cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evolution of synchronization and desynchronization in digital organisms

We present a study in the evolution of temporal behavior, specifically synchronization and desynchronization, through digital evolution and group selection. In digital evolution, a population of self-replicating computer programs exists in a user-defined computational environment and is subject to instruction-level mutations and natural selection. Group selection links the survival of the individual to the survival of its group, thus encouraging cooperation. Previous approaches to engineering synchronization and desynchronization algorithms have taken inspiration from nature: In the well-known firefly model, the only form of communication between agents is in the form of flash messages among neighbors. Here we demonstrate that populations of digital organisms, provided with a similar mechanism and minimal information about their environment, are capable of evolving algorithms for synchronization and desynchronization, and that the evolved behaviors are robust to message loss. We further describe how the evolved behavior for synchronization mimics that of the well-known Ermentrout model for firefly synchronization in biology. In addition to discovering self-organizing behaviors for distributed computing systems, this result indicates that digital evolution may be used to further our understanding of synchronization in biology.
Delamination of stiff islands patterned on stretchable substrates

Abstract In one design of flexible electronics, thin-film islands of a stiff material are fabricated on a polymeric substrate, and functional materials are grown on these islands. When the substrate is stretched, the deformation is mainly accommodated by the substrate, and the islands and functional materials experience relatively small strains. Experiments have shown that, however, for a given amount of stretch, the islands exceeding a certain size may delaminate from the substrate. We calculate the energy release rate using a combination of finite element and complex variable methods. Our results show that the energy release rate diminishes as the island size or substrate stiffness decreases. Consequently, the critical island size is large when the substrate is compliant. We also obtain an analytical expression for the energy release rate of debonding islands from a very compliant substrate.
Improvement in resuscitation knowledge after a one‐day paediatric life‐support course

Objective: To assess the effect of a one-day paediatric life-support course on the knowledge of paediatric trainees. Methods: A telephone survey was performed prior to and at set intervals following the course. Responses to individual questions before and after the course were analysed and an overall test score was calculated. The acquisition and retention of knowledge was measured by comparing test scores for the same group of trainees at time intervals after the course. Results: All candidates were surveyed. The median duration of paediatric training prior to the course was 3 years. Eighteen candidates (78%) had previously intubated a child and 13 (57%) had previously used an intraosseous needle. Prior to the course, few of the 23 candidates had adequate knowledge of either the management of the cervical spine in the seriously injured child (17%), fluid resuscitation in meningococcal septicemia (52%), shock dose in ventricular fibrillation (61%), or the management of anaphylactic shock (35%). There was a significant improvement in the knowledge of the group after the course, with median test scores increasing from 19 to a maximum of 22 (P < 0.001). This knowledge was retained at 4 months after the course. Conclusion: Despite a high level of experience and previous training in paediatric resuscitation, many candidates lacked the basic knowledge necessary for the resuscitation of seriously ill or injured children. There was a significant improvement in this knowledge after the course, and this was maintained for 4 months. The paediatric life-support course is an important means of resuscitation training for junior doctors.
Radiocarbon dating of minute gastropods and new constraints on the timing of late Quaternary spring-discharge deposits in southern Arizona, USA

Abstract Gastropod shells are commonly preserved in Quaternary sediments, but are often avoided for radiocarbon dating because some taxa incorporate 14 C-deficient carbon during shell formation. Recently, Brennan and Quade [(1997) Quat. Res. 47, 329–336] found that some minute taxa ( Vallonia , Pupilla , and Succineidae ) appear to yield reliable 14 C ages for late Pleistocene samples. A more rigorous evaluation of the 14 C inventory of minute gastropods is presented here, which involved measuring the 14 C activity of specimens collected live in two geologic settings that maximize the potential for ingestion of ‘old’ carbon: (1) alluvium dominated by Paleozoic carbonate rocks, and (2) adjacent to extant springs with highly 14 C-deficient water present at the surface. We found that several minute taxa, including Vallonia , incorporate significant and variable amounts of old carbon (∼2 to >30%) during shell formation. The 14 C activities of the land snails Pupilla blandi and Euconulus fulvus , however, are indistinguishable from the 14 C activity of live plants. The 14 C activity of the semi-aquatic gastropod Catinella sp. (Family: Succineidae ) deviates from modern values in the presence of 14 C-deficient water by an amount equivalent to ∼10% of the local carbon-reservoir effect. These results imply that at least some minute gastropods can provide reliable 14 C ages even when 14 C-deficient carbon is readily available. To demonstrate an application of our findings, we 14 C-dated shells from P. muscorum , E. fulvus , and Succinea sp. (Family: Succineidae ) recovered from the Coro Marl, a late Pleistocene spring-fed marsh deposit exposed at the Murray Springs Paleoindian site in the San Pedro Valley of southern Arizona, USA. Radiocarbon ages obtained from the minute gastropods show that the unit was deposited between ∼25 000 and 13 000 14 C years ago. The marl is situated >15 m above the modern water table at Murray Springs, and is similarly positioned in discontinuous outcrops along a ∼150-km stretch of the San Pedro Valley. Thus, the 14 C ages of minute gastropods presented here may be used to infer the timing of high water-table levels throughout the valley.
Two-electron integral evaluation for uncontracted geometrical-type Gaussian functions

A new algorithm for efficient evaluation of two-electron repulsion integrals (ERIs) using uncontracted geometrical-type Gaussian basis functions is presented. Integrals are evaluated by the Habitz and Clementi method. The use of uncontracted geometrical basis sets allows grouping of basis functions into shells (s, sp, spd, or spdf) and processing of integrals in blocks (shell quartets). By utilizing information common to a block of integrals, this method achieves high efficiency. This technique has been incorporated into the KGNMOL molecular interaction program. Representative timings for a number of molecules with different basis sets are presented. The new code is found to be significantly faster than the previous program. For ERIs involving only s and p functions, the new algorithm is a factor of two faster than previously. The new program is also found to be competitive when compared with other standard molecular packages, such as HONDO-8 and Gaussian 86.
POST-TRAUMATIC OSTEOARTHRITIS: IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR EARLY INTERVENTION

Even with current treatments of acute joint injuries, more than 40% of people who suffer significant ligament or meniscus tears, or articular surface injuries, will develop osteoarthritis (OA). Correspondingly, 12% or more of all patients with lower extremity OA have a history of joint injury. Recent research suggests that acute joint damage that occurs at the time of an injury initiates a sequence of events that can lead to progressive articular surface damage. New molecular interventions, combined with evolving surgical methods, aim to minimize or prevent progressive tissue damage triggered by joint injury. Seizing the potential for progress in the treatment of joint injuries to forestall OA will depend on advances in (1) quantitative methods of assessing the injury severity, including both structural damage and biologic responses, (2) understanding of the pathogenesis of post-traumatic OA, taking into account potential interactions among the different tissues and the role of post-traumatic incongruity and instability, and (3) application of engineering and molecular research to develop new methods of treating injured joints. This paper highlights recent advances in understanding of the structural damage and the acute biological response following joint injury, and it identifies important directions for future research.
Boundary‐layer model of mantle plumes with thermal and chemical diffusion and buoyancy

SUMMARY We present a boundary-layer model for mantle plumes driven by thermal and chemical diffusion and buoyancy. The problem is solved for a Boussinesq, Newtonian fluid with infinite Prandtl number and constant physical properties. We focus on axisymmetric mantle plumes, but also solve 2-D plumes due to line-sources for comparison. The results show that chemical plumes are much thinner than thermal plumes because of small chemical diffusivity in the mantle. When pressure-release partial melting occurs in a thermal-chemical plume, at least two mantle components may be involved: one from the chemical plume and one from the ambient mantle. A buoyant chemical boundary layer in the plume source region tends to cause narrow and strong plumes. A dense chemical source would have the opposite effect. The effects of chemical buoyancy diminish as the Lewis number, the ratio of thermal to chemical diffusivity, increases. For fully developed mantle plumes, the effects of chemical buoyancy may be insignificant. The physical parameters of mantle plumes may be estimated using surface information deduced from swell models. The total heat input from the Hawaiian plume source is about 1.3 x lo1' W, nearly 5-10 per cent of the total heat loss from the core. The depth of the Hawaiian plume source is constrained to be near the core-mantle boundary. Our results show that 2-D plumes are generally stronger than axisymmetric plumes.
The Effect of Sedimentation Levels on Tarebia granifera in Freshwater Lagoons in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Punta Cana, one of the largest tourist destinations in the Caribbean, is located in the western part of the Dominican Republic on the island of Hispaniola. Increased human activity has had a negative impact on the aquatic ecosystems, significantly decreasing the number of coral reefs, mangroves and sea grasses. The decline is not only occurring in the Caribbean, but also worldwide and is attributed to human and natural causes. It is believed that the degradation of aquatic ecosystems is partially driven by increased sedimentation. Sedimentation levels directly impact the wellbeing of aquatic ecosystems. Suspended particles reduce the amount of light that penetrates the water, which reduces photosynthesis and the production of dissolved oxygen. The suspended material can clog fish gills reducing their resistance to disease, lowering growth rates and affecting egg and larval production. Increased sedimentation means a thicker layer of particles accumulates on the floor of the aquatic biome and smothers eggs and benthic macroinvertebrates. The Indigenous Eyes Ecological Reserve, situated on 1500 acres of protected land on the resort, has twelve freshwater lagoons. Since only three of them are open to swimming, it was an ideal natural setting to conduct an experiment to compare the effect of human activity on the levels of sedimentation in two lagoons ‐ one open and one closed to swimming. We also measured the effect of sedimentation levels on the size of the Tarebia granifera in each of the lagoons. The data was analyzed using One-Way ANOVA.
Living with hyper-reality

Hyper-reality describes distributed computing interfaces that weave existing environments with additional channels of sensory feedback to enhance everyday activities without confusing users. To be intuitive and non-intrusive these interfaces use illusionary pre-attentive content that is co-located with the objects and surfaces of a space and synchronous with a user's actions. Interfaces for an office, a laboratory, a kitchen and a public hallway are presented along with user studies suggesting that augmenting sensory feedback has the potential to simplify tasks and make them safer, while expanding the potential for interaction with everyday environments.
Faculty perceptions of their graduate education

Most studies of graduate school socialization utilize samples of either current students or recent graduates. This study investigates how professors, established in their academic careers, retrospectively view their graduate training by asking and examining what deficiencies they detect from this preparatory stage. The sample is composed of academics at different stages of their careers, who work in a spectrum of institutional types in the US system of higher education. Four analytic dimensions are used to examine variation in which professors identify deficiencies in their graduate training: time (as indicated by career stage), employing institution, Ph.D. institution, and publication productivity. The findings cast additional light on socialization by suggesting how academics, differentially situated in an academic career, view their graduate education years after it has concluded.
What can molecular simulation do for global warming

Carbon capture is necessary to reduce CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels, which has led to global warming. Molecular simulations offer chemical insights and design principles for new separation media and for understanding the separation process. In this review, we summarize recent applications of simulation methods from ab initio and density functional theory to classical molecular dynamics and Grand canonical Monte Carlo in understanding ionic liquids and porous carbonaceous materials for CO2 separation, especially the postcombustion CO2/N2 separation. We highlight design and simulation of the porous two-dimensional (2D) materials as the highly selective membranes for CO2 separation. Simulated structure–property relationships for the materials are discussed in connection to the corresponding chemisorption, physisorption, or membrane process. In chemisorption, the focus is on reducing the heat of reaction with CO2; in physisorption, the key is to increase the binding strength via CO2-philic groups; in membrane process, the key is to increase solubility for ionic-liquid membranes and to control pore size for 2D materials. Challenges and opportunities for simulating emerging materials are also discussed. WIREs Comput Mol Sci 2016, 6:173–197. doi: 10.1002/wcms.1241 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
The Effects of Brief, Passive Psychoeducation on Suicide Literacy, Stigma, and Attitudes Toward Help-Seeking Among Latino Immigrants Living in the United States

Latino immigrants underutilize mental health treatment services compared with other ethnic groups, despite rates of mental illness that are comparable with those observed among the general population. With regard to suicidal behavior specifically, twice as many Latino suicide attempters do not seek
Effects of continuous positive airway pressure on cardiac output in experimental heart failure

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is used to treat congestive heart failure (CHF). Mechanisms for improved cardiac output (CO) include increased left ventricular (LV) surface pressure, changes in sympathoadrenal tone, nonadrenergic vasodilation, or shifting blood volume from intra- to extrathoracic compartments. At CPAP = 0 and CPAP = 5 cm H2O we measured CO, LV surface pressure, plasma norepinephrine (PNE), and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) in normal and hypervolemic pigs and pigs with CHF (rapid ventricular pacing). In normovolemia CPAP led to no change in CO. With both hypervolemia and CHF. CPAP led to increased CO (10-20%). With CPAP, LV surface pressure increased slightly in normovolemia, but did not increase, or even decreased, in hypervolemia. With CPAP, PNE did not change in normovolemia, increased in hypervolemia, and decreased in CHF, SVR always decreased when cardiac output increased with CPAP. We conclude that changes in cardiac surface pressure and overall sympathoadrenal tone cannot explain changes in CO with CPAP. Non-adrenergic mediated vasodilation could lead to unloading the LV. Alternatively, volume shift from intra- to extrathoracic compartments could lead to greater decreases in systolic than diastolic volume, thus increasing stroke volume. CPAP increases CO in the presence of cardiac distension whether or not myocardial function is impaired.
The significance of treatment effects: the clinical perspective.

It is important for clinicians to understand changes or differences in health status scores so they can interpret published research, clinical changes among their patients, and sample size estimates in clinical trials. To clinical researchers, the ability to define the smallest clinically relevant change in quality of life is especially important because this is an essential component of sample-size calculations, and because very small changes may be statistically significant (especially with large sample sizes) but clinically unimportant. Although the concept of statistical significance is familiar and well defined, a notion of clinical significance or clinical importance (to avoid confusion with statistical hypothesis testing) has received less attention.1 The clinical perspective also includes patients' views because patients are interested in making informed treatment choices and in monitor-
Rate Theory Modeling and Simulations of Silicide Fuel at LWR Conditions

Uranium silicide (U3Si2) fuel has higher thermal conductivity and higher uranium density, making it a promising candidate for the accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) used in light water reactors (LWRs). However, previous studies on the fuel performance of U3Si2, including both experimental and computational approaches, have been focusing on the irradiation conditions in research reactors, which usually involve low operation temperatures and high fuel burnups. Thus, it is important to examine the fuel performance of U3Si2 at typical LWR conditions so as to evaluate the feasibility of replacing conventional uranium dioxide fuel with this silicide fuel material. As in-reactor irradiation experiments involve significant time and financial cost, it is appropriate to utilize modeling tools to estimate the behavior of U3Si2 in LWRs based on all those available research reactor experimental references and state-of-the-art density functional theory (DFT) calculation capabilities at the early development stage. Hence, in this report, a comprehensive investigation of the fission gas swelling behavior of U3Si2 at LWR conditions is introduced. The modeling efforts mentioned in this report was based on the rate theory (RT) model of fission gas bubble evolution that has been successfully applied for a variety of fuel materials at devious reactor conditions. Both existing experimentalmore » data and DFT-calculated results were used for the optimization of the parameters adopted by the RT model. Meanwhile, the fuel-cladding interaction was captured by the coupling of the RT model with simplified mechanical correlations. Therefore, the swelling behavior of U3Si2 fuel and its consequent interaction with cladding in LWRs was predicted by the rate theory modeling, providing valuable information for the development of U3Si2 fuel as an accident-tolerant alternative for uranium dioxide.« less
Perioperative risks of narcolepsy in patients undergoing general anesthesia: A case-control study

Abstract Study objective To compare the perioperative outcomes between patients with narcolepsy and matched controls undergoing anesthetic management. Design Retrospective 2:1 matched study design. Setting Large tertiary medical center. Patients Narcoleptic patients who underwent general anesthesia from January 1, 2011, through September 30, 2015, were matched with controls by age, sex, and type and year of surgery. Measurements Medical records were reviewed for episodes of respiratory depression during phase I recovery and for other meaningful perioperative outcomes. Main results The perioperative courses of 76 narcoleptic patients and their controls were examined. Compared to controls, narcoleptic patients were more often prescribed central nervous system stimulants (73.7% vs 4.0%, P P =0.007) and more often had obstructive sleep apnea (40.8% vs 19.1%, P P =0.80). Narcoleptic patients had a higher frequency of emergency response team activations (5 of 76 [6.6%]; 95% CI, 2.2%–14.7%) compared to controls (2 of 152 [1.3%]; 95% CI, 0.2%–4.7%) ( P =0.04). Hemodynamic instability was the indication for all emergency response team activations except 1, which was for a narcoleptic patient who had excessive postoperative sedation and respiratory depression. Conclusions Narcoleptic patients had similar intraoperative courses as the matched controls, including phase I anesthetic recovery. However, they had a higher rate of emergency response team activations than the controls, which suggests that patients with narcolepsy may be at increased perioperative risk.
Cytomegalovirus infection in pregnancy

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a DNA herpesvirus that is common worldwide. The two known main sources of primary CMV infection during pregnancy are through sexual activity and contact with young children. Primary infection occurs in approximately 1 to 4% of pregnancies, and is mostly asymptomatic in immunocompetent adults. However, primary infection may manifest as a mild mononucleosis or flu-like syndrome with persistent fever and fatigue. CMV can be transmitted from mother-to-child in utero, intrapartum, or during breastfeeding. Intrauterine transmission can lead to congenital CMV infection, a leading cause of permanent hearing and vision loss and neurological disability among children. Congenital CMV transmission rates are as high as 50% in women who acquire primary CMV infection during pregnancy, and less than 2% in women with nonprimary infection. There is no licensed CMV vaccine. Good hygiene practices and avoiding intimate contact with young children (e.g., kissing on the mouth and sharing utensils) have been suggested as an approach to prevent maternal primary CMV infection during pregnancy, but remains an unproven method of reducing the risk of congenital CMV infection. Approximately 1 in 10 infants who acquire CMV in utero will have clinical signs at birth, and an additional 10 to 15% will go on to develop late-onset sequelae. Antiviral treatment prenatally and postnatally has not proven effective at preventing congenital or postnatal CMV infection, and is not recommended for routine clinical care. However, antiviral treatment when initiated in the first month of life for symptomatic congenital CMV infection is recommended for improved neurodevelopmental and audiologic outcomes. Birth Defects Research 109:336-346, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Application of the “Reactivity Constraint Approach” to Automatic Reactor Control

The “reactivity constraint approach” is described and demonstrated to be an effective and reliable means for the automatic control of power in nuclear reactors. This approach functions by restricti...
Planetary science: Bypassing the habitable zone

In our own solar system, Venus is too hot, Mars is too cold and Earth is just right. Simulations show that making an icy planet habitable is not as simple as melting its ice: many icy bodies swing from too cold to too hot, bypassing just right.
Ultrasonic Sizing of Cracks in Web Geometries

Evaluation of the critical nature of interior cracks in turbine rotor component web regions in order to assess the remaining service life of the parts requires accurate determination of the crack sizes in order to perform fracture mechanics analysis. This analysis is important both in order to retire critically defective parts and in order to return components to service if detected flaws are sub-critical. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate several techniques for sizing internal cracks in planar geometries.
Oxidative Metabolism of 6-(14C)-Glucose During Normoxia, Hypoxia, and Recovery

Brain glucose metabolism is altered from its normal pathways during hypoxia and normoxic recovery. In studies of moderate hypoxia (PaO2 30 or 40 torr) and reoxygenation in the isolated dog brain, up to 40% of the glucose entering the brain is metabolized by pathways that remain to be identified (Kintner 1983). In a previous series of experiments utilizing U-(14C)-glucose as an infusion during normoxia, PaO2 30 torr hypoxia for 30 min, and normoxic recovery following hypoxia, it was found that during normoxia, about 35% of the labeled glucose was metabolized to 14CO2 during a 30 min infusion. During hypoxia there was a rise to 21% of the label being metabolized to 14CO2 over 30 min, while during normoxic recovery following 30 min of hypoxia there was a slow gradual rise during the 30 min period of recovery to 32%. During early recovery, the amount of labeled glucose metabolized to 14CO2 was considerably less than during normoxia or hypoxia (Fitzpatrick 1987). It is concluded that a significant portion of glucose entering the brain during hypoxia and early recovery is utilized in metabolic processes other than energy production, and that a significant amount of CO2 produced during this period comes from sources other than exogenous glucose, probably lactate produced during hypoxia. We have followed these experiments with a study of the oxidative metabolism of 6-(14C)-glucose under similar conditions.
Drifting hydrophones as an ecologically meaningful approach to underwater soundscape measurement in coastal benthic habitats

The ambient acoustic environment, or soundscape, is of broad interest in the study of marine ecosystems as both a source of rich sensory information to marine organisms and, more broadly, as a driver of the structure and function of marine communities. Increasing our understanding of how soundscapes affect and reflect ecological processes first requires appropriate characterization of the acoustic stimuli, and their patterns in space and time. Here, we present a novel method developed for measuring soundscape variation, using drifting acoustic recorders to quantify acoustic dynamics related to benthic habitat composition. Selected examples of drifter results from sub-tidal oyster-reef habitats in Pamlico Sound, North Carolina, USA, and from coral reef habitats in St. John, US Virgin Islands, highlight the efficacy and utility of this approach in quantifying soundscape variation in diverse habitats. The platform introduces minimal noise into the acoustic recordings, and allows sampling at spatial scales that might typically be overlooked using stationary hydrophone methods. We demonstrate that mobile hydrophone recording methods offer new insight into soundscape variation and provide a complementary approach to conventional passive acoustic monitoring techniques.
John Maynard Keynes Architect of the Postwar Peace

John Maynard Keynes was the architect of the post-World War II peace.1 He perceived the interactions of politics, economics, and war. He understood that the preservation of peace required full employment, prosperity and economic development, the minimization of social stress, and the creation of institutions for collective action. Failing that, restoration of authoritarian state systems, war, and revolution would be once again on the table as during the inter-war years. Keynes understood that democratic institutions were an integral part of the peace process; but he understood perhaps better than anyone else in his generation how fragile democracy was in the face of economic disaster and the aggressive nature of peoples and governments.
Systems: Bifurcation Techniques

In many reaction-diffusion problems, it is the case that a uniform solution exists, but is stable only for certain ranges of the parameters present in the equation. Then it is typically also the case that when the parameters assume values near the “transition” zone between stability and instability of the uniform solution, other nonuniform, but small amplitude, solutions exist as well. Sometimes they are stable, and thus represent new solutions to which stability has been transferred from the uniform solution. This appearance of new solutions is considered a bifurcation phenomenon, because in parameter-amplitude diagrams, new solutions branch off the known uniform solution at critical values of the parameters.
On the Efficacy of Raising Your University’s Rankings

Rankings are the Swiss knife of higher education – they are a single tool with many uses. Like many other universities, Texas Tech University utilizes rankings as a barometer to judge whether the university exhibits dimensions of quality. (The term “universities” will be used to describe all postsecondary institutions throughout this chapter.) The “Goal Two: Academic Excellence” section of its 2005 strategic plan cites rankings 12 times. Three of the nine objectives in this section of the plan are explicitly aimed at improving the institution’s national ranking, whether it be in selectivity, grants, scholarly productivity, or the quality of the university’s library system (Texas Tech University 2005). The use of rankings as a measure of a college or university’s excellence, improvement in quality, prestige, character, hipness, or value is ubiquitous. The pervasiveness of ranking systems has spread to institutions outside the United States as well. At world-renowned institutions like the University of Melbourne in Australia, for example, international rank is so important it occupies the second highlight on the “About the University” page, sandwiched between the institution’s foundation date and the number of enrolled students (University of Melbourne 2010). Even lesser-known institutions, like the University of Kwazulu-natal in South Africa use higher education rankings in creating strategic plans as well as guideposts in determining institutional quality (University of Kwaxulu-natal and Strategic 2007). As these examples demonstrate, universities have adopted the use of rankings as a means of assuring internal actors that the institution is on course toward its goals.
Bayesian Multiple Protein Structure Alignment

Multiple protein structure alignment is an important tool in computational biology, with numerous algorithms published in the past two decades. However, recently literature highlights a growing recognition of the inconsistencies among alignments from different algorithms, and the instability of alignments obtained by individual algorithms under small fluctuations of the input structures. Here we present a probabilistic model-based approach to the problem of multiple structure alignment, using an explicit statistical model. The resulting algorithm produces a Bayesian posterior distribution over alignments which accounts for alignment uncertainty arising from evolutionary variability, experimental noise, and thermal fluctuation, as well as sensitivity to alignment algorithm parameters. We demonstrate the robustness of this approach on alignments identified previously in the literature as "difficult" for existing algorithms. We also show the potential for significant stabilization of tree reconstruction in structural phylogenetics.
Predicting Static Fatigue Strength of Non-ceramic Suspension Insulators Using Cumulative Damage and Accelerated Life Testing

ABSTRACT An accelerated life testing method has been used to determine the static fatigue characteristics of non-ceramic suspension insulators. Cumulative damage analysis has shown that short-term testing (i.e., weeks) can be used to predict long-term strength characteristics of fiberglass-core non-ceramic insulators. Predictions have been substantially in agreement with long-term static fatigue tests performed by manufacturers and others.
Dual mechanism of microenvironmental pH modulation and foam melt extrusion to enhance performance of HPMCAS based amorphous solid dispersion.

Abstract Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS) is an excellent polymeric carrier for melt extrusion amorphous solid dispersion. However, its pH-dependent solubility limits its application, especially for narrow absorption window drugs. The current study proposed a novel dual approach of foam extrusion and microenvironmental pH modulation to overcome this limitation. Sodium bicarbonate was used as a blowing agent and the remaining sodium carbonate acted as an internal pH modifier. Compared with conventional extrusion, foam extrusion dramatically lowered the extrudate physical strength (breaking force and hardness decreased by 20-fold; breaking energy and deformation energy decreased by >30-fold). Milling efficiency of foam extrudate was largely improved compared with that of conventional extrudates, demonstrating smaller particle size, larger specific surface area, and ability to pass through a smaller milling screen. The foam extrudate could generate a supersaturation concentration up to 8-fold higher than the solubility of the pure drug. It also significantly enhanced drug dissolution in a two-step biorelevant medium (p
Risk Factors of the Irregular Migratory Waves on the Western Balkan Route: Implications in the European Union Countries

Highly diverse irregular migratory waves on the Western Balkan route marked an unprecedented phenomenon during the period of 2011–2015. These flows exposed them to harsh violation of human rights. In some cases, irregular migrants were treated as commodities and overlapping migrant smuggling with human trafficking. Smuggling and trafficking networks widely developed and caused negative consequences on migrants’ agency. Various severe conflicts and violent incidents were recorded at and around the borders of the Western Balkans. The article explores the potential risk factors of the irregular migration flows on the Western Balkan route. It focuses on migrant smuggling and human trafficking, analyzing their consequences on violence and crime to the European Union countries. The methodological approach of the study is based on qualitative research employing both secondary data and empirical evidence.
Abstract 32: Targeting Toxic Effects of Blood in Intracranial Hemorrhage Models With a Novel Nano-antioxidant/Chelator: A Ferroptosis Specific Treatment?

Introduction: An attractive treatment target following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) are reactive oxidative stress (ROS) reactions occurring after contact with blood breakdown products, such as he...
Left atrial strain and compliance in the diagnostic evaluation of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

AIMS Left atrial (LA) function is impaired in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and predicts disease severity and risk of adverse outcome. We sought to evaluate whether LA strain could enhance diagnosis of HFpEF. METHODS AND RESULTS Consecutive patients with unexplained exertional dyspnoea and image quality suitable for measuring LA strain underwent invasive cardiopulmonary exercise testing to ascertain the presence of HFpEF or non-cardiac causes of dyspnoea (NCD). LA reservoir strain was measured in all patients, while LA conduit and booster strain were measured in patients with sinus rhythm. LA strain was measurable in 363 of 378 examinations (96.5%; HFpEF: 238, NCD: 125). LA reservoir strain (29 ± 16% vs. 40 ± 13%, P 2.8 m/s (+0.082, P = 0.0085), left ventricular hypertrophy (+0.0159, P < 0.0001) and left ventricular global longitudinal strain (+0.0198, P < 0.0001). Indexing LA reservoir strain to estimated LA pressure (E/e') as a surrogate for LA compliance further improved diagnostic performance (AUC 0.772, P < 0.0001; +0.053 compared to LA reservoir strain alone, P = 0.003). CONCLUSION Left atrial reservoir strain may provide enhanced diagnostic accuracy beyond conventional echocardiographic measures to discriminate HFpEF from NCD. Further study is required to verify the diagnostic utility of LA strain.
Initial Experience with da Vinci Single-port Robot-assisted Radical Prostatectomies

Abstract Background Single-port robotic surgery is being adopted for various surgical procedures. There have been interest in and clinical use of single-port robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (spRARP), but little reported data on feasibility and early outcomes. Objective To describe our institution's initial experience with spRARP utilizing the da Vinci single-port (SP) robotic system. Design, setting, and participants A retrospective review of the initial experience of three high-volume robotic prostate surgeons performing an spRARP utilizing the da Vinci SP robotic system was carried out. Surgical procedure An spRARP using the da Vinci SP robotic system was performed following the traditional retropubic or Retzius-sparing approach. Measurements Patient demographics, operative time, blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, complications, and catheter duration were obtained and analyzed. Results and limitations In a cohort of 49 patients undergoing spRARP, median age was 62yr and prostate-specific antigen 6.4. Of the patients, 35 (71%) had cT1c disease on presentation, 92% had Gleason grade group ≥2 disease, and 85% were pT2 on final pathology. Median operative time was 161min. Median blood loss was 200ml. Seven Retzius-sparing cases were performed. Four Clavien 2 complications occurred (complication rate 8.1%). Median hospital stay was 1d and median catheter duration 7d. Operative time was Conclusions The da Vinci SP system spRARP is safe and feasible, with acceptable operative time and blood loss. Further research is needed to establish noninferiority to the da Vinci Xi and Si systems, and impact of spRARP on patient-assessed cosmesis and pain. Patient summary Robotic prostatectomy using a purpose-built da Vinci single-port robotic system is safe and feasible, and warrants further study to determine whether it can improve patient outcomes.
Thermal atomic layer etching of crystalline GaN using sequential exposures of XeF2 and BCl3

Gallium nitride (GaN) is a wide-bandgap semiconductor that is useful for optoelectronics and high speed and high power electronics. Fabrication of GaN devices requires etching for many processing steps. Gas phase thermal atomic-layer-controlled etching is desirable for damage-free isotropic etching. In this letter, the thermal atomic layer etching (ALE) of crystalline GaN was demonstrated using sequential exposures of XeF2 and BCl3. GaN ALE was achieved with an etch rate of 0.55 A/cycle at 195 °C using XeF2 exposures for 20 s at 40 mTorr and BCl3 exposures for 0.5 s at 50 mTorr. At the same reactant exposures, GaN etch rates varied with temperature from 0.18 A/cycle at 170 °C to 0.72 A/cycle at 300 °C. The GaN etch rates increased slowly with increasing XeF2 exposure. In addition, the GaN etch rate was self-limiting with respect to both increasing BCl3 pressures and BCl3 exposure times. This self-limiting behavior for BCl3 is consistent with a ligand-exchange mechanism for GaN ALE. Alternative fluorination reactants were also investigated including HF, SF4, and NF3 plasma. Sequential exposures of NF3 plasma and BCl3 yielded GaN etch rates of 2.5–2.9 A/cycle at 250 °C. In contrast, the HF and SF4 fluorination reactants could not etch crystalline GaN.
Responsive Feeding and Breastfeeding Moderate the Association between Maternal Attachment Security and Overeating in 18-Month Old Infants in the STRONG Kids 2 Cohort

Low maternal attachment security is linked to unhealthy child eating behavior, and emergent evidence suggests that mothers with higher attachment security are more likely to engage in responsive fe...
Impact Factor volatility to a single paper: A comprehensive analysis

We study how a single paper affects the Impact Factor (IF) by analyzing data from 3,088,511 papers published in 11639 journals in the 2017 Journal Citation Reports of Clarivate Analytics. We find that IFs are highly volatile. For example, the top-cited paper of 381 journals caused their IF to increase by more than 0.5 points, while for 818 journals the relative increase exceeded 25%. And one in 10 journals had their IF boosted by more than 50% by their top three cited papers. Because the single-paper effect on the IF is inversely proportional to journal size, small journals are rewarded much more strongly than large journals for a highly-cited paper, while they are penalized more for a low-cited paper, especially if their IF is high. This skewed reward mechanism incentivizes high-IF journals to stay small, to remain competitive in rankings. We discuss the implications for breakthrough papers appearing in prestigious journals. We question the reliability of IF rankings given the high IF sensitivity to a few papers for thousands of journals.
Correspondence of soldier defense secretion mixtures with cuticular hydrocarbon phenotypes for chemotaxonomy of the termite genus Reticulitermes in North America.

Soldier defense secretions from samples of Reticulitermes collected in California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and Georgia were characterized and correlated with cuticular hydrocarbon phenotypes. Twenty-seven cuticular hydrocarbon phenotypes have been defined, and soldier defense secretion (SDS) phenotypes have been described for 25 of these. Forty-five terpenoid compounds were found, including monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and a few diterpenes. The monoterpenes include (−)-α-pinene, (−)-β-pinene, (−)-camphene, myrcene, (Z)- and (E)-ocimene, and (−)-limonene. The major sesquiterpenes produced are (+)-γ-cadinene, (+)-γ-cadinene aldehyde, (−)-germacrene A, germacrene B, γ-himachalene, and β-bisabolene. Some SDS phenotypes pair with more than one cuticular hydrocarbon phenotype; however, with two exceptions, each hydrocarbon phenotype is associated with only one SDS phenotype. These chemical characterizations lend support to the conclusion that there are numerous undescribed species of Reticulitermes in North America.
Hereditary Coagulation Disorders

The most common inherited coagulopathies include hemophilia and Von Willebrand’s disease. The aim of this chapter is to highlight the less common disorders that result in defects in coagulation; these can be categorized according to abnormalities in primary, secondary, or tertiary hemostasis. Many of these conditions are associated with comorbidities that require surgical correction. Unexpected perioperative hemorrhage can be avoided by maintaining a high index of suspicion for bleeding diathesis. Routine laboratory testing in these patients may be normal and does not necessarily exclude a coagulation disorder, and hematology should be consulted early for further testing and guidance on perioperative management.
Patients value climate change counseling provided by their pediatrician: The experience in one Wisconsin pediatric clinic

Abstract In 2015, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended that the health effects of climate change be incorporated into the existing anticipatory guidance framework. Despite this recommendation, there are only anecdotal accounts of pediatricians offering climate change counseling, and no literature evaluates such counseling effectiveness in any outpatient setting. This investigation describes patient and family responses to climate change counseling administered by one pediatrician in a Wisconsin clinic. A standardized message about the effects of climate change on children's health was delivered during 262 well-child encounters (234 unique families) over a 3 month period. Electronic surveys were administered (response rate of 59% (138/234)) to evaluate knowledge gained as a result of the counseling, intentions of respondents to change their energy use behaviors, and degree of support for clean energy initiatives. Self-described political ideology and general responses to the counseling were also collected. Large majorities of liberal, moderate and conservative families responded positively to the guidance. Although limited to the patients of one pediatrician in a single pediatric practice, our findings bolster the AAP recommendation that counseling about climate change as a child health issue in the outpatient setting is an important and potentially effective educational strategy.
The organizational character of statistical expertise

In August of 2018, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that the Department’s Economic Research Service (ERS) would be relocated hundreds of miles from Washington D.C. by the end of...
Testing the effectiveness of an SCT-based training program in enhancing health self-efficacy and outcome expectations among college peer educators.

Peer health education (PHE) is a widely implemented prevention approach among college populations. While social cognitive theory (SCT; Bandura, 2004) has been assumed to account for the underlying mechanisms of PHE, no studies have tested the utility of an SCT-based training program in improving health-related outcomes among peer educators. The present study developed, implemented, and tested the effectiveness of a 15-week, SCT-based wellness coaching training program in enhancing health self-efficacy (HSE) and outcome expectations (HOE) among undergraduate peer educators. The quasi-experimental design included an SCT training group (n = 39), alternative training group (n = 46), and no-treatment control group (n = 46) and gathered data from participants at pretest, posttest, and 6-week follow-up. Results of a split-plot multivariate analysis of variance revealed a significant interaction effect for group and time when considering HSE and HOE together. Follow-up analyses indicated that the interaction was significant for HOE, but not for HSE. The SCT group reported significantly lower HOE than the control group at pretest but showed no differences in HOE scores compared to the other two groups at posttest or follow-up. Findings also revealed significant improvements in the SCT group's HSE scores over time. The findings provide initial empirical support for the effectiveness of SCT-based training programs in promoting positive health-related beliefs and attitudes among peer educators. Further, this study demonstrates that the process of training peer educators may be utilized as a health promotion strategy in and of itself. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Ste7: ste7 protein kinase (S. cerevisiae)

Ste7 functions in pheromone-induced signal transmission in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The pheromone-induced signal causes haploid cells to arrest cell proliferation and to differentiate into a mating competent state. Five protein kinases Ste20, Ste11, Ste7, and a redundant pair of MAP kinase homologues, Fus3 and Kss1, are involved in this signal pathway. Ste7 is a dual-specificity protein kinase that activates Fus3 (and presumably Kss1) by phosphorylation on tyrosine and threonine. Ste7 is phosphorylated in response to pheromone and requires a Ste11-dependent phosphorylation for its enzyme activity. A positive regulatory domain lies within the N-terminal 45 amino acids because deletion of this region results in a stable polypeptide without catalytic activity. The sites associated with Ste7 hyperphosphorylation are located within a Ser-rich region between residues 46–17l. A derivative of Ste7 lacking the hyperphosphorylation domain is still enzymatically active. Ste7 enzyme is assayed by transfer of radioactivity from [γ32P]ATP to a catalytically inactive derivative of Fus3 (Fus3-R42). Activity of the enzyme is higher when isolated from pheromone-induced cells compared with uninduced cells. A synthetic peptide encompassing the Fus3 phosphorylation site is not phosphorylated by Ste7 under standard assay conditions.