression, spread, and evolution. Social participation leads to transmission of ideas from one individual to another and can be gauged in the same way as evaluating diseases. The temporal dynamics of the social participation can be modeled through the lens of epidemiological modeling. To test the plausibility of this framework, we investigated social participation on Twitter using the tweet posting patterns of individuals in three academic conferences and one long term chat space. We used a basic SIR epidemiological model, where the rate parameters were estimated through Euler's solutions to SIR model and non-linear least squares optimization technique. We discuss the differences in the social participation among individuals in these spaces based on their transition behavior into different categories of the SIR model. We also made inferences on how the total lifetime of these different twitter spaces affects the engagement among individuals. We conclude by discussing implications of this study and planned future research of refining the Lifespan of an Idea Framework.
The birth of humanist culture

Both the classical enthusiasms of Paduan lawyers and notaries and the literary works of Florentines like Brunetto Latini and Dante show that about 1300 the prosperous educated laymen in the Italian cities were groping their way towards a new culture distinct from both the chivalric culture of the medieval nobility and the scholastic culture of the clergy. This was a natural response to the conditions of their life. Since the nineteenth century, historians have labelled this new culture ‘humanism’, though that abstract term was coined by a German scholar in 1808 and appears nowhere in the writings of the Renaissance itself. The term that did exist then was ‘humanistic studies’ (studia humanitatis) , used to designate a cluster of academic subjects much favoured by humanists. By the first half of the fifteenth century, the term ‘humanist’ (in Latin, humanista) had come into use, originally as student slang used to designate masters who taught those particular academic subjects: grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history, and moral philosophy. ‘Humanism’, the bundle of subjects taught by ‘humanists’ in the Latin grammar schools and university faculties of liberal arts, made no claim to embrace the totality of human learning, nor even all of the traditional seven ‘liberal arts’ (embracing the trivium , or grammar, rhetoric, and dialectic, and the quadrivium , or arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music) that in theory were studied by all who received the bachelor and master of arts degrees from a university. The studia humanitatis did not include the subjects taught in the three higher faculties of medieval universities: law, medicine, and theology.
Optimal terms of contingent capital, incentive effects, and capital structure dynamics

Abstract Contingent Convertible Bonds (CoCos) with conversion ratios that dilute issuer's shareholders generate incentives to preemptively raise equity capital to avoid triggering conversion. Our dynamic model provides an interior solution for the unique optimal conversion ratio and the capital structure policies that maximizes issuer's value net of deadweight costs. Preemptive recapitalization induced by moderately dilutive conversion terms leads to fewer defaults, lower borrowing rates, and higher debt capacity when compared to less dilutive terms. However, highly dilutive conversion ratios do not always enhance efficiency because issuers facing very high dilution risk recapitalize too frequently, generating excessive adjustment costs. Conversely, if CoCo's principal is written-down at the conversion without diluting shareholders, then the issuer will have perverse incentives to destroy a portion of its capital (“burn money”) to force conversion and generate windfall gains for shareholders.
Correction: Spatially-varying inversion near grain boundaries in MgAl2O4 spinel

Correction for ‘Spatially-varying inversion near grain boundaries in MgAl2O4 spinel’ by Blas P. Uberuaga et al., RSC Adv., 2020, 10, 11737–11742, DOI: 10.1039/D0RA00700E.
Prevalence and Site of Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Injuries in Patients With Acute Lateral Patellar Dislocations: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background:Medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) injuries are common in patients with acute lateral patellar dislocations, but the pattern of MPFL injuries is unclear, especially with respect to pa...
An Unexpected Case of Malignant Mesothelioma in a Young Woman

A 41-year-old female with a past medical history significant only for right retinal vein occlusion presented with chest pain, cough, and shortness of breath. After being found to have a large right-sided pleural effusion and undergoing a nondiagnostic thoracentesis, a noncontrast chest computed tomography scan revealed multiple diffuse nodules in the right lung with irregular paraspinal pleural thickening. An extensive workup followed, with computed tomography-guided biopsy ultimately revealing the diagnosis. The following report describes the patient presentation, laboratory findings, and extensive clinical investigation, and provides a discussion of the epidemiology, imaging findings, prognosis, and differential diagnoses for the illness in question.
Microbial and physicochemical assessment of irrigation water treatment methods.

AIMS The presence of foodborne pathogens in preharvest agricultural water has been identified as a potential contamination source in outbreak investigations, driving markets and auditing bodies to begin requiring water treatment for high-risk produce. Therefore, it is essential that we identify water treatment methods which are effective as well as practical in their application on farm. METHODS AND RESULTS In this work, we evaluated two sanitizers which are most prominent in preharvest agricultural water treatment (calcium hypochlorite (free chlorine: 3-5 ppm) and peracetic acid (PAA: 5 ppm)), an EPA registered antimicrobial device (ultraviolet light (UV)), in addition to a combination approach (chlorine + UV, PAA + UV). Treatments were evaluated for their ability to inactivate total coliforms and generic Escherichia coli and consistency in treatment efficacy over 1 h of operation. Physicochemical variables were measured along with microbial populations at 0, 5, 15, 30, 45 and 60 min of operation. Escherichia coli and coliform counts showed a significant (P < 0·05) reduction after treatment, with combination and singular treatments equally effective at inactivating E. coli and coliforms. A significant increase (P < 0·05) in oxidation-reduction potential was seen during water treatment (Chlorine; UV + Chlorine), and a significant reduction (P < 0·05) in pH was seen after PAA and PAA + UV treatments (60 min). CONCLUSION Overall, the results indicate that all treatments evaluated are equally efficacious for inactivating E. coli and coliforms present in surface agricultural water. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY This information when paired with challenge studies targeting foodborne pathogens of interest can be used to support grower decisions when selecting and validating a preharvest agricultural water treatment programme.
Los Angeles County SARS-CoV-2 Epidemic: Critical Role of Multi-generational Intra-household Transmission

We observed wide variation in the incidence of confirmed COVID-19 cases in 300 communities making up Los Angeles County, the largest county by population in the United States. The surge in incidence from October 19, 2020 to January 10, 2021, accounting for two-thirds of all confirmed cases since the start of the epidemic, was concentrated in communities with a high prevalence of multi-generational households. This indicator of household structure was a more important predictor of the surge in incidence than the prevalence of households with low income or with at least one high-risk worker. Based upon a spatial adaptation of the standard SIR model, the cumulative incidence of COVID-19, adjusted for underascertainment of both asymptomatic and symptomatic cases, ranged from under 10% in low multi-generational communities to over 30% in high multi-generational communities.
Abstract P149: Rural Residence And Blood Pressure Medication Use In United States Stroke Survivors, 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey

Background: Over the last two decades, recurrent stroke rates and hypertension rates have increased significantly in rural US areas. Blood pressure medication use is associated with lower recurrent...
Ultrastructure of the Dinoflagellate Amphiesma

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the ultrastructure of dinoflagellate amphiesma. Amphiesma is a complete cell covering of a dinoflagellate. The chapter examines a number of amphiesmal structures and discusses the ontogeny of various components of amphiesma. The components of amphiesmal structure are thecal plates, pellicles, discontinuous layers, microtubules, and body scales. Because of the constraints imposed by the preparation of cells for electron microscopy (cells must be killed and fixed prior to examination), the ultrastructural studies of developmental processes must rely on circumstantial evidence. Comparative studies of the ultrastructure of the cell coverings of cryptomonads, dinoflagellates, and euglenids reemphasize the uniqueness of these three algal divisions. Although there are huge differences in construction among these three divisions, the intracellular nature of and the articulation of numerous subunits in the cell covering may imply a common ancestry in the distant past.
Utilization of Intravenously Administered Glycogen by Young Pigs

Previous studies evaluated solutions of small oligosaccharides as potential sources of carbohydrate-derived energy for patients fed intravenously. Although results with these solutions were disappointing, the data suggested that very large oligosaccharides were potential sources of intravenous carbohydrate. To test this hypothesis, four young pigs (3.6 +/- 0.2 kg; mean +/- SD) were infused with sterile solutions for a 6-d period. On days 1 and 6, a balanced isotonic electrolyte solution was infused. On days 2-5 a 9% solution of glycogen was infused at a rate providing 17.7 +/- 0.77 g/d. For each study day the remaining portion of the energy, protein, essential fatty acids and micronutrients was supplied enterally. No adverse reactions were noted during glycogen infusion, and the animals continued to grow. Glycogen utilization was 66.4 +/- 4.3%. Of the total carbohydrate excreted, 85.4% was composed of oligosaccharides of maltotetraose size or larger. Free glucose accounted for 3.5% of the total excreted, while maltose plus maltotriose accounted for 11.1%. Plasma concentrations of oligosaccharide-bound glucose increased during glycogen infusion, rising from a base-line value of 11.0 +/- 14 mg/dL to an overall mean value for the 4-d period of 100.3 +/- 31.6 mg/dL.
Further Studies of Stimulation of Anterior Pituitary Cyclic Adenosine 3',5'-Monophosphate Formation by Hypothalamic Extract and Prostaglandins

Abstract Crude ovine hypothalamic extract in vitro increased the formation of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) by rat anterior pituitary glands but not by posterior pituitary, pineal, adrenal, or liver. Epinephrine (30 µg per ml) stimulated formation of cyclic AMP in pineal gland and adrenocorticotropic hormone- (8 i.u. per ml) and glucagon-(100 µg per ml) augmented cyclic AMP in adrenal and liver, respectively. Hypothalamic extract also rapidly increased adenyl cyclase activity in homogenates of rat anterior pituitary glands. Although theophylline (10-2 m) inhibited phosphodiesterase activity in anterior pituitary homogenates, hypothalamic extract had no effect on this enzyme either in the presence or absence of theophylline. Theophylline addition increased the concentration of anterior pituitary cyclic AMP and potentiated effects of hypothalamic extract on this parameter, but had no effects on luteinizing hormone release. Hypothalamic extract did not inhibit ATPase activity. Exclusion of Ca2+ from the buffer did not diminish stimulation of cyclic AMP formation by hypothalamic extract. Anterior pituitary cyclic AMP was not increased by high K+ concentration in the incubation medium. Prostaglandins added in vitro also increased formation of cyclic AMP by anterior pituitary, but there was marked variation in their potency. Prostaglandin E1 was the most effective and F1α the least. However, none of the prostaglandins increased luteinizing hormone release in vitro. Hypothalamic extract and prostaglandin E1 stimulated 3H-adenine incorporation into 3H-labeled cyclic AMP in intact anterior pituitary glands. NaF did not increase 3H-adenine incorporation into 3H-labeled cyclic AMP in intact pituitary in vitro, although it markedly increased adenyl cyclase activity in pituitary homogenates. Epinephrine (200 µg per ml) did not modify the stimulation by hypothalamic extract of either cyclic AMP synthesis or luteinizing hormone release. Carbamylcholine (30 µg per ml), dopamine (30 µg per ml), serotonin (30 µg per ml), prostaglandin E1 (10 µg per ml), or histamine (30 µg per ml) added in vitro had no effect on cyclic AMP concentrations in hypothalamic fragments.
A monolithic 56 Gb/s CMOS integrated nanophotonic PAM-4 transmitter

We report a demonstration of four-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM-4) using a segmented traveling-wave silicon photonic Mach-Zehnder modulator with monolithically integrated CMOS drivers. The PAM-4 transmitter shows clear eye openings up to 28 Gbaud.
Sodium versus chloride for the therapy of salt-deficient dairy cows

Summary A comparison of sodium and chloride ions for the treatment of salt-deficient dairy cows showed the sodium ions but not the chloride ions to be of therapeutic value. When sodium chloride was fed to salt-deficient cows, increases in milk production, body weight, and roughage consumption occurred. When sodium bicarbonate was fed, similar increases occurred. The feeding of magnesium chloride failed to interrupt a progressive decline in milk production, body weight, and roughage consumption. When sodium bicarbonate was fed along with magnesium chloride, the downward trends in milk production, body weight, and roughage consumption were reversed, and increases resembling those in the other sodium-fed groups were obtained. Increases in milk production and body weight were not satisfactorily explained on the basis of increased roughage consumption. Studies of blood sodium and potassium levels and plasma sodium, potassium, and chloride levels showed changes in sodium and chloride levels due to certain of the treatments.
Growth Hormone‐Releasing Hormone: Discovery, Regulation, and Actions

The sections in this article are: 1 Historical Aspects 1.1 Biological Evidence for a Hypothalamic Growth Hormone–Releasing Factor 1.2 Purification 2 Anatomical Localization 2.1 Central Nervous System 2.2 Extracranial 2.3 Atypical 3 Molecular Biology and Chemistry of Hypothalamic Growth Hormone–Releasing Hormone 3.1 Gene Expression 3.2 Peptide Processing 4 Growth Hormone–Releasing Hormone Actions 4.1 Growth Hormone–Releasing Hormone Receptor 4.2 Signal-Transduction Pathways 4.3 Regulation of Growth Hormone–Releasing Hormone Receptor Synthesis and Activity 4.4 Additional Actions 5 Regulation of Growth Hormone–Releasing Hormone Synthesis and Secretion 5.1 Hypothalamic Negative-Feedback Effects of Growth Hormone 5.2 Glucocorticoids 5.3 Gonadal Steroids 5.4 Neurotransmitters 5.5 Signal-Transduction Pathways which Lead to Growth Hormone–Releasing Hormone Release 5.6 Ontogenesis and Senescence of the Hormone-Receptor System 5.7 Metabolic Changes 6 Future Directions
Element Mapping in Organic Samples Utilizing a Benchtop X-Ray Fluorescence Emission Tomography (XFET) System

X-ray fluorescence computed tomography (XFCT) is an emerging imaging modality that maps the three-dimensional distribution of elements, generally metals, in ex vivo specimens and potentially in living animals and humans. Building on our previous synchrotron-based work, we experimentally explored the use of a benchtop X-ray fluorescence computed tomography system for mapping trace-metal ions in biological samples. This system utilizes a scanning pencil beam to stimulate the object and then relies on a detection system, with single or multiple slit apertures placed in front of position-sensitive X-ray detectors, to collect the fluorescence X-rays and to form 3-D elemental map without the need for tomographic imaging reconstruction. The technique was used to generate images of the elemental distributions of a triple-tube phantom and an osmium-stained zebrafish.
Identification of differentially expressed genes in pancreatic cancer using digital differential display

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 45, 2004 1716 Pancreatic Cancer is the second most common gastrointestinal malignancy and the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. New specific targets are urgently needed to develop effective biomarkers and therapies. Digital Differential Display (DDD) is an in-silico method that can compare the frequencies of Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) between normal and tumor expression libraries. Using DDD, we compared the expression profiles of five pooled pancreatic tumor libraries (total of 43,953 clustered ESTs) with eighteen libraries representing normal pancreas and other tissues (total of 181,216 clustered ESTs). DDD identifies ESTs differentially expressed with a statistical significance of P < 0.05 (Fisher’s exact test). We selected fifteen cDNAs over expressed in pancreatic tumor libraries as compared with libraries from normal tissues (P<0.007). PubMed and Genbank database search revealed that thirteen known genes were overexpressed in various cancers and two genes DDD1 and DDD2 were novel. The novel DDD1 cDNA sequence is 1679 bp long and contains an Open Reading Frame (ORF) of 1191 bp coding for a putative protein of 396 amino acids (∼44 kDa). The DDD1 ORF was subcloned into the mammalian expression vector pDEST53 using Gateway™ (Invitrogen) technology according to manufacturer’s instructions for the expression of N-terminal Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP)-tagged DDD1 fusion protein. Transfection in COS-1 cells detected a fusion protein of ∼71 kDa (44 kDa of DDD1 + 27 kDa of GFP) in GFP-DDD1 transfected cells as compared to 27kDa GFP only protein in vector transfectants. Live confocal green fluorescence microscopy studies of the transfected COS-1 cells suggest that DDD1 is a cytosolic protein. Our preliminary in situ hybridization experiments on cancer tissue microarray suggest that DDD1 is overexpressed in various cancers. The characterization of DDD1 may provide insight into the mechanism of pancreatic cancer and development of new biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
Graph theory in the context of VLSI and CAD

In the context of VLSI and CAD (computer-aided design), specific application examples of linear graph theory are discussed: VLSI layout design, large-scale network analysis, and pattern recognition. A number of references with both historically significant and current contributions are provided in this tutorial to allow use as a guide to graph-theory-application literature. >