cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Particle Swarm Optimization: Basic Concepts, Variants and Applications in Power Systems

Many areas in power systems require solving one or more nonlinear optimization problems. While analytical methods might suffer from slow convergence and the curse of dimensionality, heuristics-based swarm intelligence can be an efficient alternative. Particle swarm optimization (PSO), part of the swarm intelligence family, is known to effectively solve large-scale nonlinear optimization problems. This paper presents a detailed overview of the basic concepts of PSO and its variants. Also, it provides a comprehensive survey on the power system applications that have benefited from the powerful nature of PSO as an optimization technique. For each application, technical details that are required for applying PSO, such as its type, particle formulation (solution representation), and the most efficient fitness functions are also discussed.
Abstract P5-02-11: Triple negative breast cancer: The role of classic histological and prognostic factors on disease free survival

Background: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) represents 15% of all breast cancers, and is characterized by an aggressive clinical course. While efforts are ongoing to characterize the molecular basis for variation in TNBC, there are conflicting data regarding the impact of prognostic factors such as age and Ki-67 typically used for treatment decisions in other breast cancer subtypes. We identified a retrospective cohort of women with ER- breast cancer with long term follow-up, and performed central confirmation of ER, PR, HER2, Ki-67 and histological classification to assess the association of Ki-67 and histologic subtype on clinical outcome in TNBC pateints (pts). Methods: 9,836 women who underwent breast cancer surgery at Mayo Clinic Rochester from 1985-2005 were identified. Pts were excluded due to: ER+ disease (7363); prior cancer (553); non-invasive disease (465); bilateral breast cancer (167); metastatic disease [at diagnosis or within 60 days of surgery (110)]; ER- disease treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (121) or adjuvant hormonal therapy (112); or tumor block exhausted (94). For all others, centralized ER/PR/HER2 identified the following for exclusion, >1% ER staining (n=76), > 1% PR (n=14) and HER2+ (n=144) by IHC (3+) or FISH amplification. 225 cases are still undergoing review. For the centrally confirmed pts with TNBC (n=392), Ki-67 and histological characterization (WHO subtypes) were assessed. Results: Patient characteristics are listed in the table. The median age for all TNBC’s was 45 (range 29-88) and nearly all tumors were grade 3 (91%) with high proliferation (63% with Ki-67 > 30%). The median follow-up was >10 years, where 139 pts had a disease event: progression (86) or second primary (53) and 53 died without a disease event. The 10 yr DFS rate was 55.8% (95%CI: 48.8-63.9%) among the 238 pts who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy (AdjCT) and 58.9% (95% CI: 48.9-70.9%) among the 102 pts administered AdjCT. In pts without adjCT, DFS was found to differ with respect to number of positive LNs (0 vs. 1-4 vs. 4+; log rank p=0.003) and medullary histology (log rank p=0.015) but not with age ( 30 %). Conclusions: Our findings confirm the poor prognosis of TNBC. The medullary histological subtype is associated with significantly better prognosis than other TNBC subtypes (10 year DFS rate of 78.5%; 95%CI: 59.1-99.9% in pts not treated with adjCT). After central confirmation, neither age nor Ki-67 provide additional prognostic information. Citation Format: Ahmed Elkhanany, Vera J Suman, Victoria Cafourek, Judith A Gilbert, James N Ingle, Fergus Couch, Daniel W Vissscher, Matthew P Goetz. Triple negative breast cancer: The role of classic histological and prognostic factors on disease free survival [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-02-11.
Accommodating heterogeneity in a debugger-a client-server approach

In an ongoing project, we are building a debugger for distributed computations running on a heterogeneous set of machines. Such debuggers are commonly built by layering a sophisticated user interface on top of existing sequential debuggers. We have found that the implementation can be simplified by the precise specification of a client-server protocol to describe the interaction of the user interface and debugger core. In addition to facilitating heterogeneous debugging, this strategy also permits a high degree of client portability. This will likely encourage investment in application-domain specific debuggers. This paper describes some of the problems encountered in developing a portable debugger for heterogenous, distributed computing and how the architecture of our debugger avoids them. We also present detailed examples illustrating how the client and server interact to perform typical debugging operations. >
Meteorology, Emissions, and Grid Resolution: Effects on Discrete and Probabilistic Model Performance

In this study, we analyze the impacts of perturbations in meteorology and emissions and variations in grid resolution on air quality forecast simulations. The meteorological perturbations considered in this study introduce a typical variability of ∼1 °C, 250–500 m, 1 m/s, and 15–30° for temperature, PBL height, wind speed, and wind direction, respectively. The effects of grid resolution are typically smaller and more localized. Results of the air quality simulations show that the perturbations in meteorology tend to have a larger impact on pollutant concentrations than emission perturbations and grid resolution effects. Operational model evaluation results show that the meteorological and grid resolution ensembles impact a wider range of model performance metrics than emission perturbations. Probabilistic model performance was found to vary with exceedance thresholds. The results of this study suggest that meteorological perturbations introduced through ensemble weather forecasts are the most important factor in constructing a model-based O3 and PM2.5 ensemble forecasting system.
Back to the Future: Lessons for Internet of Energy Networks

Parallels exist between the telephony-to-Internet transition and the coming transition to Internet of energy networks in the energy ecosystem. Driven in part by innovations coming out of emerging markets such as India and Africa, this transition could have a leapfrog impact. Example innovations covered include nplugs (drawing parallels to Ethernet technology) -- inspired by power cuts in India, solar/DC microgrids, and multifunction energy storage to offset diesel use and provide uninterrupted power -- and financial innovation for assets ranging from solar lights to personalized electric vehicle transportation.
Renormalization-group fixed points of general n -vector models

We make a general study of symmetry and stability of the fixed points of the quartic Hamiltonian of an $n$-component field (or order parameter) for $n\ensuremath{\ne}4$. Simple proofs of known results are given. Among new results, we show that when it exists the stable fixed point is unique; we give some precision on its symmetry and on its attractor basin.
The Role of Complement in Cnidarian-Dinoflagellate Symbiosis and Immune Challenge in the Sea Anemone Aiptasia pallida

The complement system is an innate immune pathway that in vertebrates, is responsible for initial recognition and ultimately phagocytosis and destruction of microbes. Several complement molecules including C3, Factor B, and mannose binding lectin associated serine proteases (MASP) have been characterized in invertebrates and while most studies have focused on their conserved role in defense against pathogens, little is known about their role in managing beneficial microbes. The purpose of this study was to (1) characterize complement pathway genes in the symbiotic sea anemone A. pallida, (2) investigate the evolution of complement genes in invertebrates, and (3) examine the potential dual role of complement genes Factor B and MASP in the onset and maintenance of cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis and immune challenge using qPCR based studies. The results demonstrate that A. pallida has multiple Factor B genes (Ap_Bf-1, Ap_Bf-2a, and Ap_Bf-2b) and one MASP gene (Ap_MASP). Phylogenetic analysis indicates that the evolutionary history of complement genes is complex, and there have been many gene duplications or gene loss events, even within members of the same phylum. Gene expression analyses revealed a potential role for complement in both onset and maintenance of cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis and immune challenge. Specifically, Ap_Bf-1 and Ap_MASP are significantly upregulated in the light at the onset of symbiosis and in response to challenge with the pathogen Serratia marcescens suggesting that they play a role in the initial recognition of both beneficial and harmful microbes. Ap_Bf-2b in contrast was generally downregulated during the onset and maintenance of symbiosis and in response to challenge with S. marcescens. Therefore the exact role of Ap_Bf-2b in response to microbes remains unclear, but the results suggests that the presence of microbes leads to repressed expression. Together these results indicate functional divergence between Ap_Bf-1 and Ap_Bf-2b, and that Ap_Bf-1 and Ap_MASP may be functioning together in an ancestral hybrid of the lectin and alternative complement pathways. Overall, this study provides information on the role of the complement system in a basal metazoan and its role in host-microbe interactions.
cuART: fine-grained algebraic reconstruction technique for computed tomography images on GPUs

Algebraic reconstruction technique (ART) is an iterative algorithm for computed tomography (CT) image reconstruction. Due to the high computational cost, researchers turn to modern HPC systems with GPUs to accelerate the ART algorithm. However, the existing proposals suffer from inefficient designs of compressed data structure and computational kernel on GPUs. In this paper, we identify the computational patterns in the ART as the product of a sparse matrix (and its transpose) with multiple vectors (SpMV and SpMV_T). Because the implementations with well-tuned libraries, including cuSPARSE, BRC, and CSR5, underperform the expectations, we propose cuART, a complete compression and parallelization solution for the ART-based CT on GPUs. Based on the physical characteristics, i.e., the symmetries in the system matrix, we propose the symmetry-based CSR format (SCSR), which can further compress data storage by removing symmetric but redundant non-zero elements. Leveraging the sparsity patterns of X-ray projection, we transform the CSR format to multiple dense sub-matrices in SCSR. We then design a transposition-free kernel to optimize the data access for both SpMV and SpMV_T. The experimental results illustrate that our mechanism can reduce memory usage significantly and make practical datasets fit into a single GPU. Our results also illustrate the superior performance of cuART compared to the existing methods on CPU and GPU.
Is This a Quality Journal to Publish In? How Can You Tell?

This article summarizes a presentation delivered by Beth Bernhardt at the 2016 North Carolina Serials Conference. Bernhardt's talk provided an overview of predatory and unethical publishing practices, provided resources to consult when evaluating open access journal quality, and discussed examples from her work at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). The presentation's focus was on helping librarians and others prepare to serve as resources for faculty members who may need assistance in evaluating open access journals as potential publication venues.
Curing of degraded MAPbI3 perovskite films

Perovskite films were prepared using one-step solution deposition. The prepared films were degraded for 14 days under ambient atmosphere with controlled humidity of 60 ± 5%. The degraded films showed separated regions of PbI2-rich and methylammonium iodide (MAI)-rich phases. Through X-ray, UV and electron beam irradiation, a fast recovery of perovskite was initiated in the MAI regions and the photoproduct further spread into the PbI2 regions over a time frame of minutes. Ultraviolet and electron beam were also explored as irradiation sources and the same photoinduced perovskite formation was observed in each case. XRD results proved that the photoproduct is indeed tetragonal perovskite MAPbI3. A slower conversion process can be achieved by storing the degraded samples at 25% ± 5% humidity. It is also observed that samples degraded at high humidity can be recovered by thermal annealing at a temperature as low as 35 °C. In this work, recovery of the aged perovskite films from decomposed phases (intermediate phase and PbI2) is shown to be feasible, which paves a new way for sustainable perovskite-based solar cells.
Asymptotic Decay for Ultrahyperbolic Operators

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the asymptotic decay for ultrahyperbolic operators. The asymptotic behavior of solutions of partial differential equations concerns the rate of decay or growth of a solution as a single variable, usually designated as time, tends to infinity. An analysis of such behavior has been given for a wide variety of equations, mostly of hyperbolic and parabolic type. The chapter discusses the establishment of the maximum rate of decay when both A and B are the Laplace operator with m arbitrary and n = 2. If A is a second-order elliptic operator defined in a domain D in Rm and B is another second-order elliptic operator defined in a positive cone Γ in Rn. It presents an extension of the results to the case where A is an arbitrary self-adjoint second-order elliptic operator. Extension of the method to include the case where B is an arbitrary second-order operator in two variables is straightforward. However, the method that is developed fails for n > 2, and the validity of the results in this situation is open.
El bandidaje en el siglo xix : una forma de subsistir

En sus arduos viajes por las retorcidas veredas y los des trozados caminos del M?xico decimon?nico, los viajeros espe raban siempre encontrarse con los bandidos. Para la ocasi?n se vest?an modestamente y llevaban las joyas menos valiosas que pose?an. Algunos pon?an al d?a sus testamentos antes de partir, pero eran una minor?a, porque los bandoleros mexi canos eran tan conocidos por su caballerosidad como por su audacia; tan capaces de asaltar a un obispo como de besar su anillo en acto de contrici?n. Con frecuencia ped?an per d?n a sus v?ctimas por la necesidad en que se ve?an, seg?n dec?an, de privarles de sus pertenencias. Algunas veces res petaban el ?ltimo peso de una persona, pues dec?an que qui z? lo necesitara para comer m?s adelante en el camino. Na turalmente, los bandidos, en ocasiones, eran crueles y ven gativos, sobre todo si su esfuerzo les produc?a escaso bot?n. Entonces no vacilaban en quitar a su presa todo lo que lleva ra encima, hasta la ropa interior. Algunos viajeros, sin du da, se sent?an aliviados cuando ve?an el cr?neo ennegrecido de alg?n bandolero famoso clavado en un ?rbol por las auto ridades, a manera de advertencia para los dem?s. En gene ral, los viandantes parec?an m?s fascinados que asustados por los bandoleros. Incluso se mostraban decepcionados si termi naban el viaje sin el menor encuentro con facinerosos. Que r?an tener cosas que contar a su llegada, pues las correr?as de los bandidos eran la comidilla del d?a.1
Suppression of Negative Immune Regulators PD-1 and PD-L1 Expression on Lymphocytes by Inflammatory Cytokines.

Abstract The strength and duration of lymphocyte activation is determined by the net effect of positive and negative regulatory co-signaling molecules. The inhibitory receptor PD-1 and its ligand PD-L1 are both expressed on activated lymphocytes. Mice deficient of PD-1 or PD-L1 demonstrate lymphocyte hyperactivity and are prone to autoimmunity. We have shown that the expression and function of PD-1 on activated B lymphocytes can be down-regulated by certain inflammatory cytokines, rendering them resistant to PD-L1 mediated suppression. Here we further report that both PD-1 and PD-L1 expression on activated T lymphocytes can be down-regulated in a similar fashion. Thus, in addition to stimulating positive regulators, inflammatory cytokines may boost immune responses and break self-tolerance by inhibiting a negative regulator on T and B lymphocytes. Our findings may indicate a potential mechanism for the link between chronic inflammation and autoimmunity.
Abstract P019: Exosomes from Human CD34+ Cells: Critical Mediators of Proangiogenic Paracrine Effect of EPCs

Local transplantation of human CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells has been shown to promote neovascularization in pre-clinical studies in models of myocardial and limb ischemia. In early phase clinical trials, transplantation of CD34+ cells has been associated with reduced angina, improved exercise time and reduced amputation rates. Several studies have suggested that paracrine effects by these pro-angiogenic cells mediate the effects induced by cell transplantation. We hypothesized that CD34+ cells secrete exosomes (Exo), which mediate at least a part of the therapeutic function of the cells. Methods and Results: We isolated Exo from the conditioned media of adult human peripheral blood (PB) CD34+ cells. The angiogenic and therapeutic potency of CD34+ Exo was compared with the intact CD34+ cells and also with PB mononuclear cell (MNC) Exo. Exo from both CD34+ cells and MNC are 50–90nm in size, have cup shaped morphology, and carry known Exo-marker proteins such as CD63, TSG101 and Annexin V as shown by electron microscopy, Western blot and flow cytometry. Compared to CD34+ cells or MNC Exo, CD34+ Exo significantly induces in vitro angiogenic activities such as viability, proliferation and tube formation of HUVECs on matrigel- in a dose dependent manner. In vivo, CD34+ Exo stimulated significant neovascularization in mouse corneal angiogenesis assay (14±4 mm v MNC Exo, 4±1 mm, p Conclusions: These data demonstrate that CD34+ Exo induce angiogenic activity and ischemic tissue repair in the absence of CD34+ cells, and suggest that Exo represent important mediators of the therapeutic effects associated with CD34+ cell therapy. We speculate that Exo derived from CD34+ cells may represent a significant component of the paracrine effect of progenitor-cell transplantation for therapeutic angiogenesis.
Palliative Care Utilization among Patients Admitted for Gastrointestinal and Thoracic Cancers

Abstract Background: Although a growing body of literature recommends the early initiation of palliative care (PC), the use of PC remains variable. Objective: The current study sought to describe the use of PC and to identify factors associated with the use of inpatient PC. Design: Retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of data from the National Inpatient Sample. Setting and Subjects: Patients admitted with a primary diagnosis of gastrointestinal and/or thoracic cancer from 2012 to 2013. Measurements: In-hospital length of stay (LOS), morbidity, mortality, and total charges. Results: A total of 282,899 patients were identified who met inclusion criteria of whom, 24,100 (8.5%) patients received a PC consultation during their inpatient admission. Patients who received PC were more likely to have a longer LOS (LOS >14 days: 5.4% vs. 9.4%) and were more likely to develop a postoperative complication (28.3% vs. 45.9%, both p < 0.001). Inpatient mortality was significantly higher among patients who had receive...
Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, also known as arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, is a heritable heart-muscle disorder that predominantly affects the right ventricle. Macroscopically, there is a scarred appearance with fibrous or fibrofatty replacement of myocardium. These pathologic changes primarily involve the inflow tract, outflow tract, and/or apex of the right ventricular (RV). However, more recent data has noted the involvement of the posterolateral LV with sparing of the RV apex early in the disease. The RV myocardial scarring initially produces typical regional wall motion abnormalities but later may involve the free wall and become global, producing RV dilation and systolic dysfunction. Tissue replacement can also involve areas of the LV with relative sparing of the septum. In addition, electron microscopy has revealed gap junction abnormalities of desmosomes in the RV myocardium, consistent with mutations in genes encoding desmosomal proteins responsible for arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia in most patients.
From Inguinal Hernias to Spermatic Cord Lipomas: Pearls, Pitfalls, and Mimics of Abdominal and Pelvic Hernias

Abdominal and pelvic hernias may be indolent and detected incidentally, manifest acutely with pain and distress, or cause chronic discomfort. Physical examination findings are often ambiguous and insufficient for optimal triage. Therefore, accurate anatomic delineation and identification of complications are critical for effective treatment planning. Imaging, particularly computed tomography, provides a vital understanding of the hernia's location and size, involved viscera, and severity of associated complications. Reader familiarity with the imaging appearances and anatomic landmarks of hernias is important for correct diagnosis, which may impact preoperative planning and reduce morbidity. This article reviews the appearance of anatomic structures in the abdominal wall and pelvis that are important for diagnosing common and uncommon abdominal and pelvic hernias, and it highlights key imaging features that are helpful for differentiating hernias, mimics, and their complications. Online DICOM image stacks are available for this article . ©RSNA, 2017.
Biliverdin reductase and bilirubin in hepatic disease

The buildup of fat in the liver (hepatic steatosis) is the first step in a series of incidents that may drive hepatic disease. Obesity is the leading cause of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), in which hepatic steatosis progresses to liver disease. Chronic alcohol exposure also induces fat accumulation in the liver and shares numerous similarities to obesity-induced NAFLD. Regardless of whether hepatic steatosis is due to obesity or long-term alcohol use, it still may lead to hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis, or possibly hepatocellular carcinoma. The antioxidant bilirubin and the enzyme that generates it, biliverdin reductase A (BVRA), are components of the heme catabolic pathway that have been shown to reduce hepatic steatosis. This review discusses the roles for bilirubin and BVRA in the prevention of steatosis, their functions in the later stages of liver disease, and their potential therapeutic application.
Recent Research in Dynamic Screening System for Sequential Process Monitoring

Dynamic Screening problems arise from a variety of applications where we need to sequentially monitor the performance of individuals to detect any malfunction as early as possible. These applications have stimulated much recent research in the literature, and a new methodology called dynamic screening system (DySS) has been developed. By comparing the longitudinal performance of a given individual with that of well-functioning individuals and by sequentially monitoring their difference, DySS can detect their significant difference early so that the potential damage to the given individual can be avoided or reduced. This paper aims to introduce recent research on DySS in different cases, including cases with univariate or multivariate performance variables and cases with independent or correlated observations.
Kolmogorov complexity of sequences of random numbers generated in Bell's experiments

Quantum states are the ultimate criterion to produce sequences of random numbers. Spatially spread entangled states allow the generation of correlated random sequences in remote locations. The impossibility of observing a quantum state, without disturbing it, ensures that the messages encoded using these sequences cannot be eavesdropped upon. This is the basis of quantum key distribution. It is then of crucial importance knowing whether the sequences generated in the practice by spatially spread entangled states are truly random, or not. Yet, that knowledge is not immediate. One of the obstacles is the very definition of randomness. ``Statistical'' randomness is related with the frequency of occurrence of strings of data. ``Algorithmic'' randomness is related with compressibility of the sequence, which is given by Kolmogorov complexity. Sequences generated by entangled pairs of photons are analyzed, focusing on estimations of their complexity. Standard tests of statistical randomness are also applied.
Gradual and Abrupt Shifts in Ocean Chemistry During Phanerozoic Time

The clearest records of changes in chemistry of the exogenic cycle are found in mineral inventories (NaCl, CaSO4, Ccarb, Corg, P), isotope ratios (δ34Ssft, δ13Ccarb, 87Sr/86Srcarb,87Sr/86Srapt), 87Sr/86Srapt), and trace elements (Ce/Laaptand heavy metals in black shales) vs. age. While these variations can be simplistically modelled in the long-term to confine all variations to the larger sedimentary reservoirs, there are several reasons to assert that some of the variability is internal to the smaller oceanic (and atmospheric) reservoirs, especially for short-term events. These are controlled by complex feedback loops, perhaps ultimately forced by plate-tectonic activity cycles. Many links are only speculative.
Micromodel Observation of the Role of Oil Layers in Three-Phase Flow

We have studied the flow of a non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL, or oil), water and air at the pore scale using a micromodel. The pore space pattern from a photomicrograph of a two-dimensional section through a Berea sandstone was etched onto a silicon wafer. The sizes of the pores in the micromodel are in the range 3–30,μm and are the same as observed in the rock from which the image was taken. We conducted three-phase displacement experiments at low capillary numbers (in the order of 10-7) to observe the presence of predicted displacement mechanisms at the pore scale. We observed stable oil layers between the wetting phase (water) and the non-wetting phase (gas) for the water–decane–air system, which has a negative equilibrium spreading coefficient, as well as four different types of double displacements where one fluid displaces another that displaces a third. Double imbibition and double drainage are readily observed, but the existence of an oil layer surrounding the gas phase makes the other double displacement combinations very unlikely.
The Conservative Evolution of the Vertebrate Basal Ganglia

A striatum and pallidum have been basal ganglia constituents since early in vertebrate evolution, underlining what is now known about their functional interrelatedness. The most noteworthy evolutionary change in the basal ganglia appears to have accompanied the overall telencephalic enlargement and elaboration of thalamic sensory inputs to the pallium that occurred at the anamniote–amniote transition. At this transition, basal ganglia size and cell abundance increased, and afferent and efferent circuits linking it to the pallium became prominent. Nonetheless, the role of the basal ganglia in motor control appears ancient, and in nonmammals is mediated mainly via the midbrain.
Why Abortion is Seriously Wrong: Two Views

The purpose of this essay is to compare the substantial identity argument for the wrongness of abortion to the future of value argument for its wrongness. Both arguments take for granted the standard moral judgment that it is wrong intentionally to end the lives of innocent post-natal children and adults.
Planned, unplanned and in-between: the meaning and context of pregnancy planning for young people.

Abstract Objective To understand how young people conceptualize planned, unplanned and “in-between” pregnancies. Methods We conducted individual qualitative interviews with 50 young (ages 18–24) women and their male partners (n=100) in the San Francisco Bay Area to investigate prospective pregnancy intentions. In this analysis, we focused on participants' conceptualization of planned and unplanned pregnancies, as well as a status in between planned and unplanned. Results Conceptualizations of pregnancy planning were influenced by personal experiences and life circumstances, including previous unplanned pregnancies. While many participants held up planned pregnancies as an ideal, the majority of participants (n=71) also felt that a status in between planned and unplanned pregnancy existed. Many described this in-between stage occurring when someone is “not not trying” or would find an unplanned pregnancy acceptable. Notably, a few participants mentioned that pregnancy planning was not possible because either it was uncommon among their peers or they felt a general lack of control over pregnancy. Conclusion Our analysis suggests that binary operationalization of pregnancies as “planned” and “unplanned” neglects the complexity of young people's lived experiences and perspectives. Contraceptive counseling approaches that allow patients the flexibility to express their considerations and feelings toward a potential future pregnancy could improve the quality of family planning visits and patient–provider interactions. Implications The traditional binary conceptualization of pregnancies as planned and unplanned may not holistically capture the diverse perspectives of young people. Increased understanding of the complexities in young people's conceptualizion of pregnancy planning can inform family planning care that is inclusive, relevant and supportive of a variety of perspectives.
Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Surfactant Lipid in the Vaginal Mucosa: A Pilot Study.

Objective The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that vaginal administration of surfactant lipids, which may counter-balance the proinflammatory effects of vaginal surfactant protein A, will decrease proinflammatory cytokines and increase anti-inflammatory cytokines in vaginal mucosal fluid in healthy women. Materials and methods Three groups of healthy cycling women were randomized to receive vaginally a single dose of the following: (1) low-dose calfactant, a type of surfactant lipids, 0.8 mg/ml; (2) high-dose calfactant 8.0 mg/ml; or (3) placebo, at the time of resolution of menses. Vaginal mucosal fluid was collected before administration and also 1 and 8 days after administration of each treatment. After 1 mo, each group was randomized to each alternative treatment; thus, for a 3-month treatment period, each group received each of the 3 treatments. Vaginal fluid was tested using a Multiplex Immunoassay System. Cytokine concentrations on day 1 and day 8 were compared with day zero and tested for significance with the Student's t test. Results Six healthy subjects completed each treatment. Subjects given high-dose calfactant had, by day 8, a significant reduction in macrophage chemotactic protein-1 and interleukin 15 (IL-15) compared with low-dose calfactant or placebo. High-dose calfactant resulted in an increase in anti-inflammatory cytokines that trended toward significance on day 1 (IL-1RA) or day 8 (IL-10). Conclusions This pilot study in healthy women demonstrates that calfactant reduces proinflammatory cytokines and increases anti-inflammatory cytokines in the vagina. We propose that calfactant may be an effective vaginal anti-inflammatory therapy for inflammatory vaginitis and similar disorders for which current therapy is ineffective.
Multi-agent Cooperative Pursuit-Evasion Strategies Under Uncertainty.

We present a method for a collaborative team of pursuing robots to contain and capture a single evading robot. The main challenge is that the pursuers do not know the position of the evader exactly nor do they know the policy of the evader. Instead, the pursuers maintain an estimate of the evader’s position over time from noisy online measurements. We propose a policy by which the pursuers move to maximally reduce the area of space reachable by the evader given the uncertainty in the evader’s position estimate. The policy is distributed in the sense that each pursuer only needs to know the positions of its closest neighbors. The policy guarantees that the evader’s reachable area is non-increasing between measurement updates regardless of the evader’s policy. Furthermore, we show in simulations that the pursuers capture the evader despite the position uncertainty provided that the pursuer’s measurement noise decreases with the distance to the evade.
Dynamics of focused ultrasound actuated shape memory polymers

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) are used in a wide range of applications in the fields of medicine, electronics, space technology and textiles among others. Consequently, an emphasis on finding an efficient means of actuating these polymers, especially for sensitive and remote applications becomes important. Focused Ultrasound (FU) induced thermal actuation of SMPs has proven to be a safe, remote and flexible technique of achieving spatially and temporally controllable shape recovery. Increasing research is being done to model the shape memory behavior since it forms the basic necessity for SMP use in any application. However, it has mostly been numerical in nature. In this study, we develop a comprehensive analytical model to understand the dynamics of the FU induced shape recovery of SMPs with a focus on acoustic, medium, material and geometric nonlinearities. We estimate the acoustically induced thermal energy inside the SMP and incorporate that energy in an analytical model to understand the change in temperature dependent mechanical properties of SMP as a result of FU exposure. Using these properties, governing equations of motion for an Euler- Bernoulli SMP cantilever beam are formulated through Generalized Hamilton’s Principle. An analytical solution to trace the recovery of the beam is obtained using method of multiple scales for weak geometric nonlinearities. The model is experimentally validated and is able to successfully give a closed form expression for the amount of shape recovery achieved as a function of acoustic parameters, thus eliminating the need of analyzing any intermediary acoustic, thermal and elastic behavior.
Hands On: Help for Teachers.

The students are required to enroll in a mathematics education course, a reading methods course, and a practicum in the same semester, which assures a committed block of time every day for fifteen weeks. The students must also have successfully completed a mathematics course for elementary school teachers. The major emphasis of the mathematics education course is to teach preservice teachers
Suppression of prostate cancer pathogenesis using an MDA-9/Syntenin (SDCBP) PDZ1 small molecule inhibitor

Metastasis is the primary determinant of death in patients with diverse solid tumors and MDA-9/Syntenin (SDCBP), a pro-metastatic and pro-angiogenic gene, contributes to this process. Recently, we documented that by physically interacting with IGF-1R, MDA-9/Syntenin activates STAT3 and regulates prostate cancer pathogenesis. These observations firmly established MDA-9/Syntenin as a potential molecular target in prostate cancer. MDA-9/Syntenin contains two highly homologous PDZ domains predicted to interact with a plethora of proteins, many of which are central to the cancerous process. An MDA-9/Syntenin PDZ1 domain-targeted small molecule (PDZ1i) was previously developed using fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) guided by NMR spectroscopy and was found to be well-tolerated in vivo, had significant half-life (t1/2 = 9 hours) and displayed substantial anti-prostate cancer preclinical in vivo activity. PDZ1i blocked tumor cell invasion and migration in vitro, and metastasis in vivo. Hence, we demonstrate that PDZ1i an MDA-9/Syntenin PDZ1 target-specific small-molecule inhibitor displays therapeutic potential for prostate and potentially other cancers expressing elevated levels of MDA-9/Syntenin.
Survivorship of Earthworks Mapped by T. H. Lewis in Iowa 1884–1894

ABSTRACTBetween 1884 and 1894, Theodore Hayes Lewis mapped 370 prehistoric American Indian mounds and earthworks in Iowa as part of a larger survey of mounds in the upper Midwest. Georeferencing re...
What Does This Mean for Evolution

In 2010, the evolutionary biologist, mathematician, and geneticist, Richard Lewontin noted that the standard narrative of evolution by natural selection does not explain the actual forms of life that have evolved. He further contended that there is an immense amount of biology that is missing from neo-Darwinism. Other scientists also agree (Pigliucci 2007; Baluska 2009; Witzany 2010; Shapiro 2011; Torday 2015a, b; Miller 2016b, 2017; Miller and Torday 2018). Therefore, it can be defended that the central tenets of the modern synthesis should be questioned. Of these areas of inquiry, the most pertinent is the exact role and limits of natural selection in any evolutionary process. If selection has primacy in evolutionary development, does it proceed according to strict gene frequencies? Is it propelled by random genetic mutations? Is Crick’s central dogma that asserts a unilateral direction of the flow of biological information from DNA to RNA still applicable in the twenty-first century? Certainly, there is no requirement that the correct answers have to be any exact antipode of prior beliefs. Nor must any contradictions be absolute. Therefore, even a substantial reformulation of evolutionary development need not be an unyielding negation of the past. Instead, it is tasked to incorporate the weighty thoughts of prior generations of scientists and direct them toward a fuller understanding of this complicated issue.
Molecular characterization of frog vocal neurons using constellation pharmacology.

Molecular profiles of neurons are critical for understanding the neuronal functions, but their identification is challenging especially in non-genetic-model organisms. Here, we characterized the fu...
Thrombosis in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19 in a New York City Health System.

This study examines the incidence of and risk factors for venous and arterial thrombosis in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in 4 New York City hospitals.
Do urban centers support regional goals? An assessment of regional planning in Denver

Abstract Metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) in the United States have instituted regional strategies to encourage development around mixed use, higher density urban centers in response to air quality and transportation challenges. Because MPOs lack regulatory authority, these organizations have relied on voluntary approaches to coordinate regional planning for land use and transportation. While scholars have examined voluntary regional planning, there have been few studies of the urban centers concept. In Denver, Colorado, the MPO’s Metro Vision plan promotes local adoption of centers supported through incentives. In this study, we examine whether existing conditions and future plans for centers support regional goals. Our approach relies on interviews and spatial data to categorize centers and evaluates whether each type of center is likely to achieve regional goals for transit, design, density, diversity, and destination. This work generated a typology of five center types: historic town centers, greenfield, industrial, commercial, and suburban mixed use. We find that the adopted centers fall short of meeting regional goals under existing conditions, but future plans for center types show promise. This typology offers more refined strategies and targeted incentives for other metropolitan regions considering a centers policy to support regional goals. There is also a need for better regional monitoring and improved indicators to assess progress.
Augustine, Saint: Theory of the Sign

Augustine was born in 354 a.d. and died in 430. No man or woman has left a larger mark on intellectual culture, both that of his own Latin times and after. His seminal contribution to the theory of the sign is a good example of why. “Symbols grow”, Peirce noted; and Augustine in the matter of signs symbolizes nothing less than what we might properly call the original florescence of semiotic consciousness.
Cost-minimization analysis of negative pressure wound therapy technologies for the treatment of moderate-to-severe foot infections.

Aim: The objective was to estimate the cost of care associated with two negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) technologies used to treat patients admitted to the hospital with moderate-to-severe foot infections. Materials & methods: A decision tree simulation model was developed to estimate the hospital costs associated with two different NPWT technologies: Cardinal Health™ PRO (NPWT-C) and V.A.C. ULTA™ (NPWT-K). Clinical data were obtained from a previously completed single-site prospective trial. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to gauge the robustness of the results. Results: The total expected per-patient costs were US$41,206 (SD: US$8,194) for NPWT-C and US$44,439 (SD: US$8,963) for NPWT-K. Conclusion: This study found that NPWT-C was expected to minimize the total costs over the episode of treatment. Larger and more clinically diverse studies are recommended to confirm these findings.
Competitive expansion strategies between retailers: the case of Wal-Mart and Target

This paper examines competition between two main retailers, Wal-Mart and Target, in the context of expansion strategies. I use a structural model assuming that the firms are forward-looking and eng...
A (supra)nationalist personality? The Big Five’s effects on political-territorial identification:

Recent work suggests personality affects the subjective psychological weight one attaches to an identity. This study extends prior findings showing a static effect on European identification in a s...
Small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements for prevention of child malnutrition and promotion of healthy development: Overview of individual participant data meta-analysis and programmatic implications

Abstract Small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) were designed to provide multiple micronutrients within a food base that also provides energy, protein and essential fatty acids, and were targeted towards the prevention of malnutrition in low- and middle-income countries. Previous meta-analyses have demonstrated beneficial effects of SQ-LNS on child growth, anemia and mortality. To further examine efficacy and effectiveness of SQ-LNS, and explore study-level and individual-level modifiers of the effects, we conducted an individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis of 14 randomized controlled trials of SQ-LNS provided to infants and young children 6 to 24 mo of age (n > 37,000). We examined growth, development, anemia and micronutrient status outcomes. Children who received SQ-LNS had a 12-14% lower prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight, were 16-19% less likely to score in the lowest decile for language, social-emotional, and motor development, and had a 16% lower prevalence of anemia and 64% lower prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia, compared to control group children. For most outcomes, beneficial effects of SQ-LNS were evident regardless of study-level characteristics including region, stunting burden, malaria prevalence, sanitation, water quality, duration of supplementation, frequency of contact or average reported compliance with SQ-LNS. For certain outcomes, targeting based on population-level socioeconomic status or undernutrition may be worthwhile, as the benefits of SQ-LNS for iron status, anemia and child development were larger in sub-groups with a greater potential to benefit. A greater impact of SQ-LNS might be possible by co-packaging it with interventions that reduce constraints on response, such as prevention and control of pre-and postnatal infections, improving maternal nutrition, improving health care access, and promotion of early child development. Policy-makers and program planners should consider including SQ-LNS in strategies to reduce child mortality, stunting, wasting, anemia, iron deficiency and developmental impairments. This study was registered at www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO as CRD42019146592, CRD42020159971 and CRD42020156663.
InGaN-delta-InN quantum wells on InGaN substrates for high-efficiency red emission

Multi-color red, green, and blue (RGB) micro-light emitting diode (LED) displays often require the use different material systems to obtain high-efficiency RGB pixels. While blue and green micro-LEDs can be fabricated with sufficiently high external quantum efficiencies (ηEQE) using the InGaN materials system, red InGaN emitters currently exhibit much lower ηEQE. The reduction of InGaN LED efficiency at longer wavelengths can be attributed to the Quantum Confined Stark Effect (QCSE), which reduces the electron-hole wavefunction overlap (Γe_hh) and radiative recombination rate (&#119877;&#119904;&#119901;), and worsens at longer wavelengths with increasing QW In-content. Consequently, higher efficiency AlInGaP LEDs are usually used for the red pixels in micro-LEDs, complicating the fabrication process. In this work, InGaN-delta-InN quantum well (QW) LEDs with InGaN quantum barriers on InGaN substrates are shown to produce significant enhancement in electronhole wavefunction overlap and &#119877;&#119904;&#119901; over the entire red emission regime and into the near-infrared. Analysis and comparison of various InGaN-delta-InN QWs with InGaN barriers and InGaN/InGaN QWs emitting at 630 nm was performed using self-consistent six-band &#119896; ∙ &#119901; formalism. Wavefunction overlap from InGaN-delta-InN QWs was shown to increase by 3.5x when compared to an InGaN/InGaN QW at 630 nm. These improvements in wavefunction overlap were shown to lead to ~5 - 7x and ~3 - 10x enhancements in &#119877;&#119904;&#119901; and IQE, respectively. With growth of InN monolayers on InGaN now readily achievable, this novel delta-InN active region on InGaN substrate design could pave the way for high efficiency, native red-emitting InGaN LEDs and allow for monolithic fabrication of InGaN micro-LED displays.
The Importance of Glycemic Equipoise in NASH.

Insulin resistance is a key pathogenic driver in NAFLD. Approximately one quarter of patients with NAFLD and 44% of those with NASH have type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) (1) while an additional substantial proportion of those without DM have impaired fasting glucose.
The role of secondary species emission in vacuum facility effects for electrospray thrusters

Theoretical, analytical, and experimental investigations of electrospray operation in vacuum facilities show that secondary species emission (SSE) plays a significant role in the behavior of electrospray thrusters during ground testing. A review of SSE mechanisms, along with an analysis of onset thresholds for electrospray thruster conditions, indicates that secondary species (e.g., electrons, anions, cations, etc.) must be carefully considered for accurate measurements and determination of performance and life. Presented models and experiments show that SSE-induced thruster-to-facility coupling can lead to considerable measurement uncertainty but can be effectively mitigated with an appropriate beam target design. The Electrospray SSE Control-volume Analysis for Resolving Ground Operation of Thrusters model is applied to experimental data to analyze SSE behavior. A heat and mass flux analysis of the Air Force Electrospray Thruster Series 2 (AFET-2) shows that SSE-induced Ohmic dissipation can cause performance limitations in ionic liquid ion source thrusters. The presented analytical models show that backstreaming current density contributing to less than 0.1% of measured emitter current density can cause substantial variation in propellant properties. Additionally, backstreaming current density contributing to less than 3% of emitted current can cause the 0.86 μg s −1 neutral loss rate estimated during AFET-2 testing. Arguments are presented to support the notion that glow discharges observed in electrospray thrusters during vacuum operation are a consequence of secondary species backstreaming to the emission site, rather than a process intrinsically caused by ion evaporation. Recommendations for general best practices to minimize the effects of SSE on electrospray thruster operation are provided.