cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hymenopteran Stings: Reactions, Mechanisms, and Medical Treatment

Most people have an overwhelming fear of venomous animals. At times, this attitude takes on phobic proportions, making it difficult to maintain a proper perspective on the problem of stinging insects. However, in terms of numbers of fatalities, insect stings are actually a minor health problem. The major offenders are bees, wasps, yellowjackets, hornets, and ants—insects in the order Hymenoptera. Approximately 40 deaths result each year in the United States from insect stings (Evans 1981). Of these, honey bee stings account for about half the total. However, in Washington, D.C., and its environs, yellowjackets cause almost twice as many serious reactions as do honey bees, and in Texas, wasps are the most frequent culprits (Evans 1981). In the southeastern United States, deaths have been attributed to reactions from fire ant ( Solenopsis spp.) stings (Stablein & Lockey 1981).
Evidence of a Mild Mutator Phenotype in Cambodian Plasmodium falciparum Malaria Parasites

Malaria control efforts have been continuously stymied by drug-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum, which typically originate in Southeast Asia prior to spreading into high-transmission settings in Africa. One earlier proposed explanation for Southeast Asia being a hotbed of resistance has been the hypermutability or "Accelerated Resistance to Multiple Drugs" (ARMD) phenotype, whereby multidrug-resistant Southeast Asian parasites were reported to exhibit 1,000-fold higher rates of resistance to unrelated antimalarial agents when compared to drug-sensitive parasites. However, three recent studies do not recapitulate this hypermutability phenotype. Intriguingly, genome sequencing of recently derived multidrug-resistant Cambodian isolates has identified a high proportion of DNA repair gene mutations in multidrug-resistant parasites, suggesting their potential role in shaping local parasite evolution. By adapting fluctuation assays for use in P. falciparum, we have examined the in vitro mutation rates of five recent Cambodian isolates and three reference laboratory strains. For these studies we also generated a knockout parasite line lacking the DNA repair factor Exonuclease I. In these assays, parasites were typed for their ability to acquire resistance to KAE609, currently in advanced clinical trials, yielding 13 novel mutations in the Na+/H+-ATPase PfATP4, the primary resistance determinant. We observed no evidence of hypermutability. Instead, we found evidence of a mild mutator (up to a 3.4-fold increase in mutation rate) phenotype in two artemisinin-resistant Cambodian isolates, which carry DNA repair gene mutations. We observed that one such mutation in the Mismatch Repair protein Mlh1 contributes to the mild mutator phenotype when modeled in yeast (scmlh1-P157S). Compared to basal rates of mutation, a mild mutator phenotype may provide a greater overall benefit for parasites in Southeast Asia in terms of generating drug resistance without incurring detrimental fitness costs.
Research Progress on Preparation Technology of High-performance Barium Titanate Ceramic

Barium titanate ceramic has excellent characteristic of high dielectric constant,piezoelectric ferroelectricity,positive temperature coefficient,therefore it becomes significant ceramic material.Sintering process has important effect on densification and microstruction of barium titanate ceramic.And barium titanate ceamic has such drawbacks as relatively high changing rate of dielectric constant with temperature,high dielectric loss,low breakdown strength,weak absorption strength and narrow bandwidth due to thin layer,doping modification is often used to enhance performance of barium titanate ceramic,different doping material would have various effect.Progress of sintering and doping technology to produce high-performance barium titanate ceramic in recent years are reviewed.Its characteristics and main application fields are introduced.Barium titanate ceramic has wide application,it is significant to make further research on more excellent sintering technology and doping technology of barium titanate ceramic.
Treatment of Experimental Liver Injury with Chinese Herbal Medicine Queen Tablet

The effect of herbal mixture Qucen Tablet(QT)on the liver injury by carbon tetrachloride in the rat was evaluated.Liver injury was induced in female Sprague Dawley rats(initial weight 120～140 g)by a combination of oral phenobarbital(0.5 g/L in the only drinking water provided)and CCI_4 inhalation.Animals received CCI_4 2～3 times a week for 8 weeks and a closed chamber for periods ranging between 2 and 10 minutes.The animals were divided into 4 groups.Group A:QI only.Group B:CCI_4 plus phenobarbital.Group C:CCI_4 plus phenobarbital plus QT,Group D:normal control.For a measure of demethylation by the P_(450)enzyme system,the Kel was measured initially and just before sacrificed.Protein bound hydroxyproline was measured in the livers at sacrifice by the method of Rojkind and Gonzale. The deaths of Group A.B.C and D:0/32,9/32,1/32 and 0/11.The liver weight/body weight:2.89%.4.29%, 3.73% and 2.74%.The hepatic protein bound hydroxyproline:3.47±0.7,9.58±1.5,13.0±1.9 and 5.71±0.7(μmol). The aminopyrine Kel(×10~(-3))intially:10.93±0.28.10.54±0.54,10.53±0.39 and 11.64±0.27;finally:8.25±0.25, 11.49±0.48,11.11±0.40 and 8.23±0.44,Histology% cirrhotic:0,9/28,1/32 and 0. These data suggest that QT is effective in reducing the liver injury by carbon tctrachloride and phenobarbital. There was a significant reduction in mortality and in the ratio of liver weight to body weight.Histologic cirrhosis was diminished in the Group receiving QT compared to those receiving only carbon tetrachloride and phenobarbital. The effect seems to be independent of the P_(450)enzyme system as QT did not appear to effect demethylation by this enzyme system in the presence of carbon tetrachloride and phenobarbital.
Evaluation of serological test for syphilis

Syphilis is a sexual infectious disease,which has extremely complex manifestations and severely threatens human health.Laboratory test is the main method to diagnose and find Syphilis and Serology Test is one of the important evidences to diagnose Syphilis,which has important significance in diagnosis,treatment and research.Therefore,correct understanding and evaluation of Syphilis Serology Test have very important meaning when guiding the practice.This article has reviewed the current development and application of Syphilis Serology Test in the world.
Fast and accurate numerical method for principal components analysis dealing with large image data sets

The principal components analysis has been applied to various imaging studies in nuclear medicine. This technical report describes a fast and accurate numerical method of calculating eigenvalues and eigenvectors in the principal components analysis dealing with larger image data sets. The method employs both data transformation and matrix transpose of original data sets to calculate a variance-covariance or correlation matrix. The method was tested on actual image data sets using a common workstation, confirming faster execution time and efficient accuracy in comparison to a standard method.
Kappa-opioid peptide receptor stimulation increases cytosolic pH and myofilament responsiveness to Ca2+ in cardiac myocytes

Although kappa- and delta-opioid receptors on mammalian cardiac myocytes have been discovered recently, the intracellular effects that result from stimulation of these receptors remain unknown. We ...
Surely you're joking, Mr Duchamp!

If you wander through the warren of galleries on the fifth floor of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, you encounter some of the most famous artworks of the late 19th and early 20th century. Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night hangs in one room, Salvador Dali's The Persistence of Memory in another, Henri Matisse's Dance in a third. You will walk through a roomful of Piet Mondrian compositions, including Broadway Boogie Woogie, and it seems like every other painting is by Pablo Picasso, including his Les Demoiselles d'Avignon.
Example: Mini Blackjack and Card Counting

Prerequisites: Chapters 8, 12, and 16. Do you gamble at a casino? Would you? Why not? If your answer is that casino games are designed so that the Casino has better odds, you are only partially right. Blackjack is one of the few casino games where playing optimally may actually win you money in the long run. In the last chapter we mentioned some attempts to analyze the game. For those of you eager to go and bankrupt a casino, you will be disappointed to hear that we will not discuss blackjack in detail. There are two reasons. First, casino blackjack is too complicated to treat in an introductory book. Second, and more important, it has a huge extensive form. A similar game called MINI BLACKJACK has most of the essential ingredients of casino blackjack, and it is simple enough for us to analyze. We will see three aspects of casino blackjack, namely counting cards, playing against the house, and reshuffling, in versions of the game. The Basic Game The basic game depends on two parameters a and b : MINI BLACKJACK ( a, b ) This two-person zero–sum game is played with a shuffled deck of cards containing a known number a of 1s and a known number b of 2s. Ann and Beth, get a card from the top of the deck in front of them face up. A player makes a move by choosing to draw no more cards or to receive another card from the top of the deck. If the player draws another card, it is shown face up. Beginning with Ann, the two players alternate moves unless a player has already chosen to stop drawing cards, in which case the player cannot move anymore. The game ends when both players have stopped. The goal of the game is to have the sum of the player's own cards be 3 or as close to 3 as possible, but not greater than 3. Thus a sum of 3 is best, better than a sum of 2, which is better than a sum of 1, which is better than all other sums (4, 5, or higher). The payoff is 1 for the winner, –1 for the loser, and 0 for a draw.
Capital Mobility and Its Growth since World War II

This chapter’s goals are both theoretical and empirical. I have argued that capital mobility is a central structuring element of the world economy and that it explains much of the relative bargaining strength between states and firms. I turn now to the central concept of capital mobility.
Thermoelectric properties of in-situ plasma spray synthesized sub-stoichiometry TiO 2−x

The thermoelectric properties of sub-stoichiometric TiO2−x deposits produced by cascaded-plasma spray process are investigated from room-temperature to 750 K. Sub-stoichiometric TiO2−x deposits are formed through in-situ reaction of the TiO1.9 within the high temperature plasma flame and manipulated through introduction of varying amounts of hydrogen in the plasma. Although the TiO2−x particles experience reduction within plasma, it can also re-oxidize through interaction with the surrounding ambient atmosphere, resulting in a complex interplay between process conditions and stoichiometry. The deposits predominantly contain rutile phase with presence of Magneli phases especially under significantly reducing plasma conditions. The resultant deposits show sensitivity to thermoelectric properties and under certain optimal conditions repeatedly show Seebeck coefficients reaching values of −230 μV K−1 at temperatures of 750 K while providing an electrical conductivity of 5.48 × 103 S m−1, relatively low thermal conductivity in the range of 1.5 to 2 W m−1 K−1 resulting in power factor of 2.9 μW cm−1 K−2. The resultant maximum thermoelectric figure of merit value reached 0.132 under these optimal conditions. The results point to a potential pathway for a large-scale fabrication of low-cost oxide based thermoelectric with potential applicability at moderate to high temperatures.
Microwave-assisted grafting polymerization modification of nylon 6 capillary-channeled polymer fibers for enhanced weak cation exchange protein separations.

Abstract A weak cation exchange liquid chromatography stationary phase (nylon-COOH) was prepared by grafting polyacrylic acid on to native nylon 6 capillary-channeled polymer (C-CP) fibers via a microwave-assisted radical polymerization. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of applying microwave-assisted grafting polymerization to affect nylon material for protein separation. The C-CP fiber surfaces were characterized by attenuated total reflection (ATR) infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The anticipated carbonyl peak at 1722.9 cm−1 was found on the nylon-COOH fibers, but was not found on the native fiber, indicating the presence of the polyacrylic acid on nylon fibers after grafting. The nylon-COOH phase showed a ∼12× increase in lysozyme dynamic binding capacity (∼12 mg mL−1) when compared to the native fiber phase (∼1 mg mL−1). The loading capacity of the nylon-COOH phase is nearly independent of the lysozyme loading concentration (0.05–1 mg mL−1) and the mobile phase linear velocity (7.3–73 mm s−1). The reproducibility of the lysozyme recovery from the nylon-COOH (RSD = 0.3%, n = 10) and the batch-to-batch variability in the functionalization (RSD = 3%, n = 5) were also investigated, revealing very high levels of consistency. Fast baseline separations of myoglobin, α-chymotrypsinogen A, cytochrome c and lysozyme were achieved using the nylon-COOH column. It was found that a 5× increase in the mobile phase linear velocity (7.3-to-36.5 mm s−1) had little effect on the separation resolution. The microwave-assisted grafting polymerization has great potential as a generalized surface modification methodology across the applications of C-CP fibers.
Social discomfort, social avoidance, social conformity, and social, convenience and their, effects on college student smartphone use

The purpose of this study was to determine what social factors (i.e., social discomfort, social avoidance, social conformity, and social convenience) prompt smartphone use in college students. The subjects consisted of 194 undergraduate students from a small, Midwestern, coeducational, liberal arts college. The results suggest that social discomfort does prompt phone use in the majority of students, social avoidance does not prompt phone use in the majority of students, social conformity does prompt phone use in the majority of students, and social convenience does not prompt phone use in the majority of students. In addition, the results suggest that the majority of students believe that their phones do not negatively affect their campus lives and may actually help them navigate their social lives better by helping them alleviate social discomfort, avoid the people they wish to avoid, feel connected with friends, feel included with peers, gain approval from peers, create social harmony with peers, avoid disapproval and rejection from peers, coordinate getting together with friends, and catch up with family and friends. Finally, the results suggest that the majority of students are bothered when the person they are having a conversation with (e.g., on a date, just talking) uses his or her phone frequently. Implications are discussed.
Digital politics after Trump

This essay offers a retrospective review of three major recent books in the field of digital politics – Andrew Chadwick’s The hybrid media system: Politics and power, Zizi Papacharissi’s Affective ...
Gene-drug interaction at the glucocorticoid receptor increases risk of squamous cell skin cancer

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 4562 The incidence rates of squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the skin appear to be rapidly rising among certain Caucasian populations in the United States and account for more newly diagnosed cases than all other malignancies combined. Organ transplant recipients are at high risk of aggressive squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, related to usage of immunosuppressive drugs such as cyclosporine, often combined with adrenocortical steroids (glucocorticoids). Glucocorticoids are prescribed at lower doses for other conditions including musculoskeletal, inflammatory bowel disease, and respiratory disorders, and usage at these doses has been associated with a 2-fold increased risk of SCC. With over 30 million Americans estimated to have inflammatory disease that may require glucocorticoid treatment, an association between glucocorticoid use and skin cancers is clearly of public health concern. We tested the hypothesis that genetic variation in the glucocorticoid receptor, Bcl I genotype, modifies risk of squamous cell carcinoma associated with glucocorticoid use in a large population-based case-control study of SCC (n = 214 cases and 393 controls). The adjusted odds ratios for SCC associated with oral glucocorticoids increased with the number of Bcl I variant alleles [wild type: OR 1.5, CI 0.6-3.1; het: OR 2.5, CI 1.1-5.3; variant: OR 5.6, CI 1.1-29]. These data provide evidence of gene-environment interaction between a drug and its cellular target that may contribute to increased risk of SCC. Further, we have identified a potential susceptible subgroup that may be at a substantially enhanced risk of SCC with oral glucocorticoid use.
Novel role for scavenger receptor B-I in neutrophilic asthma (IRC10P.419)

Asthma is a heterogeneous airway disease that has risen significantly in recent decades. While there has been a major research focus on eosinophilic asthma, the neutrophilic, Th17-predominant disease that characterizes severe asthmatics is less understood. Scavenger Receptor B-I (SR-BI) is a receptor mostly studied in the context of cellular uptake of cholesterol. Recently, we reported that SR-BI regulates the pulmonary innate immune response, but the role of SR-BI in asthma is unknown. Therefore, SR-BI +/+ and SR-BI -/- mice were sensitized on days 0 and 7 by oropharyngeal aspiration of ovalbumin (OVA) together with LPS and then challenged on day 14 with an aerosol OVA. Airway inflammation and cytokines were quantified 48hrs after challenge. Bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) from SR-BI +/+ and SR-BI -/- mice were co-cultured in the presence of OVA/LPS with CD4 + T cells from OT-II mice that carry a transgenic TCR specific for the MHC class II-restricted OVA peptide (OT-II Tg). Compared to SR-BI +/+ counterparts, SR-BI -/- mice had increased pulmonary neutrophils, Th17 cells, G-CSF and CXCL5 after OVA challenge, but had equivalent amounts of IL-4, IL-5, and eosinophils. BMDCs from SR-BI -/- mice have elevated levels of CD80 and CD86, and CD4 + OT-II Tg T cells produced more IL-17 after culture with OVA/LPS. SR-BI modulates the lung’s response to environmental adjuvants such as LPS by regulating Th17 polarization, suggesting a novel role for SR-BI in neutrophilic asthma.
How America Sees the Roman Empire

For decades, filmmakers have laced history with fictitious characters and events to create explosive film epics. Over 400 films have been made about ancient Rome, many of them by American film studios, and these films have shaped the minds of Americans.3 They have enjoyed a warm reception from modern audiences as they color the past, yet make the connection between antiquity and present day.4
A Robust No-Reference, No-Parameter, Transform Domain Image Quality Metric for Evaluating the Quality of Color Images

In autonomous imaging and video systems, data measurements can be extracted based on the presence or absence of system specific attributes of interest. These measurements may then be used to make critical system decisions. Therefore, it is imperative that the quality of the image used for extracting important measurements is of the highest fidelity. To achieve this, image enhancement algorithms are used to improve the quality of the image as a preprocessing procedure. Currently, most image enhancement processes require parameter selection and parameter optimizations, where the results typically require assessment by a human observer. To perform the image enhancement without human intervention, an image quality metric needs to be used to automatically optimize the enhancement algorithm’s parameters. An additional complexity is that the performance of an image quality measure depends on the attributes an image possesses and the types of distortions affecting the image. Although there are many image quality metrics available in the literature, very few are designed for color images. Furthermore, most color image quality measures require a reference image as a basis, on which all other results are compared too, or require parameter adjustment before the measures can be used. Finally, most available measures can only evaluate the image quality for images that are affected by a small set of distortions. In this paper, we will show a new no-reference no-parameter transform-domain image quality metric, TDMEC, which can successfully evaluate images that are affected by ten different distortion types in the TID2008 image database. This measure enables vision-based measurement systems to automatically select optimal operating parameters that will produce the best quality images for analysis.
Sequence and Conformational Analysis of Peptide-Polymer Bioconjugates by Multidimensional Mass Spectrometry.

The sequence and helical content of two alanine-rich peptides (AQK18 and GpAQK18, Gp: l-propargylglycine) and their conjugates with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) have been investigated by multidimensional mass spectrometry (MS), encompassing electrospray ionization (ESI) or matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) interfaced with tandem mass spectrometry (MS2) fragmentation and shape-sensitive separation via ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS). The composition, sequence, and molecular weight distribution of the peptides and bioconjugates were identified by MS and MS2 experiments, which also confirmed the attachment of PEG at the C-terminus of the peptides. ESI coupled with IM-MS revealed the existence of random coil and α-helical conformers for the peptides in the gas phase. More importantly, the proportion of the helical conformation increased substantially after PEG attachment, suggesting that conjugation adds stability to this conformer. The conformational assemblies detected in the gas pha...
Environmental factors and eosinophilic esophagitis.

The incidence and prevalence of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) have markedly increased over the past 2 decades, outpacing increased detection of the disease. Although genetic susceptibility markers for EoE have begun to be elucidated, the rate at which EoE has increased in incidence suggests environmental factors predominate. Despite many advances in understanding of the pathogenesis of EoE, the cause of EoE is unknown. This article reviews the emerging data related to environmental risk factors for EoE. Many of these environmental factors are rooted in the theoretical framework of the hygiene hypothesis, specifically mediation of disease development through dysbiosis. Other hypotheses are based on associations that have been observed in studies of non-EoE allergic disease. We describe the evidence that early-life exposures, including antibiotic use, acid suppression, and cesarean delivery, can increase the risk of disease. We also describe the evidence that infectious agents, such as Helicobacter pylori, are inversely associated with disease. Current evidence on geographic risk factors, such as population density, climate zone, and seasonality, is reviewed. We also describe behavioral factors that have been evaluated. Limitations of the existing research are discussed, and recommendations for future areas of research, including assessment of gene-environment interaction, are presented.
Nuptial Gift Chemistry Reveals Convergent Evolution Correlated With Antagonism in Mating Systems of Harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones)

Nuptial gifts are material donations given from male to female before or during copulation and are subject to sexual selection in a wide variety of taxa. The harvestman genus Leiobunum has emerged as a model system for understanding the evolution of reproductive morphology and behavior, as transitions between solicitous and antagonistic modes of courtship have occurred multiple times within the lineage and are correlated with convergence in genital morphology. We analyzed the free amino acid content of nuptial gift secretions from five species of Leiobunum using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Multivariate analysis of the free amino acid profiles revealed that, rather than clustering based on phylogenetic relationships, nuptial gift chemical composition was better predicted by genital morphology and behavior, suggesting that convergent evolution has acted on the chemical composition of the nuptial gift. In addition, we found that, species with solicitous courtship produce gifts consisting of a 19% larger proportion of essential amino acids as compared to those with more antagonistic courtship interactions. This work represents the first comparative study of nuptial gift chemistry within a phylogenetic framework in any animal group and as such contributes to our understanding of the evolution of reproductive diversity and the participant role of nuptial gift chemistry in mating system transitions.
Predictability of El Niño

Low-frequency variability on timescales on the order of a year and longer In both the tropical oceans and atmosphere is caused primarily by variations in the boundary conditions, the surface winds in the case of the oceans and the sea surface temperature in the case of the atmosphere. The variability of each medium can therefore be simulated for indefinite periods provided the boundary conditions are specified. Interactions between the ocean and atmosphere are unstable and can amplify perturbations thus causing the Southern Oscillation and El Nino. The predictability of this variability is determined by the growth rate of unstable disturbances and depends on the degree to which the initial state of the ocean is in nonequilibrium with the winds. Calculations with a relatively simple coupled model indicate that predictability may be longer than a year.
Prophylaxis in Psychiatry

In psychiatry, prophylactic drug therapy includes the use of medication for both prevention and maintenance. Preventive measures are now under investigation in several major psychiatric illnesses, especially in schizophrenia in order to prevent the occurrence of a first illness-episode in a group of high risk individuals (primary prevention), or the occurrence of a subsequent illness episodes following the occurrence of a first one (secondary prevention). Maintenance treatment is currently widely used in a variety of psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, bipolar illness, and major depression and is aimed at the long−term control of symptoms and illness-episodes. Drug therapy depends on patients' compliance or willingness to maintain a recommended schedule of drug treatment. The implementation of strategies to improve compliance are thus of utmost importance. Hopefully, future directions will focus on novel strategies to screen individuals at risk and to develop novel drug treatments (i.e., gene therapy) to enhance primary prophylaxis in psychiatric disorders.
Use of Steel Fiber–Reinforced Rubberized Concrete for Roadway Intersections in Cold Regions: Alaska

AbstractIn cold regions, many challenges are faced when using portland cement concrete (PCC), but with the inclusion of new technologies such as steel fibers and crumb rubber, efficient constructio...
A comparison of scheduling, work hours, overtime, and work preferences across four cohorts of newly licensed Registered Nurses.

Aims To conduct a comparative analysis of four cohorts of newly licensed Registered Nurses and their work schedule, daily shift length, weekly work hours, second job, and weekly overtime hours. Nurses also reported their preferences regarding work schedule and daily shift length. Design We used a retrospective, comparative design analysing four cross-sectional surveys from new nurses first licensed between 2004-2015. Methods Using state licensure lists, nurses who were first licensed between 1 August 2004 and 31 July 2005 were randomly sampled using a nested design in 23 geographical areas in 13 states and Washington, DC. The same sampling strategy was conducted for subsequent cohorts in January 2009, 2012, and 2016. We sent a mailed survey measuring demographics, education, work attributes, and attitudes to participants with a $5 incentive, following methods by Dillman. Results There were no statistically significant differences in average weekly work hours (39.4 hrs) or holding more than one job for pay (11.6-14.6% across all cohorts). There were statistically significant differences in overtime across cohorts and shift length by unit type. The preferred shift length was 12 hrs and day shift was the preferred work schedule. Conclusion New nurses are predominantly scheduled for 12-hrs shifts and nearly half work weekly overtime, trends that have remained relatively stable over the past 10 years. Nurse managers, policy-makers, and researchers should pay attention to new nurses' schedule and shift preferences and guard against mandatory overtime hours.
Wading Out the Storm: The Role of Poverty in Exposure, Vulnerability and Resilience to Floods in Dar Es Salaam

Dar es Salaam's economy and infrastructure suffers from frequent and severe flooding, and the situation will get worse in the absence of major interventions. In May of 2019, uninterrupted rainfall caused serious flooding in Dar es Salaam; 1,215 households were displaced, roads and bridges destroyed, and 1,560 dwellings were swept away. This disaster extends the growing list of flood events having struck the city in recent years. Dar es Salaam was affected by similar incidents in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, and seven floods alone impacted the city between 2017 and 2018. These events are a constant reminder of the urgency to address urban flood risk which causes major disruption to mobility, basic daily routines such as getting to work or school, and worse the diseases that dirty flood waters bring to affected communities. The health impacts can reverberate for months after flood waters subside, and without taking action now, flood risk and health hazards will further increase in the coming decades because of urban intensification.
A Path Towards Understanding Factors Affecting Crash Severity in Autonomous Vehicles Using Current Naturalistic Driving Data

In the U.S., in 2015 alone, there were approximately 35,000 fatalities and 2.4 million injuries caused by an estimated 6.3 million traffic accidents. In the future, it is speculated that automated systems will help to avoid or decrease the number and severity of accidents. However, before such a time, a broad range of vehicles, from non-autonomous to fully-autonomous, will share the road. Hence, measures need to be put in place to improve both safety and efficiency, while not compromising the advantages of autonomous driving technology. In this study, a Bayesian network model is developed to predict the severity of an accident, should it occur, given the road and the immediate environment conditions. The model is calibrated for the case of traditional vehicles using pre-crash information on driver behaviour, road surface conditions, weather and lighting conditions, among other variables, to predict two categories of consequences for accidents, namely property damage and injury/fatality. The results demonstrate that the proposed methodology and the determinant factors used in the models can predict the consequences of an accident, and more importantly, the probability of a crash causing injury/fatality, with high accuracy. Approaches to extend this model are proposed to predict accident severity for autonomous vehicles through leveraging their sensor data. Such a model would assist the development of countermeasures to identify the most important factors impacting severity of accidents for semi- and fully-autonomous vehicles to prevent accidents, decrease accident severity in cases where accidents are bound to occur, and improve transportation safety in general.
Comparing flat-top and Gaussian femtosecond laser ablation of silicon at normal and oblique angles of incidence

The optical intensity profile of a laser beam is crucial in laser micromachining and laser ablation mass spectrometry (MS). For the latter, Gaussian laser beams are usually used to probe surfaces of material and obtain two-dimensional (2D) maps of their compositions. Such 2D MS analysis can be extended into the third dimension (3D) if the probe is able to remove homogeneously thin layers of material by each laser shot. This high depth resolution of the probe is difficult to achieve with Gaussian beams because they cannot produce flat bottoms of ablated craters. To better understand laser ablation MS experiments aimed at enabling and optimizing this capability, studies of laser ablation of silicon under ambient conditions with flat-top and Gaussian beams generated by a femtosecond 800 nm laser with increasing incidence angles and numbers of laser shots were conducted. The resultant craters were characterized via optical 3D microscopy. When the beam profile was flat-top, the ablation rate was homogenized over the laser beam spot so that flat crater bottoms were achieved over a wide range of incidence angles. This enables 3D MS analysis with laser ablation probes, with ablation rates approaching <1 nm per shot, significantly steeper crater walls and minimal surface damage in comparison to the Gaussian craters. Flat bottom near-cylindrical and “splash-like” conical crater geometries observed in these experiments indicate that ablation regimes for the flat-top and Gaussian profiles, respectively, were different despite using similar laser energies.
An ADMM-based Decentralized Voltage Management Mechanism for Distribution Networks

The rapid growth of decentralized energy resources (DERs) has created extensive opportunities to diversify the energy generation portfolio in an exponential rate. At the same time, these opportunities also introduce some essential challenges. One of these challenges is the voltage stability management in a distribution network such as Microgrids. To address this challenge, in this paper, we develop a decentralized voltage management mechanism in the form of an augmented optimal power flow (OPF) problem. In our work, the OPF problem is further decomposed and is solved by exploring the alternating method of multipliers (ADMM). Additionally, reactive power reserves (RPRs) are utilized to generate$/$inject the necessary reactive power at each bus to stabilize the voltage locally and to curb any possible disturbances in the voltage performance. Furthermore, in our work the impact of the communication delay caused by the decentralized management has been considered and mitigated. In this paper, a customized radial 9-bus single feeder distribution network has been used to demonstrate our work. The simulation results have been presented to illustrate the performance of our work.
The influence of prior victimization and other factors on college students’ fear of crime and perception of safety

This research examines how college students’ fear of crime and perception of safety at a university relates to prior victimization, knowledge of others’ victimization, perception of likelihood of v...
Chapter 2 – CPUs

Publisher Summary Computer processing units (CPUs) are at the heart of embedded computing. CPUs can be selected from a catalog for use or they can be custom-designed for the task at hand. Various architectural techniques are available to optimize CPUs for performance, power consumption, and cost; these techniques can be combined in a number of ways. Processors can be designed by hand; a variety of analysis and optimization techniques have been developed to help designers customize processors. The reduced instruction set computing (RISC) and digital signal processor (DSP) approaches can be used in embedded CPUs. A variety of parallel-execution methods can be used; they must be matched to the parallelism available in the application. Encoding algorithms can be used to efficiently represent signals, data, and instructions in processors. Embedded processors are prone to many attacks that are not realistic in desktop or server systems. CPU simulation is an important tool for both processor design and software optimization. Several techniques, varying in accuracy and speed, can be used to simulate performance and energy consumption. CPUs can be designed to match the characteristics of the application for which they can be used. The instruction set, memory hierarchy, and other subsystems can all be specialized to the task at hand.
The Aging Slow Wave: A Shifting Amalgam of Distinct Slow Wave and Spindle Coupling Subtypes Define Slow Wave Sleep Across the Human Lifespan

Abstract Study Objectives Slow wave and spindle coupling supports memory consolidation, and loss of coupling is linked with cognitive decline and neurodegeneration. Coupling is proposed to be a possible biomarker of neurological disease, yet little is known about the different subtypes of coupling that normally occur throughout human development and aging. Here we identify distinct subtypes of spindles within slow wave upstates and describe their relationships with sleep stage across the human lifespan. Methods Coupling within a cross-sectional cohort of 582 subjects was quantified from stages N2 and N3 sleep across ages 6-88 years old. Results were analyzed across the study population via mixed model regression. Within a subset of subjects, we further utilized coupling to identify discrete subtypes of slow waves by their coupled spindles. Results Two different subtypes of spindles were identified during the upstates of (distinct) slow waves: an “early-fast” spindle, more common in stage N2 sleep, and a “late-fast” spindle, more common in stage N3. We further found stages N2 and N3 sleep are composed of two discrete subtypes of slow waves, each identified by their unique coupled-spindle timing and frequency. The relative contribution of coupling subtypes shifts across the human lifespan, and a deeper sleep phenotype prevails during old age. Conclusions Distinct subtypes of slow waves and coupled spindles form the composite of slow wave sleep. Our findings support a model of sleep-dependent synaptic regulation via discrete slow wave/spindle coupling subtypes and advance a conceptual framework for the development of coupling-based biomarkers in age-associated neurological disease. Statement of Significance Slow waves of nonrapid eye movement sleep couple with sleep spindles in a process hypothesized to support memory functions. This coupling has recently gained interest as a possible biomarker of cognitive aging and onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Most studies have been limited by an assumption that all slow waves (and coupled spindles) are fundamentally the same physiological events. Here we demonstrate that distinct subtypes of slow waves and their coupled spindles can be identified in human sleep. A mixture of different slow wave and spindle subtypes shifts in composition during lighter versus deeper sleep, and aging favors the deep sleep subtypes. These data should inform any future attempts to use slow wave sleep as a biomarker or clinical interventional target.
A sub-additive inequality for the volume spectrum

Let $(M,g)$ be a closed Riemannian manifold and $\{\omega_p\}_{p=1}^{\infty}$ be the volume spectrum of $(M,g)$. We will show that $\omega_{k+m+1}\leq \omega_k+\omega_m+W$ for all $k,m\geq 0$, where $\omega_0=0$ and $W$ is the one-parameter Almgren-Pitts width of $(M,g)$. We will also prove the similar inequality for the $\varepsilon$-phase-transition spectrum $\{c_{\varepsilon}(p)\}_{p=1}^{\infty}$ using the Allen-Cahn approach.
An autonomous MPC scheme for energy-efficient control of building HVAC systems

Model Predictive Control (MPC) is a promising technique for energy efficient control of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems. However, the need for human involvement limits current MPC strategies from widespread deployment, since (i) model identification algorithms require re-tuning of hyper-parameters, and (ii) optimizers may fail to converge within the available control computation time, or get stuck in a local minimum. In this work we propose an autonomous MPC scheme to overcome these issues. Two major features are embedded in this architecture to enable autonomy: (i) a convex identification algorithm with adaptation to time-varying building dynamics, and (ii) a convex optimizer. The model identification algorithm re-runs periodically so as to handle changes in the building's dynamics. The estimated model is guaranteed to be stable and has desirable physical properties. The optimizer uses a descent and convergent algorithm, with the underlying optimization problem being feasible and convex. Numerical results show that the proposed convex formulation is more reliable in control computation compared to the nonconvex one, and the proposed autonomous MPC architecture reduces energy consumption significantly over a conventional controller.
Restructuring vs. Bankruptcy

We develop a model of a firm in financial distress. Distress can be mitigated by filing for bankruptcy, which is costly, or preempted by restructuring, which is impeded by a collective action problem. We find that bankruptcy and restructuring are complements, not substitutes: Reducing bankruptcy costs facilitates restructuring, rather than crowding it out. And so does making bankruptcy more debtor-friendly, under a condition that seems likely to hold now in the United States. The model gives new perspectives on current relief policies (e.g., subsidized loans to firms in bankruptcy) and on long-standing legal debates (e.g., the efficiency of the absolute priority rule).
Clinical Course and Outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Rheumatic Disease Patients on Immunosuppression: A case Cohort Study at a Single Center with a Significantly Diverse Population

ABSTRACT Objectives To determine clinical course and outcomes in rheumatic disease patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and compare results to uninfected patients. Methods We conducted a case cohort study of autoimmune disease patients with COVID-19 (confirmed by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 PCR) from 02/01/2020 to 07/31/2020 and compared them in a 1:3 ratio with uninfected patients who were matched based on race, age, sex, and comorbidity index. Patient demographics, clinical course, and outcomes were compared among these patient groups. Results A total of 70 rheumatic disease patients with COVID-19 (mean age, 56.6 years; 64% African American) were identified. The 34 (49%) patients who were hospitalized used oral glucocorticoids more frequently (p Conclusions Rheumatic disease patients infected with COVID-19 were more likely to require ICU admission, ventilation, and died more frequently versus uninfected patients with autoimmune disease. Patients on anti-TNFα medications were hospitalized less frequently while those on chronic glucocorticoids were hospitalized more frequently. These findings have important implications for medication choice in rheumatic disease patients during the ongoing spread of COVID-19.
Biostatistics with R: An Introductory Guide for Field Biologists

Biostatistics with R provides a straightforward introduction on how to analyse data from the wide field of biological research, including nature protection and global change monitoring. The book is centred around traditional statistical approaches, focusing on those prevailing in research publications. The authors cover t-tests, ANOVA and regression models, but also the advanced methods of generalised linear models and classification and regression trees. Chapters usually start with several useful case examples, describing the structure of typical datasets and proposing research-related questions. All chapters are supplemented by example datasets, step-by-step R code demonstrating analytical procedures and interpretation of results. The authors also provide examples of how to appropriately describe statistical procedures and results of analyses in research papers. This accessible textbook will serve a broad audience, from students, researchers or professionals looking to improve their everyday statistical practice, to lecturers of introductory undergraduate courses. Additional resources are provided on www.cambridge.org/biostatistics.
HuR -dependent SOD2 protein synthesis is an early adaptation of ovarian cancer cells in response to anchorage independence

The presence of malignant ascites is a common feature of advanced stage ovarian cancer. During metastasis, as cells detach from the tumor and extravasate into the peritoneal fluid, ovarian cancer cells must adapt to survive the loss of anchorage support and evade anoikis. An important pro-survival adaptation in this context is the ability of tumor cells to increase their antioxidant capacity and restore cellular redox balance. We previously showed that the mitochondrial superoxide dismutase SOD2 is necessary for ovarian cancer cell anoikis resistance, anchorage-independent survival and spheroid formation, and intraperitoneal spread in vivo. We now demonstrate that the upregulation of SOD2 protein expression is an early event initiated in response to anchorage independence and occurs at the post-transcriptional level. SOD2 protein synthesis is rapidly induced in the cytosol within 2 hours of matrix detachment. Polyribosome profiling demonstrates an increase in the number of ribosomes bound to SOD2 mRNA, indicating an increase in SOD2 translation in response to anchorage-independence. Mechanistically, we find that anchorage-independence induces cytosolic accumulation of the RNA binding protein HuR/ELAVL1, leads to HuR binding to SOD2 mRNA, and that the presence of HuR is necessary for the increase in SOD2 mRNA association with the heavy polyribosome fraction and SOD2 protein synthesis. Cellular detachment activates the stress-response protein kinase p38 MAPK, which is necessary for HuR-SOD2 mRNA binding and the rapid increase in SOD2 protein expression. Moreover, HuR is necessary for optimal cell survival during early stages of anchorage independence. These findings uncover a novel post-transcriptional stress response mechanism by which tumor cells are able to rapidly increase their mitochondrial antioxidant capacity to adapt to stress associated with anchorage-independence.
Experimental Characterization of Received 5G Signals Carrier-to-Noise Ratio in Indoor and Urban Environments

An extensive experimental study to characterize frequency range 1 (FR1) (i.e., sub-6 GHz) 5th generation (5G) signals from existing infrastructure for navigation is presented. The study uses a state-of-the-art 5G navigation software-defined radio (SDR) to track 5G signals in different environments and under different conditions to analyze the behavior of the received carrier-to-noise-ratio (C/N 0 ), which directly affects the precision of the navigation performance. Three different experimental scenarios were conducted for this purpose with real 5G signals and 4th generation (4G) long-term evolution (LTE) signals for comparison purposes: (i) a stationary indoor scenario to study the effect of wall and floor partitions, (ii) a stationary outdoor scenario to study the effect of sampling rate, antenna grade, and clock quality, and (iii) a mobile outdoor experiment to study the C/N 0 as a function of the range. All three scenarios confirmed the potential of downlink 4G and 5G signals for navigation.