cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Data Mining and Applied Linear Algebra

In this era of hyper-technological innovation, massive amounts of data are being generated at almost every level of applications in almost every area of disciplines. Extracting interesting knowledge from raw data, or data mining in a broader sense, has become an indispensable task. Nevertheless, data collected from complex phenomena represent often the integrated result of several interrelated variables, whereas these variables are less precisely defined. The basic principle of data mining is to distinguish which variable is related to which and how the variables are related. In many situations, the digitized information is gathered and stored as a data matrix. It is often the case, or so assumed, that the exogenous variables depend on the endogenous variables in a linear relationship. Retrieving "useful" information therefore can often be characterized as finding "suitable" matrix factorization. This paper offers a synopsis from this prospect on how linear algebra techniques can help to carry out the task of data mining. Examples from factor analysis, cluster analysis, latent semantic indexing and link analysis are used to demonstrate how matrix factorization helps to uncover hidden connection and do things fast. Low rank matrix approximation plays a fundamental role in cleaning the data and compressing the data. Other types of constraints, such as nonnegativity, will also be briefly discussed.
Persistence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in experimentally infected swine

Abstract These experiments determined the ability of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to colonize and persist in pigs simultaneously inoculated with other pathogenic E. coli strains. Three-months-old pigs were inoculated with a mixture of five E. coli strains. The mixture included two Shiga toxigenic E. coli (STEC) O157:H7 strains, two enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) strains and one enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strain. A high dose mixture with all five strains at 10 10 CFU/animal (CFU: colony forming units) and a low dose mixture with the STEC strains at 10 7 CFU and the EPEC and ETEC strains remaining at 10 10 CFU were used. The STEC strains persisted in the alimentary tracts of some pigs at 2 months post-inoculation, following inoculation with both the high and low dose mixtures. When all strains were given at 10 10 CFU (high dose) the STEC strains persisted in greater numbers and in more pigs than did the other E. coli strains. The results demonstrated that persistent colonization (≥2 months) by E. coli O157:H7 can occur in pigs. These findings were similar to those reported from sheep inoculated with the same mixture of E. coli strains. The results are consistent with reports suggesting that pigs have the potential to be reservoir hosts for STEC O157:H7.
SWINE INFLUENZA : II. A HEMOPHILIC BACILLUS FROM THE RESPIRATORY TRACT OF INFECTED SWINE.

1. A hemophilic bacillus has been regularly obtained in culture from the respiratory tract of a series of swine experimentally infected with swine influenza and from a small number of spontaneous field cases of the disease. It has not been observed in respiratory tract cultures from a group of swine free from influenza. 2. The cultural and morphological characters of the organism have been described and the name Hemophilus influenzas (variety suis) suggested. The organism exhibits marked serological diversity, since only two out of eight strains studied were serologically identical. It is usually non-pathogenic for rabbits and white rats, and irregularly pathogenic for white mice. One strain of the organism was pathogenic for guinea pigs while two others were not. 3. Eleven out of thirteen attempts to induce symptoms of disease in swine by intranasal inoculation with pure cultures of H. influenzae suis were entirely negative. The remaining two attempts which suggested a positive result have been discussed. 4. Attention has been called to the marked similarity which exists between non-indol-producing strains of H. influenzae and H. influenzae suis.
Boundary Conditions for Rapid Granular Flow: Flat, Frictional Walls

We employ Coulomb friction and both tangential and normal restitution in a model for a collision between a homogeneous sphere and a flat wall. We calculate the impulse and change in kinetic energy in typical collisions and use a particularly simple velocity distribution function to obtain the rates at which momenta and energy are supplied to the flow over a unit area of the wall. From these, we determine boundary conditions that relate the shear stress and energy flux in the flow at the wall to the normal stress, slip velocity, and fluctuation energy and to the parameters that characterize a collision.
The Intelligent Room project

At the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, we have been working on technologies for an Intelligent Room. Rather than pull people into the virtual world of the computer, we are trying to pull the computer out into the real world of people. To do this, we are combining robotics and vision technology with speech understanding systems and agent-based architectures to provide ready-at-hand computation and information services for people engaged in day-to-day activities, both on their own and in conjunction with others. We have built a layered architecture where, at the bottom level, vision systems track people and identify their activities and gestures, and, through word spotting, decide whether people in the room are talking to each other or to the room itself. At the next level, an agent architecture provides a uniform interface to such specially-built systems, and to other off-the-shelf software, such as Web browsers, etc. At the highest level, we are able to build application systems that provide occupants of the room with specialized services; examples we have built include systems for command-and-control situations rooms and as a room for giving presentations.
Application of neural networks: precision farming

Precision farming is a relatively new field of study whose goal is to improve cropping efficiency by variable application of crop treatments such as fertilizers, pesticides, etc. A deeper understanding of the functional relationship between yield, soil and site properties is of critical importance to precision farming. A number of feedforward neural network methods were investigated in an attempt to identify techniques able to functionally relate soil properties and crop yields on a point by point basis. Both training accuracy and generalization ability were evaluated for these previously reported neural techniques. Several techniques were able to provide a relatively high degree of accuracy, while retaining good generalization characteristics.
Dynamics and genealogy of strains in spatially extended host-pathogen models.

We examine the dynamics of evolution in a generic spatial model of a pathogen infecting a population of hosts, or an analogous predator–prey system. Previous studies of this model have found a range of interesting phenomena that differ from the well-mixed version. We extend these studies by examining the spatial and temporal dynamics of strains using genealogical tracing. When transmissibility can evolve by mutation, strains of intermediate transmissibility dominate even though high-transmissibility mutants have a short-term reproductive advantage. Mutant strains continually arise and grow rapidly for many generations but eventually go extinct before dominating the system. We find that, after a number of generations, the mutant pathogen characteristics strongly impact the spatial distribution of their local host environment, even when there are diverse types coexisting. Extinction is due to the depletion of susceptibles in the local environment of these mutant strains. Studies of spatial and genealogical relatedness reveal the self-organized spatial clustering of strains that enables their impact on the local environment. Thus, we find that selection acts against the high-transmissibility strains on long time-scales as a result of the feedback due to environmental change. Our study shows that averages over space or time should not be assumed to adequately describe the evolutionary dynamics of spatially distributed host–pathogen systems. r 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Redesigning a General Education Science Course to Promote Critical Thinking

Recent studies question the effectiveness of a traditional university curriculum in helping students improve their critical thinking and scientific literacy. We developed an introductory, general education (gen ed) science course to overcome both deficiencies. The course, titled Foundations of Science, differs from most gen ed science offerings in that it is interdisciplinary; emphasizes the nature of science along with, rather than primarily, the findings of science; incorporates case studies, such as the vaccine-autism controversy; teaches the basics of argumentation and logical fallacies; contrasts science with pseudoscience; and addresses psychological factors that might otherwise lead students to reject scientific ideas they find uncomfortable. Using a pretest versus posttest design, we show that students who completed the experimental course significantly improved their critical-thinking skills and were more willing to engage scientific theories the general public finds controversial (e.g., evolution), while students who completed a traditional gen ed science course did not. Our results demonstrate that a gen ed science course emphasizing the process and application of science rather than just scientific facts can lead to improved critical thinking and scientific literacy.
A comparison study of some impulse-response identification methods

Three methods for impulse-response identification are discussed and compared: the white noise input method, the correlation method with pseudorandom binary signal (PRBS) as input, and the fast Fourier transform (FFT) method. Digital simulation results are presented to indicate the advantages and shortcomings of each. The results show that for obtaining impulse-response estimates the PRBS method is the best of the methods tested. It is very effective in dealing with noise, and its high-precision version yields exceptionally accurate results. The white noise method is a theoretically good one, but in practice it is not very effective. However, it gives some useful information about the system. The FFT method is good but very sensitive to noise. >
Social Capital and Philanthropy: An Analysis of the Impact of Social Capital on Individual Giving and Volunteering

This article examines the impact of social capital on philanthropy. Based on extensive information on individuals’ embeddedness in various dimensions of social capital gathered in the Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey, two measures of social capital are extracted from the data via factor analysis. One relates to individuals’ associational networks; the second relates to their trust in others and in their community. These measures are then incorporated into models of religious giving, secular giving, and volunteering. The estimates confirm the importance of social capital in explaining the generosity of individuals. When social capital is included in giving equations, the direct influences of human capital (education) and religiosity fall, raising the question of whether previous understanding of their importance as determinants of giving and volunteering was overstated or, alternatively, whether the extent to which religion and education foster personal philanthropy by fostering associational networks and norms of trust and cooperation has been under-appreciated.
Subchannel-allocation algorithms and performance analysis for space-time OFDM-CDMA based systems in wireless networks

Both space-time (ST) processing and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) are becoming increasingly important techniques used in physical layer to support the quality of service (QoS) for different applications in wireless networks. However, the employment of such techniques affects the scheme designs at higher layers such as channel allocation algorithms at media access control (MAC) layer. Therefore, a crossing-layer development is required. In this paper, we propose the subchannel allocation algorithms based on space-time OFDM-CDMA systems, and develop the throughput-performance analysis frameworks to evaluate the proposed algorithms. Our analyses show that the proposed subchannel allocation scheme can significantly increase the system throughput over wireless networks, while achieving a much lower implementation and computation complexity as compared to the smart-antenna-based systems. Also presented are the simulation results that verify the analytical findings and observations.
Silent places, silent plans: Silent signification and the study of place transformation

In this paper, we explore the importance of silence in planning, an endeavor we deem relevant in an era where communication and planning are seen as nearly equivalent. We investigate the meanings and functions of silence in the interpretation of plans, planned space and the planning process. We distinguish silence in the literal sense, as absence of sound, and metaphorical silence, representing other forms of absence: of other voices, of oppressed discourse, of intentionality. The paradoxical nature of silence, as potential fullness and emptiness of meaning, increases complexity and unpredictability in the interpretation of space, plans and the planning process. It is argued that a process of participatory planning, including many actors, documents and interpretations of space, necessarily multiplies the ambiguities introduced by silence. This creates steering problems for planners, but it also introduces openness and flexibility. Silence can have the positive function of stretching up the interpretations...
Long-term continuous cropping in the Pacific Northwest: Tillage and fertilizer effects on winter wheat, spring wheat, and spring barley production

Conventional tillage winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) (WW)‐summer fallow reduces soil productivity and increases soil erosion. Conservation tillage management, together with intensive cropping may have the potential to reverse these sustainability concerns. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT) systems on grain yield of long-term annual cropping of monoculture WW, spring wheat (SW), and spring barley (Hordeum vulgare) (SB) grown with or without fertilizer, in the Pacific Northwest region of the USA. In unfertilized crops, grain yield of WW, SW, and SB was 15%, 25%, and 50% higher, respectively, in CT than in NT plots, an indication of the involvement of yield limiting factors under the NT cropping system. When fertilized, there were no significant differences in grain yield of WW. Yields of SW and SB, however, remained 21% and 15% higher, respectively, in CT than in NT, an indication that factors other than fertility were involved. These results suggest that in order for NT management to be widely adopted by area growers, the yield-limiting factors need to be addressed.
A New Generation of Plant Breeders Discovers Fertile Ground in Organic Agriculture

Plant breeding for organic systems is a growing field that is attracting a new cohort of graduate students in land-grant plant breeding programs. In 2012, the first Student Organic Seed Symposium (SOSS) was organized by and for graduate students and held in Greensboro, VT. This three-day symposium brought together graduate students and plant breeding professionals in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Organic plant breeding offers an exciting new niche for public breeding programs, with the potential to develop unique opportunities and partnerships. Participation in the symposium demonstrated that graduate students are enthusiastic about engaging in organic plant breeding and building a community of support for their work. This new cadre of researchers represents one opportunity to collectively move towards a more sustainable agricultural future, and underscores the necessity of building and maintaining strong public plant breeding programs that can facilitate this work.
A Narrative of Sovereignty: Illuminating the Paradox of the Domestic Dependent Nation

For the last thirty years the Supreme Court has been adjusting the boundaries of American Indian tribal sovereignty. Some cases affirm tribal inherent powers, but recently the trend has been to limit those powers. Yet neither the Court nor the Congress, which can reverse Supreme Court decisions on questions of tribal sovereignty, has been informed about how these alterations to tribal powers actually affect American Indian tribes on the ground. This article provides that information by examining the interplay between Supreme Court decisions and the Navajo Nation's exercise of its sovereign governmental powers from 1970-2003. In the categories of general civil powers, taxation, and criminal jurisdiction, the Navajo Nation has responded creatively to the recognition, and even the retraction, of its sovereignty. The picture that emerges is one of a nation hard at work, attempting to meet the needs of its people. It is a story of adaptation and resistance, which allows a distinct Navajo political and cultural life to continue. The story deepens our understanding of the unique experience of sovereignty in the American Indian context, which includes the ongoing process of adapting to the external laws of the United States. Yet the study also reveals the ways in which the Navajo Nation is stymied by some of the Court's decisions. Employment and consumer protections, economic development, and even more fundamentally, peace and security are threatened by the Court's categorical divestment of tribal powers over non-members. The findings of this article suggest that policy makers in all branches of government should consider restoring at least some of these tribal inherent powers. Yet the Supreme Court seems poised to consider doing just the opposite. Taking the final step in extinguishing the legal doctrine of tribal sovereignty could well wipe out the best chance for American Indian cultural survival. At a minimum, this article suggests that decision should not be made without full knowledge of its implications.
Comparative high-pressure crystal chemistry of wadsleyite, β-(Mg1-xFex)2SiO4, with x = 0 and 0.25

High-pressure crystal structures are reported for two synthetic wadsleyite crystals, β-Mg2SiO4 (Fe00) and β-(Mg0.75Fe0.25)2SiO4 (Fe25), at six pressures to 10.12 GPa. In both compositions, bulk compressibilities are equal to the average compressibility of divalent cation octahedra. Individual silicate tetrahedra, by contrast, are relatively rigid, though the Si-O-Si angle between tetrahedra in Si2O7 dimers decreases systematically with pressure. Wadsleyites display anisotropic compression, with the c axis approximately 40% more compressible than a or b . This behavior results from differential compression of (Mg,Fe)-O bonds; in each of the structure’s three symmetrically independent octahedra, the longest and most compressible bonds are roughly parallel to the b axis. Although the linear compressibilities of Fe00 and Fe25 are similar, details of structural changes with pressure differ. Iron-enriched M1 and M3 octahedral sites in Fe25 are significantly less compressible than analogous Mg sites in Fe00.
Coping with the Crisis: Public Safety Nets and Reliance on Government in the Wake of the Global Economic Crisis of 2008-2009

This paper examines how people in transition countries coped with the impacts of the global economic and financial crisis of 2008-2009. The data indicate that households in these countries were hit harder than those in other regions of the world. We consider how transition country households coped with the difficult circumstances, how their government social safety nets performed, and how the experience has affected their views on redistribution. The first research question examined is the performance of public safety nets in transition countries during the global economic crisis, estimating models explaining which citizens relied on specific safety net programs, including unemployment benefits, housing support, child support, and targeted social assistance programs. We also tackle the question of whether residents of transition countries have a strong taste for income redistribution via taxation as a form of insurance. We explicitly test the whether the possibility of upward mobility (POUM) hypothesis holds. Data used in this study are from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Life in Transition Survey (LITS I and LITS II for the years 2006 and 2010, respectively).
Architecture of the Chugach accretionary complex as revealed by detrital zircon ages and lithologic variations: Evidence for Mesozoic subduction erosion in south-central Alaska

Subduction erosion is an important process at convergent margins but evidence in the geologic record is scarce because the involved materials are typically lost into the mantle. Detrital zircon dating of accretionary complex sediment allows us to document episodic growth that can be linked to possible triggers. Detrital zircons (n = 2508) from the Mesozoic Chugach accretionary complex, southern Alaska, have U-Pb ages that record progressive subduction accretion punctuated by two periods of tectonic erosion. Lithology and maximum depositional ages permit division of the Chugach accretionary complex into four main units. The oldest, the blueschist-greenschist unit, represents partially subducted sediment associated with a Jurassic oceanic arc, with subduction erosion from 180 to 170 Ma. The end of this erosion period is dated by the oldest maximum depositional age of the Potter Creek assemblage, a <156–169 Ma unit consisting of chert, argillite, and volcanic rocks. A trondhjemite pluton that intrudes the forearc was caused by ridge subduction at 125 Ma and resulted in a second period of subduction erosion lasting until 104 Ma. The end of Aptian–Albian erosion was marked by deposition of massive sandstone and conglomerate of the 101–91 Ma McHugh Creek assemblage. This influx of clastic sediment is interpreted to have occurred in response to the collision of Wrangellia with North America. This event and the erosional event preceding it steepened the forearc region, allowing mass wasting of forearc crust into the trench, filling it by 89 Ma, the oldest maximum depositional age of the Valdez Group flysch. Clasts in conglomerate include granodiorite from the basement of the Talkeetna arc dated from 199 ± 3 Ma to 179 ± 3 Ma, and sandstone clasts with maximum depositional ages of 100 Ma. From 89 Ma to at least 72 Ma, the Valdez Group flysch was deposited via turbidite fans onto the oceanic crust beyond the trench and accreted as imbricate thrust slices that retained coherent bedding. The source for detrital zircons in the Potter Creek assemblage is likely a Middle–Late Jurassic oceanic arc, possibly the Talkeetna arc. The abundance of zircons from ash fall tuffs is consistent with easterly winds and suggests the Chugach accretionary complex was south of latitude 25°N in the Late Jurassic. The dominant source for the Albian McHugh Creek assemblage and the Upper Cretaceous Valdez Group flysch was likely the arc associated with the Coast Mountains batholith. Jurassic (ca. 165 Ma) zircons in the McHugh Creek assemblage could have been derived from exhumed plutons, or may be second-cycle zircons derived from the Potter Creek assemblage. The first appearance of Proterozoic and Archean zircons in the Valdez Group records the breakdown of topographic barriers formed by the accreted arc terranes as rivers encroached into continental North America by the middle Late Cretaceous.
Selection and Intake of Carbohydrates by Wild and Domesticated Rats.

SummaryDomestication has altered the response of rats to sweet solutions. Fluid intake with all the sweeteners was lower and relatively constant for the wild rats. However, both wild and domesticat...
Splenic and Hepatic Trauma in Children

The concepts for proper management of splenic and hepatic injuries have been evolving over the last several years. The recognition that aggressive surgical therapy in some instances was responsible for the number of life-threatening complications led to a reappraisal of the principles of care for these traumatic lesions. The emerging consensus of opinion is that often nonoperative therapy or more "conservative" operations are preferable. The accumulated experience to date supports the view that this more selective therapeutic approach will result in lower morbidity and mortality for children sustaining splenic or hepatic injuries. Fortunately, the recent technologic improvements in the field of radiology have enabled the clinician to diagnose and serially evaluate these major intra-abdominal injuries with a high degree of confidence.
Exposing American Undergraduates to Monozukuri and Other Key Principles in Japanese Culture, Design, Technology and Robotics

Exposure to varied cultures and related design principles has the potential to impact designers in a positive way. However, despite the potential for cross-cultural experiences to influence designers, American undergraduate liberal arts colleges do not typically include these topics as part of the standard computer science curriculum or as part of their general education requirements. We present a case study in exposing undergraduate students at an American liberal arts college to Japanese culture, technology and design through an immersive three-week course that includes two weeks of study in Japan. Through this cross-cultural course, students learn about Japanese culture, technology and design with an emphasis on the way these three areas are interrelated.
The Perkin Reaction

The Perkin reaction involves the condensation of a carboxylic acid anhydride and an aldehyde in the presence of a weak base, often the sodium or potassium salt of the acid or triethylamine, to give unsaturated carboxylic acids (equation 1).1 The first example of this reaction was described by Perkin in 1868 and involves a synthesis of coumarin by heating the sodium salt of salicylaldehyde with acetic anhydride (equation 2).2 The reaction is generally applicable only to aromatic aldehydes and is particularly useful for the preparation of substituted cinnamic acids, as illustrated by equation (3).3
Automatic track tracing in SAR CCD images using search cues

In this paper, we present an algorithm for automatic vehicle track tracing in synthetic aperture radar coherent change detection (SAR CCD) images using search cues. The framework consists of two main steps. The first step uses a rotating matched filter that is modeled to characterize the appearance of vehicle tracks in SAR CCD imagery. For every pixel, the algorithm searches the orientations of the filter that best match the local orientations of the track path using normalized cross correlation. The second step includes track tracing from the estimated orientation image obtained from the previous step. Given a search cue, the tracing algorithm aims to find a parallel track path that maximizes the global length of the curve, and minimizes the differences in the pixel positions and orientations.
Trans-ulnar catheterization and coronary interventions: From technique to outcomes

The ulnar artery is similar in size to the radial artery, however it is more difficult to palpate and access. For those physicians who mastered trans-ulnar access (TUA) this access site serves as an alternative to trans radial access (TRA) when the radial artery access is rendered suboptimal (by palpation, ultrasound examination or previous procedural records) or when encountering TRA difficulties or failure. The manuscript describes the anatomy, suggested technique, procedural success and complications associated with TUA. Data from single center registries and randomized studies show that TUA has a lower and more variable success rate than TRA, however these 2 approaches carry similar safety profile and complications rates. The authors suggest that interventionalists should consider, learn and master TUA to maintain higher success rate of wrist based interventions while avoiding the potential complications, discomfort and costs of trans-femoral approach.
Effects of laser cutting on the structural and mechanical properties of carbon nanotube assemblages

Abstract Multiple applications of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) require their assembly into macroscopic materials: films, sheets, and ribbons. Most of these macro-materials are flexible thin structures and need to be cut to micrometer dimensions. Laser cutting has emerged as one of the best pressure-free alternative methods, providing accuracy and uniformity. We report on the effect of laser cutting on the structural and mechanical properties of CNT sheet assemblages. Laser cutting forms a significant and deleterious amount of amorphous carbon at and near the cut edge, and this was observed by Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and electron energy loss spectroscopy. The damage can have adverse effects on the physical properties of CNTs and applications based on them. Laser cutting at high power was found to reduce the tensile strength of CNT sheets by as much as 75%. Nevertheless, at smaller cut widths, the mechanical properties were affected irrespective of the laser power.
Randomized Feature Engineering as a Fast and Accurate Alternative to Kernel Methods

Feature engineering has found increasing interest in recent years because of its ability to improve the effectiveness of various machine learning models. Although tailored feature engineering methods have been designed for various domains, there are few that simulate the consistent effectiveness of kernel methods. At the core, the success of kernel methods is achieved by using similarity functions that emphasize local variations in similarity. Unfortunately, this ability comes at the price of the high level of computational resources required and the inflexibility of the representation as it only provides the similarity of two data points instead of vector representations of each data point; while the vector representations can be readily used as input to facilitate various models for different tasks. Furthermore, kernel methods are also highly susceptible to overfitting and noise and it cannot capture the variety of data locality. In this paper, we first analyze the inner working and weaknesses of kernel method, which serves as guidance for designing feature engineering. With the guidance, we explore the use of randomized methods for feature engineering by capturing multi-granular locality of data. This approach has the merit of being time and space efficient for feature construction. Furthermore, the approach is resistant to overfitting and noise because the randomized approach naturally enables fast and robust ensemble methods. Extensive experiments on a number of real world datasets are conducted to show the effectiveness of the approach for various tasks such as clustering, classification and outlier detection.
Recurrence of Fusarium solani abscess formation in an otherwise healthy patient.

Fusarium spp. are usually considered opportunistic fungi in humans. A case ofFusarium solani abscess formation of the foot in an immunocompetent patient in whom recurrence occurred even after intravenous amphotericin B treatment is presented here.
Techno-economic analysis of supercritical extraction of rare earth elements from coal ash

Abstract Given increasing demand and importance of rare earth elements (REE), exploration is underway to find alternatives to ore-extracted product. With REE concentrations varying between 270 and 1480 ppm, coal ash has been deemed as one such potential source. A number of research groups are exploring technologies to separate REEs from coal ash and supercritical extraction has emerged as a high yield contender. Estimating the economic viability of this lab-scale process at the industrial scale is both important and challenging. In this study we estimate industrial scale cost and revenues of production of REEs from coal ash by combining prior laboratory results, scaling models, combinatorial scenarios and sensitivity analysis. The processing cost of extracting REEs from one ton of coal ash using supercritical CO2 and tributylphosphate (TBP) is found to vary between $380 and $1200 for 550 g of REE. The value of REE oxides that may be obtained per ton of ash is estimated to vary between $6 and $557, with a median of $250. Scandium is the most expensive REE and can account for up to 90% of the value of the yield. The results suggest that factors critical to the economic viability of the process include scandium content & yield, reagent use, and processing time.
Ubiquitin C-Terminal Hydrolase 1 and Phosphorylated Axonal Neurofilament Heavy Chain in Infants Undergoing Cardiac Surgery: Preliminary Assessment as Potential Biomarkers of Brain Injury.

Background:There are no reliable markers to assess brain injury in neonates following cardiac surgery. We examine ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase 1 (UCHL1) and phosphorylated axonal neurofilament he...
A study of void formation in fast neutron-irradiated metals

Experimental observations on the temperature dependence of void formation in Type 304 stainless steel are presented. The average void size is seen to increase while the void number density decreases with increasing irradiation temperature. The total void volume reaches a maximum at an intermediate temperature (∼500°C). A thermodynamically based model for void formation has been developed in an effort to understand these and other experimental observations. The model is a quasi-steady-state approach that attempts to describe the void and dislocation loop nucleation and growth rates as a function of temperature, neutron flux, and type and density of point-defect sinks. The model was written in the form of a computer routine which iterates over small time steps and fitted to experimental observations of void formation in irradiated austenitic stainless steel by adjustment of material constants within reasonable limits. Good agreement was obtained for a wide range of experimental results. Development of the model has emphasized that some kind of preferential attraction between one type of sink and one type of point defect is necessary in order for void growth to occur. The preferential attraction suggested is that between the stress field of a dislocation and the misfit strain of an interstitial. The model also pointed out the necessity of separating the neutron flux and time of irradiation when reporting information on void formation. It is expected that quite different dependences of void size and number density on the total neutron dose would be obtained depending on whether the experimental information was obtained under constant flux or under constant time conditions. It was also concluded that the magnitude and temperature dependence of dislocation loop formation would have a marked effect on void formation.
The Ferrar Group: Kirkpatrick Basalt

The rocks of the Ferrar Group consist of the sills of the Ferrar Dolerite, of the flows of the Kirkpatrick Basalt, and of phreatomagmatic volcanic breccias that underlie the basalt plateaus. These rocks formed in a short interval of time during the Middle Jurassic in a setting of extensional tectonics. The basalt magmas originated at depth in the subcrustal mantle and intruded the basement of the Transantarctic Mountains and the overlying sedimentary rocks of the Beacon Supergroup by means of deep crustal rifts that started the ultimate break-up of Gondwana.
Secretion and fusion of biogeochemically active archaeal membrane vesicles.

Microbes belonging to the genus Metallosphaera oxidize sulfidic minerals. These organisms thrive at temperature extremes and are members of the archaeal phylum Crenarchaeota. Because they can employ a lithoautotrophic metabolism, energy availability likely limits their activity raising questions about how they conduct biogeochemical activity. Vesicles are membrane encapsulated structures produced by all biological lineages but using very different mechanisms. Across the Crenarchaeota, it has been proposed that a eukaryotic-like Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport system promotes formation of these structures but in response to unknown signals and for undefined purposes. To address such questions, Metallosphaera sedula vesicle formation and function were studied under lithoautotrophic conditions. Energy deprivation was evaluated and found to stimulate vesicle synthesis while energy excess repressed vesicle formation. Purified vesicles adhered rapidly to the primary copper ore, chalcopyrite, and formed compact monolayers. These vesicle monolayers catalyzed iron oxidation and solubilization of mineralized copper in a time-dependent process. As these activities were membrane associated, their potential transfer by vesicle fusion to M. sedula cells was examined. Fluorophore-loaded vesicles rapidly transferred fluorescence under environmentally relevant conditions. Vesicles from a related archaeal species were also capable of fusion; however, this process was species-specific as vesicles from different species were incapable of fusion. In addition, vesicles produced by a copper-resistant M. sedula cell line transferred copper extrusion capacity along with improved viability over mutant M. sedula cells lacking copper transport proteins. Membrane vesicles may therefore play a role in modulating energy-related traits in geochemical environments by fusion-mediated protein delivery.
Gold nanoparticles for enhanced ionization and fragmentation of biomolecules using LDI-MS.

New applications for gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry are presented here. This work expands on previous biomolecule studies and introduces carbohydrates, steroids, bile acids, and other small molecules as a focus. Broad trends in ionization are observed, and specifically of interest are new species that have not previously been reported from AuNPs (e.g., [M + Au]+ ). Interesting fragmentation effects have been observed for diphenhydramine, including similarity to electron impact mass spectra and possible radical driven reactions, providing insight into the mechanism of ionization when using AuNPs.
A novel prostate cancer immunotherapy using prostate specific antigen peptides and Candida skin test reagent as an immunostimulant.

e14582Background: Prostate cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death among the male population in Western countries.Our group has shown that Candida skin...
Urinary biomarkers in bladder cancer: where do we stand?

Purpose of review To provide a current comprehensive review of the available urinary biomarkers for the detection and surveillance of bladder cancer. Recent findings The limitations of urine cytology and invasive nature of cystoscopic evaluation have led to a growing search for an ideal, cost-effective biomarker with acceptable sensitivity and specificity. Current FDA approved biomarkers such as UroVysion fluorescent in situ hybridization, Immunocyt, and nuclear matrix protein 22 do not have the specificity, and thus positive predictive value to warrant their cost as a routine adjunct or replacement for cystoscopy. Several promising commercially available assays such as Cxbladder, Assure MDx, and Xpert BC may perform better than cytology in select populations. Novel genomic, epigenetic, inflammatory, and metabolomic-based assays are being analyzed as potential urinary biomarkers. Summary Urinary biomarkers with high sensitivity and specificity are an unmet need in bladder cancer. Several new assays may meet these criteria and future research may justify use in clinical practice.
15 Quantum Machines

The birth of a baby next door … or the secure transfer of funds from Vienna's city hall to the Bank Austria Creditanstalt—a transfer initiated by the city's mayor, executed by the bank's director, and announced at a press conference. That was in 2004.
Public Opinion and the Legitimacy of Global Private Environmental Governance

The rise of global private environmental governance has inspired substantial research assessing whether organizations like the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the Forest St...
Use of IL-5 Inhibitor Benralizumab as a Novel Therapy for Eosinophilic Otitis Media: Clinical Capsule and Review of Literature.

Objective We report a case of recurrent eosinophilic otitis media (EOM) successfully treated with the novel monoclonal IL-5 inhibitor benralizumab. We also review literature relevant to EOM diagnosis and potential for biologic treatment. Patient A 24-year-old woman with bilateral otitis media with effusion unresponsive to standard treatment. Intervention(s) Multidisciplinary treatment using subcutaneous benralizumab after diagnosis of EOM. Main outcome measure(s) Behavioral audiometry, peripheral serology, otomicroscopy, and eosinophilic otitis media symptom severity. Results Recalcitrant otitis media with effusion (OME) in the setting of nasal polyposis and asthma prompted clinical suspicion for EOM, which was confirmed by pathologic examination of middle ear effusion and soft tissue biopsy. Treatment with benralizumab was initiated by pulmonology and well-tolerated. Within 2 months of treatment onset there was a cessation of EOM symptoms, a reduction of peripheral eosinophil levels, and an improvement in conductive hearing loss. Conclusions Monoclonal antibodies such as benralizumab may be an effective treatment option for EOM. A high level of clinical suspicion in patients with bronchial asthma, nasal polyposis, and recalcitrant OME may allow early diagnosis of EOM. Awareness of emerging biologic treatment options is important in the management of this challenging entity and may prevent long-term sequelae.
Patterns of Hepatitis C-Related Inpatient Mortality in the United States in the Era of Direct-Acting Antivirals.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Direct-acting antivirals (DAA) have revolutionized the management of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Data on national inpatient mortality in this new era are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate inpatient mortality among HCV-related hospital stays in the United States (US) during the years DAA were available. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) between 2012 and 2016. Using discharge weights, national estimates of HCV-related hospitalizations were calculated. Simple and multiple logistic regressions were performed to identify factors associated with inpatient mortality. RESULTS: A total of 67,630 hospitalizations from NIS were HCV-related, accounting for an estimated 338,150 hospitalizations during 2012 – 2016. These hospitalizations have estimated average annual total charges of $4.6 billion, adjusted to 2020 US dollars. The rate of inpatient mortality declined modestly from 5.25% in 2012 to 4.75% in 2016 ( P =0.07). Over the 5-year study period, the proportion of in-hospital deaths increased for black patients, Medicaid beneficiaries, and patients with substance-related disorders. Controlling for known predictors, the odds of inpatient mortality were significantly greater among black patients compared to white patients (OR= 1.27 [95% CI=1.16 – 1.39]). CONCLUSIONS: The burden of HCV infection is substantial given the disease is now curable. Our findings indicate that major disparities in the HCV disease burden exist in the era of DAA.
Band-Aids and Kisses Can’t Fix It: Mothers’ and Daughters’ Perceptions of Non-Death Loss and Boundary Ambiguity:

The goal of this study was to explore middle aged mothers’ and young adult daughters’ perceptions of the impact of non-death loss. This qualitative study explored perceptions of loss and boundary a...
Reconstruction of knee anatomy from single-plane fluoroscopic x-ray based on a nonlinear statistical shape model.

Purpose: Reconstruction of patient anatomy is critical to patient-specific instrument (PSI) design in total joint replacement (TJR). Conventionally, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used to obtain the patient anatomy as they are accurate imaging modalities. However, computing anatomical landmarks from the patient anatomy for PSIs requires either high-resolution CT, increasing time of scan and radiation exposure to the patient, or longer and more expensive MRI scans. As an alternative, reconstruction from single-plane fluoroscopic x-ray provides a cost-efficient tool to obtain patient anatomical structures while allowing capture of the patient’s joint dynamics, important clinical information for TJR. Approach: We present a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction scheme that automatically and accurately reconstructs the 3D knee anatomy from single-plane fluoroscopic x-ray based on a nonlinear statistical shape model called kernel principal component analysis. To increase robustness, we designed a hybrid energy function that integrated feature and intensity information as a similarity measure for the 3D reconstruction. Results: We evaluated the proposed method on five subjects during deep knee bending: the root-mean-square accuracy is 1.19 ± 0.36 mm for reconstructed femur and 1.15 ± 0.17 mm for reconstructed tibia. Conclusions: The proposed method demonstrates reliable 3D bone model reconstruction accuracy with successful elimination of prior 3D imaging and reduction of manual labor and radiation dose on patient as well as characterizing joints in motion. This method is promising for applications in medical interventions such as patient-specific arthroplasty design, surgical planning, surgical navigation, and understanding anatomical and dynamic characteristics of joints.
Catalyst-free β-hydroxy phosphate ester exchange for robust fire-proof vitrimers

Abstract Herein, we introduce a new catalyst-free β-hydroxy phosphate ester exchange chemistry in fabricating mechanically robust vitrimer with excellent recyclability and intrinsic fire safety. The desire to use polymers sustainably and safely has driven rapid development of recyclable thermosets and flame-retardant thermosets, respectively. However, few efforts have been devoted to address the desire simultaneously in an individual polymer. In this study, we integrate robust mechanical, recyclable, shape memorable, and fire-proof properties into a single β-hydroxy phosphate esters based covalent adaptable network (PE-CAN). These properties rely on the unique behaviors of β-hydroxy phosphate esters at low, medium, and high temperatures, respectively. At room temperature, the abundant hydrogen bonds in the PE-CANs contribute to outstanding toughness (5.44 MJ/m3). Around 100 °C, the rapid exchange reaction between phosphate esters and neighboring β-hydroxyls endows the vitrimer with almost 100% recycling efficiency. Above 250 °C, a cellular layer of charred phosphoric acid generated from β-hydroxy phosphate esters could separate/insulate heat effectively, providing fire protection. Additionally, a flame-triggered shape memory effect is demonstrated. The strategy of integrating fire retardancy in CANs by dynamic β-hydroxy phosphate ester exchange can be scaled up for mass production and for a wide range of applications in chemical engineering, and can be generalized to other monomers.
First assessment of the stool mycobiome in patients (pts) with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) receiving targeted therapy (TT) or immunotherapy (IO).

337Background: Previous studies have associated specific stool bacterial species with response to both targeted therapy and immunotherapy (Routy et al Science 2018; Dizman et al Cancer Med 2020). A...