cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Oxygen character in the density of states as an indicator of the stability of Li-ion battery cathode materials

Abstract Oxygen gas evolution from lithium battery cathode materials during charging to high voltages is a known mechanism leading to cathode instability and ultimately Li-ion batteries fires. We present the simple thesis that the tendency toward oxygen destabilization in metal-oxide materials used as Li-ion battery cathodes can be correlated to the amount of oxygen-derived weight in the partial density of states (PDOS) near the Fermi level (E F ), which is easily calculable with density functional theory (DFT). If the oxygen PDOS dominates the total DOS at E F at any point during delithiation (charging), electrons are withdrawn from the O rather than the M states, and the O 2 − ions are oxidized to peroxide (O 2 2 − ), and then often to O 2 gas. A demonstration of the utility of this perspective is given using DFT to calculate the PDOS for compounds with a broad range of structures, transition metals and degrees of lithiation: LiFePO 4 , Li 2 CuO 2 , LiCoO 2 , LiNiO 2 , and Li 2 RuO 3 . The resulting computational spectra correlate well to the experimental stability in the modeled compounds. We conclude that the oxygen stability of cathode materials derives from their fundamental electronic structure as function of changing voltage (and lithiation).
THE DUTY OF RESPONSIBLE ADMINISTRATION AND THE PROBLEM OF POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY

Many contemporary civil rights claims arise from institutional activity that, while troubling, is neither malicious nor egregiously reckless. When law-makers find themselves unable to produce substantive rules for such activity, they often turn to regulating the actors’ exercise of discretion. The consequence is an emerging duty of responsible administration that requires managers to actively assess the effects of their conduct on civil rights values and to make reasonable efforts to mitigate harm to protected groups. This doctrinal evolution partially but imperfectly converges with an increasing emphasis in public administration on the need to reassess routines in the light of changing circumstances. We illustrate the doctrinal and administrative changes with a study of policing. We discuss court-supervised reforms in New York and Cincinnati as examples of contrasting trajectories that these developments can take. Both initiatives are better understood in terms of an implicit duty of responsible administration than as an expression of any particular substantive right. However, the Cincinnati intervention reaches more deeply into core administrative practices and indeed mandates a particular crime control strategy – Problem-Oriented Policing. As such, it typifies a more ambitious type of structural civil-rights intervention that parallels comprehensive civil-rights initiatives in other areas.
Dual mode use requirements analysis for the institutional cluster.

This paper analyzes what additional costs would be incurred in supporting dual-mode, i.e. both classified and unclassified use of the Institutional Computing (IC) hardware. The following five options are considered: periods processing in which a fraction of the system alternates in time between classified and unclassified modes, static split in which the system is constructed as a set of smaller clusters which remain in one mode or the other, re-configurable split in which the system is constructed in a split fashion but a mechanism is provided to reconfigure it very infrequently, red/black switching in which a mechanism is provided to switch sections of the system between modes frequently, and complementary operation in which parts of the system are operated entirely in one mode at one geographical site and entirely in the other mode at the other geographical site and other systems are repartitioned to balance work load. These options are evaluated against eleven criteria such as disk storage costs, distance computing costs, reductions in capability and capacity as a result of various factors etc. The evaluation is both qualitative and quantitative, and is captured in various summary tables.
Toxicological Aspects of Chemical Penetration Enhancers

Most widely used approach to enhance drug permeation across skin is the use of chemical penetration enhancers that reversibly and transiently compromise skin barrier function. Ideally, penetration enhancers or any pharmaceutical excipients are expected to be pharmacologically inert and devoid of any clinical and/or histopathological side effects. Despite their wide spread use in topical preparations and high interest in transdermal research and generally regarded as safe (GRAS) status, most penetration enhancers are associated with high incidence of dose-dependent side effects ranging from local irritation to systemic reactions upon acute or chronic use. This chapter attempts to summarize and describe the reported toxicological aspects of some of the commonly used skin penetration enhancer classes such as terpenes, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, alcohols, glycols, laurocapram (Azone®), sulfoxides, pyrrolidones, and surfactants.
Decreased Choline-Esterase Activity of Serum in Jaundice and in Biliary Disease.∗

SummaryThe choline-esterase activity of the serum in patients with jaundice or biliary tract disease was found to be depressed.
The Pharmacologic Management of Cancer Pain

The under treatment of cancer pain is still a major issue in both oncology and palliative medicine. The initial availability of opioids is seen as an important philosophical step forward in the pharmacological treatment of cancer pain, one for which there continues to be considerable barriers within regulatory and medical domains. Knowledge of the key pharmacological properties of the multiple opioids available will assist in both improved analgesia and side effects. Understanding the mechanisms of pain is important in terms of treatment, especially in terms of the choice of co-analgesic agents. Much of the work obtained from the study of cancer patients is applicable to the non cancer populations, as is work performed in non cancer patients with neuropathic pain.
Dreams and rapid eye movement sleep in the multiple sleep latency test

Reves et sommeil paradoxal sont etroitement associes. Le but de ce travail etait de d'etudier si une telle association existe lors du test de latence multiple de sommeil. Nous avons analyse de facon prospective un total de 167 siestes chez 44 patients presentant une somnolence diurne excessive. L'âge des sujets allait de 11 a 69 ans (moyenne 45); 26 etait de sexe masculin et 18 de sexe feminin. La correlation entre reves (rapportes) et la presence de sommeil paradoxal etait la suivante: Sensibilite 59%, specificite 63%, valeur predictive positive 29%, et valeur predictive negative 85%. Ainsi, la presence de reves ne prejuge pas de la presence de sommeil paradoxal. En revanche, le seul parametre fiable semble etre la valeur predictive negative; En l'absence de reves, les chances que le sommeil paradoxal soit apparu sont tres faibles. Le manque d'association entre reves et sommeil paradoxal dans notre travail est due a la proportion inattendue (35%) de nos sujets qui ont rapporte une experience onirique sans etre entre en sommeil paradoxal. Plusieurs explications sont possibles en raison de notre methodologie et de notre population, mais ce phenomene (activite onirique sans sommeil paradoxal) est egalement en accord avec plusieurs travaux modernes. Nous concluons que, lors des tests de latence multiple de sommeil, la presence de reves a l'issue d'un somme n'est pas un signe fiable que le patient est entre en sommeil paradoxal
Studies on the subfamily Coenosiinae in Hebei province

Objective To investigate the genera and distribution of the subfamily Coenosiinae in Hebei province of China.Methods Using entomogical classification principle and method.Results 44 species,3 races,7 genera were recognized in Hebei province.Conclusion The species of Coenosiinae in Hebei province made up 16.36% of known Coenosiinae in China,2.68% of those in the world.
Ultra-High Resolution Three Dimensional Imaging using 4Pi-SMSN throughout Whole Cells

Major advances in biology have been tightly linked with innovations in microscopy. A major hurdle over the last ∼100 years is the limited resolution of light microscopy. The advent of single molecule switching nanoscopy (SMSN, also known as PALM/STORM/FPALM) has overcome this fundamental limit by improving the resolution of fluorescence microscopy (250-700 nm) by a factor of ten. This method routinely achieves 20-40 nm lateral resolution and 50-80 nm resolution in the axial direction. While the inferior axial resolution largely restricts the biological discoveries to two-dimensional observations, interferometric SMSN (iPALM or 4Pi-SMSN) achieves unprecedented 10 to 20 nm axial resolution by coherently combining single-molecule emissions in a two opposing-objective setup. It allowed, for the first time, the molecular anatomy of focal adhesions to be mapped with nanometer precision. However, the physical principle of 4Pi geometry limits this approach to isolated structures in thin samples because the single molecule interference pattern repeats every 250 nm in depth. While most of biological processes happen deep in the cellular volume, driving ultra-high resolution imaging deeper into the cell will lead to a new wave of biological discoveries.Here, we present whole-cell 4Pi-SMSN resulting from the confluence of multiple innovations. Our system, for the first time, allowed super-resolution imaging of a ∼10 µm thick sample using 4Pi geometry achieving 10-15 nm resolution throughout the depth. This resolution is 20-50 times higher than conventional microscopy with imaging depth improved by 10-40 fold from the state of art technology of interferometric SMSN. It enables ultra-high resolution three-dimensional imaging for vast majority of the subcellular structures. We demonstrate applications in a range of delicate cellular structures including: bacteriophages, ER, mitochondria, nuclear pore complexes, primary cilia, Golgi complex-associated COPI vesicles, and synaptonemal complexes in whole mouse spermatocytes.
Feminist Forays in the City: Imbalance and Intervention in Urban Research Methods

In this paper I argue that imbalances and silences persist in urban research. In particular, there is insufficient attention to anti-racist and feminist theoretical, methodological, and empirical insights. Intersectional and materialist urban analyses that take difference seriously are under-represented, while patriarchy, privilege, and positivism still linger. As a partial and aspirational remedy, I propose a “Feminist Partial Political Economy of Place” (FPEP) approach to urban research. FPEP is characterized by: (1) attention to gendered, raced, and intersectional power relations, including affinities and alliances; (2) reliance on partial, place-based, materialist research that attends to power in knowledge production; (3) emphasis on feminist concepts of relationality to examine connections among sites, scales, and subjects, and to emphasize “life” and possibility; and (4) the use of theoretical toolkits to observe, interpret and challenge material-discursive power relations. My own critique and research centers on North American cities, but FPEP approaches might help produce more robust, inclusive, and explanatory urban research in varied geographic contexts.
Current concepts in gastric microcirculatory pathophysiology.

Abstract When the barrier to acid back-diffusion is disrupted, there is a protective increase in gastric mucosal blood flow to help remove the back-diffusing acid. Only recently has the mechanism for calling forth this protective hyperemia been determined. The gastric mucosa and submucosa are innervated by many capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerve fibers containing vasodilator peptides. The gastric mucosal sensory neurons monitor for acid back-diffusion, and, when this process occurs, signal for a protective increase in blood flow via release of calcitonin gene-related peptide from the submucosal periarteriolar fibers. The endothelium-derived vasodilator, nitric oxide, plays an important role both in the maintenance of basal gastric mucosal blood flow and in the increase in blood flow that accompanies pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid secretion. It also interacts with the capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerves in the modulation of the microcirculation to maintain mucosal integrity. Finally, it has been shown that neutrophils play an important role in various forms of mucosal injury. The leukocytes adhere to the vascular endothelium and contribute to injury by reducing blood flow via occlusion of microvessels, as well as by releasing mediators of tissue damage.
Fatty acid-conjugated polyamines that alter cell permeability and active transport properties of Escherichia coli.

A class of plant alkaloid tumor inhibitors were described by Kupchan et al. [ J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 89 , 5718 (1967)] which are N -acyltriamines (fatty acid-conjugated aliphatic triamines). These substances are also growth-inhibitory for Escherichia coil at very low concentrations. The mode of action of the triamines appears to be disruption of surface properties (the cells do not lyse), since at inhibitory concentrations the cells become leaky and lose radioactive potassium and thiomethyl galactoside. The specific energy-dependent accumulation of potassium and thiomethyl galactoside is also inhibited.
Reliability and Validity for Neuroscience Nurses

The concepts of reliability and validity are important for neuroscience nurses to understand, particularly because they evaluate existing literature and integrate common scales or tools into their practice. Nurses must ensure instruments measuring specified concepts are both reliable and valid. This article will review types of reliability and validity-sometimes referred to collectively as a psychometric testing-of an instrument. Relevant examples in neuroscience are included to illustrate the importance of reliability and validity to neuroscience nurses.
Therapy and Rehabilitation for Upper Extremity Injuries in Athletes

The approach to rehabilitation of upper extremity injuries in athletes differs from traditional rehabilitation protocols. In general, athletes have higher functional demands and wish to return to competitive sport in a timely manner. Comprehensive rehabilitation must therefore be balanced with a timely and safe return to sport. Several rehabilitation programs and adjunctive therapies are available to hasten convalescence while minimizing the athlete's risks of reinjury. Here, we review techniques for soft tissue mobilization and strength training in athletic populations. We also discuss orthotics, taping, and alternative therapies used in rehabilitation and evaluate the evidence in support of these modalities.
Conformal plasmonic and hyperbolic metamaterials(Conference Presentation)

The majority of plasmonic and metamaterials research utilizes noble metals such as gold and silver which commonly operate in the visible region. However, these materials are not well suited for many applications due to their low melting temperature and polarization response at longer wavelengths. A viable alternative is aluminum doped zinc oxide (AZO); a high melting point, low loss, visibly transparent conducting oxide which can be tuned to show strong plasmonic behavior in the near-infrared region. Due to it’s ultrahigh conformality, atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a powerful tool for the fabrication of the nanoscale features necessary for many nanoplasmonic and optical metamaterials. Despite many attempts, high quality, low loss AZO has not been achieved with carrier concentrations high enough to support plasmonic behavior at the important telecommunication wavelengths (ca. 1550 nm) by ALD. Here, we present a simple process for synthesizing high carrier concentration, thin film AZO with low losses via ALD that match the highest quality films created by all other methods. We show that this material is tunable by thermal treatment conditions, altering aluminum concentration, and changing buffer layer thickness. The use of this process is demonstrated by creating hyperbolic metamaterials with both a multilayer and embedded nanowire geometry. Hyperbolic dispersion is proven by negative refraction and numerical calculations in agreement with the effective medium approximation. This paves the way for fabricating high quality hyperbolic metamaterial coatings on high aspect ratio nanostructures that cannot be created by any other method.
The Effects of Compensatory Auditory Stimulation and High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (HD-tDCS) on Tinnitus Perception - A Randomized Pilot Study.

Background Tinnitus correlates with elevated hearing thresholds and reduced cochlear compression. We hypothesized that reduced peripheral input leads to elevated neuronal gain resulting in the perception of a phantom sound. Objective The purpose of this pilot study was to test whether compensating for this peripheral deficit could reduce the tinnitus percept acutely using customized auditory stimulation. To further enhance the effects of auditory stimulation, this intervention was paired with high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS). Methods A randomized sham-controlled, single blind study was conducted in a clinical setting on adult participants with chronic tinnitus (n = 14). Compensatory auditory stimulation (CAS) and HD-tDCS were administered either individually or in combination in order to access the effects of both interventions on tinnitus perception. CAS consisted of sound exposure typical to daily living (20-minute sound-track of a TV show), which was adapted with compressive gain to compensate for deficits in each subject's individual audiograms. Minimum masking levels and the visual analog scale were used to assess the strength of the tinnitus percept immediately before and after the treatment intervention. Results CAS reduced minimum masking levels, and visual analog scale trended towards improvement. Effects of HD-tDCS could not be resolved with the current sample size. Conclusions The results of this pilot study suggest that providing tailored auditory stimulation with frequency-specific gain and compression may alleviate tinnitus in a clinical population. Further experimentation with longer interventions is warranted in order to optimize effect sizes.
QWIRE: a core language for quantum circuits

This paper introduces QWIRE (``choir''), a language for defining quantum circuits and an interface for manipulating them inside of an arbitrary classical host language. QWIRE is minimal---it contains only a few primitives---and sound with respect to the physical properties entailed by quantum mechanics. At the same time, QWIRE is expressive and highly modular due to its relationship with the host language, mirroring the QRAM model of computation that places a quantum computer (controlled by circuits) alongside a classical computer (controlled by the host language). We present QWIRE along with its type system and operational semantics, which we prove is safe and strongly normalizing whenever the host language is. We give circuits a denotational semantics in terms of density matrices. Throughout, we investigate examples that demonstrate the expressive power of QWIRE, including extensions to the host language that (1) expose a general analysis framework for circuits, and (2) provide dependent types.
PDX models of colorectal tumors

Abstract Transitioning basic research findings into tangible clinical advances for metastatic colorectal cancer has been proved to be challenging. Many agents that show promise in early preclinical testing have ultimately failed in human clinical trials. This high attrition rate reflects the inadequacy in preclinical models of the disease to evaluate the utility of novel therapeutic regimens and proper patient selection for these targeted therapies. To address these limitations, patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of colorectal cancer have been established. PDX models of colorectal tumors better recapitulate the histological features of the disease, while also maintaining a high degree of genomic complexity; these characteristics are uncommon in most other preclinical models. Given this high degree of fidelity to its human counterpart, PDX models are a valuable resource in the study of therapeutics, including chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and personalized medicine approaches.
Graph-based semi-supervised classification on very high resolution remote sensing images

Classification of very high resolution (VHR) remote sensing imagery is a rapidly emerging discipline but faces several challenges owing to the huge scale of the pixel data involved, indiscernibility in the traditionally used features to represent various regions, and the lack of available ground truth data. This paper provides a framework which elegantly overcomes these hurdles by providing a novel semi-supervised learning approach which employs multiscale superpixel tessellation representations of VHR imagery. Superpixels are homogeneous and irregularly shaped regions which form the backbone of our approach and are used to derive novel features by learning a decision tree. Our semi-supervised learning approach works on a superpixel graph and seamlessly combines the large margin capability of a support vector machine (SVM) with a graph-based Laplacian label propagation approach to obtain a novel objective function. Further we also provide a self-contained and easily parallelisable linear iterative optimisation approach based on the principle of majorisation-minimisation. We evaluate this approach on four different geographic settings with varying neighbourhood types and draw comparisons with the popular and widely used Gaussian multiple instance learning algorithm. Our results showcase several advantages in accuracy and efficiency, which coupled with the ease of model building and inherently parallelisable optimisation make our framework a great choice for deployment in large scale applications like global human settlement mapping and population distribution, and change detection.
William James, Nitrous Oxide, and the Anaesthetic Revelation

William James greatly influenced the fields of psychology, philosophy, and religion during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This was the era of Modernism, a time when many writers rejected the certainty of Enlightenment ideals. Positivism, which rose to prominence in the early 19th century, had emphasized physical phenomena, empirical evidence, and the scientific method. Darwin's On the Origin of Species (1859), with its theory of natural selection, provided an explanation for the evolution of species apart from a divine Creator. Within this context, William James served as a "mediator between scientific agnosticism and the religious view of the world." James' own experience inhaling nitrous oxide played an important role in shaping his views. For James, the use of nitrous oxide served a key role in elucidating some of his most central ideas: 1) the value of religion, and the emphasis on mysticism and revelation (as opposed to theology and doctrine) as religion's foundation; 2) the universe as pluralistic (as opposed to absolutist, constant, eternal), driven by chance, experience, and change.
Engineering of the Myosin Viia Nucleotide-Binding Pocket to Create Selective Sensitivity to N6-Modified ADP Analogs

Mutations in myosin VIIa (MYO7A), an unconventional myosin, lead to sensory disorders that include congenital deafness or progressive hearing loss. MYO7A that is expressed in the cochlear neuroepithelium has been shown to play a role in maintenance of tension and the organization of stereocilia. Recent studies showed that MYO7A is located at the upper end of the tip link (Grati et al. 2011), which led us to ask whether MYO7A plays a role in adaptation, a role previously thought to be performed by myosin 1c (MYO1C). Identification of the Y61G mutation in MYO1C, which is selectively inhibited by the N6-modified ADP analog N6-(2-methylbutyl)ADP, motivated the development of MYO1C-Y61G transgenic mice, which were used to evaluate MYO1C's role in transduction and adaptation. We engineered and characterized an analogous MYO7A mutant, Y114G-S1-SAH, to test ADP analogs for selective inhibition of mutant MYO7A. MYO7A-Y114G-S1-SAH was created through site-directed mutagenesis, and MYO7A-S1-SAH (WT) and MYO7A-Y114G-S1-SAH were expressed in SF9 insect cells with a baculoviral expression system. An NADH-coupled steady-state assay showed that the basal ATPase of MYO7A-Y114G-S1-SAH is the same as WT (0.16s−1); at 2.25s−1, the actin-activated ATPase activity of the mutant is about 4-fold higher than WT. The rate of ADP release from the Y114G-actomyosinADP complex is 10-fold faster (k-AD=10s−1) compared to WT. The rate of ATP hydrolysis (kH+k-H) measured by tryptophan fluorescence is >12s−1, similar to WT. MYO7A-Y114G-S1-SAH had an affinity of 0.36 μM for the N6-(2-methylbutyl)ADP, 71-fold higher than WT (25.6 μM). These data show that activity of Y114G-MYO7A is similar to WT, except that it can be selectively inhibited by N6-modified ADP analogs. A mouse line is being generated with the Y114G mutation knocked into the Myo7a locus for electrophysiological studies of transduction and adaptation.
Differentially Private Online Submodular Optimization

In this paper we develop the first algorithms for online submodular minimization that preserve differential privacy under full information feedback and bandit feedback. A sequence of $T$ submodular functions over a collection of $n$ elements arrive online, and at each timestep the algorithm must choose a subset of $[n]$ before seeing the function. The algorithm incurs a cost equal to the function evaluated on the chosen set, and seeks to choose a sequence of sets that achieves low expected regret. Our first result is in the full information setting, where the algorithm can observe the entire function after making its decision at each timestep. We give an algorithm in this setting that is $\epsilon$-differentially private and achieves expected regret $\tilde{O}\left(\frac{n^{3/2}\sqrt{T}}{\epsilon}\right)$. This algorithm works by relaxing submodular function to a convex function using the Lovasz extension, and then simulating an algorithm for differentially private online convex optimization. Our second result is in the bandit setting, where the algorithm can only see the cost incurred by its chosen set, and does not have access to the entire function. This setting is significantly more challenging because the algorithm does not receive enough information to compute the Lovasz extension or its subgradients. Instead, we construct an unbiased estimate using a single-point estimation, and then simulate private online convex optimization using this estimate. Our algorithm using bandit feedback is $\epsilon$-differentially private and achieves expected regret $\tilde{O}\left(\frac{n^{3/2}T^{3/4}}{\epsilon}\right)$.
The impact of deliberate reflection with WISE-MD™ modules on surgical clerkship students’ critical thinking: a prospective, randomized controlled pilot study

Purpose Critical thinking underlies several Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)-defined core entrustable professional activities (EPAs). Critical-thinking ability affects health care quality and safety. Tested tools to teach, assess, improve, and nurture good critical-thinking skills are needed. This prospective randomized controlled pilot study evaluated the addition of deliberate reflection (DR), guidance with Web Initiative in Surgical Education (WISE-MD™) modules, to promote surgical clerks' critical-thinking ability. The goal was to promote the application of reflective awareness principles to enhance learning outcomes and critical thinking about the module content. Participants and methods Surgical clerkship (SC) students were recruited from two different blocks and randomly assigned to a control or intervention group. The intervention group was asked to record responses using a DR guide as they viewed two selected WISE-MD™ modules while the control group was asked to view two modules recording free thought. We hypothesized that the intervention group would show a significantly greater pre- to postintervention increase in critical-thinking ability than students in the control group. Results Neither group showed a difference in pre- and posttest free-thought critical-thinking outcomes; however, the intervention group verbalized more thoughtful clinical reasoning during the intervention. Conclusion Despite an unsupported hypothesis, this study provides a forum for discussion in medical education. It took a sponsored tool in surgical education (WISE-MD™) and posed the toughest evaluation criteria of an educational intervention; does it affect the way we think? and not just what we learn, but how we learn it? The answer is significant and will require more resources before we arrive at a definitive answer.
Home practice and quality of life among patients with neurofibromatosis randomized to a mind-body intervention.

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to summarize home practice in patients with neurofibromatosis (NF) randomized to an 8-week group mind-body intervention, the Relaxation Response Resiliency Program for NF (3RP-NF). We further examined the association between home practice and changes in four domains of quality of life (QoL). Methods Data are derived from a single-blind RCT of the 3RP-NF (N = 31) delivered via videoconferencing versus an attention placebo control. 3RP-NF participants submitted weekly home practice logs to the group leader prior to each weekly session, which included information regarding their engagement of relaxation response (RR)-eliciting skills and appreciation skills. Physical, psychological, social and environmental QoL were measured at baseline, post-intervention and at a 6-months follow up. Results Participants reported engaging in home practice of RR-eliciting skills on average 28.55 days (SD = 10.79) and appreciation skills on average 24.39 days (SD = 13.48) over the 49-day treatment period. Participants reported an average of 383.42 (SD = 274.38) minutes of RR-eliciting skills home practice and an average of 49.13 (SD = 41.90) appreciations skills home practice. A significant association was observed between frequency of RR-eliciting skills home practice and physical QoL at the 6-month follow-up (r = .383, p = .034). Conclusions Participants with NF are able and willing to practice RR-eliciting skills and appreciation skills outside of treatment sessions. Frequency of RR-eliciting skills home practice may be associated with improvement in physical QoL. Future research should replicate these efforts with larger samples, and attempt to identify additional factors that predict optimal response to mind-body interventions other than home practice.
Approximate networks on chip

The trend of unsustainable power cosumption and large memory bandwidth demands in massively parallel multicore systems, with the advent of the big data era, has brought upon the onset of alternate computation paradigms utilizing heterogeneity, specialization, processor-in-memory and approximation. Approximate Computing is being touted as a viable solution for high performance computation by relaxing the accuracy constraints of applications. This trend has been accentuated by emerging data intensive applications in domains like image/video processing, machine learning and big data analytics that allow inaccurate outputs within an acceptable variance. Leveraging relaxed accuracy for high throughput in Networks-on-Chip (NoCs), which have rapidly become the accepted method for connecting a large number of on-chip components, has not yet been explored. In this talk, I will present APPROX-NoC, a hardware data approximation framework with an online data error control mechanism for high performance NoCs. APPROX-NoC facilitates approximate matching of data patterns, within a controllable value range, to compress them thereby reducing the volume of data movement across the chip.
Nar-A-Viz: A methodology to visually extract the narrative structure of text

Abstract Being able to tell and understand stories is a key component for efficient communications. The narrative structure is the structural framework that underlies the order and manner in which this story is presented to a reader, listener, or viewer, this work presents a novel visualization methodology that can be used to extract the narrative structure of texts and present in a visual, immediate and intuitive manner. This tool efficiently summarizes the content of a text, and it also allows in depth analysis of the narrative structure. The characteristics and use of the tool are exemplified using a TED talk by Hans Rosling. Its potential then is shown using two historical speeches: President Donald Trump’s inaugural speech and I Have a Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Measuring school engagement for child welfare involved youth: Assessing the dimensionality of the Drug Free School Scale.

Abstract Background Research using data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW) have consistently used the scale developed from the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act (DFSCA) to examine school engagement. Although the DFSCA is widely used, no study has examined the factor structure to determine if the scale is best used as a summative score of all items or as a three-factor variable distinguishing behavioral, emotional, and cognitive school engagement. Objective The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the hypothesized factor structure of the DFSCA scale by testing models previously supported in the literature. Methods Using NSCAW-I data, we performed confirmatory factor analysis in a structural equation modeling (SEM) framework. Participant The study sample included 2429 children and adolescents who were between 6 and 15 years of age who had recently been investigated by child protective services due to a maltreatment report. Results Results indicated that school engagement is a multidimensional concept measuring behavioral, emotional, and cognitive-behavioral dimensions. This model has not been used in studies using NSCAW data, to date. These findings highlight the importance of exploring and understanding the factor structure of instruments before using an instrument in studies.
An Exact Linear Lifting-Surface Theory for a Marine Propeller in a Nonuniform Flow Field

Abstract : The mathematical model used in previous Davidson Laboratory adaptations of linearized unsteady lifting surface theory to marine propellers has been revised by removing the so-called 'staircase' approximation of the blade wake and replacing it by an 'exact' helicoidal blade wake. A new numerical procedure and program based on the present model has been developed to evaluate the steady and unsteady blade loading distributions, which are used to determine the bearing forces and moments. Systematic calculations of these forces and moments for a series of propellers show better agreement on the whole with experimental measurements than did the earlier calculations for the same series. In addition, the chordwise loading distributions are much smoother than obtained previously. However, the quantitative improvement must be weighed against the considerable increase in computer time over the old method.
Editorial Desai et al . as Part of the Special Section on IEEE EMBS Conference on Micro and Nanotechnology in Medicine

Due to an oversight, we failed to include the paper by Salil P. Desai et al entitled “Micro-Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy and Identification of Patient-Derived, Dissociated Tumor Cells” [Item 1) of the Appendix] in the Special Section devoted to the 2018 IEEE EMBS Conference on Micro and Nanotechnology in Medicine in a recent issue of the IEEE Transactions on NanoBioscience [Item 2) of the Appendix].
High prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with inflammatory bowel disease receiving anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy.

Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is common in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study evaluated the prevalence of NAFLD and the associated risk factors among IBD patients who received anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy. Methods Adult IBD patients receiving anti-TNF therapy (infliximab, adalimumab, certolizumab, golimumab) were enrolled. Hepatic steatosis was assessed by abdominal ultrasound. Patients with a history of excessive alcohol or recent steroid use were excluded. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed. Results Eighty patients, 55% male, mean age 42±15 years, were enrolled. The sonographic prevalence of NAFLD was 54% (43/80), significantly higher than the general prevalence in the US adult population (30%) (P<0.0001). NAFLD patients had a significantly higher proportion of males, as well as greater body weight and body mass index, compared to non-NAFLD. The Crohns disease activity index (CDAI) was significantly higher among patients with NAFLD. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that a higher CDAI was independently associated with NAFLD, with an odds ratio of 1.6 (95% confidence interval 1.05-2.44; P=0.03). Conclusions The presence of IBD is strongly associated with NAFLD. We identified a high prevalence of NAFLD among IBD patients receiving anti-TNF. CDAI was independently associated with hepatic steatosis. Further studies are still needed to evaluate the pathophysiology of NAFLD development and disease progression among IBD populations.
Modeling and Analysis of Transient Interactions in AC/DC Interconnected Microgrid

This paper investigates control methodologies based on first principle model of an integrated AC/DC microgrid utilizing the dq-framework. The model shows high non-linearity and captures the dynamic interaction between the AC and DC subsystems of the microgrid for different types of controllers and disturbances. Simulation results show that the AC and DC subsystems are tightly dynamically coupled so that any disturbance in one subsystem induces transients in the other. It is shown that separate controllers in AC and DC subsystems can easily suppress disturbances originating in any subsystem of the grid. PSCAD simulation was used to further validate the results. The proposed method can be extended in modeling islanded or grid-connected microgrid with multiple generators and various types of DC and AC loads and disturbances.
Single Cell Volume Measurement Utilizing the Fluorescence Exclusion Method (FXm)

The measurement of single cell size remains an obstacle towards a deeper understanding of cell growth control, tissue homeostasis, organogenesis, and a wide range of pathologies. Recent advances have placed a spotlight on the importance of cell volume in the regulation of fundamental cell signaling pathways including those known to orchestrate progression through the cell cycle. Here we provide our protocol for the Fluorescence Exclusion Method (FXm); references to the development of FXm; and a brief outlook on future advances in image analysis which may expand the range of problems studied utilizing FXm as well as lower the barrier to entry for groups interested in adding cell volume measurements into their experimental repertoire.
PAR-2-activated secretion by airway gland serous cells: role for CFTR and inhibition by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Airway submucosal gland serous cells are important sites of fluid secretion in conducting airways. Serous cells also express the cystic fibrosis (CF) transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). Pro...
Pediatric Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter Placement: An Anonymous Survey of APSA Members.

Abstract Background Although literature is sparse, there are guidelines regarding optimal placement technique for peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheters in the pediatric population. Through this study, we sought to identify commonly used techniques among pediatric surgeons and identify areas for future work. Materials and methods A 16-question anonymous survey was emailed to American Pediatric Surgery Association members in September 2018 regarding routine practices for PD catheter placement. Descriptive statistics and Fisher's exact test were used for analysis. Results In all, there were 221 respondents, 6.8% of whom did not place PD catheters in their practice. Of the remaining 206, the majority have been in practice >15 y. PD catheter placement during fellowship training varied widely, with 6.5% reporting no fellowship experience to 6% reporting >25 placed during fellowship. Almost half (48%) reported placing catheters via laparoscopic approach (versus open or combined approach). Most (62%) respondents reported an annual practice volume of 1-5 catheters, with only 11% placing >10 per year. Exit-site sutures were placed “always” by 33% of participants and “never” by 49% of participants. There was no association between years in practice or fellowship experience and exit-site suture placement. However, there was a trend for “never” placement (72%) with more recent graduates. Omentectomy was performed by 91% of respondents, whereas 8.3% reported never performing omentectomy/omentopexy. Similarly, there was no association between practice and fellowship experience and omentectomy. In the setting of abdominal stoma, 96% reported placing the exit site on the opposite side of the abdomen. Fibrin glue was used along the tunnel by 21% of participants, ranging from “always” to “sometimes”, whereas 79% “never” used it. Conclusions Fellowship, posttraining experience, and techniques in PD catheter placement vary widely among American Pediatric Surgery Association member respondents. Despite guidelines, practices differ among providers without an association between the number of cases performed in fellowship and postfellowship volume.
Diagnostic ability of four cell-free miRNA signatures pre- and post-nephrectomy concordantly found in the tumor and blood from patients with renal cell carcinoma.

e16577Background: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has shown an increase in incidence based on continued incidental finding of these tumors by imaging. There is a need for reliable biomarkers like MicroR...
The Effect of Organization Type and Size on Fraud Reporting: Non-Profit Fraud Type Opens Opportunities

Scant coverage of fraud in non-profit organizations and smaller firms exists. This occurs despite data indicating fraud prevalence at greater levels than at for-profit and larger firms. Applying a combination of stakeholder salience theory and whistleblowing theory, this paper establishes a background such comparisons. Results of a survey of 153 full-time employees from for-profit or non-profit organizations uncover differences in fraud reporting between organization types. We find a greater desire to whistleblow for those who work at for-profit organizations, especially when the organization is large or international. In contrast, international non-profit organizations from our sample demonstrated low whistleblowing intentions. Supplemental analysis suggests whistleblowing intention for asset misappropriation fraud significantly differs from financial statement fraud for those in for-profit organizations based on the size of the firm. However, no such differences exist for those in non-profits, creating opportunities for researchers to explore.
Chemical surface modification of beaded activated carbon: A strategy to inhibit heel accumulation from VOC

Abstract This study elucidates the factors responsible for the deterioration of beaded activated carbon (BAC), used in the abatement of volatile organic compounds that stem from painting processes in industries. In practice, continuous use of adsorbents during periodic adsorption–desorption results in the formation of heel (non-desorbable polymeric complex) in its pore structures, rendering the adsorbent eventually unusable. Here, the adsorption–desorption characteristics of VOCs from porous BAC are investigated, and an effective surface modification strategy is developed to impede heel formation and extend the operational life of the BAC. This modification protocol increases porosity by up-to 55 % and modifies the functional groups on the BAC surface without altering its structural integrity. Consequently, the adsorption capacity of the BAC increased by nearly 38% while decreasing the peak desorption temperature by as much as 50 °C due to lowered adsorption strength. Additionally, to provide mechanistic insights, the resultant changes in porosity, surface morphology, and adsorption–desorption characteristics of the BAC are investigated by N2 physisorption, SEM, TGA, and DRIFTS. Finally, cyclic adsorption–desorption studies conducted under conditions mirroring the industrial setup proved that the percentage heel accumulation in surface modified BAC is significantly lower (≤ 3%) compared to unmodified BAC.
Distributed smooth optimisation with event-triggered proportional-integral algorithms

In this paper, we consider the distributed smooth optimisation problem of multi-agent systems over undirected connected communication topologies. The objective is to minimise the global objective f...
Prseus Pressure Cube Test Data and Response

NASA s Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) Program is examining the hybrid wing body (HWB) aircraft, among others, in an effort to increase the fuel efficiency of commercial aircraft. The HWB design combines features of a flying wing with features of conventional transport aircraft, and has the advantage of simultaneously increasing both fuel efficiency and payload. Recent years have seen an increased focus on the structural performance of the HWB. The key structural challenge of a HWB airframe is the ability to create a cost and weight efficient, non-circular, pressurized shell. Conventional round fuselage sections react cabin pressure by hoop tension. However, the structural configuration of the HWB subjects the majority of the structural panels to bi-axial, in-plane loads in addition to the internal cabin pressure, which requires more thorough examination and analysis than conventional transport aircraft components having traditional and less complex load paths. To address this issue, while keeping structural weights low, extensive use of advanced composite materials is made. This report presents the test data and preliminary conclusions for a pressurized cube test article that utilizes Boeing's Pultruded Rod Stitched Efficient Unitized Structure (PRSEUS), and which is part of the building block approach used for HWB development.
Optical Control of Microwave Devices

Theoretical and applications aspects of optoelectronic control for microwave devices are examined in an introduction for graduate engineering students and practicing engineers. The basic features of optical MMICs are reviewed, and chapters are devoted to laser diodes, electrooptic modulators, photodetectors, microwave fiber-optic links, optoelectronic switching and gating, optoelectronic microwave signal generation, an optoelectronic switch matrix, optoelectronic switching and modulation of oscillators, and optoelectronic injection-locking and tuning of oscillators. Extensive diagrams, drawings, and graphs are provided.
Scale Economy Measures and Subequilibrium Impacts

Morrison (1985), Morrison and Siegel (1997) and Morrison and Schwartz (1994) have suggested using an expression for “total” scale or cost economies to disentangle determinants of cost efficiency, including short run subequilibrium effects. Fousekis (1998) has noted that the derivation of such an expression is based on imputation of the long run, which implicitly suggests evaluation at steady state values. Measurement of elasticities imputing values not observed in the data, however, invariably requires some type of approximation. The Fousekis approach represents one view of the relevant approximation, which is not conceptually appropriate for most applications, and disallows evaluation of the implied adjustment process to long run values. This article highlights the underlying assumptions that raise questions about this approach, and overviews alternative approaches to and rationales for computing these types of elasticity estimates.
Influences of Internal Rotation on Vibrational Predissociation Dynamics

Characteristics that influence the nonstatistical dissociation of van der Waals complexes between aromatic molecules and Ar have been explored by comparing five complexes of which p-difluorobenzene-Ar (pDFB-Ar) is the prototype.