cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hydrologic Characterization of Desert Soils with Varying Degrees of Pedogenesis: 2. Inverse Modeling for Effective Properties

To understand their relation to pedogenic development, soil hydraulic properties in the Mojave Desert were investigated for three deposit types: (i) recently deposited sediments in an active wash, (ii) a soil of early Holocene age, and (iii) a highly developed soil of late Pleistocene age. Effective parameter values were estimated for a simplified model based on Richards' equation using a flow simulator (VS2D), an inverse algorithm (UCODE_2005), and matric pressure and water content data from three ponded infiltration experiments. The inverse problem framework was designed to account for the effects of subsurface lateral spreading of infiltrated water. Although none of the inverse problems converged on a unique, best-fit parameter set, a minimum standard error of regression was reached for each deposit type. Parameter sets from the numerous inversions that reached the minimum error were used to develop probability distributions for each parameter and deposit type. Electrical resistance imaging obtained for two of the three infiltration experiments was used to independently test flow model performance. Simulations for the active wash and Holocene soil successfully depicted the lateral and vertical fluxes. Simulations of the more pedogenically developed Pleistocene soil did not adequately replicate the observed flow processes, which would require a more complex conceptual model to include smaller scale heterogeneities. The inverse-modeling results, however, indicate that with increasing age, the steep slope of the soil water retention curve shifts toward more negative matric pressures. Assigning effective soil hydraulic properties based on soil age provides a promising framework for future development of regional-scale models of soil moisture dynamics in arid environments for land-management applications.
The Effect of Composition Dependent Lattice Strain on the Chemical Potential of Tellurium in Pb1-xSnxSe1-yTey Quaternary Alloys

IV-VI semiconductor % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+- % feaagKart1ev2aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn % hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqr1ngB % PrgifHhDYfgasaacH8srps0lbbf9q8WrFfeuY-Hhbbf9v8qqaqFr0x % c9pk0xbba9q8WqFfea0-yr0RYxir-Jbba9q8aq0-yq-He9q8qqQ8fr % Fve9Fve9Ff0dmeaabaqaciGacaGaaeqabaWaaeaaeaaakeaacaqGqb % GaaeOyamaaBaaaleaacaaIXaGaeyOeI0IaamiEamaaBaaameaacaWG % ZbaabeaaaSqabaGccaqGtbGaaeOBamaaBaaaleaacaWG4bWaaSbaaW % qaaiaadohaaeqaaaWcbeaakiaabofacaqGLbWaaSbaaSqaaiaaigda % cqGHsislcaWG5bWaaSbaaWqaaiaadohaaeqaaaWcbeaakiaabsfaca % qGLbWaaSbaaSqaaiaadMhadaWgaaadbaGaam4Caaqabaaaleqaaaaa % !4B7B! $${\text{P}}{{\text{b}}_{1 - {x_s}}}{\text{S}}{{\text{n}}_{{x_s}}}{\text{S}}{{\text{e}}_{1 - {y_s}}}{\text{T}}{{\text{e}}_{{y_s}}}$$ , quaternary alloys were grown on (111) BaF2 by liquid phase epitaxy (LPE). X-ray diffraction analysis shows that liquid % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+- % feaagKart1ev2aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn % hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqr1ngB % PrgifHhDYfgasaacH8srps0lbbf9q8WrFfeuY-Hhbbf9v8qqaqFr0x % c9pk0xbba9q8WqFfea0-yr0RYxir-Jbba9q8aq0-yq-He9q8qqQ8fr % Fve9Fve9Ff0dmeaabaqaciGacaGaaeqabaWaaeaaeaaakeaadaqada % qaaiaabcfacaqGIbWaaSbaaSqaaiaaigdacqGHsislcaWG4bWaaSba % aWqaaiaadYgaaeqaaaWcbeaakiaabofacaqGUbWaaSbaaSqaaiaadI % hadaWgaaadbaGaamiBaaqabaaaleqaaaGccaGLOaGaayzkaaWaaSba % aSqaaiaaicdacaGGUaGaaGyoaiaaiMdaaeqaaOWaaeWaaeaacaqGtb % GaaeyzamaaBaaaleaacaaIXaGaeyOeI0IaamyEamaaBaaameaacaWG % SbaabeaaaSqabaGccaqGubGaaeyzamaaBaaaleaacaWG5bWaaSbaaW % qaaiaadYgaaeqaaaWcbeaaaOGaayjkaiaawMcaamaaBaaaleaacaaI % WaGaaiOlaiaaicdacaaIXaaabeaaaaa!54B0! $${\left( {{\text{P}}{{\text{b}}_{1 - {x_l}}}{\text{S}}{{\text{n}}_{{x_l}}}} \right)_{0.99}}{\left( {{\text{S}}{{\text{e}}_{1 - {y_l}}}{\text{T}}{{\text{e}}_{{y_l}}}} \right)_{0.01}}$$ solutions produce alloys lattice-matched with the substrate when yl = 60%, 58%, and 57%, and xl = 20%, 40%, and 60%, respectively. These data suggest that the chemical potential of tellurium in the % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+- % feaagKart1ev2aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn % hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqr1ngB % PrgifHhDYfgasaacH8srps0lbbf9q8WrFfeuY-Hhbbf9v8qqaqFr0x % c9pk0xbba9q8WqFfea0-yr0RYxir-Jbba9q8aq0-yq-He9q8qqQ8fr % Fve9Fve9Ff0dmeaabaqaciGacaGaaeqabaWaaeaaeaaakeaacaqGqb % GaaeOyamaaBaaaleaacaaIXaGaeyOeI0IaamiEamaaBaaameaacaWG % ZbaabeaaaSqabaGccaqGtbGaaeOBamaaBaaaleaacaWG4bWaaSbaaW % qaaiaadohaaeqaaaWcbeaakiaabofacaqGLbWaaSbaaSqaaiaaigda % cqGHsislcaWG5bWaaSbaaWqaaiaadohaaeqaaaWcbeaakiaabsfaca % qGLbWaaSbaaSqaaiaadMhadaWgaaadbaGaam4Caaqabaaaleqaaaaa % !4B7B! $${\text{P}}{{\text{b}}_{1 - {x_s}}}{\text{S}}{{\text{n}}_{{x_s}}}{\text{S}}{{\text{e}}_{1 - {y_s}}}{\text{T}}{{\text{e}}_{{y_s}}}$$ solid solution decreases as tin and tellurium concentrations increase. It is argued that this reduction is due to decreasing strain energy driven segregation of tellurium from the solid to the liquid as the tin concentration increases.
The Effects of Management Decisions on Agricultural Bank Failures

The assertion that local economic conditions have been responsible for the failures of large numbers of agricultural banks is investigated by pairing solvent and failed banks within rural counties and examining whether balance sheet items alone explain differences in the probability of failure for the two groups of banks. Estimation of a probit model indicates that higher ratios of loans to assets and agricultural to total loans were associated with higher probabilities of failure; banks with higher capital ratios and those affiliated with multibank holding companies had lower probabilities of failure.
Detection and quantification of mRNA in single human polar bodies: a minimally invasive test of gene expression during oogenesis

Proteins and mRNA produced in oogenesis support embryonic development until the zygotic transition, 3 days after ferti- lization. Since polar bodies can be biopsied with little if any harm to the oocyte, we tested the hypothesis that mRNA originating from expression in the meiotic oocyte is present and detectable in a single polar body prior to insemination. Human oocytes were obtained from patients undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Immature oocytes were cultured over- night and inspected the following day for maturation. Metaphase II oocytes underwent polar body biopsy followed by reverse transcription without RNA isolation. Sibling oocytes were similarly prepared. Complementary DNA from all samples were pre-amplified over 15 cycles for candidate genes using selective primers. Real-time PCR was performed to detect and quantify relative single-cell gene expression. Polar body mRNA was detected in 11 of 12 candidate genes. Transcripts that were present in greater abundance in the oocyte were more likely to be detected in qPCR replicates from single polar bodies. Pre-amplification of cDNA synthesized without RNA isolation can facilitate the quantitative detection of mRNA in single human polar bodies.
Cranial vault thickness in primates: Homo erectus does not have uniquely thick vault bones.

Extremely thick cranial vaults have been noted as a diagnostic characteristic of Homo erectus since the first fossil of the species was identified, but relatively little work has been done on elucidating its etiology or variation across fossils, living humans, or extant non-human primates. Cranial vault thickness (CVT) is not a monolithic trait, and the responsiveness of its layers to environmental stimuli is unknown. We obtained measurements of cranial vault thickness in fossil hominins from the literature and supplemented those data with additional measurements taken on African fossil specimens. Total CVT and the thickness of the cortical and diploe layers individually were compared to measures of CVT in extant species measured from more than 500 CT scans of human and non-human primates. Frontal and parietal CVT in fossil primates was compared to a regression of CVT on cranial capacity calculated for extant species. Even after controlling for cranial capacity, African and Asian H. erectus do not have uniquely high frontal or parietal thickness residuals, either among hominins or extant primates. Extant primates with residual CVT thickness similar to or exceeding H. erectus (depending on the sex and bone analyzed) include Nycticebus coucang, Perodicticus potto, Alouatta caraya, Lophocebus albigena, Galago alleni, Mandrillus sphinx, and Propithecus diadema. However, the especially thick vaults of extant non-human primates that overlap with H. erectus values are composed primarily of cortical bone, while H. erectus and other hominins have diploe-dominated vault bones. Thus, the combination of thick vaults comprised of a thickened diploe layer may be a reliable autapomorphy for members of the genus Homo.
Abstract W P50: The Influence of Obesity on Outcomes After Intravenous Thrombolysis for Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background: Current ASA guidelines do not recommend increasing the dose of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV rt-PA) for acute ischemic stroke patients weighing >100 kg. However, the consequences of such potential under-dosing may mean that it is less effective or even less harmful. Objective: To determine the relationship between obesity and clinical outcomes among acute ischemic stroke patients receiving IV rt-PA. Methods: We identified patients who received IV recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) at 35 hospitals participating in the Michigan Coverdell Acute Stroke Registry from January2009 to December 2011. All ischemic strokes treated within 4.5 hours with non-missing BMI data were included in the analysis. Patient BMI was dichotomized as obese (BMI ≥30) or non-obese (BMI Results: Of 698 AIS patients who received IV rt-PA 536 (76.7%) had information on BMI recorded. Among those, 263 (37.7%) were obese. Compared to non-obese patients, obese patients were more likely to be women (57.8% vs. 44.6% p=0.0007), be younger (mean age 64.0 vs. 69.7 p Conclusion: Obese patients receiving IV t-PA treatment for acute ischemic stroke had similar rates of in-hospital mortality, discharge to home and sICH, but they had longer LOS and rates of UTI. Future studies should be undertaken to determine if the clinical efficacy of tPA is affected by under-dosing focusing on both radiographic recanalization rates and functional clinical outcomes.
Contracts 101

Contract law has many nuances and typically differs among jurisdictions, but having an understanding of the fundamentals is important for anyone involved in negotiating agreements. The Web extra at http://youtu.be/IeGaMT76qBE is an audio recording from the Computing and the Law column, in which author Brian M. Gaff discusses how contract law has many nuances and typically differs between jurisdictions, but having an understanding of the fundamentals is important for anyone involved in negotiating agreements.
In Silico Measurements of Twist and Bend Moduli for β-Solenoid Protein Self-Assembly Units.

We compute potentials of mean force for bend and twist deformations via force pulling and umbrella sampling experiments for four β-solenoid proteins (BSPs) that show promise in nanotechnology appli...
Ensuring Population Health: An Important Role for Pharmacy

There is no question that the United States health system is the best in the world when it comes to providing care to individual patients. Of course, having high quality health care outcomes when individuals get sick is not the same as having a healthy population. In fact, as a nation we rank thirty-seventh on the World Health Association’s listing that compares the overall health of nations’ populations.1 This disparity between the superb care we provide to individuals and the poor overall health of our population is a significant problem, especially since we spend more per capita on health care than any other industrialized nation. Health is defined by the World Health Association as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”2
A simple and sensitive histochemical method for calcium.

SummaryA technic is described for histochemical definitilon of calcium. It is specific for calcium in the presence of magnesium, approximately 50 times as sensitive as previous methods based upon the use of alizarin, and capable of localization to within a few micra.
Exploring the MPI tool information interface

The latest version of the MPI Standard, MPI 3.0, includes a new interface, the MPI Tools Information Interface MPI_T, which provides tools with access to MPI internal performance and configuration information. In combination with the complementary and widely used profiling interface, PMPI, it gives tools access to a wide range of information in an MPI implementation independent way. In this paper, we focus on the new functionality offered by MPI_T and present two new tools to exploit this new interface by providing users with new insights about the execution behavior of their code: Varlist allows users to query and document the MPI environment and Gyan provides profiling information using internal MPI performance variables. Together, these tools provide users with new capabilities in a highly portable way that previously required in-depth knowledge of individual MPI implementations, and demonstrate the advantages of MPI_T. In our case studies, we demonstrate how MPI_T enables both MPI library and application developers to study the impact of an MPI library's runtime settings and implementation specific behaviors on the performance of applications.
Thermal asymmetry of the upper extremity in scalenus anticus syndrome, leg-length inequality and response to chiropractic adjustment

Objective To describe a case of a vasomotor, vascular form of thoracic outlet syndrome that causes upper extremity thermal asymmetry, and to discuss a single subject case study (N-of-1) comparing the correlation of a subjective test for putative atlas vertebral subluxation complex (supine leg-length inequality) with a single blinded objective measurement [temperature differential (delta degree T)] on the dorsum of the hands. Clinical features A 71-yr-old woman with a cold, painful right hand and chronic neck pain sought chiropractic evaluation. There was a left head tilt and muscular hypertonicity with fibrous bands in the opposite scalenes and sternocleidomastoid. Thermographic examination revealed a large temperature differential (12 degrees F) between the dorsum of the right and left hands, with the superficial veins on the dorsum of the cold hand collapsed. Thoracic outlet provocation tests were negative. A left-side leg-length inequality potentially indicative of putative upper cervical subluxation was also noted. A diagnosis of presumptive thoracic outlet syndrome with vasomotor vascular complications subsequent to altered cervical biomechanics was made. Intervention and outcome Treatment was limited to chiropractic, upper cervical, vectored, linear adjustment of the atlas vertebra. Temperature differential between the hands improved significantly after individual atlas adjustment(s) and in the long term. Conclusion Scalenus anticus syndrome and upper extremity thermal asymmetry may result from altered cervical biomechanics caused by atlas vertebral subluxation complex. Furthermore, the supine leg check may be of value in determining the necessity of atlas adjustment.
Multidimensional Physical Self-Concept in Underserved Urban High School Students: Predicting Physical Activity

The purpose of this study was to predict physical activity (PA) using multidimensional physical self-concept theory with underserved urban inner city youth. Eight-hundred and sixty-five, mostly African-American, high school students from a large Midwest inner city participated in the current study. Using structural equation modeling, we found support for multidimensional self-concept theory. We argue against one-dimensional models of self-esteem as two discrete physical self-concepts accounted for significant variance in PA. Endurance and sport self-concepts both contributed to predicting unique variance (15%) in PA.
Neural indices of phonemic discrimination and sentence-level speech intelligibility in quiet and noise: A mismatch negativity study

Successful speech communication requires the extraction of important acoustic cues from irrelevant background noise. In order to better understand this process, this study examined the effects of background noise on mismatch negativity (MMN) latency, amplitude, and spectral power measures as well as behavioral speech intelligibility tasks. Auditory event-related potentials (AERPs) were obtained from 15 normal-hearing participants to determine whether pre-attentive MMN measures recorded in response to a consonant (from /ba/ to /bu/) and vowel change (from /ba/ to /da/) in a double-oddball paradigm can predict sentence-level speech perception. The results showed that background noise increased MMN latencies and decreased MMN amplitudes with a reduction in the theta frequency band power. Differential noise-induced effects were observed for the pre-attentive processing of consonant and vowel changes due to different degrees of signal degradation by noise. Linear mixed-effects models further revealed significant correlations between the MMN measures and speech intelligibility scores across conditions and stimuli. These results confirm the utility of MMN as an objective neural marker for understanding noise-induced variations as well as individual differences in speech perception, which has important implications for potential clinical applications.
SIGN OF THE T=3/2 ∑N AMPLITUDE FROM ∑−d SCATTERING

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the sign of the T=3/2 ΣN amplitude from Σ−d scattering. Low-energy elastic Σ+p scattering cross-sections are measured and the results obtained are used to estimate the isospin one ΣΝ scattering lengths. Measured angular distribution and Coulomb interference are used to determine the sign of the strong interaction part of the amplitude. The chapter also discusses whether low-energy Σ−d scattering interference of the isospin 3/2 Σ−n interaction with the three-channel Σ−p interaction may not present a means of determining the sign of the low-energy Σ−n amplitude. Any non-zero Σ−n interaction tends to make an elastic final state more unlikely. There is a destructive interference present for both attractive and repulsive Σ− interactions. Below the threshold for deuteron breakup, the small recoil energy of the deuteron would make elastic scattering difficult to observe.
Surgery of the Sympathetic Nervous System

Surgery of the sympathetic nervous system for the treatment of a myriad of diseases is approaching its 100th year. By the eighteenth century the gross anatomy of the sympathetic nervous system was well described, and its surgical manipulation has been studied for the treatment of myriad conditions. Though diverse indications have existed historically, ranging from epilepsy, angina pectoris, peripheral vascular disease, and systemic hypertension, the improvements in modern medical therapies have largely obviated the need for surgical intervention. Currently, sympathectomy is used in the treatment of complex regional pain syndrome, Raynaud's phenomenon, pelvic pain syndromes, and, most commonly, palmar hyperhidrosis. Modern research in sympathetic surgery includes renal sympathetic denervation and the treatment of social phobia and facial flushing.
DSM-5: The intersectionality of spirituality, culture, and aging

ABSTRACTCounselors practice with older adults whose religion and spirituality may be factors in assessment and treatment. The DSM-5 includes religion and spirituality as part of pathology or culture. This approach is supported in counselor education. Religion as a cultural derivative only reflects the human aspect of religion, not including a client’s perception of divine actions possibly beyond the human experience, i.e., a miracle. How does the clinician discern if a client’s experience reflects pathology or the possibility of some sort of miracle? This article includes strengths and limitations of a cultural definition of religious and spiritual experience with case applications.
Conceptual Approaches to Disability Determination

Contemporary notions of disability view the phenomenon as the gap between individual capabilities and environmental demands. Examining disability relative to participation in the labor market, leads us to a decisional crossroad: determining the ability to work or not. We are challenged to reduce a complex, multi-faceted process into a dichotomous outcome. This decision is further complicated by our understanding that functional …
Stoneflies (Plecoptera) of the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming, USA: distribution and zoogeographic affinities

The Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming are an insular mountain range completely surrounded by the Great Plains. The stonefly (Plecoptera) fauna of the Black Hills was surveyed and zoogeographic affinities examined. Twenty-seven species representing 22 genera and 6 families were found. Fifteen new state records for South Dakota and 2 for Wyoming are presented. Two species are removed from the South Dakota list. An analysis of the North American distribution of each species showed a strong relationship between the Black Hills and the Rocky Mountains, with much weaker relationships between the Black Hills and eastern and northern regions. Results of a logistic regression analysis comparing factors contributing to long-distance dispersal ability against presence/absence in the Black Hills were inconclusive. However, other evidence suggests that the Black Hills fauna is a result of expansion and subsequent vicariance of stonefly populations during Pleistocene climatic oscillations.
Optimization of nanoparticle focusing by coupling thermophoresis and engineered vortex in a microfluidic channel

Enriching nanoparticles in an aqueous solution is commonly practiced for various applications. Despite recent advances in microfluidic technologies, a general method to concentrate nanoparticles in a microfluidic channel in a label free and continuous flow fashion is not yet available, due to strong Brownian motion on the nanoscale. Recent research of thermophoresis indicates that thermophoretic force can overcome the Brownian force to direct nanoparticle movement. Coupling thermophoresis with natural convection on the microscale has been shown to induce significant enrichment of biomolecules in a thermal diffusion column. However, the column operates in a batch process, and the concentrated samples are inconvenient to retrieve. We have recently designed a microfluidic device that combines a helical fluid motion and simple one-dimensional temperature gradient to achieve effective nanoparticle focusing in a continuous flow. The helical convection is introduced by microgrooves patterned on the channel floor...
Manufacturing of Al-TiB2 Nanocomposites by Flux-Assisted Liquid State Processing

Aluminum matrix nanocomposite (AMNC) materials are of great interests for various structural and functional applications for automotive, aerospace, and military. In this study pure aluminum (Al) with one and two volume percent (vol.%) of titanium diboride (TiB2) nanoparticles were produced via flux-assisted liquid state processing. Adding flux during nanoparticle feeding can significantly improve nanoparticle incorporation into molten Al. TiB2 nanoparticles as small as 100 nm were successfully incorporated into pure Al using potassium aluminum fluoride (KAlF4) flux. TiB2 nanoparticles were fairly distributed and dispersed in the Al-2 vol.% TiB2 nanocomposite. Vickers hardness of the Al-2 vol.% TiB2 nanocomposite was higher than the as-received pure Al. While KAlF4 flux is proven to enhance the nanoparticle incorporation efficiency in Al system, further study is needed to thoroughly remove the flux remnant from Al matrix, to enhance the effect of the TiB2 nanoparticle reinforcement.
Medical Students' Use of Different Coping Strategies and Relationship With Academic Performance in Preclinical and Clinical Years.

ABSTRACTPhenomenon: Medical students' coping abilities are important for academic success and emotional health. The authors explored differences in students' use of active, problem-solving strategies and emotional, inwardly directed approaches; the change in coping strategies used during medical school; and coping strategy impact on performance. Approach: One hundred eighty-three students completed the Ways of Coping Scale at matriculation and end of the 2nd and 3rd years. Frequency of each of 8 ways of coping, changes in coping strategy use over time, and relationship of coping method with preclinical and clinical scores were calculated. Findings: Students varied widely in use of coping mechanisms. Over time, students shifted to using emotional strategies more frequently while decreasing their use of active strategies. Coping strategies were unrelated to preclinical academic performance (R2 = .09, adjusted R2 = .04, ns) but were related to clinical performance (R2 = .23, adjusted R2 = .18, p < .0001), wi...
Nanomedicines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Prostate Cancer

Recent advances in nanotechnology applications have led to the development of highly selective and efficient cancer therapeutics that utilize controlled-release technologies and targeted drug delivery approaches, to yield nanomedicines that are capable of minimizing the adverse affects of currently administered chemotherapies. Indeed nanotechnology applications have the potential to have a widespread impact in the field of urology, with particular benefits for the treatment and monitoring of prostate cancer (PCa). Nanotechnology research in the field of urology has led to the development of nanomedicines that can detect, bind to, ablate, and destroy cancer cells. In this chapter, we will discuss recent developments in nanomedicines for PCa therapy and diagnosis, which include combination therapies, nanotheranostics, and nanomedicines used in focal and ablative therapies.
Calculation of Admittance Capacity of Wind Farms under Harmonic Constraints

The harmonic voltage at the wind farm interconnection point does not exceed the harmonic distortion limits of all voltage levels stipulated by the national standard. The allowable value of the harmonic current injected into the power system shall be allocated in proportion to the total capacity and installed capacity of the harmonic source equipment. However, judging from the status quo of the implementation of harmonic national standard, there is still much controversy over this standard. One of the focal points of controversy is determining the limits of whether different types of harmonic sources should be treated differently. Based on the theoretical research, this paper selects the typical wind farm interconnection points and calculates the admittance capacity limits under different harmonic constraints of the wind farm based on the historical data and the level of harmonic planning, and analyzes the rationality of the calculation results.
Compositionally Graded III-N HEMTs for Improved Linearity: A Simulation Study

As is well known, a roadblock to realizing the full potential of GaN high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) for power amplifier applications is the peaked nature of the transconductance and the resulting power-gain roll-off exhibited by these devices. Motivated by promising work on compositionally graded HEMT designs, in this paper we explore this design solution using the numerical device simulation. Among other things, we examine the consequences of saturation velocity, grading profile, alloy scattering, and device scaling. In addition, lumped element modeling of the large-signal behavior is carried out to assess the power amplifier performance. We also compare the graded approach with another known method of linearity improvement in which the source resistance is reduced. In general, we find much to recommend in the graded-channel approach, especially for gate lengths greater than about 100 nm.
Toward Closing the Loop on Human Values

Human drivers navigate the roadways by balancing values such as safety, legality, and mobility. An automated vehicle driving on the same roadways as humans likely needs to navigate based on similar values. The iterative methodology of value sensitive design (VSD) is used to formalize the connection of human values to engineering specifications. A modified VSD methodology is used to develop an automated vehicle speed control algorithm to safely navigate a pedestrian crosswalk. Two VSD iterations are presented that model the problem as a partially observable Markov decision process and use dynamic programming to compute an optimal policy to control the longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle based on the belief of whether a pedestrian is crossing. The speed control algorithms were tested in real time on an experimental vehicle on a closed-road course.
Psychosocial Approaches in the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorders

Treatment admissions for opioid use disorder (OUD) have risen dramatically in the United States, as population exposure to potent opioids, both prescribed and illicit, has increased substantially. Psychosocial approaches are empirically supported and cost-effective interventions in the treatment of substance use disorders (SUD), including alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine use disorders. While many practice guidelines recommend psychosocial approaches in comprehensive treatment protocols for individuals with OUD, key questions exist regarding their nature, scope, and impact in addressing OUD specifically. Given the consensus view that medications such as methadone, buprenorphine/naloxone, and extended-release naltrexone are first-line treatments to decrease opioid use and reduce overdose risk, the utility of psychosocial approaches for individuals with OUD has come under scrutiny. This chapter provides an overview of the application of, and evidence for, psychosocial approaches as independent interventions and as adjuncts to pharmacotherapies in the treatment of OUD. This review further outlines a research agenda to address important but unanswered clinical questions and provides clinical recommendations based on the existing evidence. Given that these recommendations are based on limited OUD-specific empirical support, however, there is a critical need to develop, test, and disseminate psychosocial approaches that can (1) help build on the benefits provided by pharmacotherapies and (2) operate as stand-alone interventions for individuals who prefer not to take OUD medication.
Safety of exogenous (CCK-8) and endogenous (fatty meal) cholecystokinin (CCK) induced gallbladder (GB) dynamics in patients with cholelithiasis

The quantitation of biliary dynamics in patients requires induction of GB contraction and emptying the CCK. However, it is not clear how safe it is to induce GB emptying in a patient with known gallstones. This study was undertaken to document the safety of induction of GB emptying in 50 patients with gallstones and the results are compared with 55 normal subjects. After 4-6 hours of fast, each subject was given 3-5 mCi of Tc-99m-IDA. Sixty minutes later, the subject was positioned under a gamma camera and the data were acquired at 1 frame/min. for 30 min. (CCK-8) or 60 minutes (fatty meal). Saline placebo was given at 5 minutes and CCK-8 or fatty meal at 10 minutes. Onset of symptoms was recorded and correlated with GB ejection period. GB ejection fraction (EF) was calculated for 3 doses (5, 10 and 40 ng/kg) of CCK-8 and fatty meal (8 oz/70 kg). Compared to normals, GB emptying in general was lower in patients with cholelithiasis for all 3 doses of CCK-8 and fatty meal. Five patients (10%) with choleithiasis experienced a mild to moderate degree of nausea and intermittent abdominal pain during GB ejection and the symptoms were similar to theirmore » previous experience during an attack of cholecystitis. All symptoms abated within 10 minutes without therapy. No incidence of impaction of GB stone in the common bile duct was seen. It is concluded that the GB emptying required for quantitative biliary dynamics can be induced safely with either exogenous or endongenous CCK in patients with known cholelithiasis.« less
Influence of organic cation planarity on structural templating in hybrid metal-halides

Controlling the connectivity and topology of solids is a versatile way to target desired physical properties. This is especially relevant in the realm of hybrid halide semiconductors, where the long-range connectivity of the inorganic substructural unit can lead to significant changes in optoelectronic properties such as photoluminescence, charge transport, and absorption. We present a new series of hybrid metal-halide semiconductors, (phenH2)BiI5·H2O, (2,2-bpyH2)BiI5, (BrbpyH)BiI4·H2O, (phenH2)2Pb3I10·2H2O, and (2,2-bpyH2)2Pb3I10 where (phenH2)2+ = 1,10-phenanthroline-1,10-diium, (2,2-bpyH2)2+ = 2,2'-bipyridine-1,1'-diium and (BrbpyH)+ = 6,6'-dibromo-2,2'-bipyridium. These compounds allow us to observe how the planarity of the cation, induced either through structural modification in the case of (phenH2)2+ or through non-covalent interactions in (BrbpyH)+, both relative to (2,2-bpyH2)2+, modifies the inorganic substructural unit. While the Pb2+ series of compounds show minimal changes in inorganic connectivity, we observe large differences in the Bi3+ series, ranging from 0-D dimers to corner- and edge-sharing 1-D chains of octahedra. We find that compounds containing (phenH2)2+ and (BrbpyH)+ pack more efficiently than those with (2,2-bpyH2)2+ due to their retention of planarity leading to greater inorganic connectivity. Electronic structure calculations and optical diffuse reflectance reveal that the band gaps of these compounds are influenced by the degree of inorganic connectivity and the inorganic substructural unit distances. These results show that the structure and planarity of organic cations can directly influence both the inorganic connectivity and the optical properties that could be tuned for certain optoelectronic applications.
Adolescents in Media Systems

Adolescents live in a saturated and rapidly changing media environment, one that is highly vivid, on-demand, and increasingly interactive and social. Developments in media and its use have fostered dramatic social changes and triggered new risks with them. But, legally, those developments are not that remarkable, a point often lost on those who study adolescents and the media. The wide variety of media that inundates adolescents is what the Constitution deems “speech.” As a First Amendment freedom, speech remains highly protected. That protection is particularly unique in that it challenges traditional views of rights when it comes to adolescents. Notably, for example, this area of law aims to protect the “marketplace of ideas”. Protecting that marketplace, through the free exchange of information, challenges efforts to regulate (typically meaning limit) one group’s access when doing so necessarily limits the access of other groups that could legitimately claim access. This is the fundamental dilemma often associated with adolescents’ media rights. When it comes to adolescents, typical responses to dealing with media predominantly leave matters to parents, and, if not parents, then to the media itself. The constitutional cases involving adolescents’ media rights focus on how minors access problematic media as well as how the media uses information about minors. None focus on the media’s benefits to adolescents. And, cases that focus on harms center on a very narrow set that actually is not necessarily harmful. As a result, the cases reveal few limits on adolescents’ access to media, but they do not necessarily grant adolescents rights to access media.
Computational simulations of the helical buckling behavior of blood vessels

Tortuous vessels are often observed in vivo and could hinder or even disrupt blood flow to distal organs. Besides genetic and biological factors, the in vivo mechanical loading seems to play a role in the formation of tortuous vessels, but the mechanism for formation of helical vessel shape remains unclear. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate the biomechanical loads that trigger the occurrence of helical buckling in blood vessels using finite element analysis. Porcine carotid arteries were modeled as thick-walled cylindrical tubes using generalized Fung and Holzapfel-Gasser-Ogden constitutive models. Physiological loadings, including axial tension, lumen pressure, and axial torque, were applied. Simulations of various geometric dimensions, different constitutive models and at various levels of axial stretch ratios, lumen pressures, and twist angles were performed to identify the mechanical factors that determine the helical stability. Our results demonstrated that axial torsion can cause wringing (twist buckling) that leads to kinking or helical coiling and even looping and winding. The specific buckling patterns depend on the combination of lumen pressure, axial torque, axial tension, and the dimensions of the vessels. This study elucidates the mechanism of how blood vessels buckle under various mechanical loads and how complex mechanical loads yield helical buckling.
Attractors associated to a family of hyperbolic -adic plane automorphisms

We consider a certain two-parameter family of automorphisms of the affine plane over a complete, locally compact non-Archimedean field. Each of these automorphisms admits a chaotic attractor on which it is topologically conjugate to a full two-sided shift map, and the attractor supports a unit Borel measure which describes the distribution of the forward orbit of Haar-almost all points in the basin of attraction. We also compute the Hausdorff dimension of the attractor, which is non-integral.
Tumorigenic p53 Mutants Undergo Common Structural Disruptions Including Conversion to α‐Sheet Structure

The p53 protein is a commonly studied cancer target because of its role in tumor suppression. Unfortunately, it is susceptible to mutation-associated loss of function; approximately 50% of cancers are associated with mutations to p53, the majority of which are located in the central DNA-binding domain. Here, we report molecular dynamics simulations of wild-type (WT) p53 and 20 different mutants, including a stabilized pseudo-WT mutant. Our findings indicate that p53 mutants tend to exacerbate latent structural-disruption tendencies, or vulnerabilities, already present in the WT protein, suggesting that it may be possible to develop cancer therapies by targeting a relatively small set of structural-disruption motifs rather than a multitude of effects specific to each mutant. In addition, α-sheet secondary structure formed in almost all of the proteins. α-Sheet has been hypothesized and recently demonstrated to play a role in amyloidogenesis, and its presence in the reported p53 simulations coincides with the recent re-consideration of cancer as an amyloid disease.
Diagnostic value of a comprehensive, urothelial carcinoma–specific next-generation sequencing panel in urine cytology and bladder tumor specimens

Background Urine cytology can reliably diagnose high-grade urothelial carcinoma (HGUC) but not low-grade urothelial carcinoma (LGUC), and a more sensitive test is needed. Previously, a pilot study highlighted the possible diagnostic utility of next-generation sequencing (NGS) in identifying both LGUC and HGUC in urine cytology specimens. Methods Twenty-eight urine ThinPrep cytology specimens and preceding or subsequent bladder tumor biopsy/resection specimens obtained within 3 months were included in the study (LGUC, n = 15; HGUC, n = 13). A customized, bladder-specific NGS panel was performed; it covered 69 frequently mutated or altered genes in urothelial carcinoma (UC) that were reported by The Cancer Genome Atlas and the Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer. Results The sequencing results were compared between the urine cytology specimens and the corresponding bladder tumor biopsies/resections. TP53 was the most frequently identified mutation in HGUC cases (11 of 13 [85%]). PIK3CA and KDM6A were the most frequently identified mutations in LGUC: they occurred in 7 of 15 cases (47%) and in 6 of 15 cases (40%), respectively. Additional frequent mutations identified in the panel included ARID1A (n = 5), EP300 (n = 4), LRP1B (n = 3), ERBB2 (n = 2), STAG2 (n = 2), FGFR3 (n = 3), MLL (n = 2), MLL3 (n = 2), CREBBP1 (n = 1), RB1 (n = 1), and FAT4 (n = 1). Overall, the concordance between the cytology and surgical specimens was 75%. The sensitivity and specificity for identifying mutations in urine cytology specimens were 84% and 100%, respectively. Conclusions A bladder-specific NGS panel increases the sensitivity and specificity of urine cytology's diagnostic utility in both low- and high-grade tumors and may serve as a noninvasive surveillance method in the follow-up of patients with UC harboring known mutations.
Assessment of barriers to effective use of psychiatric advance directives: Providers' knowledge and attitudes.

Psychiatric advance directives, or directives for mental health treatment (DMHTs), are consistent with the principles of psychiatric rehabilitation, self-determination, and a recovery orientation. DMHTs have promise as a consumer-empowering part of a relapse prevention plan. In the context of state psychiatric hospitals, where successful community reintegration is crucial, they have particular relevance. However, DMHTs tend to be underutilized, despite the existence of consumer-friendly laws and consumer interest. Mental health providers (n = 225) were surveyed to assess knowledge of and attitudes toward more comprehensive implementation of DMHTs to test the hypothesis that at least an initial barrier to implementation is provider familiarity with DMHTs. Results of the survey indicate a lack of familiarity with DMHTs, which was addressed by a brief educational intervention embedded in the survey. Prior to education, providers demonstrated a sense of futility and low confidence in their ability to help families plan ahead for future episodes of psychosis. After brief education, they reported more confidence in their ability to effectively intervene and more confidence a DMHT would be a useful intervention. Furthermore, they reported attitudes more supportive of DMHT use as well as an increased likelihood to use DMHTs in their own practice. These findings suggest that an initial barrier to implementation of DMHTs may often be provider familiarity and understanding. Future directions, including broader interventions to increase familiarity, and limitations are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Blockchain-Based Firmware Security Check and Recovery for Smart Inverters

The importance of cybersecurity for inverters has been significantly increasing as inverters become smarter by using advanced network and computing power from cyber systems. This paper explores potential attacks targeting firmware of smart inverters and how blockchain technology can be applied to mitigate the firmware modification attacks. A breakthrough method includes an automated firmware integrity check, an anomaly detection algorithm, and recovery creating patch using local distributed ledgers. The proposed method is implemented in Internet-of-Thing (IoT) security modules as clients of a blockchain network and validated by experiments. The proposed method is transformative to other networked power electronic devices.
Clinicopathologic differences and mortality among Latinos and non-Latino whites with gastric cancer at a majority-minority cancer center in South Texas.

Background Latino patients have a higher incidence of gastric cancer compared to non-Latino white patients nationwide, with greater disparities in South Texas. However, the impact of Latino ethnicity on mortality in gastric cancer is controversial. We evaluated clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes in Latino vs. non-Latino white patients at our National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center and its affiliated hospital. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of Latino and non-Latino white patients diagnosed with gastric cancer who were seen at Mays Cancer Center at the University of Texas Health in San Antonio, Texas, from 2000-2018. Median overall survival (mOS) was estimated from Kaplan-Meier curves and groups were compared with the log-rank test. Results A total of 193 patients met inclusion criteria and 65% (n=126) were Latino. Median age for all patients was 61 years. Female patients represented almost 50% of Latinos vs. 36% of non-Latino whites. There were no differences in Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, primary tumor location, stage, Helicobacter pylori status, HER2 status, or histologic subtype at diagnosis. Median overall survival was 14 months (95% CI: 13-36) for Latinos vs. 33 months (95% CI: 14 to n/a) for non-Latino whites (P=0.36). Conclusions Compared to non-Latino white patients, Latino patients with gastric cancer at a majority-minority cancer center in South Texas did not have significant differences in baseline clinicopathologic features or survival outcomes. Further prospective studies are needed to evaluate epidemiologic, pathogenetic, and molecular differences in gastric cancer in order to identify variables associated with treatment efficacy and survival.
The Role of Personal Availability and Gender in Negative Online Congressional Campaigning

Negative campaigning in elections has received considerable attention. However, an important dimension of negative campaigning remains underexplored: the extent to which a candidate’s presentation of self affects their likelihood of receiving negativity. Work on gender differences in self-personalization and media personalization also suggests that this effect might be shaped by candidate gender. This paper investigates if a candidate using personal details in the service of campaign promotion increases the likelihood that the candidate will receive negativity from an opponent and if this association is moderated by candidate gender. Using congressional campaign website data from 2002 to 2006, evidence does not suggest that candidates who personalize online are any more likely to receive online negativity. Further, findings suggest that only female candidates see their likelihood of receiving online negativity vary as a function of online self-personalization. Female candidates have a higher likelihood of receiving online negativity from their campaign opponent when the candidate is more personable—that is, when they make information about their private selves more publicly available for negative framing at the hands of their opponent. Robustness checks reveal that this effect is not time independent, however, suggesting the personalization-gender-negativity relationship may be conditional on electoral context. Implications for work on personalization and negative campaigning, the role of gender in these processes, and campaign risk-taking are discussed.