cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of the convolutions of truncated normal random variables with three different quality characteristics in engineering applications

We discuss why truncated distributions and their convolutions are critical in production processes.We develop those convolution models which have not been explored in the literature.The proposed convolution models will help estimate process yields more accurately.The proposed convolution models will also be useful in tolerance analysis. In real-world situations, specifications are implemented to screen out nonconforming products as a part of screening inspections, which result in a truncated distribution for conforming products. Understanding these truncated probability density functions is paramount to the overall manufacturing industry, as more accurate evaluations of a process output will lead to a greater understanding of the process itself and associated costs. Furthermore, convolutions of truncated random variables play an important role in a multistage manufacturing system, where a screening inspection is performed at each stage. While the convolutions of normal distributions have been well established, the convolutions of truncated normal distributions have neither been understood clearly, nor have theoretical foundations been thoroughly explored in the literature, despite their practical importance. The mathematical framework and approximations using the error function for the convolutions of truncated normal random variables with three different types of quality characteristics are presented here. The convolutions established in this paper should enhance the accuracy and precision of real-world production processes particularly where components are required for assembling into the final product.
Increase in Quantitative CBF with Intra-Arterial Verapamil Treatment for Refractory Vasospasm after SAH (P04.084)

OBJECTIVE: To determine quantitative change in cerebral blood flow (CBF) after intra-arterial (IA) verapamil treatment for refractory vasospasm. BACKGROUND: Cerebral vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) remains a major cause of death and disability. Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) after SAH is likely multi-factorial, eventually leading to altered CBF and cerebral infarction. Neurointerventional treatment with IA verapamil is commonly used for medically refractory vasospasm, but with limited efficacy data on CBF, clinical, and DCI outcomes. DESIGN/METHODS: Regional CBF was measured using two sodium iodide scintillation scalp detectors approximating the cortical vascular territory of the treated vessel. A 1.0 mL saline bolus of 1-2 mCi of 133-Xe was injected through the coaxial catheter immediately before and after endovascular treatment. Tracer washout was recorded under stable physiologic conditions for 1.5 minutes. CBF was calculated using the initial slope index, the monoexponential slope of tracer washout from 20-80 seconds after isotope injection. Data were analyzed including standard corrections for remaining activity and physiologic parameters (Cortexplorer CBF2A, Ceretronix, Denmark). Mean arterial blood pressure, PaCO2, serum hemoglobin, and delivery of anesthetic agents were monitored. Change in CBF expressed as a mean ± standard deviation was calculated using paired t-test. RESULTS: A total of 20 SAH patients with refractory vasospasm were studied. Moderate to severe angiographic spasm was reported in 82% of subjects. Sixteen (80%) subjects were treated with only IA verapamil and 3 (15%) subjects were treated with additional angioplasty. Mean change in regional CBF was 9 ± 11 ml/100gm/min (p=0.005). CONCLUSIONS: In our prospective study of 20 patients with IA verapamil treatment for refractory vasospasm, we detected a mean change of 23% in quantitative CBF using the intra-arterial 133-Xe washout method. Without significant radiographic evidence of large vessel change at the time of measurement, increases in CBF may be related to microcirculatory effects of IA verapamil treatment. Supported by: NIH/NINDS K02 NS60892 and HHMI 57006200 (Ko). Disclosure: Dr. Fukuda has nothing to disclose. Dr. Higashida has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lawton has received personal compensation for activities with Stryker, Inc. as a consultant. Dr. Smith has received personal compensation for activities with Concentric Medical for consulting. Dr. Smith holds stock and/or stock options in Concentric Medical, Inc. Dr. Young has nothing to disclose. Dr. Obrist has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ko has nothing to disclose.
Coxsackievirus-induced myocarditis is dependent on distinct immunopathogenic responses in different strains of mice

Myocarditis is defined as an inflammation of the heart muscle and often follows enterovirus infections. Frequently, patients surviving the acute inflammatory stage undergo complete recovery, but myocarditis can result in dilated cardiomyopathy. A murine model of myocarditis has been developed that uses cardiotropic variants of coxsackievirus Group B. Type 3 (CVB3), and either BALB/c (H-2d), MRL+/+ (H-2k), or DBA/2 (H-2d) male mice. Infection of all three mouse strains results in equivalent levels of myocardial inflammation 7 days later. IgG antibodies are detected by immunofluorescent staining in DBA/2 but not BALB/c or MRL+/+ myocardium and correlate with the detection of anti-heart antibodies in the sera of DBA/2 mice by immunofluorescence. CD4+ cell depletion of DBA/2 and MRL+/+ mice prevents myocarditis, but both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells cause cardiac inflammation in BALB/c mice, although CD8+ cells are substantially more pathogenic than CD4+ cells in this strain. No or few CD8+ T cells infiltrate the myocardium of either DBA/2- or MRL+/(+)-infected animals, although this is the predominant T-cell population in BALB/c mice. Apoptosis was measured by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-staining of myocardial sections. No apoptosis was observed in inflamed DBA/2 hearts. Apoptosis was restricted to inflammatory cell infiltrates of infected MRL+/+ hearts, but apoptosis was wide-spread in both the inflammatory cell infiltrates and in myocytes outside inflammatory lesions in BALB/c mice. Atria natriuretic factor (ANF) mRNA expression was only elevated in the left ventricles of BALB/c mice. CD8+ T-cell depletion abrogated the appearance of apoptotic myocytes and ANF mRNA expression. The fact that ventricular ANF production often occurs during cardiac failure suggests that myocardial stress is substantially greater in BALB/c mice than in other strains despite equivalent amounts of cardiac inflammation.
Towards a cooperative machine learning simulator

Cooperative multi-agent domains are of current interest due to their relevance to goals in both robotics and networking. Such problems are non-trivial and can be exponentially more difficult to solve as the problem space increases in size. A common approach to solving these problems is through the application of machine learning. Techniques such as reinforcement learning, genetic algorithms, and genetic programming, have been studied and applied in this domain with varying degrees of success. However, researchers usually create new implementations of a problem domain instead of using previous implementations created by other researchers. While a growing understanding of the relationships between problem domains and machine learning techniques has emerged over time, there have been few attempts to measure the performance of machine learning techniques at the level of the entire research community. The goal of this research is the design of a non-trivial simulation environment geared towards the efficient addition and testing of machine learning algorithms given a wide variety of conditions, with a concentration on cooperative tasks.
Application of Pqdif Specification on Power Quality Monitoring

The importantance of Pqdif specification in power quality analysis is introduced.Through standardized structure definition, the power quality reference information packaged into a standard data format information for power quality in Pqdif standards, thus to build a bridge to provide intermediate data for power quality analysis.Also a brief introduction of Pqdif standard data structure, and transmission methods is given.
Volutrauma, PaCO2 levels, and neurodevelopmental sequelae following assisted ventilation

Today it is essential that we define care practices in neonatology that not only increase survival but also produce optimal pulmonary and neurodevelopmental outcomes for our patients. Assisted ventilatory care continues to be influential at all three levels. In this article, the authors discuss current understanding of the possible mechanisms for pulmonary and neurologic injury, or benefits associated with ventilation at both low and high PaCO2 levels, as well as evidence for neurodevelopmental sequelae with various ventilator strategies.
CASE RECORDS of the MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL. Case 17-2016. A 60-Year-Old Woman with Increasing Dyspnea.

A 60-year-old woman was seen in a pulmonary clinic because of increasing dyspnea. Chest imaging revealed bronchiectasis and mild, diffuse bronchial-wall thickening. A diagnostic procedure was performed.
The Crystal Structure and Magnetic Susceptibility of Tetrakis-(μ2-phenylacetato-O,O′)-bis(caprolactam-O)copper(II)

Tetrakis-(μ2-phenylacetato-O,O′)-bis(caprolactam-O)copper(II) (1) was synthesized and characterized by X-ray crystallography, magnetic susceptibility and FT-IR spectroscopy. The title compound (1) crystallized in the monoclinic space group P21/n with unit cell parameters a = 18.2242(4) A, b = 10.0994(2) A, c = 23.0696(5) A, β = 101.117(2)°; V = 4166.37(15) A3; Z = 4. The molecular structure of (1) consists of a copper dimer bridged by four phenylacetate ligands in the paddlewheel geometry with caprolactam coordinated in both axial sites. The copper dimers of (1) are organized into one-dimensional columns by N–H···O interactions between bound caprolactam ligands. Magnetic susceptibility studies indicate antiferromagnetic coupling between the Cu+2 ions with a singlet ground-state and triplet excited-state separated by |2J = 319(1) cm−1 |. Tetrakis-(μ2-phenylacetato-O,O′)-bis(caprolactam-O)copper(II) (1) was synthesized and characterized by X-ray crystallography, magnetic susceptibility and FT-IR spectroscopy producing paddlewheel copper dimers of (1) organized into columns by N–H···O interactions between bound caprolactam ligands.
Information management software—a selected bibliography

Cette bibliographie contient des references d'articles concernant deux types de logiciels documentaires. Les logiciels grand public et ceux developpes pour le marche des bibliotheques. Les references d'articles citees dans ces 2 types de bibliographies sont classees: discussions generales (etudes critiques comparees) et critique d'un programme (presentation detaillee d'un logiciel)
Boston Women’s Health Book Collective

Our Bodies, Ourselves is a remarkable example of what one feminist “small group” could achieve. A consciousness-raising discussion among a few women at a 1969 conference revealed a shared frustration with the medical profession. On their own, this group, the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective, developed a free workshop and a series of pamphlets about women’s health — birth control, childbirth, menstruation, the mechanics of reproductive organs, and more. Turned into a newsprint book by the radical New England Free Press, it sold 250,000 copies (ten cents each when sold in bulk) from 1970 to 1973. Simon and Schuster, a mainstream publisher, bought the rights to the book in 1973. Regularly updated, it has sold more than three million copies over the past thirty years. The Boston Women’s Health Book Collective’s share of the book’s profits is used to fund women’s health projects.
Pharmacist and Physician Collaborative Practice Model Improves Vancomycin Dosing in an Intensive Care Unit.

Objective: A pharmacist and physician collaborative practice intervention to improve the initial dosing of vancomycin was implemented with the goal of decreasing the number of subtherapeutic first troughs and increasing the number of therapeutic troughs. Methods: Using the best available evidence, a nomogram was created to determine the initial vancomycin dose. The nomogram utilized actual bodyweight and glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) estimated with the MDRD4 equation. The dose was based on the 2009 ASHP/IDSA/SIDP guidelines, which recommended 15 - 20 mg/kg every 8 - 12 hours. Providers ordered “vancomycin IV dosed per pharmacy”. Results: The pre- (n = 75) and post-intervention (n = 108) cohorts had similar age, gender distribution, weight, and eGFR. The median total daily vancomycin dose was similar in pre- and post-intervention groups (2000 mg), although the median first trough was higher following the intervention (13.0 vs. 14.8 mcg/ml, p = 0.03). Following the intervention, the proportion of first troughs under 10 mcg/ml decreased (32% to 13%, p = 0.003), while the proportion of troughs in the 10 - 20 mcg/ml therapeutic range increased (50.7% vs. 69.4%, p = 0.01). There was no difference in the proportion of troughs over 20 mcg/ml (17.3% vs. 17.6%, p = 0.96). Conclusions: A multi-disciplinary intervention utilizing a nomogram-based pharmacy collaborative practice model significantly improves the proportion of therapeutic initial vancomycin troughs and decreases the number of subtherapeutic troughs by half.
Scaling beyond conventional CMOS device

Conventional scaling is no longer effective to continue device performance trend because of technological difficulties in the scaling of key device parameters. In this paper, we discuss device scaling options beyond convention device structures. We discuss ultrathin body silicon on insulator (UTSOI) MOSFET and FinFET structures for improved electrostatic. We also discuss various mobility enhancement techniques including strained silicon on insulator (SGOI), strained silicon directly on insulator (SSDOI), and hybrid orientation technology (HOT).
Realism and the Religion of Doubt

Brown argues that Robert Browning’s ‘Pictor Ignotus’ (1845), ‘Fra Lippo Lippi’ (1855) and ‘Andrea del Sarto’ (1855), and George Eliot’s Romola (1863) helped fix realism as a ‘high’ art, grounded almost entirely in the secular, and with an allowance for the limitations of human perspective. Both turned to the Renaissance because most Victorians believed this period marked an important shift away from religious faith and towards secular doubt. Consequently, Brown argues that both enact a conflict between realist artists and religious authorities to advance realism as an historical movement that supplanted religious authority. However, by taking on the mantle of religious authority, both risked turning the skeptical realist artist into a demagogue at odds with popular consensus.
95 Enhancing the Healing Environment Project: Change Management and Process Mapping: the Way to Inpatient Unit Practice Changes

February 2009 saw the official opening of our newly refurbished hospice facility, upgraded with funding from the Department of Health under the King’s Fund Enhancing the Healing Environment Project. The overarching aim of the project was to enhance the wellbeing of patients by improving their environment through colour, light and art. For the hospice and the teams that work …
Thermal, Fluid Flow, and Tritium Release Problems in Fusion Blankets

AbstractThe thermal, fluid flow, and tritium release problems represent a major part of the research and development issues for liquid-metal and solid breeder blankets. The issues are characterized, and recent progress in model development and experiments is described. The issues for liquid-metal blankets are dominated by magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effects on fluid flow and heat transfer. New design solutions have been proposed, new facilities have been constructed, and models are being developed to address MHD effects. The problems of solid breeder blankets are dominated by tritium release, containment, and inventory. There has been remarkable progress in understanding tritium transport in solid breeders because of successful irradiation experiments of solid breeders in fusion reactors. New models on tritium transport have provided key tools for the analysis and interpretation of the experimental results, A new issue related to thermal control in solid breeder is the subject of active experimental and mod...
Endogenous endophthalmitis and osteomyelitis associated with interleukin 17 inhibitor treatment for psoriasis in a patient with diabetes.

A 64-year-old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus and plaque psoriasis presented to the emergency room with 3 days of progressive right eye pain and decreased vision. After extensive workup and multidisciplinary team effort, the patient was diagnosed with and treated for unilateral endogenous methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus endophthalmitis, bacteraemia and osteomyelitis of the foot. The patient had been started on the interleukin 17 (IL-17) inhibitor secukinumab for his treatment-resistant plaque psoriasis 4 weeks prior to presentation. After treatment, his final vision was light perception and the foot infection resolved without sequelae. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of both endogenous endophthalmitis and osteomyelitis associated with an IL-17 inhibitor.
A generalized weakest-link model for size effect on strength of quasi-brittle materials

The work contributes to the statistical approach to unitedly characterize the random variation and size effect of brittle fracture strength of materials. Current practices rely on the conventional Weibull statistics and more recently on the weakest-link statistical model conforming to the uniform spatial distribution of microcracks. Based on the understanding that the weakest-link postulate is built on the mutual independence of microcracks and is not necessarily bounded to the uniform spatial distribution of microcracks, this work develops a generic weakest-link statistical formulation pertaining to a power-law spatial distribution of mutually non-interactive microcracks to synchronize the random variation and size effect of brittle fracture strength. The formulation encompasses both Weibull statistics and the uniform spatial distribution law-based weakest-link model as its subordinate members. A resultant master curve behavior between a compound parameter and the nominal fracture strength is identified for size scaling of strength and is validated by the strength data of a wide spectrum of quasi-brittle materials including wood, concrete, coal, gamma titanium aluminum alloy, nuclear-grade graphite and aluminum foam on geometrically self-similar specimens under same loading conditions.
Technological Exit Strategy: Why IBM Sells Its Intellectual Property

Markets for technology have existed since the mid-1800s though the documentation of such markets and transactions is a more recent phenomenon. While much of the prior research focused on the licens...
Design and Evaluation of a Spintronic In-Memory Processing Platform for Nonvolatile Data Encryption

In this paper, we propose an energy-efficient reconfigurable platform for in-memory processing based on novel four-terminal spin Hall effect-driven domain wall motion devices that could be employed as both nonvolatile memory cell and in-memory logic unit. The proposed designs lead to unity of memory and logic. The device to system level simulation results show that, with 28% area increase in memory structure, the proposed in-memory processing platform achieves a write energy ~15.6 fJ/bit with 79% reduction compared to that of SOT-MRAM counterpart while keeping the identical 1 ns writing speed. In addition, the proposed in-memory logic scheme improves the operating energy by 61.3%, as compared with the recent nonvolatile in-memory logic designs. An extensive reliability analysis is also performed over the proposed circuits. We employ advanced encryption standard (AES) algorithm as a case study to elucidate the efficiency of the proposed platform at application level. Simulation results exhibit that the proposed platform can show up to 75.7% and 30.4% lower energy consumption compared to CMOS-ASIC and recent pipelined domain wall (DW) AES implementations, respectively. In addition, the AES energy-delay product can show 15.1% and 6.1% improvements compared to the DW-AES and CMOS-ASIC implementations, respectively.
Single-Crystal Studies of Molecular and Atomic Adsorption on Transition-Metal Oxides

Photoemission spectroscopy has been used to study the interaction of inorganic molecules and metals with well characterized single-crystal surfaces of transition-metal oxides. Stoichiometric, nearly perfect surfaces of maximal valency oxides are generally inert, with most adsorption activity resulting from the presence of surface defects. Stoichiometric surfaces of lower oxides range from weakly adsorbing (e.g., O2 or H2O on Ti2O3), where defects greatly enhance reaction, to highly reactive (e.g., SO2 on Ti2O3), where defects play little if any role. The reaction of metals with oxide surfaces is governed largely by the relative oxygen affinities of the respective oxides, although point defects also play an important role, particularly for relatively inert metals.
Suppressing Sting Nematodes with Brassica sp., Poinsettia, and Spotted Spurge Extracts

With synthetic nematicide options becoming limited, two studies were initiated to investigate the usefulness of selective botanical extracts for the suppression of sting (Belonolaimus longicaudatus Rau) nematodes. Plant materials were from greenhouse-grown mature specimens of spotted spurge (Chamaesyce maculata L. Small); poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherima Willd. 'Freedom Red'); lantana (Lantana camara var. hybrids); mature, field-grown tall lettuce (Lactuca canadensis L.); and goldenrod (Solidago altissima L. var. scabra), plus a seed meal extract from Brassica jwicea 'Pacific Gold' (BSM). Nematodes were exposed to 1.2-mL extract of either shoot or roots of each plant spedes. Nematode mortality counts were made daily for 4 d. In Study 1, effects of botanical extracts on nematode mortality were evaluated when applied directly to laboratory-controlled sting nematode populations in test tubes. Root extracts of spurge, poinsettia, and lantana provided 69,70, and 57% mortality, respectively, by 96 h while goldenrod and tall lettuce root extracts and the untreated provided 0% mortality. Shoot portions of poinsettia and spurge provided 95 to 98% mortality while goldenrod, tall lettuce, and lantana shoot extracts had 64, 40, and 25% mortality, respectively. Greenhouse studies evaluated the most successful laboratory extracts in a soil environment and included poinsettia shoot extracts and BSM. Poinsettia shoot extracts with irrigation provided 70% control compared with the untreated pots while poinsettia nonirrigated provided 73% control. Brassica sp. seed meal with irrigation provided 92% control while BSM nonirrigated provided 99.5% control. Brassica sp. seed meal, poinsettia, and spurge shoot extracts showed most promise as possible biocontrol agents of sting nematodes.
On the buckling of an isotropic rectangular plate uniformly compressed on two simply supported edges and with two free unloaded edges

Abstract This expository brief note elaborates on the solution to the buckling problem of a uniformly compressed rectangular plate for which the two opposite loaded edges and the unloaded edges are considered simply supported and free, respectively. While Reissner originally discussed briefly this problem in 1909, it was not until 1954 when Ishlinskii presented its rigorous mathematical solution in the form of a transcendental equation, the solution of which requires the use of an iterative numerical technique. Despite remaining almost unreferenced and unnoticed in the literature, the works of Reissner and Ishlinskii in connection with this specific stability problem are educationally instructive and practically relevant. Ishlinskii's solution forms the basis upon which a simple approximate closed-form solution, presented in this note, yields results that do not differ significantly from those computed iteratively using the transcendental equation. Results presented in this brief note can be used as benchmark solutions for validating structural engineering software packages.
Skin surface lipids of the dog.

The skin surface lipid of the dog has been reported to contain a high proportion of diol diesters having a lower mobility on thin layer chromatography than diesters from other species in spite of containing similar fatty acid and diol components. In the present study, dog skin surface lipid was separated by preparative thin layer chromatography into sterol esters (42%), wax diesters (32%), free sterols (9%), polar lipids (7%), and unidentified components (10%). The diesters contained 1,2-diols, each esterified with one long chain fatty acid and one isovaleric acid moiety. The diols were principally branched chain C21 and C22 compounds while the long chain fatty acids esterified with them were mainly C20 and C21 branched compounds. The fatty acids from the sterol esters were mostly saturated, branched chain C19 to C23, together with 7% of straight chain monoenoic acids, principally C21 and C22. There were only trace amounts of free sterols other than cholesterol, while the esterified sterols contained 96% cholesterol and 4% lathosterol.
Exploratory Reactor Physics Studies of Negative Tandem Mirror Fusion Reactors

A physical model of plasma behavior in a negative tandem mirror reactor (NTMR) is used to explore the potential of this configuration as a reactor utilizing the deuterium-deuterium (DD) fuel cycle. It is found that relatively high values of plasma Q, in the range 15 to 20, may be possible in an NTMR if passive pumping of deeply trapped ions in the end cell is possible. Further, synchrotron radiation and hot electron end losses are dominant and require accurate modelling. If the physics elements of the model are verified by experimental findings, the results show negative tandem mirrors to be superior to their positive mode counterparts for DD burning.
Skull Base Chondrosarcoma: Evidence-Based Treatment Paradigms

Chondrosarcomas are indolent but invasive chondroid malignancies that can form in the skull base. Standard management of chondrosarcoma involves surgical resection and adjuvant radiation therapy. This review evaluates evidence from the literature to assess the importance of the surgical approach and extent of resection on outcomes for patients with skull base chondrosarcoma. Also evaluated is the ability of the multiple modalities of radiation therapy, such as conventional fractionated radiotherapy, proton beam, and stereotactic radiosurgery, to control tumor growth. Finally, emerging therapies for the treatment of skull-base chondrosarcoma are discussed.
Function Field Analysis for the Visualization of Flow Similarity in Time-Varying Vector Fields

Modern time-varying flow visualization techniques that rely on advection are able to convey fluid transport, but cannot provide an accurate insight into local flow behavior over time or locally corresponding patterns in unsteady vector fields. We overcome these limitations of purely Lagrangian approaches by generalizing the concept of function fields to time-varying flows. This representation of unsteady vector-fields as stationary function fields, where every position in space is a vector-valued function supports the application of novel analysis techniques based on function correlation, and allows to answer data analysis questions that remain unanswered with classic time-varying vector field analysis techniques. Our results demonstrate how analysis of time-varying flow fields can benefit from a conversion into function field representations and show the robustness of our presented clustering techniques.
Nanoscale Memristive Crossbar Circuits for Approximate Edge Detection in Smart Cameras

Smart cameras and other smart sensors require the capability to perform edge computing using energy-efficient and compact nanoscale systems. Many soft applications such as image processing can benefit from approximately correct computations if they reduce the energy and space requirements of the edge computing device. Our framework generates approximate nanoscale memristor crossbar designs that can perform edge detection on images. Our approximate design agrees with the exact computation on 96.6% of the input space while using a considerably smaller crossbar than an exact design.
The story of the American Type Culture Collection--its history and development (1899-1973).

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the history and development of the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), which was bred and nurtured by the scientific community and plays a versatile role. The history of the ATCC is the story of individuals working tirelessly, giving their time, energy, and expertise because they believed in the basic role the collection should play in advancing the science of microbiology. Today, this private nonprofit organization houses the largest collection of diverse microorganisms and related materials in the world. On December 1899, bacteriologists from all over the United States convened in New Haven, Connecticut, to found the Society of American Bacteriologists. The ATCC in 1960 became subdivided into individual collections. No actual physical division was possible, however, because of lack of laboratory space. Office space was rented in nearby buildings, and an abandoned fire house next door was used for storage. The ATCC requested funds from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to construct a permanent laboratory building.
Reducing Environmental Risks from Belt and Road Initiative Investments in Transportation Infrastructure

The Belt and Road Initiative, due to its diverse and extensive infrastructure investments, poses a wide range of environmental risks. Some projects have easily identifiable and measurable impacts, such as energy projects' greenhouse gas emissions. Others, such as transportation infrastructure, due to their vast geographic reach, generate more complex and potentially more extensive environmental risks. The proposed Belt and Road Initiative rail and road investments have stimulated concerns because of the history of significant negative environmental impacts from large-scale transportation projects across the globe. This paper studies environmental risks -- direct and indirect -- from Belt and Road Initiative transportation projects and the mitigation strategies and policies to address them. The paper concludes with a recommendation on how to take advantage of the scale of the Belt and Road Initiative to address these concerns in a way not typically available to stand-alone projects. In short, this scale motivates and permits early integrated development and conservation planning.
The Impact of Debriefing Following Nursing Assessments

Abstract Nursing curriculums are demanding programs which may precipitate intense feelings of worry, tension, and stress in nursing students (Perpetua Moreire & Ferreira Furegato, 2013). The impact of these feelings can hinder their self- efficacy. Furthermore, their well-being may have a long-term effect transferrable to patient car (Jun & Lee, 2017). It’s important to seek out ways to reduce these negative feelings and further support to mental health of nursing professionals. Debriefing experiences are used as they provide emotional support. Debriefing is a stress reduction technique that allows individuals to express and reflect upon their performance in a safe, non-judgmental space. The goal of this research is to develop a comprehensive study on the impact of debriefing after nursing assessments. Experimental Plan Class roster used to randomize an experimental group and a control groupClass has an exam Group will take part in debriefing session (Independent Variable)Post self-assessment (Dependent Variable) Experimental Group (A) 3D model of debriefing session Control Group (B) Unstructured debriefing session PICO Question For nursing students, immediately after taking an exam (P), how does a 3D model of debriefing (I) compare with an unstructured debriefing method © reduce self-reported stress and instill self-reported confidence as measured by post debriefing survey. Participant Commentary “This debriefing after the exam helped alleviate stress prior to taking the OSCE next.” “I am thankful for this time to discuss. I was helpful for me to talk with others and discuss the study techniques. Thanks for putting this together! I am interested to read up on the results to better prepare for the exams and distress before exams” “It felt like a needed therapy session, I’m not the only one” Moving Forward Continue research in peer-led debriefing Clinical debriefing experience Research class Obtain large class size Conduct during in school session Look into evidence-base practice of academic stress relief CASE program 2019
Post-modern usability

A few years ago, I was talking to my boss about the iterative, user-centered design plan we had laid out for our products. He was an engineer by training, and quite well known and respected in his field. He had even managed a user experience department at the original AT&T Bell Labs, back when they were still called human factors departments. You would think he would be wellinformed about what usability professionals do. As we talked, he leaned toward me, took another bite of his sandwich, and said in all seriousness, "Don't people in your field actually know anything?"
New Drugs 2019, part 3

This article reviews seven drugs recently approved by the FDA, including indications, precautions, adverse reactions, and nursing considerations.
Effect of Primary Occlusion Therapy in Asymmetric, Bilateral Amblyopia.

Purpose Many bilateral amblyopia patients have asymmetric visual acuity (VA). There is no standard treatment for these patients, and outcomes have not been well described. Our goal is to compare VA outcomes in this group based on timing of occlusion therapy. Design Retrospective interventional comparative case series. Methods S etting : Institutional practice. P atient P opulation : Patients diagnosed with amblyopia at Boston Children's Hospital between 2010 and 2014. I nclusion C riteria : VA ≥ 0.3 logMAR bilaterally by objective optotype-based measures, interocular difference (IOD) ≥ 0.18 logMAR, age 2-12 years. E xclusion C riteria : Loss to follow-up, managed surgically, deprivation amblyopia. Patients had either primary or secondary occlusion (primary = initiated when VA ≥ 0.3 logMAR bilaterally; secondary = initiated to correct residual IOD once VA improved to ≤0.18 logMAR in the stronger eye). O bservation P rocedure : Patient demographics, VA, IOD, and stereopsis were compared between groups. O utcome M easures : VA improvement at 12-18 months and at last visits. Results Of 2,200 patients reviewed, 167 (7.6%) had asymmetric, bilateral amblyopia; 98 met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients were equally divided between primary (n = 50) and secondary (n = 48) occlusion groups. There were no differences in demographics, baseline VA, or IOD between groups (P ≥ .22), although the primary occlusion group had a higher proportion of strabismic amblyopia (P = .007). VA in both eyes, IOD, and stereopsis improved similarly between groups, even after stratifying by amblyopia subtype (P ≥ .48). The secondary occlusion group was more likely to achieve 20/30 bilaterally and IOD ≤ 1 line at 12-18 months (P ≤ .4), although this equalized by the last visit. Conclusion In patients with asymmetric, bilateral amblyopia, VA improved by 4 lines in the weaker eye and 2 lines in the stronger eye, while IOD improved by 2 lines, irrespective of occlusion status. Primary occlusion thus provided no further benefit over spectacle correction alone.
Outcomes of Integrase Inhibitor-based Antiretroviral Therapy in a Clinical Cohort of Treatment-experienced Children, Adolescents and Young Adults With HIV Infection.

BACKGROUND Data on integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) use in children, adolescents and young adults with HIV are limited. We evaluated virologic and safety outcomes following INSTI initiation among treatment-experienced children, adolescents and young adults. METHODS The DC Cohort is a multicenter observational study of individuals receiving HIV care in Washington, DC. This analysis included treatment-experienced participants 0-24 years of age who initiated an INSTI during 2011-2017. Viral suppression (VS) and safety outcomes were quantified. Differences in VS by age, sex and CD4 count were assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves. RESULTS Of 141 participants (median age 20 years; 35% 500) cells/μL were less likely to achieve VS (P < 0.001). Among participants with VS at INSTI initiation, 51% sustained VS through a median of 11.0 months of follow-up; of the 49% with transient viremia, 77% later achieved VS again. There were no safety concerns associated with the use of INSTIs. CONCLUSIONS More than half of treatment-experienced children, adolescents and young adults with detectable viremia at INSTI initiation did not achieve VS, while half of those with prior VS experienced transient viremia. Further evaluation of long-term outcomes associated with INSTI use among children, adolescents and young adults is warranted.
In situ vaccination with laser interstitial thermal therapy augments immunotherapy in malignant gliomas

Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) remains a promising advance in the treatment of primary central nervous system malignancies. As indications for its use continue to expand, there has been growing interest in its ability to induce prolonged blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability through hyperthermia, potentially increasing the effectiveness of current therapeutics including BBB-impermeant agents and immunotherapy platforms. In this review, we highlight the mechanism of hyperthermic BBB disruption and LITT-induced immunogenic cell death in preclinical models and humans. Additionally, we summarize ongoing clinical trials evaluating a combination approach of LITT and immunotherapy, which will likely serve as the basis for future neuro-oncologic treatment paradigms. There is evidence to suggest a highly immunogenic response to laser interstitial thermal therapy through activation of both the innate and adaptive immune response. These mechanisms have been shown to potentiate standard methods of oncologic care. There are only a limited number of clinical trials are ongoing to evaluate the utility of LITT in combination with immunotherapy. LITT continues to be studied as a possible technique to bridge the gap between exciting preclinical results and the limited successes seen in the field of neuro-oncology. Preliminary data suggests a substantial benefit for use of LITT as a combination therapy in several clinical trials. Further investigation is required to determine whether or not this treatment paradigm can translate into long-term durable results for primary intracranial malignancies.
ECMO Support in Lung Transplantation

In the field of lung transplantation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can be used in multiple phases of perioperative care including pre-operatively as a bridge to transplantation, intraoperative support, and post-operative support for delayed graft function. ECMO is safe for use in patients with end-stage lung disease who experience rapid clinical deterioration prior to lung transplantation [1]. At some institutions, ECMO has replaced cardiopulmonary bypass intraoperatively during transplantation [2, 3]. After implantation, ECMO has been employed as a management strategy to support early failing allografts in lung transplantation [4]. Indications, patient selection, technical considerations, and outcomes for ECMO support in lung transplantation are described in this chapter.
Clinical Trial in a Dish: Using Patient-Derived Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Identify Risks of Drug-Induced Cardiotoxicity.

Drug-induced cardiotoxicity is a significant clinical issue, with many drugs in the market being labeled with warnings on cardiovascular adverse effects. Treatments are often prematurely halted whe...
Image-based early predictions of functional properties in cell manufacturing

Effective cell manufacturing is essential to realizing the full potential of cell-based therapies but faces a multitude of challenges. One of the major challenges is the identification of critical quality attributes (CQAs), especially ones that enable early predictions of functional properties of the final products. The main goal of this study is to develop machine learning models for early predictions of the functional properties of mesenchymal stromal/stem cells(MSCs) in cell manufacturing. Deep learning models are trained and tested for image-based prediction of functional property—Collagen II expression after chondrogenic differentiation—of MSCs cells. During the MSC expansion, images of culturing wells were collected daily in the first six days, and the Collagen II level was assayed at the end of differentiation, following expansion. For each day, a deep learning model was trained with images from a specific experimental condition, and each model was tested with images from the same condition and also from other conditions. The trained neural network models showed 70-90 percent accuracy. Most of the models across different days and conditions show high consistency, especially models trained with images past day 2 of cell culture. Such consistency suggests that models are picking up similar features in predicting chondrogenesis capability. Our study highlighted the potential of deep neural network models used for early predictions of the functional properties of MSCs in cell manufacturing.
Elastic properties of iron and tantalum at high pressure and temperature

Iron and tantalum have many important applications in tools, infrastructure, and electronics. In service, metallic parts can experience extreme stresses and temperatures (e.g., jet engine components, chemical processing equipment, supports for large structures), thus it is important to understand their elastic properties as a function of both pressure and temperature in order to allow engineers to appropriately design components using these materials. To determine these properties, we measured sound speeds and densities of Fe and Ta samples as a function of pressure and temperature. These measurements were performed in a large volume hydraulic pressure cell in situ at the Advanced Photon Source. Ultrasound time-of-flight was measured using the pulse-echo method and the sample dimensions were measured using x-ray radiography. x-ray diffraction was used to determine the sample densities. The longitudinal and shear sound speeds and the density measurements were combined to determine the bulk, Young’s, and shear moduli and Poisson’s ratio as pressure and temperature was changed. This talk will present these elastic properties as a function of pressure (up to 7 GPa) and temperature (up to 1000 °C). Finally, electron microscopy techniques will be discussed as a method of quantifying texture evolution during sample compression.
Multi-channel virtual fluorescence microscopy with a learned sensing network

Fluorescence imaging is used throughout biological research to identify subcellular structures, detect neural activity, and differentiate cell types. Multi-channel fluorescence is a challenging subset of fluorescence imaging where multiple fluorescent modes are emitted simultaneously, allowing the detection of a multitude of elements within the specimen (for example, multiple types of neurons). In our work, we demonstrate a learned sensing approach to realize virtual multi-channel fluorescence, by jointly optimizing image illumination and a deep learning neural network that infers labels from brightfield images. We used our setup to demonstrate the influence of key design decisions, such as model architecture, choice of loss function, and amount of input images, on the final optical design. We expect that our work can provide a better understanding of building machine learning based imaging systems and demonstrate the scalability of our illumination optimization technique.
Allenopithecus nigroviridis (Allen’s swamp monkey)

Skin biopsies of these animals were kindly made available by Dr. C. Gray, National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C., USA. The female specimen was from Leopoldville, South Africa, and is the same animal depicted by Walker (p. 461) The male specimen was acquired through the San Diego Zoo. The synonym Cercopithecus nigroviridis is not used here as we follow the taxonomic outline given by Kuhn. Nevertheless, that designation was used by Chiarelli who found 2n=60 for this species. The origin of his three specimens was not described and it is thus not certain that the taxonomic status of these animals was documented. Chiarelli found 20 acrocentric autosomes in his specimens.
The Ultraviolet Rotatory Dispersion and Conformation of Bence-Jones Proteins

Abstract The optical rotatory dispersion of five individual specimens of Bence-Jones proteins was investigated, including the far ultraviolet spectral zone. The Moffitt constants (b0) were determined, and either low positive or low negative values were found. The rotatory dispersion curves of all specimens had flat negative minima at 220 to 235 mµ and positive maxima at 204 to 212 mµ. Denaturation with acid indicated disorganization of the macromolecules, whereas heating at 50° with decyl sulfate induced a transition indicating the presence of the α-helical conformation in a part of the chains. The finding of Hamaguchi and Migita that the antigenic Type K (or I) proteins in 40% chloroethanol have more negative b0 values than the Type L (or II) proteins was confirmed. The shallow negative minimum in the curves of the Type K proteins was found at 220 to 224 mµ, whereas the minimum of the Type L proteins was at 228 to 235 mµ.
A Social Justice Lens Turned on Legal Education: Next Steps in Representing the Vulnerable and Inspiring Law Students

A Social Justice Lens Turned on Legal Education: Next Steps in Representing the Vulnerable and Inspiring Law Students suggests that contemporary discourse about reforming law schools should include dialogue about imbuing legal education with social justice ideals. While 40% of low and moderate-income households experience legal issues each year, legal aid assistance only meets about 20% of those needs. Bridging that “justice gap” for civil legal services should include the creation of Centers for Social Justice and Public Service in law schools, such as the Center that exists at Santa Clara Law. The Center provides a certificate program with academic, practicum, and public service components. The Center also coordinates extracurricular activities and emphasizes pro bono work to bridge the justice gap for marginalized, subordinated, or underrepresented clients. Three programs help to instill in students a desire to advance social justice causes and to view their work through a social justice lens, no matter their area of practice: (1) the Pro Bono Recognition Program; (2) the Pro Bono Placement Project; and (3) Summer Grants for public service work. The Center and its activities offer an institutional framework where students can find support, friendship, and thrive.