cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Detection of Unfaithfulness and Robust Causal Inference

Much of the recent work on the epistemology of causation has centered on two assumptions, known as the Causal Markov Condition and the Causal Faithfulness Condition. Philosophical discussions of the latter condition have exhibited situations in which it is likely to fail. This paper studies the Causal Faithfulness Condition as a conjunction of weaker conditions. We show that some of the weaker conjuncts can be empirically tested, and hence do not have to be assumed a priori. Our results lead to two methodologically significant observations: (1) some common types of counterexamples to the Faithfulness condition constitute objections only to the empirically testable part of the condition; and (2) some common defenses of the Faithfulness condition do not provide justification or evidence for the testable parts of the condition. It is thus worthwhile to study the possibility of reliable causal inference under weaker Faithfulness conditions. As it turns out, the modification needed to make standard procedures work under a weaker version of the Faithfulness condition also has the practical effect of making them more robust when the standard Faithfulness condition actually holds. This, we argue, is related to the possibility of controlling error probabilities with finite sample size ("uniform consistency") in causal inference.
An Authentication based Lightweight Device Discovery (ALDD) Model for Pervasive Computing Environment

Inter device dependency and mutual cooperation of devices is a must in pervasive computing environment. This is to overcome the barriers posed by several shortcomings of pervasive environment including limited memory and computational capability, poor battery power etc. The knowledge of valid, authenticated devices is vital in this scenario to ensure security and privacy. At the same time we have to ensure that no malicious device is interacting with any other valid device. As an attempt to address this issue, we have modified the well known LPN (Learning Parity with Noise) based H-C (Human-Computer) [1-2] authentication protocol. In this paper, we have shown it to be feasible and realistic in the trusted device discovery mechanism of pervasive ad hoc network. Along with two separate models for both large and small networks, the paper presents several possible attack scenarios with their solutions.
Symposium on hearing loss ‐ The otolaryngologist's responsibility.: Differential diagnosis of hearing loss.

In the practice of otolaryngology, a definite diagnosis or at least a working diagnosis should be established for all cases of hearing loss and especially sensorineural hearing loss. In this study, we described a time proven method by which the otolaryngologist can meet his responsibility for this important societal problem.
Evolutionary change within a bipotential switch shaped the sperm/oocyte decision in hermaphroditic nematodes.

A subset of transcription factors like Gli2 and Oct1 are bipotential — they can activate or repress the same target, in response to changing signals from upstream genes. Some previous studies implied that the sex-determination protein TRA-1 might also be bipotential; here we confirm this hypothesis by identifying a co-factor, and use it to explore how the structure of a bipotential switch changes during evolution. First, null mutants reveal that C. briggsae TRR-1 is required for spermatogenesis, RNA interference implies that it works as part of the Tip60 Histone Acetyl Transferase complex, and RT-PCR data show that it promotes the expression of Cbr-fog-3, a gene needed for spermatogenesis. Second, epistasis tests reveal that TRR-1 works through TRA-1, both to activate Cbr-fog-3 and to control the sperm/oocyte decision. Since previous studies showed that TRA-1 can repress fog-3 as well, these observations demonstrate that it is bipotential. Third, TRR-1 also regulates the development of the male tail. Since Cbr-tra-2 Cbr-trr-1 double mutants resemble Cbr-tra-1 null mutants, these two regulatory branches control all tra-1 activity. Fourth, striking differences in the relationship between these two branches of the switch have arisen during recent evolution. C. briggsae trr-1 null mutants prevent hermaphrodite spermatogenesis, but not Cbr-fem null mutants, which disrupt the other half of the switch. On the other hand, C. elegans fem null mutants prevent spermatogenesis, but not Cel-trr-1 mutants. However, synthetic interactions confirm that both halves of the switch exist in each species. Thus, the relationship between the two halves of a bipotential switch can shift rapidly during evolution, so that the same phenotype is produce by alternative, complementary mechanisms.
Global preparedness for public health emergencies.

There are many reasons to be interested in public health in China. China is the single most populous nation on earth and was the point of origin for SARS and probably for most pandemic influenza viruses, past and future. In this issue of the Journal, we get a valuable window into the organization of public health emergency preparedness in China in the form of the paper, "Preparing and responding to public health emergencies in China: Results of a focus group study". This paper summarizes the results of focus groups conducted with 47 localand provincial-level public health officials, and includes some of the most complete information on Chinese public health emergency preparedness at the working level. That makes it an invaluable contribution to the growing literature on public health emergency preparedness. One of the most notable aspects of the paper is the remarkable candor shown by the participants as they discussed their experiences. There are, of course, a number of issues identified. Among them are understaffing and underfunding, the limited leverage of public health to obtain cooperation from other agencies, communications between different agencies and jurisdictions, and inconsistencies in defining criteria for emergency planning and response. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the relative universality of the problems identified. Few, if any, of the problems discussed are unique to China. Those who have followed the development of public health emergency preparedness have witnessed the United States and other countries go through the very same process, and many of the frustrations voiced by colleagues
FPGA synthesis for minimum area, delay and power

In this paper, we address the problems of minimizing the area, delay and power during synthesis of field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). We use Boolean decomposition techniques to minimize the number of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), the depth of the network and the power dissipations. We use OBDDs to represent functions so that our methods can be implemented more effectively. Our mapping algorithm is based on function decomposition which was pioneered by Ashenhurst [1959].
General Purpose Digital Simulation of Underwater Vehicles

This paper is a summary of a real time simulation of a remotely-manned underwater vehicle control system in the Man-Machine System Laboratory at MIT. A non-linear model which is able to simulate the tight maneuvering of the vehicle is presented. This paper also categorizes various automatic control tasks of the vehicle.
The Myth of the Unknown Storm Trooper: Selling SA Stories in the Third Reich

In July 1933, an official at Joseph Goebbels's Propaganda Ministry gave an influential speech concerning the “cultural-political tasks of the German press.” The speaker, Wilfrid Bade, was himself an author and journalist who had previously attracted little notice outside Nazi circles. He declared that “a new Germany needs new authors”—an unsurprising sentiment, and one pronounced by the cultural representatives of many new regimes. Bade went on, however, to name a surprising group of candidates for this authorial duty: the storm troopers, members of the Nazi's paramilitary group, the Sturmabteilung (SA), whose violent thuggery had raged through German streets and helped to push the decaying Weimar Republic over the edge.
Northern San Andreas fault near Shelter Cove, California

The location of the San Andreas fault in the Shelter Cove area of northern California has been the subject of long-standing debate within the geological community. Although surface ruptures were reported near Shelter Cove in 1906, several subsequent workers questioned whether these ruptures represented true fault slip or shaking-related, gravity-driven deformation. This study, involving geologic and geomorphic mapping, historical research, and excavation across the 1906 rupture zone, concludes that the surface ruptures reported in 1906 were the result of strike-slip faulting, and that a significant Quaternary fault is located onshore near Shelter Cove. Geomorphic arguments suggest that the Holocene slip rate of this fault is greater than about 14 mm/yr, indicating that it plays an important role within the modern plate-boundary system. The onshore trace of the fault zone is well expressed as far north as Telegraph Hill; north of Telegraph Hill, its location is less well-constrained, but we propose that a splay of the fault may continue onshore northward for at least 9 km to the vicinity of Saddle Mountain.
HIGH-YIELD, ONE STEP PHOTOCHEMICAL SYNTHESIS OF 3- AND 4-BROMOMETHYLBENZOIC ACIDS

(1982). HIGH-YIELD, ONE STEP PHOTOCHEMICAL SYNTHESIS OF 3- AND 4-BROMOMETHYLBENZOIC ACIDS. Organic Preparations and Procedures International: Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 200-202.
AN AHP APPLICATION IN VENDOR SELECTION

Supplier selection is one of the most crucial activities performed by the organizations because of its strategic importance. A supplier selection problem is a multi- objective problem involving both quantitative and qualitative criteria. Over the years a number of quantitative approaches have been applied to supplier selection problems. Although the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) has previously been implemented in supplier selection problems, in this paper for the first time a comprehensive application of AHP for a real-world case is presented along with sensitivity analysis to choose the best supplier. We proposed an AHP model to choose the best supplier and place the order quantities among
High-speed Gao.47In0.53As/InP infra-red Schottky-barrier photodiodes

The authors report a new high-speed InP-based Ga/sub 1-x/In/sub x/As infra-red Schottky-barrier photodiode. The photodiodes were fabricated on both p- and n-GaInAs epilayers using Schottky barrier height enhancement technology. The response speed was measured by the impulse response and autocorrelation method; the risetimes of 85 ps for p-GaInAs and 180 ps for n-GaInAs photodiodes were obtained, which correspond to the 3 dB cutoff frequency of 2-4 GHz. The intrinsic response speed was 12 GHz for n-GaInAs and 18 GHz for p-GaInAs photodiodes based on SPICE simulation with measured device parameters. The photodiodes had the responsivity as high as 0.55 A/W and the quantum efficiency of up to 45% at 1.3-1.6 mu m without antireflection coating.
Prostatitis: Review of Pharmacokinetics and Therapy

Chronic infection of the prostate with gram-negative bacterial pathogens (mainly coliforms) is a common cause of recurrent urinary tract infections in men. Cure of prostatic infection is difficult because most antimicrobial agents useful against the causative organisms diffuse poorly into prostatic fluid. Pharmacokinetic studies in dogs show that trimethoprim readily reaches therapeutic levels in prostatic fluid, yet clinical studies indicate that only about one-third of men with chronic bacterial prostatitis are cured of infection after prolonged therapy with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. A profound secretory dysfunction of the prostate, characterized by increased alkalinity of solute-poor secretions, often accompanies bacterial prostatitis. Undoubtedly, this secretory dysfunction adversely affects the accumulation of trimethoprim in prostatic fluid and thus accounts for the failure of therapy in some instances. In addition. infected prostatic calculi may account for more such failures than previously realized.
542 VALIDATION OF TRANSCUTANEOUS LASER DOPPLER FLOWMETER IN MEASURING AUTONOMIC TONE.

Laser Doppler flowmeter (LDF) has been used as a noninvasive device to quantify the components of the blood flow velocity oscillations, including the Traube-Hering (TH) wave and heart rate. The Traube-Hering component (0.1 Hz) of the oscillations represents baroreceptor activity; changes in this component reflect changes in autonomic tone. Currently, the “gold standard” for noninvasive measurement of autonomic tone is heart rate variability (HRV), as measured by EKG. We evaluated the accuracy of the LDF as a measuring device for changes in autonomic tone. LDF TH and cardiac component changes should be synchronous with EKG HRV changes. LDF blood flow velocity and EKG R to R intervals (RRI) were obtained from 13 healthy individuals. Both the Head-up tilt test and cold pressor test were employed as standard provocative autonomic procedures for increasing sympathetic activity. HRV was analyzed from both the RRI obtained from EKG and the cardiac component of the LDF wave. We compared the spectral analyses of HRV from both sources. Using paired-samples t -test, the overall correlation was .997( p
Understanding the NIH review process: a brief guide to writing grant proposals in neurotoxicology.

During the past two years, the National Institutes of Health have made significant changes in the review process for investigator-initiated research grant applications in neurotoxicology. First, study sections that formerly dealt with toxicology and alcohol, respectively, have been merged. Neurotoxicology grant applications are now reviewed by AL TX-3, a study section in which the majority of members have expertise in the neuronal, biochemical or behavioral effects of alcohol, but usually not other neurotoxicants. Second, the NIH has instituted new review criteria, in which significance, approach, innovation, investigator expertise, and research environment must all be explicitly addressed by the reviews. In this article, past and present members of the AL TX-3 study section describe the NIH review process, with emphasis on how neurotoxicology applications are handled, and provide guidelines for preparing competitive applications. Following is an outline of this brief guide : I. Introduction II. The AL TX.3 Study Section A. Study Section Expertise B. Study Section Workload III. New Review Criteria IV. Features of Successful Grant Applications A. Background and Specific Aims B. Preliminary Data and/or Progress Report C. Experimental Design D. Revised Applications E. Updating your Application (Sending Post-Submission Material) V. Summary VI. Acknowledgments VII. References.
Cell Wall Deficient Bacteria as a Cause of Idiopathic Hematuria

Abstract Idiopathic hematuria in the absence of bacteriuria is a medical challenge. Routine cultures of catheterized bladder and endoscopically obtained ureteral urine specimens from a 22-year-old woman with a 6-week history of hematuria showed no growth after 24 to 48 hours of incubation. However, bacterial variants were grown on enriched media. Colonies were typical cell wall deficient/defective bacteria. Phase and electron microscopy of cystoscopic urine specimens obtained by retrograde ureteral catheterization as well as phase microscopy of the cultures revealed the classic morphology of these organisms. When the variant cultures were subcultured the organisms reverted to their related walled forms, that is Streptococcus agalactiae and Staphylococcus haemolyticus. Because the colonies of these organisms showed various patterns of biochemical reactivity, each phenotype was tested against 15 antimicrobials. Collectively, all biotypes had a common susceptibility to only nitrofurantoin. The patient was treated with nitrofurantoin for 6 weeks. Four days after initiation of therapy she had complete remission of hematuria. During the next 3 years she remained well and free of hematuria.
The effect of Intravesical Instillations of Thiotepa, Mitomycin C, and Adriamycin on Normal Urothelium: An Experimental Study in Rats

The effects of intravesical instillations of thiotepa, mitomycin C and adriamycin on the normal urothelium were studied in rats. Changes in the bladder wall in the form of fibroblastic atypia and submucous fibrous plaques were significant in the mitomycin C treated group. In 46% of mitomycin C treated animals there was urothelial atypia and in one animal, the atypia was severe enough to resemble carcinoma in situ. None of the rats treated with thiotepa showed intramural fibrous plaques or fibroblastic atypia and only 8% showed urothelial atypia. In the group treated by adriamycin instillation, 17% showed intramural fibrous plaques, but none showed urothelial atypia or fibroblastic atypia. The fibroblastic atypia and submucosal fibrous plaques seen in the mitomycin treated group may explain the reduced bladder capacity seen in the clinical setting.
Edge conduction in monolayer WTe2

Experiments showing that a single layer of WTe2 can conduct electricity along its edges while insulating in the interior suggests that this material is a two-dimensional topological insulator. A two-dimensional topological insulator (2DTI) is guaranteed to have a helical one-dimensional edge mode1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 in which spin is locked to momentum, producing the quantum spin Hall effect and prohibiting elastic backscattering at zero magnetic field. No monolayer material has yet been shown to be a 2DTI, but recently the Weyl semimetal WTe2 was predicted12 to become a 2DTI in monolayer form if a bulk gap opens. Here, we report that, at temperatures below about 100 K, monolayer WTe2 does become insulating in its interior, while the edges still conduct. The edge conduction is strongly suppressed by an in-plane magnetic field and is independent of gate voltage, save for mesoscopic fluctuations that grow on cooling due to a zero-bias anomaly, which reduces the linear-response conductance. Bilayer WTe2 also becomes insulating at low temperatures but does not show edge conduction. Many of these observations are consistent with monolayer WTe2 being a 2DTI. However, the low-temperature edge conductance, for contacts spacings down to 150 nm, never reaches values higher than ∼20 μS, about half the predicted value of e2/h, suggesting significant elastic scattering in the edge.
Speeding Access to Vaccines and Medicines in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Case for Change and a Framework for Optimized Product Market Authorization.

Background The United Nations Millennium Development Goals galvanized global efforts to alleviate suffering of the world's poorest people through unprecedented public-private partnerships. Donor aid agencies have demonstrably saved millions of lives that might otherwise have been lost to disease through increased access to quality-assured vaccines and medicines. Yet, the introduction of these health interventions in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) continues to face a time lag due to factors which remain poorly understood. Methods and findings A recurring theme from our partnership engagements was that an optimized regulatory process would contribute to improved access to quality health products. Therefore, we investigated the current system for medicine and vaccine registration in LMICs as part of our comprehensive regulatory strategy. Here, we report a fact base of the registration timelines for vaccines and drugs used to treat certain communicable diseases in LMICs. We worked with a broad set of stakeholders, including the World Health Organization's prequalification team, national regulatory authorities, manufacturers, procurers, and other experts, and collected data on the timelines between first submission and last approval of applications for product registration sub-Saharan Africa. We focused on countries with the highest burden of communicable disease and the greatest need for the products studied. The data showed a typical lag of 4 to 7 years between the first regulatory submission which was usually to a regulatory agency in a high-income country, and the final approval in Sub-Saharan Africa. Two of the three typical registration steps which products undergo before delivery in the countries involve lengthy timelines. Failure to leverage or rely on the findings from reviews already performed by competent regulatory authorities, disparate requirements for product approval by the countries, and lengthy timelines by manufacturers to respond to regulatory queries were key underlying factors for the delays. Conclusions We propose a series of measures which we developed in close collaboration with key stakeholders that could be taken to reduce registration time and to make safe, effective medicines more quickly available in countries where they are most needed. Many of these recommendations are being implemented by the responsible stakeholders, including the WHO prequalification team and the national regulatory authorities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Those efforts will be the focus of subsequent publications by the pertinent groups.
Magnitude of temperature elevation is associated with neurologic and survival outcomes in resuscitated cardiac arrest patients with postrewarming pyrexia.

Abstract Purpose Avoidance of pyrexia is recommended in resuscitation guidelines, including after treatment with targeted temperature management (TTM). Which aspects of postresuscitation pyrexia are harmful and modifiable have not been conclusively determined. Materials and methods This retrospective multicenter registry study collected serial temperatures during 72 hours postrewarming to assess the relationship between 3 aspects of pyrexia (maximum temperature, pyrexia duration, timing of first pyrexia) and neurologic outcome (primary) and survival (secondary) at hospital discharge. Adult TTM-treated patients from 13 US hospitals between 2005 and 2015 were included. Results One hundred seventy-nine of 465 patients had at least 1 temperature greater than or equal to 38°C. Pyrexic temperatures were associated with better survival than nonpyrexic temperatures (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00-2.35). Higher maximum temperature was associated with worse outcome (neurologic aOR, 0.30 [95% CI, 0.10-0.84]; survival aOR, 0.25 [95% CI, 0.10-0.59]) in pyrexic patients. There was no significant relationship between pyrexia duration and outcomes unless duration was calculated as hours greater than or equal to 38.8°C, when longer duration was associated with worse outcomes (neurologic aOR, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.75-1.00]; survival aOR, 0.82 [95% CI, 0.72-0.93]). Conclusions In postarrest TTM-treated patients, pyrexia was associated with increased survival. Patients experiencing postrewarming pyrexia had worse outcomes at higher temperatures. Longer pyrexia duration was associated with worse outcomes at higher temperatures.
Cross-Cultural Care Training for Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellows.

Introduction Physicians are entrusted with the medical care of culturally and socially diverse patient populations. In addition, pediatric hematologists/oncologists are faced with the challenge of ...
Multimedia: Medien und Datenströme

Das folgende Kapitel fuhrt die Terminologie ein, die fur den gesamten Text von Bedeutung ist. Begonnen wird deshalb mit einer Klarung des Begriffs Multimedia uber die Beschreibung der Medien und wichtiger Eigenschaften von Multimedia-Systemen. Anschliesend erfolgt eine Charakterisierung der Datenstrome in solchen Systemen und eine Einfuhrung des Begriffs der logischen Dateneinheit.
Estrogen maintains mitochondrial content and function in the right ventricle of rats with pulmonary hypertension

The typical cause of death in pulmonary hypertension (PH) is right ventricular (RV) failure, with females showing better survival rates than males. Recently, metabolic shift and mitochondrial dysfunction have been demonstrated in RV failure secondary to PH. In light of evidence showing that estrogen protects mitochondrial function and biogenesis in noncardiovascular systems, we hypothesized that the mechanism by which estrogen preserves RV function is via protection of mitochondrial content and oxidative capacity in PH. We used a well‐established model of PH (Sugen+Hypoxia) in ovariectomized female rats with/without estrogen treatment. RV functional measures were derived from pressure–volume relationships measured via RV catheterization in live rats. Citrate synthase activity, a marker of mitochondrial density, was measured in both RV and LV tissues. Respiratory capacity of mitochondria isolated from RV was measured using oxygraphy. We found that RV ventricular‐vascular coupling efficiency decreased in the placebo‐treated SuHx rats (0.78 ± 0.10 vs. 1.50 ± 0.13 in control, P < 0.05), whereas estrogen restored it. Mitochondrial density decreased in placebo‐treated SuHx rats (0.12 ± 0.01 vs. 0.15 ± 0.01 U citrate synthase/mg in control, P < 0.05), and estrogen attenuated the decrease. Mitochondrial quality and oxidative capacity tended to be lower in placebo‐treated SuHx rats only. The changes in mitochondrial biogenesis and function paralleled the expression levels of PGC‐1α in RV. Our results suggest that estrogen protects RV function by preserving mitochondrial content and oxidative capacity. This provides a mechanism by which estrogen provides protection in female PH patients and paves the way to develop estrogen and its targets as a novel RV‐specific therapy for PH.
Oblique Colloidal Lithography for the Fabrication of Nonconcentric Features

Herein, we describe the development of oblique colloidal lithography (OCL) and establish a systematic patterning strategy for creating libraries of nanosized nonconcentric plasmonic structures. This strategy combines OCL, capillary force lithography, and several wet and ion etching steps. Hexagonal arrays of nonconcentric gold features were created on glass substrates with highly controllable geometric parameters. The size, geometry, and eccentricity of the gold features could be independently tuned by controlling the experimental conditions. Gaps within surface elements could be shrunk to as small as 30 nm, while the total patterned area was about l cm2. The goal was to devise a method that offers a high degree of control over the resolution and morphology of asymmetric structures without the need to resort to electron beam lithography. This technique also enabled the development of numerous surface patterns through the stepwise fabrication of separate elements. Complex features, including dots-surrounde...
The transformation of hi no maru in postwar Okinawa: from symbol of hope to object of contempt

ABSTRACTStarting in the early 1950s, the Japanese flag hi no maru was a cherished symbol in Okinawa of the movement for an end to the postwar U.S. military occupation and reversion to Japanese sove...
Cowboy and alien: the Bardot Westerns

French Western films land in a blind field in accounts of both film genre and national film industries. Genre studies often place a strong focus on Hollywood, while there remains a tendency to favo...
Bioinformatics Approach to Assess the Biogeographical Patterns of Soil Communities: The Utility for Soil Provenance

Soil DNA profiling has potential as a forensic tool to establish a link between soil collected at a crime scene and soil recovered from a suspect. However, a quantitative measure is needed to investigate the spatial/temporal variability across multiple scales prior to their application in forensic science. In this study, soil DNA profiles across Miami-Dade, FL, were generated using length heterogeneity PCR to target four taxa. The objectives of this study were to (i) assess the biogeographical patterns of soils to determine whether soil biota is spatially correlated with geographic location and (ii) evaluate five machine learning algorithms for their predictive ability to recognize biotic patterns which could accurately classify soils at different spatial scales regardless of seasonal collection. Results demonstrate that soil communities have unique patterns and are spatially autocorrelated. Bioinformatic algorithms could accurately classify soils across all scales with Random Forest significantly outperforming all other algorithms regardless of spatial level.
Single vs multiallergen sublingual immunotherapy in the polysensitized patient: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has emerged as an effective and exceptionally safe method of treatment of the atopic patient. However, the optimal number of allergens that should be included in the SLIT treatment regimen for the polysensitized patient is not known and practices vary widely. This study aims to compare the efficacy of single-allergen SLIT with pauci-allergen vs multiallergen aqueous SLIT in polysensitized patients. METHODS Sixteen subjects sensitized to 6+ allergens were enrolled in the study. Subjects were blinded and randomized to SLIT treatment groups that included 1 (single), 3 (pauci), or all sensitized allergens (multi). Allergens selected were those to which the patient was most sensitized and correlated with history. Primary outcomes included daily allergy medication use, weekly Rhinoconjunctivitis Symptom Score (RCSS), and the mini-Rhinoconjuncitivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (m-RQLQ). All metrics were measured at baseline, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months. RESULTS There were significant decreases from baseline in RCSS and m-RQLQ scores in all study groups at each interval after beginning SLIT (p < 0.05). There was no significant decrease in number of daily allergy medications used regardless of number of allergens in patient's treatment vial (p = 0.50). No significant differences emerged based on number of allergens used. CONCLUSION Single-antigen, pauci-antigen, and multiantigen aqueous SLIT significantly improved allergy symptoms. There was no significant difference observed in efficacy of single-allergen SLIT vs pauci-allergen or multi-allergen SLIT in polysensitized patients.
Pilot-scale demonstration of efficient ammonia removal from a high-strength municipal wastewater treatment sidestream by algal-bacterial biofilms affixed to rotating contactors

Abstract This report details our investigation of a novel, fixed-biofilm algal and bacterial system for the treatment of high-strength municipal anaerobic digester filtrate. Each reactor in the pilot-scale system comprises multiple Algaewheel™ rotating algal contactors (RACs) that help efficiently oxygenate the anaerobic digester filtrate being treated in a shallow tank. Total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) removal by microbial oxidation and anabolic uptake varied between 45 and 60% at hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 0.5–2 days. Of the TAN removed during treatment, >95% was oxidized to nitrite with 27–36% subsequently evolved as N2 and only 3–11% oxidized to nitrate. The low extent of nitrate formation makes biological nutrient removal less costly, since nitrite reduction demands less oxygen, by 25%, and organic carbon, by 40%, than nitrate reduction. In addition, due to the efficient aeration by RACs, it should be possible to design systems for sidestream treatment of digester filtrate that require up to 80% less electricity than are typical for aerobic ammonia oxidation.
Acanthocephalan Parasites of the Oarfish, Regalecus russelii (Regalecidae), With A Description of A New Species of Gymnorhadinorhynchus (Acanthocephala: Gymnorhadinorhynchidae).

ABSTRACT Oarfish are rarely seen and seldom studied, which makes their parasite fauna even more enigmatic. Necropsy of 12 oarfish, Regalecus russelii (Regalecidae) (Cuvier, 1816), from Japan yielde...
Associations of antepartum suicidal behaviour with adverse infant and obstetric outcomes

Background Relatively little is known about antepartum suicidal behaviour and pregnancy outcomes. We examined associations of antepartum suicidal behaviour, alone and in combination with psychiatric disorders, with adverse infant and obstetric outcomes. Methods We included 188 925 singleton livebirths from a retrospective cohort (1996-2016). Suicidal behaviour, psychiatric disorders, and outcomes were derived from electronic medical records. We performed multivariable logistic regressions with generalised estimating equations to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Results The prevalence of antepartum suicidal behaviour was 152.44 per 100 000 singleton livebirths. Nearly two-thirds (64.24%) of women with suicidal behaviour also had psychiatric disorders. Compared to women without psychiatric disorders and suicidal behaviour, women with psychiatric disorders alone had 1.3-fold to 1.4-fold increased odds of delivering low birthweight or preterm infants and 1.2-fold increased odds of experiencing obstetric complications. Women with suicidal behaviour alone had increased odds of preterm labour (aOR 2.05, 95% CI 1.16, 3.62). Women with both suicidal behaviour and psychiatric disorders had > twofold increased odds of delivering low birthweight (aOR 2.52, 95% CI 1.40, 4.54), preterm birth (aOR 2.44, 95% CI 1.63, 3.66), and low birthweight/preterm birth (aOR 2.30, 95% CI 1.54, 3.44) infants; the odds of preterm labour (aOR 1.62, 95% CI 1.06, 2.47), placental abruption (aOR 2.33, 95% CI 1.20, 4.51), preterm rupture of membranes (aOR 1.63, 95% CI 1.08, 2.46), and postpartum haemorrhage (aOR 1.93, 95%CI 1.09, 3.40) were elevated. Conclusions Antepartum suicidal behaviour, when co-occurring with psychiatric disorders, is associated with increased odds of adverse infant and obstetric outcomes. Future studies are warranted to understand the causal roles of suicidal behaviour and psychiatric disorders in pregnancy.
Optimization for Utility Providers with Privacy Preservation of Users’ Energy Profile

Smart meters migrate conventional electricity grid into digitally enabled SG, which is more reliable and efficient. Fine-grained energy consumption data collected by smart meters helps utility providers accurately predict users’ demands and significantly reduce power generation cost, while it imposes severe privacy risks on consumers and may discourage them from using those “espionage meters”. To enjoy the benefits of smart meter measured data without compromising the users’ privacy, in this chapter, we try to integrate DDP techniques into data-driven optimization, and propose a novel scheme that not only minimizes the cost for utility providers but also preserves the DDP of users’ energy profiles. Briefly, we add differential private noises to the users’ energy consumption data before the smart meters send it to the utility provider. Due to the uncertainty of the users’ demand distribution, the utility provider aggregates a given set of historical users’ differentially private data, estimates the users’ demands, and formulates the data-driven cost minimization based on the collected noisy data. We also develop algorithms for feasible solutions, and verify the effectiveness of the proposed scheme through simulations using the simulated energy consumption data generated from the utility company’s real data analysis.
Tolerance of Deep Neural Network Against the Bit Error Rate of NAND Flash Memory

Flash memory can store large number of model weights for a deep neural network on edge devices. In this paper, we study the effects of Flash's bit-error-rate on the neural network's weights and prediction accuracy, given that error correction engine is disabled due to power constraint in edge devices. The reliability experiments on MLC NAND Flash show that DNN prediction accuracy remains above the acceptable level in the presence of different NAND reliability issues for the following memory usage: less than 5 years of data retention, ~100 program-erase cycle, and less than 30k read stress.
STRUCTURE OF ROUS SARCOMA VIRUS RNA: 1) LOCALIZATION OF N 6 -METHYLADENOSINE; 2) THE SEQUENCE OF 23 NUCLEOTIDES FOLLOWING THE 5′ CAPPED TERMINUS m 7 GpppG m p

ABSTRACT. The 10,000 nucleotide RNA genome of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) was found to contain approximately twelve N 6 -methyladenosine residues. Localization of these residues relative to the 3′ poly(A) end of the viral 30–40S RNA revealed that most of the N 6 -methyladenosine was distributed throughout the 3′ third of the RNA, where the src gene has been mapped. At the 5′ end, RSV RNA has methylated nucleosides in the m 7 GpppG m pCp capping structure. This cap has been detected as part of a large RNase T 1 -resistant oligonucleotide sequence. A possible sequence has been established for the first 25 nucleotides at the 5′ end of Prague B RSV 30–40S RNA.
Extreme Speech| Writing on the Walls: Discourses on Bolivian Immigrants in Chilean Meme Humor

Internet memes have become a popular form through which northern Chileans express frustrations with their marginalization on global, national, and local levels. At the same time, many of these memes criticize Bolivian immigrants for using resources and taking jobs from “true Chileans.” The humorous nature of these texts mitigates the extremity of embedded racial and nationalist ideologies, which are more explicitly expressed in political speech, news media, and quotidian language. This article uses critical discourse analysis to trace ideological formations across multiple online and offline instantiations, making visible a continuum of extreme speech. Through these connections, we see how anti-immigrant discourses position northern residents in a formation of nested marginality. Memes are thus a central way that disenfranchised Chilean citizens reinforce a worldview in which they consider themselves deserving of greater access to resources than Bolivians, precisely because of their marginalized position in relation to the nation.
Minor salivary gland fibrosis in Sjögren's syndrome is elevated, associated with focus score and not solely a consequence of aging.

OBJECTIVES Evaluate the presence of minor salivary gland (SG) fibrosis in primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) as a function of disease pathology or a consequence of ageing. METHODS Subjects with sicca symptoms attending a Sjogren's research clinic were classified by American European Consensus Group (AECG) criteria as either pSS or non-SS (nSS). Discovery (n=34 pSS, n=28 nSS) and replication (n=35 pSS, n=31 nSS) datasets were evaluated. Minor SG cross-sections from haematoxylin and eosin stained slides were imaged, digitally reconstructed and analysed for percent area fibrosis. Relationships between SG fibrosis, age, and clinical measures were evaluated using Spearman correlations. Association with SS was assessed by: ROC curve, Variable Selection Using Random Forests (VSURF) and uni- and bi-variate regression analyses. RESULTS SS subjects had significantly more fibrotic tissue in their minor labial salivary glands (median 24.39%, range 5.12-51.67%) than nSS participants (median 16.7%, range 5.97-38.65%, p<0.0001); age did not differ between groups (average ± SD pSS 50.2 ±13.9 years, nSS 53.8±12.4 years). In both the discovery and replication data sets, multiple regression models showed that the area of minor salivary gland fibrosis predicted pSS significantly better than age alone. Age-corrected linear regression revealed that the area of minor salivary gland fibrosis positively associated with vanBijsterveld score (p=0.042) and biopsy focus score (p=0.002). ROC curve and VSURF analyses ranked fibrosis as a significantly more important variable for subject discrimination than age. CONCLUSIONS SG fibrosis is an element of pSS pathology that is related to focus score and is not solely attributable to age.
The Other Point of Departure: Tocqueville, the South, Equality, and the Lessons of Democracy

Democracy in America has greatly influenced not only how political scientists think of democratic government, political equality, and liberalism in general, but also how we think of the United States as a whole. This article questions Tocqueville's interpretations of Americans’ habits and beliefs, given how little time Tocqueville actually spent in the South and the near West and given that he all but ignored the founding of Virginia and the other colonies not settled by the Puritans and for religious reasons. Contrary to Tocqueville's emphasis on the Puritan “point of departure,” I use historical evidence from the U.S. Census, state constitutions, and historical scholarship on slave ownership, tenant farming, political participation, and the American colonies and the early United States to show the existence of hierarchy among white Americans, rather than the ubiquitous social and political equality among European Americans described by Tocqueville. His writings actually indicate an awareness of another American culture in the South and near West—one that disregards education, condones coarse manners, tolerates aggressive behavior, and exhibits unrestrained greed—but Tocqueville does not integrate these observations into his larger conclusions about Americans’ mœurs and institutions. Because of the existence of these important, non-Puritan habits, the political institutions Tocqueville sees as facilitating democracy in America and hopes to apply to France and Europe may not have the effects he believes they will have.
Transhepatic inferior vena cava filter retrieval due to chronic occlusion of jugular and subclavian veins.

Abstract Retrieval of inferior vena cava filters is routinely performed via an internal jugular venous access. We present a case of a 55-year-old woman with myeloproliferative disorder, complicated by venous thrombosis. She was referred to interventional radiology for removal of an inferior vena cava filter, which had been placed 5 months prior for mechanical prophylaxis in the setting of femoral orthopedic surgery. Due to the patient's chronic occlusion of the bilateral jugular and subclavian veins, a transhepatic approach was used to retrieve the filter successfully without immediate complications.
A comparison of project delivery method performance for water infrastructure capital projects

Water and wastewater infrastructure globally is aging and in need of rehabilitation and replacement. Design-bid-build (DBB) is the traditional method of project delivery widely applied across the c...
Cavitation model of the inflationary stage of Big Bang

In this paper, we propose a model for the initial stage of the development of the universe analogous to cavitation in a liquid in a negative pressure field. It is assumed that at the stage of inflation, multiple breaks of the metric occur with the formation of areas of physical vacuum in which the generation of matter occurs. The proposed model explains the large-scale isotropy of the universe without ultrafast inflationary expansion and the emergence of a large-scale cellular (cluster) structure, as a result of the development of cavitation ruptures of a false vacuum. It is shown that the cavitation model can be considered on par with (or as an alternative to) the generally accepted inflationary multiverse model of the Big Bang.
Prevalence of and Factors Associated With Nurse Burnout in the US.

Importance Clinician burnout is a major risk to the health of the US. Nurses make up most of the health care workforce, and estimating nursing burnout and associated factors is vital for addressing the causes of burnout. Objective To measure rates of nurse burnout and examine factors associated with leaving or considering leaving employment owing to burnout. Design, Setting, and Participants This secondary analysis used cross-sectional survey data collected from April 30 to October 12, 2018, in the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses in the US. All nurses who responded were included (N = 50 273). Data were analyzed from June 5 to October 1, 2020. Exposures Age, sex, race and ethnicity categorized by self-reported survey question, household income, and geographic region. Data were stratified by workplace setting, hours worked, and dominant function (direct patient care, other function, no dominant function) at work. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcomes were the likelihood of leaving employment in the last year owing to burnout or considering leaving employment owing to burnout. Results The weighted sample of 50 273 respondents (representing 3 957 661 nurses nationally) was predominantly female (90.4%) and White (80.7%); the mean (SD) age was 48.7 (0.04) years. Among nurses who reported leaving their job in 2017 (n = 418 769), 31.5% reported burnout as a reason, with lower proportions of nurses reporting burnout in the West (16.6%) and higher proportions in the Southeast (30.0%). Compared with working less than 20 h/wk, nurses who worked more than 40 h/wk had a higher likelihood identifying burnout as a reason they left their job (odds ratio, 3.28; 95% CI, 1.61-6.67). Respondents who reported leaving or considering leaving their job owing to burnout reported a stressful work environment (68.6% and 59.5%, respectively) and inadequate staffing (63.0% and 60.9%, respectively). Conclusions and Relevance These findings suggest that burnout is a significant problem among US nurses who leave their job or consider leaving their job. Health systems should focus on implementing known strategies to alleviate burnout, including adequate nurse staffing and limiting the number of hours worked per shift.
Research on Network Threat and Situation Assessment Method of Electric Power Information System

With the rapid development of information and communication technology, the national electric power information system has been extensively developed, and the electric power information system is becoming more and more intelligent, complicated and networked. At the same time, the complexity of the power information system has also brought about the problem of network security, and various network threats have put forward higher requirements for the network security of the power information system. How to evaluate the cyber threat of power information system has become an important work of power information system network security. This article uses the network threat attribute indicators that the power information system faces, and combines the situation assessment method to conduct a situation assessment on the network security of the power information system.
Energy equation and stress–dilatancy relationship for sand

The energy equation is an expression of the first law of thermodynamics or the law of conservation of energy. According to the first law of thermodynamics, the externally applied work to a system is equal to the sum of dissipation energy and Helmholtz free energy of the system. However, most of the currently available stress–dilatancy relationships are based on the energy equation of Taylor-Cam Clay type, which hypothesizes that the applied plastic work is equal solely to the frictional dissipation energy. The Helmholtz free energy has been completely neglected. Recently, observed from acoustic experiments, it has been recognized that Helmholtz free energy can be caused by deformation mechanisms other than friction between particles. Thus, it is necessary to include additional terms in the energy equation in order to correctly model the stress-dilatancy behavior. This paper addresses the issue regarding the balance of this energy equation. Analyses of experimental results are presented. Specific forms of the frictional energy and Helmholtz free energy are proposed. The proposed energy equation is verified with the experimental data obtained from Silica sand, Ottawa sand, and Nevada sand.
Hopf Bifurcation with Z4 × T2 Symmetry

Hopf bifurcation on a rotating square lattice is considered. As many as seven primary solution branches are found to exist. Five of these are periodic in time and two are quasiperiodic with two independent frequencies. The stability properties of the solutions are established. A structurally stable attracting heteroclinic cycle connecting four rolls travelling in four orthogonal directions is also found. The relevance of the analysis to overstable convection in a plane rotating layer is discussed.