cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cu speciation and cyanobacterial distribution in harbors subject to anthropogenic Cu inputs

Cu speciation was studied in four harbors on the south coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, that are exposed to varying degrees of Cu contamination from anthropogenic sources. Copper in waters outside the harbors was complexed by -10 nM of very strong chelators, twofold higher than ambient Cu concentrations. In Eel Pond (Woods Hole) and Falmouth Inner Harbor, total dissolved Cu concentrations were 7-lo-fold higher. However, because the strong chelators were saturated in these two harbors, the free Cu increased by l,OOO-fold, from -lo-l3 M to -lo-IO M. There was no evidence for any enhanced biological production of chelators in response to the elevated Cu concentrations. However, cell densities of cyanobacteria, which have been proposed as a source of strong Cu chelators in seawater, decline drastically in the high Cu harbors. These trends are consistent with culture studies showing that Synechococcus sp., the predominant cyanophyte in these waters, shows a dramatic decrease in growth rates above a free Cu2+ level of lo-l1 M. In Great Pond and Waquoit Bay, which showed no significant Cu contamination or saturation of strong ligands, cyanobacterial cell densities showed little or no decrease. Results suggest that significant anthropogenic inputs of Cu may overwhelm processes occurring in seawater that lead Cu and strong chelator concentrations to approach comparable levels.
Higher Order Motor Control

(I) The anterior spinal horns and their homologues higher up (nuclei of motor cranial nerves) are the lowest motor centres (both of the cerebral and cerebellar systems). These lowest motor centres, with the corresponding sensory centres, make up the lowest level of evolution of the central nervous system. (2) The convolutions of the Rolandic region are the middle motor centres. With the corresponding sensory centres, they make up the second or middle level of the central nervous system. (3) The prae-frontal lobes are the highest motor centres of the cerebral system. With the corresponding sensory centres, thcy make up the third or highest level of the ccntral ncrvous systcm, that is, the "organ of mind. "
Uncertainties in downscaled relative humidity for a semi-arid region in India

Monthly scenarios of relative humidity (RH) were obtained for the Malaprabha river basin in India using a statistical downscaling technique. Large-scale atmospheric variables (air temperature and specific humidity at 925 mb, surface air temperature and latent heat flux) were chosen as predictors. The predictor variables are extracted from the (1) National Centers for Environmental Prediction reanalysis dataset for the period 1978–2000, and (2) simulations of the third generation Canadian Coupled Global Climate Model for the period 1978–2100. The objective of this study was to investigate the uncertainties in regional scenarios developed for RH due to the choice of emission scenarios (A1B, A2, B1 and COMMIT) and the predictors selected. Multi-linear regression with stepwise screening is the downscaling technique used in this study. To study the uncertainty in the regional scenarios of RH, due to the selected predictors, eight sets of predictors were chosen and a downscaling model was developed for each set. Performance of the downscaling models in the baseline period (1978–2000) was studied using three measures (1) Nash– Sutcliffe error estimate (Ef), (2) mean absolute error (MAE), and (3) product moment correlation (P ). Results show that the performances vary between 0.59 and 0.68, 0.42 and 0.50 and 0.77 and 0.82 for Ef, MAE and P. Cumulative distribution functions were prepared from the regional scenarios of RH developed for combinations of predictors and emission scenarios. Results show a variation of 1 to 6% RH in the scenarios developed for combination of predictor sets for baseline period. For a future period (2001–2100), a variation of 6 to 15% RH was observed for the combination of emission scenarios and predictors. The variation was highest for A2 scenario and least for COMMIT and B1 scenario.
Conformational Analysis of Nitroglycerin

The conformation of the energetic plasticizer, nitroglycerin, has been studied by classical potential energy calculations. The calculations reveal three low energy conformations, each of which has a different dipole moment. The three conformations found are consistent with the published NMR data if an equilibrium between the three conformers is assumed. The results have implications for the interaction of nitroglycerin with solvents and propellant bases.
Competitive Strategies of Independent Grocers: A Ten-Year Review

Independent grocers have faced stiff competition from each other in terms of price competition and moves to consolidate, as well as from large, well-financed grocery chains during the past decade. This paper explores competitive strategies pursued by successful independents for a ten-year period from 1990-2000. The analysis is based on a review of ten years of issues of the Progressive Grocer: The Publication for Strategic Management. Through structured content analysis, five dimensions of competitive strategy pursued by independents were identified and analyzed: marketing, quality, international, low cost, and service. Study results highlight strategic trends followed by successful independent grocers. Study findings provide insight into the strategic responses of independent grocers to the intense competitive pressures faced during the last decade. The paper concludes with suggestions for future strategic actions by independent grocers.
Survey of food-grade silica dioxide nanomaterial occurrence, characterization, human gut impacts and fate across its lifecycle

There is increasing recognition of the importance of transformations in nanomaterials across their lifecycle, yet few quantitative examples exist. We examined food-grade silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanomaterials from its source (bulk material providers), occurrence in food products, impacts on human gastrointestinal tract during consumption, and fate at wastewater treatment plants. Based upon XRD, XPS and TEM analysis, pure SiO2 present in multiple food-grade stock SiO2 exhibited consistent morphologies as agglomerates, ranging in size from below 100nm to >500nm, with all primary particle size in the range of 9-26nm and were most likely amorphous SiO2 based upon high resolution TEM. Ten of 14 targeted foods purchased in the USA contained SiO2 of the same morphology and size as the pristine bulk food-grade SiO2, at levels of 2 to 200mg Si per serving size. A dissolution study of pristine SiO2 showed up to 7% of the dissolution of the silica, but the un-dissolved SiO2 maintained the same morphology as the pristine SiO2. Across a realistic exposure range, pristine SiO2 exhibited adverse dose-response relationships on a cell model (microvilli) of the human gastro-intestinal tract, association onto microvilli and evidence that SiO2 lead to production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We also observed accumulation of amorphous nano-SiO2 on bioflocs in tests using lab-cultured activated sludge and sewage sludges from a full-scale wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Nano-scale SiO2 of the same size and morphology as pristine food-grade SiO2 was observed in raw sewage at a WWTP, but we identified non-agglomerated individual SiO2 particles with an average diameter of 21.5±4.7nm in treated effluent from the WWTP. This study demonstrates an approach to track nanomaterials from source-to-sink and establishes a baseline occurrence of nano-scale SiO2 in foods and WWTPs.
The Relationship of Heel Contact in Ascent and Descent from Jumps to the Incidence of Shin Splints in Ballet Dancers

I conducted a study to determine whether ballet dancers with a history of shin splints make heel contact on ascent and descent from jumps less often than dancers without this history. Sixteen dancers were filmed as they executed a sequence of jumps at two different speeds. Eight of the subjects had a history of shin-splint pain; eight had no such history. The film was viewed on a Super 8 movie projector. Heel contacts on ascent and descent from jumps were counted. Double heel strikes (heel rise between landing and pushing off) were also counted. A nonparametric t test showed no differences between the two groups in the number of contacts on ascent or descent. The dancers with a history of shin splints, however, demonstrated more double heel strikes (p = .02) than the other group. Clinically, this finding may represent a lack of control or a tight Achilles tendon or both. Further study is necessary to confirm these theories. For treatment and prevention of shin splints, a clinician must evaluate a dancer's jumping technique and then provide systematic training to develop the skin strength, flexibility, and coordination that make up control.
Contrasting Electronic Health Records from Two Different Hospital Systems: Radiologists’ Perspective

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM The use of the electronic health record (EHR) is now a matter of national policy. One of the final steps of the CMS initiative is to “achieve meaningful use,” which mandates the use of EHRs to improve quality, safety, and efficiency in patient care [1]. Although the broad clinical benefits of EHR use have been well documented [2], there remain relatively few data specific to the specialty of radiology. Our attending and resident radiologists come from two different private practice groups and an academic institution. All practice within two large health care systems, each using a similar commercially available EHR. However, there are significant differences between the versions used by these separate hospital systems, most notably with regard to their integration with PACS software. Although anecdotal preferences in EHR were recognized within members of these groups, there were no data to support efforts for standardization and direct future upgrades across the varied EHR systems.
Glucocorticoid-induced protection in circulatory shock: role of reticuloendotheilial system function.

SummaryExperiments with rats indicate that: (i) hydrocortisone sodium succinate (HC) and methylprednisolone sodium succine (MP) enhance survival after hemorrhage; (ii) MP is approximately 10-times more potent than HC; (iii) both HC and MP are more efficacious if administered prior to hemorrhage; (iv) efficacy of post-shock therapy with both steroids is not only time- but dose-dependent; and (v) HC and MP can ameliorate or completely prevent the early RES phagocytic depression observed in circulatory shock. Overall, these data could be used to suggest that: (i) the RES may play a pivotal role in the beneficial actions of synthetic adrenocorticosteroids in circulatory shock, and (ii) numerical RES phagocytic indices may be diagnostic and prognostic parameters in circulatory shock therapy.The author wishes to express his thanks to Mrs. J. Hanley and Mr. R. W. Burton for their technical assistance. We are grateful to Marvin Berkowitz of the UpJohn Company for generously providing us with the Solu-Cortef and S...
TERRESTRIAL PERSPECTIVE ON AUTHIGENIC CLAY MINERAL PRODUCTION IN ANCIENT MARTIAN LAKES

The discovery of phyllosilicates in terrains of Noachian age (>3.5 Ga) on Mars implies a period in the planet’s history that was characterized by wetter, warmer conditions that may have been more hospitable for life than the cold and dry conditions prevalent today. More specific information about the original locations and mechanisms of clay mineral formation on Mars is not as well constrained, however, in part because the origin of particular clay minerals is often non-unique. For example, Fe and Mg smectite-bearing deposits on Mars may have formed in various environments, including the weathering profiles of basic volcanic rocks, impact-induced hydrothermal sites, or in bodies of standing water. The identification of lacustrine deposits on Mars is of great interest due to their potential for the preservation of organic material, but identifying any given suite of sedimentary rocks as such is difficult when limited to mineralogy and morphology derived from orbital data. Here, the processes and conditions leading to clay mineral formation in lakes and evaporative marine basins on Earth are reviewed, with a focus on the spatial and stratigraphic distribution of clays in these settings. The goal is to provide criteria to determine if certain Martian clay deposits are consistent with such an origin, which in turn will aid in the identification of possible ancient habitable environments on Mars.
A New Formulation of Precision Transfer Trajectory Design for Mars Missions

This paper describes a new design procedure to achieve precision transfer trajectories for Mars missions. Good insights can be gained from the discussion of this procedure. The problem of designing a precision transfer trajectory is to find a trajectory from perigee near Earth to periapsis near Mars that satisfies certain end conditions. A patched-conic analysis is used to find the approximate values of longitude of ascending node, argument of perigee, and perigee speed. Then a search strategy based on the study of contour graphs is used to find two sets of starting values, which are then used in an iteration procedure to compute the accurate values that satisfy the end conditions of a specified altitude from the Martian surface and Martian orbit inclination.
Comparison of Dense Versus Porous Hydroxylapatite (HA) Particles for Rat Mandibular Defect Repair

Repair was compared in 4.4mm experimental rat mandibular ramus defects implanted with dense or porous HA particles with or without a plaster binder. Animals were sacrificed 6 months postimplantation. Specimens underwent gross, radiographic, histochemical and X-ray microanalytical examination. Gross and radiographic examinations showed good particle containment or retention only in defects filled with implants containing plaster. Only porous HA/plaster filled defects showed bone formation throughout the implant when examined histochemically by the PATS reaction and by X-ray microanalysis. They also showed greater radiographic opacity compared to dense HA/plaster implants. Only porous HA/plaster implants showed macroscopic bone formation. Examination of defects filled with porous HA/plaster or porous HA alone by the PATS reaction showed new cancellous bone around, and through the pores of, retained particles. The dense HA/plaster implants showed some new bone around the rims of the defects with only occasional bony incorporation of an HA particle. Dense particles in other areas showed only soft tissue encapsulation. Defects implanted with dense HA without plaster showed no new bone formation but retained particles were incorporated by fibrovascular tissue.
Validating Precinct-Level Measures of Fraud: Evidence from the Russian Electoral Cycle 2011-2012

This research is designed to explore whether election fraud precinct-level estimates obtained from a finite mixture likelihood model, recently developed by Mebane(2015), can be validated against alternative, more intuitive measures of election fraud. I estimate the precinct-level probabilities from the parametric model of election fraud and compare them against measures based on election observation, different voting modes as well as several popular forensics indicators. This study also tests how well the cluster patterns of the finite mixture likelihood probabilities on different levels of aggregation are associated with the clusters of alternative election fraud measures. The data used is from the parliamentary election 2011 and presidential election 2012 in Russia. My basic findings demonstrate that finite mixture estimates if compared to alternative sources of information, seem to be effectively capturing electoral anomalies, making this new estimator very useful in election forensics research.
The Rhetoric of Heroic Expectations: Establishing the Obama Presidency

During his first inaugural address, President Barack Obama captured the overarching theme from both his campaign and the problems the country faced. “In this winter of our hardship,” he proclaimed,...
Approaches and considerations regarding image manipulation in digital collections

This article discusses image manipulation in the context of digital collections at academic and cultural heritage institutions. The nature of this manipulation is not intended to be deceptive or misleading. Instead it aids users in accessing information present in visual material collections. Although well intended, the manipulation of digital objects does beg some ethical considerations. In its discussion of image manipulation, this article highlights common approaches to image manipulation that may already be present in many digital collections and it is aimed at starting a larger conversation about post-processing standardization.
Exercise Behaviors and Health Conditions of Runners After Childbirth.

Background:With a recent increase in running popularity, more women choose to run during and after pregnancy. Little research has examined exercise behaviors and postpartum health conditions of run...
Mycobacterium bovis BCG and New Vaccines for the Prevention of Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis infects millions of people worldwide and remains a leading global killer despite widespread neonatal administration of the tuberculosis vaccine, bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). BCG has clear and sustained efficacy, but after 10 years, its efficacy appears to wane, at least in some populations. Fortunately, there are many new tuberculosis vaccines in development today, some in advanced stages of clinical trial testing. Here we review the epidemiological need for tuberculosis vaccination, including evolving standards for administration to at risk individuals in developing countries. We also examine proven sources of immune protection from tuberculosis, which to date have exclusively involved natural or vaccine exposure to whole cell mycobacteria. After summarizing evidence for the use and efficacy of BCG, we detail the most promising new candidate vaccines against tuberculosis. The global need for a new tuberculosis vaccine is acute and huge, but clinical trials to be completed in the coming few years are likely either to identify a new tuberculosis vaccine or to substantially reframe how we understand immune protection from this historical scourge.
Long-term outcome of phase I/II prospective study of dose-escalated proton therapy for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract Purpose The aim of this phase I/II study was to assess the long-term clinical benefits and toxicities of proton beam therapy for medically inoperable early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients and methods From June 2006 to September 2011, 35 patients with medically inoperable T1N0M0 (central or superior location, 12 patients) or T2-3N0M0 (any location, 23 patients) NSCLC were treated with 87.5Gy at 2.5Gy/fraction of proton therapy. Toxicities were scored according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.0. Results The median follow-up time was 83.1months (95% CI: 69.2–97.1months). For all 35 patients, the 1, 3, and 5-year overall survival rates were 85.7%, 42.9%, and 28.1%, respectively. The 5-year local recurrence-free, regional recurrence-free, and distant metastasis-free survival rates were 85.0%, 89.2%, and 54.4%, respectively. Different T stages had no effect on local and regional recurrence ( p =0.499, p =1.00). However, with the increase in T stages, the distant metastasis rate increased significantly ( p =0.006). The most common adverse effects were dermatitis (grade 2, 51.4%; grade 3, 2.9%) and radiation pneumonitis (grade 2, 11.4%; grade 3, 2.9%). Other grade 2 toxicities included esophagitis (2.9%), rib fracture (2.9%), heart toxicities (5.7%), and chest wall pain (2.9%). Conclusions According to our long-term follow-up data, proton therapy with ablative doses is well tolerated and effective in medically inoperable early-stage NSCLC. Systemic therapy should be considered to reduce the rate of distant metastasis in cases of T2 and T3 lesions.
Rare presentation of intrathecal morphine withdrawal psychosis

We report a case of a 57-year-old male patient with intrathecal morphine pump failure who presented with psychosis as part of a clinical presentation of opioid withdrawal. The patient was being treated for chronic back pain with an intrathecal morphine pump for several years. The patient spontaneously started to experience psychotic symptoms which included disorganized thinking, delusional thoughts, paranoia, auditory and visual hallucinations. Upon interrogation of intrathecal pump, it was found not to be functioning, thereby not delivering intrathecal morphine. After opioid rotation with administration of oral oxycodone, the patient's psychosis improved dramatically within a few days, clinically confirming psychosis due to morphine withdrawal. Therefore, it is important for physicians to consider opioid withdrawal in patients experiencing isolated psychosis.
Calibration of Floating-Gate SoC FPAA System

We present a calibration flow for a large-scale floating-gate (FG) system-on-chip field programmable analog array. We focus on characterizing the FG programming infrastructure and hot-electron injection parameters, MOSFET parameters using the EKV model, and calibrating digital-analog converters and analog-digital converters. In addition, threshold voltage mismatches on FG devices due to their indirect structure are characterized using on-chip measurement techniques. The calibration results in enabling a digital approach, where a design can be programmed without having to deal with the local and global mismatches, on a reconfigurable analog system. This paper shows the results of a compiled nonlinear classifier block comprising a vector-matrix-multiplier and a winner-takes-all on three different calibrated chips.
Effects of scale of movement, detection probability, and true population density on common methods of estimating population density

Knowledge of population density is necessary for effective management and conservation of wildlife, yet rarely are estimators compared in their robustness to effects of ecological and observational processes, which can greatly influence accuracy and precision of density estimates. In this study, we simulate biological and observational processes using empirical data to assess effects of animal scale of movement, true population density, and probability of detection on common density estimators. We also apply common data collection and analytical techniques in the field and evaluate their ability to estimate density of a globally widespread species. We find that animal scale of movement had the greatest impact on accuracy of estimators, although all estimators suffered reduced performance when detection probability was low, and we provide recommendations as to when each field and analytical technique is most appropriately employed. The large influence of scale of movement on estimator accuracy emphasizes the importance of effective post-hoc calculation of area sampled or use of methods that implicitly account for spatial variation. In particular, scale of movement impacted estimators substantially, such that area covered and spacing of detectors (e.g. cameras, traps, etc.) must reflect movement characteristics of the focal species to reduce bias in estimates of movement and thus density.
Technology Roadmap: Drone Delivery – Amazon Prime Air

Technology roadmapping is becoming more popular in the recent days because of the value it delivers to the organizations, helping them plan strategically and align the technology with business objectives. This paper presents a creation of technology roadmap for drones, used by Amazon for their latest service Amazon Prime Air. The competition in the e-commerce industry is growing every day, and one major area where it makes a huge difference is the shipping prices and time for the delivery. To tackle this problem and overtake its competition, Amazon has come up with the drone delivery concept. Shipping costs and time are what have driven Amazon to choose drones for a faster delivery, low costs, low emissions, and happy customers. It is always difficult to predict the engineering technologies and advancements because of how fast the improvements are taking place. Without any historical data, it is not so easy to forecast them. Drones have been around us since not long ago, which is why predicting the future is not so easy. The focus of this paper is on the drones, and Amazon is going to use for 30 min Prime Air deliveries directly to home. Time is very precious today and that is one of the driving factors for the idea of using drones. Drones are now able to serve the military, for surveillance (wildlife), to help in search and rescue operations, and in shooting movies and sports. Drones are proving to help us in every aspect possible because of the pace at which the technology is improving every day [1].
Improving testing and description of treatment effect in clinical trials with survival outcomes

Cox model inference and the log-rank test have been the cornerstones for design and analysis of clinical trials with survival outcomes. In this article, we summarize some recently developed methods for analyzing survival data when the hazards may possibly be nonproportional and also propose some new estimators for summary measures of the treatment effect. These methods utilize the short-term and long-term hazard ratio model proposed in Yang and Prentice (2005), which contains the Cox model and also accommodates various nonproportional hazards scenarios. Without the proportional hazards assumption, these methods often improve the log-rank test and inference procedures based on the Cox model, as well as nonparametric procedures currently available in the literature. The proposed methods have sound theoretical justifications and can be computed quickly. R codes for implementing them are available. Detailed illustrations with 3 clinical trials are provided.
Overview of Cytokine Structure and Function

The number of defined cytokines that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival is ever expanding. With each new identification and greater understanding of the roles of individual cytokines, attention has turned to the use of cytokine manipulation to promote solid organ transplant survival. Immunosuppressive therapies aimed at abating early cytokine response of T cells in particular have proven useful in the prevention of early transplant rejection. Every successful cytokine manipulation seems to be matched by failure, however, as many attempts to block “bad” cytokine production lead to unanticipated deleterious responses in transplant recipients. In the same vein, increased production of “good” cytokines in transplant recipients often results in transplant rejection. Thus, manipulating the cytokine network may lead to undesirable or deleterious transplant outcome. Given this, there remains promise for cytokine manipulation as an inductive therapy for transplantation as a greater understanding of cytokine interactions emerges. This chapter surveys the cytokines that are key players in the immune response induced by transplantation, and discusses their known roles in rejection or tolerance responses. In addition, a brief overview is given of the T helper type I and type II responses, as well as the signaling pathways that drive each response.
Conclusions: The Science of Economics

The purpose of this chapter is to stimulate discussion and concerns over how economics is both studied and used. The chapter reviews some of the history of economics with a strong focus on the neoclassical economics from Adam Smith and how it has performed or, probably better said, failed to perform today. Economics must be a science, and there are a number of ways to approach that issue. Linguistics is one as well as the use of science for filing patents which can set a new standard for economics, as illustrated in this chapter.
Dynamics of Chemisorption and Heterogeneous Reactions

The dynamics of molecular collisions emphasize the individual microscopic encounters between molecules. The parameters of interest are collision energy, internal states of reactants and products, and cross-sections for the formation of various products. The detailed description of molecular collision has led to a Golden Rule of Chemical Dynamics:(1) NOT ALL FORMS OF ENERGY ARE EQUAL. When energy is released in a chemical reaction, it tends to go into certain places (internal molecular motion of some kind, or translation) rather than others. If this preferential energy disposal can be monitored before the products collide further and distribute the energy elsewhere, much interesting information about the collision dynamics can be obtained. If enough energy can be deposited in vibration, and the excited states do not decay too rapidly by subsequent collisions, high-power chemical lasers can be constructed.
Genotypes and Phenotypes: Making Progress Toward a Precision Medicine Approach in Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension

Pediatric pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a heterogeneous disease that includes etiologies related to growth and development that are unique to children. Recent pediatric registry studies have chara...
National Trends in the Diagnosis of CRPS after Open and Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release.

Background Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) occurs in 2 to 8% of patients that receive open or endoscopic carpal tunnel release (CTR). Because CRPS is difficult to treat after onset, identifying risk factors can inform prevention. We determined the incidence of CRPS following open and endoscopic CTR using a national claims database. We also examined whether psychosocial conditions were associated with CRPS after CTR. Methods We accessed insurance claims using diagnostic and procedural codes. We calculated the incidence of CRPS following open carpal tunnel release and endoscopic carpal tunnel release within 1 year. The response variable was the presence of CRPS after CTR. Explanatory variables included procedure type, age, gender, and preoperative diagnosis of anxiety or depression. Results The number of open CTRs (85% of total) outweighs the number of endoscopic procedures. In younger patients, the percentage of endoscopic CTRs is increasing. Rates of CRPS are nearly identical between surgery types for both privately insured (0.3%) and Medicare patients (0.1%). Middle aged (range: 40–64 years) and female patients had significantly higher rates of CRPS than did the general population. Preoperative psychosocial conditions did not correlate with the presence of CRPS in surgical patients. Clinical Relevance The decision between endoscopic and open CTR should not be made out of concern for development of CRPS postsurgery, as rates are low and similar for both procedures. Rates of CRPS found in this study are much lower than rates found in previous studies, indicating inconsistency in diagnosis and reporting or generalizability of prior work. Preoperative psychosocial disorders and CRPS are unrelated.
Preliminary Design of Moment-Resisting Frame Buildings for Tolerable Financial Loss

AbstractThis paper aims to transfer the current performance-based seismic assessment (PBSA) methodology to engineering practice by providing a preliminary design procedure denoted herein as the pre...
AI Assistants and the Paradox of Internal Automaticity

What is the ethical impact of artificial intelligence (AI) assistants on human lives, and specifically how much do they threaten our individual autonomy? Recently, as part of forming an ethical framework for thinking about the impact of AI assistants on our lives, John Danaher claims that if the external automaticity generated by the use of AI assistants threatens our autonomy and is therefore ethically problematic, then the internal automaticity we already live with should be viewed in the same way. He takes advantage of this paradox of internal automaticity to downplay the threats of external automaticity to our autonomy. We respond in this paper by challenging the legitimacy of the paradox. While Danaher assumes that internal and external automaticity are roughly equivalent, we argue that there are reasons why we should accept a large degree of internal automaticity, that it is actually essential to our sense of autonomy, and as such it is ethically good; however, the same does not go for external automaticity. Therefore, the similarity between the two is not as powerful as the paradox presumes. In conclusion, we make practical recommendations for how to better manage the integration of AI assistants into society.
Declining aluminum toxicity and the role of exposure duration on brook trout mortality in acidified streams of the Adirondack Mountains, New York, USA

Mortality of brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis and water chemistry were characterized in 6 headwater streams in the western Adirondacks of New York during spring 2015, 2016, and 2017 and compared with results from analogous tests done between 1980 and 2003 in many of the same streams, to assess temporal changes in toxicity and inorganic monomeric aluminum (Ali ) concentrations, and the role of Ali exposure duration on brook trout survival. The Ali concentrations of 2 and 4 µmol L-1 corresponded to low-to-moderate and high mortality thresholds, but prolonged exposure to ≥1 µmol Ali L-1 also produced mortality. The variability, mean, and highest Ali concentrations in Buck Creek year round, and in several other streams during spring, have decreased significantly over the past 3 decades. Logistic models indicate that Ali surpassed highly toxic concentrations in Buck Creek for 3 to 4 mo annually during 2001 to 2003 and for 2 to 3 wk annually during 2015 to 2017. The loss of extremely high Ali episodes indicates that toxicity has declined markedly between the 1989 to 1990, 2001 to 2003, and 2015 to 2017 test periods, yet Ali concentrations can still cause moderate-to-high and complete (100%) mortality. The logistic models illustrate how mortality of brook trout in several Adirondack streams likely decreased in response to the 1990 Amendments to the United States' Clean Air Act (which decreased acidity, Ali concentrations, and duration of toxic episodes) and offer a means to predict how changes in US regulations that limit emissions of NOx and SOx (and N and S deposition loads) could affect fish survival and stream ecosystems in this region and across the Northeast. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:623-636. © 2019 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.
Pelvic hemangiopericytoma: A case report and review of the literature

Extrauterine pelvic hemangiopericytomas are rare tumors with malignant potential. Herein, we report a case of a 55-year-old male who presented with hydronephrosis and obstructive urinary symptoms. Cystoscopy, imaging and biopsy were unable to provide a definitive preoperative diagnosis. He underwent pelvic mass resection, and final pathology revealed malignant hemangiopericytoma. The patient is being closely monitored with serial imaging, and remains disease-free at 23 months of post-operative follow-up without adjuvant therapy. Our experience and evidence from the existing literature suggests that given the rarity of these tumors, adherence to standard oncologic principles is necessary to ensure adequate resection and appropriate follow-up.
Aβ peptide and fibrinogen weave a web of destruction in cerebral amyloid angiopathy.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by disruption of the normal brain architecture which is driven by the formation of two pathological structures, including senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. The amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide, derived from Aβ precursor protein (AβPP), is the major component of senile plaques in the brain and cerebrovasculature. Substantial evidence has demonstrated that the Aβ peptide is a major contributor to the neurodegenerative process, acting through local neurotoxic and inflammatory processes (1). Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a common pathological feature of AD and results from Aβ deposits in and around cerebral blood vessels that are believed to mediate disruption of the brain vasculature. Importantly, Aβ does not act alone, but rather it exerts pathophysiological effects by forming complexes with the blood-clotting protein fibrinogen (2). Although an association between Aβ and fibrinogen has been appreciated for over a decade, the molecular features of this interaction as well as the precise downstream consequences have been a significant knowledge gap. CAA is routinely observed in spontaneous AD that afflicts individuals late in adulthood. However, there are familial forms of CAA that are appreciated earlier in life and lead to exacerbated cerebrovascular disease. Indeed, a subset of inherited Aβ mutations specifically promote more pronounced vascular Aβ deposits, resulting in a condition termed hereditary cerebral amyloid angiopathy (HCAA). To better characterize molecular mechanisms mediating CAA, Cajamarca et al. (3) have analyzed Aβ deposition and the association with fibrinogen in the context of the most common forms of HCAA, including Aβ Dutch (E22Q) and Iowa (D23N). The hypothesis that Aβ and fibrinogen form a pathological nexus extends back to the first observations that fibrin(ogen) accumulates and colocalizes with Aβ plaques as observed in postmortem brain tissues of AD patients (2, 4). A direct functional contribution of fibrinogen to AD pathogenesis has been … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: matthew_flick{at}med.unc.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Fractional topology optimization of periodic multi-material viscoelastic microstructures with tailored energy dissipation

Abstract The microstructural configuration of a material affects its macroscopic viscoelastic behavior, which suggests that materials can be engineered to achieve a desired viscoelastic behavior over a range of frequencies. To this end, we leverage topology optimization to find the optimized topology of a multi-phase viscoelastic composite to tailor its energy dissipation behavior as a function of frequency. To characterize the behavior of each material phase, we use a fractional viscoelastic constitutive model. This type of material model uses differential operators of non-integer order, which are appropriate to represent hereditary phenomena with long- and short-term memory. The topology optimization formulation aims to find the lightest microstructure that minimizes the sum of squared loss modulus residuals for a given set of target frequencies. This leads to the design of materials with either maximized loss modulus for a given target frequency or tailored loss modulus for a predefined set of frequencies. We present several numerical examples, both in 2D and 3D, which demonstrate that the microstructural configuration of multi-phase materials affects its macroscopic viscoelastic behavior. Thus, if properly designed, the material behavior can be tailored to dissipate energy for a desired frequency (maximized loss modulus) or for a range of frequencies (tailored energy dissipation behavior).
A Model for Ant Trail Formation and its Convergence Properties.

We introduce a model for ant trail formation, building upon previous work on biologically feasible local algorithms that plausibly describe how ants maintain trail networks. The model is a variant of a reinforced random walk on a directed graph, where ants lay pheromone on edges as they traverse them and the next edge to traverse is chosen based on the pheromone level; this pheromone decays with time. There is a bidirectional flow of ants: the forward flow proceeds along forward edges from source (e.g. the nest) to sink (e.g. a food source), and the backward flow in the opposite direction. Some fraction of ants are lost as they pass through each node (modeling the loss of ants due to exploration). We initiate a theoretical study of this model. We first consider the linear decision rule, where the flow divides itself among the next set of edges in proportion to their pheromone level. Here, we show that the process converges to the path with minimum leakage when the forward and backward flows do not change over time. When the forward and backward flows increase over time (caused by positive reinforcement from the discovery of a food source, for example), we show that the process converges to the shortest path. These results are for graphs consisting of two parallel paths (a case that has been investigated before in experiments). Through simulations, we show that these results hold for more general graphs drawn from various random graph models. Further, we consider a general family of decision rules, and show that there is no advantage of using a non-linear rule from this family, if the goal is to find the shortest or the minimum leakage path. We also show that bidirectional flow is necessary for convergence to such paths. Our results provide a plausible explanation for field observations, and open up new avenues for further theoretical and experimental investigation.
Fetal hematogenous routing of a donor hematopoietic stem cell line in a healthy syngeneic model of transamniotic stem cell therapy.

Abstract Background/Purpose In utero administration of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) has a variety of actual or potential clinical applications but is hindered by invasive, morbid administration techniques. We sought to determine whether donor HSCs could reach the fetal circulation after simple intra-amniotic delivery in a syngeneic rat model of transamniotic stem cell therapy (TRASCET). Methods Pregnant Lewis rat dams underwent volume-matched intra-amniotic injections in all fetuses (n = 90) on gestational day 17 (E17; term=E21-22) of a suspension of commercially available syngeneic Lewis rat HSCs labeled with luciferase (n = 37 fetuses) or an acellular suspension of recombinant luciferase (n = 53). HSC phenotype was confirmed by flow cytometry. Fetuses were euthanized at term for screening of luciferase activity at select anatomical sites. Statistical comparisons were by Fisher's exact test. Results Among survivors (47/90; 52.2%), donor HSCs were identified selectively in the placenta (p = 0.003), umbilical cord (p Conclusions Donor hematopoietic stem cells undergo hematogenous routing and can reach the fetal bone marrow after simple intra-amniotic delivery in a syngeneic rat model. Transamniotic stem cell therapy may become a practicable, minimally invasive strategy for the prenatal administration of these cells.
COVID-19 To Go? The Role of Disasters and Evacuation in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Since the start of the pandemic, some U.S. communities have faced record storms, fires, and floods. Communities have confronted the increased challenge of curbing the spread of COVID-19 amid evacuation orders and short-term displacement that result from hazards. This raises the question of whether disasters, evacuations, and displacements have resulted in aboveaverage infection rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigates the relationship between disaster damage, sheltering-in-place, evacuation-related mobility, and contagion following Hurricane Zeta in Southeastern Louisiana and The Wildfires in Napa and Sonoma Counties, California, known as the Glass Fire. We draw on data from the county subdivision level and mapped and aggregated tallies of Facebook user movement from the Facebook Data for Good Program. We test the effects of disasters, evacuation, and shelter-in-place behaviors on COVID19 spread using panel data models, matched panel models, and synthetic control experiments. Our findings suggest associations between disaster damage and higher rates of COVID-19 cases. We also find that while sheltering-in-place led to decreases in the spread of COVID-19, evacuationrelated mobility did not result in our hypothesized surge of cases immediately after the disasters. The findings from this study aim to inform policymakers and scholars about how to better respond to disasters during multi-crisis events.
Cross-Cultural Design in Consumer Vehicles to Improve Safety: A Systematic Literature Review.

In our interconnected global culture, now more than ever products need to be designed with a multicultural audience in mind. One of the most global products is consumer vehicles, such as cars, minivans, SUVs, etc. used for personal transport, such as for commuting, traveling, or daily activities. Consumer vehicles are becoming more and more of “computers on wheels” rather than merely a transportation device. Therefore, as the understanding of human perception while driving increases, there will be the additional need to study how the human-computer interaction affects driving cross-culturally and how automakers can take these into consideration when designing safe to use interfaces. As access to consumer vehicles increases exponentially around the world, it will be important to ensure that vehicles meet the anthropometric and cultural needs of consumers around the world. (Rhim 2020) This paper demonstrates a systematic literature review of articles from credible, peer-reviewed journals on the topic of Cross-Cultural design in the automotive industry, especially for consumer vehicles. The methodology for this literature review began with retrieving relevant articles from the reliable databases of Google Scholar, Springerlink, and Web of Science. The keywords of “Cross-Cultural design”, “vehicles”, and “safety” were used in several relationship analyses. The analyses were conducted by utilizing bibliometric Softwares including CiteSpace, VOSViewer, and Harzing. A takeaway from this review is that vehicle usage is trending upward on a global scale and that Cross-Cultural design will need to be incorporated to ensure safe usage by a global, multicultural society.
Domain Decomposition by the Advancing-Partition Method

A new method of domain decomposition has been developed for generating unstructured grids in subdomains either sequentially or using multiple computers in parallel. Domain decomposition is a crucial and challenging step for parallel grid generation. Prior methods are generally based on auxiliary, complex, and computationally intensive operations for defining partition interfaces and usually produce grids of lower quality than those generated in single domains. The new technique, referred to as "Advancing Partition," is based on the Advancing-Front method, which partitions a domain as part of the volume mesh generation in a consistent and "natural" way. The benefits of this approach are: 1) the process of domain decomposition is highly automated, 2) partitioning of domain does not compromise the quality of the generated grids, and 3) the computational overhead for domain decomposition is minimal. The new method has been implemented in NASA's unstructured grid generation code VGRID.
Growth and characterization of CdZnS thin film buffer layers by chemical bath deposition

In this paper we report the study of CdZnS thin films grown on the soda-lime glass (SLG) substrates by chemical bath deposition (CBD) process for buffer layer applications in CuGaSe/sub 2/ (CGS) solar cells. Structural, surface morphology, optical, and electrical properties of as-deposited CdZnS films were investigated by XRD, SEM, spectrophotometer, and four probes resistivity measurements as a function of Zn-composition in the solution. The CdZnS films have hexagonal structures. The grain size of CdZnS films was found to increase with increasing Zn-content in the solution. The films with 30% of Zn in the solution showed a better than 80% transmittance for wavelengths longer than 600 nm and film thickness less than 50 nm. The values of energy band gaps obtained are 2.40, 2.55, and 2.70 eV for Zn-content of 0, 30, and 50%, respectively. The resistivity of CdZnS films was found to increase as the Zn content increases.