cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Voluntary turnover rates and organizational performance in the US federal government: the moderating role of high-commitment human resource practices

ABSTRACTDespite the growing body of literature on antecedents of employee turnover, little attention has been paid to the effect of voluntary turnover on organizational outcomes in public administration. Using panel data from the US federal government, this article tests the proposition that the relationship between voluntary turnover rates and organizational performance is negative but becomes curvilinear as turnover rates increase. Based on the contingency perspective of the turnover–performance link, this article further examines the moderating role of high-commitment human resource practices (HCHRP) in the relationships. Findings indicate that voluntary turnover has a positive relationship with organizational performance, but it turns out to be an inverted U-shaped curve as turnover rates increase from low to high levels. Furthermore, the moderating effect on the curvilinear relationship is especially pronounced for federal agencies with high levels of HCHRP.
Understanding Chinese Environmental Risk Perceptions from 1995–2015

China has experienced a dramatic economic growth accompanied by a massive environmental degradation over the past four decades. This unprecedented level of environmental devastation has taken a toll on both public health and economic development. Being faced with severe environmental pollution, how does the Chinese public perceive its environment? In this chapter, by utilizing data from two sources including the World Values Surveys (WVS) and Pew Research Center Global Attitudes Surveys, the author first describes the general trends of Chinese environmental views from 1995–2015, and then examines how Chinese public perceptions of air pollution, water pollution, and global climate change fluctuated between 2008 and 2015 based on the Pew Global Attitudes Surveys. Additionally, the author uses the 2013 Pew Global Attitudes Survey to depict geographic variations of environmental perceptions across the population-concentrated region. Lastly, the author analyzes the 2013 Pew survey and reveals that income is the most consistent positive factor determining perceptions of air pollution, water pollution, and global climate change. Meanwhile, the second most dominant factor is education that has positive effects on both perceptions of water pollution and global climate change. The author concludes this chapter by summarizing the findings and indicating policy implications of these results. Moreover, the author suggests that future studies of Chinese environmental perceptions should consider a more comprehensive list of explanatory variables including contextual variables such as objective environmental measures and economic indicators.
Development of a surgical site infection prediction model in orthopaedic trauma: The Denver Health Model.

Abstract Background The CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network’s (NHSN) current risk adjustment model for surgical site infections (SSI) following open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) of long bone fractures is a suboptimal predictor of risk. We hypothesized that by including variables known to be associated with SSI following ORIF, we would develop a model that would increase the accuracy and predictability of SSI risk. Methods Patients who underwent ORIF of a long bone between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2014 were included in the study (n = 1543). Patient risk factors, injury risk factors and perioperative risk factors were considered in the development of this model. We developed a risk prediction model for SSI following ORIF and then applied this to a new dataset of ORIF to determine the expected number of infections. This was compared to the expected number of infections calculated using the NHSN risk adjusted model. Results The final multivariate model included age (odds ratio: 1.02, p-value Conclusions The model that was developed uses five easily identifiable risk factors that result in a more accurate prediction of infection at our facility than the currently used model. Level of evidence: Prognostic and epidemiologic study, level III.
Environmental Effects on High Strain Rate Properties of Graphite/Epoxy Composite

The effects of hygrothermal conditions on the high-strain-rate properties of a unidirectional graphite/epoxy material, AS4/3501-6, were evaluated using standard physical and mechanical tests to determine the properties of the lamina. A time-temperature-moisture equivalence principle was applied to obtain master curves for the longitudinal, transverse, and in-plane shear moduli and corresponding strengths and ultimate strains of the specimens. It was found that the longitudinal properties of the material remained unchanged at all conditions, except for the longitudinal modulus, which showed a slight increase with temperature, moisture, and strain rate. On the other hand, all transverse and intralaminar shear properties were found to decrease with increasing temperature and moisture contents at a fixed strain rate.
The Relationship Between Self-Control and Friendship Conflict: An analysis of Friendship Pairs:

While Gottfredson and Hirschi’s general theory of crime is one of the most empirically tested theories of deviance, the theory offers hypotheses that range far beyond how self-control should affect behavior. This study is broadly focused on how self-control operates between friends by considering how the general theory’s main construct relates to friendship conflict. Using a large dyadic dataset, three-level hybrid item-response models regress the actor’s proclivity to experience conflict with the friend onto measures of the actor’s self-control, the friend’s self-control, and an interaction between the self-control estimates. Results demonstrate that the actor’s and the friend’s self-control both significantly relate to friendship conflict, as the theory would expect. However, the actor’s and friend’s levels of self-control do not interact.
The Dynamics of Concussion: Mapping Pathophysiology, Persistence, and Recovery with Causal-loop Diagramming

Despite increasing public awareness and a growing body of literature on the subject of concussion, or mild traumatic brain injury, an urgent need still exists for reliable diagnostic measures, clinical care guidelines, and effective treatments for the condition. Complexity and heterogeneity complicate research efforts and indicate the need for innovative approaches to synthesize current knowledge in order to improve clinical outcomes. Methods from the interdisciplinary field of systems science, including models of complex systems, have been increasingly applied to biomedical applications and show promise for generating insight for traumatic brain injury. The current study uses causal-loop diagramming to visualize relationships between factors influencing the pathophysiology and recovery trajectories of concussive injury, including persistence of symptoms and deficits. The primary output is a series of preliminary systems maps detailing feedback loops, intrinsic dynamics, exogenous drivers, and hubs across several scales, from micro-level cellular processes to social influences. Key system features, such as the role of specific restorative feedback processes and cross-scale connections, are examined and discussed in the context of recovery trajectories. This systems approach integrates research findings across disciplines and allows components to be considered in relation to larger system influences, which enables the identification of research gaps, supports classification efforts, and provides a framework for interdisciplinary collaboration and communication-all strides that would benefit diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment in the clinic.
Time-Domain-Based Measurement Technique for Pressure Measurement in a Wearable Wireless Sensor Patch

Implementation of a Pressure Ulcer Prevention System would reduce health care costs by improving pressure ulcer prevention, enabling patient treatment, monitoring outside a hospital setting, and easing workload on caregivers. In order to achieve the above said goals, it is important to be able to measure local skin pressure accurately. Disadvantages of a voltage-based resistance measurement technique include the need for a steady reference voltage and accurate ADC, each of which introduces additional error and power dissipation. This paper presents a novel interfacing technique for resistive force sensors, allowing the determination of resistance using a time-based measurement approach.
Interactions of Insulin, Pituitary Factors, and Adrenal Hormones in Isolated Tissues

This chapter focuses on the interactions of insulin, pituitary factors, and adrenal hormones in isolated tissues. From the standpoint of anabolism, the effects of insulin and growth hormone are mutually supplementary. For purified growth hormone to promote nitrogen retention, there is an absolute requirement for insulin. Insulin and growth hormone are antagonistic in an indirect way. Insulin favors or permits the utilization of glucose over both the Embden-Meyerhof and the hexosemonophosphate pathways of muscle. Growth hormone, on the other hand, after injection into rats, inhibits the breakdown of muscle glycogen. This is the myoglycostatic effect of growth hormone. Closely related is the respiratory-quotient-depressing effect of growth hormone, which is demonstrable after injection of growth hormone into rats and in isolated diaphragm muscle from such rats. The effects of adrenal steroids with respect to anabolism are for the most part opposed to those of insulin. Although some adrenal cortical agent, such as hydrocortisone or aldosterone, is necessary for maintenance of life, and to permit optimum growth, the adrenal glucocorticoids in moderate or high doses tend to cause nitrogen loss and an elevation of blood sugar.
Protected Environment, Prophylactic Antibiotics and Cancer Chemotherapy

Infections are the major cause of morbidity and mortality in adults with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) [1, 2]. The risk of fatal infection during remission induction therapy approaches 50%. Infection and the threat of infection frequently compromises the administration of chemotherapy. Thus, any program which would substantially diminish the risk of infection should allow for more effective and prolonged administration of chemotherapeutic agents.
On the Role of Plasticity Length Scale Parameters in Multi-Scale Modeling

This chapter presents a recent study of the effects of plasticity strain gradient length scale parameters on the plastic deformation of LIGA Ni MEMS structures plated from sulfamate baths. Micro-tensile experiments were explored in current study to evaluate the basic tensile properties for LIGA Ni MEMS structures at micron scale. The composite length scale parameter [1] was obtained from the micro-bend techniques, and the stretch gradient length scale parameter [1–4] was extracted from the nano-indentation experiments. A constitutive expression, which is an extension of the traditional J2 theory, was obtained for the LIGA Ni MEMS structures. This constitutive equation can be used for the further modeling of plasticity of LIGA Ni MEMS structures plated under similar conditions. The implications of plasticity length scale parameters are discussed for multi scale modeling between the micron- and nano-scales.
Measurements of Particle Velocity Within a Kolsky Bar with Applications to Wave Separation

Several methods of measuring particle velocity at points along a Kolsky bar are investigated. Direct particle velocity measurements are of interest because they can be used in conjunction with strain gages to permit wave separation; this can be used to extend the lower strain-rate range accessible with the Kolsky bar technique. Two methods are evaluated with a PMMA Kolsky bar. They include (1) strain-gradient based measurements of acceleration, which is then integrated to obtain particle velocity, and (2) laser extensometer measurements of displacement, which is then differentiated to obtain velocity. Each of these methods has its limitations, and it is suggested that they can be used together to provide a velocity diagnostic useful for practical testing. Finally, preliminary experiments are presented with a Photon Doppler Velocimeter to measure particle velocity with a steel pressure bar.
The elasticity in the presence of diluents.

A review is given of the thermoelastic measurements performed on different materials. Basically, all materials can be divided into two groups. For crystalline and glassy materials the enthalpy component of the retractive force is large and the entropy component is small. On the other hand, for amorphous, crosslinked polymers the opposite is true. After corrections are made for volume changes, the energy component is generally small and the entropy component is large. Only rubber-like polymers, whether diluted or not, are known to display the latter behavior. Moreover, these materials generally undergo glass transitions upon cooling. In these physical properites elastin behaves like the latter class. Therefore in the absence of evidence to the contrary, elastin must be considered to be an amorphous, crosslinked polymer displaying rubberlike elasticity.
Electromagnetic Scattering From a Disk: Use of Flammer’s Solution to Assess Numerical Techniques Incorporating Singular Expansions

A circular perfectly conducting disk is one of only a few 3-D geometries amenable to exact electromagnetic analysis. In this communication, the currents induced on the disk by an incident plane wave are used to study the accuracy and convergence of numerical boundary element techniques that incorporate singular basis functions. It is shown that the use of singular basis functions improves the accuracy of the results compared to a conventional polynomial expansion.
Electrical Storage Integration into a DC Nanogrid Testbed for Smart Home Applications

In this paper technical issues concerning the integration of a battery energy storage system (BESS) into a DC nanogrid laboratory testbed are discussed, including battery chemistry selection, sizing, and power electronic interface. The BESS-equipped nanogrid has been tested using a droop control scheme. Voltage regulation and power sharing among the sources have been properly achieved by experimental tests. Furthermore, the possibility of dynamically changing the parameters of the droop characteristic has been shown. This result is a first step toward the optimal control of the power flows within the DC nanogrid by using an Energy Management System.
Method of confocal mirror design

We provide an overview of the method of confocal mirror design and report advances with respect to pupil imagery. Two real ray-based conditions, Y + = − Y − and ΔY = 0, for the absence of linear astigmatism and field tilt are presented. One example illustrates the design of a system confocal of the object and image, and another illustrates the design of a system confocal of the pupils. Stop shifting formulas are provided. Three three-mirror anastigmatic systems further illustrate the method.
Nanoparticles of Metal-Organic Cages Overcoming Drug Resistance in Ovarian Cancer.

A long-standing challenge in the treatment of ovarian cancer is drug resistance to standard platinum-based chemotherapy. Recently, increasing attentions hasve been drawn to the use of self-assembled metal-organic complexes as novel therapeutics for cancer treatment. However, high hydrophobicity that is often associated with these structures lowers their solubility and hinders their clinical translation. In this article, we present a proof-of-concept study of using nanoprecipitation to formulate the hydrophobic metal-organic cages and facilitate their use in treating chemoresistant ovarian cancer. The Pt6L4 Cage 1 is an octahedral cage formed by self-assembly of six 1,10-phenanthroline-Pt(II) centers and four 2,4,6-tris(4-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine ligands (L). Cage 1 is able to trigger DNA damage and exhibits promising in vitro potency against a panel of human ovarian cancer cell lines. However, due to the large portion of aromatic components, this cage structure has very limited solubility in cell culture media (<20 μM). We found that formulation of Cage 1 using fluorescein (2) and a pegylated anionic polymer (3) produces nanoparticles of Cage 1 with high solubility (subup to 0.4 mM). Production of the nanoparticles of metal-organic cages (nMOC) is driven by the formation of the 1:1 host-guest complex of 1 and 2 in aqueous solution, which then form nanoprecipitation in presence of poly glutamic acid-b-poly ethylene glycol (3). The resulted nMOC are about 100 nm in diameter, and they serve as a delivery platform that slowly releases the therapeutic content. The use of fluorescein facilitates monitoring cell entry of nMOC and drug release using flow cytometry. Finally, comparing to cisplatin, the nMOC exhibit comparable in vitro efficacy against a panel of human cancer cell lines, and notably, it shows a much lower resistance factor against chemoresistant ovarian cancer cell lines.
Diffusion tensor imaging of diabetic amyotrophy

To qualitatively and quantitatively characterize the nerves of patients with diabetic amyotrophy (DA) using magnetic resonance neurography (MRN) with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Forty controls and 13 DA cases were analyzed. 1.5-Tesla and 3.0-Tesla MRN with DTI was used. Qualitative data from 13 patient records were recorded. Region of interest (ROI) measurements were taken of bilateral L3 through S2 lumbosacral nerve roots, femoral nerves, and sciatic nerves. An ANOVA and multiple linear regression analysis were performed. An intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated between two readers. In DA cases, abnormalities of the lumbosacral nerve roots (n = 11 patients), sciatic (n = 10), femoral (n = 13), and obturator nerves (n = 4) were seen; denervation changes of the abdominopelvic muscles were also identified. Quantitatively, minimum and mean nerve signals on B600 were significantly less than controls (p < 0.001). Minimum and mean ADC values were significantly greater in cases than in controls (p < 0.001 and p = 0.002 respectively). Mean fractional anisotropy (FA) values were significantly lower in cases than in controls (p = 0.041). There were no significant differences in the minimum FA values between cases and controls. Minimum and mean ADCs correlated positively with highest recorded hemoglobin A1 (HbA1c) while controlling for sex, age, and BMI (β = 0.518, p < 0.001 and β = 0.302, p = 0.020 respectively). ICCs were 0.892 (B600), 0.717 (ADC), and 0.730 (FA). Neuromuscular lesions secondary to DA are qualitatively and quantitatively identified on MRN with DTI, and a positive correlation of ADC levels with serum HbA1c levels exists. Thus, MRN with DTI can be employed as a non-invasive diagnostic tool, if DA is suspected.
Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 and interleukin-10 in serum from naïve and scrapie infected sheep.

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were identified as potential biomarkers for ovine scrapie in a mouse model. The development of novel diagnostic methods to identify pre-clinical scrapie-infected animals is needed. In this study, ELISA was used to assess TIMP-1 and IL-10 levels in 158 serum samples from naive and preclinical scrapie-infected sheep. Young (≤ 18 months) naive sheep had significantly lower TIMP-1 levels compared with old (≥ 20 months) naive and old infected sheep (P<0.04). Young naive sheep had lower IL-10 than old naive sheep (P<0.001). Both cytokines tended to have lower levels in young naive sheep compared to infected sheep but this did not reach significance. A larger sample size will be helpful in determining the potential of these cytokines as a diagnostic tool.
Iatrogenic pseudoaneurysm rupture of the anterior cerebral artery after placement of an external ventricular drain, treated with clip-wrapping: a case report and review of the literature

External ventricular drains (EVDs) are often placed emergently for patients with hydrocephalus, which carries a risk of hemorrhage. Rarely, rupture of a pseudoaneurysm originating from an EVD placement precipitates such a hemorrhage. An EVD was placed in a patient with a ruptured left posterior communicating artery aneurysm who later underwent endovascular coil embolization. On post-bleed day 20, a distal right anterior cerebral artery pseudoaneurysm along the EVD tract ruptured, which was successfully treated via clip-wrapping. Although EVD-associated pseudoaneurysms are rare, they have a high propensity for rupture. Early treatment of these lesions should be considered to prevent neurologic deterioration.
Trigger strategy for displaced muon pairs following the CMS phase II upgrades

We show that the phase II upgrade of the CMS tracking detector could enable the experiment to trigger on very low mass $\mathcal{O}(1\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{GeV})$ displaced muon pairs with minimal ${p}_{T}$ cuts. As a result, CMS can be competitive with LHCb when searching for low mass displaced exotics originating from heavy flavor decays. The method can also be applied to signatures without muons but with a moderate amount of missing transverse energy, ${H}_{T}$ or multiple displaced vertices in the event.
Cellular effects of diquat dibromide exposure: Interference with Wnt signaling and cytoskeletal development

The herbicidal action of diquat dibromide (DD) on plant cells is due primarily to the initiation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, lipoperoxidation, and apoptotic cell death. It has been ...
What Differential Learning Factors Need to Be Considered in Study Abroad Research

In this chapter, we turn our attention to how individual learner characteristics and experiences affect the experience abroad. Similar to second language acquisition research that investigates how individual differences may or may not predict gains in language use, in this chapter we review what study abroad research findings show about how language development may result from the language learner’s personality and cognitive abilities. The identity factors such as heritage language and race and ethnicity are also examined. The chapter concludes with an overall summary as well as questions for reflection and suggestions for further reading.
Refuge in new food environments? The role of urban planning in facilitating food equity for new Americans

In the United States, resettled refugees arrive in designated resettlement cities where they can in theory start a new life with support systems in place. Although refugee resettlement agencies are...
American Sign Language (ASL) development: Deaf students’ ASL skills across age and time and implications for ASL instruction

Few American Sign Language (ASL) assessments are readily available for educators to administer and score to document deaf students’ skill levels and direct ASL instruction. Even fewer studies inclu...
Robust data and power in infant research: A case study of the effect of number of infants and number of trials in visual preference procedures

As in many areas of science, infant research suffers from low power. The problem is further compounded in infant research because of the difficulty in recruiting and testing large numbers of infant participants. Researchers have been searching for a solution and, as illustrated by this special section, have been focused on getting the most out of infant data. We illustrate one solution by showing how we can increase power in visual preference tasks by increasing the amount of data obtained from each infant. We discuss issues of power and present work examining how, under some circumstances, power is increased by increasing the precision of measurement. We report the results of a series of simulations based on a sample of visual preference task data collected from three infant laboratories showing how more powerful research designs can be achieved by including more trials per infant. Implications for infant procedures in general are discussed.
Foundational research and NIH funding enabling Emergency Use Authorization of remdesivir for COVID-19

ABSTRACT Emergency Use Authorization for remdesivir months after discovery of COVID-19 is unprecedented. Typically, decades of research and public-sector funding are required to establish the mature body of foundational research requisite for efficient, targeted drug discovery and development. This work quantifies the body of research related to remdesivir’s biological target, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), or parent chemical structure, nucleoside analogs (NcAn), through 2019, as well as NIH funding for this research 2000–2019. There were 6,567 RdRp-related publications in PubMed, including 1,263 with NIH support, and 11,073 NcAn-related publications, including 2,319 with NIH support. NIH support for RdRp research comprised 2,203 Project Years with Costs of $1,875 million. NIH support for NcAn research comprised 4,607 Project Years with Costs of $4,612 million. Research Project grants accounted for 63% and 48% of Project Years for RdRp and NcAn respectively, but only 19% and 12% of Project Costs. Analytical modeling of research maturation estimates that RdRp and NcAn research passed an established maturity threshold in 2008 and 1994 respectively. Of 97 investigational compounds targeting RdRp since 1989, the three authorized for use entered clinical trials after both thresholds. This work demonstrates the scale of foundational research on the biological target and parent chemical structure of remdesivir that supported its discovery and development for COVID-19. This work identifies $6.5 billion in NIH funding for research leading to remdesivir, underscoring the role of public sector investments in basic research and research infrastructure that underlie new drugs and the response to emergent disease. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Emergency Use Authorization of remdesivir for treating COVID-19 four months after discovery of this virus was enabled by decades of research on the drug’s biological target as well as other medicines with related chemical structures. The NIH contributed 6,800 years of grant funding to this research, totaling $6.5 billion (2000–2019), including funding for both investigator-initiated research and research infrastructure. Of this, $46.5 million was for research directly related to remdesivir. This analysis demonstrates the importance of a robust body of foundational research in responding rapidly to emergent diseases, and the substantial NIH contribution to this research. It also underscores the scale and significance of the public-sector investments that enable new drug discovery and development.
Disparities in Cognitive Impairment With Anticholinergic Drug Use: A Population-Based Study.

Objectives: We aim to evaluate the association between anticholinergic drug (ACH) use and cognitive impairment and the effect of disparity parameters (sex, race, income, education, and rural or urban areas) on this relationship. Methods: The analyses included 13,623 adults aged ≥65 years from the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study (recruited 2003-2007). The ACH use was defined by the 2015 Beers Criteria and cognitive impairment was measured by the Six-Item Cognitive Screener. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed disparities in cognitive impairment with ACH use, iteratively adjusting for disparity parameters and other covariates. The full models included interaction terms between ACH use and other covariates. A similar approach was used for class-specific ACH exposure and cognitive impairment analyses. Results: Approximately 14% of the participants used at least one ACH listed in the Beers criteria. Antidepressants were the most frequently prescribed ACH class. A significant sex-race interaction illustrated that females compared with males (in blacks: odds ratio [OR]=1.28, 95% CI 1.10–1.49 and in whites: OR=1.96, 95% CI 1.74–2.20), and especially white females (black vs. white: OR=0.71, 95% CI 0.64–0.80) were more likely to receive ACHs. Higher odds of cognitive impairment were observed among ACH users compared with the non-users (OR=1.26, 95% CI 1.01–1.58). In our class level analyses, only antidepressant users (OR=1.60, 95% CI 1.14–2.25) showed a significant association with cognitive impairment in the fully adjusted model. Conclusion: We observed demographic and socioeconomic differences in ACH use and in cognitive impairment, individually.
Cannibalistic bilateral orbital trauma

Abstract Purpose To describe the details of a unique case of cannibalistic orbital trauma and the oculoplastic reconstruction approach. Observations A 65-year-old homeless man survived a disfiguring cannibalistic facial and bilateral orbital injury that included bilateral loss of all adnexal structures, partial exenteration of the left orbit, and severe damage to the right globe and anterior orbital structures. The patient's extensive facial and orbital tissue damage required emergent surgery, which included left exenteration and right eyelid reconstruction. Conclusions This is the first report of cannibalistic evisceration in a live victim who survived the attack, posing a unique reconstructive challenge. Bilateral globe removal was avoided to provide time for the patient's emotional recovery. Although this was an exceptional surgical scenario, traditional oculoplastic principles remained crucial to achieving a successful outcome. The patient survived and was pleased with his surgical outcome, refusing further reconstruction or prosthesis fitting.
Stiffness of composites with coated inclusions

Abstract Stiffness of composites with coated inclusions can be determined by a variety of micromechanical methods. The present method approaches the problem by modeling the stiffness of a multi-phase composite with coated inclusions as a combination of stiffness tensors obtained for two-phase models. The potential advantage of the present method is its applicability to arbitrary inclusion geometries and multiple coatings. The numerical analysis conducted on the examples of coated fibers demonstrated a good agreement with available solutions for a low to moderate fiber volume fraction and a thin relatively compliant coating and for a low fiber volume fraction and a relatively thick coating.
Residual mask scoring regional convolutional neural network for multi-organ segmentation in head-and-neck CT

The delineation of target and organs-at-risk (OARs) is a necessary step in radiotherapy treatment planning. The accuracy of the target and OAR contours directly affects the quality of radiotherapy plans. Manual contouring of OARs is the routine procedure at present, which, however, is very time-consuming and requires significant expertise, especially for those head-and-neck (HN) cancer cases, where OARs densely distribute around tumors with complex anatomical structures. In this study, we propose a deep learning-based fully automated delineation method, namely, mask scoring regional convolutional neural network (MS-RCNN), to obtain consistent and reliable OAR contours in HN CT. In the model, MR images were synthesized by a cycle-consistent generative adversarial network given CT images. A backbone network was utilized to extract features from MRI and CT independently. The high bony-structure contrast in CT and soft-tissue contrast in MRI are complementary in nature. Through combining those complementary contrasts, the accuracy of OAR delineation is expected to be improved. Due to the ability of various object detection and classification, ResNet 101 was used as backbone in MS-RCNN. Quantities including Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), 95th percentile Hausdorff distance (HD95), mean surface distance (MSD), and residual mean square distance (RMS) were calculated to evaluate the performance of the proposed method. An average DSC, HD95, MSD and RMS of 0.78 (0.58 - 0.89), 4.88 mm (2.79 mm - 7.46 mm), 1.39 mm (0.69 mm - 1.99 mm), and 2.23 mm (1.30 mm - 3.23 mm), were respectively achieved across all of the 12 OARs by our proposed method. The proposed method is promising in facilitating auto-contouring for radiotherapy treatment planning.
A mechanistic software platform for mineral surface deposition and inhibition prediction under different flow conditions

Abstract Unexpected mineral surface fouling, or deposition, is a ubiquitously recurring problem in many industrial and municipal processes (e.g., membrane filtration, oil and gas production). Accurate predictions of mineral deposition and inhibition kinetics are critical for mineral deposition control. Unfortunately, no reliable mineral deposition model is available, potentially due to insufficient knowledge of thermodynamics, crystallization and deposition kinetics, and inhibition kinetics under complex operational conditions. This study developed a new mineral surface deposition and inhibition (MSDI) platform to overcome these challenges. Specifically, the MSDI platform integrates a Pitzer theory-based thermodynamic model that can predict mineral saturation levels up to 250 °C, 1500 bars, and 6 mol/kg H2O ionic strength. It simulates mineral deposition in two phases. In Phase 1, the first deposition layer forms in the stagnant laminar sublayer following batch crystallization and inhibition kinetics; in Phase 2, the deposition rate is simulated using flow dynamic models, and the inhibitor impacts are modelled by a Langmuir-type kink site adsorption isotherm. This MSDI platform has been validated by laboratory laminar-to-turbulent flow experiments and field observations. As one of the few mineral deposition prediction tools, the MSDI platform has solid theoretical foundation with great accuracy over wide ranges of applicable conditions.
Learning to Track Object Position through Occlusion.

Occlusion is one of the most significant challenges encountered by object detectors and trackers. While both object detection and tracking has received a lot of attention in the past, most existing methods in this domain do not target detecting or tracking objects when they are occluded. However, being able to detect or track an object of interest through occlusion has been a long standing challenge for different autonomous tasks. Traditional methods that employ visual object trackers with explicit occlusion modeling experience drift and make several fundamental assumptions about the data. We propose to address this with a `tracking-by-detection` approach that builds upon the success of region based video object detectors. Our video level object detector uses a novel recurrent computational unit at its core that enables long term propagation of object features even under occlusion. Finally, we compare our approach with existing state-of-the-art video object detectors and show that our approach achieves superior results on a dataset of furniture assembly videos collected from the internet, where small objects like screws, nuts, and bolts often get occluded from the camera viewpoint.
Feminism, Pedagogy and Francis v. United Jersey Bank

Corporate law pedagogy is at an inflection point where topics, such as equality and inclusion, can no longer be ignored. For four decades, Francis v. United Jersey Bank has been a seminal case in the introductory business law course, while professors have largely ignored its sexist assumptions and misuse of liberal feminist tropes. Taught as an exemplary introduction to the duty of care, or duty of oversight, the case is actually infirm on the law and also the facts, as a reading of the citations and historical inquiry from accounts of the firm's bankruptcy in the press reveals. The case's real lesson is about what we do and do not discuss and do with texts in the casebooks, and conversations in the business law classroom, since Lillian Pritchard (the defendant), has been used as the "poster child" of fiduciary laziness and incompetence—sending a terrible message about women in corporate governance.
Identification of Organic Components in Aqueous Effluents from Energy-Related Processes

The qualitative and quantitative comparison in seven aqueous samples from four different energy-related operations were determined. Striking differences were observed in both the types and quantities of individual organics in samples from coal and oil shale processes. High-resolution gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was required to provide sufficient separation and molecular characteristics for identification of each organic substituent. These instrumental processes must be computerized to allow for fast data reduction. A greater amount and diversity of nitrogen-containing compounds were found in samples from in situ oil shale processing. Few qualitative differences were apparent among samples from in situ and low-Btu coal gasification.
Hot Nuclear Matter

The theory of hot nuclear matter has been developed primarily to help understand some aspects of highly excited nuclei, heavy-ion reactions, supernova and neutron stars. In the next two sections we review some of the basic concepts of quantum statistical mechanics and nuclear forces. The results of rather simplistic calculations of hot nuclear matter and its phase diagram are given in Section IV. Topics of special interest including instabilities in hot nuclear matter and very hot nuclear matter are briefly discussed in sections V–VIII.
A 76-GHz antenna with highly-tapered aperture for collision avoidance systems

Vehicle-mounted radar systems for collision avoidance require receive antennas with scanned narrow beams in azimuth and a broad beam in elevation. This paper presents a pyramidal horn array of 32 elements, designed at 76 GHz with a 40-dB Taylor aperture distribution. A tightly spaced waveguide power divider provides the tapered distribution with adjusted waveguide lengths between the different stages in order to achieve the uniform phase in all paths. The last stage of the power divider uses equal power splits because of space limitations, which results in slightly higher side-lobes and low-level grating lobes. The fabricated array shows results that match the HFSS-simulated results.
The uses of “modernity” in contemporary Chinese intellectual history: COnversations in Shanghai

The complex question of what it is to be modern has had an intimate connection with China's history at least since the defeats at the hands of Western powers in the Opium Wars of the 19th century. ...
Data Handling in Intelligent Transportation Systems

Within the domain of computer science, data handling is the coordinated movement of data within and between computer systems. The format of the data may be changed during these movements, possibly losing information during conversions. The data may also be filtered for privacy, security, or efficiency reasons. For instance, some information transmitted from an accident site may be filtered for privacy purposes before being presented to the general public (e.g., license numbers and names). Intelligent transportation systems (ITSs) apply computer, communication, and sensor technologies in an effort to improve surface transportation. In this article, data handling within ITS is discussed. Keywords: transportation; ITS standards; communication; sensor; vehicle
Chapter 3 Electrostatic Effects

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the elution of low molecular weight (MW) salts. The chapter describes the behavior of synthetic polyelectrolytes, treating polycations separately, because these compounds pose special difficulties. The role of electrostatic effects in the size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) of proteins is also described. The chapter also discusses models employed for the investigation of semi-quantitatively treat electrostatic effects. The elution volume of low MW salts is investigated as a function of the concentration injected, the ionic strength (I) of the mobile phase, and the chemical nature of the analyte, for a wide range of packings, including Sephadex, unmodified silica, and derivatized glass and silica. Low MW compounds are used to probe both hydrophobic and electrostatic solute-substrate interactions for a variety of derivatized silica packings. For Synchropak TM , porous silica derivatized with glyceryl–propylsilane (Synchrom), multivalent anions exhibit K SEC values decreasing from 0.9 to 0.4 as I (pH 7 phosphate buffer) diminishes from 0.2 to zero. While K SEC increases with I, it does not attain unity, even at I = 2.
What's in a Sequence? Distinct Structures and Dynamics of Two Disordered Calcitonin Family Peptides.

Over the past 15 years, the study of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) or protein regions (IDP regions) has undergone an explosion in research activity. Initially considered a curiosity, at best, intrinsic disorder proteins are recognized now as representing a large fraction of the proteome of eukaryotes (1). With the classical structure-function paradigm being of little use, IDPs continue to pose experimental and theoretical challenges of identifying the underlying principles that bestow this new class of proteins with their biological functions.
Fetal Mammalian Heart Generates a Robust Compensatory Response to Cell Loss

Background—Heart development is tightly regulated by signaling events acting on a defined number of progenitor and differentiated cardiac cells. Although loss of function of these signaling pathways leads to congenital malformation, the consequences of cardiac progenitor cell or embryonic cardiomyocyte loss are less clear. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that embryonic mouse hearts exhibit a robust mechanism for regeneration after extensive cell loss. Methods and Results—By combining a conditional cell ablation approach with a novel blastocyst complementation strategy, we generated murine embryos that exhibit a full spectrum of cardiac progenitor cell or cardiomyocyte ablation. Remarkably, ablation of up to 60% of cardiac progenitor cells at embryonic day 7.5 was well tolerated and permitted embryo survival. Ablation of embryonic cardiomyocytes to a similar degree (50% to 60%) at embryonic day 9.0 could be fully rescued by residual myocytes with no obvious adult cardiac functional deficit. In both...
Parks for Profit: The High Line, Growth Machines, and the Uneven Development of Urban Public Spaces:

This paper investigates the growing inequality of public spaces in contemporary cities. In the era of neoliberal urbanism, stratified economic and cultural resources produce a spectrum of unevenly ...
Evolutionary correlations among morphology, habitat use and clinging performance in Caribbean Anolis lizards

A central issue in evolutionary biology concerns whether morphology, performance and habitat use have coevolved. We investigated evolutionary relationships among the size of the subdigital toepad, clinging ability and perch height in 12 species of Caribbean Anolis lizard. Specifically, we predicted that: (1) because larger anole species tend to perch high in the canopy, both toepad area and clinging ability should scale with positive allometry to enable small and large lizards to possess approximately similar ratios of both variables relative to mass; (2) anole species with relatively larger toepads (i.e. size-adjusted) should be relatively better clingers compared with species with relatively small toepads; (3) species that perch high in the canopy should possess relatively large clinging abilities (either on an absolute or a size-adjusted basis). Our first hypothesis was refuted, as both toepad area and clinging ability scaled close to isometry (0.67) relative to mass, indicating that large lizard species have low ratios of clinging ability to mass compared with small lizard species. However, our second and third predictions were confirmed. Anole species with relatively larger toepads were relatively better clingers compared with species with relatively smaller toepads. Anole species that perched high in the canopy (either on an absolute scale or relative to size) tended to have relatively larger toepads and greater clinging capacities compared with species that perched lower in the canopy. These data provide indirect comparative evidence that the evolution of increased toepad size in some anole species is adaptive, by facilitating the occupation of perches high in the canopy. © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2004, 83, 389–398.
Therapeutics to promote CNS repair: a natural human neuron-binding IgM regulates membrane-raft dynamics and improves motility in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis.

We have discovered a role for natural autoantibodies in central nervous system repair, remyelination and axon protection. These natural human antibodies are of the immunoglobulin M (IgM) isotype, and they bind to the surface of neural cells. The epitope of the antibody includes sialic acid because treatment with sialidase disrupts the binding. A fully human recombinant form of one of these IgMs, rHIgM12, has the same properties as the serum-derived IgM. rHIgM12 enhanced polarized axonal outgrowth from primary neurons when presented as a substrate in vitro and improved motor functions in chronically Theiler’s virus-infected SJL mice, a model of MS. rHIgM12 bound to neuronal surfaces and induced cholesterol and ganglioside (GM1) clustering, indicating that rHIgM12 functions through a mechanism of axonal membrane stabilization. Our work demonstrates that a natural human neuron-binding IgM can regulate membrane domain dynamics. This antibody has the potential to improve neurologic disease.
Synthesis and characterization of oxide cathode materials of the system (1-x-y)LiNiO2·xLi2MnO3·yLiCoO2

Composite cathode materials produced by integrating isostructural (2D-layered) compounds LiNiO2, LiCoO2, and Li2MnO3 (Li(Li1/3Mn2/3)O2) have been investigated utilizing a compositional phase diagram. The samples were characterized by multiple techniques to establish structure–property relationships. Specifically, for structural characterization, powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, thermo-gravimetric analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were carried out. For properties, electrochemical characterization was carried out. The best composition showed a discharge capacity of 244 mAh/g (C/15 rate) in the testing range of 4.6–2 V, with good coulombic efficiency and cyclability.
Plasma and aqueous humor endothelin levels in primary open-angle glaucoma.

Purpose Endothelins (ET) have some effects on the regulation of aqueous humor dynamics. To investigate their possible role in glaucoma, we measured plasma and aqueous humor ET levels in patients with and without primary open-angle glaucoma. Methods Plasma and aqueous humor samples were obtained from 31 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and 24 patients without glaucoma. Measurements were made by radioimmunoassay (RIA) for ETs with the following cross-reactivities: ET-1, ET-2, and big ET-1, 100%; and ET-3, 70%. Results The ages (mean +/- SD) of the patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (72.3 +/- 10 years) and normal subjects (72.8 +/- 8 years) were similar (p = 0.92). There was no significant difference between plasma ET levels of the two groups (p = 0.07). However, aqueous humor ET levels (mean +/- SD) were higher in the primary open-angle glaucoma group (44.26 +/- 2.6 pg ml-1) than in normal subjects (42.17 +/- 1.6 pg ml-1) (p = 0.001). The ratios of corresponding aqueous humor to plasma levels of ETs were approximately 10% higher in the primary open-angle glaucoma group (3.76) than in normal subjects (3.41) (p = 0.0002). Conclusions The small increase in aqueous humor endothelin levels in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma versus controls of similar age may be relevant to the understanding of the various roles of ETs in aqueous humor dynamics in these patients.