cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estimation of severity of illness with APACHE II: age-related implications in cardiac arrest outcomes

The ability to predict outcomes of cardiac arrest before starting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) would be useful for discussions of resuscitation with elders and their families. We thought CPR outcome might be dependent on the severity of pre-existing illnesses. The APACHE II is a severity-of-illness (SOI) scale based, in part, on physiologic parameters whereby points are given for degree of deviation from normal. Additionally, up to six points are given for increased age. We hypothesized that (1) patients with the highest APACHE II would be least likely to survive, and (2) because of the blunted physiologic responsiveness, the APACHE II would underestimate the SOI of elderly patients who were sufficiently ill to have a cardiac arrest. A retrospective study of 172 arrests was carried out to evaluate these hypotheses. For the young cohort (n = 126; age, < 70; mean age, 59 ± 8), mean admission APACHE II was 16.5 ± 7.9 and pre-arrest APACHE II was 20.8 ± 8.9. For the old cohort (n = 46; age, ⩾ 70; mean age, 76 ± 7) admission APACHE II was 17.0 ± 5.8 (NS) and the pre-arrest APACHE II was 20.3 ± 6.5 (NS). Logistic regression analysis was carried out with both APACHE II scores and factors previously correlated with CPR outcome. Witnessed arrests and those requiring a low number of medications were most likely to result in immediate success (restoration of blood pressure) and in a live discharge. APACHE II score (24 h pre-arrest) was associated with live discharge in the regression analysis. We conclude the pre-arrest APACHE II does add modestly to the ability to predict outcomes of CPR efforts and measures SOI equally well in young and old cohorts.
Rule-based workflow management for bioinformatics

We describe a data-centric software architecture for bioinformatics workflows and a rule-based workflow enactment system that uses declarative specifications of data dependences between steps to automatically order the execution of those steps. A data-centric view allows researchers to develop abstract descriptions of workflow products and provides mechanisms for describing workflow steps as objects. The rule-based approach supports an iterative design methodology for creating new workflows, where steps can be developed in small, incremental updates, and the object orientation allows workflow steps developed for one project to be reused in other projects.
Design of composable proxy filters for heterogeneous mobile computing

RAPIDware is a collection of software design techniques for constructing adaptive middleware to support collaborative computing. The paper describes an experimental study in the design of adaptive proxy services for resource-limited mobile hosts. The approach is based on detachable Java I/O streams, which enable proxy filters and transcoders to be dynamically inserted, deleted and reordered on a given data stream. Unlike conventional Java I/O streams, detachable streams can be stopped, disconnected, reconnected, and restarted. As such, they provide the "glue" needed to support the dynamic composition of proxy services. The operation and implementation of detachable streams are described, followed by a discussion of their use in demand-driven forward error correction services for wireless hosts.
Inhibition of Insulin Secretion by Exogenous Insulin in Normal Man as Demonstrated by C-peptide Assay

To investigate whether insulin exerts feedback regulation of its own secretion, paired studies were performed in normal men in two separate protocols. In the first protocol, four men were studied on two occasions. On one occasion, insulin was infused at 5 μU. per kilogram per minute for 120 minutes, achieving arterial insulin levels of 600 to 700 μU./ml. With use of a variable glucose infusion, the plasma glucose concentration was maintained at fasting levels for 60 minutes and then raised abruptly to 165 mg./dl. and was maintained at that level for the remaining 60 minutes. On a second occasion, the study was repeated except that saline was infused instead of insulin. The plasma glucose concentration remained at fasting levels until the last 60 minutes, when it was similarly raised to 165 mg./dl. and maintained at that level until the end of the study. Connecting peptide reactivity (CPR) was measured as an index of endogenous insulin secretion in the presence of exogenous insulin. During the initial 60 minutes of the study, with euglycemia maintained, there was a significant (46 per cent) decline (p < 0.01) in the levels of CPR in the insulin-treated subjects. At 60 minutes, when hyperglycemia was induced, CPR rose in both groups. The rise of CPR in the insulin-treated group, however, was significantlyless (p < 0.01) than in the saline control group. To investigate whether insulin inhibition of insulin secretion during hyperglycemia would occur without prolonged insulin pretreatment, paired studies were performed in three additional men. In this protocol, insulin (5 mU. per kilogram per minute) or saline was infused for 70 minutes. Euglycemia was maintained for just 10 minutes. Thereafter, the plasma glucose concentration was. raised to 170 mg./dl. in both groups. This acute induction of hyperglycemia without prolonged insulin pretreatment resulted in similar increases in CPR in both insulin- and saline-treated groups. From these data we conclude that (1) exogenous insulin administration, with maintenance of euglycemia, results in significant inhibition of basal insulin secretion; (2) the administration of exogenous insulin for 60 minutes before and for 60 minutes after the acute induction of hyperglycemia results in significant inhibition of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion; and (3) exogenous insulin administered for just 10 minutes before and during the acute induction of hyperglycemia, however, does not result in inhibition of the insulin response to the hyperglycemic stimulus.
Substrate type affects caching and pilferage of pine seeds by chipmunks

The abiotic environment often influences the ways in which animals interact. By affecting the cues associated with buried seeds, the type of substrate used by seed-caching rodents may alter the relative probabilities of cache pilferage and cache retrieval. We predicted that, after a wildfire, the presence of ash would impair rodents’ ability to smell pine seeds on the forest floor. In a laboratory experiment, we compared the foraging success, caching frequency, and cache recovery of chipmunks (six Tamias amoenus and six T. quadrimaculatus) in ash versus sand substrates. Initial results supported our hypothesis: chipmunks found only 2.3% of 108 caches of Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi) seeds that we buried in ash but found 98% of caches in sand. However, chipmunks made as many or more of their own caches in ash compared with sand (48% for T. amoenus, 73% for T. quadrimaculatus.) When foraging for seeds cached in ash by themselves and by other individuals, they found significantly higher proportions of their own caches (62%) than of caches made by others (25%). However, when foraging in sand, they found high proportions both of their own caches and those of others (86 versus 81%). These results suggest that olfaction is less effective in ash than in sand, that spatial memory enables chipmunks to recover their own caches in ash, and that caching in ash may allow animals to avoid pilferage of stored food. As chipmunks are important dispersers of seeds, changes in their foraging patterns or competitive interactions after fire could significantly affect pine regeneration. Key words: ash, caching, chipmunks, foraging, Jeffrey pine, olfaction, pilferage, Pinus jeffreyi, spatial memory, scatter hoarding, Tamias. [Behav Ecol 15:666–672 (2004)]
High-Resolution Stratigraphy of an Underfilled Lake Basin: Wilkins Peak Member, Eocene Green River Formation, Wyoming, U.S.A.

Abstract Lakes tend to respond noticeably to minor changes in sediment and water balance driven by climatic, tectonic, or geomorphic processes. This unique behavior of lacustrine basins can provide a high-resolution record of geologic processes within the continental setting, far from the globally averaged record of marine strata. The Wilkins Peak Member of the Eocene Green River Formation, in Wyoming, USA, is dominated by aggradation of repetitive sedimentary facies successions recording distinct lacustrine expansions and contractions. These lacustrine "cycles" consist of up to four successive facies associations: littoral, profundal–sublittoral, palustrine, and salt pan. Because they comprise disparate facies that may never have been simultaneously deposited in the basin, Wilkins Peak Member cycles are non-Waltherian successions that do not readily equate to any established sequence stratigraphic unit. The completeness of the stratigraphic record in the Wilkins Peak Member varies continuously across the basin. At least 126 cycles are present in the ERDA White Mountain #1 core near the basin depocenter, whereas only about one third as many are recognizable 53 km north, nearer to the basin margin. Cycle boundaries terminate northward by gradual amalgamation into palustrine facies, reflecting the interplay between varying lake levels and a south-dipping deposition gradient. Evidence for complete desiccation and hiatuses is commonplace even near the basin center; a truly complete record may not be present anywhere. Based on recent 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of tuffs, the average cycle duration in the White Mountain #1 core is approximately 10,000 years. However, the true average duration is shorter due to the presence of lacunae, and the time required for deposition of the thinnest cycles may have been less than 1000 years. No external driving mechanism is presently known for Eocene cycles of such short duration, raising the possibility that they are instead autogenic cycles related to geomorphic instability of the surrounding landscape. Evaporite deposition corresponded closely in time and space to maximum differential subsidence, suggesting that tectonic influences on drainage patterns and basin accommodation exerted a primary control. Differential accommodation was most pronounced during deposition of the lower Wilkins Peak Member and became progressively less so after that time. Based on structural and stratigraphic observations, a period of increased tectonic uplift commenced concurrent with deposition of the lower Wilkins Peak Member.
P3P-2 Dual Element Transducers for High Frequency Harmonic Imaging

Concentric annular type dual element transducers for second harmonic imaging at 20 MHz / 40 MHz were designed and fabricated to improve spatial resolution with sufficient penetration for ophthalmic imaging applications. The outer ring element was designed to transmit the 20 MHz signal and the inner element was designed to receive the 40 MHz second harmonic signal. Lithium niobate (LiNbO3) was used for piezoelectric material to achieve good impedance matching with its low dielectric constant. Double matching layers and conductive backing were used and optimized by KLM modeling to achieve high sensitivity and bandwidth for harmonic imaging and good time domain characteristics. Prototype transducers were fabricated and evaluated quantitatively. The average measured center frequency for the transmit ring element was 18 MHz with a -6 dB bandwidth above 60 % and -28 dB uncompensated insertion loss. The 40 MHz receive element displayed a 35 MHz center frequency, around 60 % bandwidth and -28 dB uncompensated insertion loss. The lateral beam profile of 20 MHz ring elements at the focus matched the Field II simulated results well. Images of a choroidal nevus of eye were obtained
A BRIEF REVIEW OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

Host defense is one of the most fundamental functions of living organisms. Primitive forms of host defense are present even in prokaryotes. All eukaryotes are endowed with a sophisticated mechanism of host defense. Immunity can be divided into innate and adaptive (acquired) immunity.
A Superconducting Horizontal Bend Magnet for JLab's 12 Gev/c Super High Momentum Spectrometer

Collaboration exists between NSCL and JLab to developing the reference design of JLab's super high momentum spectrometer (SHMS) horizontal bend magnet. A Superconducting "C"type, superferric dipole magnet that allows the SHMS to reach small forward angles without restricting the SHMS's acceptance, degree of motion or range of particle energy is presented. Spatial requirements for the coexistence of the SHMS at forward angles of -5.5deg along with the existing high momentum spectrometer (HMS) at 12deg to the primary beam line give rise to close tolerances on design parameters. The bending of 12 Gev/c particles by 3deg requires an integral field strength up to 2.1 T.m. The current design is "warm-iron" with a nominal yoke length of 600 mm and a minimum pole gap of 350 mm. Choice of superconducting conductor, between surplus re-flattened SSC NbTi Rutherford cable that provides plenty of current margin and cost savings and Nb3Sn cable, noted for its temperature margin will be highlighted. Coil forces, coil restraint system, energy margins, hot spot and final temperatures, beam radiated heating and superconducting stability will also be presented.
Relationship between nocturnal serotonin surge and melatonin onset in rodent pineal gland

Background We have recently reported dynamic circadian rhythms of serotonin (5-HT, 5-hydroxytryptamine) output in the pineal gland of rat, which precedes the onset of N-acetylserotonin (NAS) and melatonin secretion at night. The present study was aimed at investigating in detail the relationship between 5-HT onset (5HT-on) and melatonin onset (MT-on) in multiple strains of rats and comparing them with those of hamsters.
Electroplated thick CoNiMnP permanent magnet arrays for micromachined magnetic device applications

Electroplated thick CoNiMnP permanent magnet arrays for micromachined magnetic device applications have been designed, fabricated, and tested. The electroplated arrays contain 5000 magnets of 40 /spl mu/m/spl times/40 /spl mu/m/spl times/50 /spl mu/m in a cubic shape on the silicon membrane of 4.6 mm/spl times/4.6 mm /spl times/20 /spl mu/m, where the magnets have shown a fairly high magnetic vertical coercivity of 600 Oe, a retentivity of 0.2-0.3 Teslas, and a maximum energy density of 10 kJ/m/sup 3/. Using the electroplated magnet array, a proto-type bi-directional vertical microactuator on silicon membrane has been realized with integrated spiral coils. The magnet arrays realized in this work allow a low power consumption, a flexible bi-directional actuation, as well as a favorable CMOS compatibility.
Integrating anthropogenic heat flux with global climate models

[1] Nearly all energy used for human purposes is dissipated as heat within Earth's land–atmosphere system. Thermal energy released from non-renewable sources is therefore a climate forcing term. Averaged globally, this forcing is only +0.028 W m−2, but over the continental United States and western Europe, it is +0.39 and +0.68 W m−2, respectively. Here, present and future global inventories of anthropogenic heat flux (AHF) are developed, and parameterizations derived for seasonal and diurnal flux cycles. Equilibrium climate experiments show statistically-significant continental-scale surface warming (0.4–0.9°C) produced by one 2100 AHF scenario, but not by current or 2040 estimates. However, significant increases in annual-mean temperature and planetary boundary layer (PBL) height occur over gridcells where present-day AHF exceeds 3.0 W m−2. PBL expansion leads to a slight, but significant increase in atmospheric residence time of aerosols emitted from large-AHF regions. Hence, AHF may influence regional climate projections and contemporary chemistry-climate studies.
Characterization of the WEIBULL Distribution by Properties of Order Statistics

Let X1:n, X2:n, X3:n…, Xn:n be the order statistics of n independent random variables with the common (absolutely continuous strictly increasing) distribution function F. The main results given in this article are: 1 For any fixed r and two distinct numbers s1 and s2 (1<r<s1<s2≦n) the distributions of Vi and Wi (defined in (1.11) and (1.12) are identical for i = 1,2 iff F(x) is WEIBULL (1.2). 2 The statistics D1 and D2 (as in (1.8) and (1.9)) are independent iff F(x) is WEIBULL (1.2). 3 The statistics Ui (1≦j≦n−1) and Xi:n (i ≦ j) are independent iff F(x) is WEIBULL (1.2). 4 Let X, X1, X2, …, Xk be random variables such that These conditions are necessary and sufficient for F(x) to be WEIBULL.
Review Essay: Race and Electoral Politics in Britain

This article analyzes the literature on race and electoral politics in Britain through some of the major works in this field starting from late 1980s to the present, written mainly from sociological and political science perspectives. The prime focus of these studies is to understand the dynamics of electoral participation and representation of racial minorities in Britain, chiefly Asians and Afro-Caribbeans as the largest ethnic minority groups. They examine the trends in electoral participation and representation of ethnic minorities, seek to identify the socioeconomic and political factors that have been shaping the electoral participation of minority populations, and investigate the relationship between mainstream political institutions in Britain (such as the major political parties) and policy interests of ethnic minorities, in particular, vis-a-vis electoral involvement. This article presents the major strengths and findings of the literature, followed by a discussion of some of the key debates that are still unresolved. It then discusses the substantive theoretical and methodological weaknesses of the literature on race and electoral politics in Britain, and concludes by suggesting unexplored research areas for future research.
P027 IGG/IGM pre-incubation of whole blood may decrease TNF-a and IL-6 production after SEB stimulation ex-vivo

Introduction Polyclonal intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIGs) can modulate the host immune response. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of different immunoglobulin solutions on whole blood cytokine production capacity after staphylococcal superantigen (exotoxin) B (SEB) stimulation ex-vivo . Methods Peripheral heparinized blood was collected from 9 healthy volunteers for complete blood count, and ex-vivo stimulation with SEB. One hundred microliters of blood were added in 900 μl of RPMI 1640 for final volume 1 ml and placed to plastic culture dishes. Samples were added to wells and maintained at 37 °C in a 5% CO 2 atmosphere and then SEB was added (1 μG/ml). After incubation of 8 h the culture plate was centrifuged (1800 rpm, 5 min) and supernatants were collected and stored at −70 °C until cytokines level measurements using the ELISA method. In addition, samples were incubated either with IgG (20 mg IgG/ml) or IgG/IgM (15.2 mg IgG/ml and 2.4 mg/ml IgM) prior (pre-incubation, 2 h) or simultaneously to SEB stimulation. Data are presented as mean ± SEM and comparisons were performed using Kruskal–Wallis test, with post hoc analysis using Dunn’s Multiple Comparison Test. Results Baseline TNF-a levels after SEB stimulation alone and incubation for 8-h was 720.0 ± 143.0 pg/ml. TNF-a levels after simultaneous IgG or IgG/IgM solution administration and SEB stimulation, were 411.0 ± 163.8 and 723.5 ± 199.0 respectively ( p > 0.05). TNF-a levels after pre-incubation with IgG or IgG/IgM and subsequent SEB stimulation were 133.0 ± 53.9 and 118.2 ± 33.5 respectively and the difference was statistically significant compared to baseline ( p Baseline IL-6 values after SEB stimulation alone were 506.0 ± 91.4. There was a statistically significant decrease in whole blood IL-6 production (91.2 ± 16.2 pg/ml; p = 0.0275) only in the group of IgG/IgM solution pre-incubation. Baseline IL-10 values after SEB stimulation alone were 28.9 ± 5.3 pg/ml respectively. There was no significant effect on whole blood cytokine production capacity after SEB stimulation by either pre- or simultaneous IgG or IgG/IgM solutions administration. Conclusion Pre-incubation of whole blood with IgG/IgM solution and subsequent administration of SEB may decrease whole blood TNF-a and IL-6 production capacity and thus express an anti-inflammatory effect. The study was partially funded by the Special Account for Research Grants of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Grants 11103 and 3211.
Isolated case of left ventricular diverticulum; other aneurysmal structures of the left ventricle.

A 41-year-old man with a medical history of hypertension and hyperlipidaemia presented to the cardiology clinic, with substernal chest pain on exertion for 1 month. The pain, which occurred every day, was dull in character, non-radiating and relieved by rest. The patient was a former smoker with a 20 pack year history. He underwent an exercise stress test, which was positive for retrosternal burning consistent with angina and ECG evidence of ischaemia. Coronary angiography performed the next day revealed severe coronary artery disease, requiring stent placement to the proximal and mid left anterior descending artery. Concomitantly performed ventriculography revealed a large posterobasal left ventricular (LV) outpouching (figures …
Immune Responses to Atypical Mycobacterial Lung Infections

Various species of atypical mycobacteria exhibited a wide range of growth patterns in the lung, liver, and spleen of specific pathogen-free B6D2 mice infected with these organisms. The growth varied from rapid elimination (complete avirulence) to a continued persistence in the lung, which eventually resulted in the death of many of the mice. Prior depletion of the T cells of aerogenically challenged mice did not affect the growth characteristics of the organisms within the lungs. Mice infected with Mycobacterium habana developed an early hypersensitivity response to the cytoplasmic protein antigens (CPA) of this organism, and this response was followed by a persistent state of anergy. Mice infected with Mycobacterium simiae failed to develop detectable levels of hypersensitivity at any time during the study. Spleen cells taken from mice infected with M. habana or M. simiae exhibited an early peak in the incorporation of [3H] thymidine after exposure of the cells to the nonspecific T-cell mitogen phytohemagglutinin (PHA). A similar peak occurred when the cells were exposed to the specific mitogen CPA of M. habana. Later in the infection, the anergic spleen cells showed no transformation of lymphocytes after exposure to either PHA or CPA. T-cell-mixing experiments, which were carried out both before and after treatment of suspensions of cells from the anergic spleens with anti-Thy 1.2 antiserum plus complement, indicated the presence of a population of suppressor T cells in the anergic animals.
A Closer Look at Formulaic Language: Prosodic Characteristics of Swedish Proverbs

Formulaic expressions (such as idioms, proverbs, and conversational speech formulas) are currently a topic of interest. Examination of prosody in formulaic utterances, a less explored property of formulaic expressions, has yielded controversial views. The present study investigates prosodic characteristics of proverbs, as one type of formulaic expression, including tonal patterns and rate. Seven familiar proverbs and matched control sentences were spoken as naturalistically as possible by 15 Swedish females (10 adults, 5 children). Results revealed that tonal pattern distributions were significantly different between sentence proverbs and matched control sentences, with proverbs generally showing a ‘less stress’ tonal pattern, which may be interpreted as proverb specific. Proverbs were also spoken with a significantly faster speech rate than control sentences. Children showed a significantly faster rate in proverbs known to them but showed more variability in tonal patterns. The results indicate that proverbs have distinctive prosodic characteristics when compared with newly created language. Implications for proposals of holistic storage and processing, the role of frequency of exposure, and a dual model of language are discussed.
First Records of the Least Weasel, Mustela Nivalis, From Missouri and Southwestern Iowa

The occurrence of Mustela nivalis in Missouri and southwestern Iowa, based on 23 specimens, is reported for the first time. At Maryville, Missouri, eight individuals were trapped in one 16-acre field and two of these were kept in captivity. Color of pelage in winter-taken specimens varies greatly, and stages in the spring molt of a captive are recorded.
Technical aspects of vaginal ultrasound.

Despite technical advances, transabdominal ultrasound imaging of the female reproductive organs was limited by attenuation of the sound beam by tissues of the anterior abdominal wall, distended urinary bladder precluding use of high-frequency transducters (≥5 MHz), and the inability to correlate areas of visible pathology with direct palpation. However, each of these limitations can now be overcome by using a specially designed transducer placed directly into the patient's vagina. This is a review of the technical aspects of vaginal sonography and, where applicable, a discussion of the variations in technique due to different transducer designs
Observation method of detecting medication errors.

.D., FAAN, is Associate Professor and Director, Nursing Doc-torate Program (Interim), University of Colorado Health SciencesCenter, Denver.Address correspondence to Dr. Barker at the Center for PharmacyOperations and Designs, 128 Miller Hall, Auburn University, Au-burn, AL 36849-5506 (barkekn@auburn.edu).Supported by the Latiolais Leadership Program and the ASHPResearch and Education Foundation.Presented at the Measuring Medication Safety in Hospitals Con-ference, Tucson, AZ, April 8–9, 2002.Copyright © 2002, American Society of Health-System Pharma-cists, Inc. All rights reserved. 1079-2082/02/1201-2314$06.00.
Design, Synthesis, and Characterization of Sulfamide and Sulfamate Nucleotidomimetic Inhibitors of hHint1

Hint1 has recently emerged to be an important target of interest due to its involvement in the regulation of a broad range of CNS functions including opioid signaling, tolerance, neuropathic pain, and nicotine dependence. A series of inhibitors were rationally designed, synthesized, and tested for their inhibitory activity against hHint1 using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The studies resulted in the development of the first small-molecule inhibitors of hHint1 with submicromolar binding affinities. A combination of thermodynamic and high-resolution X-ray crystallographic studies provides an insight into the biomolecular recognition of ligands by hHint1. These novel inhibitors have potential utility as molecular probes to better understand the role and function of hHint1 in the CNS.
PCSK9 Inhibitors: An Emerging Class of Medications

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of 2 human monoclonal antibodies, alirocumab and evolocumab, on reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), cardiovascular benefits, and...
Characterization of Martensitic Transformation Morphology in Wide Hysteresis Shape Memory Alloys

NiTi (aka Nitinol) shape memory alloys can be alloyed with Nb in order facilitate a wider thermal hysteresis. The ternary alloy thermal hysteresis is nearly 100 °C, which is considerably higher than binary Nitinol. The wider hysteresis for NiTiNb makes the alloy suitable for the civil engineering operating temperature ranges. Thus the alloys are promising for integration into structures and can lead to the development of SMA hybrid composite smart structures. The wider hysteresis is attributed to the presence of second phases within the microstructure. The microstructure consists of a matrix, which undergoes the martensitic transformation and thus gives rise to shape memory behavior. A eutectic-like microstructure constituent is evident, with a substantial volume fraction of nano-precipitates dispersed throughout, and neither takes part in the transformation. Consequences of tailoring the microstructure via thermo-mechanical treatments are explored. In this work, the interaction of the non-transforming microstructural constituents with the martensitic transformation morphology is characterized using a fundamental thermo-mechanical framework. The bulk scale deformation measurement are reported as well as the meso-/micro-structure scale full-field and local deformation analyses. The technique used in this work is in-situ Digital Image Correlation (DIC). With this, the current work assesses the surface strain morphology in order to elucidate the influence of microstructure on the bulk scale shape memory responses.
Gum-Like Nanocomposites as Conformable, Conductive, and Adhesive Electrode Matrix for Energy Storage Devices

The electrodes in energy storage devices, such as lithium/sodium ion batteries, are typical multicomponent system consisting of inorganic electrode particles, polymer binders, conductive fillers, current collectors, and other components. These components are usually porously combined by a polymeric binder to accomplish the required electrochemical functions. In spite of the great success, this classic porous configuration faces serious issues in mechanical stability and flexibility due to weak and instable structures/interfaces. Here, by learning from polymeric nanocomposites, a concept of electrode matrix is proposed based on a gum-like nanocomposite, a dual-conductive adhesive. As an electrode matrix, the gum-like nanocomposite integrates the functions of binder, electrolyte, and conductive fillers. In particular, it shows strong adhesion, high electrical/ionic conductivities, and appropriate mechanical and self-healing properties. Finally, it is demonstrated that, with the electrode matrix, battery electrodes can be fabricated into nonporous composite showing not only excellent mechanical flexibility/stability but also improved electrochemical performance when working with a gum-like electrolyte.
Using IMU data to demonstrate hand-clapping games to a robot

All over the world, people find joy and amusement in playing hand-clapping games such as “Pat-a-cake” and “Slide.” Thus, as robots enter everyday human spaces and work together with people, we see potential for them to entertain, engage, and assist humans through cooperative clapping games. This paper explores how data recorded from a pair of commonly available inertial measurement units (IMUs) worn on a human's hands can contribute to the teaching of a hand-clapping robot. We identified representative hand-clapping activities, considered approaches to classify games, and conducted a study to record hand-clapping motion data. Analysis of data from fifteen participants indicates that support vector machines and Markov chain analysis can correctly classify 95.5% of the demonstrated hand-clapping motions (from ten discrete actions) and 92.3% of the hand-clapping game demonstrations recorded in the study. These results were calculated by withholding a participant's entire dataset for testing, so these results should represent general system behavior for new users. Overall, this research lays the groundwork for a simple and efficient method that people could use to demonstrate hand-clapping games to robots.
Abstract 55: Detection of Atrial Fibrillation Using a Smartphone Camera

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained dysrhythmia in the U.S. and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Although new AF treatment strategies have emerged over the last decade, a major challenge facing clinicians and researchers is the paroxysmal, often short-lived, and sometimes asymptomatic nature of AF. We hypothesized that a smartphone can detect AF based on its ability to record heart beat variability by placing a fingertip on the built-in camera. Methods: In this prospective clinical investigation, we recruited 33 participants at a tertiary care medical center who presented with persistent AF prior to elective cardioversion. We recorded 2-5 minutes of pulse readings from participants’ index finger using an iPhone 4S before (AF cases), and after, electrical cardioversion (Sinus rhythm controls). With heart beat interval time series obtained from changes in color signals of a fingertip recording, we compared the results of an AF detection algorithm using Root Mean Square of Successive Difference in combination with Shannon Entropy and Sample Entropy in comparison to the gold-standard of an electrocardiogram. Results: The AF detection accuracy was 97.67% (sensitivity of 96.08% and specificity of 99.97%) for each sample when a combination of the three signal processing techniques were applied compared to the gold-standard electrocardiographic recordings. All of the 33 AF episodes were detected. In addition, we tested on 29 healthy subjects and found that the accuracy (specificity) was 99.51%. Conclusions: In this paper, we show that a smartphone can accurately detect AF based on its ability to obtain RR time series. More accessible methods to accurately detect AF are necessary, and the use of existing smartphone technologies has potentially revolutionary clinical applications for in-home monitoring for AF.
Why Firms Trademark (or not): Evidence from the US Trademark Data

Previous studies have investigated the correlation between firms’ trademarking activity and innovation. However, there is a lack of formal investigation on which firms file for trademarks and the s...
Tobacco as a trap crop for Heliothis virescens (F.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in cotton

A 3-yr study evaluated tobacco as a trap crop for the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (F.), in cotton. Small plot experiments were conducted on an experimental farm at Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS, in 1996 and on a commercial farm in Aliceville, AL, in 1997 to determine the ability of small strips of tobacco to trap H. virescens in cotton field plots. In the 1996 experiment, tobacco budworms eggs were significantly higher on tobacco than on cotton from 7 June through 19 June and from 10 July through 22 July. In 1997, H. virescens eggs were significantly higher on tobacco than on cotton for every sampling date throughout the growing season. The conclusion derived from these small plot experiments was that H. virescens females preferred tobacco over cotton as an ovipositional site. Therefore, in 1998, a large-scale field experiment was conducted to determine the effectiveness of tobacco as a trap crop for H. virescens in commercial cotton fields in Funston, GA. In this experiment, the number of H. virescens eggs was significantly lower in cotton fields with tobacco trap crops compared to control cotton fields without tobacco trap crops on 2 and 9 July. Also, economic threshold for H. virescens was not reached in these cotton fields with tobacco trap crops. In contrast, the economic threshold for this pest was met in cotton fields without tobacco trap crops on two dates during the growing season. For each year of the study, percentage total real mortality (rx) for eggs and larvae of H. virescens on tobacco was very high, ranging from 91.4-99.9%. Larval mortality was attributed in part to parasitization by Toxoneuron nigriceps (formerly Cardiochiles nigriceps) Viereck and Campoletis sonorensis Cameron and an infection by an ascovirus of H. virescens. Thus, tobacco served as a trap crop and sink for H. virescens in cotton in this study.
Global Stability of Spiral Couette-Poiseuille Flows

In this chapter we consider the stability of spiral Couette-Poiseuille flow induced by the shear of rotating and sliding the cylinders relative to one another and by a uniform pressure gradient along the pipe axis.
La ley primitiva

En el estudio de la ley primitiva se pueden elegir tres caminos. El camino que va hacia la derecha reconoce que la ley existe unicamente donde hay tribunales y codigos sostenidos por un Estado perfectamente organizado politicamente. Muy pronto se convierte este camino en un callejon sin salida, debido a que solamente unas cuantas sociedades primitivas tienen leyes de esta clase, y estas no pueden servirnos como caracteristicas.
Are Biological Nervous Systems Just the First Step in the Rise of Intelligence in the Universe

In 1950, any book that might have had a chapter with this unusual title would have been immediately declared as being the ramblings of a deranged author or an excerpt from a really bad science fiction novel. However, in the last few years, our scientists have now made a number of absolutely incredible and totally unexpected breakthroughs in several different fields of science that now makes a chapter title like this, while still strange for many of us, perhaps not so farfetched for some others among us. Our life scientists now tell us that the first living creatures were actually able to evolve on Earth circa 4 billion years ago almost as soon as our hostile world had cooled down sufficiently to allow water to exist on its surface. And even more startling is the discovery that, even today, the descendants of these first life forms (which our scientists now label as extremophiles or “lovers of extreme environments”) that can tolerate all kinds of hostile environments that would kill all the rest of us are still living and thriving anywhere on, under, or above our world that they choose as long as they have access to carbon atoms and water. Thus, life on our planet may be complex but it is definitely not always fragile, and it may be incredibly more adaptable than any of us would have believed possible just a few short years ago. And, since 1995 our astronomers have started telling us that other planetary systems may be common in our universe, and many of these exoplanets are not twins of Earth that might support carbon-based specimens like you and me but might be homes for life forms that are more similar to some of our own extremophile relatives.
Detecting thermal asymmetry in microfluidics for sensor applications: Critical design considerations and optimization

Abstract This article discusses the design and performance of continuous-flow microfluidic thermal sensors that operate on the principle of heat generation through lateral mixing. The platform under study is a Y-channel microfluidic device in which two laminar streams are brought into side-by-side contact under precise flow control. For this work, the two merging microchannels carry water and ethanol respectively; heat is generated as the liquids diffuse together. While much exists in the literature regarding the magnitude of this heat of mixing, this article examines the spatial distribution of this heat – in particular, the extent of lateral asymmetry in the resultant temperature map. This asymmetry is detected with milli-Kelvin sensitivity using a thin-film thermopile integrated on the exterior surface of the microdevice. Since this experimental configuration is implemented by numerous research groups in the design of biosensors and microfluidic calorimeters, a particular emphasis of this present study is on maximizing the detection sensitivity. The impact of the experimental parameters of volumetric flow rate and flow ratio on detection sensitivity was examined, and the optimum axial location for the thermopile sensor under a range of conditions was determined. Experimental and numerical methods were used in this study.
Barnum: Detecting Document Malware via Control Flow Anomalies in Hardware Traces

This paper proposes Barnum, an offline control flow attack detection system that applies deep learning on hardware execution traces to model a program’s behavior and detect control flow anomalies. Our implementation analyzes document readers to detect exploits and ABI abuse. Recent work has proposed using deep learning based control flow classification to build more robust and scalable detection systems. These proposals, however, were not evaluated against different kinds of control flow attacks, programs, and adversarial perturbations.
Preference corrections: capturing student and instructor perceptions in educational recommendations

Recommender systems (RS) have been applied in the area of educations to recommend formal and informal learning materials, after-school programs or online courses. In the traditional RS, the receiver of the recommendations is the only stakeholder, but other stakeholders may be involved in the environment. Take educations for example, not only the preference of the student, but also the perspective of other stakeholders (e.g., instructors, parents, publishers, etc) may be important in the process of recommendations. Multi-stakeholder recommender systems (MSRS) were recently proposed to balance the needs of multiple stakeholders in the recommender systems. We use course project recommendations as a case study, and the perspectives of both students and instructors will be considered in our work. However, students and instructors may have different perceptions on the technical difficulty of the projects. In this paper, we particularly focus on the solution of preference corrections which can be used to capture different perceptions of students and instructors in the multi-stakeholder educational recommendations.
Myt Transcription Factors Prevent Stress-Response Gene Overactivation to Enable Postnatal Pancreatic β Cell Proliferation, Function, and Survival

Although cellular stress response is important for maintaining function and survival, overactivation of late-stage stress effectors cause dysfunction and death. We show that the myelin transcription factors (TFs) Myt1 (Nzf2), Myt2 (Myt1l, Nztf1, and Png-1), and Myt3 (St18 and Nzf3) prevent such overactivation in islet β cells. Thus, we found that co-inactivating the Myt TFs in mouse pancreatic progenitors compromised postnatal β cell function, proliferation, and survival, preceded by upregulation of late-stage stress-response genes activating transcription factors (e.g., Atf4) and heat-shock proteins (Hsps). Myt1 binds putative enhancers of Atf4 and Hsps, whose overexpression largely recapitulated the Myt-mutant phenotypes. Moreover, Myt(MYT)-TF levels were upregulated in mouse and human β cells during metabolic stress-induced compensation but downregulated in dysfunctional type 2 diabetic (T2D) human β cells. Lastly, MYT knockdown caused stress-gene overactivation and death in human EndoC-βH1 cells. These findings suggest that Myt TFs are essential restrictors of stress-response overactivity.
Trust Dynamics in Human-AV (Automated Vehicle) Interaction

Despite many benefits of automated driving, such as reducing fuel consumption, traffic congestion and crashes, a lack of trust hinders the adoption of automated vehicles (AVs). Prior research focused on people's trust in AVs based on AVs' overall performance. The present study is focused on people's trust change in AVs over time in a sequential decision making context. We conducted a human-in-the-loop experiment with 16 participants in a virtual 3D environment wherein participants acted as passengers riding an AV. We manipulated two independent variables: level of stochasticity (high vs. low) and source of stochasticity (external vs. internal). Dependent variables included participants' moment-to-moment trust in AVs and post-experiment trust. Our results revealed that when the stochasticity was due to internal errors (e.g. AV's sensor errors) as compared to external errors (e.g. traffic jams or road blocks), participants' trust in AVs decreased more significantly. Also, the larger the cost due to an error, the larger the trust decrement.
Let Them Speak: An Effort to Reconnect Communities of Survivors in a Digital Archive

In 1979 the Holocaust Survivors Film Project began videotaping Holocaust survivors. Since then, its successor, the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies, has recorded and preserved testimonies for decades. Having completed a large-scale digitization of the entire collection, the archive has pivoted to increasing digital access. As part of its transition to a fully digital archive, it has developed a web-based digital anthology. This anthology, titled Let Them Speak, allows researchers to study circa 3000 interviews from three collections: Fortunoff Archive, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and USC Shoah Foundation. While digitization has helped alleviate one concern, long-term preservation, and opened new means of access, it raises several new challenges, technical, curatorial, and ethical. This chapter will elucidate some of these challenges.
Functional Group Interconversion of Alkylidenemalononitriles to Primary Alcohols by a Cooperative Redox Operation

Functional group interconversions are essential chemical processes enabling synthesis. In this report, we describe a strategy to convert alkylidenemalononitriles into primary alcohols in one step. The reaction relies on a choreographed redox process involving alkylidene reduction, malononitrile oxidation, and acylcyanide reduction where molecular oxygen and NaBH4 work cooperatively. The method was applied to a variety of carbon skeletons and was utilized to synthesize complex terpenoid architectures.
Apparent Immune Effect of Clostridium Difficile in Post-Heart Transplant Recipients

Purpose Heart transplant patients develop many opportunistic infections due to chronic immunosuppression. One of the more common complications is that of Clostridium difficile (CDif) causing gastroenteritis, usually represented as diffuse diarrhea. It appears that these opportunistic infections such as CDif may have an impact on the immune system via the microbiome. It has not been demonstrated whether patients who develop CDif are at higher risk for the subsequent development of rejection or chronic rejection known as cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) years after the event. Methods Between 2010 and 2018, we assessed 69 heart transplant patients who developed CDif within the first year post-transplant. These patients were assessed for subsequent 3-year survival, 3-year freedom from CAV (stenosis ≥30% by angiography), 3-year freedom from non-fatal major adverse cardiac event (NF-MACE: MI, new CHF, PCI, ICD implant, stroke), and 1-year freedom from acute cellular rejection (ACR) and antibody-mediated rejection (AMR). These patients were compared to a group (case controlled for time from transplant, age, gender) who did not develop CDif. Results The average time of infection following transplant was 2.2 ± 3.0 months. The heart transplant patients who developed CDif had significantly lower subsequent 3-year survival, 3-year freedom from NF-MACE, and lower 1-year freedom from AMR compared to the control group. There was no significant difference in the development of CAV (see table). Assessment of specific immunosuppression, antibiotic prophylaxis, and specific CDif treatment did not have an impact on outcome. Conclusion Heart transplant patients who developed first-year CDif appeared to have immune modulation that adversely affects subsequent outcome. Further investigation to study the microbiome is needed in order to elucidate the mechanisms that are in process.