cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Freestanding Alumina Membrane by Double-Layer Anodization

A novel method has been developed for fabricating full or partial freestanding anodic alumina. In our method a sacrificial metal layer is introduced between an Al film and a Si3N4 substrate. A freestanding alumina film at wafer scale is successfully achieved by anodizing the double metal layer, during which the alumina is spontaneously stripped off the Si3N4 substrate due to the anodic oxidation of the sacrificial layer. The barrier oxide of the alumina film is effectively removed either by H3PO4 dissolution or by CF4 reactive ion etching. The freestanding alumina film is utilized as a contact mask to transfer its nanoporous pattern to a Si substrate. By patterning the sacrificial metal layer with contact lithography, a partial freestanding alumina film is successfully achieved on the silicon chip, producing a unique micro/nanofluidic channel. Compared with previous techniques, the method reported here is advantageous for its simplicity and flexibility
Design tradeoffs for SSD performance

Solid-state disks (SSDs) have the potential to revolutionize the storage system landscape. However, there is little published work about their internal organization or the design choices that SSD manufacturers face in pursuit of optimal performance. This paper presents a taxonomy of such design choices and analyzes the likely performance of various configurations using a trace-driven simulator and workload traces extracted from real systems. We find that SSD performance and lifetime is highly workload-sensitive, and that complex systems problems that normally appear higher in the storage stack, or even in distributed systems, are relevant to device firmware.
Interconnectedness of global hemostasis assay parameters in simultaneously evaluated thrombin generation, fibrin generation and clot lysis in normal plasma

Abstract Background Fluorogenic thrombin generation (TG) assays and turbidity-based fibrin generation (FG)- and fibrinolysis (FL)-resistance assays have been sought to assess bleeding and clotting disorders. Theoretically, TG, FG and FL tests should provide overlapping information because thrombin is responsible for FG and induces protection from FL. The relationships between TG, FG and FL parameters remain poorly investigated, partly because existing experimental systems do not permit simultaneous detection of both TG and FG in the same sample of plasma, and are instead tested in separate experiments. Objectives and methods We evaluated the potential benefits of a combined TG/FG/FL assay by testing responses of normal plasma to a wide range of tissue factor (TF) and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) concentrations. Correlations between multiple parameters extracted from the TG and FG/FL curves were also compared. Results Rate of FG correlated well with TG peak height at all TF concentrations, but correlations between TG and FL parameters depended on the TF concentration. Without thrombomodulin, all FG/FL parameters at high TF could be predicted from TG parameters and no FL protection was observed. With thrombomodulin and high TF, TF-dependent FL protection did not correlate with TF-dependent TG. The fluorogenic thrombin substrate did not interfere with optical density readings, and meaningful tPA concentrations did not interfere with TG readings. Conclusions In normal plasma, TG, FG and FL parameters may provide interchangeable information. Evaluation of FL-resistance may provide additional data under special assay conditions, but the value of this information should be studied under disease conditions.
Order Didelphimorphia—Eimeriidae

Abstract This chapter summarizes what we know, to date, about the eimeriid coccidia described from the marsupial order Didelphimorphia. This is the largest order of extant Ameridelphia marsupials, but contains only a single family, Didelphidae, with 17 genera and 87 species, and includes only opossums and mouse opossums. Within the Didelphidae, 7 of the 17 (41%) genera and only 9 of the 87 (10%) species in the New World's Didelphimorphia opossums have ever been examined for intestinal coccidians. From this very modest sample, 10 Eimeria and 1 Isospora species have been identified, most of which seem to be valid. Of course, from these descriptions we know the structure and dimensions of their sporulated oocysts. We know how long it takes for the oocysts of 7 of the 11 species to sporulate. We know the prepatent and/or patent periods and the site of intestinal infection for 3 of the 11 species. We know the complete life cycle of endogenous development in one species (Eimeria marmosopos) and this is the only complete life cycle known for any marsupial intestinal coccidian. But there are only a few sketchy details on cross-transmission and pathology of these 11 species. Of the 11 coccidia species, 7 have been archived into accredited museums as phototypes and the symbiotype host has been archived for 4 of the 11 species.
Steady-state and dynamic gene expression programs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae in response to variation in environmental nitrogen

Cell growth rate is regulated in response to the abundance and molecular form of essential nutrients. InSaccharomyces cerevisiae(budding yeast), the molecular form of environmental nitrogen is a major determinant of cell growth rate, supporting growth rates that vary at least threefold. Transcriptional control of nitrogen use is mediated in large part by nitrogen catabolite repression (NCR), which results in the repression of specific transcripts in the presence of a preferred nitrogen source that supports a fast growth rate, such as glutamine, that are otherwise expressed in the presence of a nonpreferred nitrogen source, such as proline, which supports a slower growth rate. Differential expression of the NCR regulon and additional nitrogen-responsive genes results in >500 transcripts that are differentially expressed in cells growing in the presence of different nitrogen sources in batch cultures. Here we find that in growth rate-controlled cultures using nitrogen-limited chemostats, gene expression programs are strikingly similar regardless of nitrogen source. NCR expression is derepressed in all nitrogen-limiting chemostat conditions regardless of nitrogen source, and in these conditions, only 34 transcripts exhibit nitrogen source-specific differential gene expression. Addition of either the preferred nitrogen source, glutamine, or the nonpreferred nitrogen source, proline, to cells growing in nitrogen-limited chemostats results in rapid, dose-dependent repression of the NCR regulon. Using a novel means of computational normalization to compare global gene expression programs in steady-state and dynamic conditions, we find evidence that the addition of nitrogen to nitrogen-limited cells results in the transient overproduction of transcripts required for protein translation. Simultaneously, we find that that accelerated mRNA degradation underlies the rapid clearing of a subset of transcripts, which is most pronounced for the highly expressed NCR-regulated permease genesGAP1,MEP2,DAL5,PUT4, andDIP5 Our results reveal novel aspects of nitrogen-regulated gene expression and highlight the need for a quantitative approach to study how the cell coordinates protein translation and nitrogen assimilation to optimize cell growth in different environments.
Do Ancillary Studies Aid Detection and Classification of Barrett Esophagus

Barrett esophagus is a preneoplastic condition defined by the presence of intestinal metaplasia (ie, goblet cells) in an endoscopically apparent columnar-lined esophagus. Dysplasia is the most important risk factor for cancer development among patients with Barrett esophagus; approximately 6% of patients with high-grade dysplasia progress to adenocarcinoma within 1 year. Surgical pathologists are generally expected to address 2 clinical concerns when evaluating mucosal biopsy samples from patients with suspected Barrett esophagus; they should note the presence, or absence, of goblet cells and comment on the grade of dysplasia when it is identified. Biopsy samples from patients with Barrett esophagus are categorized as negative for dysplasia, indefinite for dysplasia, or positive for dysplasia; in the latter situation, the severity of dysplasia is classified as low or high grade. Several histochemical stains, immunohistochemical stains, and molecular techniques can be used to facilitate detection of goblet cells and classify dysplasia in patients with Barrett esophagus, although their added value to routine morphologic assessment is not entirely clear. The purpose of this review is to discuss the state of the art regarding application of ancillary studies to esophageal samples from patients with a columnar-lined esophagus.
Border Skirmish: Neither Wages nor the Whip

I have been insisting on a sharp differentiation of social relations between metropolitan Britain and the frontier colonies during the first century of the British Atlantic slave system. Yet some recent historians of black people in Britain would insist that black slavery was in fact an institution in England itself and remained legal, with qualifications, until the Emancipation Act of 1833. There is no dearth of evidence that blacks were being bought and sold in the metropolis. Advertisements for runaways insisted on their status as the property of their masters and were accompanied by warnings of prosecution for any who dared to harbour them. They were collared like dogs. Couples were separated by indifferent or petulant masters.1
Quantenmechanische Behandlung der optischen Konstanten

In Kapitel 4 gingen wir von der Voraussetzung aus, das die fur das optische Verhalten von Metallen verantwortlichen Elektronen, Teilcheneigensehaften besitzen, und kamen mit dieser Arbeitshypothese zumindest bei kleinen Frequenzen zu befriedigenden und mit dem Experiment ubereinstimmenden Ergebnissen. Leider hatte diese Behandlung einen Schonheitsfehler. Fur die Erklarung und Berechnung der Ultrarotabsorption benutzten wir das Konzept der im Metall frei beweglichen Elektronen, wahrend die Behandlung der Absorptionsbanden im sichtbaren und ultravioletten Spektralgebiet nur mit der Annahme von gebundenen Elektronen erklart werden konnte. Es ist jedoch vom klassischen Standpunkt aus nicht ohne weiteres einzusehen, warum die Elektronen bei kleinen Frequenzen frei und bei hoheren Frequenzen gebunden sein sollen. Eine zwanglose Erklarung dafur gelang erst mit Hilfe der Wellenmechanik, der wir uns in diesem Kapitel eingehend widmen wollen. Wir werden unser Ziel, die Berechnung der optischen Konstanten mit Hilfe der Wellenmechanik allerdings zunachst zuruckstellen und die fur das Verstandnis dieser Berechnung notwendigen Grundgedanken der Wellenmechanik erortern.
Hats Off to Jenny Lind

The monogenist Cuvier believes that all humans are related through a shared origin in Adam and Eve, but that the various races have diverged over time. The face of “Caucasian” women, from the Caucasus and homeland of the Circassians, has changed due to its continuous exposure to elevating cultural sanctuary. Caucasian women are spared pedestrian concerns and their visage exudes the moral purity that their privilege facilitates. Beauty is neither individually achieved nor genetically predetermined, and thus those fortunate enough to inherit it are beholden to their culture’s history and its capacity to keep half of its population in a state of superfluousness.
Absolute Minimal Sampling in High-Dimensional NMR Spectroscopy.

Standard three-dimensional Fourier transform (FT) NMR experiments of molecular systems often involve prolonged measurement times due to extensive sampling required along the indirect time domains to obtain adequate spectral resolution. In recent years, a wealth of alternative sampling methods has been proposed to ease this bottleneck. However, due to their algorithmic complexity, for a given sample and experiment it is often hard to determine the minimal sampling requirement, and hence the maximal achievable experimental speed up. Herein we introduce an absolute minimal sampling (AMS) method that can be applied to common 3D NMR experiments. We show for the proteins ubiquitin and arginine kinase that for widely used experiments, such as 3D HNCO, accurate carbon frequencies can be obtained with a single time increment, while for others, such as 3D HN(CA)CO, all relevant information is obtained with as few as 6 increments amounting to a speed up of a factor 7–50.
Addressing the challenges of critical communication pedagogy scholarship: moving toward an applied agenda

ABSTRACTCritical communication pedagogy (CCP) scholarship is a relatively new and important area of research that evaluates how language is used to both empower and marginalize. It faces challenges in terms of recognition and publication outlets. In this essay, I argue that scholars face obstacles when attempting to publish pedagogical work that is critical in nature. I make the case that a major reason that CCP scholarship is not as widely recognized is that it is largely not considered to be applied work. By sharing my experiences, I argue that scholars working in CCP can help to overcome these barriers to recognition and publication by developing an applied language and focus for CCP, demonstrating how CCP can be used to recognize and respond to hegemony in the classroom and in society.
Peer pressure on identity: On requirements for disambiguating PUFs in noisy environment

The number of devices that are being connected by the Internet is growing rapidly and hence, safeguarding private information by incorporating hardware and software security measures has become crucial. Physically unclonable functions (PUFs) have been proposed to enable lightweight hardware security which uses the inherent manufacturing variations as a way to generate unique signatures. However, given largescale applications like the Internet of Things (IoT) that need to distinguish between millions of devices, it is an arduous task to identify a particular device that generates its signature using a PUF. Unreliable signatures due to various sources of noise complicate the problem that may lead to misidentification. This paper explores the various constraints for use of PUFs for largescale authentication and develops certain minimum requirements on PUF utilization that can aid system designers in making informed decisions.
Genome Sequence of Mycobacterium Phage CrystalP.

ABSTRACT Mycobacteriophage CrystalP is a newly isolated phage infecting Mycobacterium smegmatis strain mc2155. CrystalP has a 76,483-bp genome and is predicted to contain 143 protein-coding and 2 tRNA genes, including repressor and integrase genes consistent with a temperate lifestyle. CrystalP is related to the mycobacteriophages Toto and Kostya and to other Cluster E phages.
Annotating the Predicate-Argument Structure of Chinese Nominalizations

This paper describes the Chinese NomBank Project, the goal of which is to annotate the predicate-argument structure of nominalized predicates in Chinese. The Chinese Nombank extends the general framework of the English and Chinese Proposition Banks to the annotation of nominalized predicates and adds a layer of semantic annotation to the Chinese Treebank. We first outline the scope of the work by discussing the markability of the nominalized predicates and their arguments. We then attempt to provide a categorization of the distribution of the arguments of nominalized predicates. We also discuss the relevance of the event/result distinction to the annotation of nominalized predicates and the phenomenon of incorporation. Finally we discuss some cross-linguistic differences between English and Chinese.
Datasets and Stories: Introduction and Guidelines

We describe the purpose of the “Datasets and Stories” section of this journal. Guidelines for submitting datasets and articles to this section are discussed. Instructions are provided for retrievin...
Effects of perineural invasion on biochemical recurrence and prostate cancer-specific survival in patients treated with definitive external beam radiotherapy.

Abstract Objectives Perineural invasion (PNI) has not yet gained universal acceptance as an independent predictor of adverse outcomes for prostate cancer treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). We analyzed the prognostic influence of PNI for a large institutional cohort of prostate cancer patients who underwent EBRT with and without androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Material and methods We, retrospectively, reviewed prostate cancer patients treated with EBRT from 1993 to 2007 at our institution. The primary endpoint was biochemical failure-free survival (BFFS), with secondary endpoints of metastasis-free survival (MFS), prostate cancer-specific survival (PCSS), and overall survival (OS). Univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were constructed for all survival endpoints. Hazard ratios for PNI were analyzed for the entire cohort and for subsets defined by NCCN risk level. Additionally, Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated for all survival endpoints after stratification by PNI status, with significant differences computed using the log-rank test. Results Of 888 men included for analysis, PNI was present on biopsy specimens in 187 (21.1%). PNI was associated with clinical stage, pretreatment PSA level, biopsy Gleason score, and use of ADT (all P Conclusion PNI was an independently significant predictor of adverse survival outcomes in this large institutional cohort, particularly for patients with NCCN low-risk disease. PNI should be carefully considered along with other standard prognostic factors when treating these patients with EBRT. Supplementing EBRT with ADT may be beneficial for select low-risk patients with PNI though independent validation with prospective studies is recommended.
Utility of an additive frailty tests index score for mortality risk assessment following transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Abstract Background The impact of frailty assessment on outcomes in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remains unclear. Our aim was to evaluate the individual effect of each frailty test and the utility of an additive frailty index score on short- and long-term survival following TAVR. Methods Retrospective analysis of consecutive TAVR patients for whom a complete set of frailty tests was obtained: algorithm defined grip strength and 5-m walking tests, body mass index Results Frailty status, observed in 266 (53%) patients, was associated with both 30-day and 1-year mortality (6% vs. 2%, P = .016; 20% vs. 9%, P Conclusions Frailty status and a higher frailty index score were associated with increased 1-year mortality risk following TAVR.
Minorías prósperas en la economía corsaria literaria: Brahín en Los cautivos de Argel y David en Guzmán el Bravo

Spanish literature written by captives or about captivity in North Africa distinguished itself from the majority of Spanish Golden Age works because of its positive portrayal of Jews. Not only were these literary representations benevolent, but they were also quite realistic. Like many of their historical counterparts, the literary Jews Brahin (Los cautivos de Argel) and David (Guzman el Bravo) practiced their religion clandestinely in Spain before moving to the Maghreb, where they enjoyed greater freedoms and privileges, including the ability to legally own Christian slaves. Multiple 17th-century autobiographical accounts from Spanish captives in Algiers and Tunis can serve as historical templates to corroborate the precarious, yet simultaneously prosperous, situation of those two literary Jews. Finally, the similarities found in historical sources and these two North African works challenges the notion of Lope de Vega being unequivocally anti-Jewish.
Computational imaging via deep learning

Deep Learning presents a promising opportunity to design computational architectures for solving inverse problems. In this talk, we will present several approaches for performing computational imaging in this fashion, and discuss their relative merits especially with respect to image fidelity and robustness to noise.
Grounding Stanislavskian Scene Analysis in a Formal Theory of Action

At the turn of the last century, Constantin Stanislavski developed a new system of acting, replacing the mannered gestures and forced emotion then popular with a more natural style. The core of his system lay in having actors perform a process of scene analysis, in which an actor would flesh out the circumstances of the play so that the character’s motivations and actions would follow logically. This paper is an attempt to ground Stanislavski’s method of scene analysis in a formal theory of action. We discuss the relations between Stanislavskian and formal AI theories of action and planning, give a formal definition of the end product of a scene analysis, and characterize the conditions under which a scene analysis is coherent.
The Theoretical Basis for the Mechanical Aspects of Robot Design

This paper considers the basic concepts and tools that have been developed for robot design. Many of these concepts have been adapted from classical mechanical design, and some are newly developed for robotic systems. Taken all together, there i s now a very large body of results and theory available to the robot designer and analyst. This paper presents an overview of the current state of knowledge regarding the mechanical aspects of robot design. The main objective of this presentation is to develop a framework into which piecemeal and disparate results can combined to provide a theoretical basis which supplements the empirical aspects of the subject with a coherent theory.
Analytical Methods: Infrared Spectroscopy in Dairy Analysis

Infrared spectroscopy monitors the interaction of functional groups in chemical molecules with infrared light resulting predictable vibrations that provides a “fingerprint” characteristic of chemical or biochemical substances present in the sample. It offers speed, convenience, reliability, and accuracy to the analyst, and reduces cost, time, and labor in the industry. Its adoption for food and dairy analysis is increasing at a tremendous pace driving the demand for better instrumentation, miniaturization, and portability to enable on-site analysis for immediate results. In dairy analysis, the applications of infrared spectroscopy encompass two main areas: (1) quantification of concentrations and quality parameters and (2) testing of purity, identity, and adulteration. Numerous researchers are working on further extending the applications of this technique to industrial use, as well as dairy research. The main research focus is on using infrared spectroscopy to better understand changes in dairy products, ingredients, and microbial population during processing with the overall objective of optimizing processes for better and uniform product quality and safety. With several applications still unexplored and numerous ideas still in the development phase, infrared spectroscopy offers exciting research opportunities. This article introduces the theory of infrared spectroscopy and provides an overview of current applications in dairy analysis with relevant examples and illustrations.
Short Report : The cyanogenic glycoside barterin from Barteria fistulosa is epitetraphyllin B

Abstract Reisolation of the cyanogenic glycoside of Barteria fistulosa demonstrates that the structure of barterin, previously reported from this plant, is identical with that of epitetraphyllin B.
War After the End: Post-apocalyptic Narratives After 9/11

This chapter builds on the ways in which scholars and artists have considered 9/11 as a kind of apocalyptic event; in response, post-apocalyptic narratives, which had previously been inspired by the Cold War and Y2K, now squarely addressed terrorism and twenty-first-century militarization. Particularly in light of the Islamic State’s rhetoric about the long-foretold caliphate and the end of days, post-apocalyptic narratives offer a mode of examining the contemporary condition of constant war and its roots in ideological, economic, and religious difference. This chapter looks closely at the television series Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009), the film and book series The Hunger Games (2008–2015), and the CW television series The 100 (2014–present), examining the way they frame war and apocalypse as a repetitive cycle.
“We Don’t Equal Even Just One Man”: Gender and Social Control in Conservation Adoption

Women own or co-own approximately half of the farmland in Iowa, United States, yet researchers are only beginning to study these landowners’ social relationships in relation to their land. This stu...
On a Two Cutters and Fugitive Ship Differential Game

Isaacs’ Two Cutters and Fugitive Ship differential game is revisited. In this letter, it is assumed that the three players, that is, the two cutters and the fugitive ship have equal speeds, but the cutters have a non-zero capture radius. The state space region where capture is guaranteed, notwithstanding the fact that the cutters are not faster than the fugitive ship, is delineated, and the protagonists’ optimal state feedback strategies are synthesized.
On the Role of Mentorship in Team Science

This paper highlights the value of mentorship based on lessons learned working with Dr. Robert (‘Bob’) Genco before he passed away in March 2019. Bob was a terrific mentor to researchers working in diverse environments, including academia, clinical settings, and industry. Five key dimensions of mentorship are discussed in this review: resources, opportunities, advice, protection, and interpersonal connection. Bob demonstrated that mentorship can and should be cross-disciplinary. Though we had very different areas of expertise, our joint involvement on a multidisciplinary research team provided ample opportunities for learning and knowledge translation. Mentorship is particularly valuable for early and mid-career researchers seeking to develop a productive and well-funded program of research. My experience working with Bob taught me about the value of mentorship that encompasses both professional and interpersonal dimensions. Bob was a terrific mentor and will be missed by all who had the chance to work with him.
Bilateral Chondroid Metaplasia of Conjunctiva Associated With Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance.

Purpose To describe a case of a patient with bilateral proliferation of chondrocytes of the lower palpebral conjunctiva. Methods Observational case report and review of relevant literature. Results Conjunctival biopsy from an 83-year-old man with bilateral acquired lower conjunctival nodules revealed a benign proliferation of chondrocytes. A general medical evaluation revealed serum monoclonal gammopathy with light-chain proteinuria. Conclusions Bilateral-acquired benign chondrocyte tumefactions of the palpebral conjunctiva have not been previously reported. This initiated a search for a biologically plausible explanation. The findings in this report support that these proliferations represent chondroid metaplasia related to light-chain deposition. The diagnosis requires exclusion of other forms of chondrocyte proliferation including well-differentiated chondrosarcoma.
High Prevalence of Gram-Negative Rod and Multi-Organism Surgical Site Infections after Pediatric Complex Tethered Spinal Cord Surgery: Preliminary Report from a Single-Center Study.

Background Surgical site infections (SSIs) are one of the most common complications following pediatric complex tethered spinal cord release. This patient population is similar in some ways to the neuromuscular scoliosis population, in which higher-than-expected rates of gram-negative SSIs have been identified. Methods We conducted a single-center retrospective chart review of all patients who underwent complex tethered spinal cord release over a 10-year period between 2007 and 2017. Results A total of 69 patients were identified, with 10 documented SSIs (14%). 50% of the SSIs were polymicrobial or included at least 1 gram-negative organism. Among the organisms isolated, 3 were fully or -partially resistant to cefazolin, the most common antibiotic prophylaxis in this population. Conclusion Among children undergoing complex tethered spinal cord release, gram-negative and polymicrobial infections are a significant cause of SSIs. Although further multicenter data are needed, these findings suggest that standard antibiotic prophylaxis with cefazolin may not be sufficient.
Age-specific microbiota in altering host inflammatory and metabolic signaling as well as metabolome based on the sex.

Author(s): Sheng, Lili; Jena, Prasant Kumar; Hu, Ying; Wan, Yu-Jui Yvonne | Abstract: BackgroundMetabolism is sex-different, and the direct link between gut microbiota and aging-associated metabolic changes needs to be established in both sexes.MethodsGene expression, metabolic and inflammatory signaling, gut microbiota profile, and metabolome were studied during aging and after fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in mice of both sexes.ResultsOur data revealed young female mice and aged male mice were the most insulin sensitive and resistant group, respectively. In addition, aging reduced sex difference in insulin sensitivity. Such age- and sex-dependent metabolic phenotypes were accompanied by shifted gut microbiota profile and altered abundance of bacterial genes that produce butyrate, propionate, and bile acids. After receiving feces from the aged males (AFMT), the most insulin-resistant group, recipients of both sexes had increased hepatic inflammation and serum endotoxin. However, AFMT only increased insulin resistance in female mice and abolished sex difference in insulin sensitivity. Additionally, such changes were accompanied by narrowed sex difference in metabolome. Metabolomics data revealed that age-associated insulin resistance in males was accompanied by increased sugar alcohols and dicarboxylic acids as well as reduced aromatic and branched-chain amino acids. Further, receiving feces from the young females (YFMT), the most insulin-sensitive group, reduced body weight and fasting blood glucose in male recipients and improved insulin sensitivity in females, leading to enhanced sex differences in insulin sensitivity and metabolome.ConclusionsAging systemically affected inflammatory and metabolic signaling based on the sex. Gut microbiome is age and sex-specific, which affects inflammation and metabolism in a sex-dependent manner.
A Re-Examination of Stock Market Returns from 1871-1897: Did Cowles Get It Right?

Siegel (2014), Shilling (2015) and others rely on the work of Alfred C. Cowles to capture US stock market returns before 1926. Cowles in turn relied on Frederick Macaulay’s work for data on railroad stocks during this era. This study attempts to re-construct Cowles’ index from the ground up, by revisiting his sources and compiling anew the trade price, dividends, and capitalization of the individual stocks that make up Cowles’ index. I pursued two questions: did Cowles exclude any substantial number of stocks, such that their inclusion would change his estimates of market return? Second, do Cowles’ many adjustments for capital changes, such as rights issues, check out? I succeeded in reconstructing the railroad stock returns obtained by Cowles from Macaulay, and partially succeeded in reconstructing the utility and industrial stock returns estimated by Cowles himself. But I also found numerous excluded railroads, and an assortment of errors made by Cowles and Macaulay. I also found a set of industrial firms excluded because of judgment calls that Cowles made. Net of additions and corrections, I conclude that Cowles slightly over-estimated stock market returns in the period from 1871 to 1897. The effect is to reinforce the findings in McQuarrie (2019a): contra Siegel, stocks did not out-perform bonds during the 19th century.
Expiry Date Digit Recognition using Convolutional Neural Network

The expiry dates printed on the merchandise have a distinct background, font, alignment, and color in comparison with the available handwritten digit datasets. In this paper, an expiry date dataset is used, and also a convolutional neural network (CNN) model is proposed to recognize expiry dates out of images. This model may be employed together with our previously proposed smart expiry architecture to get an automated notification to the smartphone for the foods which are expiring soon. The suggested deep learning model is tested and has a classification accuracy of 90%.
Vitamin A failed to ameliorate clinical signs in dogs with pituitary-dependent hypercortisolaemia.

Background In dogs with pituitary-dependent hypercortisolaemia, retinoic acid was shown to lower cortisol, reduce pituitary tumour size and decrease clinical signs when administered for six months. Oral vitamin A (retinol) has been used to treat various canine dermatoses in which retinoic acid has been efficacious. Objectives To determine if orally administered vitamin A lowers cortisol and reduces clinical signs in dogs with pituitary-dependent hypercortisolaemia over a five month period. Methods and materials Five dogs were enrolled in this study. Diagnosis of hypercortisolaemia was based on the presence of at least three clinical signs and one abnormal screening test. Diagnosis of pituitary-dependent disease was based on low dose dexamethasone suppression (LDDS) test results and symmetrical adrenal glands on ultrasound. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation testing and adrenal ultrasound were performed at each visit. Plasma was collected at each visit and stored at -80°C for batch analysis of endogenous ACTH at conclusion of the study. Results Four dogs completed the study. A fifth dog died from complications of hypercortisolaemia before the third month. One dog showed improvement in clinical signs, yet there was no significant decrease in adrenal gland size or cortisol concentrations. Endogenous ACTH concentrations at the fifth month were decreased from baseline in two dogs and increased from baseline in one dog. The treatment had no adverse effects. Conclusions and clinical importance Results from this study failed to show an improvement in clinical signs or cortisol concentration after five months of oral daily vitamin A in dogs with hypercortisolaemia.
Establishment of Oncomelania hupensis snail database based on smartphone and Google Earth

Objective To establish an Oncomelania hupensis snail database based on smartphone and Google Earth. MMeetthh-ods The HEAD GPS software was loaded in the smartphone first. The GPS data of the snails were collected by the smartphone.The original data were exported to the computer with the format of KML/KMZ. Then the data were converted into Excel file format by using some software. Finally,the results based on laboratory were filled,and the digital snail data were established. The data were converted into KML,and then were showed by Google Earth visually. Results The snail data of a 5 hm2-beach along the Yangtze River were collected and the distribution of the snails based on Google Earth was obtained. The database of the snails was built. The query function was implemented about the number of the total snails,the living snails and the schistosome infected snails of each survey frame. Conclusion The digital management of the snail data is realized by using the smartphone and Google Earth.
Seeing the Invisible Present and Place: From Years to Centuries with Lake Ice from Wisconsin to the Northern Hemisphere

Ecologists involved in long-term research created the metaphors of the “Invisible Present” and the “Invisible Place” to communicate the purposes of Long-Term Ecological Research to the National Science Foundation, other scientists, and the wider public. This chapter discusses using lake ice cover to tackle the joint problems of the Invisible Present and the Invisible Place, by expanding the time and space scales not only at the North Temperate Lakes Long-Term Ecological Research site, but across Wisconsin, North America, and the Northern Hemisphere. LTER formed an international Lake Ice Analysis Group in the mid-1990s, to create and make publicly available a common lake ice phenology database. By 2000, analyses of ice cover provided strong evidence for warming winters in the Northern Hemisphere, and for the impact of the Second Industrial Revolution on climate. Importantly, for ice freeze time series, 20 and 50 years of data were insufficient to detect climate change while longer records did; large-scale climate drivers like El Nino, the North Atlantic Oscillation, as well as local weather influenced inter-year dynamics of lake ice seasonality; inter-year dynamics between lakes were coherent locally and persisted regionally at lower values; extreme ice dates changed in the direction of a warming climate; and changes in lake ice already have affected people negatively. Research on inland water ice and winter limnology continues today and has depended on successes in continuing leadership and participation within and beyond the LTER program.
Traveling to Receive Treatment for Extremity Soft Tissue Sarcomas: Is it worth the drive?

Regionalization of sarcoma care may improve outcomes. Concerns exist regarding the burdens of travel and its effects on care. We evaluate the presence of a “distance bias”. Retrospective cohort study of patients with extremity soft tissue sarcoma (stage I-III) within the NCDB. Travel distance (TD) and hospital volume (VOL) were categorized into quartiles. Alternating statistical models were used for analysis. 1,035 hospitals contributed 11,979 cases. Median and maximum VOL were 5 and 45 cases/year. VOL quartiles were “low-volume” (LV) (892 hospitals, 12 cases/yr.). TD quartiles: “short-travel” (ST) ( 50). VOL but not TD is associated with improved survival [HR 0.65 (CI 0.52–0.83)] and rate of R0 resection [1.87 (CI 1.4–2.5)] but has no effect on amputation rates. Matched analyses demonstrate similar results. Hospital volume but not distance traveled to treatment facility is associated with improved survival and R0 resections for extremity soft tissue sarcomas. Despite the inconveniences of travel, patients may benefit from treatment at high volume centers.
GIS-based approach for evaluating a community intrinsic resilience index

Community resilience refers to the degree to which a community can survive and recover following a disaster. While resilience itself is well understood, decisions that would enhance resilience are interdependent and involve various stakeholders. There are indices for evaluating community resilience, but these have the shortcoming that they compare between political entities, such as counties. Therefore, one cannot ascertain that a county is truly resilient. In addition, natural disasters depend on the landscape and thus have no relation to the political boundaries. Our metric aims to capture the information into a Community Intrinsic Resilience Index (CIRI), which embodies the resilience level of four critical sectors: transportation, energy, health and socio-economic. As a case study, we computed CIRI for the counties within New Jersey. Results showed that within NJ, CIRI ranged from 63 to 80%. A post-disaster CIRI, following a scenario of flooding, revealed that two coastal counties would have low CIRI values due to the reduction in the road area and/or the GDP (local economy shut down) to below minimum values. We believe that our platform would further advance the efforts to fill the gap between resilience research and applications and would help decision and policy makers to integrate resilience within the planning and design phases of disaster management.
NMR Analysis of Protein Folding Interaction Networks.

Theory and experimental evidence unequivocally indicate that protein folding is far more complex than the two-state (all-or-none) model that is usually assumed in the analysis of folding experiments. Proteins tend to fold hierarchically by forming secondary structure elements, followed by supersecondary arrangements, and other intermediate states that ultimately adopt the native tertiary fold as a result of a delicate balance between interatomic interactions and entropic contributions. However, small proteins with simple folds typically follow downhill folding, characterized by very small energetic barriers (<3 RT) that allow multiple protein conformations to be populated along the folding path down the free energy landscape, reaching the native fold at the lowest energy level.Here we describe the use of solution-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for the analysis of protein folding interaction networks at atomic resolution. The assignment of NMR spectra acquired at different unfolding conditions provides hundreds of atomic unfolding curves that are analyzed to infer the network of folding interactions. The method is particularly useful to study small proteins that fold autonomously in the sub-millisecond timescale. The information obtained from the application of this method can potentially unveil the basic relationships between protein structure and folding.
Inter-Comparison and Assessment of Airs Version-5 and Version-6 Temperature, Water Vapor, Surface Emissivity, and Cloud Products

We have compared global mean Level-3 Version-5 and Version-6.07 products to see how much Level-3 trends might improve in Version-6.