cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hydraulic Design of Dworshak Dam Diversion Facilities

The facilities used for river diversion, log passage, and migratory fish passage are described with respect to hydraulic problems and design criteria. Diversion was accomplished by use of a 40-ft diameter horse shoe-shaped tunnel, in conjunction with upstream and downstream cofferdams. The design of the tunnel entrance and exit channels and the concrete tunnel lining allow passage of the annual log drive. Tunnel closure involves a temporary gate at the upstream portal and a permanent concrete plug in the tunnel. Upstream migrating fish are prevented from directly entering the tunnel by a concrete sill across the exit channel. A fish trapping and loading structure to facilitate fish hauling is designed to operate alternately with a by-pass fish ladder to provide fish passage during construction.
Plasticity of respiratory rhythm-generating mechanisms in adult goats.

Abrupt destruction of >70% of the pre-Botzinger complex (preBotzC) in awake goats results in terminal apnea (Wenninger et al. 2004b). Herein we report data on awake and sleeping goats in which the preBotzC was incrementally destroyed by injection of ibotenic acid (IBO) in increasing volumes at weekly intervals. All injections resulted in an acute tachypnea and dysrhythmia featuring apneas and increased variation in breathing. In studies at night, 10–15 hours after the injections, apneas were nearly all central and occurred during the awake state and variation in breathing was greater while awake than during NREM sleep. However, one week after the final IBO injection, the breathing pattern, breath-to-breath variation, and arterial blood gases were unchanged from baseline, indicating recovery. Histology revealed more than 90% destruction of the preBotzC region, and greater than 80% destruction of the surrounding area. We conclude: (1) the dysrhythmic effects on breathing acutely after the injection are state-dependent, and (2) after incremental, near-complete destruction of the preBotzC region, time-dependent plasticity within the respiratory network provides a normal respiratory rhythm that sustains normal arterial blood gases.
Negative Pressure Noninvasive Ventilation (NPNIV): History, Rationale, and Application

Man has recognized the vital role of breathing since antiquity, beginning with archeological findings depicting inhalation therapy using herbs, oils, and other substances since 6000 BC. Man has taken the automaticity of breathing for granted, expecting its adequacy for all activities whether awake or asleep. Dickinson W. Richards, MD, Nobel Laureate, said in 1962: “Breathing is that essential physiologic function that is straddled between the conscious & the unconscious and subject to both.” The understanding of the components of this critical physiologic function that starts at birth, and must be continuous and widely adaptable to support all levels of physical, metabolic, and functional needs, has evolved slowly over the millennia by many brilliant scientists from a combination of keen observation, imagination, daring experimentation, trial and error, and necessity, while overcoming dogma, religious inhibitions, and politics. It is this gradual chronologic process, still evolving, which guides what we do for patients today.
Insights into Reversible Dissolution of Colloidal CdSe Nanocrystal Quantum Dots

The dissolution behavior of colloidal CdSe nanocrystal quantum dots is investigated. A series of experiments is conducted to study the stability of nanocrystals based on a simple reversible dissolution-growth reaction model. Immersing purified CdSe quantum dots in a fresh solvent at elevated temperatures resulted in their dissolution with rates determined by their concentration, size, type and amount of ligands present in solution, and temperature. In general, highest dissolution rates were observed for diluted quantum dot solutions in the presence of phosphonic acids and carboxylic acids ligands, at temperatures below 200 °C. Importantly, the dissolution process is reversible and regrowth of quantum dots occurs at temperatures above 220 °C. It is concluded that the most stable state of nanocrystal quantum dots in solution is an equilibrium between formed crystals and free molecular precursors in solution.
Modeling biological copper clusters: synthesis of a tricopper complex, and its chloride- and sulfide-bridged congeners.

The synthesis and characterization of a family of tricopper clusters housed within a tris(β-diketimine) cyclophane ligand (H3L) that bear structural similarities to biological copper clusters are reported. In all complexes, each Cu atom is held within the N2-chelate of a single β-diketiminate arm. Reaction of L3– with CuCl affords an anionic complex containing a μ3-chloride donor in the central cavity, whereas there is no evidence for bromide incorporation in the product of the reaction of L3– with CuBr (Cu3L). Cu3L reacts with elemental sulfur to generate the corresponding air-stable mixed-valent (μ3-sulfido)tricopper complex, Cu3(μ3-S)L, which represents the first example of a sulfide-bridged copper cluster in which each metal center is both coordinatively unsaturated and held within a N-rich environment. The calculated LUMO is predominantly Cu–S π* in character and delocalized over all three metal centers, which is consistent with the isotropic ten-line absorption (g ∼ 2.095, A ∼ 33 G) observed at room...
New role for the ankyrin repeat revealed by a study of the N-formyltransferase from Providencia alcalifaciens.

N-Formylated sugars such as 3,6-dideoxy-3-formamido-d-glucose (Qui3NFo) have been observed on the lipopolysaccharides of various pathogenic bacteria, including Providencia alcalifaciens, a known cause of gastroenteritis. These unusual carbohydrates are synthesized in vivo as dTDP-linked sugars. The biosynthetic pathway for the production of dTDP-Qui3NFo requires five enzymes with the last step catalyzed by an N-formyltransferase that utilizes N(10)-tetrahydrofolate as a cofactor. Here we describe a structural and functional investigation of the P. alcalifaciens N-formyltransferase, hereafter referred to as QdtF. For this analysis, the structure of the dimeric enzyme was determined in the presence of N(5)-formyltetrahydrofolate, a stable cofactor, and dTDP-3,6-dideoxy-3-amino-d-glucose (dTDP-Qui3N) to 1.5 A resolution. The overall fold of the subunit consists of three regions with the N-terminal and middle motifs followed by an ankyrin repeat domain. Whereas the ankyrin repeat is a common eukaryotic motif involved in protein-protein interactions, reports of its presence in prokaryotic enzymes have been limited. Unexpectedly, this ankyrin repeat houses a second binding pocket for dTDP-Qui3N, which is characterized by extensive interactions between the protein and the ligand. To address the effects of this second binding site on catalysis, a site-directed mutant protein, W305A, was constructed. Kinetic analyses demonstrated that the catalytic activity of the W305A variant was reduced by approximately 7-fold. The structure of the W305A mutant protein in complex with N(5)-formyltetrahydrofolate and dTDP-Qui3N was subsequently determined to 1.5 A resolution. The electron density map clearly showed that ligand binding had been completely abolished in the auxiliary pocket. The wild-type enzyme was also tested for activity against dTDP-3,6-dideoxy-3-amino-d-galactose (dTDP-Fuc3N) as a substrate. Strikingly, sigmoidal kinetics indicating homotropic allosteric behavior were observed. Although the identity of the ligand that regulates QdtF activity in vivo is at present unknown, our results still provide the first example of an ankyrin repeat functioning in small molecule binding.
Energy transfer on demand: photoswitch-directed behavior of metal-porphyrin frameworks.

In this paper, a photochromic diarylethene-based derivative that is coordinatively immobilized within an extended porphyrin framework is shown to maintain its photoswitchable behavior and to direct the photophysical properties of the host. In particular, emission of a framework composed of bis(5-pyridyl-2-methyl-3-thienyl)cyclopentene (BPMTC) and tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (H4TCPP) ligands anchored by Zn2+ ions can be altered as a function of incident light. We attribute the observed cyclic fluorescence behavior of the synthesized porphyrin–BPMTC array to activation of energy transfer (ET) pathways through BPMTC photoisomerization. Time-resolved photoluminescence measurements show a decrease in average porphyrin emission lifetime upon BPMTC insertion, consistent with an ET-based mechanism. These studies portend the possible utilization of photochromic ligands to direct chromophore behavior in large light-harvesting ensembles.
Twinning of rhombic colloidal crystals.

We observe twinning of two-dimensional (2D) rhombic colloidal crystals of hard Brownian rhombic platelets. By contrast to square particles, which have higher symmetry but can also form rhombic lattices at high densities, each rhombic particle has a distinguishable bidirectional pointing axis. This key feature, which is not readily seen in rhombic crystals of square colloids, facilitates observations of different types of twinning: contact, polysynthetic, and cyclic. Moreover, we find that the twinned crystals are slightly offset spatially along their shared mirror line. In addition, the average pointing axis of the particles in a single crystal is also offset on average by a small angle, either clockwise or counterclockwise, from the average pointing axis of the rhombic lattice yielding a form of nonlocal chiral symmetry breaking. Because mirror lines between contact twins introduce only a small reduction in the total number of accessible states, compared to a perfect single crystal, twinning and piecewis...
Growth of silicon nanowires-based heterostructures and their plasmonic modeling

Complex nanoscale architectures based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) can result in spatially-resolved plasmonics. Herein, we demonstrate the growth of silicon nanowires (SiNWs), heterostructures of SiNWs decorated with AuNPs, and SiNWs decorated with graphene shells encapsulated gold nanoparticles (GNPs). The fabrication approach combined CVD growth of nanowires and graphene with direct nucleation of AuNPs. The plasmonic or optical properties of SiNWs and their complex heterostructures were simulated using discrete dipole approximation method. Extinction efficiency spectra peak for SiNW significantly red-shifted (from 512 nm to 597 nm or 674 nm) after decoration with AuNPs, irrespective of the incident wave vector. Finally, SiNW decorated with GNPs resulted in incident wave vector-dependent extinction efficiency peak. For this case, wave vector aligned with the nanowire axial direction showed a broad peak at ∼535 nm. However, significant scattering and no peak was observed when aligned in radial direction of the SiNWs. Such spatially-resolved and tunable plasmonic or optical properties of nanoscale heterostructures hold strong potential for optical sensor and devices.
Conditions for valid estimation of causal effects on prevalence in cross-sectional and other studies.

Abstract Purpose Causal effects in epidemiology are almost invariably studied by considering disease incidence even when prevalence data are used to estimate the causal effect. For example, if certain conditions are met, a prevalence odds ratio can provide a valid estimate of an incidence rate ratio. Our purpose and main result are conditions that assure causal effects on prevalence can be estimated in cross-sectional studies, even when the prevalence odds ratio does not estimate incidence. Methods Using a general causal effect definition in a multivariate counterfactual framework, we define causal contrasts that compare prevalences among survivors from a target population had all been exposed at baseline with that prevalence had all been unexposed. Although prevalence is a measure reflecting a moment in time, we consider the time sequence to study causal effects. Results Effects defined using a contrast of counterfactual prevalences can be estimated in an experiment and, with conditions provided, in cross-sectional studies. Proper interpretation of the effect includes recognition that the target is the baseline population, defined at the age or time of exposure. Conclusions Prevalences are widely reported, readily available measures for assessing disabilities and disease burden. Effects on prevalence are estimable in cross-sectional studies but only if appropriate conditions hold.
IFS-LSSVM and its application in time-delay series prediction

It is difficult to determine the optimal parameters of least squares support vector machine prediction model,so a prediction method based on improved free search algorithm( IFS-LSSVM) was proposed to determine the optimal parameters of least squares support vector machines. First,the standard free search algorithm was improved so that it can be applied to the parameter optimization of least squares support vector machines,the improved harmony search algorithm has better optimization performance.Then the least squares support vector machines was applied to predict the time-delay series of the network based on improved free search optimization algorithm. Finally,time-delay series was used as prediction simulation object,genetic algorithm optimized least squares support vector machines( GA-LSSVM),particle swarm optimization algorithm optimized least squares support vector machines( PSO-LSSVM),standard grid search method of least squares support vector machines( Grid-LSSVM) toolbox were compared. Simulation comparison results show that the proposed method has higher prediction accuracy and smaller prediction error.
Treatment of Seriously Ill and Handicapped Newborns

Medical technology makes it increasingly possible to prolong life, sometimes indefinitely in the face of overwhelming disability or suffering; thus, choices must be made whether to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatment. Reasonable people disagree about who should make such decisions when the patient is an infant, and what principles or rules should guide them. The article briefly reviews the recent history of this controversy analyzes the major ethical substantive principles that have been proposed to guide conduct, and presents the arguments for a procedural approach that is now attracting interest.
(Un)Intentional Community: Power and Expert Knowledge in a Sustainable Lifestyle Community*

This ethnography of a cohousing organization examines power and expert knowledge in a sustainable intentional community. Intentional communities are forming at a growing rate both internationally and in the United States. Cohousing communities are part of this growing trend of alternative communities that utilize participatory democracy as both their central decision-making process and a core component of their alternative identity. This article analyzes the tensions that evolve as cohousers build a communal housing development in one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. I identify mechanisms through which the constraints of operating in the highly professionalized field of housing development transform participatory decision making. When group members try to minimize loss of time and capital while competing with experienced for-profit developers, they establish leaders and cede power to those with greater technical expertise. Yet, they continue to model their commitment to consensus decision making despite emerging hierarchies among members. I describe how the use of expert knowledge restructures the conditions governing group interaction and explore what the group's oligarchic organizational practices mean for the study of contemporary collective community organizing.
Centering Students in School-Based Support Processes: Critical Inquiries and Shifting Perspectives.

Although student support systems exist in most U.S. schools today, these systems frequently operate without input from young people. Here, I draw on data from two studies that explore youth perspec...
CHAPTER 262 – VEGF and the Angiopoietins Activate Numerous Signaling Pathways that Govern Angiogenesis

This chapter explores the various signaling pathways regulated by the members of two families of growth factors that act largely specifically on blood vessels: vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the angiopoietins. These factors are involved in multiple steps of blood vessel growth where they play overlapping yet very distinct roles. VEGF, for which both VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 act as receptors, appears to signal predominantly through VEGFR-2, and is required for both embryonic and adult angiogenesis. Angiopoietins, which are ligands for the Tie 2 receptor, also appear to be involved in both embryonic and adult angiogenesis, although their functions are distinct from those of VEGF. VEGF is highly expressed in angiogenic settings and drives EC proliferation. Similar to other growth factors, induction of proliferation by VEGF requires activation of the ERK (MAP kinase) cascade. Activation of ERK in ECs by VEGF and other mitogens is enabled by multiple integrins, suggesting a general requirement for cytoskeletal assembly. Strong evidence suggests that VEGF, in contrast to EGF and bFGF, activates Ras-ERK signaling primarily via the PLCy-Ca 2+ -PKC pathway.
Centres of Levity

When Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead was first performed on the fringe of the Edinburgh Festival in August 1966, Ronald Bryden announced ‘the most brilliant debut by a young playwright since John Arden’. The next April, when it was produced in London by the National Theatre, Harold Hobson called it ‘the most important event in the British professional theatre of the last nine years’. Arden’s social concern, John Osborne’s anger, and even Harold Pinter’s comedy of menace were beginning to seem moods of the past. For the moment, at least, the ‘university wit’ of this non-university journalist, who had rewritten Hamlet as if from a back-stage Beckett’s-eye-view, was all the rage. And indeed, during the next several years Tom Stoppard managed to come up with one surprising whirlwind of verbal and theatrical levity after another.
Dynamic Behavior of the Isothermal Well-Stirred Crystallizer with Classified Outlet

Industrial crystallization, though one of the oldest chemical engineering unit operations, still remains one of the last to yield to quantitative analysis and is one of the most difficult to operate continuously in a steady state manner. One problem which makes the control of crystallizers difficult is their sensitivity to small upsets and their tendency toward unstable behavior characterized by low frequency cyclic fluctuations of the particle size (6, 8, 11).
Oxygen cost of ventilation and its effect on the VO 2 plateau

Evidence of significant oxygen requirements for ventilation during moderate to intense exercise prompted the investigation into whether the oxygen cost of ventilation effects the presence of the VO 2 plateau. The purpose was to compare whole-body VO 2 (wb-VO 2) to locomotor-muscle VO 2 VO 2LOC; calculated by subtracting the VO 2 of the muscles used to ventilate during exercise (VO 2RM) from wb-VO 2 during maximal exercise for the presence of the VO 2-plateau. Twenty-two subjects performed a VO 2max test on a cycle ergometer to determine the range of V E for each subject. On a separate occasion, the VO 2RM was measured at nine different V E using isocapnic hyperpnea trails. Maximal VO 2RM equaled 18.1Â±4.4% of wb-VO 2max. VO 2RM increased exponentially with increasing V E. The increase in wb-VO 2 during maximal exercise was greater than that for wb-VO 2 when compared to VO 2LOC (p < 0.05), and therefore the incidence of a VO 2 plateau was greater for VO 2LOC (15 of 22 subjects) when compared to wb-VO 2 (1 of 22 subjects, p < 0.05). The VO 2RM significantly reduces the wb-VO 2 slope during maximal exercise, and can be accurately predicted based on the regression equation {VO 2RM (mL/min) = 346.9 0.007614 x VE (L/min)}. The data indicate that the use of wb-VO 2 to model and understand body and muscle energetics during exercise can be questioned. Correcting wb-VO 2 for the VO 2RM provides a more valid representation of the oxygen uptake kinetics of the exercising muscles.
Preditive simulation of defect migration and metastabilities in CdTe solar cells

In this work, a diffusion-reaction model was implemented and used to study Cu migration during the annealing process and stress test. Its impact on the metastable behavior of CdTe solar cells was also investigated. The preliminary results support our theoretical model presented here that explains rapid changes in atomic concentration of Cu in CdTe as a function of stress conditions.
Design and implementation of electronic health record integrated clinical prediction rules (iCPR): a randomized trial in diverse primary care settings

Clinical prediction rules (CPRs) represent a method of determining individual patient risk to help providers make more accurate decisions at the point of care. Well-validated CPRs are underutilized but may decrease antibiotic overuse for acute respiratory infections. The integrated clinical prediction rules (iCPR) study builds on a previous single clinic study to integrate two CPRs into the electronic health record and assess their impact on practice. This article discusses study design and implementation of a multicenter cluster randomized control trial of the iCPR clinical decision support system, including the tool adaptation, usability testing, staff training, and implementation study to disseminate iCPR at multiple clinical sites across two health care systems. The iCPR tool is based on two well-validated CPRs, one for strep pharyngitis and one for pneumonia. The iCPR tool uses the reason for visit to trigger a risk calculator. Provider completion of the risk calculator provides a risk score, which is linked to an order set. Order sets guide evidence-based care and include progress note documentation, tests, prescription medications, and patient instructions. The iCPR tool was refined based on interviews with providers, medical assistants, and clinic managers, and two rounds of usability testing. “Near live” usability testing with simulated patients was used to ensure that iCPR fit into providers’ clinical workflows. Thirty-three Family Medicine and General Internal Medicine primary care clinics were recruited at two institutions. Clinics were randomized to academic detailing about strep pharyngitis and pneumonia diagnosis and treatment (control) or academic detailing plus use of the iCPR tool (intervention). The primary outcome is the difference in antibiotic prescribing rates between the intervention and control groups with secondary outcomes of difference in rapid strep and chest x-ray ordering. Use of the components of the iCPR will also be assessed. The iCPR study uses a strong user-centered design and builds on the previous initial study, to assess whether CPRs integrated in the electronic health record can change provider behavior and improve evidence-based care in a broad range of primary care clinics. Clinicaltrials.gov ( NCT02534987 )
A Wiener Path Integral Solution Treatment and Effective Material Properties of a Class of One-Dimensional Stochastic Mechanics Problems

AbstractA Wiener path integral (WPI)-based approximate technique is developed for determining the joint response probability density function (PDF) of a class of one-dimensional stochastic mechanic...
Sensing, Privacy, and Things We Don't Discuss

This installment of Notes from the Community covers touch sensors, privacy, smell, self-driving cars, toilets, pressure sensors, biodegradable electronics, and personal hygiene products.
Power Management in Wireless Power-Sipping Devices: A Survey

Proper operation of active circuits in a wirelessly powered system requires both sufficient power flow and voltage. Passive (battery-less) wireless systems, operating in the high-frequency band, pose a challenge: generating sufficient amount of supply voltage from very low-input-power flow. The answer to this problem involves implementation of a new class of power-sipping, voltage multiplying power management blocks, which have a wide variety of applications from implantable microelectronic devices (IMD) to internet of things (IoT) and radio-frequency identification (RFID). This paper presents a comprehensive literature survey on the rectification and voltage multiplication of low-input power signals in the frequency range of 100 MH z-1 GH z in remotelypowered systems which require up to several hundred ?A current and operate with less than 3 V supply voltage. The survey covers topologies of voltage multipliers, novel devices, and efficiency/voltage boosting techniques. Since existing voltage multipliers are designed with various process technologies, a comparison among available devices in various topologies is difficult. For a fair comparison between specifications of several state-of-the-art topologies, we have migrated and simulated some of them in one exemplar process technology under the same set of constraints. We observe that the voltage multiplier with cross-coupled configuration yields the best power conversion efficiency at an optimized input voltage; however, it drops immediately after this voltage is reached. We also found that the voltage multiplier with Schottky diodes, used in the Dickson topology, exhibits the lowest sensitivity. When input voltage increases to a level of more than 1 V, the Dickson voltage multiplier with ultra-low-power diodes maintains the highest efficiency, reaching around 80% in the wide input voltage range. To gain a perspective of practical implementation, we also explore various design issues.
Abstract P093: Influence of Comorbidities on Outcomes in Atrial Fibrillation: A Population-based Case-control Study

Background: Differences in the impact of comorbid conditions on outcomes in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients compared to population controls have not been well documented. Methods: The prevalence ...
A Compact Thin-Film Lithium Niobate Platform with Arrayed Waveguide Gratings and MMIs

We design and demonstrate a thin-film z-cut Lithium Niobate photonic platform. We report experimental transmission measurement of different passive photonic building blocks at 1.55 μm central wavelength including AWG and MMI splitter.
Treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke

Endovascular thrombectomy for stroke has become an integral part of the management of acute ischemic stroke. This chapter discusses mechanical thrombectomy and pharmacological thrombolysis. Patient selection, technical issues, and post-procedure care are covered. The appendix covers imaging for stroke.
Nursing Home Implementation of Health Information Technology: Review of the Literature Finds Inadequate Investment in Preparation, Infrastructure, and Training:

Health information technology (HIT) is increasingly adopted by nursing homes to improve safety, quality of care, and staff productivity. We examined processes of HIT implementation in nursing homes, impact on the nursing home workforce, and related evidence on quality of care. We conducted a literature review that yielded 46 research articles on nursing homes' implementation of HIT. To provide additional contemporary context to our findings from the literature review, we also conducted semistructured interviews and small focus groups of nursing home staff (n = 15) in the United States. We found that nursing homes often do not employ a systematic process for HIT implementation, lack necessary technology support and infrastructure such as wireless connectivity, and underinvest in staff training, both for current and new hires. We found mixed evidence on whether HIT affects staff productivity and no evidence that HIT increases staff turnover. We found modest evidence that HIT may foster teamwork and communication. We found no evidence that the impact of HIT on staff or workflows improves quality of care or resident health outcomes. Without initial investment in implementation and training of their workforce, nursing homes are unlikely to realize potential HIT-related gains in productivity and quality of care. Policy makers should consider creating greater incentives for preparation, infrastructure, and training, with greater engagement of nursing home staff in design and implementation.
A Tiny Ring of Power: The Department Chair and Golden Role Management

A little power is a dangerous thing. Department chairs in small U.S. universities are half faculty members and half administrators. In dealing with the faculty, chairs work in a collegial, Theory Y...
BROMIDE DEPENDENCE IN NDT RADIOGRAPHIC PROCESSING AND THE EFFECT ON IMAGE QUALITY

Radiographic processing developers have a direct effect on radiographic film “quality” as measured by the radiographic speed, contrast, and image quality. Various films, as measured by percent Equivalent Penetrameter Sensitivity (%EPS ASTM) in different developers and cycles, were found to have a dependence on the bromide level. The conclusion is that each film brand and type has a specific level of highest image quality or penetrameter sensitivity depending on the bromide level, brand of developer, and even the cycle. It is also concluded that, while bromide levels affect contrast and image quality, these two factors are independent. Image quality can improve as bromides rise while contrast deteriorates. Image quality is developer and bromide level dependent.
1H-1H correlations across N-H...N hydrogen bonds in nucleic acids.

In 2HJNN-COSY experiments, which correlate protons with donor/acceptor nitrogens across Nd•••HNa bonds, the receptor nitrogen needs to be assigned in order to unambiguously identify the hydrogen bond. For many situations this is a non-trivial task which is further complicated by poor dispersion of (Na,Nd) resonances. To address these problems, we present pulse sequences to obtain direct, internucleotide correlations between protons in uniformly 13C/15N labeled nucleic acids containing Nd•••HNa hydrogen bonds. Specifically, the pulse sequence H2(N1N3)H3 correlates H2(A,ω1):H3(U,ω2) protons across Watson–Crick A–U and mismatched G•A base pairs, the sequences H5(N3N1)H1/H6(N3N1)H1 correlate H5(C,ω1)/H6(C,ω1):H1(G,ω2) protons across Watson–Crick G-C base pairs, and the H2(N2N7)H8 sequence correlates NH2(G,A,C;ω1):H8(G,A;ω2) protons across G•G, A•A, sheared G•A and other mismatch pairs. These 1H-1H connectivities circumvent the need for independent assignment of the donor/acceptor nitrogen and related degeneracy issues associated with poorly dispersed nitrogen resonances. The methodology is demonstrated on uniformly 13C/15N labeled samples of (a) an RNA regulatory element involving the HIV-1 TAR RNA fragment, (b) a multi-stranded DNA architecture involving a G•(C-A) triad-containing G-quadruplex and (c) a peptide-RNA complex involving an evolved peptide bound to the HIV-1 Rev response element (RRE) RNA fragment.
Friendship and the Grounds of Reasons

Friendship and other intimate relationships have created difficulties for moral philosophers. While morality seems to require us to remain impartial between persons, friendship seems to generate demands or obligations of partiality toward our intimates. But the difficulty can be removed once we cease to focus on categorizing reasons as moral or non-moral. This tendency to divide reasons into categories of moral vs. non-moral leads us to give those that we label ‘moral’ pride of place and to assume that the category must be uniform. If we abandon these assumptions, then reasons of intimacy or friendship will no longer be so puzzling. We will then be able to see that all reasons, in the end, are importantly egocentric, and that deliberation must always proceed from an egocentric perspective.
Homosexuality and School Superintendents: A Brief History:

From the beginning, sexuality has been an important defining consideration in school administration. This article explores the history of the three ways in which sexuality has been a central force ...
A qualitative analysis of the vaccine intention-behaviour relationship: parents' descriptions of their intentions, decision-making behaviour and planning processes towards HPV vaccination.

Objective: The objective of this study is to identify factors influencing the vaccine intention–behaviour relationship. Design: A total of 445 parents who received a brief intervention to promote H...
Small traits with big consequences: how seed traits of nitrogen-fixing plants might influence ecosystem nutrient cycling

Symbiotic nitrogen (N)‐fixing plants have important effects on the biogeochemical processes of the sites they inhabit, but their ability to reach these sites is determined by the dispersal of their seeds. Differences in seed size and dispersal vectors of N‐fixing and non‐fixing plants could influence the spatial and temporal distributions of N fixers, and thus could have important impacts on biogeochemical cycling. Using seed mass, dispersal vector, and biome data retrieved from online public databases, we ask if there are systematic differences in seed mass and dispersal vectors between N‐fixing and non‐fixing plants. We demonstrate that rhizobial N fixers tend to have larger seeds that are more likely to be biotically dispersed than seeds of non‐fixers, whereas actinorhizal N‐fixing trees tend to have small, abiotically dispersed seeds. We then synthesize existing evidence from the literature to draw links between these dispersal traits and the spatio–temporal patterns of N fixers, as well as their biogeochemical effects on terrestrial ecosystems. Using this literature, we argue that the spatio–temporal distributions of N fixers are influenced by their seed dispersal characteristics, and that these distribution patterns have important effects on the total amount of N fixed at a site and the timing of N inputs during processes such as succession.
Deltaic morphodynamics and stratigraphic evolution of Middle Barataria Bay and Middle Breton Sound regions, Louisiana, USA: Implications for river-sediment diversions

Abstract River-sediment diversions have been recognized as a key strategy for offsetting land loss in coastal Louisiana. Recently, much attention has been focused on sediment capture from the main stem river and conveyance of that material through diversion outflows. Yet, the performance and long-term feasibility of diversions as land-building agents also hinges upon the subsurface stratigraphic architecture of receiving basins, a concept that has largely been unexplored. A major core collection and analysis program was undertaken to study the geological properties of substrates in the Middle Barataria Bay and Middle Breton Sound diversion receiving basins, Louisiana, USA. Over a region of ∼200 square kilometers in both basins, 50 vibracores up to 5.5 m in length were collected in spring and summer of 2015. Cores were logged for bulk density and imaged with a Geotek Multi Sensor Core Logger. Split cores were then subsampled for granulometry, organic content, and 14C dating. Both receiving basins are characterized by 1–2 m of organic-rich surficial strata, underlain by > 2 m of mineral-rich sand and silt beds that display a greater bulk density. Additionally, some cores contain deeper peaty strata intercalated within muds and sands. 14C dates of these buried peats range between 1910 and 3203 calendar years before present demonstrating that relatively old deltaic strata exist at shallow depths. Age comparisons of stratigraphically-similar peat beds from this study and previous delta-lobe chronological models indicate that the St. Bernard lobe prograded eastward at a time-averaged rate of 75 m/yr. From a geotechnical standpoint, the surficial, uncompacted (
Immunotherapy with hypofractionated radiotherapy in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer: An analysis of the National Cancer Database

Abstract Purpose Metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is associated with an exceedingly poor prognosis. Recent advances in immunotherapy offer promise in enhancing overall survival (OS) in these patients. Preclinical evidence suggests that radiotherapy (RT), especially when offered in a high-dose per fraction hypofractionated RT (HRT) as in stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR), may augment the efficacy of immunotherapy. We aimed to assess the role of RT in patients with metastatic NSCLC receiving immunotherapy in a national hospital-based database. Methods Using the National Cancer Database (NCDB), we identified 6,383 patients treated with immunotherapy for metastatic NSCLC and 170,479 patients treated with RT but without immunotherapy. Patients receiving fractional doses of at least 5 Gy were designated as having received HRT, doses Results The median follow-up of the cohort is 12 months. Patients receiving HRT had numerically improved 1-year OS (59.0%) compared to those not receiving RT (55.7%), however this was not statistically significant (hazard ratio = 0.9, p = 0.22). Patients receiving non-HRT RT did substantially worse than those receiving no RT. Immunotherapy improved OS in patients receiving RT regardless of fraction size. Conclusions This hypothesis-generating retrospective analysis suggests that patients treated with immunotherapy with or without HRT in the upfront treatment of metastatic NSCLC experience similar survival. Further prospective evaluation of this combination should be undertaken in an attempt to maximize survival in this challenging disease.
Jim Anderson in Interview with Claude-Hélène Mayer; September 26, 2018

The goal of psychobiography is gaining access to the inner world of the person we are writing about. Hence psychoanalysis, which is the discourse that recognizes the complexity of the mind, unconscious and conscious, is indispensable to psychobiography. It follows that psychobiography is more an art than a science. The scientific method provides a paucity of tools for learning what goes on within a person’s mind. Instead we need the artist’s tools, such as intuition, interpretation, and empathy. Psychobiography of this kind rests on material that provides a portal into the subject’s inner world, such as the subject’s dreams, fantasies, delusions, humor, and imaginative writing, along with writings not meant for the public, such as letters and diaries.
Introduction to Classical Rough Set Based APIs Library

In this chapter, we will provide some implementation of some basic functions of Rough Set Theory. Implementation of RST functions can be found in other libraries as well. The major aspect here is that source code is also provided with each and every line explained. The explanation in this way will help the research community to not only easily use the code but also they can modify as per their own research requirements.
Roles, identity, and security: foreign policy contestation in monarchical Kuwait:

The 2011–2012 Arab Spring posed an existential threat to the Gulf Cooperation Council’s six monarchies. A major response was the 2012 GCC Internal Security Pact, an innovative project to enhance cr...
Concurrent Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion and Sternal-Sparing LVAD Implantation

Purpose Thromboembolic events (TEs) remain common adverse events for left ventricular assist device (LVAD) patients. There is early evidence that left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) at the time of LVAD implantation may reduce the incidence of TEs, but the feasibility of LAAO during less invasive LVAD implantation is unknown. Methods Patients who underwent LAAO during LVAD implantation via the complete sternal-sparing (CSS) approach were retrospectively reviewed. LAAO was performed through the left thoracotomy incision using a commercially available left atrial appendage exclusive device. Preoperative patient characteristics, intraoperative data, and postoperative complications were collected. The primary outcome was incidence of intraoperative complications. Secondary outcomes included operative time, successful placement of exclusion device, and incidence of postoperative TEs. Results A total of 8 patients underwent concurrent LAAO at the time of CSS LVAD implantation. Average age was 62 ±12 years and five (63%) patients were male. Two patients (25%) were INTERMACS Profile 1, five (63%) Profile 3, and one (12%) was Profile 4. Four patients (50%) had evidence of preoperative left ventricular thrombus, and six (75%) had a history of arrhythmia. All patients received a fully magnetically levitated LVAD. There were no intraoperative complications and all patients had evidence of complete atrial appendage occlusion on intraoperative transesophageal echocardiogram. Performing LAAO did not significantly increase operative time compared to CSS implantation without concomitant LAAO. Median postoperative length of stay was 12 [10-13] days. During a total of 587 patient-days of follow-up, one patient suffered a non-disabling thrombotic stroke with no residual defects and one patient died from unrelated causes. Conclusion LAAO is feasible via the left thoracotomy incision during CSS LVAD implantation. Early evidence suggests the procedure is safe and effective at occluding the left atrial appendage. Further research is needed to determine potential long-term benefits.
Getting Swole: Generating Access-Aware Code with Predicate Pullups

Code generation for in-memory query processing is now commonplace. While existing approaches use a wide range of techniques (e.g., inline expansion, pipelining, SIMD vectorization, prefetching) to reduce processing effort, we argue that generating code with better data access patterns is often more important. Therefore, we propose SWOLE, the first access-aware code generation strategy. Contradictory to the conventional wisdom, SWOLE heavily leverages predicate pullups to produce code with better access patterns, which outweighs the overhead of performing wasted work. Our experiments show that SWOLE can outperform the state-of-the-art approach by over 2.6×.
Pastoral and spiritual care in a digital age: the future is now

The last three decades have witnessed unprecedented growth in both the neurobiological and computer/information sciences. These discoveries and innovations are challenging, sometimes radically, our...
High contrast cleavage detection for enhancing porous silicon sensor sensitivity

Using porous silicon (PSi) interferometer sensors, we show the first experimental implementation of the high contrast cleavage detection (HCCD) mechanism. HCCD makes use of dramatic optical signal amplification caused by cleavage of high-contrast nanoparticle labeled reporters instead of the capture of low-index biological molecules. An approximately 2 nm reflectance peak shift was detected after cleavage of DNA-quantum dot reporters from the PSi surface via exposure to a 12.5 nM DNase enzyme solution. This signal change is 20 times greater than the resolution of the spectrometer used for the interferometric measurements, and the interferometric measurements agree with the response predicted by simulations and fluorescence measurements. These proof of principle experiments show a clear path to achieving a real-time, highly sensitive readout for a broad range of biological diagnostic assays that generate a signal via nucleic acid cleavage triggered by specific molecular binding events.
Impact of the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic on Ambulatory Hepatitis C Testing.

Introduction:Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to unprecedented modifications to healthcare delivery in the U.S. To preserve resources in preparation for a COVID-19 surge, Boston Medical ...
Exclusionary Discipline Policies, School-Police Partnerships, Surveillance Technologies and Disproportionality: A Review of the School to Prison Pipeline Literature

For this review I sought to understand how the field of education has come to conceptualize and study the relationship between schools and prisons. In doing so, I found that the vast majority of scholars who have studied the relationship(s) between school and prisons have done so within the context of the school to prison pipeline conceptual framework. This review both explores the affordances and contributions of the school to prison pipeline framework, as well as some of the limitations and critiques of the framework when used as the most preeminent frame by which we understand and study the ties between schools and prisons. I examine these limitations by focusing on four principal areas of study within the school to prison pipeline literature: (1) school discipline policies and practices, (2) school-police partnerships, (3) surveillance technologies in schools, and (4) disproportionality. The broader aim of this review is to develop the way we conceptualize the relationships between schools and prisons by building on what we have already learned in using the STPP framework, while also exploring new ways of theorizing and empirically studying the growing relations between schools and prisons.
Comparison of Cancer Prevalence in Patients With Neurofibromatosis Type 1 at an Academic Cancer Center vs in the General Population From 1985 to 2020.

Importance Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a complex genetic disorder that is associated with not only neurofibromas, but also an increased susceptibility to other neoplasms. Objective To evaluate the prevalence of neoplasia and outcomes among patients with NF1. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study was conducted among patients with NF1 at a single academic cancer center from 1985 to 2020 with median (range) follow-up of 2.9 years (36 days to 30.5 years). Of 2427 patients evaluated for NF1, 1607 patients who met the National Institutes of Health consensus criteria for NF1 were included. This group was compared with estimates from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Cancer Statistics Review 1975 to 2015 and SEER participants database unless otherwise specified. Data were analyzed from August 2018 to March 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures Disease-specific survival (DSS) was measured from diagnosis date to date of neoplasm-specific death or censorship and calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Survival curves were compared using the log-rank test. Deaths from disease were considered a DSS end point; other deaths were considered censored observations. Secondary outcome measures were comparisons of (1) overall survival of patients with NF1 with neurofibroma neoplasms vs those without nonneurofibroma neoplasms, (2) neoplasm prevalence in the NF1 group vs general population estimates, and (3) age at diagnosis in the NF1 group vs general population estimates for the most common neoplasms in the NF1 group. Results Among 1607 patients with NF1, the median (range) age at initial visit was 19 years (1 month to 83 years) and 840 (52.3%) were female patients. Among 666 patients who developed other neoplasms in addition to neurofibromas (41.4%), 295 patients (18.4%) developed glioma and 243 patients (15.1%) developed malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST), the most common neoplasms. Patients with NF1, compared with the general population, developed several neoplasms at a younger mean (SD) age (low-grade glioma: 12.98 [11.09] years vs 37.76 [24.53] years;P Conclusions and Relevance This cohort study found that among patients with NF1, those who developed undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, HGG, MPNST, ovarian carcinoma, or melanoma had significantly lower DSS rates compared with those who developed other neoplasms. This study also found that patients with NF1 developed some neoplasms more frequently and at a younger age compared with individuals without NF1. HGGs and MPNST were noteworthy causes of death among patients NF1. This information may be useful for NF1 patient counseling and follow-up.