cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The root cause of the Supreme Court's decision legalizing homosexual "marriage".

To the Editor of the Linacre Quarterly,We are all aware of the ruling of the United States Supreme Court legalizing homosexual marriage (Obergefell v. Hodges)1 throughout the country in June 2015. ...
Forming ethical identities in early childhood play

by Brian Edmiston, London, Routledge, 2008, 213 pp., £21.99 (paperback), ISBN 9‐780‐415435‐482 What do parents and educators do when a child pretends to be a roaring T. Rex who devours his victims ...
Methamphetamine addiction: involvement of CREB and neuroinflammatory signaling pathways.

Addiction to psychostimulant methamphetamine (METH) remains a major public health problem in the world. Animal models that use METH self-administration incorporate many features of human drug-taking behavior and are very helpful in elucidating mechanisms underlying METH addiction. These models are also helping to decipher the neurobiological substrates of associated neuropsychiatric complications. This review summarizes our work on the influence of METH self-administration on dopamine systems, transcription and immune responses in the brain. We used the rat model of METH self-administration with extended access (15 h/day for eight consecutive days) to investigate the effects of voluntary METH intake on the markers of dopamine system integrity and changes in gene expression observed in the brain at 2 h–1 month after cessation of drug exposure. Extended access to METH self-administration caused changes in the rat brain that are consistent with clinical findings reported in neuroimaging and postmortem studies of human METH addicts. In addition, gene expression studies using striatal tissues from METH self-administering rats revealed increased expression of genes involved in cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) signaling pathway and in the activation of neuroinflammatory response in the brain. These data show an association of METH exposure with activation of neuroplastic and neuroinflammatory cascades in the brain. The neuroplastic changes may be involved in promoting METH addiction. Neuroinflammatory processes in the striatum may underlie cognitive deficits, depression, and parkinsonism reported in METH addicts. Therapeutic approaches that include suppression of neuroinflammation may be beneficial to addicted patients.
The Historical Foundation of Law

The historical school of jurisprudence needs to be revived in order to reconcile the two other major schools - positivism and natural-law theory - and thus to create an integrative jurisprudence that will respond to the historical challenges that confront the Western legal tradition in the twenty-first century. Prior to the so-called Enlightenment of the 18th century, the three schools were not sharply separated. It was almost universally presupposed among Western legal philosophers that the tri-une God is the ultimate source of order, of justice, and of human destiny - all three. Thus it was possible to integrate in theological terms - despite differences between Roman Catholic and Protestant jurisprudence - the political, the moral, and the historical dimensions of law. Today the positivist interprets legal rules according to their plain meaning or, in case of ambiguity, according to the policies they represent, while the naturalist considers also the implicit moral purposes of the rules in the light of the system of justice of which they are a part. Missing in the debate between them is a recognition of the normative significance of the historical dimension of law, which may permit or even compel an accommodation between politics and morality. The historical school emerged as a separate school of legal philosophy in the early 19th century, after the positivist school had broken off from the natural law school. In arguing that Germany was not historically ready for the adoption of a civil code, Savigny wrote that "law is developed first by custom and belief of the people, then by legal science - everywhere, therefore, by internal, silently operating powers, not by the arbitrary will of the legislator." In the late 20th century the historical school, which had predominated for almost a century, came under attack in Europe and America partly for exalting the spirit of the nation as the ultimate source of the development of law and partly for demeaning the positive role of the will of the lawmaker. In the twenty-first century fundamental issues that now confront lawmakers require, for their proper solution, a broad historical perspective. The Western legal tradition is now in crisis partly because of the weakening of the belief system on which it was originally based and partly because it now confronts other legal traditions in the gradual construction of a body of transnational and transcultural world law.
Study of the Factors Affecting the Friction of Tread Compounds on Ice

Abstract The friction of tread compounds on ice is affected to a great extent by the methods and conditions of measurement. As velocity of sliding is increased from zero to about two centimeters per second, there is an increase in friction, after which there is a gradual decrease with further increase of velocity. Static friction depends on the length of time the sample is in stationary contact with the ice, and is of little practical significance. Of the test variables studied, temperature has the greatest influence. At the lowest temperatures used, −30 to −40° C, the coefficient was approximately double that usually observed slightly below the freezing point. Friction was also found to vary with pressure. An empirical equation of the form,k=C1−C2 log P, was found to fit results in many cases. Minor differences were noted, resulting from changes in sample shape and surface treatment. When testing conditions were held constant, it was found that several variables in the samples themselves affected the fri...
Effective Strategies for Nurses Empowering Clients With Schizophrenia: Medication Use as a Tool in Recovery

Clients with schizophrenia require maintenance treatment with antipsychotic medication and psychosocial therapy to maintain symptom control. Rates of medication adherence or follow-through are low in clients with schizophrenia. This increases the risk of relapse and contributes to poor quality of life. As educators and advisers, psychiatric nurses can collaborate with clients to improve adherence and other outcomes using shared decision-making techniques and tools that engage and empower clients to actively participate in decisions about their treatment. This article outlines effective strategies used by psychiatric nurses to improve outcomes in clients with schizophrenia and uses a case example for demonstrating this strategy in a client with schizophrenia.
Prevalence and risk factors of HIV infection among MSM in Xi'an City

Objective To analyze the data of Xi'an MSM HIV specific survey in 2013,to investigate the prevalence of HIV / Syphilis / HCV,and to explore the risk factors,so as to provide evidence for making effective prevention strategies. Methods Cross-sectional sentinel survey was performed among 600 MSM to collect behavior and serological test data. The risk factors were analyzed with single x2 test and multiple Logistic regressions. Results Average age of the MSM was( 28. 57 ± 7. 02) years,mainly Han. Awareness rate of HIV / AIDS knowledge was 77. 67%. During the past 6months,78. 33% of the MSM had anal sex and 78. 30% used condom in the last anal sex,6. 00% had commercial sex with men and 88. 89% used condom in the last commercial sex with men. HIV / confirmatory HIV / Syphilis / HCV infection rate was 9. 17%,4. 17%,4. 83% and 0. 50%,respectively. Single factor analysis showed that sample source,education level and Venereal disease during the past year were risk factors of HIV infection. The results of multivariate analysis showed that education level was the protective factor. The risk of having venereal disease during the past year was 2. 53 times. And syphilis positive was 3. 17 times dangerous than negative. Conclusions HIV infection among MSM in Xi'an is quite serious. Publicity and education should be expanded,and condom use should be promoted persistently. STD preventive services need to be strengthened to control the spread of HIV in the population.
Suggestion of developing high energy-consuming industries of Gansu province

The article analyzes deeply the main reasons that influences development of high energy-consuming industries of Gansu province on the basis of development status and problems of high energy-consuming industries,proposes suggestions and comments to healthily developing high energy-consuming industries combined with analysis of the development’s advantages of developing high energy-consuming industrial in Gansu province.It provides ideas and advice for Gansu province to effectively solve the development problems of high energy-consuming industries.
On the nature of unintentional action: a study of force/moment drifts during multifinger tasks

We suggest a mechanism of unintentional changes in finger forces based on the idea of control with referent coordinates. Nontrivial predictions of this scheme are tested, including drifts in total ...
Concurrence of Axis I and Axis II Illness in Treatment-Resistant Hospitalized Patients

Initial results of a retrospective chart study of treatment-resistant hospitalized patients is described, showing an association between Axis I and Axis II prevalence in this group. Implications for hospital treatment are listed.
Identity Scripts & Democratic Deliberation

This Article contributes to the literature on negotiation of identity scripts. For an example of such negotiation, consider the prominent case of Barack Obama. Commentators have noted that Americans typically perceive President Obama as a black man and ascribe him corresponding scripts — that is to say, socially constructed expectations — for “acting black.” Commentators also believe President Obama has negotiated these scripts to attain and maintain power. The negotiation process entails alternating between performance and rejection of scripted black identity.Existing literature explores the harmful effects of ascribed identity scripts and prescribes remedies accordingly. While this scholarship generally focuses on the harms suffered by individuals, this Article takes a different tack, illuminating harms at a systemic level — harms to deliberative democracy. This Article posits that ascribed identity scripts undermine democratic deliberation in at least three regards. First, they create barriers to entry, limiting the scope of participants in democratic deliberation. For example, only African Americans who associate and disassociate with black identity scripts in very particular ways can achieve standing on the political stage. By unduly limiting the scope of individuals who successfully mount the political stage, identity scripts undermine the collective ideal of democratic governance. Second, script negotiations distort the deliberative conversations that ensue among political actors because script negotiations often involve self-censorship. Third, identity scripts distort the way communications are received during deliberation. This Article elaborates on these three dynamics and explores how equal protection jurisprudence can ameliorate them.
Vacuum system upgrade for extended Q-range small-angle neutron scattering diffractometer (EQ-SANS) at SNS

Abstract The Extended Q-range Small-angle Neutron Scattering Diffractometer (EQ-SANS) instrument at the spallation neutron source (SNS), Oak Ridge, Tennessee, incorporates a 69 m3 detector vessel with a vacuum system which required an upgrade with respect to performance, ease of operation, and maintenance. The upgrade focused on improving pumping performance as well as optimizing system design to minimize opportunity for operational error. This upgrade provided the following practical contributions: • Reduced time required to evacuate from atmospheric pressure to 2 mTorr from 500 to 1000 min to 60–70 min • Provided turn-key automated control with a multi-faceted interlock for personnel and machine safety.
DotLens smartphone microscopy for biological and biomedical applications (Conference Presentation)

Recent advances in inkjet-printed optics have created a new class of lens fabrication technique. Lenses with a tunable geometry, magnification, and focal length can be fabricated by dispensing controlled amounts of liquid polymer onto a heated surface. This fabrication technique is highly cost-effective, and can achieve optically smooth surface finish. Dubbed DotLens, a single of which weighs less than 50 mg and occupies a volume less than 50 μL. DotLens can be attached onto any smartphone camera akin to a contact lens, and enable smartphones to obtain image resolution as fine as 1 µm. The surface curvature modifies the optical path of light to the image sensor, and enables the camera to focus as close as 2 mm. This enables microscopic imaging on a smartphone without any additional attachments, and has shown great potential in mobile point-of-care diagnostic systems, particularly for histology of tissue sections and cytology of blood cells. DotLens Smartphone Microscopy represents an innovative approach fundamentally different from other smartphone microscopes. In this paper, we describe the application and performance of DotLens smartphone microscopy in biological and biomedical research. In particular, we show recent results from images collected from pathology tissue slides with cancer features. In addition, we show performance in cytological analysis of blood smear. This tool has empowered Citizen Science investigators to collect microscopic images from various interesting objects.
Base station prediction and proactive mobility management in virtual cells using recurrent neural networks

Multicell cooperation in 5G next-generation wireless networks is essential to increasing multiuser channel capacity. Multiple base stations need to coherently process their transmitted (or received) data streams to mitigate inter-cell interference and achieve significant diversity gains. This is only possible if the correct base stations are selected. As users demand higher data rates at higher mobility, the time required to predict the optimal set of base stations to create a virtual cell is significantly reduced. In this paper, a method based on a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) is presented to rapidly predict the next base station that a mobile node will associate with. RNNs have been used in machine learning to identify sequential data patterns such as required in protein sequence classification. In this research a RNN, trained using sequences of Received Signal Strength (RSS) values, is used to predict base station association. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed machine learning method achieves an accuracy of over 98% to predict the optimal virtual cell topology in the time required based on the mobility of users.
Population Pharmacokinetics of Enoxaparin in Pediatric Patients.

Background: There are no studies evaluating the pharmacokinetics of enoxaparin in the hospitalized pediatric patient population. Objective: To characterize the pharmacokinetics of enoxaparin in ped...
Elementary Constructions of Persian Mosaics

(2006). Elementary Constructions of Persian Mosaics. Math Horizons: Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 10-39.
Directive-Based, High-Level Programming and Optimizations for High-Performance Computing with FPGAs

Reconfigurable architectures like Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) have been used for accelerating computations from several domains because of their unique combination of flexibility, performance, and power efficiency. However, FPGAs have not been widely used for high-performance computing, primarily because of their programming complexity and difficulties in optimizing performance. In this paper, we present a directive-based, high-level optimization framework for high-performance computing with FPGAs, built on top of an OpenACC-to-FPGA translation framework called OpenARC. We propose directive extensions and corresponding compile-time optimization techniques to enable the compiler to generate more efficient FPGA hardware configuration files. Empirical evaluation of the proposed framework on an Intel Stratix V with five OpenACC benchmarks from various application domains shows that FPGA-specific optimizations can lead to significant increases in performance across all tested applications. We also demonstrate that applying these high-level directive-based optimizations can allow OpenACC applications to perform similarly to lower-level OpenCL applications with hand-written FPGA-specific optimizations, and offer runtime and power performance benefits compared to CPUs and GPUs.
Simultaneous Measurement of Force and Conductance Across Single Molecule Junctions

Measurement of electronics and mechanics of single molecules provides a fundamental understanding of conductance as well as bonding at the atomic scale. To study the mechanics at these length scales, we have built a conducting atomic force microscope (AFM) optimized for high displacement and force resolution. Here, we simultaneously measure conductance and force across single Au-molecule-Au junctions in order to obtain complementary information about the electronics and structure in these systems. First we show that single-atom Au contacts, which have a conductance of G0 (2e2/h), have a rupture force of about 1.4 nN, in excellent agreement with previous theoretical and experimental studies. For a series of amine and pyridine linked molecules which are bound to Au electrodes through an Au-N donor-acceptor bond, we observe that the rupture force depends on the backbone chemistry and can range from 0.5 to 0.8 nN. We also study junctions formed with molecules that bind through P-Au and S-Au interactions. We find that both the conductance signatures and junction evolution of covalent S-Au bond (thiolate) and a donor-acceptor S-Au bond (thiol) are dramatically different. Finally, we perform density functional theory based adiabatic molecular junction elongation and rupture calculations which give us an insight into the underlying mechanisms in these experiments.
The Optimal Employment of Supply Chain management Decision Support Agents: an Exploratory Study

The issue of interest here is the employment of decision support agents in supply chain management. The study discusses the sorts of supply-related managerial tasks that decision support agents have been assigned, and how well or poorly they have performed these tasks. This research suggests the reasons why organizations might elect to invest supply chain management responsibilities in decision support agents rather than human functionaries. Finally, this research concludes by presenting a "best fit" construct for optimal decision making opportunities.
UNFRAMING THE FRAME PROBLEM

The predicate calculus is uncommitted to any ontology. Consequently it has a nearly boundless domain of application. The price for this generality is that some pervasive properties of a domain are represented at great implementation costs. The frame problem is an example par excellence. To cope with this problem we propose to employ a fragment of intensional logic. Consequently frame axioms - or their equivalents - have only to be injected for those entities that are affected by an event, i.e. those for which a new extension must be introduced. The situation calculus allows the description of a state of affairs to coexist with the history. This property is preserved in our proposal.
Information quality in internet commerce design

Internet business will mature and become part of the mainstream business in the near future. Many consumers still do not feel comfortable purchasing online and poor quality Web site design is often cited as a reason. Information and design quality are recognized as significant factors affecting the effectiveness of Web sites, and are among the issues that will determine the ability of businesses to reap the full benefits of Internet commerce. In this chapter, we seek to develop a framework identifying the key features and facilities of Internet commerce Web sites. Once developed, the framework will enable an assessment of the Web site’s design and information quality against a standard set of key characteristics or features.
Formalizing artistic techniques and scientific visualization for painted renditions of complex information spaces

This paper describes a new method for visualizing complex information spaces as painted images. Scientific visualization converts data into pictures that allow viewers to "see" trends, relationships, and patterns. We introduce a formal definition of the correspondence between traditional visualization techniques and painterly styles from the Impressionist art movement. This correspondence allows us to apply perceptual guidelines from visualization to control the presentation of information in a computer-generated painting. The result is an image that is visually engaging, but that also allows viewers to rapidly and accurately explore and analyze the underlying data values. We conclude by applying our technique to a collection of environmental and weather readings, to demonstrate its viability in a practical, real-world visualization environment.
Addition of Amino Acids and Related Substances to Nucleic Acids by Nucleophilic Catalysis

Little attention has been paid to nucleophilic reactants when considering the biologically important transformations of nucleic acids. The role of free radical processes in the radiation chemistry and photochemistry of nucleic acids is well appreciated (Smith, 1975). In the case of chemical carcinogenesis, it has been suggested that the ultimate carcinogens are often, or perhaps always, strong electrophilic reagents (Miller, 1970; Heidelberger, This Volume). Nucleic acids, do, however, contain a number of sites susceptible to nucleophilic attack, and there is no obvious reason why alterations at these positions should be of less significance then changes produced at other locations by other mechanisms. In fact, nucleophilic reactions on nucleic acid are involved in a number of biologically important processes.
Functional health status of adults with serious mental illness and diabetes mellitus: A latent profile analysis.

ObjectiveAdults with serious mental illness are at increased risk for diabetes mellitus and diabetes-related complications. This article classifies subgroups among people with serious mental illnes...
Double-blind comparison of the two hallucinogens psilocybin and dextromethorphan: effects on cognition

Classic psychedelics (serotonin 2A receptor agonists) and dissociative hallucinogens (NMDA receptor antagonists), though differing in pharmacology, may share neuropsychological effects. These drugs, however, have undergone limited direct comparison. This report presents data from a double-blind, placebo-controlled within-subjects study comparing the neuropsychological effects of multiple doses of the classic psychedelic psilocybin with the effects of a single high dose of the dissociative hallucinogen dextromethorphan (DXM). Twenty hallucinogen users (11 females) completed neurocognitive assessments during five blinded drug administration sessions (10, 20, and 30 mg/70 kg psilocybin; 400 mg/70 kg DXM; and placebo) in which participants and study staff were informed that a large range of possible drug conditions may have been administered. Global cognitive impairment, assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination during peak drug effects, was not observed with psilocybin or DXM. Orderly and dose-dependent effects of psilocybin were observed on psychomotor performance, working memory, episodic memory, associative learning, and visual perception. Effects of DXM on psychomotor performance, visual perception, and associative learning were in the range of effects of a moderate to high dose (20 to 30 mg/70 kg) of psilocybin. This was the first study of the dose effects of psilocybin on a large battery of neurocognitive assessments. Evidence of delirium or global cognitive impairment was not observed with either psilocybin or DXM. Psilocybin had greater effects than DXM on working memory. DXM had greater effects than all psilocybin doses on balance, episodic memory, response inhibition, and executive control.
Mitochondrial Heterogeneity Unveils Properties of Quiescent Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) produce all blood cells throughout life. This capacity is sustained by HSC quiescence that is compromised with age. Quiescent HSCs are maintained in hypoxic niches, are exquisitely sensitive to levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and are thought to rely on glycolysis for their fuel. It remains unknown whether HSC quiescence depends also on mitochondria. Our work suggests that phenotypically defined HSC are highly heterogeneous in their mitochondrial content and function. We find that mitochondrial activity largely segregates quiescent (G0) from cycling-primed (G1) HSCs. Taking advantage of mitochondrial heterogeneity, our work identifies properties specifically associated with quiescent versus primed HSCs. Notably, we find glycolysis to be key in sustaining primed but not quiescent HSCs. Our work also unveils a new mechanism implicated in the maintenance of HSC quiescence that is compromised with age. These findings suggest that mitochondrial heterogeneity further subdivide HSC subpopulations with distinct ROS levels. These findings and how they may relate to our knowledge of ROS regulation of HSC will be discussed.
QUICKEST FREEWAY ACCIDENT DETECTION UNDER UNKNOWN POST-ACCIDENT CONDITIONS

Accurate traffic accident detection is crucial to improving road safety conditions and route navigation, and to making informed decisions in urban planning among others. This paper proposes a Bayesian quickest change detection approach for accurate freeway accident detection in near–real–time based on speed sensor readings. Since post–accident conditions are hardly known, a maximum likelihood method is devised to track the relevant unknown parameters over time. Four aggregation schemes are designed to exploit the spatial correlation among sensors. Evaluation on real–world data collected from the I405 freeway in the Los Angeles County demonstrates significant gains as compared to the state–of– the–art in terms of average detection delay and probability of false alarm by up to 58.9% and 81.5%, respectively.
What is a hemodynamically significant PDA in preterm infants

Objective There is no consensus on the definition of a hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hsPDA). In this review article, our objective is to discuss the main variables that one should consider when determining the hemodynamic significance of a PDA. Results We describe the various approaches that have been utilized over time to define an hsPDA and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each echocardiographic index. Finally, we propose a comprehensive and individualized approach in determining the hemodynamic significance of the PDA. Conclusion There are several PDA-related clinical, echocardiographic, and other objective variables to take into consideration when defining an hsPDA. However, vulnerability based on gestational or chronological age is an important contributor as well.
The Role of Prebiotics in Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Abstract Prebiotics are nondigestible food ingredients that have beneficial effects on human health. Recently, these ingredients have garnered increasing attention, particularly for their role in feeding beneficial bacteria within the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, synbiotic (combination of pre- and probiotics) approaches have been studied as therapeutic strategies in several clinical conditions and have shown the potential to improve host health. This chapter provides an overview of how prebiotics and synbiotics can modulate the gut microbiota within the context of disease prevention and the promotion of good health. The chapter also highlights the concerns regarding potential stimulating effect of prebiotics on other harmful bacteria.
The Accuracy and Cost-Effectiveness of Selective Fetal Echocardiography for the Diagnosis of Congenital Heart Disease in Patients with Pregestational Diabetes Stratified by Hemoglobin A1c.

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of antenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD) using screening methods including a combination of elevated hemoglobin A1c, detailed anatomy ultrasound, and fetal echocardiography. Study Design This is a retrospective cohort study of all pregnancies complicated by pregestational diabetes from January 2012 to December 2016. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were calculated for each screening regimen. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated for each regimen with effectiveness defined as additional CHD diagnosed. Results A total of 378 patients met inclusion criteria with an overall prevalence of CHD of 4.0% (n = 15). When compared with a detailed ultrasound, fetal echocardiography had a higher sensitivity (73.3 vs. 40.0%). However, all cases of major CHD were detected by detailed ultrasound (n = 6). Using an elevated early A1c > 7.7% and a detailed ultrasound resulted in a sensitivity and specificity of 60.0 and 99.4%, respectively. The use of selective fetal echocardiography for an A1c > 7.7% or abnormal detailed anatomy ultrasound would result in a 63.3% reduction in cost per each additional minor CHD diagnosed (ICER: $18,290.52 vs. $28,875.67). Conclusion Fetal echocardiography appears to have limited diagnostic value in women with pregestational diabetes. However, these results may not be generalizable outside of a high-volume academic setting.
Decentralized electricity market with transactive energy – A path forward

Abstract Discussions about the future decentralized electricity market include concepts such as transactive energy, energy hub, transmission & distribution coordination, and distributional market pricing. As the advent of the smart grid approaches, the design of a realizable market paradigm that can integrate the wholesale market with the retail market and individualized customers calls for solution. This article provides a summary of the insights achieved to date into the transmission/distribution/customer hierarchy, with a focus on the relation between transactive energy and distribution marginal pricing; it also addresses the ongoing challenges and provides suggestions for future work.
Data Fusion of Nonoptimized Models: Applications to Outlier Detection, Classification, and Image Library Searching

Abstract This chapter introduces an approach to fusion removing the model optimization step common to outlier detection and classification methods. In outlier detection and classification, the end result is usually based on single models optimized to respective tuning parameter values. To avoid the ambiguous decision of determining which modeling method followed by optimization, multiple nonoptimized methods are simultaneously evaluated and fused. For example, instead of optimizing the number of latent variables (LVs) for partial least squares discriminant analysis, a window of LVs is used thereby removing subjectivity and avoiding local model anomalies. Because models are not optimized, computed sample raw values can be used, eliminating the need to determine respective thresholds for decision purposes. This novel approach is described followed by application to outlier detection and classification. Application of this fusion approach is briefly mentioned for a thermal image recognition study of defaced serial numbers on metal objects.
Making an expert: Sources and their contributions in news coverage of orthorexia nervosa:

In 1997, Steven Bratman, a physician specializing in alternative medicine, proposed he had identified a new eating disorder, a pathological fixation with healthy eating. Soon after, orthorexia nerv...
An Incomplete Death: Artificial Hydration/Nutrition and the PVS Patient

The 2004 statement of the late Pope John Paul II, “Care for Patients in a ‘Permanent’ Vegetative State,” highlighted the need to review the Catholic moral tradition concerning artificial hydration ...
Physics Constrained Learning for Data-driven Inverse Modeling from Sparse Observations.

Deep neural networks (DNN) have been used to model nonlinear relations between physical quantities. Those DNNs are embedded in physical systems described by partial differential equations (PDE) and trained by minimizing a loss function that measures the discrepancy between predictions and observations in some chosen norm. This loss function often includes the PDE constraints as a penalty term when only sparse observations are available. As a result, the PDE is only satisfied approximately by the solution. However, the penalty term typically slows down the convergence of the optimizer for stiff problems. We present a new approach that trains the embedded DNNs while numerically satisfying the PDE constraints. We develop an algorithm that enables differentiating both explicit and implicit numerical solvers in reverse-mode automatic differentiation. This allows the gradients of the DNNs and the PDE solvers to be computed in a unified framework. We demonstrate that our approach enjoys faster convergence and better stability in relatively stiff problems compared to the penalty method. Our approach allows for the potential to solve and accelerate a wide range of data-driven inverse modeling, where the physical constraints are described by PDEs and need to be satisfied accurately.
Clinical factors before or after device implantation in predicting metal hypersensitivity reactions: A retrospective study

Background Metal hypersensitivity reactions (MHR) as a cause of implant-related complications are highly debated and recommendations regarding pre-procedural allergy evaluation vary dramatically. Objective To examine patients referred before or after device implantation and identify factors that could be useful to guide the value of patch testing. Methods Patients who underwent patch testing pre- or post-device implantation between July 2006 and September 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. Results A series of 127 patients underwent patch testing: pre-implantation (n = 40) and post-implantation (n = 87). In the pre-implant group, a history of metal allergy demonstrated high sensitivity (0.94; 95% CI: 0.83-1.00) and negative likelihood ratio (0.17; 95% CI:0.02-1.29) for diagnosing MHR. No predictive value could be ascribed to any of the clinical symptoms (e.g. dermatitis, pain, swelling, implant failure, and/or other symptoms) for patients referred following orthopaedic and dental post device implantation. Eight patients in the orthopaedic group and six patients in dental group with relevant patch test reactions underwent implant revisions, and seven and five patients improved, respectively. Conclusions Pre-implant patch testing for selected individuals with a history of metal allergy can help guide implant choice. Post-implant patch testing may be helpful in some patients if other causes have been excluded, as patients with confirmed MHR benefited from revisions.
Associations of warzone veteran mental health with partner mental health and family functioning: Family Foundations Study

Introduction Warzone participation is associated with increased risk of stress-related psychopathology, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Prior research suggests that the mental health of spouses of warzone veterans (WZVs) is linked to that of their partners. Additionally, PTSD among WZVs has been associated with marital dysfunction. Less is known about the effects of depression among WZVs on partner mental health and family relationships. We sought in this study to examine associations between WZV PTSD and depression and partner mental health and relationship outcomes. Methods Using a nationally dispersed sample of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their married and unmarried intimate partners, 245 dyads completed structured psychiatric interviews and psychometric surveys assessing family functioning and relationship aggression. Results Adjusted regression analyses indicated that depression among WZVs was associated with partner depression and anxiety disorders. WZV PTSD and depression were also associated with partner-reported relationship dysfunction, dissatisfaction, and communication issues, and higher rates of intimate partner aggression victimization and perpetration. Conclusions Mental health consequences of war extend beyond WZVs to the mental health of their intimate partners and their relationships with intimate partners.
Using conjoint analysis to study health policy changes: An example from a cohort of persons who use drugs.

Abstract Background Historically, persons who use drugs (PWUDs) in the United States have often lacked health insurance, as Medicaid did not cover low-income adults. The Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) increased access to insurance in states, such as Kentucky, that expanded their Medicaid programs. A cohort study of PWUDs in Kentucky found the prevalence of being insured increased from 34% pre-ACA to 87% post-ACA. However, changes to Medicaid were proposed that intended to restrict access to this program. This manuscript describes the feasibility and utility of conjoint analysis, an innovative method for studying decision-making, to identify potential impacts of health policy changes on PWUDs. Methods IBM SPSS's “orthogonal design” command was used to construct 12 policy profiles that presented varying combinations of the proposed policy changes to Kentucky's Medicaid plan. Each policy profile presented information on (1) monthly premium costs, (2) penalties for not paying monthly premiums, (3) weekly work requirements, and (4) if their preferred physician accepted the plan for payment. Readability of the policy profiles was analyzed using the Readable.io application. The policy profiles were included in a recent follow-up of a longitudinal cohort of PWUDs in Appalachian Kentucky (n = 355). Participants rated the likelihood of enrolling in each policy profile's Medicaid plan, using a scale ranging from 0=not at all likely to 10=extremely likely. Data were analyzed using SPSS's conjoint analysis commands. Results Readability results indicated the policy profiles required a 3rd grade education. Nearly all participants responded to each of the 12 policy profiles. Across the policy profiles, the mean response for willingness to enroll was 3.43 (SD = 3.61), indicating relatively low willingness to enroll. Conjoint analysis revealed the two most influential factors on willingness to enroll were work requirements (importance score, IS = 77.63) and monthly premium costs (IS = 17.76). Penalties for nonpayment (IS = 0.43) and physician acceptance (IS = 4.13) had minimal influence. Conclusions This research demonstrates the feasibility of using conjoint analysis to study the impacts of potential policy changes on PWUDs.
Object-oriented methods in Bayesian 3-D tomographic reconstruction from radiographs

Maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) estimation is the method of choice in many sparse data problems in reconstruction from projections. But with low signal-to-noise ratios, MAP tends to yield very conservative estimates, necessitating adjustment of the parameters which are to describe random fields regardless of noise levels in data. We propose a nonstationary Markov random field model, with the local variations in parameters due to the presence of objects, whose precise form and size are random. The problem is formulated as maximum-likelihood estimation, with the locations of the objects as parameters. The random field is then Markov, conditioned on the parameters set by object detection, allowing MAP reconstruction of the most likely field. With the estimated locations of the objects, the MAP reconstruction, conditioned on their presence, yields estimates of improved accuracy, without noise-dependent adjustment of the Markov model. >
Analog Research Methods

Analog research measures phenomena of interest through an emulation of real-life events. “Analog” is derived from the same root as “analogy”—an analog is like something else. What is measured or studied in analog research is a stand-in for the actual behavior or phenomenon of interest. Keywords: analog research; simulation research; naturalistic research; behavioral observation; external validity
Electrochemical studies of methyl substituted 1,4-quinones: Part I. The electrochemical dimerization of duroquinone

Abstract The electrochemical reduction of duroquinone produces diduroquinone in high yields. The dimerization is proposed to proceed via a catalytic process as the current passed is much less than one electron per molecule. Diduroquinone can be electrochemically cleaved to duroquinone anion radical by reduction. Several possible mechanisms are presented to explain the catalytic dimerization of duroquinone.
Use of Industrial By-Products in Urban Roadway Infrastructure Argument for Increased Industrial Ecology

Summary Incorporating the beneficial use of industrial by-products into the industrial ecology of an urban region as a substitute or supplement for natural aggregate can potentially reduce life cycle impacts. This article specifically looks at the utilization of industrial by-products (IBPs) (coal ash, foundry sand, and foundry slag) as aggregate for roadway sub-base construction for the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, urban region. The scenarios compare the use of virgin aggregate with the use of a combination of both virgin and IBP aggregate, where the aggregate material is selected based on proximity to the construction site and allows for minimization of transportation impacts. The results indicate that the use of IBPs to supplement virgin aggregate on a regional level has the potential of reducing impacts related to energy use, global warming potential, and emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), PM10 (particulate matter—10 microns), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb). Regional management of industrial byproducts would allow for the incorporation of these materials into the industrial ecology of a region and reduce impacts from the disposal of the IBP materials and the extraction of virgin materials and minimize the impacts from transportation. The combination of reduced economic and environmental costs provides a strong argument for state transportation agencies to develop symbiotic relationships with large IBP producers in their regions to minimize impacts associated with roadway construction and maintenance—with the additional benefit of improved management of these materials.
Evolutionary aspects of lithosphere discontinuity structure in the western U.S.

[1] We have produced common conversion point (CCP) stacked Ps and Sp receiver function image volumes of the Moho and lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB) beneath the western United States using Transportable Array data. The large image volumes and the diversity of tectonic environments they encompass allow us to investigate evolution of these structural discontinuities. The Moho is a nearly continuous topographic surface, whereas the LAB is not and the seismic images show a more complex expression. The first order change in LAB depth in the western U.S. occurs along the Cordilleran hingeline, the former Laurasian passive margin along the southwestern Precambrian North American terranes. The LAB is about 50% deeper to the east of the hingeline than to the west, with most of the increase in LAB thickness being in the mantle lithosphere. We infer that the Moho and the LAB are Late Mesozoic or Cenozoic everywhere west of the hingeline, modified during Farallon subduction and its aftermath. Between the hingeline and the Rocky Mountain Front, the LAB, and to a lesser extent the Moho, have been partially reset during the Cenozoic by processes that continue today. Seismicity and recent volcanism in the interior of the western U.S. are concentrated along gradients in crustal and/or lithospheric thickness, for example the hingeline, and the eastern edge of the coastal volcanic-magmatic terranes. To us this suggests that lateral gradients in integrated lithospheric strength focus deformation. Similarly, areas conjectured to be the sites of convective downwellings and associated volcanism are located along gradients in regional lithosphere thickness.
Ex Uno Plura

T cells that respond quickly to infection and later to reinfection arise from a single precursor cell type.
Pentaketide metabolites of verticillium dahliae : Identification of (+)-scytalone as a natural precursor to melanin

Abstract Culture filtrates of the brown brm-1 mutant of Verticillium dahliae Kleb. restored normal black pigment (melanin) synthesis when added to plate cultures of 10 albino mutants. The active metabolite was isolated and identified as (+)-scytalone [3,4-dihydro-3,6,8-trihydroxy-1(2H)naphthalenone] by physical characteristics (m.p., UV, IR, NMR, MS) and chemical conversions. Related metabolites, flaviolin and cis-hydroxyscytalone, were also isolated and identified. Flaviolin and its derivatives contribute to the reddish brown color of the brm-1 mutant. Scytalone may be a general intermediate of melanin biosynthesis in fungi.
Seasonality of Dissolved Rare Earth Elements in the Lower Mississippi River

[1] Dissolved rare earth element (REE) concentrations were determined in a 27-month time series of the lower Mississippi River. Overall, the results agree with limited previous investigations; that is, the river shows enrichment of heavy REEs relative to light REEs and also has a significant Ce anomaly. However, the previous investigations relied on only single samples from the river. This seasonal investigation reveals significant temporal variations in the river's REE chemistry. In particular, large (approximately fivefold) variations in light REE concentrations are observed. The light REEs follow a seasonality similar to particle-reactive trace elements. Also, the Ce anomaly shows a corresponding seasonality with greatest fractionation when dissolved concentrations are lowest. The time series encompassed a period of extreme flooding in the U.S. Midwest. However, this event did not appear to affect dissolved REE concentrations. The results of this study are compatible with previous observations of dissolved trace elements in the lower Mississippi River which suggested the importance of redox processes within the river system in controlling seasonal concentration variability for many of these elements. Additionally, speciation modeling indicates that carbonate complexes likely dominate the solution chemistry of REEs in the lower Mississippi. The observed behavior of the dissolved REEs is likewise compatible with this speciation.
Corporate Software Engineering Education for Six Sigma: Course Development and Assessment of Success

This paper describes the development process for a course used to help increase the level of maturity of software development at Motorola. We also describe the contents of the course and the experiences teaching it worldwide. The course is part of Motorola's comprehensive software engineering improvement program geared towards achieving Six Sigma quality levels. Course development was driven by an extensive requirements analysis. The requirements were then used to determine course topics and priorities, instructional sequence and course duration. We also report on course contents and the course's impact on the organization.
Metabolic parameters of the earthworm Eisenia foetida in relation to temperature

Comparisons of rate of achieving sexual maturity, cocoon production, and growth rate at six temperatures between 15 and 30 degrees C led to the conclusion that the earthworm Eisenia foetida can be produced optimally over the range 18-25 degrees C and perhaps maximally at 20 degrees C.