cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Control of Clay-Mineral Stratigraphy by Selective Transport in Late Pleistocene-Holocene Sediments of Northern Cascadia Basin--Juan De Fuca Abyssal Plain: Implications for Studies of Clay-Mineral Provenance

ABSTRACT Previous investigations (Duncan and others, 1970; Stokke and Carson, 1974) of Cascadia Basin clay mineralogy indicate a general trend in which montmorillonoids (smectites, 17 A) are enriched relative to illite (10 A) and chlorite (7 A) in Holocene lutites, whereas illite and chlorite dominate in Late Pleistocene deposits. The apparent crystallinity of all clay-mineral groups declines from Pleistocene to Holocene (Russell, 1967). There exist, however, numerous local exceptions to these general patterns which are not readily explained by the previous works. Fifteen samples from 5 cores in Northern Cascadia Basin and Juan de Fuca Abyssal Plain were fractionated into 6 size classes. Semi-quantitative determinations of clay mineralogy and "crystallinity" were made on each of the 90 subsamples. The results indicate a definite size-dependency in clay mineralogy and crystallinity which is consistent both areally and temporally. Discriminant-function analysis indicates that clay mineralogy and crystallinity of some individual size fractions are statistically distinct but that the stratigraphic units (Late Holocene, Early Holocene, and Late Pleistocene) are not statistically discernible. Textural variations within and between Holocene and Pleistocene parallel sediment clay-mineral changes. and mineralogy can be predicted on the basis of clay-min ral size-dependency and grain-size distribution. It is inferred that the stratigraphic textural-mineralogic variations result from selective transport and deposition and not from contrasting source areas or weathering conditions, as had previously been suggested (Duncan and others. 1970; Stokke and Carson. 1974). Future investigations of clay-mineral provenance, dispersal, or correlation, in any area, should be based upon data which has been corrected for the effects of clay-mineral size-dependency.
Forgetting and remembering epilepsy: collective memory and the experience of illness.

Abstract How do people with epilepsy relate to the long and troubling history of this disease? Drawing on two sets of interviews with people with epilepsy, one cohort from the mid-1970s and one from 2005 to 2006, this article examines how memories of what epilepsy has been shape the individual and collective identities of people living with epilepsy. We find striking similarities in how people in both interview cohorts talk about what epilepsy was in �the Dark Ages�, by which they refer to the recent past. Likewise, we find evidence of a collective identity among people with epilepsy. However, memories of epilepsy�s past do not appear to serve as a basis for collective identity. Rather, these recollections are located in narratives of hope, in which people with epilepsy express confidence that the lives and life chances of people with epilepsy have improved � and will continue to improve � over time. Indeed, to the extent that people with epilepsy share a temporal orientation, it is much more to a collective future than to a collective past. Our conclusions, therefore, focus on the ways that the meanings of the past are shaped not only by present events but also by anticipated futures
Distributed collaborative 3D pose estimation of robots from heterogeneous relative measurements: an optimization on manifold approach

We propose a distributed algorithm for estimating the 3D pose (position and orientation) of multiple robots with respect to a common frame of reference when Global Positioning System is not available. This algorithm does not rely on the use of any maps, or the ability to recognize landmarks in the environment. Instead, we assume that noisy relative measurements between pairs of robots are intermittently available, which can be any one, or combination, of the following: relative pose, relative orientation, relative position, relative bearing, and relative distance. The additional information about each robot's pose provided by these measurements are used to improve over self-localization estimates. The proposed method is similar to a pose-graph optimization algorithm in spirit: pose estimates are obtained by solving an optimization problem in the underlying Riemannian manifold . The proposed algorithm is directly applicable to 3D pose estimation, can fuse heterogeneous measurement types, and can handle arbitrary time variation in the neighbor relationships among robots. Simulations show that the errors in the pose estimates obtained using this algorithm are significantly lower than what is achieved when robots estimate their pose without cooperation. Results from experiments with a pair of ground robots with vision-based sensors reinforce these findings. Further, simulations comparing the proposed algorithm with two state-of-the-art existing collaborative localization algorithms identify under what circumstances the proposed algorithm performs better than the existing methods. In addition, the question of trade-offs between cost (of obtaining a certain type of relative measurement) and benefit (improvement in localization accuracy) for various types of relative measurements is considered.
Immunizations for international travel

Travel-related infections may occur from micro-organisms acquired by insect bites, consumption of contaminated food or water, or contact with humans or animals. The main protection against infections is preventive health measures, including insect precautions, safe food and water consumption, and hygienic practices. Immunizations also play a vital role in protecting travelers from many travel-related infections. Recommending vaccines for travelers requires an assessment of risk by both provider and patient. The primary care clinician is in a unique position to provide pretravel advice to patients. This article outlines an approach to vaccine selection from the primary care provider’s perspective. The following are factors to consider in recommending immunizations for international travel: • Destination factors. Endemic and epidemic diseases at travel destination (ie, disease profile) • Travel factors. Activities, accommodations, food and water sources, and duration of stay. Occupational exposure at destination may increase risk of infection (eg, health care work [hepatitis B, meningococcus], field work [yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, rabies]) • Traveler factors. Medical concerns (eg, underlying illness, chronic medical problems, pregnancy). Age—infants and the elderly may be more vulnerable to infections and suffer more side effects from vaccinations. Previous vaccinations—primary series and boosters of routine and travel-related vaccines. Probable adherence to preventive measures (eg, regarding mosquitoes, food and water consumption, contact with animals).
New Challenges in Working with Traditional-Aged College Students.

Although the transition from high school to college is a predictable rite of passage for students in their late teens and early twenties, much about the nature of these students and their environments is changing.
Sinking intrusion model for the emplacement of garnet-bearing peridotites into continent collision orogens

Garnet- (and probably spinel-) bearing ultramafic rocks that form tectonic lenses within high-metamorphic-grade gneisses in mountain core zones may intrude by moving downward or laterally into deeply subducted continental crust from the overlying mantle wedge. This model is most credible for garnet peridotites associated with ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic terranes in mountains formed by continent-continent collision. The extremely high pressures implied by ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism indicate that continental crust was subducted to mantle depths >100–120 km, where the mantle is in the garnet peridotite facies. Exchange between mantle and crust seems likely, particularly the transfer of mantle from the hanging wall into the crustal footwall. The mantle wedge overlying the subducted crustal terrane creates a denser over lighter configuration that is gravitationally unstable. If the interface becomes hot or wet enough so that peridotite can deform by ductile flow, it would sink as mantle blobs into the underlying crustal rocks. If not, the exchange presumably occurs through a brittle mechanism. The intruded bodies will be transported to the surface passively as the host crustal terrane is exhumed buoyantly toward the surface. This mechanism is proposed in particular to explain the intrusion of garnetiferous peridotites in the ultrahigh-pressure Western Gneiss region of the Norwegian Caledonides during the Caledonian orogeny.
Troubleshooting Analyses of Production Data

Significance: This paper illustrates how observational production data may be analyzed statistically to yield clues to the root causes of quality problems in manufacturing, with the ultimate goal of improving process capability in a manner consistent with six sigma DMAIC methodology.
Proteomics Research to Discover Markers: What Can We Learn from Netflix®?

Background: Research in the field of proteomics to discover markers for detection of cancer has produced disappointing results, with few markers gaining US Food and Drug Administration approval, and few claims borne out when subsequently tested in rigorous studies. What is the role of better mathematical or statistical analysis in improving the situation? Content: This article examines whether a recent successful Netflix-sponsored competition using mathematical analysis to develop a prediction model for movie ratings of individual subscribers can serve to improve studies of markers in the field of proteomics. Netflix developed a database of movie preferences of individual subscribers using a longitudinal cohort research design. Groups of researchers then competed to develop better ways to analyze the data. Against this background, the strengths and weaknesses of research design are reviewed, contrasting the Netflix design with that of studies of biomarkers to detect cancer. Such biomarker studies generally have less-strong design, lower numbers of outcomes, and greater difficulty in even just measuring predictors and outcomes, so the fundamental data that will be used in mathematical analysis tend to be much weaker than in other kinds of research. Conclusions: If the fundamental data that will be analyzed are not strong, then better analytic methods have limited use in improving the situation. Recognition of this situation is an important first step toward improving the quality of clinical research about markers to detect cancer.
Examining users' knowledge change in the task completion process

This paper examines the changes of information searchers' topic knowledge levels in the process of completing information tasks. Multi-session tasks were used in the study, which enables the convenience of eliciting users' topic knowledge during their process of completing the whole tasks. The study was a 3-session laboratory experiment with 24 participants, each time working on one subtask in an assigned 3-session general task. The general task was either parallel or dependently structured. Questionnaires were administered before and after each session to elicit users' perceptions of their knowledge levels, task attributes, and other task features, for both the overall task and the sub-tasks. Our results support the assumption that users' knowledge generally increases after each search session, but there were exceptions in which a ''ceiling'' effect was shown. We also found that knowledge was correlated with users' perceptions of task attributes and accomplishment. In addition, task type was found to affect several aspects of knowledge levels and knowledge change. These findings further our understanding of users' knowledge in information tasks and are thus helpful for information retrieval research and system design.
ASSESSMENT OF RETROFIT DOWEL BENEFITS IN CRACKED PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE PAVEMENTS

A parametric study was conducted using the finite-element rigid pavement program ISLAB2000. For cracks that utilize aggregate interlock as the sole means of load transfer, the integrity of the cracks was initially modeled using the aggregate interlock factor. A subsequent analysis was then performed on the same cracks for the case where both dowel bars and aggregate interlock were available for load transfer purposes. The latter scenario represents the case where dowel bar retrofitting (DBR) has been performed on the cracks. In both cases, the deflection load transfer efficiency and critical slab tensile stresses were computed in order to examine the immediate theoretical benefits of the dowel bars. The validity of these theoretical benefits was tested using data from falling-weight deflectometer testing on DBR sites in both Michigan and Washington. It was found that installation of dowel bars did not increase the load transfer efficiency for cracks that had levels greater than 89–95%, depending on paveme...
Mix-mode technique of feeding arrays of dipole microwave antennae

A 4-element array of coherently driven dipole microwave antennae produces a hot spot in the central region of the implanted volume and cold spots in the peripheral regions of the implant. Conversely, an incoherently driven array of antennae predominantly heats peripheral (along the antennae) regions of the implant. These two modes of feeding the antennae are complementary in a sense that the cold zones obtained with the coherently driven antennae coincide with the hot zones obtained with the incoherently driven antennae and vice versa. The SAR distributions resulting from mixing these modes of feeding (mixed-mode technique) were studied theoretically and experimentally. A theoretical model that allowed calculation of SAR distributions of a 4-element array of microwave antennae fed coherently, incoherently or using a mixed-mode technique was developed in this work. The goal of the theoretical study was to determine the proper mix of the coherent and incoherent modes of feeding the antennae such that the ad...
Tiotropium Respimat Is Effective for the Treatment of Asthma at a Dose Lower Than That for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Anticholinergic drug products are not part of the current treatment paradigm for asthma, despite their widespread availability for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and interest in their use for asthma. Published study results, mostly of short duration and primarily with ipratropium and tiotropium, have revealed inconsistent efficacy results. Consequently, the role of inhaled anticholinergic drugs in the treatment of asthma has been unclear. This commentary discusses and comments on data from five clinical trials in adults that were submitted by Boehringer Ingelheim to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to support approval of tiotropium delivered by the Respimat device (Spiriva Respimat) for the treatment of asthma. These trials provided substantial evidence that supported the approval of Spiriva Respimat at a recommended dose of 2.5 μg once daily for asthma. Notably, in trials that evaluated two doses of tiotropium, 2.5 μg and 5 μg (the dose approved for COPD), pulmonary function measures for Spiriva Respimat 2.5 μg once daily were better overall than those obtained for the 5-μg once-daily dose, thus justifying selection of the lower dose for asthma. Spiriva Respimat represents the first new class of drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of asthma in more than a decade. The availability of Spiriva Respimat for asthma along with other novel therapies currently under development has the potential to impact asthma treatment guidelines.
Association Between Healthcare Provider Type and Intent to Breastfeed Among Expectant Mothers

Background The primary purpose of this study was to determine the association between type of healthcare provider delivering prenatal care and intent to exclusively breastfeed. Methods A self-report survey was administered to 455 expectant mothers. Logistic regression was performed to determine the association between prenatal care provider type [obstetrician; other primary care physician (family doctor/general practitioner/internist/or other physician); midwife/nurse midwife; more than one provider; and other] with intent to breastfeed (exclusive/non-exclusive). Results Having a midwife/nurse midwife as a prenatal care provider was associated with intent to breastfeed compared to having an obstetrician (OR 2.544, 95 % CI 1.385–4.675). There was no difference in intent between women with another primary care physician and an obstetrician. Women with another type of health care provider, no prenatal care from a health professional, or no knowledge of who is providing prenatal care were less likely to intend to breastfeed (OR 0.228, CI 0.068–0.766) as compared to those with an obstetrician. Discussion/Conclusions Provider type is associated with intent to breastfeed among pregnant women. Women’s intent to breastfeed is an important predictor of breastfeeding initiation, continuation, and duration that may be assessed by healthcare providers during the prenatal period. A consideration of what features of provider care are associated with improved breastfeeding outcomes and characteristics of women seeking prenatal care with midwives may serve to formulate future prenatal care policies and education during prenatal care visits.
Renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure and sodium excretion during acute volume expansion in diabetic rats.

Experiments were performed to test the hypothesis that the renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure (RIHP) response to acute volume expansion is suppressed in diabetes mellitus. Sprague-Dawley rats ...
On arbitrage-free pricing for general data queries

Data is a commodity. Recent research has considered the mathematical problem of setting prices for different queries over data. Ideal pricing functions need to be flexible --defined for arbitrary queries (select-project-join, aggregate, random sample, and noisy privacy-preserving queries). They should be fine-grained -- a consumer should not be required to buy the entire database to get answers to simple "low-information" queries (such as selecting only a few tuples or aggregating over only one attribute). Similarly, a consumer may not want to pay a large amount of money, only to discover that the database is empty. Finally, pricing functions should satisfy consistency conditions such as being "arbitrage-free" -- consumers should not be able to circumvent the pricing function by deducing the answer to an expensive query from a few cheap queries.Previously proposed pricing functions satisfy some of these criteria (i.e. they are defined for restricted subclasses of queries and/or use relaxed conditions for avoiding arbitrage). In this paper, we study arbitrage-free pricing functions defined for arbitrary queries. We propose new necessary conditions for avoiding arbitrage and provide new arbitrage-free pricing functions. We also prove several negative results related to the tension between flexible pricing and avoiding arbitrage, and show how this tension often results in unreasonable prices.
Risk and reliability in geotechnical engineering

This is a welcome continuation of the very successful volume, Reliability-Based Design in Geotechnical Engineering (Phoon 2008). The book consists of five parts: (I) Properties, (II) Methods, (III)...
Miocene radiolarian biostratigraphy, U.S. mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain

Cenozoic radiolarian biostratigraphy was developed in low-latitude pelagic sections where these microfossils are abundant, diverse and well preserved. Radiolarian faunas, ifpreserved, are usually less abundant and diverse in shelf sediments than in deep-sea sediments. Such an assemblage occurs in the neritic Calvert, Choptank, and Eastover formations (Chesapeake Group) of the mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain. Although many biostratigraphically important forms are sparse or absent in these middle-latitude, shallow shelf sediments, the standard radiolarian biostratigraphic zones can be recognized. The Calvert Formation is of early to middle Miocene age (Stichocorys wolffii to Dorcadospyris alata zones), the Choptank Formation of middle Miocene age (Diartus petterssoni Zone), and the Eastover Formation of latest Miocene or early Pliocene age (Stichocorys peregrina or Spongaster pentas zones). These results suggest that radiolarians may be valuable for biostratigraphic purposes over a wider spectrum of facies than was previously recognized.
Mirex: Toxicity, Tolerance, and Metabolism in the House Fly ( Musca domestica L.)

Exposure of house flies ( Musca domestica L.) to residues of mirex or to diets containing mirex revealed that the insecticide was highly toxic to the house fly. Since response to the insecticide was slow, satisfactory measurements of toxicity could only be obtained from long-term exposures. Cyclodiene-resistant fly strain showed a low level of tolerance to mirex. GLC studies revealed that mirex was persistent in house flies and was apparently not metabolized.
An objectively-analyzed method for measuring the useful penetration of x-ray imaging systems

The ability to detect wires is an important capability of the cabinet x-ray imaging systems that are used in aviation security as well as the portable x-ray systems that are used by domestic law enforcement and military bomb squads. A number of national and international standards describe methods for testing this capability using the so called useful penetration test metric, where wires are imaged behind different thicknesses of blocking material. Presently, these tests are scored based on human judgments of wire visibility, which are inherently subjective. We propose a new method in which the useful penetration capabilities of an x-ray system are objectively evaluated by an image processing algorithm operating on digital images of a standard test object. The algorithm advantageously applies the Radon transform for curve parameter detection that reduces the problem of wire detection from two dimensions to one. The sensitivity of the wire detection method is adjustable and we demonstrate how the threshold parameter can be set to give agreement with human-judged results. The method was developed to be used in technical performance standards and is currently under ballot for inclusion in an international aviation security standard.
New records of the Mogollon vole, Microtus mogollonensis (Mearns 1890), in southwestern Colorado

refers only to populations in Mexico.In Colorado the Mogollon vole was firstreported from Mesa Verde National Park,Montezuma County, in the southwestern cor-ner of the state (Rodeck and Anderson 1956,Anderson 1961). Subsequently, it was docu-mented from Las Animas County in southeast-ern Colorado at Spanish Peaks State WildlifeArea (Mellott and Choate 1984 [erroneouslyreported as
Inositol hexakisphosphate kinase-1 interacts with perilipin1 to modulate lipolysis

Lipolysis leads to the breakdown of stored triglycerides (TAG) to release free fatty acids (FFA) and glycerol which is utilized by energy expenditure pathways to generate energy. Therefore, a decrease in lipolysis augments fat accumulation in adipocytes which promotes weight gain. Conversely, if lipolysis is not complemented by energy expenditure, it leads to FFA induced insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes. Thus, lipolysis is under stringent physiological regulation, although the precise mechanism of the regulation is not known. Deletion of inositol hexakisphosphate kinase-1 (IP6K1), the major inositol pyrophosphate biosynthetic enzyme, protects mice from high fat diet (HFD) induced obesity and insulin resistance. IP6K1-KO mice are lean due to enhanced energy expenditure. Therefore, IP6K1 is a target in obesity and type-2 diabetes. However, the mechanism/s by which IP6K1 regulates adipose tissue lipid metabolism is yet to be understood. Here, we demonstrate that IP6K1-KO mice display enhanced basal lipolysis. IP6K1 modulates lipolysis via its interaction with the lipolytic regulator protein perilipin1 (PLIN1). Furthermore, phosphorylation of IP6K1 at a PKC/PKA motif modulates its interaction with PLIN1 and lipolysis. Thus, IP6K1 is a novel regulator of PLIN1 mediated lipolysis.
On Teaching About Sex and Gender in Each and Every Political Science Course

Engaging students in critical discussion about sex and gender should be a regular feature of “standard” political sciences courses that are not topically dedicated to such issues. This is warranted, even required, for three sets of reasons: practical, theoretical, and pedagogical. The chapter then presents examples of the kinds of approaches and lessons that might be employed in “standard” courses, as well as some reflections on the author’s experience in engaging students in critical discussions about sex and gender.
Snag'em: Creating Community Connections through Games

It is difficult for new community members to make the connections that would be most beneficial to them - connections with seasoned members of the community, or members of other groups. To address this problem, we have created Snag'em, a web-based social networking game that helps people create, monitor, and strengthen connections with one another. In contrast to existing social games, Snag'em facilitates offline interaction to create an online social network. This paper discusses the design of Snag'em, the use of game mechanics to engage academic community members in social interaction, and the results of two preliminary studies along with the design implications of each.
Preliminary investigation of mobile system features potentially relevant to HPC

Energy consumption's increasing importance in scientific computing has driven an interest in developing energy efficient high performance systems. Energy constraints of mobile computing has motivated the design and evolution of low-power computing systems capable of supporting a variety of compute-intensive user interfaces and applications. Others have observed the evolution of mobile devices to also provide high performance [14]. Their work has primarily examined the performance and efficiency of compute-intensive scientific programs executed either on mobile systems or hybrids of mobile CPUs grafted into non-mobile (sometimes HPC) systems [6, 12, 14].This report describes an investigation of performance and energy consumption of a single scientific code on five high performance and mobile systems with the objective of identifying the performance and energy efficiency implications of a variety of architectural features. The results of this pilot study suggest that ISA is less significant than other specific aspects of system architecture in achieving high performance at high efficiency. The strategy employed in this study may be extended to other scientific applications with a variety of memory access, computation, and communication properties.
Interaction parameters for the uptake of sulfur mustard mimics into polyurethane films

Abstract Chemical warfare agent (CWA) sorption into polymeric coatings is an important consideration for preventing human exposure to CWAs. The specific nature of CWA–polymer interactions greatly influences the degree of gas uptake into a polymeric coating. By uncovering the role the various functional groups in CWAs play during gas sorption, better films and coatings can be engineered. This study utilized a quartz crystal microbalance to measure sulfur mustard (HD) analog (simulant) and hexane vapor uptake into polyurethane films. Analysis of the uptake data with Flory–Huggins theory yielded interaction parameter values (χ) between 0.24 and 0.40 for each HD simulant-polyurethane system compared to 0.97 for hexane, revealing the importance of the chlorine and sulfur groups in gas uptake at the thin film interface. We predict similar uptake behavior for HD in polyurethane coatings due to structural similarities between HD and the simulants.
The association of PET response with complete pathological response (CPR) and residual nodal disease (RND) after induction chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and resection of esophageal cancer: A review of 493 cases

4552 Background: RND and lack of CPR of the primary tumor correlate with poor survival after induction CRT and resection of esophageal cancer. PET response to CRT (SUVmax change and post-induction ...
By Chance and Necessity: The Role of the Cytoskeleton in the Genesis of Eukaryotes

One of the most exciting and enduring obscurities of biology lies in the early stages of the evolution of “our” eukaryotic cells. The endosymbiotic theory accounts well for the present existence of the mitochondrial and chloroplast organelles of eukaryotes. Although there is evidence for present-day inter-bacterial endosymbiosis, the details of the route leading to the establishment of organelles remain enigmatic.
3D DiffuserCam: Single-Shot Compressive Lensless Imaging

We propose a 3D lensless, diffuser-based camera and show that the system meets the requirements for compressive sensing, enabling reconstruction of sparse, occlusion-free 3D samples from a single image.
tert-Pentyl 4 (and 5)-chloro-trans-2-methylcyclohexanecarboxylate, a Highly Effective and Persistent Male Specific Attractant for the Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae)

The attraction of male Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) to tert-pentyl 4(and 5)-chloro-trans-2-methylcyclohexanecarboxylate (or pentamedlure) was compared to its attraction to trimedlure to establish the suitability of pentamedlure as a possible alternate for trimedlure in applications that use a cotton dental-roll wick dispenser. Results from field tests with released sterile C. capitata showed that pentamedlure, applied to cotton dental roll wicks, was not only comparable to trimedlure in attractiveness but was more persistent. Batch to batch variations in isomer distribution of pentamedlure appeared to have little effect on attraction. Dose-response data showed that pentamedlure, applied at 0.02 and 0.16 ml/wick, initially caught more flies than trimedlure at comparable doses. Moreover, initial catches for pentamedlure for most dosages tested exceeded, but not significantly, initial catches for trimedlure despite a much higher load (2 ml/wick). Trimedlure initial catches within a natural population of wi...
Non-volatile logic SoC with software-hardware co-design and integrated supply supervisor for energy harvesting applications

In a world where electronics is becoming increasingly ubiquitous, the challenge of powering devices is progressively becoming more difficult. Often it is impractical to replace batteries or line power numerous devices. Energy harvesting is an attractive alternative but has the inherent disadvantage of frequent power loss. For processing systems like microcontrollers (MCUs) power restoration usually requires a boot up sequence before the target application can start. Boot up negatively impacts the power budget and response time of a MCU. This paper describes how non-volatile memory can be used in an efficient manner to preserve the system state of a MCU. As a result, an application can continue operating from where it left off before the power loss, enabling compute through power loss. In contrast to previously published work, this work is a fully integrated SoC that automatically responds to an impending power loss. The MCU features an integrated supply supervisor with fail safe operation. A novel software synchronized state back-up process is also introduced, which drastically reduces the number of flops that need to be saved.
Software engineering for efficient development of flexible numerical software

Computational physics and numerical modeling require substantial levels of software development. Recently, there have been community efforts to incorporate good software engineering practices within the development of scientific computing applications. This paper further advocates for the use of good software engineering practices in science and engineering and presents some software engineering solutions, challenges, and lessons learned from recent development efforts on a framework for computational fluid dynamics.
Development of small particle speciation for nuclear forensics by soft X-ray scanning transmission spectromicroscopy

Synchrotron radiation spectromicroscopy provides a combination of submicron spatial resolution and chemical sensitivity that is well-suited to analysis of heterogeneous nuclear materials. The chemical and physical characteristics determined by scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) are complementary to information obtained from standard radiochemical analysis methods. In addition, microscopic quantities of radioactive material can be characterized rapidly by STXM with minimal sample handling and intrusion, especially in the case of particulate materials. The STXM can accommodate a diverse range of samples including wet materials, complex mixtures, and small quantities of material contained in a larger matrix. In these cases, the inventory of species present in a sample is likely to carry information on its process history; STXM has the demonstrated capability to identify contaminants and sample matrices. Operating in the soft X-ray regime provides particular sensitivity to the chemical state of specimens containing low-Z materials, via the K-edges of light elements. Here, recent developments in forensics-themed spectromicroscopy, sample preparation, and data acquisition methods at the Molecular Environmental Science Beamline 11.0.2 of the Advanced Light Source are described. Results from several initial studies are presented, demonstrating the capability to identify the distribution of the species present in heterogeneous uranium-bearing materials. Future opportunities for STXM forensic studies and potential methodology development are discussed.
StructureFold2: Bringing chemical probing data into the computational fold of RNA structural analysis

The secondary structure of an RNA is often implicit to its function. Recently, various high-throughput RNA structure probing techniques have been developed to elucidate important RNA structure-function relationships genome-wide. These techniques produce unwieldy experimental data sets that require evaluation with unique computational pipelines. Herein, we present StructureFold2, a user-friendly set of analysis tools that makes precise data processing and detailed downstream analyses of such data sets both available and practical. StructureFold2 processes high-throughput reads sequenced from libraries prepared after experimental probing for reverse transcription (RT) stops generated by chemical modification of RNA at solvent accessible residues. This pipeline is able to analyze reads generated from a variety of structure-probing chemicals (e.g. DMS, glyoxal, SHAPE). Notably, StructureFold2 offers a new fully featured suite of utilities and tools to guide a user through multiple types of analyses. A particular emphasis is placed on analyzing the reactivity patterns of transcripts, complementing their use as folding restraints for predicting RNA secondary structure. StructureFold2 is hosted as a Github repository and is available at (https://github.com/StructureFold2/StructureFold2).
Transitioning “Upward” When “Downstream” Efforts Are Insufficient:

This article presents the results of a social marketing campaign to encourage individuals to compost at a university dining facility. Downstream efforts were less effective than desired in changing...
Electrochemical sensors based on nanomaterials for environmental monitoring

This article review work relevant to the two fastest growing nanomaterials in electrochemical sensing of metal ions: organically modified ordered mesoporous silicas (OMSs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Nanostructured self-assembled monolayers on mesoporous silicas (SAMMS) materials are highly effective as electrode modifiers; they can be either mixed with conductive materials or spin-cast as a thin-film on electrode surface. The interfacial chemistry of SAMMS can be fine-tuned to selectively preconcentrate the specific metal ions of interest. The functional groups on SAMMS materials enable the preconcentration to be done without mercury, supporting electrolytes, applied potential, and solution degassing, all of which are often required in conventional adsorptive stripping voltammetric sensors. Since it was first introduced in 1991, CNTs have been widely investigated for electrochemical sensors of many important biomolecules because of their electrocatalytic and antifouling properties, biocompatibility, high surface, and mechanical strength. For trace metal analysis, CNT thin-film created by drop-coating of CNT-solvent suspensions on electrode surfaces has been explored in order to develop mercury-free sensors by exploiting the bulk properties of the CNTs. Array of low-site-density aligned carbon nanotubes has been grown on metal substrates by a non-lithographic method. Each CNT serves as a nanoelectrode which normally has greater mass transfer ratemore » and higher mass sensitivity than conventional macroelectrodes. The array of millions of CNT nanoelectrodes provides magnified voltammetric signals for trace metal ions without the need for a signal amplifier.« less
Togaviruses: Equine Encephalitic Viruses

Equine encephalitic togaviruses include the alphaviruses eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV), and Venezuelan encephalitis virus (VEEV). These viruses are found in North and South America and are maintained in natural transmission cycles between vertebrate (birds or small mammals) and invertebrate (mosquito) hosts. The genomes are capped, polyadenylated, plus-strand RNA of approximately 11 700 nucleotides. The nonstructural proteins are translated from genomic RNA and the structural proteins from a subgenomic RNA. The 60–65 nm enveloped virions have T = 4 icosahedral symmetry. The E1 and E2 glycoproteins form heterodimers that trimerize and interact with the capsid proteins surrounding the RNA. North American strains of EEEV cause severe encephalitis in humans and horses while South American strains are less virulent. WEEV has caused large encephalitis outbreaks in the western areas of North America, but cases have decreased recently. A closely related but less virulent alphavirus, Highlands J virus, is present on the East Coast of the United States. South American WEEV strains cause outbreaks of equine encephalitis, but not human disease. Enzootic VEEV strains are present in Florida, Mexico, and northern South America. Epizootic strains arise by mutation to cause outbreaks of equine encephalitis, during which human cases are recognized. VEEV causes respiratory and reticuloendothelial infection, as well as encephalitis and can be spread by the respiratory route. The encephalitic togaviruses replicate in muscle or lymphoid tissue and then spread to the central nervous system, where neurons are a primary target cell. Mice, hamsters, and guinea pigs provide small animal models for study of disease pathogenesis.
Medications for ADHD

Medications, especially central nervous system stimulants, are an important part of treatment of ADHD. The use of stimulants for the treatment of hyperactive behavior in children was first described in 1937, beginning with amphetamines. Controlled trials of methylphenidate (Ritalin®) in the 1960s demonstrated significant benefits without serious side effects. In addition to a lessening of motor activity, focus and attention were increased and schoolwork, grades, and social behavior were improved. In small to moderate doses, methylphenidate benefits learning without impairing creative or flexible thinking. The value of stimulant medication in the management of ADHD has withstood the test of time.
Optoelectronic performance enhancement in pulsed laser deposited gallium-doped zinc oxide (GZO) films after UV laser crystallization

This study investigates the process–microstructure–property relationship during a UV laser crystallization of a transparent conductive layer—gallium doped zinc oxide (GZO) films after pulsed laser deposition (PLD). UV laser induced crystallization technique is able to apply ultra-fast post-treatment to modify GZO films with better structural and optoelectronics properties, suggesting a potential for large-scale manufacturing. A physical simulation model coupled laser–matter interaction and heat-transfer was utilized to study pulse laser heating and heat dissipation process. The laser crystallized GZO film exhibits low resistivity of ~ 3.2 × 10−4 Ω cm, high-Hall mobility of 22 cm2/V s, and low sheet resistance of 22 Ω/sq. High-transmittance (T) over 90% at 550 nm is obtained (with glass substrate). The optoelectronic performance improved mainly attributes to grain boundary modification in the polycrystalline film, e.g., decrease of grain boundary density and passivation of electron trap at grain boundaries.
A Multi-Timescale Data-Driven Approach to Enhance Distribution System Observability

This paper presents a novel data-driven method that determines the daily consumption patterns of customers without smart meters (SMs) to enhance the observability of distribution systems. Using the proposed method, the daily consumption of unobserved customers is extracted from their monthly billing data based on three machine learning models. In the first model, a spectral clustering algorithm is used to infer the typical daily load profiles of customers with SMs. Each typical daily load behavior represents a distinct class of customer behavior. In the second module, a multi-timescale learning model is trained to estimate the hourly consumption using monthly energy data for the customers of each class. The third stage leverages a recursive Bayesian learning method and branch current state estimation residuals to estimate the daily load profiles of unobserved customers without SMs. The proposed data-driven method has been tested and verified using real utility data.
Lysozyme-rich milk mitigates effects of malnutrition in a pig model of malnutrition and infection.

Malnutrition remains a leading contributor to the morbidity and mortality of children under the age of 5 years and can weaken the immune system and increase the severity of concurrent infections. Livestock milk with the protective properties of human milk is a potential therapeutic to modulate intestinal microbiota and improve outcomes. The aim of this study was to develop an infection model of childhood malnutrition in the pig to investigate the clinical, intestinal and microbiota changes associated with malnutrition and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) infection and to test the ability of goat milk and milk from genetically engineered goats expressing the antimicrobial human lysozyme (hLZ) milk to mitigate these effects. Pigs were weaned onto a protein–energy-restricted diet and after 3 weeks were supplemented daily with goat, hLZ or no milk for a further 2 weeks and then challenged with ETEC. The restricted diet enriched faecal microbiota in Proteobacteria as seen in stunted children. Before infection, hLZ milk supplementation improved barrier function and villous height to a greater extent than goat milk. Both goat and hLZ milk enriched for taxa (Ruminococcaceae) associated with weight gain. Post-ETEC infection, pigs supplemented with hLZ milk weighed more, had improved Z-scores, longer villi and showed more stable bacterial populations during ETEC challenge than both the goat and no milk groups. This model of childhood disease was developed to test the confounding effects of malnutrition and infection and demonstrated the potential use of hLZ goat milk to mitigate the impacts of malnutrition and infection.
Ex Utero Intrapartum Therapy

The EXIT (ex utero intrapartum therapy) procedure is a cesarean delivery in which the time from uterine incision to delivery of the fetus is prolonged. The reason for the delay in delivery is that the uteroplacental unit continues to supply oxygen to the fetus while a pediatric surgeon performs a procedure on the fetus, typically one that involves management of the fetal airway [1–3].
Analysis of TiO2 Atomic Layer Deposition Surface Chemistry and Evidence of Propene Oligomerization Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of TiO2 was performed in tandem with in situ surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to monitor changes in the transient surface species across multiple ALD cycles. A self-assembled monolayer of 3-mercaptopropionic acid was used as a capture agent to ensure that nucleation of the titanium precursor (titanium tetraisopropoxide [TTIP]) occurs. Comparisons between the Raman spectra of the neat precursor and the SER spectra of the first ALD cycle of TiO2 reveal typical ligand exchange chemistry taking place, with self-limiting behavior and intact isopropoxide ligands. However, subsequent cycles show drastically different chemistry, with no isopropoxide ligands remaining at any point during the second and third cycles. Continuous exposure of either TTIP or isopropyl alcohol after the first cycle shows unlimited chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-type growth. Comparisons with alternative precursors (aluminum isopropoxide, titanium tert-butoxide, and titanium propoxide) and DFT calc...
Adenovirus-Mediated ABCC6 Gene Therapy for Heritable Ectopic Mineralization Disorders.

Loss-of-function mutations in the ABCC6 gene cause pseudoxanthoma elasticum and type 2 generalized arterial calcification of infancy, heritable ectopic mineralization disorders without effective treatment. ABCC6 encodes the putative efflux transporter ABCC6, which is predominantly expressed in the liver. Although the substrate of ABCC6 remains unknown, recent studies showed that pseudoxanthoma elasticum is a metabolic disorder caused by reduced circulating levels of pyrophosphate, a potent mineralization inhibitor. We hypothesized that reconstitution of ABCC6 might counteract ectopic mineralization in an Abcc6–/– mouse model of pseudoxanthoma elasticum. Intravenous administration of a recombinant adenovirus expressing wild-type human ABCC6 in Abcc6–/– mice showed sustained high-level expression of human ABCC6 in the liver for up to 4 weeks, increasing pyrophosphate levels in plasma. In addition, adenovirus injection every 4 weeks restored plasma pyrophosphate levels and, consequently, significantly reduced ectopic mineralization in the skin of young mice. By contrast, the same treatment in old mice with already established mineral deposits failed to reduce mineralization. These results suggest that adenovirus-mediated ABCC6 gene delivery, when initiated early, is a promising prevention therapy for pseudoxanthoma elasticum and generalized arterial calcification of infancy, diseases that currently lack preventive or therapeutic options.
Validation of Spatial Hysteresis as the Internal Damping Mechanism in an Unmanned Micro Air Vehicle Model

In this work, we wish to improve upon previous models describing the damping mechanisms within composite, flexible wing micro aerial vehicles. We are primarily interested in the integration of spatial hysteresis damping, a non-local internal form of damping into our Euler Bernoulli cantilevered beam model. This internal damping model has been proposed as more accurate within such structures. We then experimentally validate the inclusion of this form of damping into our micro aerial vehicle model and show higher agreement with the collected data.