cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Histiocytes in familial and infection-induced/idiopathic hemophagocytic syndromes may exhibit phenotypic differences.

Familial hemophagocytic syndrome (FHS) and infection-associated hemophagocytic syndrome (IAHS) usually present with fever, pancytopenia, hepatosplenomegaly, signs of hepatic dysfunction, bleeding diathesis, and neurological manifestations. FHS is almost uniformly fatal, and IAHS is associated with high mortality. The only distinguishing characteristics are lack of family history and association with infection in the latter. Despite this, sporadic cases of FHS and culture-negative examples of IAHS (idiopathic HS) can be difficult to distinguish and the distinction may have important implications for treatment and family planning. We evaluated the immunophenotype of the macrophages (Ms) in frozen tissue sections from three cases of hemophagocytic syndrome using a very large panel of monocyte/M-associated monoclonal antibodies and an immunoperoxidase technique. The clinical and laboratory features suggested that two were examples of FHS (one with strong family history) and that the third was IAHS/ idiopathic...
Directed Self-Assembly of Polystyrene Spheres for Biophotonics and Surface Plasmon Based Sensors

The self assembly of sub-micron scale spheres is useful to produce arrays of nanostructures by shadow masking materials depositions. A method to produce arrays of 5 to 20 m length scale patterns of nanostructures is presented.
Sulindac suppresses tumorigenesis in the Min mouse

The Min mouse provides a genetically defined model for inherited and sporadic forms of human colorectal tumorigenesis. To test the suitability of this model for the evaluation and optimization of chemopreventive agents, we examined the effects of sulindac on tumorigenesis in Min mice as this compound can inhibit colorectal tumorigenesis in human familial adenomatous polyposis patients. Treatment of Min mice with sulindac in their drinking water (84 mg/l) or diet (167 and 334 p.p.m.) resulted in a significantly decreased average tumor load. The conservation of sulindac activity in the Min mouse provides an opportunity to explore the mechanism of sulindac suppression as well as to test other potential chemopreventive agents.
Numerical Simulation of the 1993 Midwestern Flood: Land–Atmosphere Interactions

Abstract During the summer of 1993, persistent and heavy precipitation caused a long-lived, catastrophic flood in the midwestern United States. In this paper, Midwest hydrology, atmospheric circulation of the 1993 summer, and feedback between the surface and precipitating systems were investigated using the Purdue Regional Model (PRM). The 30-day PRM control simulations reproduced the large-scale atmospheric features that characterized the summer of 1993. Specifically, the upper-level jet stream and trough over the northwestern United States are present in control cases, as well as the Great Plains low-level jet, general pattern of moisture transport, and heavy precipitation in the Midwest. The daily precipitation record (area averaged over the heaviest rainfall) indicates that the model also reproduces the evolution and periodicity of precipitation events comparable with the observations and correctly depicts the differences between June and July. The sensitivity of the low-level jet, planetary boundary ...
A Low Power Data Acquisition Solution for High Temperature Applications

An increasing number of industries are calling for low power electronics that operate reliably at temperatures of 175°C and higher. Many of these applications require a precision data acquisition signal chain in order to digitize analog data so that it can be collected and processed. We have previously presented a new 600 kSPS SAR ADC that is rated at 210°C to meet these needs. However, the design of the supporting circuitry for a SAR ADC to achieve optimum performance is not trivial, especially over this wide temperature range. In this work we discuss the design of a complete data acquisition circuit building block that will take an analog sensor input, condition it, and digitize it to an SPI serial data stream. We will also discuss some of the practical aspects of fabricating the circuit to survive this harsh environment. This circuit reference design will be published and available off the shelf to designers of harsh environment systems.
The Modeling and Position-Sensorless Estimation Technique for A Nine-Phase Interior Permanent-Magnet Machine Using High-Frequency Injections

This paper presents a sensorless method to estimate the rotor angle and speed of a nine-phase interior permanent-magnet (IPM) machine. The major contributions of this work include the injection of high-frequency voltage signals into a nontorque-producing circuit of the machine in which the rotor angle is estimated without generating any high-frequency torque ripple. The inductances of the third sequence of the nine-phase machine are used to modulate the high-frequency injected voltage signals from which the third-sequence currents are extracted. Using a heterodyning method and the Luenberger observer, the rotor position is estimated. The requirement of only one low-pass filter in the angle estimation algorithm is another novelty. This rotor estimation method can be used for a wide speed range including the zero speed. The proposed method has been tested using the coupled full-order model of the nine-phase IPM machine including all the higher order magnetomotive force (MMF) harmonics. Simulation and experimental results for the motor operating under open-loop constant volts per hertz are presented to validate the estimation technique.
The Psychodynamics of Racial Reparations

A Kleinian account of the role of reparations in the emotional development of the individual suggests that a reparative response to African Americans on the part of white people would require a confrontation with the anxiety and guilt accompanying the awareness of the harm they have done, or fantasized doing, to black people. A successful confrontation with this “depressive” racial anxiety and guilt would diminish demonizing and idealizing fantasies about black people and result in more realistic representations of, and relationships with, them. But that anxiety and guilt are also likely to engender “manic” denials of responsibility for the suffering of black people. Thus, current calls for racial reparations are a challenge for white people to overcome the very resistance that they evoke.
The Social Characteristics of the Early Nineteenth-Century Russian Bureaucracy

Serious scholarly study of the imperial Russian civil service is almost entirely the product of the past decade, and although several important works have appeared, virtually no quantitative material on the social characteristics of the bureaucracy is available. The imperial government did not publish and probably did not compile statistics on such matters as the social origin, wealth, religion, or education of its civil employees, but the raw data for a partial compilation are available in personnel records (formuliarnie spiski) of individual officials, which are preserved in the Central State Historical Archive in Leningrad.
On the Location of the Centroid of Certain Solids

(1959). On the Location of the Centroid of Certain Solids. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 66, No. 10, pp. 875-879.
Simultaneous Surgery of Pectus Excavatum with Other Cardiothoracic Diseases

Objective To summarize the experience of one-stage surgeries for pectus excavatum with other cardiothoracic diseases. Methods The clinical data of 13 cases of pectus excavatum with cardiothoracic diseases(atrio septal defect in 3 cases,ventricular septal defect in 4 cases,congenital lung cyst in 4 cases,diaphragmatic eventration in 1 case,neurofibromatosis of mediastinum in 1 case) which underwent simultaneous pectus deformity correction with other cardiothoracic surgeries were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were divided into 2 groups(pectus excavatum with congenital heart disease group;pectus excavatum with thoracic disease group).The pectus deformities were corrected by using the Nuss procedure in all patients.The cardiac-thoracic surgeries were performed before the Nuss procedure.Thirty peer cases of heart diseases and 10 peer cases of pectus excavatum during the same period were randomly selected as the control group.The peri-operative Haller index,total operation duration,the volume of post-operative chest drainage,duration of post-operative chest tube,duration of post-operative mechanical ventilation and ICU were analyzed. Results Thirteen patients were cured and discharged.No major complications were found.Postoperative Haller index significantly decreased(P0.05).There was statistical significance in the contribution of total operation duration between the group of pectus excavatum with congenital heart diseases and the control groups(Pa0.05).There were no statistical differences in postoperative volume of chest drainage,duration of chest tube maintainance and mechanical ventilation,and duration of ICU between pectus excavatum with congenital heart disease group and congenital heart disease group.Satisfied cardiac-pulmonary function and cosmetic outcome were achieved in all patients. Conclusion Concomitant pectus deformity correction with other cardiothoracic surgery can be performed safely and eliminate the risks of a second operation in one-stage procedure.
Acció del joc, quatre moments

Aquest assaig proposa una nova hermeneutica per a comprendre els trets formals dels videojocs atesa la naturalesa basada en l'accio del mitja i la interaccio dels espais diegetic i no diegetic. Aquest marc interpretatiu te quatre parts: actes diegetics de l'operador com el moviment i l'expressio dins del mon del joc; actes no diegetics de l'operador com el joc codificat i basat en esquemes que es dona en el que l'autor anomena "espais de configuracio" (per exemple, menus de visualitzacio o de configuracio inicial); actes diegetics de la maquina com el comportament de PNJ (personatges no jugadors) i els entorns immersius, ambientals, i actes no diegetics de la maquina com errades i altres efectes tecnics. Text complet (PDF) Node complet (PDF)
The Convergence of Systems Theory and Manufacturing: An Enterprise Model

Abstract New approaches to decision-making have been necessary that integrate all the functions of manufacturing enterprises. This paper presents the formulation of a dynamic decision model of the operations subsystem of an integrated manufacturing enterprise. The main features of this discrete-time model include nonnegative state variables, nonnegative controls, linear dynamics, non-linear feedback controls, and a delay between orders received and delivery of orders. The dynamic description of the operations subsystem accounts for backlogs. Lyapunov's second method allows one to derive algorithms for inventory and delivery control. These controls are validated by a computer simulation. The algorithms exhibit a hierarchical form that seems very amenable for actual implementation in an enterprise.
Making and Maintaining microRNAs in Animals

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules with important roles in the specification and function of animal cells. Perturbations in miRNA expression or function have been associated with a broad range of abnormalities in model animals and pathological outcomes in humans. Development and activity of neuronal cells are particularly reliant on the miRNA pathway, as mis-regulation of miRNA expression can lead to neurodegeneration and a variety of cognitive defects. The final 22 nucleotide form of the miRNA is the product of multiple processing steps, all of which are subject to regulation. Once mature, miRNAs use base-pairing interactions to guide an Argonaute protein complex to messenger RNA targets, resulting in translational inhibition and destabilization of the mRNA. Given the importance of producing the precise sequence and appropriate level of miRNA, miRNA biogenesis involves multiple layers of control from the initial transcription, to stepwise processing, to stabilization of the miRNA in its effector complex. This review will focus on the key steps of miRNA maturation and explore how each phase is orchestrated to ensure proper miRNA synthesis.
Dynamic coalition structure generation for autonomous connected vehicles

In this paper, we present a decentralized, dynamic Coalition Structure Generation (CSG) method for autonomous connected vehicle convoying. A set of vehicles is partitioned into coalitions, each managed by a leader. In the two-phased approach, leaders first communicate with each other to determine whether a coalition merge is beneficial. Then, they decide whether to grant their members' requests to leave, join or form new coalitions. We have implemented our algorithms in MATISSE a large-scale multi-agent based traffic simulation system. Our initial results show an improvement over recent published work on dynamic CSG for connected vehicles.
Effects of Long-Term Manual Invasive Plant Removal on Forest Understory Composition

ABSTRACT: Removal of invasive species is a common management goal to maintain native species composition and wildlife habitat. Due to the time and effort necessary to remove invasive species, it is important to clearly understand the benefits that will be gained through removal and what methods will best achieve those results. This study evaluated the response of native plant understory communities to the removal of invasive species that fell into a range of functional groups including perennial herbs (Microstegium vimineum, Liriope muscari), vines (Lonicera japonica, Lygodium japonicum, Hedra helix), shrubs (Ligustrum sinense), and trees (Albizia julibrissin, Triadica sebifera). Eight invasive plant species were removed from twenty-seven 1-m2 plots for 8 y in an upland mixed hardwood—pine and riverine woodland within the Ocmulgee National Monument, Macon, Georgia. Species richness, herbaceous cover, and woody species number was measured 2 y before removal and each year during removal. Mechanical removal ...
Upper Limb Muscle Activation During Sports Video Gaming of Persons With Spinal Cord Injury

Objective Video gaming as a therapeutic tool has largely been studied within the stroke population with some benefits reported in upper limb motor performance, balance, coordination, and cardiovascular status. To date, muscle activation of upper limb muscles in persons with spinal cord injuries (SCI) has not been studied during video game play. In this paper, we provide descriptive and comparative data for muscle activation and strength during gaming for players with tetraplegia and paraplegia, as well as, compare these results with data from traditional arm exercises (ie, biceps curl and shoulder press) with light weights which are commonly prescribed for a home program. Participants Fourteen individuals with chronic SCI (9 tetraplegia, 5 paraplegia). Design We measured upper limb muscle activation with surface electromyography (EMG) during Wii Sports video game play. Muscle activation was recorded from the playing arm during 4 selected games and normalized to a maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). Outcome measures Heart rate and upper limb motion were recorded simultaneously with EMG. Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used to analyze differences in muscle activation between participants with paraplegia versus tetraplegia and compare gaming with traditional arm exercises with light weights. A Friedman 2-way analysis of variance identified key muscle groups active during game play. Results Overall muscle activation across the games was not different between those with paraplegia and tetraplegia. Heart rate during video game play for tennis and boxing were on average 10 to 20 beats/minute above resting heart rate. The magnitude of EMG was relatively greater for traditional arm exercises with light weights compared with game play. Conclusion The selected Wii games were able to elicit upper extremity muscle activation and elevated heart rates for individuals with SCI that may be used to target therapeutic outcomes.
Mindfulness-Based Symptom and Stress Management Apps for Adults With Chronic Lung Disease: Systematic Search in App Stores

Background: Up to 70% of lung cancer survivors are affected by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a common, debilitating, comorbid disease. Lung cancer and COPD are both characterized by symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue, and psychological distress. These distressing chronic symptoms are exacerbated by stress and detract from an individual’s quality of life. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify and evaluate evidence-based, commercially available apps for promoting mindfulness-based strategies among adults with a COPD or lung cancer history (ie, chronic lung disease). Methods: For this review, an interdisciplinary research team used 19 keyword combinations in the search engines of Google and iOS app stores in May 2017. Evaluations were conducted on the apps’ (1) content, (2) usability heuristics, (3) grade-level readability, and (4) cultural sensitivity. Results: The search resulted in 768 apps (508 in iOS and 260 in Google stores). A total of 9 apps met the inclusion criteria and received further evaluation. Only 1 app had below an eighth-grade reading level; the ninth one did not have enough text to calculate a readability score. None of the 9 apps met the cultural sensitivity evaluation criteria. Conclusions: This systematic review identified critical design flaws that may affect the ease of using the apps in this study. Few mobile apps promote mindfulness-based strategies among adults with chronic lung disease (ie, COPD or lung cancer or both), but those that exist, overall, do not meet the latest scientific evidence. Recommendations include more stringent regulation of health-related apps, use of evidence-based frameworks and participatory design processes, following evidence-based usability practices, use of culturally sensitive language and images, and ensuring that content is written in plain language.
Immersive Policy Learning: An Interactive Course Experiment

An in-course experiment provided undergraduate public policy students with tangible experience in dealing with unfair, discriminatory, intrusive, and arbitrary policies and practices similar to tho...
Urban Design and Human Systems: On Ways of Relating Buildings to Urban Fabric

From the perspective of Man-Environment Studies there are at least three principal ways of relating buildings to urban fabric: perceptual, cognitive and the analysis of the relation between activity systems (including their latent aspects) and the systems of settings within which they take place (primarily the house-settlement system). The study of the congruence/incongruence between these latter is most useful for the analysis of urban form, for urban design and for judging the validity of designs in behaviorally, psychologically and cross-culturally valid ways in cities both of the developed and third worlds. This kind of analysis also enables the integration and bringing together of perceptual, cognitive and other important aspects of urban form, i.e., it is a useful point of entry into the system.
The Problem of Sustainability (1992)

T hree crises loom dead ahead. The first is a food crisis evident in two curves that intersect in the not too distant future: one showing worldwide soil losses of 24 billion tons, the other a rapidly rising world population. The second crisis is that caused by the era of cheap fossil energy and its conclusion. We are in a race between the exhaustion of fossil fuels, global warming, and the policy requirements necessary to transition to a new era based on efficiency and solar energy. The third crisis, perhaps best symbolized by the looming prospect of a global climate change, has to do with ecological thresholds and the limits of natural systems. We can no longer assume that nature will be either bountiful or stable or that the Earth will remain hospitable to civilization. These three crises feed upon one another. They are interactive in ways that we cannot fully anticipate. Together they constitute the first planetary crisis, one that will either spur humans to a much higher state or cause our demise. It is not too much to say that the decisions about how or whether life will be lived in the next century are being made now. We have a few decades, perhaps, in which we must make unprecedented changes in the way we relate to each other and to nature.
Analysis of the PhilEx Moored Velocity and Pressure Gauge Measurements

Abstract : The long-term goal is to understand the processes that control the generation, evolution and distribution of small-scale, time-dependent features within straits, and how these features interact with the large-scale sub-tidal throughflow within which they are embedded. The effort will focus on a multi-year time series from an ocean sensor array of moored ADCP and temperature-conductivity sensors, and pressure gauge observations in the internal straits of the Philippine archipelago. The aim is to characterize the spatial and temporal variability of the small-scale features and large-scale flows, and how they may vary seasonally to interannually as the remote and local (monsoonal) forcing changes. Ultimately, this will enable a better representation and prediction in numerical and theoretical models of the structure and evolution of the small-scale features common to sea straits, including their time-dependent variability.
Development Of KrF Lasers For Inertial Confinement Fusion

High peak power rare gas halide lasers for applications in Inertial Confinement Fusion are being developed at laboratories across the world. The United States Department of Energy sponsors a program conducted at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Naval Research Laboratory. The Los Alamos laser development program is composed of three major elements; the Aurora Laser Facility is a 1 terawatt KrF laser designed as an integrated performance demonstration of a target qualified excimer laser system; an advanced design effort evaluates concepts that offer the improved performance and lower cost that will be essential for the construction of future lasers in the 0.5 to 10 MJ class; and a laser technology program that addresses both performance and cost issues that will be important in advanced laser system designs.
Multidimensional Sparse Fourier Transform Based on the Fourier Projection-Slice Theorem

We propose Multidimensional Random Slice-based Sparse Fourier Transform (MARS-SFT), a sparse Fourier transform for multidimensional, frequency-domain sparse signals, inspired by the idea of the Fourier projection-slice theorem. MARS-SFT identifies frequencies by operating on one-dimensional slices of the discrete-time domain data, taken along specially designed lines; these lines are parametrized by slopes that are randomly generated from a set at runtime. The discrete Fourier transforms (DFTs) of data slices represent DFT projections onto the lines along which the slices were taken. On designing the line lengths and slopes so that they allow for orthogonal and uniform projections of the sparse frequencies, frequency collisions are avoided with high probability, and the multidimensional frequencies can be recovered from their projections with low sample and computational complexity. We show analytically that the large number of degrees of freedom of frequency projections allows for the recovery of less sparse signals. Although the theoretical results are obtained for uniformly distributed frequencies, empirical evidence suggests that MARS-SFT is also effective in recovering clustered frequencies. We also propose an extension of MARS-SFT to address noisy signals that contain off-grid frequencies and demonstrate its performance in digital beamforming automotive radar signal processing. In that context, the robust MARS-SFT is used to identify range, velocity, and angular parameters of targets with low sample and computational complexity.
Building Blocks of a New ALD E-Nose - A First Step: N-Type and P-Type ALD Sensors

We constructed the basic building blocks of a new type of low-power sensor array with an n-type Sn02 sensor and p-type CuO sensor. Both sensors have sensing film deposited by atomic layer deposition with thickness of 6.5 nm for Sn02 and 20 nm for CuO, which are in an order thickness of their respective Debye lengths. Unique response values for ozone and acetone were seen with Sn02 and CuO in the tested concentration ranges while CuO was seen to be more selective to humidity than Sn02. The impact, reason for choosing these building blocks and the mathematical rationale behind choosing relevant data features are discussed.
The yeast mitochondrial proteins Rcf1 and Rcf2 support the enzymology of the cytochrome c oxidase complex and generation of the proton motive force.

The yeast mitochondrial proteins Rcf1 and Rcf2 are associated with a subpopulation of the cytochrome bc1–cytochrome c oxidase supercomplex and have been proposed to play a role in the assembly and/or modulation of the activity of the cytochrome c oxidase (complex IV, CIV). Yeast mutants deficient in either Rcf1 or Rcf2 proteins can use aerobic respiration–based metabolism for growth, but the absence of both proteins results in a strong growth defect. In this study, using assorted biochemical and biophysical analyses of Rcf1/Rcf2 single and double null-mutant yeast cells and mitochondria, we further explored how Rcf1 and Rcf2 support aerobic respiration and growth. We show that the absence of Rcf1 physically reduces the levels of CIV and diminishes the ability of the CIV that is present to maintain a normal mitochondrial proton motive force (PMF). Although the absence of Rcf2 did not noticeably affect the physical content of CIV, the PMF generated by CIV was also lower than normal. Our results indicate that the detrimental effects of the absence of Rcf1 and Rcf2 proteins on the CIV complex are distinct in terms of CIV assembly/accumulation and additive in terms of the ability of CIV to generate PMF. Thus, the combined absence of Rcf1 and Rcf2 alters both CIV physiology and assembly. We conclude that the slow aerobic growth of the Rcf1/Rcf2 double null mutant results from diminished generation of mitochondrial PMF by CIV and limits the level of CIV activity required for maintenance of the PMF and growth under aerobic conditions.
Cross-ISA execution of SIMD regions for improved performance

We investigate the effectiveness of executing SIMD workloads on multiprocessors with heterogeneous Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) cores. Heterogeneous ISAs offer an intriguing clock speed/parallelism tradeoff for workloads with frequent usage of SIMD instructions. We consider dynamic migration of SIMD and non-SIMD workloads across ISA-different cores to exploit this trade-off. We present the necessary modifications for a general compiler/run-time infrastructure to transform the dynamic program state of SIMD regions at run-time from one ISA format to another for cross-ISA migration and execution. Additionally, we present a SIMD-aware scheduling policy that makes cross-ISA migration decisions that improve system throughput. We prototype a heterogeneous-ISA system using an Intel Xeon x86-64 server and a Cavium ThunderX ARMv8 server and evaluate the effectiveness of our infrastructure and scheduling policy. Our results reveal that cross-ISA execution migration within SIMD regions can yield throughput gains up to 36% compared to traditional homogeneous ISA systems.
Transverse Spin Asymmetries in the $p^{\uparrow}p\to p\pi^0 X$ Process at STAR

A significant sample of $p^{\uparrow}p\to p\pi^0 X$ events has been observed at STAR in $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV transversely polarized $pp$ collisions, where an isolated $\pi^0$ is detected in the forward pseudorapidity range $2.65<\eta<3.9$ along with the forward-going proton $p$, which scatters with a near-beam forward pseudorapidity into Roman Pot detectors. The sum of the $\pi^0$ and the scattered proton energies is consistent with the incident proton energy of 100 GeV, indicating that no further particles are produced in this direction. It is postulated that the forward incident proton may have fluctuated into a $p+\pi^0$ system, with an angular momentum correlated with the initial proton spin. The backward-going proton interacts with the $p+\pi^0$ system, which then separates such that the $\pi^0$ has a transverse momentum of ${\sim}2$ GeV/$c$ and the proton has a transverse momentum of ${\sim}0.2$ GeV/$c$, while the backward proton shatters into the remaining particles $X$. Correlations between the $\pi^0$ and scattered proton will be presented, along with single-spin asymmetries which depend on the azimuthal angles of both the pion and the proton. This is the first time that spin asymmetries have been explored for this process, and a model to explain their azimuthal dependence is needed.
IEEE Power and Energy Technology Systems Journal

Currently, the momentum toward full propulsion-system electrification is strong, and, along with an emphasis on renewable energy sources, a CO 2 -neutral passenger-vehicle future is more promising than ever. The best BEVs today are great vehicles for those willing to pay extra, willing to plan trips, and expecting to have more than one vehicle in the household. However, to make the BEVs replacements for today's ICE-powered vehicles for non-BEV enthusiasts, they must be better vehicles that offer better ownership experiences. GM, with its partners, is dedicated to developing the next generation of industry -leading BEVs and user -interfacing technologies to trigger the BEV tipping point. This is a large task, but GM has the talent, technology, and ambition to create a safer, better, more-sustainable future with zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion.
Variational Bayesian methods for cognitive science

Bayesian inference has become a powerful and popular technique for understanding psychological phenomena. However, compared with frequentist statistics, current methods employing Bayesian statistics typically require time-intensive computations, often hindering our ability to evaluate alternatives in a thorough manner. In this article, we advocate for an alternative strategy for performing Bayesian inference, called variational Bayes (VB). VB methods posit a parametric family of distributions that could conceivably contain the target posterior distribution, and then attempt to identify the best parameters for matching the target. In this sense, acquiring the posterior becomes an optimization problem, rather than a complex integration problem. VB methods have enjoyed considerable success in fields such as neuroscience and machine learning, yet have received surprisingly little attention in fields such as psychology. Here, we identify and discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of using VB methods. In our consideration of possible strategies to make VB methods appropriate for psychological models, we develop the differential evolution variational inference algorithm, and compare its performance with a widely used VB algorithm. As test problems, we evaluate the algorithms on their ability to recover the posterior distribution of the linear ballistic accumulator model and a hierarchical signal detection model. Although we cannot endorse VB methods in their current form as a complete replacement for conventional methods, we argue that their accuracy and speed warrant inclusion within the cognitive scientist's toolkit. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Ionizing radiation-induced mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activation in DU145 prostate carcinoma cells: MAP kinase inhibition enhances radiation-induced cell killing and G2/M-phase arrest.

Hagan, M., Wang, L., Hanley, J. R., Park, J. S. and Dent, P. Ionizing Radiation-Induced Mitogen-Activated Protein (MAP) Kinase Activation in DU145 Prostate Carcinoma Cells: MAP Kinase Inhibition Enhances Radiation-Induced Cell Killing and G2/M-Phase Arrest.These studies examine the role(s) played by the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway after exposure of DU145 prostate carcinoma cells to radiation. Radiation (2 Gy) was found to cause both immediate primary (0–30 min) and prolonged secondary activations (90–1440 min) of the MAPK pathway. These activations of the MAPK pathway were abolished by inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) function. The secondary activation was also abolished by addition of a neutralizing monoclonal antibody against transforming growth factor α (TGFA). Activation of the MAPK pathway could be induced in nonirradiated cells by the transfer of medium from irradiated cultures. Neutralizing antibody to TGFA blocked this effect, indicating that radiation causes secondary activation of the MAPK pathway by release of TGFA in DU145 cells. Radiation induced a transient G2/M-phase growth arrest that was prolonged for up to 24 h by inhibition of the MAPK pathway. Inhibition of the MAPK pathway significantly increased the ability of radiation to cause apoptosis 24 h after exposure. The ability of DU145 cells to proliferate after irradiation became dependent on MAPK signaling. When cells were subjected to single doses or fractionated radiation exposure, continuous inhibition of the MAPK pathway significantly decreased clonogenic survival. Only a small fraction of this cell killing could be accounted for by apoptosis within the first 96 h. Thus inhibition of the MAPK pathway increased radiation-induced cell killing likely by both apoptotic and nonapoptotic mechanisms. Collectively, our findings indicate that disruption of the TGFA/EGFR/MAPK pathway may represent a strategy that could be exploited to manipulate prostate carcinoma growth and cell survival after irradiation.
History of opioid use as a risk factor for current use and mental health consequences among retired National Football League athletes: A 9-year follow-up investigation.

Abstract Background Many retired National Football League (NFL) athletes manage pain with opioids during their playing careers and in retirement, though the longitudinal association between opioid use and health outcomes pertinent to an NFL career are not yet known. This study aimed to assess the relationship between opioid use in 2010 and current use, depressive symptoms, and health related quality of life (HRQoL) among NFL retirees. Methods Former NFL athletes from the Retired NFL Players Association initially recruited in 2010 for a study examining risk factors of opioid use and misuse were re-contacted (N = 89) from 2018 to 2019 and administered measures of pain, opioid use, depressive symptoms, and HRQoL. Binomial regression examined the association between 2010 opioid use with current use, moderate-severe depressive symptoms, and average and above HRQoL (physical and mental) while controlling for covariates. Results Nearly 50 % of retirees using opioids in 2010 currently used. Compared to non-users, retirees who used opioids in 2010 had greater odds of current use (AOR: 3.71, 95 % CI: 1.02−13.56, p = 0.046) and experiencing moderate-severe depressive symptoms (AOR: 5.93, 95 % CI: 1.15−30.54, p = 0.033). Retirees reporting use in 2010 also evidenced lower odds of reporting average or above mental HRQoL (AOR: 0.13, 95 % CI: 0.03−0.67, p = 0.015) compared to non-users. Conclusions This study showed that among NFL retirees, early retirement opioid use predicted current use and deleterious effects on mental health, including moderate-severe depressive symptoms approximately nine years later. This investigation further supports the importance of early intervention of pain and opioid use among this population.
Effects of Electrolytes on Thermodynamics and Structure of Oligo(ethylene oxide)/Salt Solutions and Liquid–Liquid Equilibria of a Squalane/Tetraethylene Glycol Dimethyl Ether Blend

Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo simulations for salt-doped oligo(ethylene oxide) (OEO, Mw = 90–266 g/mol) solutions show that the presence of ions leads to significant increases in the cohesive energy d...
Abdominal Pain and Depression, Not Bowel Habits, Predict Health Care Utilization in Patients With Functional Bowel Disorders.

Introduction Patients with disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBIs) are high users of health care. Past studies exploring predictors of utilization have lacked patient-level clinical data. The aim of the current study is to identify demographic, clinical, and psychological predictors of health care utilization in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional constipation (FC), and functional diarrhea (FDr). Methods Consecutive new patients diagnosed with IBS, FC, and FDr (using Rome IV criteria) completed questionnaires assessing health care utilization as well as clinical and psychological symptoms. Health care utilization was assessed using a 13-item measure inquiring about the previous 6 months. Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Information System (PROMIS) was used to assess severity of abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance. Results Of the 507 patients diagnosed with IBS, FC, or FDr, 434 completed the health care utilization questionnaire (mean age of 44 years, 79.5% female, and 73.5% IBS). In the final multivariable models, more severe abdominal pain and higher depression scores were significantly associated with increased utilization of (i) total outpatient visits, (ii) outpatient visits for gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, and (iii) number of medications for GI symptoms. More severe abdominal pain was also significantly predictive of GI-related emergency department visits. Altered bowel habits were not consistent predictors of health care utilization. Discussion Severity of abdominal pain and depressive symptoms, but not bowel habits, is a primary driver of increased care-seeking behavior in patients with IBS, FC, and FDr.
Security Assessment of High-Level Synthesis

Securing intellectual property (IP) blocks have become a huge concern for the designers due to increasing attacks at different stages of the design. This wide array of attacks from IP piracy, counterfeiting, reverse engineering to overproduction has prompted designers to look into protection mechanisms to limit unauthorized access to the actual design. Logic locking/obfuscation is such a technique that protects designs from unauthorized usages by embedding locking keys into the design that are unknown to adversaries. However, the majority of the proposed locking techniques work at the gate-level of the design, and it has been shown that the correct keys can be successfully retrieved through various adversarial attacks such as SAT attacks, removal attacks, and reverse engineering. In this chapter, we propose a locking technique at a higher level of abstraction and show that using high-level synthesis, this technique is far more resilient towards different attacks and provides better control in terms of performance parameters to the designer compared to other techniques. The key element of this technique is locking the design at higher levels of abstractions (i.e., C/C++) when the designers have a better understanding of the design’s critical functions/information. In the next step, a high-level synthesis (HLS) tool is used to automatically generate locked RTL modules from an untimed C/C++ description. The proposed framework is dependent on HLS. As a result, design security also depends on a secure HLS process. For this purpose, we also provide a detailed security assessment on the HLS process and show potential vulnerabilities during its translation. We also present some verification approaches to address these vulnerabilities to secure the design and provide a robust framework for IP protection.
A Digital Case-Finding Algorithm for Diagnosed but Untreated Hepatitis C: A Tool for Increasing Linkage to Treatment and Cure

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Although chronic HCV infection increases mortality, thousands of patients remain diagnosed-but-untreated (DBU). We aimed to (1) develop a DBU phenotyping algorithm, (2) use it to facilitate case finding and linkage to care, and (3) identify barriers to successful treatment. APPROACH AND RESULTS We developed a phenotyping algorithm using Java and SQL and applied it to ~2.5 million EPIC electronic medical records (EMRs; data entered January 2003 to December 2017). Approximately 72,000 EMRs contained an HCV International Classification of Diseases code and/or diagnostic test. The algorithm classified 10,614 cases as DBU (HCV-RNA positive and alive). Its positive and negative predictive values were 88% and 97%, respectively, as determined by manual review of 500 EMRs randomly selected from the ~72,000. Navigators reviewed the charts of 6,187 algorithm-defined DBUs and they attempted to contact potential treatment candidates by phone. By June 2020, 30% (n = 1,862) had completed an HCV-related appointment. Outcomes analysis revealed that DBU patients enrolled in our care coordination program were more likely to complete treatment (72% [n = 219] vs. 54% [n = 256]; P < 0.001) and to have a verified sustained virological response (67% vs. 46%; P < 0.001) than other patients. Forty-eight percent (n = 2,992) of DBU patients could not be reached by phone, which was a major barrier to engagement. Nearly half of these patients had Fibrosis-4 scores ≥ 2.67, indicating significant fibrosis. Multivariable logistic regression showed that DBUs who could not be contacted were less likely to have private insurance than those who could (18% vs. 50%; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The digital DBU case-finding algorithm efficiently identified potential HCV treatment candidates, freeing resources for navigation and coordination. The algorithm is portable and accelerated HCV elimination when incorporated in our comprehensive program.
Adolescent novelty seeking is associated with greater ventral striatal and prefrontal brain response during evaluation of risk and reward

Adolescence is a period during which reward sensitivity is heightened. Studies suggest that there are individual differences in adolescent reward-seeking behavior, attributable to a variety of factors, including temperament. This study investigated the neurobiological underpinnings of risk and reward evaluation as they relate to self-reported pleasure derived from novel experiences on the revised Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire (EATQ-R). Healthy participants (N = 265, ~50% male), aged 12-17 years, underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging during a modified Wheel of Fortune task, where they evaluated choices with varying probability of winning different monetary rewards. Across all participants, there was increased brain response in salience, reward, and cognitive control circuitry when evaluating choices with larger (compared with moderate) difference in risk/reward. Whole brain and a priori region-of-interest regression analyses revealed that individuals reporting higher novelty seeking had greater activation in bilateral ventral striatum, left middle frontal gyrus, and bilateral posterior cingulate cortex when evaluating the choices for largest difference in risk/reward. These novelty seeking associations with brain response were seen in the absence of temperament-related differences in decision-making behavior. Thus, while heightened novelty seeking in adolescents might be associated with greater neural sensitivity to risk/reward, accompanying increased activation in cognitive control regions might regulate reward-driven risk-taking behavior. More research is needed to determine whether individual differences in brain activation associated with novelty seeking are related to decision making in more ecologically valid settings.
What Society May Claim: Public Health

This brief chapter describes concepts that will be used as a basis to explain and justify claims by the state for itself, and for society beyond the family. Public health is a collective good that focuses on disease prevention, is consequentialist in its outlook, and frequently involves use of state power. In a liberal democracy, health must usually be defined relatively narrowly, as prevention of disease, rather than used as a broad concept to justify massive social engineering. Optimizing health is a public good and a common good; it benefits all, and requires the cooperation of all. As such, it requires a degree of societal solidarity that has been notably absent, for example, in the United States during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Free riding must be minimized. Harm reduction as a means of mitigating harmful behavior is discussed as a public health strategy.
Antidumping, Business Ethics and International Relations

Antidumping laws have been the protectionist's tool of choice since the creation of the World Trade Organization led to the decline of tariffs and quotas and the liberalization of trade. Domestic producers have abused the antidumping laws to prevent foreign competition at the expense of the general public. It is a practical example of rent seeking. The aggressive use of the antidumping laws has led to problems in international relations as well, since target nations feel they are being treated unfairly. In some cases, they retaliate by imposing trade restrictions of their own on the countries that launched the antidumping investigations against them. This paper explores recent developments in this area and examines the use of antidumping laws by domestic producers from the perspectives of business ethics and international relations.
Physical studies of cell surface and cell membrane structure: Deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance investigation of deuterium-labelled N-hexadecanoylgalactosylceramides (Cerebrosides)

Abstract 1. 1. Deuterium Fourier transform nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of a series of N-palmitoylgalactosylceramides (cerebrosides) specifically labelled with deuterium at one of positions 2′, 6′, 10′ and 16′ of the acyl chain, or in the C-6 hydroxymethyl group of the galactose residue, have been obtained using a spin-echo technique at 34.1 MHz with a homebuilt superconducting magnet spectrometer. 2. 2. The effects of temperature and cholesterol on the deuterium spectra have been investigated. The results indicate, when compared at the same reduced temperature, that the hydrocarbon chain organization in the liquid crystalline phase of palmitoylgalactosylceramide is essentially identical to that seen in similar chain length glycerophospholipids. In particular, two sets of quadrupole splittings are seen for a 2′-labelled N-palmitoylgalactosylceramide, indicating non-equivalent deuterons as noted previously for phospholipids. 3. 3. Two sets of quadrupole splittings are observed for the headgroup C-6-labelled N-palmitoylgalactosylceramide. It is proposed that these signals arise from the enantiomeric R and S lipids, and that motion of the hydroxymethyl group is slow (greater than 10−5 s). These results suggest the presence of a hydrogen bond network in the polar headgroup region.
Revisiting the Pedagogy and Theory Corral: Creative Writing Pedagogy Teachers’ Conceptions of Pedagogic Identity

This article, based on a panel presentation delivered at the 2015 Conference on College Composition and Communication in Tampa, Florida, describes an on-going study of the conceptions of creative writing pedagogy teachers regarding creative writing teachers and teaching. Using a phenomenographic approach, the study reveals five broad categories of pedagogic identity: Expert Practitioner, Facilitator, Change Agent, Co-Constructor of Knowledge, and Vocational Coach. This framework of pedagogic identity can serve as an instrument for explaining tensions and contradictions between and within conceptions and practices of teaching creative writing and creative writing pedagogy.