cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Attenuation of experimental autoimmune hepatitis by exogenous and endogenous cannabinoids: involvement of regulatory T cells.

Immune-mediated liver diseases including autoimmune and viral hepatitis are a major health problem worldwide. Natural cannabinoids such as Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) effectively modulate immune cell function, and they have shown therapeutic potential in treating inflammatory diseases. We investigated the effects of THC in a murine model of concanavalin A (ConA)-induced hepatitis. Intraperitoneal administration of THC after ConA challenge inhibited hepatitis as shown by significant decrease in liver enzymes and reduced liver tissue injury. Furthermore, THC treatment resulted in significant suppression of crucial inflammatory cytokines in ConA-induced hepatitis. It is noteworthy that THC treatment in ConA-injected mice led to significant increase in absolute number of Forkhead helix transcription factor p3+ T regulatory cells in liver. We were surprised to find that select cannabinoid receptor (CB1 or CB2) agonists were not able to block hepatitis either independently or in combination. However, CB1/CB2 mixed agonists were able to efficiently attenuate hepatitis similar to THC. The modulatory effect of THC in ConA-induced hepatitis was reversed by both CB1 and CB2 antagonists. We also observed that endogenous cannabinoid anandamide was able to reduce hepatitis by suppressing cytokine levels. In addition, deficiency or inhibition of endocannabinoid hydrolyzing enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), which leads to increased levels of endogenous cannabinoids, resulted in decreased liver injury upon ConA challenge. Our data demonstrate that targeting cannabinoid receptors using exogenous or endogenous cannabinoids and use of FAAH inhibitors may constitute novel therapeutic modalities to treat immune-mediated liver inflammation.
Evaluation of the treatment of pectus carinatum with compressive orthotic bracing using three dimensional body scans

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study is to measure the effectiveness of compressive orthotic brace therapy for the treatment of pectus carinatum using an adjusted Haller Index (HI) measurement calculated from 3D body scan (BS) images. Methods Pediatric patients with pectus carinatum were treated with either compressive orthotic bracing or observation. An adjusted BS Haller index (HI) was calculated from serial 3D BS images obtained on all patients. Medical records were evaluated to determine treatment with bracing and brace compliance more than 12hours daily. Compliant patient measurements were compared to non-compliant and non-brace groups. Results Forty patients underwent compressive orthotic bracing, while ten were observed. Twenty-three patients were compliant with bracing, and seventeen patients were non-compliant. Compliant patients exhibited an 8.2% increase, non-compliant patients had a 1.5% increase, and non-brace patients exhibited a 2.5% increase in BS HI. The change in BS HI of compliant patients was significantly different compared to non-brace patients (p=0.004) and non-compliant patients (p Conclusions Three dimensional BS is an effective, radiation free, and objective means to evaluate patients treated with compressive orthotic bracing.
Beyond thriftiness: Independent and interactive effects of genetic and dietary factors on variations in fat deposition and distribution across populations

The thrifty genotype hypothesis initiated speculation that feast and famine cycling throughout history may have led to group-specific alterations of the human genome, thereby augmenting the capacity for excessive fat mass accrual when immersed in the modern-day obesogenic environment. Contemporary work, however, suggests alternative mechanisms influencing fuel utilization and subsequent tissue partitioning to be more relevant in the etiology of population-based variation in adipose storage. The objective of this study was to evaluate the independent and interactive contribution of ancestral admixture as a proxy for population-based genetic variation and diet on adipose tissue deposition and distribution in peripubertal children and to identify differences in racial/ethnic and sex groups. Two-hundred seventy-eight children (53% male) aged 7-12 years, categorized by parental self-report as African- (n = 91), European- (n = 110), or Hispanic American (n = 77), participated. Ancestral genetic admixture was estimated using 140 ancestry informative markers. Body composition was evaluated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; energy expenditure by indirect calorimetry and accelerometry; and diet by 24-h-recall. Admixture independently contributed to all adiposity parameters; i.e., estimates of European and Amerindian ancestries were positively associated with all adiposity parameters, whereas African genetic admixture was inversely associated with adiposity. In boys, energy intake was associated with adiposity, irrespective of macronutrient profile, whereas in girls, the relationship was mediated by carbohydrate. We also observed moderating effects of energy balance/fuel utilization of the interaction between ancestral genetic admixture and diet. Interactive effects of genetic and non-genetic factors alter metabolic pathways and underlie some of the present population-based differences in fat storage.
Conformational studies of novel estrogen receptor ligands by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and computational methods

The solution conformations of the novel estrogen receptor ligands (17α,20E)-(p-trifluoromethylphenyl)vinylestradiol (1) and (17α,20E)-(o-trifluoromethylphenyl)vinylestradiol (2) were investigated in 2D and 1D NOESY studies and by comparison of 13C NMR chemical shifts with theoretical shieldings. The 1H and 13C assignments of 1 and 2 were determined by DEPT, COSY and HMQC experiments. The conformations of the 17α-phenylvinyl substituents of 1 and 2 are of interest because of their differing receptor binding affinities and effects in in vivo uterotrophic growth assays. A statistical method of evaluating contributing conformers of 1 and 2 from predicted 13C shifts of possible structures correlated fairly well with conformational conclusions derived from the NOE data. The 17α substituents of 1 and 2 apparently exist in similar conformational equilibria, suggesting that while 1 and 2 would occupy a similar receptor volume, interactions with the protein may shift the equilibrium and thereby influence the expression of the ligand. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Microwave systems-then and now-examples at the 50th reunion of the MIT Radiation Laboratory

Summary form only given. The delivery by the British in 1940 of a cavity magnetron operating at S-band (10 cm) sparked an intensive effort in the US in response to three urgent wartime system requests. The MIT Radiation Laboratory was established by NDRC, and from this sprang an intense and successful program in microwave components and systems. The author discussed the successes attained in two of the three projects: firecontrol and navigation. He then addressed the current situation and the impact of advances in technology, both in the microwave field and in complementary fields essential to the design of modern microwave systems. Three examples were discussed: the Army Patriot, the Navy Aegis, and the AF Navstar or GPS (global positioning system) navigation system. >
Effects of Temperature on the Perceived Sweetness of Sucrose

The sweetness of sucrose depends on the temperature as well as the concentration of a solution. The main effect is that relatively low concentrations gain sweetness as temperature increases. This effect diminishes with progressively higher concentration and finally becomes negligible at about 0.5 M. At this concentration the various functions that relate perceived sweetness to concentration for various temperatures converge. The mechanism of the taste-temperature interaction is speculative, but the interaction is large enough to be of practical interest in the perception of common foods and beverages as well as a variable to be strictly controlled in taste experiments. An examination of method of tasting showed that swallowing stimuli did not substantially increase perceived sweetness.
45° Round-Corner Rib Heat Transfer Coefficient Measurements in a Square Channel

Cooling channels, roughened with repeated ribs, are commonly employed as a means of cooling turbine blades. The increased level of mixing induced by these ribs enhances the convective heat transfer in the blade cooling cavities. Many previous investigations have focused on the heat transfer coefficient on the surfaces betweer, these ribs and only a few studies report the heat transfer coefficient on the rib surfaces themselves. The present study investigated the heat transfer coefficient on the surfaces of 45 deg, round-corner ribs. Three staggered rib geometries corresponding to blockage ratios of 0.133, 0.167, and 0.25 were tested in a square channel for pitchto-height ratios of 5, 8.5, and 10, and for two distinct thermal boundary conditions of heated and unheated channel wall. Comparisons were made between the surface-averaged heat transfer coefficients and channel friction factors for sharp- and round-corner ribs and 45 versus 90 deg ribs, reported previously. Heat transfer coefficients of the furthest upstream rib and that of a typical rib located in the middle of the rib-roughened region were also compared. It was concluded that: (a) For the geometries tested, the rib average heat transfer coefficient was much higher than that for the area between the ribs. (b) The general effect of rounding the rib corners was a decrease in both rib heat transfer coefficient and channel pressure drop. (c) For the highest blockage ratio ribs (e/D h = 0.25), 90 deg ribs performed superior to 45 deg ribs. However, this trend reversed for smaller rib blockage ratios. (d) Heat transfer coefficients for the two smaller rib geometries (e/D h = 0.133 and 0.167) did no vary significantly with the pitch-to-height ratio in the range tested. However, the heat transfer coefficient for the high blockage rib geometry increased significantly as the ribs were brought closer to each other. (e) Under otherwise identical conditions, ribs in the furthest upstream position produced lower heat transfer coefficients than those in the midstream position. (f) Rib thermal performance decreased with the rib blockage ratio. The smallest rib geometry (e/D h = 0.133) at a pitch-to-height ratio of 10 and the largest rib geometry (e/D h = 0.25) at a pitch-to-height ratio of 5, both in midstream position, produced the highest and the lowest thermal performances. respectively.
Membrane Transition Temperature Determines Cisplatin Response

Cisplatin is a classical chemotherapeutic agent used in treating several forms of cancer including head and neck. However, cells develop resistance to the drug in some patients through a range of mechanisms, some of which are poorly understood. Using isolated plasma membrane vesicles as a model system, we present evidence suggesting that cisplatin induced resistance may be due to certain changes in the bio-physical properties of plasma membranes. Giant plasma membrane vesicles (GPMVs) isolated from cortical cytoskeleton exhibit a miscibility transition between a single liquid phase at high temperature and two distinct coexisting liquid phases at low temperature. The temperature at which this transition occurs is hypothesized to reflect the magnitude of membrane heterogeneity at physiological temperature. We find that addition of cisplatin to vesicles isolated from cisplatin-sensitive cells result in a lowering of this miscibility transition temperature, whereas in cisplatin-resistant cells such treatment does not affect the transition temperature. To explore if this is a cause or consequence of cisplatin resistance, we tested if addition of cisplatin in combination with agents that modulate GPMV transition temperatures can affect cisplatin sensitivity. We found that cells become more sensitive to cisplatin when isopropanol, an agent that lowers GPMV transition temperature, was combined with cisplatin. Conversely, cells became resistant to cisplatin when added in combination with menthol that raises GPMV transition temperatures. These data suggest that changes in plasma membrane heterogeneity augments or suppresses signaling events initiated in the plasma membranes that can determine response to cisplatin. We postulate that desired perturbations of membrane heterogeneity could provide an effective therapeutic strategy to overcome cisplatin resistance for certain patients.
Instintos e instituciones. Una confrontación del pensamiento jurídico-político de Kant con la posmodernidad

Abstract The paper confronts Kant’s grounding of public Right and of the State of Right with the dynamics of society according to the postmodernist approaches that G. Deleuze and F. Guattari have laid out in several of theirs writings. The main aim of this work is arguing for the claim that Kant’s theory of Right might be read from the point of view of a history of normativity, inasmuch as the constitutive tenet of norms and rules would not be the collective desire of a community, but rather the subjective demands of the faculty of reason. I analyze the exam of G. Deleuze on the connection between instincts and institutions from the empirical tradition, the concept of norm and normativity framed by G. Canguilhem and the distinction between society and civil union argued in the Doctrine of Right of Kant’s Metaphysics of Morals. Key words: State, Public Right, Society. Authors: Kant, George Canguilhem, Gilles Deleuze. Resumen El articulo confronta la fundamentacion kantiana del Derecho publico y del Estado de Derecho con una aproximacion posmoderna sobre los mecanismos de funcionamiento social como la que G. Deleuze y F. Guattari han propuesto en varios de sus escritos. El proposito principal del trabajo es argumentar a favor de la tesis, segun la cual la teoria kantiana del Derecho puede interpretarse desde el mapa conceptual de una historia de la normatividad, siempre que el principio constitutivo de las normas y reglas no sea el deseo colectivo de una comunidad, sino las necesidades subjetivas de la facultad de la razon. Someto a analisis el examen de G. Deleuze a proposito de la conexion entre instintos e instituciones a partir de la tradicion empirista, el concepto de norma y normatividad en G. Canguilhem y la distincion entre sociedad y union civil formulada por Kant en la Doctrina del Derecho de la Metafisica de las costumbres. Palabras clave: Estado, Derecho publico, Sociedad. Authors: Kant, George Canguilhem, Gilles Deleuze.
"I need someone to keep an eye on me:" the power of attention in patient-practitioner interactions.

AbstractPurpose: The purpose of this paper is to illuminate the importance of patient care and to explicate the impact of attention on my recovery from bilateral knee replacement surgery and a subsequent revision.Method: The paper uses vignettes to illustrate attention in patient-practitioner interaction.Results: Attention is a precursor to understanding the patient as a unique individual and the problems the patient brings to the therapy experience.Conclusions: The capacity of practitioners to attend to their patients has an impact on patient satisfaction and recovery. Implications for RehabilitationAttention is the precursor to establishing positive therapeutic alliances with patients.It is essential to attend to the patient as a person with unique experiences, perspectives, and attitudes and to modify treatment based on the person’s priorities and desires.Practitioners need to develop the interaction skills necessary to understand their patients as unique individuals.
PILOT STUDY OF THE MOBILE TRIAGE PLATFORM FOR PATIENT ENGAGEMENT AT THE POINT OF SERVICE

The triple aim of population health-better care, improved outcomes, lower cost-requires rapid access to care. We tested a patient-facing, urgent care triage tool (UCTT) for patients with chest pain. The UCTT (IVisitMD, NY) uses evidence-based algorithm to provide guided access to physicians,
Dynamics of Upper-Level Frontogenesis in Baroclinic Waves

AbstractThis paper reports a diagnosis of the structure and dynamics of upper-level fronts (ULFs) simulated with a high-resolution Weather Research and Forecasting Model with diabatic heating versus one without diabatic heating. The ULFs of both simulations develop in about 6 days as integral parts of intensifying baroclinic waves. Each has a curvilinear structure along the southern edge of a relatively narrow long tongue of high potential vorticity in which stratospheric air is subducted to different tropospheric levels by synoptic-scale subsidence. It resembles a veil in the sky of varying thickness across the midsection upstream of the trough of the baroclinic wave.The 3D frontogenetical function is shown to be a necessary and sufficient metric for quantifying the rate of development of ULFs. Its value is mostly associated with the contribution of the 3D ageostrophic velocity component. Upper-level frontogenesis is attributable to the joint direct influence of the vortex-stretching process and the defo...
Diurnal Variation in Concentrations of Plasma Urea Nitrogen and Amino Acids in Pigs Given Free Access to Feed or Fed Twice Daily

A repeated-measures experiment was conducted to test the effect of sampling times after feeding on concentrations of plasma urea nitrogen (PUN) and plasma free amino acids (PFAA) in pigs fed by two feeding methods. Seven castrated male pigs (mean weight of 65 kg) were randomly assigned to switchback treatments that were 3-d periods of either free access to feed or twice daily feeding. Blood was sampled at 2-h intervals (sampling points) during the day (0800 to 1800 h) and again during the night (2000 to 0600 h) on the last day of each of three 3-d feeding treatment periods. Concentrations of PUN and most PFAA were not affected by the feeding method and time of day (day and night), but they were affected by sampling points. The pigs fed twice daily had postprandial peak PUN at 4 h (32% increase over prepandial) and peak PFAA at 2 h after feeding during 12-h day and night periods. However, the pigs with free access to feed exhibited only a slight fluctuation of PUN during the day and night and almost constant concentrations of most PFAA during a 24-h period. The PFAA results suggest that concentrations of most plasma essential and nonessential amino acids varied relatively more than those of other amino acids in response to sampling times.
CO_2 Gas Discharge Characteristics with Electrode Spacing of 10~40 mm

In order to find a new kind of insulating gas substitute for SF6 gas, we developed a small-spacing(5~40 mm) discharge device, which could switch electrodes and adjust electrode spacing automatically, to test the power-frequency withstand voltage of CO2 gas. The breakdown voltages under different electric fields, different pressures, and different electrode spacing for CO2 gas of 99.99% volume fraction were obtained. The results reveal that, in uniform electric field, the measured insulation intensity of CO2 gas is similar to its theoretical value, and the breakdown voltage is positively correlated to the pressure and electrode spacing. With a 30-mm spacing of plate-plate electrodes and pressure of 0.5 MPa, the dielectric strength of CO2 gas meets the requirement of power-frequency voltage-withstand of 110 kV gas insulation devices. In non-uniform electric field, the insulation intensity of CO2 hardly changes when pressure increases from 0.3 MPa to 0.4 MPa, but it increases slightly then obviously when pressure increases to 0.5 MPa and 0.6 MPa, respectively. In highly non-uniform electric field, the increase of pressure barely affects the breakdown voltage of CO2 gas.
Connections between groundwater flow and transpiration partitioning

Understanding freshwater fluxes at continental scales will help us better predict hydrologic response and manage our terrestrial water resources. The partitioning of evapotranspiration into bare soil evaporation and plant transpiration remains a key uncertainty in the terrestrial water balance. We used integrated hydrologic simulations that couple vegetation and land-energy processes with surface and subsurface hydrology to study transpiration partitioning at the continental scale. Both latent heat flux and partitioning are connected to water table depth, and including lateral groundwater flow in the model increases transpiration partitioning from 47 ± 13 to 62 ± 12%. This suggests that lateral groundwater flow, which is generally simplified or excluded in Earth system models, may provide a missing link for reconciling observations and global models of terrestrial water fluxes.
Flexible electronics-compatible non-enzymatic glucose sensing via transparent CuO nanowire networks on PET films

Diabetic individuals need simple, accurate, and cost effective means by which to independently assess their glucose levels in a non-invasive way. In this work, a sensor based on randomly oriented CuO nanowire networks supported by a polyethylene terephthalate thin film is evaluated as a flexible, transparent, non-enzymatic glucose sensing system analogous to those envisioned for future wearable diagnostic devices. The amperometric sensing characteristics of this type of device architecture are evaluated both before and after bending, with the system's glucose response, sensitivity, lower limit of detection, and effect of applied bias being experimentally determined. The obtained data shows that the sensor is capable of measuring changes in glucose levels within a physiologically relevant range (0-12 mM glucose) and at lower limits of detection (0.05 mM glucose at +0.6 V bias) consistent with patient tears and saliva. Unlike existing studies utilizing a conductive backing layer or macroscopic electrode setup, this sensor demonstrates a percolation network-like trend of current versus glucose concentration. In this implementation, controlling the architectural details of the CuO nanowire network could conceivably allow the sensor's sensitivity and optimal sensing range to be tuned. Overall, this work shows that integrating CuO nanowires into a sensor architecture compatible with transparent, flexible electronics is a promising avenue to realizing next generation wearable non-enzymatic glucose diagnostic devices.
Pegylated bovine carboxyhaemoglobin utilisation in a thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura patient.

SUMMARYObjective To determine if pegylated bovine carboxyhaemoglobin can be utilised in a thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) patient. Background TTP is a condition characterized by thrombotic microangiopathy and has a high mortality rate when left untreated. Therapeutic plasma exchange is well established as the most effective and evidence-based treatment of TTP. Methods The ability to administer plasma exchange therapy is limited in Jehovah's Witnesses who decline blood products due to religious beliefs. Pegylated bovine carboxyhaemoglobin is a novel oxygen transfer agent in development for the management of complications of ischaemia due to acute anaemia. Results Treatment was well tolerated, with grade 1 paresthesia of the right face and arm 1 h after the first infusion of Sanguinate, which spontaneously resolved and did not recur, and grade 1 cardiac troponin elevation after receiving the medication (with peak at 0·079 ng mL−1), but further workup with electrocardiogram and echocardiogram was unremarkable. By discharge on day 19, the patient's haemoglobin increased to 8·8 g dL−1 and platelet count to 221 000. Conclusions We report the first case of TTP in a Jehovah's Witness that was successfully managed with the use of pegylated bovine carboxyhaemoglobin as an adjunct medication.
Composite spintronic accuracy-configurable adder for low power Digital Signal Processing

Approximate Computing as a promising approach in Digital Signal Processing applications has been extensively analyzed to trade off limited accuracy loss for improvements in other circuit metrics, such as area, power, and speed. Most previous works on approximate circuit design have hardwired the degree of approximation in their implementations. This significantly limits their applicability, since inherent resilience varies significantly within applications. To address this limitation, in this paper, we propose a compact and energy efficient accuracy-configurable adder design based on a composite spintronic device structure consisting of magnetic domain wall motion stripe and magnetic tunnel junction. By leveraging the intrinsic current-mode thresholding operation of the spintronic device, we initially propose a hybrid Spin-CMOS majority gate and then we employ it to design an accuracy-configurable full adder cell. The proposed adder is equipped with a control knob to regulate energy-efficiency and the output quality trade-offs by modulating the circuit into two distinct operation modes (approximation and precision) to obtain acceptable output quality and reduced power consumption. The device-circuit SPICE simulations show 34.58% and 66% improvement in power consumption for precision and approximation modes, respectively, over recently reported Domain Wall Motion-based full adder design. The area-efficient accuracy-configurable adder also exhibits 19% improvement in circuit complexity over state-of-the-art CMOS FA design. We demonstrate the efficacy of our proposed adder in discrete cosine transform computation for a digital image processing architecture.
Stochastic modeling of through the thickness permeability variation in a fabric and its effect on void formation during Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding

Abstract Resin flow during Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) process, when distribution media (DM) is placed on top of the reinforcement, is largely affected by variation in through the thickness permeability of a woven fabric. The variation in permeability is due to the random pinhole regions around the junctions of fiber tows as they are woven together to form a fabric preform. We characterize and model this pinhole effect on resin flow with the aim of exploring the role of DM permeability ( K DM ) on void formation. It was found that percentage of voids increases with higher K DM . Five hundred simulations were executed for low, medium and high K DM values and their effect on resin flow and void formation was investigated. Twenty experiments for each DM case were conducted. Flow along the bottom surface was recorded with time. It was observed that the flow front along the bottom became more uneven and irregular with higher K DM , which resulted in higher percentage of voids formed during the process. The numerical simulations qualitatively and quantitatively agreed with the experimentally measured behavior exhibiting higher percentage of unfilled region with increasing DM permeability.
Development and Testing of Gluten-Free Pasta Based on Rice, Quinoa and Amaranth Flours

The goal of this study was to make high quality gluten-free pasta using amaranth, quinoa and rice flours, water and eggs using extrusion processing, and to compare these with gluten-free pasta already commercialized. The difficulty was to reproduce the texture provided by the gluten network without using gluten. To do that, an experimental design was created in order to make samples with different quantities of each grain, egg whites and water. Samples were manufactured and various tests (e.g., color analysis, water activity, cooking loss, texture, etc.) were carried out in order to find the best formulation, namely the formulation which was closest to Barilla or Andean dream gluten-free commercial pasta. With Rcommander software, results were analyzed and it was determined that the best pasta formulation was 10% amaranth flour, 40% quinoa flour, and 50% rice flour, with 18% eggs whites and 39% water. This optimal formulation was manufactured and subjected to sensory analysis with other commercial samples (Barilla, Andean Dream). Statistical analyses were conducted and it was shown that, even though this formulation did not quite achieve Barilla or Andean Dream pastas quality, it approached closely in some parameters. Indeed, 80% of consumers did not refuse to eat this pasta again, and with addition of tomato sauce, no differences were seen between the spaghettis. However, individual sample analysis did indicate that consumers did not appreciate the formulation’s sticky texture, thus this parameter would have to be reworked to achieve higher quality.
The Intimate Knows No Boundaries: Global Circuits of Domestic Worker Organizing

This chapter interrogates the interaction between the local and the global by focusing on efforts to pass a Domestic Worker’s Bill of Rights at the state level in relation to ILO Convention 189. These legal instruments developed at the same time and involved policy feedback and policy transference despite varying political economies. Boris and Unden consider what roles the National Domestic Workers Alliance and US delegates played in the making of the ILO convention and then highlight how domestic workers in the US have deployed that convention in state-level campaigns. They analyze these local laws next to the ILO convention and its accompanying recommendation, noting the differences between the international (ILO), nation-states (country) and state (subnational) legislatures as interactive spheres of political power in shaping law, policy and enforcement. The ILO convention serves as an organizing and mobilizing device on the ground even though the US has not ratified it. The transnational emerges then as a space for struggle, showing that people are transnational, even if law and enforcement are not. Thus, Boris and Unden address migration and concepts of citizenship as part of their evaluation of the interplay between the international and the national.
Population Health Science and the Challenges of Prediction.

The editorialists discuss Dalton and colleagues' article and see it as a sobering reminder of the limitations of predictive models that fail to consider base prevalence and co-occurring factors.
Feedback control of proppant bank heights during hydraulic fracturing for enhanced productivity in shale formations

In hydraulic fracturing of shale formations, compared to conventional reservoirs, the fracturing fluid injected is of low-viscosity and hence during pumping the proppant settles significantly, forming a proppant bank. Motivated by this consideration, we initially develop a high-fidelity process model of hydraulic fracturing to describe the dominant proppant settling behavior during hydraulic fracturing. Second, a novel remeshing strategy is developed to handle the high computational requirement due to moving boundaries. Third, a section-based optimization method is employed to obtain key fracture design parameters for enhanced productivity in shale formations subject to given fracturing resources. Fourth, a reduced-order model is constructed to design a Kalman filter and to synthesize a real-time model-based feedback control system by explicitly taking into account actuator limitations, process safety and economic considerations. We demonstrate that the proposed control scheme can regulate the uniformity of proppant bank heights along the fracture at the end of pumping. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Cardiac ventricular support : Considerations for psychiatry

Cardiac ventricular support is fostering additional roles for psychiatric consultation with this vulnerable end-of-life cardiac group. Incidence of premorbid and postsurgical psychiatric disorders (Axis I), psychotropic use, neurologic events, and mortality was obtained for 21 Novacor left-ventricular assist system patients prospectively and 13 Abiomed left/right ventricular-assist device patients retrospectively. This fragile patient population and their families warrant involvement for psychiatry because of the extreme conditions and consequences associated with mechanical cardiac assistance. The authors address psychiatric morbidity and neurobehavioral modifications associated with ventricular support.
Exactly solvable orbifold models and subfactors

Since the pioneering work of V. F. R. Jones [J], the theory of subfactors has had deep and unexpected relations to 3-dimensional topology, conformal field theory, quantum groups, etc. Here we present a relation between paragroup theory of Ocneanu on subfactors and exactly solvable lattice models in statistical mechanics, and in particular, show usefulness of the notion of orbifold lattice models in subfactor theory. Classification of subfactors of the approximately finite dimensional (AFD) factor of type II1 is one of the most important and challenging problems in the theory of operator algebras. This is a study of inclusions of certain infinite dimensional simple algebras of bounded linear operators on a Hilbert space. The AFD type II1 factor, the operator algebra we work on, is the most natural infinite dimensional analogue of finite dimensional matrix algebras Mn(C) in a sense. (As a general reference on operator algebras, see [T], and as a basic reference on subfactor theory, we cite [GHJ]. All the basic notions are found there.) Here, by “a subfactor N ⊂ M” we mean that N and M are both AFD type II1 factor and N is a subalgebra of M . V. Jones studied the Jones index [J], a real-valued invariant for the inclusion N ⊂ M , which measures the relative size of M with respect to N , roughly speaking. A classification approach based on higher relative commutants were studied by several people such as Jones, Ocneanu, Pimsner and Popa. In this approach, the classification problem can be divided into the following 3 steps. (1) Prove that the subfactor can be approximated by certain increasing sequence of finite dimensional algebras called higher relative commutants. (2) Characterize the higher relative commutants in an axiomatic way. (3) Work on the axioms to classify higher relative commutants. Part (1) is quite functional analytic, but parts (2) and (3) are rather algebraic and combinatorial. We are concerned mainly with (2) and (3) in this paper. V. Jones noticed that some graph called “principal graph” appears naturally from the higher relative commutants. A. Ocneanu [O1] first claimed that Step (1) is possible in the case with certain finiteness condition called “finite depth,” which means that the principal graph is finite. As to Step (2), he further obtained a complete combinatorial characterization of higher relative commutants for the finite depth case, found a new algebraic structure, and named it paragroup. It was known that if the Jones
Advances in Neural Networks in Computational Mechanics and Engineering

A vast majority of engineering problems are inverse problems, while the mathematically based engineering problem solving methods and computational mechanics are primarily capable of solving forward problems. Nature has evolved highly effective, robust and imprecision tolerant problem solving strategies for very difficult inverse problems. Biologically inspired soft computing methods such as neural network, genetic algorithm and fuzzy logic inherit the basic characteristics of nature’s problem solving methods and, as such, they are suitable for inverse problems in engineering. In this chapter we start by discussing the fundamental differences between the mathematically based engineering problem solving methods and biologically inspired soft computing methods. Bulk of the rest of the chapter is devoted to applications of neural networks in computational mechanics and several difficult inverse engineering problems.
Asperger's Syndrome in the Classroom

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay's first paragraph. A German doctor, Hans Asperger, first described Asperger's syndrome in 1944. Asperger's syndrome, AS, has been classified as a type of autism, which itself was first described in 1943. Although no two children that suffer from AS are alike, "typically [they are] viewed as eccentric and peculiar by classmates ... [they] lack understanding of human relationships and the rules of social convention; they are naive and conspicuously lacking in common sense" (Williams). However, children with AS are noted to be of average to above-average intelligence and are characterized to have rote memories of high capacity. This article is available in The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol2/iss1/4 Asperger's Syndrome in the Classroom
Acute kidney injury as a rare manifestation of pediatric sarcoidosis: A case report and systematic literature review.

Abstract Background Sarcoidosis is a chronic noncaseating granulomatous disease with an unknown etiology that can affect multiple organs. Renal involvement in pediatric-onset adult-type sarcoidosis is rare, and only a few cases have been reported. We present a case of a Chinese patient with pediatric-onset adult-type sarcoidosis with renal involvement, and a literature review was performed. Methods The PubMed database was searched for publications, and relevant clinical data were extracted and presented. Results We identified 22 pediatric-onset adult-type sarcoidosis cases with renal involvement. Acute kidney injury was the major clinical presentation. Granulomatous interstitial nephritis was the predominant histopathological feature. All patients were treated with corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents, and most achieved improved outcome. Conclusions Sarcoidosis should be considered in children with acute kidney injury of an unknown etiology. A final diagnosis is established through a combination of the clinical and laboratory characteristics, radiological presentation, and histological features of noncaseating granulomas. A therapeutic schedule should be decided after a systemic assessment.
Long-Run Career Consequences for Andersen's Putative Partners

ABSTRACT The sudden collapse of Arthur Andersen & Co. (Andersen) in 2001–2002 altered the careers of many professionals who were employed by that international accounting firm. Now that many years ...
Recurrent phenotypic selection for resistance to diseases caused by Bipolaris oryzae in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.)

Abstract Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a biomass candidate crop which has been improved for yield, but disease resistance development has largely been ignored. Bipolaris oryzae (Breda de Haan) Shoemaker can cause Bipolaris seed rot, reducing seedling establishment, and Bipolaris leaf spot, reducing biomass yield. In order to initiate a breeding program, heritability based on half-sib progenies of the disease resistance were conducted in 47 half-sib progenies of lowland ‘Kanlow’ and upland ‘Cave-in-Rock’. Test crosses of progenies from resistant and susceptible parents in upland ‘Shelter’ and Cave-in-Rock were conducted to determine genetic control of resistance to Bipolaris leaf spot. To breed for resistance to two diseases, two cycles of recurrent phenotypic selection were done separately in Shelter and Cave-in-Rock at 10% selection intensity. As a result, resistance to Bipolaris seed rot showed moderate to high heritability (0.33 ± 0.16 to 0.83 ± 0.09) in both individual- and half-sib-based computations, reflecting actual genetic gain (44.5–125.3%) from two cycles of selections. However, resistance to Bipolaris leaf spot showed non-significant heritability (0.02 ± 0.06 to 0.19 ± 0.19) and non-significant progress of selection for the trait. Results from test crosses suggested that the resistance was not controlled by R genes but possibly was quantitatively inherited by many alleles with small effects. Such a difference in the gains resulted in non-significant correlation between two resistances. Due to high progress in selection resistance to Bipolaris seed rot, the screening method for resistance can be integrated to existing breeding programs.
Study Protocol for ‘Informing American Muslims about Organ Donation (I AM a LD)’

Background: American Muslims tend to hold more negative attitudes towards organ donation than other American populations, and these attitudes are contributed to by gaps in biomedical and religious knowledge. As a result, there is significant need for religiously-tailored health education on organ donation within this community. Thus our study sought to test the effectiveness of a mosque-based, religiously-tailored health education program that addressed biomedical and religious knowledge gaps regarding living organ donation amongst Muslim Americans. Methods: A randomized, controlled, cross-over trial of religiously-tailored educational workshops held at four mosques in Washington D.C. and Chicagoland. Mosques are randomized into early and late intervention arms and participants are recruited at worship services and other mosque events. The primary study outcomes are changes in biomedical and religious knowledge regarding living organ donation. Secondary outcomes include change in procedural knowledge about the process and types of living organ donation, beliefs regarding organ donation, and religious knowledge regarding end-of-life care. Funding and Ethics: This study is supported by a grant from the U.S. Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration and received ethics approval from the University of Chicago’s Biological Sciences Division Institutional Review Board.
Activation of Dioxygen by a Mononuclear Nonheme Iron Complex: Sequential Peroxo, Oxo, and Hydroxo Intermediates.

The activation of dioxygen by FeII(Me3TACN)(S2SiMe2) (1) is reported. Reaction of 1 with O2 at −135 °C in 2-MeTHF generates a thiolate-ligated (peroxo)diiron complex FeIII2(O2)(Me3TACN)2(S2SiMe2)2 ...
Subsidy Allocations in the Presence of Income Shocks

Poverty and economic hardship are understood to be highly complex and dynamic phenomena. Due to the multi-faceted nature of welfare, assistance programs targeted at alleviating hardship can face challenges, as they often rely on simpler welfare measurements, such as income or wealth, that fail to capture to full complexity of each family's state. Here, we explore one important dimension – susceptibility to income shocks. We introduce a model of welfare that incorporates income, wealth, and income shocks and analyze this model to show that it can vary, at times substantially, from measures of welfare that only use income or wealth. We then study the algorithmic problem of optimally allocating subsidies in the presence of income shocks. We consider two well-studied objectives: the first aims to minimize the expected number of agents that fall below a given welfare threshold (a min-sum objective) and the second aims to minimize the likelihood that the most vulnerable agent falls below this threshold (a min-max objective). We present optimal and near-optimal algorithms for various general settings. We close with a discussion on future directions on allocating societal resources and ethical implications of related approaches.
On Fundamental Principles for Thermal-Aware Design on Periodic Real-Time Multi-Core Systems

With the exponential rise of the transistor count in one chip, the thermal problem has become a pressing issue in computing system design. While there have been extensive methods and techniques published for design optimization with thermal awareness, there is a need for more rigorous and formal thermal analysis in designing real-time systems and applications that demand a strong exception guarantee. In this article, we analytically prove a series of fundamental properties and principles concerning the RC thermal model, peak temperature identification, and peak temperature reduction for periodic real-time systems, which are general enough to be applied on 2D and 3D multi-core platforms. These findings enhance the worst-case temperature predictability in runtime scenarios, as well as help to develop more effective thermal management policy, which is key to thermal-constrained periodic real-time system design.
Self-Emulsified Nanoemulsion for Vaginal Administration: In Vitro Study of Effect on Lactobacillus acidophilus.

Abstract Self-emulsified nanoemulsions (SENs), one of the promising lipid-based drug delivery systems may be used to deliver drugs through vaginal route. Vaginal cavity remains healthy because of the defensive action by its microflora against the pathogenic infections, and any disturbance to this microflora by the delivery systems gives invitation to the infections. In the present study, the growth inhibition and cytotoxic effects of two SENs and their components on L. acidophilus were evaluated. The two SENs showed inhibitory effects on the growth of L. acidophilus in a concentration-dependent manner when tested at the concentration range of 0.1–5.0%. The SEN composed of medium chain mono/di-glyceride had greater inhibitory effect than the one composed of long chain monoglyceride. The study on the effect by the individual lipids with the surfactant Kolliphor® RH40 further confirmed that the growth inhibitory and cytotoxic effects were in the order of Capmul® MCM > Maisine® CC > Miglyol® 810 > Kolliphor® RH40. Both OD600 and CFU counting were used to measure the viability of the culture. The results from the two methods were in good correlation except when there was no growth, suggesting OD600 can be used when there is no complete growth inhibition.
Compute-in-Memory for AI: From Inference to Training

To deploy the AI to the edge, compute-in-memory (CIM) with emerging non-volatile memory technologies is a promising solution with improved throughput and energy efficiency. First, DNN+NeuroSim benchmark framework is presented to assess the pros and cons of various device technologies for implementing C1M. Second, the grand challenges associated with inference engine design are discussed with the lessons learned from the XNOR-RRAM prototype chip. Third, the grand challenges associated with on-chip training are introduced and algorithm-level mitigation techniques are developed. To enable the on-chip training and subsequent inference in an integrated platform, a hybrid precision synapse combined with non-volatile memory and volatile memory (e.g. capacitor) is proposed. A 2-transistor-1-FeFET design is presented as a compact solution of the hybrid precision synapse.