cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improving the Prediction of Neonatal Outcomes in Isolated Left-Sided Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia by Direct and Indirect Sonographic Assessment of Liver Herniation.

OBJECTIVES Liver herniation can be assessed sonographically by either a direct (liver-to-thoracic area ratio) or an indirect (stomach position) method. Our objective was to evaluate the utility of those methods to assess liver herniation for the prediction of neonatal outcomes in patients with isolated left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all patients with CDH who had prenatal assessment and were delivered at Texas Children's Hospital between January 2004 and April 2014. The predictive value of sonographic parameters for mortality and the need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was evaluated by univariate, multivariate, and factor analysis and by receiver operating characteristics curves. RESULTS A total of 77 fetuses with isolated left-sided CDH were analyzed. The lung-to-head ratio, liver-to-thorax ratio, and stomach position (according to the classifications of Kitano et al [Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2011; 37:277-282] and Cordier et al [J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2015; 28:190-195]) were significantly associated with both neonatal outcomes (P < .03). Significant correlations were observed between all of these sonographic parameters. A combination of the liver-to-thorax ratio and stomach position (Kitano) or stomach position (Cordier) with the lung-to-head ratio increased the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the lung-to-head ratio for mortality prediction (0.86 [95% confidence interval, 0.74-0.98], 0.83 [0.72-0.95], and 0.83 [0.74-0.92], respectively). CONCLUSIONS Sonographic measurements of liver herniation (liver-to-thorax ratio and stomach position) are predictive of neonatal outcomes in isolated left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Our study shows that the combination of those sonographic measurements of liver herniation and lung size improves the accuracy of predicting mortality in those fetuses.
Use of embryo transfer to induce twinning in beef cattle: embryo survival rate, gestation length, birth weight and weaning weight of calves.

Experiments were conducted in 1985 and 1986 at the Eastern Ohio Resource Development Center, Belle Valley, to examine the feasibility of using embryo transfer to induce twinning and to examine the influence of twinning on traits of the cow and calf. Embryos were collected from a total of 14 superovulated Angus donors on two dates each in 1985 and 1986 and were transferred to Angus recipients. A total of 124 embryos were transferred to 79 recipients, with 43 (34.7%) calves born alive. Seven of 45 (15.6%) recipients implanted with two embryos produced twins. In no case did both halves of the 15 embryos that were split to produce identical twins and implanted in the same recipient survive to birth. Proportion of calves born alive did not differ among transfer codes 3 (nonsplit embryos from two different donors implanted in separate uterine horns of the same recipient), 6 (nonsplit embryos from one embryo flush implanted in separate uterine horns of the same recipient) and 7 (nonsplit embryos from two different donors implanted in the same uterine horn of one recipient). Surgical transfers tended to result in a higher proportion of embryos surviving to birth (.43 vs .21; P = .16) and a higher twinning rate (.29 vs .04; P = .36) than did nonsurgical transfers. Age of recipient did not influence embryo survival (P = .98) or twinning rate (P = .99). Gestation length was 5 d shorter (P less than .01) for twin calves than for singles. Singles were 9 kg heavier (P less than .01) at birth and 32 kg heavier (P less than .01) at weaning than twins. However, cows raising twins produced 108 kg (51%) more total weaning weight than did cows raising singles.
Morphine modulates 72-kDa matrix metalloproteinase

Mesangial expansion is considered to be a precursor of glomerulosclerosis, a predominant glomerular lesion in heroin nephropathy. In addition to matrix synthesis, matrix degradation may also contribute to expansion of mesangium. In this study, we evaluated the effect of morphine on metalloproteinases (gelatinases) that degrade type IV collagen and are secreted by mesangial cells (MC). Gelatinolytic activity was significantly decreased in media of MC exposed to morphine for 1 wk compared with control [control, 2,411.6 +/- 198.7; morphine (10(-6) M), 954.4 +/- 112.2 ng.mg protein-1.3 h-1; P < 0.001]. A similar effect was seen at 2 wk [control, 17,010.6 +/- 1,789.5; morphine (10(-6) M), 8,925.2 +/- 1,623.5 ng.mg protein-1.3 h-1; P < 0.02]. Percent change in gelatinolytic activity was 39.58% (1 wk) and 47.53% (2 wk) compared with control. Morphine at concentrations of 10(-10) to 10(-6) M decreased gelatinolytic activity in MC. In in vivo studies, 24-h urines of morphine-treated rats showed a lower (P < 0.01) gelatinolytic activity when compared with controls. Isolated glomeruli from morphine-treated rats also showed decreased (P < 0.05) gelatinolytic activity compared with control. Naloxone, an opioid antagonist, did not inhibit the effect of morphine on gelatinolytic activity of MC. These results suggest that morphine may cause a decrease in degradation of type IV collagen in patients with heroin addiction. Accumulation of collagen because of lack of gelatinolytic activity in the mesangium may contribute to the expansion of mesangium.
Thapsigargin inhibits the glucose-induced decrease of intracellular Ca2+ in mouse islets of Langerhans

Stimulation of pancreatic islets of Langerhans with glucose results in changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). With the use of mouse islets loaded with fura 2, the earliest glucose-i...
On Developing a Risk Analysis Framework for Post-Industrial Age Technologies

Risk assessment, to date, has been primarily a retrospective process. It was developed by the U.S. Space Program in the 1950’s and 60’s with the advent of Failure Modes and Effects Analysis in an attempt to both understand and correct missile and rocket launch failures. It came of age with the publication of the Reactor Safety Study (WASH-1400) in 1975, but only after approximately 75 nuclear power plants already had been designed, built and operated in the U.S. From the remediation of Superfund sites and assessing space missions to improving safety at chemical and nuclear facilities, Risk Assessment has become an important tool for managing the health and safety of the public and the environment.
In Vitro Cytotoxicity Testing: 24-hour and 72-hour Studies with Cultured Lung Cells:

This study was designed to evaluate the potential of an in vitro cell culture method for its ability to determine cytotoxicity and to compare the cytotoxic concentrations with established LD50 valu...
Proving inductive properties of PROLOG programs in second-order intuitionistic logic

We use second-order intuitionistic logic for two purposes in this paper: first, to formulate a large class of circumscriptive queries about logic programs; and second, to formulate a class of induction schemata that can be used to answer these queries. Then, applying the techniques of intuitionistic logic programming, we develop an interpreter (written in PROLOG) that constructs inductive proofs and answers circumscriptive queries automatically. As an illustration, we prove the symmetry of ‘Reverse’, the associativity of ‘Plus’ and the commutativity of ‘Times’.
Integrating digital photographs with medical imaging examinations

The integration of patient digital photographic images with medical imaging studies can serve as a powerful identification tool and prevent medical errors. Photographs can also provide supplemental clinical information that can improve diagnosis. Digital cameras can easily and inexpensively be incorporated in all medical imaging devices such that point-of-care photographs can be obtained along with medical imaging tests.
The Middle East in American High School Curricula a Kansas Case Study

This report summarizes the results of a survey of Kansas high school teachers of World History conducted in the Spring of 1972. Though the data were gathered in the state of Kansas, the textbooks used in the World History course are “national” in the sense that (1) the authors are not local or even regional and (2) the books are widely used in various parts of the country.
Deep Transcriptome Sequencing of Two Green Algae, Chara vulgaris and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Provides No Evidence of Organellar RNA Editing.

Nearly all land plants post‐transcriptionally modify specific nucleotides within RNAs, a process known as RNA editing. This adaptation allows the correction of deleterious mutations within the asexually reproducing and presumably non‐recombinant chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes. There are no reports of RNA editing in any of the green algae so this phenomenon is presumed to have originated in embryophytes either after the invasion of land or in the now extinct algal ancestor of all land plants. This was challenged when a recent in silico screen for RNA edit sites based on genomic sequence homology predicted edit sites in the green alga Chara vulgaris, a multicellular alga found within the Streptophyta clade and one of the closest extant algal relatives of land plants. In this study, the organelle transcriptomes of C. vulgaris and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii were deep sequenced for a comprehensive assessment of RNA editing. Initial analyses based solely on sequence comparisons suggested potential edit sites in both species, but subsequent high‐resolution melt analysis, RNase H‐dependent PCR (rhPCR), and Sanger sequencing of DNA and complementary DNAs (cDNAs) from each of the putative edit sites revealed them to be either single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or spurious deep sequencing results. The lack of RNA editing in these two lineages is consistent with the current hypothesis that RNA editing evolved after embryophytes split from its ancestral algal lineage.
Early breast cancer management guidelines compliance: A single institutional review.

e11539 Background: Health care in United states of America is undergoing paradigm shift with Congress mandating that the Medicare program tie payment to reporting on quality measures.We undertook this study to assess the compliance of breast cancer care with established quality indicators from professional societies. Methods: We undertook a retrospective study at University of Toledo Medical Center(UTMC ) after IRB approval , which included patients with stage I/II breast cancer between 2006-2010. Percentage compliance with ASCO/NCCN Quality Measures was calculated. Radiation therapy administered within 1 year of diagnosis for women younger than age 70 years receiving breast conserving surgery. Combination chemotherapy is considered or administered within 4 months (120 days) of diagnosis with AJCC T1cN0M0, or stage II or III hormone receptor–negative breast cancer. Tamoxifen or third generation aromatase inhibitor is considered or administered within 1 year of diagnosis for ER positive tumors. Results: A ...
Association between arterial access site and anticoagulation strategy on major bleeding and mortality: A historical cohort analysis in the Veteran population.

Abstract Background Studies have shown reduction in major bleeding with trans-radial intervention (TRI) compared with trans-femoral intervention (TFI), and with use of bivalirudin compared with heparin + glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPI). We compared major bleeding, mortality and the interaction between arterial access site and the anticoagulant used for PCI in Veterans. Methods A retrospective cohort of 1192 consecutive patients who underwent PCI at a VA hospital between 2006 and 2012 was divided into TFI-heparin (n = 192), TFI-bivalirudin (n = 272), TRI-heparin (n = 274) and TRI-bivalirudin (n = 454) groups. Primary outcomes were in-hospital major bleeding, in-hospital and 1-year all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were in-hospital MI, in-hospital and 1-year MACE and net adverse cardiovascular events (NACE - composite of major bleeding + MACE). Results Femoral access was associated with a significantly increased risk of major bleeding compared with radial access (OR 11.87, p 70 predicted 1-year mortality, whereas major bleeding and anemia predicted 1-year MACE. An interaction was noted between anticoagulant and access site, such that heparin showed significantly greater major bleeding in the femoral group compared with the radial group. Bivalirudin resulted in similar risk of bleeding, regardless of access site. There was a synergistic interaction between radial access and heparin (HR 0.38, p Conclusion Radial access for PCI is associated with reduction in major bleeding, but does not have an effect on in-patient or 1-year MACE and mortality. Major bleeding is associated with poor short and intermediate term outcomes. In addition, anemia is strongly associated with increased in-patient and 1-year mortality. There is a differential effect of heparin but not bivalirudin on major bleeding, depending on the access site. There is no synergism between radial access and bivalirudin in lowering the composite outcome of MACE and major bleeding at 1 year.
Investigation of the Influence of a Writing-to-Learn Assignment on Student Understanding of Polymer Properties

We conducted a study to examine how a writing-to-learn assignment influenced student learning of polymer behavior. In particular, we examined the role of specific content and a rhetorical framework as well as a structured writing process including peer review and revision. The student-generated writing was analyzed via a content-directed rubric. Students’ conceptual understanding of stress–strain behavior was gauged via a multitiered assessment. Finally, interviews were conducted to probe students’ experiences during the writing process. Results indicate that the writing-to-learn assignment was effective in promoting understanding of stress–strain properties, but that further support is needed to help students connect polymer microscopic properties to macroscopic behavior. Specifically, the content requirements and rhetorical framework guided what students included in their writing. Peer review and revision provided students with further opportunities to engage and learn the material.
Performance optimization of Hadoop workflows in public clouds through adaptive task partitioning

Cloud computing provides a cost-effective computing platform for big data workflows where moldable parallel computing models such as MapReduce are widely applied to meet stringent performance requirements. The granularity of task partitioning in each moldable job has a significant impact on workflow completion time and financial cost. We investigate the properties of moldable jobs and design a big-data workflow mapping model, based on which, we formulate a workflow mapping problem to minimize workflow makespan under a budget constraint in public clouds. We show this problem to be strongly NP-complete and design i) a fully polynomial-time approximation scheme (FPTAS) for a special case with a pipeline-structured workflow executed on virtual machines in a single class, and ii) a heuristic for a generalized problem with an arbitrary directed acyclic graph-structured workflow executed on virtual machines in multiple classes. The performance superiority of the proposed solution is illustrated by extensive simulation-based results in Hadoop/YARN in comparison with existing workflow mapping models and algorithms.
Diabetes Mellitus Prevention

Diabetes mellitus is a serious, rapidly growing public health problem worldwide. Type 2 diabetes, which was formerly known as non-insulin dependent diabetes (NIDDM), or adult onset diabetes, accounts for approximately 90% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. Although effective therapies are available to treat diabetes and reduce complications, once diabetes develops it is challenging and costly to treat and thus primary prevention is needed. Some of the major risk factors for the development of type 2 diabetes, such as obesity, physical inactivity, and unhealthy diet, can potentially be modified. The results of several clinical trials have shown that lifestyle interventions with diet and exercise can prevent or delay diabetes incidence, primarily in high-risk groups. Long-term adherence and feasibility in a non-trial setting remain potentially limiting factors to widespread implementation of these lifestyle interventions.
Is externalizing psychopathology a robust risk factor for suicidal thoughts and behaviors? A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies.

Objective Our primary objective was to determine the potency of externalizing psychopathology as a risk factor for suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs). Method We conducted a random effects meta-analysis of 174 prospective studies (839 unique statistical tests) examining externalizing psychopathology and suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) published prior to December 8, 2017. The weighted mean odds ratios for the overall relationship between externalizing psychopathology and STBs were below 2.00 in magnitude, and all risk factor subcategories were also fairly modest predictors of STBs. Taking publication bias into account reduced the magnitude of these associations, particularly for death. Although externalizing psychopathology modestly predicts STBs, this may be due to design limitations of existing studies. Future research should employ shorter follow-up periods, consider risk factors in combination, and focus on forms of externalizing psychopathology that have not been studied extensively. Results The weighted mean odds ratios for the overall relationship between externalizing psychopathology and STBs were below 2.00 in magnitude, and all risk factor subcategories were also fairly modest predictors of STBs. Taking publication bias into account reduced the magnitude of these associations, particularly for death. Additionally, our results were mostly consistent regardless of sample age, sample severity, follow-up length, and predictor scale. Conclusions Although externalizing psychopathology modestly predicts STBs, this may be due to design limitations of existing studies. Future research should employ shorter follow-up periods, consider risk factors in combination, and focus on forms of externalizing psychopathology that have not been studied extensively.
Legal Regulation of Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry

There are two major areas in which a psychiatric clinician must have a general understanding of the relationship of mental health to American law. The first devolves from the legal regulation of psychiatric practice. The second entails the field of forensic psychiatry. As both of these areas of concern are changing as the law itself changes, it is more important to understand how to think about problems related to mental health and law than to memorize specific statutes, cases, and administrative codes (although such specific data may be relevant to the resolution of one or another problem that may arise for the psychiatrist’s consideration). This chapter reviews approaches to thinking about problems in mental health and the law.
Exploiting Structure and Managing Wires to Increase Density and Performance

Designers have implementation choices to realize their specific VLSI systems. Both the increasing complexity of designs and the increasing constraints on quality imposed by wires will motivate ASIC designers to adopt a growing number of custom techniques. Unlike traditional ASIC design flows, custom methodologies exploit the physical structure inherent in designs and explicitly manage routing. However, while custom designs can achieve up to a factor-of-3 greater performance and density, they can also require an order of magnitude more design effort. We have presented a sequence of successive custom remedies to improve the quality of ASIC designs: floorplanning, tiling, crafted-cells and, finally, custom crafted-macros. In example applications, these approaches taken together close the gap between ASICs and custom design to within a factor-of-1.1 for performance and to within a factor-of-1.6 for density with only modest additional effort. The underlying theme of our approach is to identify critical components of a design and judiciously employ custom techniques only on these few pieces to maximize quality while minimizing effort.
Processing Variable Forms for Travel Estimation

As applied to intercity travel demand estimation, the conventional gravity model consists of some pairing-like variables which attempt to express certain interactions affecting the travel potential between two cities. This paper explores alternative functional forms of the pairing-like variables, in order to produce a more effective travel demand forecast relationship. The study suggests the use of three statistical procedures for formulating the demand model, based on functional forms of variables that most significantly express the travel demand relationship. The best functional form of the pairing-like variable is defined as the one which will yield a statistically sound model of travel estimation, as indicated by stepwise multiple regression techniques. It is anticipated that by incorporating these variable forms, the predictive power of resulting travel demand models will be substantially improved, while data requirements are minimized.
Is upper extremity deep venous thrombosis underdiagnosed in trauma patients

Abstract It has been suggested that upper extremity deep venous thrombosis (UEDVT) is as common and dangerous as lower extremity deep venous thrombosis. Pulmonary embolism (PE) is often found with no evidence of associated lower extremity deep venous thrombosis and could have originated from UEDVT. Routine screening is well accepted for lower extremity deep venous thrombosis but not for UEDVT. We hypothesized that UEDVT in trauma is frequent but undetected; therefore, routine screening of trauma patients at risk will increase the UEDVT rate and decrease the PE rate due to early diagnosis and treatment. We evaluated the incidence of UEDVT and PE over 6 months before (Group BEFORE) and 6 months after (Group AFTER) implementing a policy of screening patients at high risk for deep venous thrombosis with Duplex ultrasonography. Group BEFORE was evaluated retrospectively and group AFTER prospectively. There were 1110 BEFORE and 911 AFTER patients. The two groups were similar. Of the AFTER patients, 86 met predetermined screening criteria and were evaluated routinely by a total of 130 Duplex exams. One patient in each group developed UEDVT (0.09% vs. 0.11%, P = 1.00). The brachial vein was involved in both patients. Six BEFORE (0.54%) and 1 AFTER (0.11%) patients developed PE (P = 0.137). The single AFTER patient with PE was not screened for UEDVT because he had no high-risk criteria. UEDVT is an uncommon event with unclear significance in trauma. Aggressive screening did not result in a higher rate of UEDVT diagnosis, nor an opportunity to prevent PE.
Effects of Metals: The Developing Central Nervous System

There are many recent reviews of special aspects of lead or mercury toxicity, and most focus on the effects of metal compounds on the CNS. Most do not, however, address the question central to this conference -- “Are the effects of metals on developing organisms different from the effects on adults?” The purpose of this chapter is to summarize the known effects very briefly, referring the reader to more comprehensive sources, to highlight data suggestive of distinctive developmental injuries, and to point out the kinds of information still lacking.
Tyrosines 905 and 915 of gp130 are required for maximum induction of m2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor and VIP gene transcription by cytokines in neuronal cells.

1. Leukemia inhibitory factor action is mediated by a heterodimeric receptor consisting of two subunits, gp130 and the low-affinity leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR).
Mood Disorders and Sleep

Disturbed sleep is a central feature of depression. There is also emerging evidence that insomnia is not only a symptom of major depression, but also is commonly a comorbid disorder that may serve as a risk for first onset and recurrence of depression. Further anti-insomnia treatment may be as effective in the context of depression as it is in primary insomnia and the effects from such treatments may serve to potentiate antidepressant therapy.
Beyond Black and White: An Analysis of Newspaper Representations of Alleged Criminal Offenders Based on Race and Ethnicity:

Media has a substantial role in providing knowledge about crime to the public; however, many representations of crime and criminality perpetuate damaging racial stereotypes. The purpose of this stu...
Studies on the mechanism of action of dantrolene sodium. A skeletal muscle relaxant.

In rat diaphragm-phrenic nerve preparations, dantrolene sodium has been shown to have no effect on neuromuscular transmission. KCl and acetylcholine contractures in the frog rectus muscle are depressed in the presence of dantrolene sodium. The threshold for caffeine contractures in the frog sartorius and rectus muscles is raised from 2.0 to 4.0 mM. In isolated frog sartorius muscles, the tetanic fusion frequency is increased by 29%, and the twitch response is depressed more than the tetanic.
Wearable Device Based Activity Recognition and Prediction for Improved Feedforward Control

Recognizing and predicting future activity allows current actions based on likely future actions, such as suggesting a restaurant when someone is about to eat, or reminding someone of a potentially missed meeting. In this work, we seek to predict patient activity using wearable devices to improve control of blood glucose levels in people with Type 1 diabetes. We propose an architecture for activity detection and prediction using data from watch and phone based sensors. We further provide results for key components and show that they perform better than simplistic implementations. Using just gyroscope readings gives 63. 7% activity classification accuracy, with a precision of 87.8% for exercise. Prediction error is reduced by ∼66% versus naive implementations.
Pneumonitis after precision oncology therapies: A concise review

With greater understanding of the molecular biology of cancer, precision oncology therapies are becoming increasingly prevalent. Adverse events associated with these therapies may cause significant harm to patients if not promptly recognized and treated. In this review, we focus on pneumonitis that occurs as a side effect of treatment with precision oncology agents. We discuss the incidence and time to onset of pneumonitis associated with a broad array of precision oncology agents. We highlight the common patterns of pneumonitis and offer a comprehensive approach to evaluation and treatment with therapy-specific guidelines where available.
A Multi-Resolution Convolutional Neural Network Architecture for Ultrasonic Flaw Detection

In this work, a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architecture with a novel feature selector based on Wavelet Packets (WP) is introduced for ultrasonic flaw detection applications. CNN is among the key Deep Learning algorithms that have gained increased attention in recent years due to their success in machine vision, pattern recognition and classification tasks. CNN consists of multiple layers and it can extract features in a hierarchical manner to construct a high-level abstraction of the original data. We propose two CNN architectures (based on ID-CNN and LeNet models) for ultrasonic data (A-scan) using wavelet coefficients as feature inputs and investigate key topologies such as number of parallel convolution networks, number of filters and output classifiers. Optimal selection of wavelet subbands enables the CNN based model to detect the presence or the absence of flaws with an accuracy of up to 92% on experimental ultrasonic data.
Neural Mobilization in a 54-Year-Old Woman With Postoperative Spinal Adhesive Arachnoiditis.

Abstract Objective This case report describes the clinical features, complications, imaging characteristics, and management of postoperative spinal adhesive arachnoiditis. Clinical Features A 54-year-old woman presented with right posterior thigh and leg pain after a lumbar spine fusion surgery to correct a degenerative spondylolisthesis of L3/4. Her pain was sharp and shooting and worsened with knee extension. A lumbar computed tomography myelogram demonstrated clumping and adhesion of the nerve rootlets in the cauda equina at the surgical fusion levels. Findings were consistent with spinal arachnoiditis. Intervention and Outcome The patient was treated with 2 sets of neural mobilization of the sciatic nerve with 15 repetitions each. Treatment was provided 2× per week for 3 weeks. The patient used the neural mobilization exercises at home and performed to tolerance. The patient’s Oswestry Questionnaire was reduced significantly by 19% with decreased pain intensity of 2 points on the verbal analogue scale. Conclusion Neural mobilization was used successfully in the management of a patient with postoperative spinal arachnoiditis.
Introduction to Optical Microscopy

This fully updated, self-contained textbook covering modern optical microscopy equips students with a solid understanding of the theory underlying a range of advanced techniques. Two new chapters cover pump-probe techniques, and imaging in scattering media, and additional material throughout covers light-sheet microscopy, image scanning microscopy, and much more. An array of practical techniques are discussed, from classical phase contrast and confocal microscopy, to holographic, structured illumination, multi-photon, and coherent Raman microscopy, and optical coherence tomography. Fundamental topics are also covered, including Fourier optics, partial coherence, 3D imaging theory, statistical optics, and the physics of scattering and fluorescence. With a wealth of end-of-chapter problems, and a solutions manual for instructors available online, this is an invaluable book for electrical engineering, biomedical engineering, and physics students taking graduate courses on optical microscopy, as well as advanced undergraduates, professionals, and researchers looking for an accessible introduction to the field.
Grid Architecture: A Core Discipline for Grid Modernization

By the beginning of the present decade, it had become clear that efforts to improve U.S. electric power systems as well as power systems around the world were being stymied by a problem that was more or less recognized but not often articulated: the overwhelming complexity of what is generally and loosely referred to as the grid had become so great that understanding the implications of changes to the grid, or even determining what changes should be made, was significantly impeding grid modernization. Less obvious, but just as significant, changes to the grid were already occurring that increasingly diverged from the basic principles and assumptions under which the 20th century grid was developed. These changes could lead to severe consequences for grid reliability and functionality if they were not addressed. New developments are largely driven by evolving consumer expectations, the emergence of new technologies, and the change from central economies of scale to network economies. The latter is driven by increased penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs) connected at the distribution level ("the grid edge") and by ubiquitous communication connectivity. Additional drivers include deficiencies in resilience and increasing threat of cyberattack.
Can Health Literacy Boost Health Services Utilization in the Context of Expanded Access to Health Insurance

Background. Health insurance access and health literacy are critical components of "enabling resources" to encourage uptake of services. We sought to test whether health literacy boosts health services utilization in the context of expanded access to health insurance stemming from the Affordable Care Act. Method. We used individual-level data from 11 states included in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2016. We conducted a two-stage least squares instrumental variables analysis. We instrumented improved access to health insurance stemming from Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion. As outcome variables, we examined cost as a barrier to needed care, having a personal doctor and receipt of routine health checkups, flu shots, Pap tests, mammograms, sigmoidoscopy/colonoscopy, and dental visits in the past year. We then tested whether the relation between improved health insurance access and health services utilization was moderated by health literacy. Health literacy was measured by a dichotomized scale comprising three items: difficulties obtaining advice or information about health, difficulties understating information from health professionals, and difficulties understanding written health information. Results. We found that improving health insurance access increased the likelihood of reporting a personal doctor while reducing the likelihood of reporting cost as a barrier to care. We also found an interaction effect between health insurance and health literacy on dental visits. However, there was no significant interaction effect between insurance access and health literacy for preventive services utilization. Conclusion. Health literacy did not explain why people fail to access preventive services even when they obtain access to insurance, with the sole possible exception of dental visits among individuals with high literacy.
Patellar tendon morphology in trans-tibial amputees utilizing a prosthesis with a patellar-tendon-bearing feature

A patellar-tendon-bearing (PTB) bar is a common design feature used in the socket of trans-tibial prostheses to place load on the pressure-tolerant tissue. As the patellar tendon in the residual limb is subjected to the perpendicular compressive force not commonly experienced in normal tendons, it is possible for tendon degeneration to occur over time. The purpose of this study was to compare patellar tendon morphology and neovascularity between the residual and intact limbs in trans-tibial amputees and healthy controls. Fifteen unilateral trans-tibial amputees who utilized a prosthesis with a PTB feature and 15 age- and sex- matched controls participated. Sonography was performed at the proximal, mid-, and distal portions of each patellar tendon. One-way ANOVAs were conducted to compare thickness and collagen fiber organization and a chi-square analysis was used to compare the presence of neovascularity between the three tendon groups. Compared to healthy controls, both tendons in the amputees exhibited increased thickness at the mid- and distal portions and a higher degree of collagen fiber disorganization. Furthermore, neovascularity was more common in the tendon of the residual limb. Our results suggest that the use of a prosthesis with a PTB feature contributes to morphological changes in bilateral patellar tendons.
Promises and Perils of New Global Governance: A Case of the G20

In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, a new global governance structure emerged. During and subsequent to the crisis, the G20 arose as a coordinating executive among international governance institutions. It set policy agendas, prioritized initiatives and, working through the Financial Stability Board, drew other governance institutions and networks such as the International Monetary Fund, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, the World Trade Organization, the International Association of Insurance Supervisors and the International Organization of Securities Commissions to set standards, monitor enforcement and compliance, and aid recovery. Its authority cross-cuts regimes and creates collaborative linkages between economic law and social issues such as food security and the environment. Its leadership role, born out of exigency, now continues to evolve as part of the new international economic law order. The G20’s coordination of institutions and networks exemplifies a new form of global governance. Network coordination offers an opportunity to confront complex problems with a needed comprehensive approach. The institutions and networks engage in an ongoing dialectical process that propels standard setters towards convergence on a number of fronts. The actors in this process employ a variety of tools to forge consensus and the G20 leverages this consensus-creating process to achieve its goals. Unpacking these tools can help us tackle intricate questions that arise from this new structure. In particular, we focus on concerns of effectiveness and legitimacy originating from the G20’s coordination of multiple networks and institutions.
A Dynamically High-Impedance Charge-Pump-Based LDO With Digital-LDO-Like Properties Achieving a Sub-4-fs FoM

This article presents an event-driven charge-pump-based low-dropout (LDO) regulator with an ac-coupled high-impedance (ACHZ) feedback loop. By using the ACHZ loop and continuous-time dead-zone detection, the proposed LDO responds in less than a clock cycle during load transients, achieving the response and settling times of 6.9 and 65 ns, respectively, all at a 4.9- $\mu \text{A}$ quiescent current for a sub-4-fs FoM. The output ripple is measured to have a stable amplitude and is $\times $ stable load range (1 $\mu \text{A}$ –105 mA). In addition to all these features, the proposed LDO also retains the advantages of normal digital LDOs: process portability and the ability to operate at a low supply voltage.
Polynomial-Chaos-Based Decentralized Dynamic Parameter Estimation Using Langevin MCMC

This paper develops a polynomial-chaos-expansion (PCE)-based approach for decentralized dynamic parameter estimation. Under Bayesian inference framework, the non-Gaussian posterior distributions of the parameters can be obtained through Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC). However, the latter method suffers from a prohibitive computing time for large-scale systems. To overcome this problem, we develop a decentralized generator model with the PCE-based surrogate, which allows us to efficiently estimate some generator parameter values. Furthermore, the gradient of the surrogate model can be easily obtained from the PCE coefficients. This allows us to use the gradient-based Langevin MCMC in lieu of the traditional Metropolis-Hasting algorithm so that the sample size can be greatly reduced. Simulations carried out on the New England system reveal that the proposed method can achieve a speedup factor of three orders of magnitude as compared to the traditional method without losing the accuracy.
Decentralist vanguards: women’s autonomous power and left convergence in Rojava

Since 2012, the Rojava Revolution in Northern Syria has attracted the attention of the global Left. Although this project has been subjected to many analyses from different political perspectives, ...
Systematic Investigation of Pipeline Accidents Using the AcciMap Methodology: The Case Study of the San Bruno Gas Explosion.

There is a high dependence on pipeline transport in the world including the U.S. The U.S. has the largest network of natural gas pipeline in the world; approximately 3 million miles pipeline [1]. Conversely, large-scale accidents have occurred in the pipeline transport industry. This paper investigates the San Bruno Gas Explosion, which occurred on September 9, 2010 in San Bruno, California by utilizing a systematic accident investigation methodology called AcciMap, originally proposed by Rasmussen in 1997 [2]. This graphical representation provides a big-picture to illustrate the context in which the accident occurred, by capturing the socio-technical factors that contributed to the accident across different defined layers of the AcciMap framework, as well as the interactions between those layers. Our analysis shows that apart from external contributing causes; i.e. factors related to government and regulatory bodies, organizational factors, among internal factors, were the root causes of the San Bruno gas explosion.
Oleic acid protects Caenorhabditis mothers from mating-induced death

Abstract Reproduction comes at a cost, including death. Previous studies of the interconnections between reproduction, lifespan, and fat metabolism in C. elegans were predominantly performed in low-reproduction conditions. To understand how increased reproduction affects lifespan and fat metabolism, we examined mated worms; we find that a Δ9 desaturase, FAT-7, is significantly up-regulated. Dietary supplementation of oleic acid (OA), the immediate downstream product of FAT-7 activity, restores fat storage and completely rescues mating-induced death, while other fatty acids cannot. OA-mediated lifespan restoration is also observed in C. elegans mutants suffering increased death from short-term mating, and in mated C. remanei females, indicating a conserved role of oleic acid in post-mating lifespan regulation. Because OA supplementation does not further increase the reproductive span or the brood size of mated C. elegans mothers, our results suggest that altering specific fat metabolism uncouples reproduction and somatic lifespan regulation, providing potent targets to ameliorate the cost of reproduction.
Electronic structures of a diagonally striped lattice: Multiple ( N − 1 ) -fold degenerate flat bands

We investigate the electronic structure of an interesting two-dimensional (2D) diagonally striped lattice (DSL). It consists of arrays of N different types of ``atoms'' or ``molecules'' with a fixed sequence in both horizontal and vertical directions. Using a tight-binding model, we show that the DSL $(Ng2)$ has the symmetry group Amm2 and Pmm2, and exhibits an oscillatory metallic and insulating phases for the odd- and even- N number, respectively. Some conventional 2D lattices, such as the Lieb lattice, can be related to the derivative DSL via vacancy formation by removing one type of atom in every other $(N\ensuremath{-}1)$ row of the original DSL. Interestingly, there are multiple $(N\ensuremath{-}1)$-fold degenerate flat bands in one group of the derivative DSLs, which affords a unique platform for studying many-body physics. In addition to atomic and molecular lattices, we suggest other artificial DSLs, such as photonic and phononic, to be also constructed with possibly interesting properties.
Counterstreaming ions at the inner pole of a magnetically shielded Hall thruster

During development testing of a 12.5 kW magnetically shielded Hall thruster, direct evidence of counterstreaming ions eroding the pole covers was found. One stream of ions appears to originate from the discharge channel while the other stream appears to originate from the centrally mounted cathode. Velocity distribution measurement indicates that each stream impacts the poles of the thruster at high oblique angles of incidence. While the average energy of each stream was in the tens of eV, the energy distributions contained high-energy tails that can be a major contributor to erosion. Starting with the physical picture of high oblique angle bombardment, predictions of change in erosion behavior over time are in good agreement with pole cover erosion measurements taken during wear testing. The new evidence points to a need to study these ions that are traditionally considered “low-energy” ions and the role they play in the erosion of the poles of magnetically shielded Hall thrusters.
YASBIL: Yet Another Search Behaviour (and) Interaction Logger

Collecting participant search logs is an integral part of interactive IR research. Today's existing approaches are either piecemeal solutions, and/or require cumbersome setups. We present YASBIL, a two-component logging solution comprising a browser extension and a WordPress plugin. The browser extension logs the browsing activity in the participants' machines. The WordPress plugin collects the logged data into the researcher's data server. The logging works on any webpage, without the need to own or have knowledge about the HTML structure of the webpage. YASBIL also offers ethical data transparency and security towards participants, by enabling them to view and obtain copies of the logged data, as well as securely upload the data to the researcher's server over an HTTPS connection. We posit that ease of installation and use will make YASBIL especially suitable for remote user-studies, and longitudinal studies in IR.
Autonomic, endocrine, and psychological stress responses to different forms of blood draw.

Background Although fingerstick is often favorably compared to venipuncture as a less invasive method of drawing blood for clinical labs, there is little empirical research that compares physical and psychological stress responses to fingerstick vs. venipuncture (blood draw using a needle in the arm) within the same person. Methods and findings We assessed changes in cortisol (a stress hormone), heart rate variability (a marker of autonomic stress), and psychological stress in 40 healthy women who completed both venipuncture and fingerstick. Contrary to our predictions, there was a significant decline in cortisol across conditions, with greater decline from pre- to post-draw in response to venipuncture than fingerstick. There were similar patterns of rise and fall in heart rate variability in both types of blood draw, suggestive of mild vasovagal responses. Psychological measures of stress (such as negative emotion and perceived stress) were generally stronger predictors of participant's reported pain and blood draw preferences than physical stress measures. Conclusions These findings challenge the characterization of fingerstick as necessarily "less invasive" than venipuncture, as participant's stress responses to fingerstick were equivalent to (and for some measures greater than) their response to venipuncture. Heart rate variability response to fingerstick significantly predicted that individual's vasovagal-like responses to venipuncture, suggesting that measuring heart rate variability during pre-donation hemoglobin testing may identify donors at risk for adverse events during venipuncture.
The World as a Living Economics Classroom: Lessons from ‘Economies in Transition’, a Faculty-Led Study Abroad Course in Central and Eastern Europe

Teaching ‘Economies in Transition’ as a study abroad course is an effective way to convey the role of ideas, institutions, culture, and leadership in the transition of former communist countries. Four countries in Central and Eastern Europe: Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania, were visited. The course allowed the students to ‘make the world their living economics classroom’ through immersion into the history, geography, culture, and economy of these countries. This article presents the core planning process, the academic and implementation challenges, costs, and lessons learned from the experience. The key principles that guided the development of our curriculum, activities, and assessment are also presented.
Intercellular Ca2+Signaling in the Cardiovascular System

The ability to exchange, integrate and coordinate signals within and between tissues is one of the hallmark features of multicellular organisms. Cells can exchange signals using paracrine, synaptic and endocrine pathways but can also communicate in a more direct way through gap junction channels that provide an intercellular route for cytosol-to-cytosol exchange of small ions and molecules such as metabolites, morphogens and intracellular second messengers. This exchange of diffusible second messengers such as Ca2+- or other messengers with the ability to mobilize Ca2+stores-can trigger the intercellular transmission of Ca2+signals, a wildly used form of cellular communication.
Short communication: HIV-1 gag genetic variation in a single acutely infected participant defined by high-resolution deep sequencing.

Abstract Acute HIV-1 infection is characterized by the rapid generation of highly diverse genetic variants to adapt to the new host environment. Understanding the dynamics of viral genetic variation at this stage of infection is critical for vaccine design efforts and early drug treatment. Here, using a high-resolution deep sequencing approach targeting the HIV-1 gag region, we reveal very early immune pressure with dramatic subpopulation shifts in a single acutely infected participant providing further insight into the genetic dynamics of acute HIV-1 infection.