cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Governance Reforms and Failed States: Challenges and Implications:

This article investigates the multifaceted nature of governance reforms in failed states, and the complex interplay of technical and political factors. It examines three questions: (1) What do the theory and practice of international assistance in public administration tell us about building and/or repairing governance systems? (2) What are the challenges to applying these lessons and models to failed/failing states? and (3) What are the corresponding implications for promoting sustainable governance strategies? The discussion shows how the synoptic efforts to grapple with the ‘big picture’ are often undermined by the operational nitty-gritty of donor agency procedures and aid delivery mechanisms on the ground. Attention to the complexity of shifting foreign assistance agendas, the application and refinement of analytic and process tools, appropriate incorporation of sometimes conflicting values and agendas and democratic processes to maximize effectiveness can contribute to bringing the conceptual and th...
Performance analysis of a user-level memory server

Large-scale parallel applications often produce immense quantities of data that need to be analyzed. To avoid performing repeated, costly disk accesses, analysis of large data sets generally requires a commensurately large amount of memory. While some data-analysis tools can easily be parallelized to distribute memory across a cluster, other tools are either difficult to parallelize or, in the case of simple data-analysis scripts with short lifespans, not worth the effort to parallelize. In this work, we present and analyze the performance of JumboMem, a simple, entirely user-level parallel program that enables unmodified sequential applications to access all of the memory in a cluster. Although there are many implementations of memory servers, all require either administrative privileges or program modifications. More importantly, no existing memory server has been evaluated on modern workstation clusters with high-speed networks, many nodes, and significant quantities of memory. This paper represents the first study of memory-server performance at supercomputing scales.
The Social Construction of Gender and Sexuality: Learning from Two Spirit Traditions

The authors encourage teachers to make use of existing, standard social studies curriculum to uncover and to make visible the normative assumptions that underlie American cultural beliefs about gender and sexuality. The article provides an overview of how some cultures within the various Native American nations conceptualize gender and sexuality in ways that challenge Western norms. An example lesson plan addressing Two Spirit history is included as well as reflections from teachers who have taught the curriculum in their classrooms.
LOSS OF GENETIC VARIATION IN LABORATORY COLONIES OF PHORMIA REGINA

Genetic variation of laboratory and wild Phormia regina was examined by gel electrophoresis of enzymes. The two old laboratory stocks studied possessed much less genetic variation than wild flies. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Verlust der genetischen Variabilitat in Laboratoriumstammen von Phormia regina: Die genetische Variabilitat in Kulturen von Laboratoriumstammen oder wilden Fliegen von Phormia regina wurde mittels Gel Elektrophoresis von 6 Enzymen studiert. Vier verschiedene Stamme wurden untersucht: wilde Fliegen, die F1 Nachkommen der wilden Fliegen, ein rot-augiger und ein weiss-augiger Laboratoriumstamm. Die wilden Fliegen waren genetisch sehr variabel (mittlere Heterozygositat = 0.157). Die geringste Variabilitat war in den weiss-augigen Fliegen (mittlere Heterozygositat = 0.009). Die Laboratoriumstamme sind genetisch dem wilden Fliegenmaterial nicht ahnlich.
Spondylolisthesis with hamstring spasticity. A case report.

The case of a ten-year-old girl with advanced spondylolisthesis and involvement of the cauda equina is presented. Anterior interbody fusion by the transperitoneal route gave temporary relief. Recurrent neural signs and symptoms were relieved after decompression at a second operation which included laminectomy, foraminotomy, and resection of the prominent portion of the sacrum anterior to the dura and first sacral-nerve root.
When the End Justifies the Means: Self-Defeating Behaviors as “Rational” and “Successful” Self-Regulation

We explore the possibility that self-defeating behaviors represent self-regulatory success rather than failure. Specifically, we suggest that drug use, overeating, risky sexual behavior, self-harm, and martyrdom represent means toward individuals’ goals. In this capacity, they may be initiated and pursued upon goal activation despite potentially negative consequences, and thus exemplify the long-held notion that the end justifies the means. We propose a means-end analysis, present evidence that these activities demonstrate the hallmarks of goal pursuit, and discuss novel implications for understanding these behaviors.
Analysis for Sheet Pile Retaining Walls

A method for analyzing sheet-pile retaining walls is developed by considering the piling to be cut at the dredge line. The shear, moment, and backfill pressures, due to the material above the dredg...
Security V. Liberty

Threats to national security generally prompt incursions on civil liberties. The relationship has existed since the presidency of John Adams and has continued through two World Wars, the Cold War, Vietnam, and to the present day. Though this historical phenomenon is commonplace, the implications of that history for our post-9/11 world are less clear. In the long run, if we are to cope with present and future crises, we must think deeply about how our historical experience bears on a changing world. This book, published by the Russell Sage Foundation, addresses the past and present relationship between civil liberties and national crises, with contributions from leading legal scholars and historians. They seek both to draw historical lessons and to explore how the present situation poses unique issues. The contributors include Alan Brinkley, Daniel Farber, Stephen Holmes, Ronald D. Lee, Jan Ellen Lewis, L.A. Powe, Jr., Ellen Schrecker, Paul M. Schwartz, Geoffrey R. Stone, and John Yoo.
ESTIMATION OF DOSE TO GONADS FROM GAMMA EMITTERS PRESENT IN THE BODY.

L’auteur et ses Collaborateurs ont mis au point un programme du type Monte-Carlo pour ordinateur, afin d’estimer la fraction absorbee specifique Φ (X → Y), c’est-a-dire l’energie absorbee par gramme dans Y par rapport a celle degagee dans X, X etant un organe du corps contenant une source de photons distribuee uniformement et Y un organe-cible. Le programme met en jeu un fantome mathematique anthropomorphique dont les organes representent approximativement ceux du prototype quant aux dimensions, a la forme, a la composition et a la densite.
Dynorphin Controls the Gain of an Amygdalar Anxiety Circuit

Kappa opioid receptors (KORs) are involved in a variety of aversive behavioral states, including anxiety. To date, a circuit-based mechanism for KOR-driven anxiety has not been described. Here, we show that activation of KORs inhibits glutamate release from basolateral amygdala (BLA) inputs to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and occludes the anxiolytic phenotype seen with optogenetic activation of BLA-BNST projections. In addition, deletion of KORs from amygdala neurons results in an anxiolytic phenotype. Furthermore, we identify a frequency-dependent, optically evoked local dynorphin-induced heterosynaptic plasticity of glutamate inputs in the BNST. We also find that there is cell type specificity to the KOR modulation of the BLA-BNST input with greater KOR-mediated inhibition of BLA dynorphin-expressing neurons. Collectively, these results provide support for a model in which local dynorphin release can inhibit an anxiolytic pathway, providing a discrete therapeutic target for the treatment of anxiety disorders.
Venous Thrombosis in Children with Brain Tumors

The incidence and significance of central venous access device (CVAD) dysfunction and symptomatic thrombosis were determined by retrospective review of 253 consecutive children diagnosed and treated for brain tumors at St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, and Cleveland Clinic, OH.
Development of the muscle spindles in the human fetal oblique muscles of the eyeball

The development of muscle spindles in human oblique eye muscles was investigated in 22 fetuses aged 12 to 24 weeks. The muscle spindles appear at 12th week as 1-2 intrafusal fibers surrounded by capsule. With advancement of the development the number of intrafusal myofibers increases. In 14th week the capsule is composed of 2 layers and in 17th week the external capsule appears.
Self-esteem and counterproductive work behaviors: a systematic review

Purpose – Consistency theory and ego-defense theory have been used to examine the relationship between counterproductive work behavior (CWB) and self-esteem; however, these two theoretical approaches pose different directions for the expected relation. In line with this, previous research concerning the relationship between self-esteem and CWB has found inconsistent empirical results. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the relation between self-esteem and counterproductive behavior at work and draw conclusions about the merit of the competing theories. This study also examines the type of self-esteem as a potential moderator to this relationship. Design/methodology/approach – The authors performed a psychometric meta-analysis of the relation between self-esteem and CWB using 21 correlations with a total n of 5,135. Findings – The estimated population correlation was −0.26. The moderator analyses showed that global self-esteem had a stronger relation with CWB than organization-based self-esteem. Pra...
AGV Global Navigation Mapping Based on Multi-camera

In order to create wide-range of AGV global navigation map,a map building method for global navigation which is based on multi-camera is proposed.Firstly,multiple cameras are installed vertically above the AGV activity area to acquisition wide-range area of local images.Then,splice the four local images by the way of the phase correlation method and improved SURF feature matching algorithm.Finally,using Fuzzy C-Means clustering algorithm based on particle swarm for global image segmentation to extract obstacle information,and to establish a global navigation map of the indoor environment.The experimental results indicate that the proposed algorithm not only has better real-time compared with the existing algorithms but also can establish global navigation map effectively.
Long QT Syndrome and Potentially Pathogenic Genetic Variants.

EnglishDr Van Driest and colleagues1 presented a negative study on novel criteria for secondary variants for long QT syndrome. They identified 127 candidate SCN5A or KCNH2 variants and considered 63 potentially pathogenic, using unspecified review criteria in 3 clinical laboratories. This number reflects an overall rate of 3.1%, which, as they noted, is unexpectedly high and biologically implausible, because the upper estimate of long QT syndrome prevalence is 1 in 2500 (or minor allele frequency [MAF] of 0.02%). As expected, by using such liberal criteria, they found that these variants were not associated with an abnormal phenotype. EnglishWhen health care clinicians are notified of an incidental “pathogenic” variant, they must determine the best course of action with respect to return of the result to the patient, further workup, and any therapeutic measures. In our study, to most closely simulate “real-world” results, variants identified in SCN5A and KCNH2 were classified as pathogenic or nonpathogenic by expert laboratories, the same laboratories that generate clinical reports and provide variant calls to databases like the Human Gene Mutation Database and ClinVar. As noted by Dr Biesecker, this approach resulted in a much higher frequency of pathogenic variants than the associated diseases, long QT syndrome and Brugada syndrome. Not surprisingly, owing to the low prevalence of these syndromes, review of the electronic health records of the research participants with these variants showed that they had not manifested disease.
Adaptive transmission algorithms for a hard-switched FSO/RF link

Hybrid communication systems exploit channel diversity to improve network performance. One such example is hybrid Free Space Optical (FSO)/Radio Frequency (RF) systems. These networks aim to merge the high capacity of FSO links with the high availability of RF links to form resilient high-bandwidth communications. When used for wireless communications, the main challenge is the dynamic response to variations in the atmospheric channel in adverse weather conditions. In this paper we simulate adaptive hard-switched transmission algorithms on a practical prototype hybrid system. FSO channel scenarios are formed based on climate data, and are emulated on the prototype system to compare the performance of the hybrid system to each solo carrier respectively.
A 16-Core Voltage-Stacked System With Adaptive Clocking and an Integrated Switched-Capacitor DC–DC Converter

This paper presents a 16-core voltage-stacked system with adaptive frequency clocking (AFClk) and a fully integrated voltage regulator that demonstrates efficient on-chip power delivery for multicore systems. Voltage stacking alleviates power delivery inefficiencies due to off-chip parasitics but adds complexity to combat internal voltage noise. To address the corresponding issue of internal voltage noise, the system utilizes an AFClk scheme with an efficient switched-capacitor dc–dc converter to mitigate noise on the stack layers and to improve system performance and efficiency. Experimental results demonstrate robust voltage noise mitigation as well as the potential of voltage stacking as a highly efficient power delivery scheme. This paper also illustrates that augmenting the hardware techniques with intelligent workload allocation that exploits the inherent properties of voltage stacking can preemptively reduce the interlayer activity mismatch and improve system efficiency.
Staking Their Claim: White Settlement at Victoria Falls

The five years before and after the turn of the twentieth century marked a period of excitement and trepidation for Africans and Europeans living in newly formed North Western Rhodesia. Expectations ran high as people imagined the possibilities of life in the colony, but there was also anxiety as Africans and Europeans had increasingly frequent interactions with one another and with the colonial state run by the British South Africa Company. This chapter examines the fluidity of the embryonic colonial state and the optimism many of its inhabitants felt in those early years of colonial rule. This was a moment when the transforming political and social landscape provided individuals and communities the opportunity to experiment with and define the world in which they lived. State control was at a minimum and, for a time, Lewanika, white settlers, and African migrants enjoyed some benefits of living in such an open space. They were limited only by their imagination, and this frontier space with Victoria Falls as a focal point inspired white settlers and African migrants to set high expectations for themselves and North Western Rhodesia.
DESIGN AND TESTS OF A BODY PLETHYSMOGRAPH AND PNEUMATIC DIFFERENTIATOR

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the design and tests of a body plethysmograph and pneumatic differentiator. The plethysmograph–differentiator system is a transducer consisting of two components that produces an electrical output proportional to the instantaneous value of the flow input. The first component, the plethysmograph, produces an output pressure proportional to the integral of the net input flow. The second component, the pneumatic differentiator, can be modeled by an electrical RC circuit and a differential amplifier, where R is the resistance to gas flow through the glass tube and C is the compliance or compressibility of the gas in the capacitive element. The differentiator produces an output voltage proportional to the derivative of the plethysmograph pressure. The proportionality constant is the gain of the transducer and recording system. An acrylic stand, resting on a sandbag to reduce vibrations, supports the differentiator assembly inside the plethysmograph. The design described in the chapter represents a significant improvement over previous instruments.
A Dying Trend or a Viable Option: Dual-Role Athletic Department Employees

As athletic departments at the college/university level are trying to creatively balance the financial demands of supporting athletic programs with employee satisfaction and departmental needs, the topic of the dual-role employee tends to appear in conversation. The question remains, with all of the demands, in both administration and coaching, is it possible for a single person to successfully accomplish the job obligations in both areas?
Identification and Prevention of Secondary Heart Failure: A Case Study

Heart failure, a complex clinical syndrome affecting millions of Americans, is associated with high morbidity and mortality and a significant financial burden on the health care system. Recent health care reform efforts have focused on reducing 30-day heart failure hospital readmissions, increasing the cost-effectiveness of care provided to heart failure patients, and improving health outcomes for these patients. This case report describes an acutely ill patient with multiple comorbidities who was not initially admitted for heart failure but who developed acute decompensated heart failure during his hospital stay. The purpose of this in-depth analysis is to discuss the role of bedside nurses and advanced practice nurses in managing heart failure, describe the challenges of identifying secondary heart failure in patients with complex conditions, and suggest methods of improving health-related outcomes to prevent hospital readmissions.
Experiences in the Formal Analysis of the Group Domain of Interpretation Protocol (GDOI)

Although research in the application of formal methods to cryptographic protocol analysis has been growing rapidly, it has of yet had little influence on the design and implementation of protocols intended for actual use. This is not because the designers of cryptographic protocols do not recognize the important of assurance, but rather seems the result of the fact that currently there are no good pathways for introducing formal analysis into the design process. In this paper we describe how we are attempting to help remedy this lack by working with the MSec working group in the Internet Engineering Task Force on the design and analysis of the Group Domain of Interpretation Protocol (GDOI), a secure multicast protocol intended to work with the Internet Key Exchange protocol. The purpose of our work has been two-fold: first, to identify and correct errors and ambiguities early on, and secondly to speed up the standardization process by providing increased evidence of GDOI’s soundness. In this paper we give a brief description of our ongoing work in the analysis of GDOI, and point both the benefits realized by the analysis and some of the open questions that raised by our experiences.
A distributed mechanism for public goods allocation with dynamic learning guarantees

In this paper we consider the public goods resource allocation problem (also known as Lindahl allocation) of determining the level of an infinitely divisible public good with P features, that is shared between strategic agents. We present an efficient mechanism, i.e., a mechanism that produces a unique Nash equilibrium (NE), with the corresponding allocation at NE being the social welfare maximizing allocation and taxes at NE being budget-balanced. The main contribution of this paper is that the designed mechanism has two properties, which have not been addressed together in the literature, and aim to make it practically implementable. First, we assume that agents can communicate only through a given network and thus the designed mechanism obeys the agents' informational constraints. This means that each agent's outcome through the mechanism can be determined by only the messages of his/her neighbors. Second, it is guaranteed that agents can learn the NE induced by the mechanism through repeated play when each agent selects a learning strategy from within the "adaptive best-response" dynamics class. This is a class of adaptive learning strategies that includes well-known dynamics such as Cournot best-response, k-period best-response and fictitious play, among others. The convergence result is a consequence of the fact that the best-response of the induced game is a contraction mapping. Finally, we present a numerical study of convergence to NE, for two different underlying communication graphs and two different learning dynamics within the ABR class.
Abstract 14313: Simulation Training Enables Emergency Medicine Providers to Rapidly and Safely Initiate Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation During Simulated Cardiac Arrest

Introduction: Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) is emerging as an effective strategy for managing refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Emergency department (ED) provider training is a barrier to widespread implementation. ECPR simulation training is a potential solution, but published evidence of effectiveness is limited. Hypothesis: A 2-day simulation course will enable ED physician-nurse teams to safely and rapidly initiate ECPR in a high-fidelity simulated OHCA scenario. Methods: In this single center, IRB-approved study at a U.S. academic medical center, 9 ED physicians and 9 ED nurses were divided into 3 teams and participated in a 2-day simulation course. The course included didactics, hands-on practice with ultrasound-guided percutaneous vascular cannulation, circuit priming, and simulated ECPR resuscitations. Each team was tested in 3 sequential simulations on Day 1 after didactics and a brief practice session, on Day 2 after the simulation course, and at 3 months. Primary outcome was the proportion of simulations in which ECPR was initiated within 30 minutes. Intervals from patient arrival to 1) ECPR cannula placement, 2) primed ECPR circuit, and 3) initiation of ECPR flow were also recorded. Safety data was prospectively collected using a checklist. Results: ECPR flow was initiated within 30 minutes in 6/9 simulations (66.7% [95% CI: 36-97]) at baseline; 9/9 (100% [95% CI: 70-100]) on Day 2; and 9/9 (100% [95% CI: 70-100]) at 3 months. Significant improvements between baseline and subsequent simulations were seen (table). No failure to cannulate, failure to heparinize, mismatched connections, or air embolism during connection occurred. Conclusions: Our simulation course enabled ED providers to rapidly and safely initiate ECPR in a high-fidelity OHCA simulation and retain these skills at 3 months. These results demonstrate the value of simulation training in the clinical implementation of ED provider ECPR.
Cellular Metabolism and Aging

Metabolic changes are hallmarks of aging and genetic and pharmacologic alterations of relevant pathways can extend life span. In this review, we will outline how cellular biochemistry and energy homeostasis change during aging. We will highlight protein quality control, mitochondria, epigenetics, nutrient-sensing pathways, as well as the interplay between these systems with respect to their impact on cellular health.
Characteristics of E-therapy Websites Involving Marriage and Family Therapists

This study described some of the common ethical and legal issues that mental health professionals practicing over the Internet or phone may encounter. It also explored how 83 e-therapy websites inv...
Childhood Maltreatment Predicts Poor Economic and Educational Outcomes in the Transition to Adulthood.

Objectives. To test whether childhood maltreatment was a predictor of (1) having low educational qualifications and (2) not being in education, employment, or training among young adults in the Uni...
Sintering of Ceramics

The primary goal of sintering research is the controlled manipulation of microstructure. Out of the entire range of microstructures which are theoretically possible, each material system will be able to achieve only a subset of them, depending on the intrinsic material properties. Within these material constraints, the aim is to produce microstructures which enhance specific properties. Our understanding of the relationships among materials processing, microstructure, and properties is just beginning to emerge, and is producing unexpected results. For example, in a recent study of toughness in Al2O3 by Bennison and Lawn, microstructures with platy grains and a bimodal grain size distribution in undoped Al2O3 exhibited a greater resistance to crack propagation than did the more uniform microstructures in MgO-doped Al2O3 [1]. As a result of this emerging understanding, the focus of sintering science is changing from the modification of microstructures in incremental ways for correspondingly incremental improvement in properties to more effectual manipulation of microstructures to optimize properties. However, the production of the optimum microstructure will be dependent on both the material and the application and may require radically different processing routes for different materials. In this review paper, we have examined the research in sintering science over the past five years which has advanced the goal of microstructure manipulation.
Direct Effects of Rising Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide and Ozone on Crop Yields

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2]) in this century will alter crop yield quantity and quality. It is important to understand the magnitude of the expected changes and the mechanisms involved in crop responses to elevated [CO2] in order to adapt our food systems to the committed change in atmospheric [CO2] and to accurately model future food supply. Free-Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) allows for crops to be grown in their production environment, under fully open air conditions, at elevated [CO2]. Current best estimates for the response of the staple crops wheat, soybean and rice from FACE experiments are that grain yield will increase by 13% at 550 ppm CO2. For the C4 species, sorghum and maize, grain yield is not expected to increase at elevated [CO2] if water supply is adequate. Grain quality is adversely affected by elevated [CO2]. On average, protein content decreases by 10–14% in non-leguminous grain crops and concentrations of minerals, such as iron and zinc decrease by 15–30%. While these represent our best estimate of changes in crop yield quantity and quality, most studies have been done in temperate regions, and do not account for possible interactions of rising [CO2] with other aspects of climate change, including increased temperature, drought stress and tropospheric ozone concentration.
Distensibility of the Pulmonary Capillaries

A sheet flow has been employed as a morphometric idealization of the vascular space of the pulmonary capillaries (Sobin and Fung, 1972 and Fung, 1980). In this model, blood flows in between two membranes and around the posts holding the membranes apart at a sheet thickness h. Because of the distensibility of the pulmonary capillaries, the thickness increases when the transmural pressure (Ptm), the capillary blood pressure minus the alveolar gas pressure, is increased. As one increases the transpulmonary pressure (Ptp), the alveolar gas pressure minus the pleural pressure, to inflate the lung to a larger volume, the surface area of all alveolar sheets becomes larger. Since the blood volume of the pulmonary capillaries is related to the product of the sheet thickness and the surface area in the sheet flow model, we have the following incremental relation to describe the distensibility of the pulmonary capillaries $$ \Delta V_c /V_c = \Delta P_{tp} /E_1 + \Delta P_{tm} /E_2 $$ (1) where E1 and E2 are elastic moduli and Δ represents the increment of the quantity that follows.
Ganivet "precursor del 98": la virgen contra la hetaira

This article aims to support the distinction between "modernism" and "generation of 98" on the basis of their different contents: while "modernism" proclaims the radical freedom of the individual, the one of the 98 places his religious anguish to the service of a social transformation. The image of the 98 ideal, seen trough Ganivet, is the Baroque cave in which the ascete prepares he creation of the "Mother ideas". There sh/e worships a different goddes, and recreates him/herself in the love for, and the gift to, the others.
85.11 - TDMT_INV: Time Domain Seismic Moment Tensor INVersion

This chapter provides an overview of time domain seismic moment tensor inversion. It is a set of programs and shell scripts for determining the seismic moment tensor by inversion of complete, three-component seismic waveforms. Included are source code for programs to compute the required Green's function catalog, various utilities, and the moment tensor inverse routine. The frequency-wavenumber integration program, FKRPROG, written by Chandan Saikia of URS, is included with permission and is used to compute the Green's functions for appropriate one-dimensional seismic velocity models. In addition, an example “wrapper” program is included to illustrate how this package may be automated. The distribution has been built on PCs running Linux and Sun workstations running Solaris. It compiles using the GNU C (gcc) and GNU Fortran (g77) compilers. This software package has been in use at the University of California, Berkeley Seismological Laboratory (BSL) since 1993 and is employed to automatically investigate all M L > 3.5 events in northern California. The package has also been successfully implemented at the Japan National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention. In addition, it has been used by a number of individual researchers in the United States, Europe, and Asia.
The 2CAN Score

Background and Purpose- A quarter of acute strokes occur in patients hospitalized for another reason. A stroke recognition instrument may be useful for non-neurologists to discern strokes from mimics such as seizures or delirium. We aimed to derive and validate a clinical score to distinguish stroke from mimics among inhospital suspected strokes. Methods- We reviewed consecutive inpatient stroke alerts in a single academic center from January 9, 2014, to December 7, 2016. Data points, including demographics, stroke risk factors, stroke alert reason, postoperative status, neurological examination, vital signs and laboratory values, and final diagnosis, were collected. Using multivariate logistic regression, we derived a weighted scoring system in the first half of patients (derivation cohort) and validated it in the remaining half of patients (validation cohort) using receiver operating characteristics testing. Results- Among 330 subjects, 116 (35.2%) had confirmed stroke, 43 (13.0%) had a neurological mimic (eg, seizure), and 171 (51.8%) had a non-neurological mimic (eg, encephalopathy). Four risk factors independently predicted stroke: clinical deficit score (clinical deficit score 1: 1 point; clinical deficit score ≥2: 3 points), recent cardiac procedure (1 point), history of atrial fibrillation (1 point), and being a new patient (<24 hours from admission: 1 point). The score showed excellent discrimination in the first 165 patients (derivation cohort, area under the curve=0.93) and remaining 165 patients (validation cohort, area under the curve=0.88). A score of ≥2 had 92.2% sensitivity, 69.6% specificity, 62.2% positive predictive value, and 94.3% negative predictive value for identifying stroke. Conclusions- The 2CAN score for recognizing inpatient stroke performs well in a single-center study. A future prospective multicenter study would help validate this score.
A computational model of multi-sensory perception and its application to investigating the controversy around learning styles

The computational modeling of multi-sensory perception is challenging. It is important to understand and model temporal phenomena such as synchronization and synaptic integration over varying time intervals. Previously, we developed a sparse spatio-temporal model using networks of interconnected oscillators. This model achieved a binding of related object features in multiple sensory pathways.We apply this model to address a controversy in the field of psychology and education concerning the theory of learning styles. According to a popularly held view, learners fall into categories such as visual learners or auditory learners, and prefer to imbibe materials that match their learning styles. This view has been disputed as this categorization does not result in a demonstrable improvement in learning.We model preferences for a learning style through variations in synaptic learning efficacies. Hence a visual learner will possess higher synaptic efficacy in the visual pathway. The results of our simulation with the sparse spatio-temporal model show that there is little benefit to having or exploiting such differences in synaptic efficacy. The best system performance is achieved when all available sensory pathways are utilized rather than favoring a preferred pathway.Our model weighs in on this controversy, and supports the side that is against the categorization of students based on their learning styles. Since the idea of learning styles is quite prevalent in the literature and used in schools, it is important to disseminate appropriate research findings including those that utilize a computational neuroscience perspective, as in the current paper.
Optical loss characterization of SEO100C electro-optic polymer within single mode rib waveguides

Designing high-performance electro-optic polymer modulators requires insight into device-specific waveguide losses. Losses for rib waveguiding structures fabricated using SE0100C core and NOA73 cladding layers are reported. The waveguide loss was measured at 4.2 dB/cm, which is high compared to losses for different electro-optic rib waveguides reported at 1.2-2.9 dB/cm. The refractive index of unpoled SEO100C was measured at 1.655, expanding on the manufacturer’s reported optical constants of 1.65 (TE) and 1.7 (TM) for poled SEO100C. Utilizing the reported specific structure loss in device design for minimal loss will facilitate high performance electro-optic polymer modulator applications.
Power Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing: Process Parameters, Microstructure, and Mechanical Properties

Additive manufacturing (AM) for fabricating 3D metallic parts has recently received considerable attention. Among the emerging AM technologies is ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) or ultrasonic consolidation (UC), which uses ultrasonic vibrations to bond similar or dissimilar materials to produce 3D builds. This technology has several competitive advantages over other AM technologies, which includes fabrication of dissimilar materials and complex shapes, higher deposition rate, and fabrication at lower temperatures, which results in no material transformation during processing. Although UAM process optimization and microstructure have been reported in the literature, there is still lack of standardized and satisfactory understanding of the mechanical properties of UAM builds. This could be attributed to structural defects associated with UAM processing. This article discusses the effects of UAM process parameters on the resulting microstructure and mechanical properties. Special attention is given to hardness, shear strength, tensile strength, fatigue, and creep measurements. Also, pull-out, push-out, and push-pin tests commonly employed to characterize bond quality and strength have been reviewed. Finally, current challenges and drawbacks of the process and potential applications have been addressed.
Cross-chain Transactions

The value of cryptocurrencies is highly volatile and investors require fast and reliable exchange systems. In cross-chain transactions, multiple parties exchange assets across multiple blockchains which can be represented as a directed graph ${\mathcal{G}}$ with vertexes V as parties and edges E as asset transfers. In a simple form, cross-chain transactions are cross-chain swaps where each edge e transfers an asset that the head of e already owns. However, in general, a cross-chain transaction includes a sequence of exchanges at each blockchain. Further, transactions may have off-chain steps and hence may not be strongly connected. Given a transaction, protocols are desired that guarantee the following property called uniformity. If all parties conform to the protocol, all the assets should be transferred. Further, if any party deviates from the protocol, the conforming parties should not experience any loss. Previous work introduced a uniform protocol for strongly connected cross-chain swaps and showed that no uniform protocol exists for transactions that are not strongly connected. We present a uniform protocol for general cross-chain transactions with sequenced and off-chain steps when a few certain parties are conforming. Further, we prove a new property called end-to-end that guarantees that if the source parties pay, the sink parties are paid. We present a synthesis tool called XCHAIN that given a high-level description of a cross-transaction can automatically generate smart contracts in Solidity for all the parties.
Carrier-Phase Aided Pseudo-Noise Range Estimation at RF Frequencies

There is renewed interest in cis-lunar space exploration, including both robotic and human space missions in the near future. However, current CCSDS ranging standards do not include proximity links or spacecraft-to-spacecraft scenarios that will be required by future missions to the Moon and beyond. For example, the current CCSDS Pseudonoise (PN) ranging standard assumes that a terrestrial ground station always defines one end of the link, achieving roughly one meter ranging accuracy under nominal conditions. Spacecraft situational awareness and demanding docking operations require cm-level accuracy, far beyond the capabilities of current Earth-based PN-code based ranging techniques. In this paper, we address these new requirements and demonstrate an algorithm capable of achieving the ranging accuracy needed for docking and lunar landing applications in the new cis-lunar environment.
The Plaintiffs' Lawyer's Transaction Tax: The New Cost of Doing Business in Public Company Deals

This article addresses the proliferation of frivolous litigation in the context of public company deals. In 2012 93% of public company mergers and acquisitions valued at over $100 million and 96% of such transactions valued over $500 million incurred litigation. Through these “merger objection suits,” plaintiffs’ attorneys have successfully attached a transaction tax – in the form of attorneys’ fees – as the cost of doing business for public company mergers and acquisitions. Armed with the knowledge that time is of the essence in these transactions, plaintiffs’ attorneys understand the leverage they have to force a quick settlement with a defendant company’s board. Adding to the attorneys’ leverage and the pressure on defendants to settle is the threat of larger-than-normal litigation costs since most large public company deals that attract litigation incur more than one suit, often in several different jurisdictions. When given the choice of either paying plaintiffs’ attorneys’ fees – particularly when the settlement is typically otherwise non-monetary – or jeopardizing a multi-million dollar transaction, boards of defendant companies seem, understandably, eager to choose the former.This article explores the reasons for the increasing overabundance of merger objection litigation and the solutions that have been proposed or adopted to address it. Previous scholarship in this area has focused on the need to eliminate the multi-jurisdictional aspect of this litigation by funneling all such cases to the state of the target’s incorporation or otherwise easing the consolidation of cases across jurisdictions. Eliminating the multi-jurisdictional aspect of merger litigation would, no doubt, be a step toward curbing abusive strike suits in this arena by alleviating some of the settlement pressure imposed on defendants by the high costs of litigating a case in multiple forums. However, the other incentives to settle, particularly those imposed by the pressure of the deal timeline, would remain. As such, this article suggests that, in addition to funneling merger objection suits to the state of incorporation of the target, there need to be state solutions, beginning with Delaware, to further deter strike suits in this area. This article describes a combination of legislative reform and enhanced oversight of merger objection settlements by the Delaware Chancery Court as a possible solution to the merger objection litigation problem.
Visual Rhetoric in Medical Illustrations and the Implications in Medical Practices

Several studies of visual rhetoric and its relationship to scientific visuals have been widely discussed by figures such as Sonja Foss, who explored visual rhetoric theory, and Rachel Hajar, who traces the historical changes of medical illustrations. However, the rhetorical strategies used in medical drawings and how they impacted the representation of the human body are yet to be analyzed. In this essay, I explore this gap by analyzing the historical changes in the visual artifacts, applying Kenny T. Fountain’s concepts of trained vision and Mary Rosner’s theory of the larger contexts. Specifically, this essay explores the rhetorical craft of “The Wound Man” during the Medieval periods, the illustrations of Andreas Vesalius in the 19th century, and a three-dimensional model of human anatomy in an online video by AnatomyZone in the 21st century using the visual rhetoric theory as a method. The changes in technology and increased medical knowledge influenced how visual rhetorical strategies can be used to portray the human body. Examining medical drawings in this way can reveal how rhetorics function in the field of science and provide insights into the interplay of art and science.
Clinically integrated breastfeeding peer counseling and breastfeeding outcomes

To evaluate whether clinically integrated breastfeeding peer counseling (ci-BPC) improved breastfeeding outcomes for a diverse cohort of Medicaid-enrolled patients. Medical records were reviewed for a random subset of patients delivering 2014–2015 (baseline, N = 147) and 2017–2019 (post-implementation, N = 281). Chi-squared and logistic regression evaluated differences in breastfeeding initiation, exclusivity, and duration, and results were stratified by race/ethnicity. Post-implementation, 90.4% of patients received ci-BPC. Compared to baseline, documented prenatal breastfeeding counseling increased from 5 to 84% (<0.001), and inpatient counseling increased from 12 to 55% (p < 0.001). Breastfeeding initiation was similar (86 to 89%, p = 0.28), while exclusivity increased from 21 to 31% (p = 0.03). Any breastfeeding ≥6 weeks increased from 29 to 65% (p < 0.001) and was most improved for Black (32 to 50%, p < 0.01) and Latinx patients (37 to 71%, p < 0.01). ci-BPC was associated with significant improvement in breastfeeding exclusivity and duration, and may address breastfeeding disparities.
The Persistence of Caste: Part I—The Impossible Simultaneity of Religion and Social Revolution in Ambedkar’s Last Essay: Buddha or Karl Marx

This study will explore the problem of the persistence of caste in South Asia, particularly in India but not excluding the global diaspora of peoples of South Asian descent. Within Ambedkar’s massi...
Association of Visual Field Pattern Reversal with Paracentral Visual Field Loss.

PURPOSE Visual field (VF) results that show more test points outside normal limits on the pattern deviation map than on the total deviation map have been assumed to be evidence of unreliable VF results. We propose the term pattern reversal to describe this VF finding and explore its association with paracentral loss. DESIGN Retrospective cohort and case-control studies. PARTICIPANTS Glaucoma and glaucoma suspect patients who completed VF testing in Veteran's Affairs ophthalmology or optometry clinics. METHODS In the cohort study, VF results were included that demonstrated pattern reversal. The area of pattern reversal was categorized as peripheral, paracentral, or mixed (both peripheral and paracentral). In the case-control study, a group of patients with paracentral loss confirmed on 10-2 VF tests were compared with a control group whose VF results were without paracentral loss. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES In the cohort study, the calculated false-positive (FP) error rates were compared among groups categorized by area of pattern reversal. In the case-control study, the rates of pattern reversal were compared between patients with and without paracentral loss. RESULTS Two hundred seventeen eyes of 145 patients were included in the cohort study. Visual field results with pattern reversal and mixed loss had significantly higher FP rates compared with those with paracentral or peripheral loss only (16.25% vs. 6.26% and 8.15%, respectively; P < 0.001). Fifty-five eyes of 41 patients were included in the case group and 55 eyes of 41 patients were included in the control group. Patients with paracentral loss were more likely to have history of pattern reversal compared with those without paracentral loss (58.2% vs. 29.1%; P = 0.004). Twelve eyes with paracentral loss had 24-2 VF results that showed defects on the pattern deviation map, but not on the total deviation map. CONCLUSIONS Pattern reversal may be associated with paracentral VF loss and is not always associated with elevated FP rates.
Autophagy in autoimmune disease

Autophagy is a protective and life-sustaining process in which cytoplasmic components are packaged into double-membrane vesicles and targeted to lysosomes for degradation. This process of cellular self-digestion is an essential stress response and is cytoprotective by removing damaged organelles and proteins that threaten the cell’s survival. Key outcomes include energy generation and recycling of metabolic precursors. In the immune system, autophagy regulates processes such as antigen uptake and presentation, removal of pathogens, survival of short- and long-lived immune cells, and cytokine-dependent inflammation. In all cases, a window of optimal autophagic activity appears critical to balance catabolic, reparative, and inflammation-inducing processes. Dysregulation of autophagosome formation and autophagic flux can have deleterious consequences, ranging from a failure to “clean house” to the induction of autophagy-induced cell death. Abnormalities in the autophagic pathway have been implicated in numerous autoimmune diseases. Genome-wide association studies have linked polymorphisms in autophagy-related genes with predisposition for tissue-destructive inflammatory disease, specifically in inflammatory bowel disease and systemic lupus erythematosus. Although the precise mechanisms by which dysfunctional autophagy renders the host susceptible to continuous inflammation remain unclear, autophagy’s role in regulating the long-term survival of adaptive immune cells has recently surfaced as a defect in multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Efforts are underway to identify autophagy-inducing and autophagy-suppressing pharmacologic interventions that can be added to immunosuppressive therapy to improve outcomes of patients with autoimmune disease.