cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Corporate Group Formation and Differentiation in Early Puebloan Villages of the American Southwest

The development of corporate groups and social differentiation has long been studied by scholars interested in the historic development of Puebloan societies in the American Southwest. Recent discussions of these issues have suggested that corporate group organization and differentiation were formalized during the transition from pithouse to pueblo architecture from A.D. 700 to 1000. In this article, I examine the history and process of the pithouse-to-pueblo transition in the northern San Juan region from A.D. 700 to 900. Unlike in most parts of the ancient Southwest, the architectural transition in this area was accompanied by a significant settlement change resulting in the founding of large, permanent villages housing hundreds of residents. I present an analysis of architectural differences within McPhee Village, one of the largest of these settlements, that documents variability in corporate group organization and socioeconomic power near the end of this transitional period. This study contributes to a growing body of archaeological literature that highlights the importance of internal social dynamics and corporate strategies within early village societies.
Low Power Computer Interconnect with 1060nm VCSEL

Results on an optical link using a high efficiency 1060 nm VCSEL are presented. Clear eye patterns are obtained at 25 Gbps. A Tx module with a 1.7 pJ/bit energy consumption at 10 Gbps is demonstrated.
Ultrathin Lithium-Ion Conducting Coatings for Increased Interfacial Stability in High Voltage Lithium-Ion Batteries

Ultrathin conformal coatings of the lithium ion conductor, lithium aluminum oxide (LiAlO2), were evaluated for their ability to improve the electrochemical stability of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4/graphite Li-ion batteries. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy confirmed the ion conducting character of the LiAlO2 films. Complementary simulations of the activation barriers in these layers match experimental results very well. LiAlO2 films were subsequently separately deposited onto LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 and graphite electrodes. Increased electrochemical stability was observed, especially in the full cells, which was attributed to the role of the coatings as physical barriers against side reactions at the electrode–electrolyte interface. By comparing data from full cells where the coatings were applied to either electrode, the dominating failure mechanism was found to be the diffusion of transition metal ions from the cathode to the anode. The LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4/graphite full cell with less than 1 nm LiAlO2 on the positive electr...
Gender reassignment surgery in the 18th century: A case study:

In 1779, Mr Thomas Brand surgically reassigned the gender of a seven-year-old child from female to male, thus enabling him to urinate standing up, wear trousers, and enjoy the privileges of being a male. This case study, published in London in 1787, illuminates 18th-century debates over gender, sexual ambiguity, and medical theories and practices. Mr Brand, Surgeon, uses his case study to claim that the body is two-sexed, and that hermaphrodism is a fiction. He proposes that the anatomical knowledge and practices of surgeons such as himself are superior to those of higher-status physicians. Mr Brand does not have a lot to say about his patient or her/his parents, except to conclude that if the patient had been of the upper classes, the case would have been a lot more interesting.
Consumer Choice of Information Processing Strategies in Disposition Decisions

Information processing strategies were investigated in a product disposition context. One hundred subjects participated in an experiment designed to test the effect of predecisional perceived risk and the functional condition of the product on the type of processing strategy selected. No significant effect of the two independent variables was reported; however, a significant number of subjects selected a lexicographic strategy. The results suggest that consumers disposing of durable goods tend to focus on the financial benefits or costs that accompany different disposal alternatives.
Gangrene Therapy and Antisepsis Before Lister: The Civil War Contributions of Middleton Goldsmith of Louisville

It is commonly accepted that Louis Pasteur is the father of microbiology and Joseph Lister is the father of antisepsis. Middleton Goldsmith, a surgeon in the Union Army during the American Civil War, meticulously studied hospital gangrene and developed a revolutionary treatment regimen. The cumulative Civil War hospital gangrene mortality was 45 per cent. Goldsmith's method, which he applied to over 330 cases, yielded a mortality under 3 per cent. His innovative work predated Pasteur and Lister, making his success truly remarkable and worthy of historical and surgical note.
Joint antenna-array calibration and direction of arrival estimation for automotive radars

We present an iterative method for joint antenna-array calibration and direction of arrival estimation using millimeter-wave (mm-Wave) radar operating at 77 GHz. The calibration compensates for antennaarray coupling, and phase and gain errors, and does not require any training data. This method is well suited for applications, such as automotive radars, where multiple antenna elements are packaged on a chip and where offline calibration is either expensive or is not possible. The proposed method is highly effective when the array coupling is a function of direction of arriving waves from the object. The novel optimization method proposed in the paper allows it to be used for a 2D array of any shape. Experiments using real data collected from a four-element array on a single-chip radar demonstrate the viability of the algorithm.
Management of Frontal Sinus Tumors

The most common primary tumors of the frontal sinus are osteomas and inverted papillomas, although a variety of other tumors involving this space have been reported. With the advent of new surgical techniques and instrumentation, an endoscopic approach to this region has become feasible. The preoperative assessment and decision making must take into account the complexity of frontal sinus anatomy, tumor type, tumor location, and associated attachments. These procedures allow adequate visualization, tumor removal, and postoperative monitoring, and preserve fairly normal sinus function. Open techniques may also be required and should be in the surgeon's armamentarium.
Toolkit to build resilience and sustainability without growth

Review of: D'Alisa, Giacomo, Federico Demaria, and Giorgos Kallis. Degrowth: A vocabulary for a new era. Routledge, 2014. 220 pages. ISBN: 978-1-138-00076-6
The Measurement of Light Emitted by Living Cells

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the measurement of light emitted by living cells. It presents methods for detection of singlet oxygen in biological reactions by use of chemiluminescent probes. The chapter also presents experimental evidence for the optimization model of firefly fluorescence. The spectral optimization model provides a framework that begins to account for the range of colors of firefly bioluminescence (BL) in North American species. By relating optimization with photic niches occupied by the various species, it is possible to correlate behavioral activity during the photoperiod, that is, twilight versus night activity, with adaptations in visual spectral sensitivity and color of BL. The model shows that a narrowing of visual spectral sensitivity via a screening pigment pathway in order to discriminate against green ambient light is more efficient than a shift in visual spectral sensitivity via a change in the opsin photoprotein.
A GPU Accelerated Continuous and Discontinuous Galerkin Non-hydrostatic Atmospheric Model

We present a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)-accelerated nodal discontinuous Galerkin method for the solution of the three-dimensional Euler equations that govern the motion and thermodynamic state ...
Spinal decision making for respiratory muscle recruitment

How does the central nervous system determine the recruitment order of the motor units which are involved in breathing? This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Antiviral immunity backfires: Pathogenic effects of type I interferon signaling in fetal development

Interferon-α/β signaling is pathogenic in a mouse model of congenital Zika virus infection.
Bayesian Semiparametric Mixed Effects Markov Models With Application to Vocalization Syntax

ABSTRACTStudying the neurological, genetic, and evolutionary basis of human vocal communication mechanisms using animal vocalization models is an important field of neuroscience. The datasets typically comprise structured sequences of syllables or “songs” produced by animals from different genotypes under different social contexts. It has been difficult to come up with sophisticated statistical methods that appropriately model animal vocal communication syntax. We address this need by developing a novel Bayesian semiparametric framework for inference in such datasets. Our approach is built on a novel class of mixed effects Markov transition models for the songs that accommodate exogenous influences of genotype and context as well as animal-specific heterogeneity. Crucial advantages of the proposed approach include its ability to provide insights into key scientific queries related to global and local influences of the exogenous predictors on the transition dynamics via automated tests of hypotheses. The m...
Impact of prenatal arsenic exposure on chronic adult diseases

Exposure to environmental stressors during susceptible windows of development can result in negative health outcomes later in life, a concept known as the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD). There is a growing body of evidence that exposures to metals early in life (in utero and postnatal) increase the risk of developing adult diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and diabetes. Of particular concern is exposure to the metalloid arsenic, a drinking water contaminant and worldwide health concern. Epidemiological studies of areas with high levels of arsenic in the drinking water, such as some regions in Chile and Bangladesh, indicate an association between in utero arsenic exposure and the development of adult diseases. Therefore, the need for experimental models to address the mechanism underlining early onset of adult diseases have emerged including the in utero and whole-life exposure models. This review will highlight the epidemiological events and subsequent novel experimental models implemented to study the impact of early life exposure to arsenic on the development of adult diseases. In addition, current research using these models will be discussed as well as possible underlying mechanism for the early onset of disease. Abbreviations: ALT: alanine aminotransferase; AMI: acute myocardial infarction; AST: aspartate aminotransferase; ATSDR: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; CVD: cardiovascular disease; DMA: dimethylarsinate; DOHaD: Developmental Origins of Health and Disease; EPA: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; ER-α: estrogen receptor alpha; HDL: high-density lipoprotein; HOMA-IR: homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance; iAs: inorganic arsenic; LDL: low-density lipoprotein; MetS: metabolic syndrome; MMA: monomethylarsonate; NAFLD: non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; PND: postnatal day; ppb: parts per billion; ppm: parts per million; SAM: S-adenosylmethionine; USFDA: United States Food and Drug Administration.
Explorations with a simulation model of short-term memory

A simulation model of human short-term memory has been formulated. The model postulates a number of basic information processes which are executed in a serial fashion and each has an associated time parameter. The model also postulates that information is lost from memory as a result of decay. The nature of this decay is exponential and its rate is a model parameter. Several studies were simulated in which the processing-time and decay-rate parameters were manipulated in order to determine the model's sensitivity to these parameters. Also, the model's performance was examined as a function of whether or not visual information is stored in STM and whether order information is retained perfectlyorlostasresult of decay. The results of these simulated studies were compared to experimental data in order to determine at which parameter values and under which conditions of visualand order information storage the model performs most appropriately.
Formal verification of hierarchically distributed agent based protection scheme in smart grid

In recent studies, hierarchically distributed non-intrusive agent aided transmission line distance relaying protection scheme has been proposed. This scheme is meant to provide the distance relays with situational awareness and improve their robustness against hidden failures. Distance relaying protection scheme is a part of safety critical cyber physical system (in particular, power system) and it operates with stringent timing requirements to remove the faulted line out of service. Before putting into practice, it is better to formally verify that the agent based relay supervisory scheme meets the specifications and its usage gives intended results and doesn't carry any negative side effects. Therefore, in this paper agent based relay supervision scheme is formally modelled, validated and its properties are verified using UPPAAL - a timed automata based formal verification tool.
FURTHER STUDIES OF YOUNG'S MODULUS OF CARBONS AT ROOM TEMPERATURE*

In continuation of the previously reported work on the dependence of the Young's modulus on heat-treatment temperature for various types of carbons made with calcined filler, carbons prepared using soft and hard graphitized fillers as well as impregnated carbons were investigated. A gradual decrease of the room temperature Young's modulus with increasing heat-treatment temperature is observed for carbons made with graphitized filler, the permanent set being of the same order of magnitude as for carbon made with calcined filler. Binder impregnation results in an increase of the Young's modulus which for the final graphitized product is the same irrespective of the stage at which the impregnation was made.
Arf Algebras and Special Elements

Let R be any commutative ring. Let M be a quadratic module over R and let C(M) be its Clifford algebra. The centralizer of the even subalgebra C0(M) in C(M) is a graded algebra which carries important information. We will see in Chapter 8 that it controls the relationship between the structures of C(M) and C0(M), provides the connection between the tensor product and graded tensor product of Clifford algebras, and that it has consequences for the representations of C(M). The (graded) isomorphism class of this centralizer leads to an invariant for quadratic forms over R, which has significant impact on their structure. This is pursued in Chapters 13 and 14. Since this invariant reduces to the classical Arf invariant when R is a field of characteristic 2, we will denote the centralizer by A(M) and call it the Arf algebra of M. (It is also known as the discriminant algebra of M in the literature.) The present chapter develops some of the very basic properties of A(M). It is assumed throughout that M is finitely generated projective and nonsingular. The quadratic and bilinear forms of M are denoted by q and h, respectively.
Factors Influencing Mitigation Strategies for Autogenous Shrinkage

This research aims to answer several outstanding questions that must be addressed before internal curing materials can be commonly used in structural concrete. The wide range of possibilities for internal curing material properties can dramatically alter the effectiveness of internal curing. The research presented here investigates some of the more important material properties, such as desorption rate, absorption capacity, and distribution/protected paste volume, and the synergistic relationship between properties as related to reductions in autogenous deformation and the effects on mortar compressive strength. The estimated degree of hydration is an effective method to evaluate the efficiency of an internal curing material. However, effects on mechanical properties are not considered. Thus, in addition to the degree of hydration measurements, the relative changes of compressive strength that are due to internal curing material incorporation should always be investigated. The desorption rate of an internal curing material should match the self-desiccation profile of a high-performance cementitious mix as much as possible. Perlite lightweight fine aggregates had a prolonged desorption rate (up to 14 days), such that the aggregate’s effectiveness at mitigating autogenous shrinkage was minimized. In this case, the quantities of internal curing materials added to a particular mixture should be adjusted to account only for the water desorbed within the self-desiccation period (approximately 5–7 days). Expanded shale lightweight fine aggregates appeared to be the most effective internal curing material investigated in this research based on improvements to the degree of hydration and negligible effects on compressive strength.
The Rehearsal Deficit Hypothesis

Publisher Summary This chapter presents evidence to support the rehearsal deficit hypothesis in mentally retarded individuals. Strategic behavior ranges from a failure to use rehearsal to the use of strategies that differ from those used by nonretarded individuals. The use of rehearsal seems to be a more fragile phenomenon in retarded groups than in comparable nonretarded groups. Both younger retarded and nonretarded individuals are less likely to use a repetition strategy when the task constrains the number of times the items may be viewed before recall, but the effect of this type of limitation is more severe for retarded individuals than nonretarded adolescents. Similarly, under some conditions study-time patterns similar to those used by nonretarded groups may be found for retarded groups, but only after exquisitely clear task instructions. Retarded individuals may show evidence of primacy effects, but in some cases a large number of trials on one task must be given, whereas primacy is evident in nonretarded groups with relatively few trials. When accuracy on sequences presented at different rates is compared for retarded groups, rate has an effect when relatively slow rates are included, whereas differences due to presentation rate are evident for nonretarded groups even when the rates are relatively fast. Retarded groups may maintain information during an unfilled retention interval, but their maintenance may not be as effective as in nonretarded groups, and it is apparently restricted by a small rehearsal set size.
Intraosseous administration of 4‐factor prothrombin complex concentrate prior to emergent surgery after receiving apixaban

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE The 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (4F-PCC) may be used to emergently achieve haemostasis in patients on anticoagulation prior to surgery. Limited data exist using the intraosseous route of administration of 4F-PCC in patients taking factor Xa inhibitors. CASE DESCRIPTION We describe a case of a 69-year-old female receiving oral apixaban that was successfully administered 4F-PCC using intraosseous access prior to emergent surgery to obtain haemostasis intraoperatively. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION Intraosseous access may be a viable route of administration for 4F-PCC in patients receiving factor Xa inhibitors to achieve haemostasis when necessary.
Video Games, Obesity, and Children

To examine associations between video game play and obesity in children. Based on a scoping review of 26 studies (25 cross-sectional; 1 longitudinal) published in 2013–2018, 14 studies (53%) reported no association between video game play and obesity, and 12 studies reported positive associations. In a review of 8 systematic reviews, there was preliminary evidence on the effectiveness of exergame (physically active) play for weight reduction and to attenuate weight gain but little indication that interventions effectively reduced video game play or general screen time. This review found ambiguous evidence on the extent to which video game play is or is not significantly associated with obesity in children and preliminary evidence of exergame play as a tool for weight reduction and attenuation of weight gain. Several gaps existed in understanding the relationship between video game play and obesity, and prospective and interventional trials are needed.
Surgical outcomes in complex adult congenital heart disease: a brief review

Life expectancy of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) continues to increase dramatically over the last few decades, primarily due to significant medical and surgical advancements in the field. Adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) patients are now living longer but continue to face morbidity and reduced long-term survival when compared to the general population. We briefly describe the growth of ACHD with a focus on surgical procedures and outcomes in the more complex lesions including Tetralogy of Fallot, Ebsteins Anomaly of the tricuspid valve, Coarctation of the Aorta, Transposition of the Great Arteries and single ventricle lesions. The advancing role of mechanical circulatory support and cardiac transplantation in ACHD patients is also highlighted. Cardiac surgery in these patients continues to improve with low surgical mortality rate and outstanding long-term outcomes and efficacy.
Gastrointestinal thickness, duration, and leak pressure of six intestinal anastomoses in dogs.

Objective To compare leak pressures and construct completion time of six intestinal anastomoses and report normal canine gastrointestinal thickness. Study design Experimental study. Animals Grossly normal jejunal segments (n = 140) from 10 fresh canine cadavers. Methods Gastrointestinal thickness was recorded. Eight-centimeter cooled canine cadaveric jejunal segments were randomly assigned to a control group (20 segments) and six treatment groups (20 segments/group [10 constructs/group]): (1) handsewn anastomosis (HSA), (2) functional end-to-end stapled anastomosis (FEESA)-blue thoracoabdominal (TA; FEESA-TAB), (3) FEESA-green TA (FEESA-TAG), (4) FEESA TA-gastrointestinal anastomosis (GIA), (5) FEESA with suture oversew (FEESA-O), and (6) skin staples (SS). Construct assembly time, initial leak pressure (ILP), maximum intraluminal pressure (MIP), and leakage location were compared. Results Initial leak pressures (mean ± SD) for control (308.38 ± 115.91 mm Hg), HSA (41.96 ± 15.97), FEESA-TAB (31.71 ± 15.71), FEESA-TAG (27.24 ± 14.11), FEESA-GIA (25.62 ± 11.22), FEESA-O (31.01 ± 17.38), and SS (44.42 ± 28.88) groups were compared. No difference in ILP (P > .24) or MIP (P > .17) was detected between treatment groups. Sutured anastomoses took up to 10 times longer to complete (P = .0025). The stomach, duodenum, jejunum, and ileum mural thicknesses (mean ± SD) were 3.99 ± 0.44 mm, 2.34 ± 0.16, 2.49 ± 0.28, and 2.30 ± 0.31, respectively. Conclusion The ILP of all anastomoses exceeded maximum intraluminal peristaltic pressures. Stapled anastomoses were faster to complete. Clinical significance All anastomoses may be considered when performing an intestinal resection and anastomosis, with stapled anastomoses resulting in a shorter surgical time. Canine intestinal thickness may warrant use of a larger staple size.
Allometric Relationships Between Above-Ground Biomass and Lidar Full Waveform Measurements - Potential Applications for Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) Mission

To reduce the site-dependent calibration effort for large scale above-ground biomass density (AGBD) estimation using the Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) lidar measurements, this study investigates the allometric relationship between the lidar waveform measurements and ABGD in forests with different ecosystem structure characteristics. We developed a biomass index directly from full waveform measurements. This index shows a consistent linear relationship with AGBD in different forest biomes. The index explains 87% of biomass variation (R2 ~ 0.87). For regions with relative narrow range of above-ground biomass, the index has similar performance with lidar height metrics. However it significantly outperforms the commonly used lidar height metrics for forests with large variations of vegetation structure and above-ground biomass range. The results indicate intrinsic allometric relationships between forest ABGD and lidar full waveform data. This index has a great potential to map large scale above-ground biomass using the GEDI measurements.
Peer Learning in Radiology: Effect of a Pay-for-Performance Initiative on Clinical Impact and Usage

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to assess the effects of a pay-for-performance (PFP) initiative on clinical impact and usage of a radiology peer learning tool. MATERIALS AND METHODS. This retrospective study was performed at a large academic hospital. On May 1, 2017, a peer learning tool was implemented to facilitate radiologist peer feedback including clinical follow-up, positive feedback, and consultation. Subsequently, PFP target numbers for peer learning tool alerts by subspecialty divisions (October 1, 2017) and individual radiologists (October 1, 2018) were set. The primary outcome was report addendum rate (percent of clinical follow-up alerts with addenda), which was a proxy for peer learning tool clinical impact. Secondary outcomes were peer learning tool usage rate (number of peer learning tool alerts per 1000 radiology reports) and proportion of clinical follow-up alerts (percent of clinical follow-ups among all peer learning tool alerts). Outcomes were assessed biweekly using ANOVA and statistical process control analyses. RESULTS. Among 1,265,839 radiology reports from May 1, 2017, to September 29, 2019, a total of 20,902 peer learning tool alerts were generated. The clinical follow-up alert addendum rate was not significantly different between the period before the PFP initiative (9.9%) and the periods including division-wide (8.3%) and individual (7.9%) PFP initiatives (p = .55; ANOVA). Peer learning tool usage increased from 2.2 alerts per 1000 reports before the PFP initiative to 12.6 per 1000 during the division-wide PFP period (5.7-fold increase; 12.6/2.2), to 25.2 in the individual PFP period (11.5-fold increase vs before PFP; twofold increase vs division-wide) (p < .001). The clinical follow-up alert proportion decreased from 37.5% before the PFP initiative, to 34.4% in the division-wide period, to 31.3% in the individual PFP period. CONCLUSION. A PFP initiative improved radiologist engagement in peer learning by marked increase in peer learning tool usage rate without a change in report addendum rate as a proxy for clinical impact.
Special Interest Group on Visualization Grammars

Visualization grammars, often based on the Grammar of Graphics, are popular choices for specifying expressive visualizations and supporting visualization systems. However, there are still open questions about grammar design and evaluation not well-answered in visualization research. In this SIG, we propose to discuss what makes a grammar “good” and explore evaluation methodologies best suited for visualization grammars.
Validation of a flash glucose monitoring system in outpatient diabetic cats.

Background Interstitial glucose (IG) concentration measurement using a flash glucose monitoring system (FGMS) is a noninvasive, affordable, and informative method to regulate patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) but has not been fully validated in outpatient cats with DM. Objectives To further validate the FreeStyle Libre FGMS in outpatient diabetic cats. Animals Eight client-owned cats with DM. Methods Prospective observational validation study. Tissue glue was used to attach the sensor to the cat. Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (ρc ) was used to compare IG concentrations measured by the FGMS to blood glucose concentrations measured using an automated biochemistry analyzer (ABA) and point-of-care glucometer (POCG). Results Data from 15 sensor placements in 8 cats were analyzed. Paired IG and ABA glucose concentrations (139 samples) had excellent correlation (ρc = 0.96) as did IG and POCG glucose concentrations (142 samples, ρc = 0.92). Sensor failure or displacement were recorded for 12/15 (80%) sensor placements. Median time of sensor activity was 7 days (range, 2-13 days). Conclusions and clinical importance In outpatient cats with DM, the FGMS-measured IG concentration correlated well with ABA-measured blood glucose concentration, but a high rate of sensor failures was observed.
In Search of Regulatory Equilibrium

Suggestions for how to reform the media obviously depend on what we think most needs reforming. But they also depend on our views of the most appropriate and constitutionally viable regulatory models for achieving reform. There is no dearth of analysis of modern media’s failings. Such media criticism is joined by a vocal and apparently bourgeoning grassroots movement to improve the media landscape. Yet there is also a school of thought that rejects regulation as a workable solution to media’s identified failings. And, with the decline of what was once an almost visceral belief in broadcast exceptionalism, there is now an increasing tendency among lower federal courts to see electronic media owners as First Amendment rights-holders, indistinguishable from their print counterparts. Thus, suggestions for media reform today are made against a backdrop of fundamental conflict—of disagreements both as to normative goals and empirical assessments of regulatory effectiveness. With this Article, I hope to stake out a middle ground in today’s media debate, devising a workable program to improve media performance. My focus will be on the need to induce the modern electronic media to act as the press: to engage in serious newsgathering and provide
WebRTC: real-time communication for the open web platform

What was once a way to bring audio and video to the Web has expanded into more use cases than we could ever imagine.
Asthma Phenotypes and COVID-19 Risk: A Population-based Observational Study.

Rationale Studies have suggested some asthma patients are at risk of severe COVID-19, but they have had limited data on asthma phenotype and have not considered if risks are specific to COVID-19. Objectives Determine the effect of asthma phenotype on three levels of COVID-19 outcomes. Compare hospitalisation rates to influenza and pneumonia. Methods Electronic medical records were used to identify asthma patients and match them to the general population. Patient-level data were linked to Public Health England SARS-CoV-2 test data, hospital, and mortality data. Asthma was phenotyped by medication, exacerbation history, and type-2 inflammation. The risk of each outcome, adjusted for major risk factors, was measured using Cox regression. Measurements and main results 434,348 asthma and 748,327 matched patients were included. All asthma patients had a significantly increased risk of a GP-diagnosis of COVID-19. Asthma with regular inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) use (HR=1.27, 95%CI=1.01-1.61), intermittent ICS + add-on asthma medication use (HR=2.00, 95%CI=1.43-2.79), regular ICS + add-on use (HR=1.63, 95 CI=1.37-1.94), or with frequent exacerbations (HR=1.82, 95% CI=1.34-2.47) was significantly associated with hospitalisation. These phenotypes were significantly associated with influenza and pneumonia hospitalisations. Only patients with regular ICS + add-on asthma therapy (HR=1.70, 95%CI=1.27-2.26) or frequent exacerbations (HR=1.66, 95%CI=1.03-2.68) had a significantly higher risk of ICU admission or death. Atopy and blood eosinophil count were not associated with severe COVID-19 outcomes. Conclusions More severe asthma was associated with more severe COVID-19 outcomes, but type-2 inflammation was not. The risk of COVID-19 hospitalisation appeared to be similar to the risk with influenza or pneumonia. This article is open access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives License 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Effects of two Metabolites of Norethynodrel on Reproductive Performance of Female Rats

2 of the major metabolites of norethynodrel (17alpha-ethinyl-17-beta -hydroxy estr-5(10)-en-3-one) 17alpha-ethinyl-estr-5(10)-ene-3-alpha17 beta-diol and 17alpha-ethinyl-estr-5(10)-ene-3beta17beta-diol were administered chronically to mature female rats over a 4-week period during which they were constantly exposed to males. The antifertility a ctivity of the 3alpha-hydroxy epimer was less than 1/2 that of norethynodrel; that of the 3beta-hydroxy epimer was even lower. The litters of rats receiving certain dosages of all 3 compounds were significantly smaller than those of control animals the result of a combination of reduced numbers of ovulations and reduced yields of fetuses from the ovulations which occurred. This suggests that norethynodrel and these 2 metabolites interfere with fertilization implantation or maintenance of pregnancy in dosages not preventing ovulation. A significantly high percentage of rats which received the metabolites showed grossly evident resorption sites. This suggests that at least 1 of the effects is on maintenance of pregnancy. The low antifertility potencies of the metabolites suggest that metabolism of norethynodrel to these products is not responsible for its antiovulatory action.(AUTHORS MODIFIED)
A Tutorial on Fuzzy Rule-Based Expert Systems FRBES Models. 2: Models and Computational Techniques

Fuzzy rule-based expert systems FRBES models, described by a set of fuzzy conditional statements in the canonical form of If x is Ak then yk is Bk for k = 1, 2, …, r or a system of conjunctive or disjunctive fuzzy relational equations in the form of yk = x · Rk for k = 1, 2, …, r were discussed in part I of this tutorial. In Part II provides detailed descriptions of some interesting special cases of FRBES models of dynamic systems along with a number of commonly used formats for FRBES models and their solutions. The fundamental computational processes of FRBES models such as partitioning input and output spaces into fuzzy partitions and assigning them membership functions, fuzzification, inferencing, defuzzification processes are illustrated. A number of interesting graphical techniques for the above-mentioned computational processes are also given. Finally, fuzzy associative memories tables are introduced.
Admissibility of Expert Testimony

These cases illustrate some of the dilemmas encountered by courts when deciding who is an expert and to what can an expert testify? In the first example, the court must decide if the eye witness’s testimony was reliable. Would a psychologist’s testimony about the research on accuracy of eyewitness memory help the court do its job? In the second example, the court has to decide if scientific testimony by the general expert who did not examine Tate would provide information in addition to the experts who examined him by each side, to assist the jury in making the decision as to whether he had the capability to form the same intent as an adult. In the third example, the court must decide if the fact that Sara demonstrated characteristics of Rape Trauma Syndrome would prove that James had actually raped her?
An Ising spin state explanation for financial asset allocation

Abstract We build on the developments in the application of statistical mechanics, notably the identity of the spin degree of freedom in the Ising model, to explain asset price dynamics in financial markets with a representative agent. Specifically, we consider the value of an individual spin to represent the proportional holdings in various assets. We use partial moment arguments to identify asymmetric reactions to information and develop an extension of a plunging and dumping model. This unique identification of the spin is a relaxation of the conventional discrete state limitation on an Ising spin to accommodate a new archetype in Ising model-finance applications wherein spin states may take on continuous values, and may evolve in time continuously, or discretely, depending on the values of the partial moments.
Functional foods: the US perspective

Widespread interest in the possibility that selected foods might promote health has resulted in the coining of the term functional food, although agreement about what is and what is not a functional food is lacking. Public interest in functional foods is increasing because of higher health care costs; the passage of federal legislation affecting many food categories, including the expanded category of dietary supplements; and recent scientific discoveries linking dietary habits with the development of many diseases, including coronary heart disease and some cancers. A variety of foods have been proposed as providing health benefits by altering one or more physiologic processes. Biomarkers are needed to assess the ability of functional foods or their bioactive components to modify disease and to evaluate the ability of these foods to promote health, growth, and well-being. Evidence suggests that several biomarkers may be useful for distinguishing between diseased and nondiseased states and even for predicting future susceptibility to disease. A variety of biomarkers will probably be needed to develop a profile for an individual that reflects the impact of diet on performance and health. Another area of interest is the interaction of nutrients and their association with genetics. These interactions may account for the inconsistent interrelations observed between specific dietary constituents and the incidence of disease. Greater understanding of how diet influences a person's genetic potential, overall performance, and susceptibility to disease can have enormous implications for society. As new discoveries are made in this area, consumers will need access to this information so that they can make informed decisions.
Shrub expansion stimulates soil C and N storage along a coastal soil chronosequence

Expansion of woody vegetation in grasslands is a worldwide phenomenon with implications for C and N cycling at local, regional and global scales. Although woody encroachment is often accompanied by increased annual net primary production (ANPP) and increased inputs of litter, mesic ecosystems may become sources for C after woody encroachment because stimulation of soil CO 2 efflux releases stored soil carbon. Our objective was to determine if young, sandy soils on a barrier island became a sink for C after encroachment of the nitrogen-fixing shrub Morella cerifera, or if associated stimulation of soil CO 2 efflux mitigated increased litterfall. We monitored variations in litterfall in shrub thickets across a chronosequence of shrub expansion and compared those data to previous measurements of ANPP in adjacent grasslands. In the final year, we quantified standing litter C and N pools in shrub thickets and soil organic matter (SOM), soil organic carbon (SOC), soil total nitrogen (TN) and soil CO 2 efflux in shrub thickets and adjacent grasslands. Heavy litterfall resulted in a dense litter layer storing an average of 809 g C m ―2 and 36 g N m ―2 . Although soil CO 2 efflux was stimulated by shrub encroachment in younger soils, soil CO 2 efflux did not vary between shrub thickets and grasslands in the oldest soils and increases in CO 2 efflux in shrub thickets did not offset contributions of increased litterfall to SOC. SOC was 3.6-9.8 times higher beneath shrub thickets than in grassland soils and soil TN was 2.5-7.7 times higher under shrub thickets. Accumulation rates of soil and litter C were highest in the youngest thicket at 101 g m ―2 yr ―1 and declined with increasing thicket age. Expansion of shrubs on barrier islands, which have low levels of soil carbon and high potential for ANPP, has the potential to significantly increase ecosystem C sequestration.
Diamond-shaped heterometallic complexes of iron(II) and copper(I) bridged by cyanide groups containing monodentate or bidentate phosphanes bound to copper(I), including an alternative structure based on the nature of the bidentate phosphane ligand

The diamond-shaped heterometallic cyanide-bridged complex of iron(II) and copper(I), [CpFe(CO)(μ-CN)2Cu(CH3CN)2]2 (1), has been synthesized from the reaction of K[CpFe(CO)(CN)2] and [Cu(CH3CN)4][BF4] in acetonitrile. Upon the addition of 2−4 equivalents of phosphane ligands to complex 1, the coordination geometry of the copper centers can be varied from trigonal planar as in [CpFe(CO)(μ-CN)2Cu(PCy3)]2 (2), to tetrahedral as found in [CpFe(CO)(μ-CN)2Cu(PCy3)2]2 (3). Analogous derivatives containing other phosphane ligands, namely PMe3, P(p-tolyl)3, PMe2Ph, and PPh2Me have been synthesized as well. Prolonged exposure of complex 3 in CH2Cl2 to excess PCy3 has provided the bimetallic complex [CpFe(PCy3)(CN)(μ-CN)Cu(PCy3)2] (4), where the metal aggregate is disrupted and PCy3 has displaced CO at the iron center. Bidentate phosphane analogs of complex 3 have been prepared by adding two equivalents of dcpe [bis(dicyclohexylphosphanyl)ethane] or dcpp [bis(dicyclohexylphosphanyl)propane] to complex 1. The solid-state structures of several of these diamond-shaped derivatives, in addition to complex 4, have been determined by X-ray crystallography. The overlapping diamond-shaped [Fe2(CN)4Cu2] cores, which form channels within the solids, are blocked by bulky, copper-bound phosphane ligands such as PCy3. However, in the case of the small phosphane PMe3, or the chelating phosphanes dcpe and dcpp, these channels are not blocked by the phosphane ligands; solvent molecules occupy the channels created by the overlapping metal cores instead. Alternatively, the complex [CpFe(CO)(CN)(μ-CN)Cu(dcpm)]2 (13), derived from bis(dicyclohexylphosphanyl)methane(dcpm), possesses two copper(I) centers, each in a distorted trigonal coordination geometry, bridged by two dcpm ligands to form an eight-membered metallacycle with a short CuI···CuI separation of 2.844 A. The third ligand completing each copper’s coordination sphere is a nitrogen-bound bridging cyanide group from a CpFe(CO)(CN)2− anion.
Suppurative inflammation with microabscess and pseudocyst formation is a characteristic histologic manifestation of cutaneous infections with rapid-growing Mycobacterium species.

Mycobacterial infections of the skin classically cause a granulomatous tissue reaction. We have observed a suppurative pattern of inflammation associated with infections by rapid-growing Mycobacterium species in immunocompromised patients. We report 6 cases in skin and soft tissue with an unusual but consistent lack of a predominance of granulomatous inflammation. Of the 6 cases, 4 had predominantly (~75%) suppurative inflammation, 1 case predominantly demonstrated (~75%) a mix of acute and chronic inflammation, and 1 case showed an approximately equal contribution of suppurative and granulomatous inflammation. All 6 cases showed abscess formation and numerous acid-fast bacilli (AFB) on AFB stain and were confirmed by tissue culture. Of these 6 cases, 2 had microabscesses with central pseudocysts harboring microorganisms. Five patients were taking oral prednisone, and 1 had an uncharacterized immunodeficiency. These cases highlight the need for awareness of this unusual manifestation of infection with rapidgrowing Mycobacterium species, particularly in immunocompromised patients. Mycobacterial infections in the skin, as in other parts of the body, classically cause a granulomatous tissue reaction. Pathologists readily order acid-fast bacilli (AFB) stains, such as Kinyoun or Fite stain, along with fungal stains in the context of granulomatous inflammation. However, infection with AFB is often not considered in the differential diagnosis of prominent acute inflammation and abscess formation in skin and soft tissue. As a consequence, only Gram and fungal stains are often ordered in these cases. Herein, we describe suppurative response to infection with rapid-growing species of mycobacteria in immunocompromised patients.
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme in the Male Rat Reproductive System: Autoradiographic Visualization with [3H]Captopril*

[3H]Captopril autoradiography visualizes angiotensin- converting enzyme (ACE; EC 3.14.5.1) in the reproductive tract of male rats. [3H]Captopril binds to testicular slices with high affinity (Kd = 4.4 nm) and displays a pharmacological profile similar to that of ACE activity. High densities of [3H] captopril autoradiographic silver grains are found over spermatid heads and in the lumen of seminiferous tubules in stages I–VIII and XII-XIV. Tubules in stages IX-XI exhibit only one fifth the level of binding. The basal epithelium and interstitial tissue are not labeled. The initial segment of the epididymis contains very low levels of grains. The head of the epididymis demonstrates intense grain density at the luminal surface of the epithelium, with little luminal labeling. In a progression to the tail of the epididymis, epithelium labeling declines, and luminal grains increase. The lumen of the vas deferens is also labeled. ACE from testis and several regions of the epididymis has been categorized with resp...
Plutonium oxide polishing for MOX fuel fabrication

Abstract Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) successfully polished 120 kg of plutonium from surplus nuclear weapons for the European Mixed Oxide (MOX) Lead Test Assembly (LTA), managed by Duke, COGEMA, and Stone & Webster (DCS). The purified oxide was fabricated into fuel pellets, which comprised the LTAs. The LTAs have been inserted into the Catawba (SC, USA) nuclear reactor, where they are presently being used to generate electricity. The material used in the MOX LTA represents the first plutonium oxide from LANL to be polished under the quality requirements set forth by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). In addition, the MOX project has been hailed as the “largest single nonproliferation project in history” by US Ambassador Linton Brooks (23/9/04). The process flow for PuO 2 purification was based on aqueous recovery that included various unit operations (dissolution, ion exchange, oxalate precipitation, and calcination). Data from a variety of chemical and physical analyses demonstrate product quality and process consistency. Further process optimization experiments will be performed prior to polishing an additional 330 kg of PuO 2 for the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF) at Savannah River Site. During LTA production in 2004, approximately 500 L of 7 M nitric acid was used for washing impurities from the plutonium in order to meet product purity specifications. The majority of this acid was sent to the LANL Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility (TA-50) as effluent. Optimization experiments during 2006 and 2007 will investigate the use of recycled HNO 3 for PuO 2 washing and ion exchange. If successful, aqueous polishing processes will re-use almost all of the nitric acid that would otherwise have been sent to TA-50. In addition, an overall reduction in the volume of nitric acid used during ion exchange will be tested. The use of new Inconel calcination boats will also be verified. Additional process optimization activities will be conducted to validate the use of 100% quaternized Reillex ion exchange resin. Qualification exercises will include a series of process runs, followed by chemical analyses to assess product oxide impurity levels. Once the optimized processes have been qualified, the production phase of the project will begin.
Image quality criteria for an adaptive imaging system based on statistical analysis of the speckle field

We introduce image quality criteria for organizing feedback control in adaptive imaging systems. These image quality criteria are dependent on the Fourier spectrum of the image and can be obtained optically with a coherent optical system. Digital processing of the image plane intensity distribution is not required. We present experimental results, along with corresponding numerical simulations, that demonstrate the potential effectiveness of these criteria for adaptive correction of phase-distorted extended-source images.