cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Study of the preparations of a piperazine polyurea and polyamide by low temperature solution polymerization

The preparations of two condensation polymers by low temperature solution polymerization are compared for the effect of reactant imbalance upon molecular weight. In addition, other variables, such as solvent selection, reaction time, and stirring rate are examined. The polymers are the polyamide from trans-2,5-dimethylpiperazine and terephthaloyl chloride and the alternating polyurea from trans-2,5-dimethylpiperazine and methylene bis(4-phenyl isocyanate). In contrast to the polyamide-forming reaction, the polyurea polymerization does not require acid acceptors and produces no by-products. The investigation led to the preparation of extremely high molecular weight polyureas by use of the inert solvent mixture, tetramethylene sulfone–chloroform. Poly(N,N,-terephthaloyl-trans-2,5-dimethylpiperazine) was previously shown to have an unusual lack of sensitivity to reactant imbalance as compared to melt polycondensation when excess diamine was used as the acid acceptor. Similar behavior is found for the polyurea as well as the polyamide when tertiary amine is used as the acid acceptor. However, under certain conditions, side reactions can cause the formation of polyamides with lower inherent viscosity values than calculated. In both cases the insensitivity to reactant imbalance is ascribed to an extremely fast reaction.
Analysis and Modeling of Near-Ground Wave Propagation in the Presence of Building Walls

An efficient semi-analytic model for near-ground wave propagation in indoor scenarios is presented. For transceivers deployed in indoor environments on or near the ground, since RF wave propagation is dominated by Norton surface waves, these higher order waves and their interactions with building walls and other indoor obstacles have to be captured for accurate field calculations. Existing ray tracing routines which are commonly used for indoor field prediction, are inadequate for evaluating signal coverage of transceiver nodes very close to the ground (less than a wavelength above ground) since such routines neglect higher order surface waves. In addition, geometrical optics alone is inadequate to treat finite-size and possible irregular-shaped obstacles at low radio frequencies (VHF and lower UHF). Our approach for calculation of near-ground wave propagation and scattering is based on a hybrid physical optics and asymptotic expansion of dyadic Green's function for a half-space dielectric medium. Equivalence principle in conjunction with physical optics approximation is utilized to handle scattered field from building walls which are the dominant scatterers in indoor settings. Simulation results for various indoor propagation scenarios based on the new approach is validated by using both measurement results and full-wave numerical solvers.
Intrathymic programming of effector fates in three molecularly distinct γδ T cell subtypes

Innate γδ T cells function in the early phase of immune responses. Although innate γδ T cells have often been studied as one homogenous population, they can be functionally classified into effector subsets on the basis of the production of signature cytokines, analogous to adaptive helper T cell subsets. However, unlike the function of adaptive T cells, γδ effector T cell function correlates with genomically encoded T cell antigen receptor (TCR) chains, which suggests that clonal TCR selection is not the main determinant of the differentiation of γδ effector cells. A high-resolution transcriptome analysis of all emergent γδ thymocyte subsets segregated on the basis of use of the TCR γ-chain or δ-chain indicated the existence of three separate subtypes of γδ effector cells in the thymus. The immature γδ subsets were distinguished by unique transcription-factor modules that program effector function.
Geometric Urban Geo-localization

We propose a purely geometric correspondence-free approach to urban geo-localization using 3D point-ray features extracted from the Digital Elevation Map of an urban environment. We derive a novel formulation for estimating the camera pose locus using 3D-to-2D correspondence of a single point and a single direction alone. We show how this allows us to compute putative correspondences between building corners in the DEM and the query image by exhaustively combining pairs of point-ray features. Then, we employ the two-point method to estimate both the camera pose and compute correspondences between buildings in the DEM and the query image. Finally, we show that the computed camera poses can be efficiently ranked by a simple skyline projection step using building edges from the DEM. Our experimental evaluation illustrates the promise of a purely geometric approach to the urban geo-localization problem.
Row buffer locality aware caching policies for hybrid memories

Phase change memory (PCM) is a promising technology that can offer higher capacity than DRAM. Unfortunately, PCM's access latency and energy are higher than DRAM's and its endurance is lower. Many DRAM-PCM hybrid memory systems use DRAM as a cache to PCM, to achieve the low access latency and energy, and high endurance of DRAM, while taking advantage of PCM's large capacity. A key question is what data to cache in DRAM to best exploit the advantages of each technology while avoiding its disadvantages as much as possible. We propose a new caching policy that improves hybrid memory performance and energy efficiency. Our observation is that both DRAM and PCM banks employ row buffers that act as a cache for the most recently accessed memory row. Accesses that are row buffer hits incur similar latencies (and energy consumption) in DRAM and PCM, whereas accesses that are row buffer misses incur longer latencies (and higher energy consumption) in PCM. To exploit this, we devise a policy that avoids accessing in PCM data that frequently causes row buffer misses because such accesses are costly in terms of both latency and energy. Our policy tracks the row buffer miss counts of recently used rows in PCM, and caches in DRAM the rows that are predicted to incur frequent row buffer misses. Our proposed caching policy also takes into account the high write latencies of PCM, in addition to row buffer locality. Compared to a conventional DRAM-PCM hybrid memory system, our row buffer locality-aware caching policy improves system performance by 14% and energy efficiency by 10% on data-intensive server and cloud-type workloads. The proposed policy achieves 31% performance gain over an all-PCM memory system, and comes within 29% of the performance of an allDRAM memory system (not taking PCM's capacity benefit into account) on evaluated workloads.
Characterization and scaling of mesoscale heterogeneities in sandstones

[1] A core-flooding technique to measure core- and subcore-scale capillary pressure curves is applied to the characterization of a naturally heterogeneous sandstone core. N2 and water are used as the nonwetting and wetting fluid phases, and X-ray imaging is applied to precisely visualize multiphase flow at the subcentimeter scale. The spatial variability in the Pc(S) relationship is represented in terms of scaling factors, which are further translated into a corresponding distribution of permeabilities, thus creating a unique and consistent framework where multiphase and rock properties are integrated. The analysis introduced here provides a practical and efficient method for characterizing subcore-scale heterogeneities, whose effects can be substantial on both single and multiphase flows.
A Single B-repeat of Staphylococcus epidermidis Accumulation-Associated Protein Induces Protective Immune Responses In An Experimental Biomaterial-Associated Infection Mouse Model

Nosocomial infections are the fourth leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, resulting in 2 million infections and ∼100,000 deaths each year. More than 60% of these infections are associated with some type of biomedical device. Staphylococcus epidermidis is a commensal bacterium of the human skin and is the most common nosocomial pathogen infecting implanted medical devices, especially those in the cardiovasculature. S. epidermidis antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation on inert surfaces make these infections hard to treat. Accumulation-associated protein (Aap), a cell wall-anchored protein of S. epidermidis, is considered one of the most important proteins involved in the formation of S. epidermidis biofilm. A small recombinant protein vaccine comprising a single B-repeat domain (Brpt1.0) of S. epidermidis RP62A Aap was developed, and the vaccine's efficacy was evaluated in vitro with a biofilm inhibition assay and in vivo in a murine model of biomaterial-associated infection. A high IgG antibody response against S. epidermidis RP62A was detected in the sera of the mice after two subcutaneous immunizations with Brpt1.0 coadministered with Freund's adjuvant. Sera from Brpt1.0-immunized mice inhibited in vitro S. epidermidis RP62A biofilm formation in a dose-dependent pattern. After receiving two immunizations, each mouse was surgically implanted with a porous scaffold disk containing 5 × 10(6) CFU of S. epidermidis RP62A. Weight changes, inflammatory markers, and histological assay results after challenge with S. epidermidis indicated that the mice immunized with Brpt1.0 exhibited significantly higher resistance to S. epidermidis RP62A implant infection than the control mice. Day 8 postchallenge, there was a significantly lower number of bacteria in scaffold sections and surrounding tissues and a lower residual inflammatory response to the infected scaffold disks for the Brpt1.0-immunized mice than for of the ovalbumin (Ova)-immunized mice.
Origin Myths in Bioethics: Constructing Sources, Motives and Reason in Bioethic(s)

Bioethics, the term now usually standing in for Biomedical Ethics, is a field of medical anthropological engagement. While many anthropologists and other social scientists work with bioethicists and physicians, this paper instead takes Bioethics as a topic of cultural research from the perspective of Cultural Bioethics and Interpretive Medical Anthropology. Application of useful findings of vintage anthropological research in cultural anthropology and the anthropology of religion and an interpretive lens reveal a field without a single origin or unified methodology. The paper suggests the appropriateness of a literal meaning of current conceptual commonality of the term Bioethics: that the term does in fact refer to a plurality of distinct enterprises with distinct origins and, hence, justifications.
Breeding Season Abundance and Distribution of American Oystercatchers in South Carolina

Abstract Three statewide surveys in South Carolina for American Oystercatchers, Haematopus palliatus, were conducted during the breeding season from 2001-2003. A mean of 1,105 oystercatchers were recorded each year. In 2002, 407 breeding pairs were documented and in 2003, 397 pairs. There were 378 nonbreeding oystercatchers in 2002 and 383 in 2003. The Cape Romain Region supported a majority of South Carolina’s breeding pairs and nonbreeding flocks. Oystercatchers nested, on average, closer to each other on estuarine islands, (specifically made of shell) and farthest apart on edge shell mounds. Although historically oystercatchers may have nested primarily on front beaches, this study documented only 28% of the breeding pairs on barrier island beaches, 27% on estuarine islands and 45% on edge shell mounds. Twenty-four percent of all pairs in South Carolina were on edge shell mounds adjacent to the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW). Nesting on shell mounds may become increasingly important as beaches b...
Silicon fertilization affects growth of hybrid phalaenopsis orchid liners.

Experiments were conducted during two different time periods to determine if hybrid phalaenopsis orchid (Phalaenopsis spp.) liners accumulate silicon (Si) and if this element can affect liner growth. A total of 800 liners were evaluated and Si fertilization was performed by applying potassium silicate (KSiO3) as a drench with three treatments (0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0% v/v) and a control (water, no Si fertilization). The application of KSiO3 affected overall growth of phalaenopsis orchid liners, where Si content of the plant ranged from 0.5% to 1.7%. Overall, Si applied at 0.5% and 1.0% increased fresh weight and dry weight (DW) and at 1.0% Si significantly increased DW of root, shoot, and whole plant over the control. Increases in DW ranged from 27% up to 118%. Results from the second experiment were similar. Other plant parameters evaluated such as leaf number and size, root number, and length were unaffected by Si application. Although leaves of phalaenopsis orchid liners treated with Si appeared darker green when compared with the control, no significant differences were observed in chlorophyll content of leaves. Reduced growth was observed when 2.0% Si was applied affecting Si tissue concentrations and substrate electric conductivity. The data obtained from this study indicate that hybrid phalaenopsis orchid liners are Si accumulators and that this element influences their growth. Further studies are warranted to address the long-term effects of Si fertilization on the complete life cycle of hybrid phalaenopsis orchids.
NONEQUILIBRIUM PHASE CHANGE—2. Relaxation Models, General Applications, and Post-Dryout Heat Transfer

Abstract A generalized model for phase change in steady, flowing, quasi-one-dimensional, two-phase mixtures is developed. Based on the vapor conservation equations for actual and equilibrium conditions, a first order, inhomogeneous differential equation having one parameter is developed to describe the behavior of the nonequilibrium potential. This equation has one parameter, the relaxation number, which itself is a local variable and represents the ratio of actual vapor generation rate to the equilibrium value per unit potential. It is thus shown that nonequilibrium phase change is an initial value problem which itself is path dependent and which is also strongly dependent on the initial conditions. The concepts developed for nonequilibrium phase change are then applied to the case of post-dryout heat transfer. It is shown that the use of the relaxation equation describing the behavior of the nonequilibrium potential provides an accurate method to calculate the actual rates of phase change quality and temperature for equilibrium qualities between 0.13 to over 3.0.
Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia

A 43-year-old African American female presented with a focal area of hair loss on the vertex scalp that she had noticed gradually expanding in size over the past 3–4 years. She denied a history of any systemic diseases. She had a positive history of hair relaxer use every 6–8 weeks since age 16. She also reported a 5-year history of braids as an adolescent for about 1 month at a time for most of the year. In addition, she reported wearing sew-in weaves every 4 months for the past 2 years. A family history of hair loss in her mother was also noted. She complained of occasional pruritus, and had not tried anything for treatment.
Assessing Empathy through Mixed Reality

This research seeks to produce a new way of assessing empathy in individuals. The current widely used diagnostic tools are questionnaires. These questionnaires are easy to "pass" if the individual simply lies and chooses the answers that would be most beneficial to them. Furthermore, it is shown, assessing empathy is harder in a clinical setting because it is not the natural world, a person may purposely inhibit their behavior to seem more "normal". Finding methods that would assess affect while interacting with a computer could yield higher accuracy in diagnosis
Optical Kerr effect in fiber-optic gyroscopes: effects of nonmonochromatic sources

Fiber-optic gyroscopes sense rotation by detecting the phase shift experienced by two counterpropagating beams in a Sagnac interferometer. The very small Sagnac phase shifts experienced by the two beams are nonreciprocal for a rotating gyroscope in that the phase shifts seen by the forward beam (intensity l+) and the backward beam (intensity l-) are not equal.1
The New World Species of the Telenomus nigricornis Group (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae)

The genus Dissolcus is synonymized with Telenomus. Telenomus nigricornis is redescribed, and two new species, angulatus and prolixus, are described from South America.
Hypoxic Alteration of Righting Ability and Pain Threshold in Two Mammalian Species.

SummaryThe response to thermal pain in the rat was decreased by breathing 7.5% oxygen and abolished with 5% oxygen. The 13 lined ground squirrel had no alteration of response with 5% oxygen but did with 2.5%. However, the righting reflex of the ground squirrel was much more susceptible to hypoxia than that of the rat. Loss of righting ability occurred at a barometric pressure of 183 mm Hg for the ground squirrel and 154 mm Hg for the rat in simulated altitude ascent in a chamber.
Mental illness and the Americans with disabilities act understanding the fundamentals

1. With an increasing emphasis on psychiatric rehabilitation, psychiatric nurses must understand the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the application of the legislation to the mentally disabled. 2. The ADA applies to all who are disabled physically or as the result of emotional or mental illness, and is intended to promote equality of opportunity, full participation in society, and economic self-sufficiency. 3. Because much of the ADA was drafted from the perspective of the physically disabled, it sometimes is a challenge to apply the regulations to people with mental illness.
Relationship Between Clerical Burden and Characteristics of the Electronic Environment With Physician Burnout and Professional Satisfaction

Abstract Objective To evaluate associations between the electronic environment, clerical burden, and burnout in US physicians. Participants and Methods Physicians across all specialties in the United States were surveyed between August and October 2014. Physicians provided information regarding use of electronic health records (EHRs), computerized physician order entry (CPOE), and electronic patient portals. Burnout was measured using validated metrics. Results Of 6375 responding physicians in active practice, 5389 (84.5%) reported that they used EHRs. Of 5892 physicians who indicated that CPOE was relevant to their specialty, 4858 (82.5%) reported using CPOE. Physicians who used EHRs and CPOE had lower satisfaction with the amount of time spent on clerical tasks and higher rates of burnout on univariate analysis. On multivariable analysis, physicians who used EHRs (odds ratio [OR]=0.67; 95% CI, 0.57-0.79; P P P Conclusion In this large national study, physicians' satisfaction with their EHRs and CPOE was generally low. Physicians who used EHRs and CPOE were less satisfied with the amount of time spent on clerical tasks and were at higher risk for professional burnout.
Pulmonary management of the urologic patient.

SUMMARY Morbidity and mortality from pulmonary complications following urinary tract operations can be reduced by preoperative identification of the high risk patient. Pulmonary function tests and arterial blood gases are necessary to identify these patients and to delineate the severity of their pulmonary disease. Respiratory complications can be prevented in many patients with the proper use of preand postoperative chest physical therapy and oxygen therapy. Despite the most careful pulmonary management, some patients develop acute respiratory failure following urologic operations. Respiratory failure results from a combination of physiologic abnormalities which impair alveolar ventilation and oxygenation. Utilizing controlled ventilation, supplemental oxygen, and a physiologic approach to treating the underlying cause of respiratory failure, three fourths of urologic patients in respiratory failure may be expected to survive.
Young and Older Caregivers at Homeless Animal and Human Shelters: Selfish and Selfless Motives in Helping Others

In the present study, young (n = 34) and older(n = 70) adult volunteers at either animal (n= 48) or human (n = 56) homeless shelters were asked to complete measures of caregiver stress/satisfaction, volunteer motives, and social desirability. Young compared to older volunteers assisting animals, but not humans, reported a significantly higher caseload and spending significantly more time per visit with their clients. In addition, young volunteers reported significantly higher levels of caregiver stress with humans more than animals. Also, volunteers at human (but not animal) homeless shelters claimed the need for meeting social expectations as a motive for community service. Furthermore, younger compared to older volunteers reported gaining relevant career experience, obtaining a knowledge of the plight of others, relieving aversive emotions, and meeting normative expectations as significant motives for volunteering. These results may have important implications for recruitment and training of community volunteers at homeless shelters.
Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology of the Ovary

FNA cytology has been shown to be highly accurate in diagnosing malignant tumors. In gynecology, an overall accuracy of 94.5% in the differentiation between benign and malignant tumors has been reported. Despite many controversial views regarding its safety, aspiration cytology has been accepted as an innocuous procedure that can be accomplished with minimal discomfort or complications and, in association with laparoscopy, assist in the management of ovarian cysts and masses. Although FNA cannot be considered the first-hand diagnostic procedure for ovarian cancer in postmenopausal patients, it may be extremely helpful in young women, even during pregnancy, to safely differentiate functional and other benign ovarian cysts from malignant ones. In postmenopausal women, especially those in the high risk group for surgical procedures and those undergoing a "second look" intervention following radiation or chemotherapy, aspiration cytology may provide sufficient information to warrant abandoning unnecessary surgery. During laparotomy for suspected unilateral disease, FNA may provide sufficient data about the opposite ovary to allow that organ to remain in place, thus preserving its function in a young patient. The pathologist must be familiar with the cytology of normal pelvic structures and the diagnostic criteria used to differentiate benign from malignant lesions, as well as potential diagnostic pitfalls, such as interpretation based on very few cells or the absence of appropriate clinical information. Although proper classification of ovarian masses can be achieved through FNA, the pathologist should be aware of its limitations, such as difficulties in differentiating adenomas from non-neoplastic cysts, and tumors of low malignant potential from well-differentiated carcinomas. Descriptive histologic terminology should be applied, and terms such as "suspicious" or "atypical" avoided. The aspirated material may not only be used for the diagnosis and classification of ovarian neoplasms, it may also be used for DNA analysis, detection of estrogen receptors and other prognostic markers, thus providing information regarding biologic behavior of the tumors. Finally, it is hoped that aspiration of ovarian lesions routinely detected by sonography, in elderly women or those with a strong family history of ovarian cancer, will allow the physician to accomplish detection of early ovarian cancer.
Refinance and Mortgage Default: An Empirical Analysis of the HARP's Impact on Default Rates

This paper examines the impact of refinance on mortgage default, based on an empirical investigation of Home Affordable Refinance Program. We study a unique dataset which includes both HARP loans and HARP-eligible loans that did not refinance. Using a range of methodologies it is shown that receiving a HARP refinance materially decreases the expected default rate. After controlling for other loan characteristics and borrower selection effects, the paper finds that default rates of HARP loans decrease by about 54% from 3.31% to about 1.52% over an average 15-month performance period.
Ternary silver chlorobromide nanocrystals: intrinsic influence of size and morphology on photocatalytic activity

It is found that magnetic stirring can significantly influence diffusion of reaction species in high-viscosity solutions and thus the nucleation process of forming nanocrystals. This simple strategy, for the first time, has been successfully used to control the synthesis of phase-pure ternary silver chlorobromide (AgClxBr1−x) nanoparticles with varying sizes and morphologies while maintaining constant composition through co-precipitation reaction of Ag+ cations with both Cl− and Br− anions at different stirring rates. The as-synthesized AgClxBr1−x nanoparticles offer the unique opportunity to accurately study the dependence of their photocatalytic activity on particle size and morphology by taking photocatalytic decomposition of MB as an example: (1) in a solution with a high concentration of dissolved O2, particle size represents the dominating parameter and larger particles are more active than small particles; (2) with low concentrations of dissolved O2, particle morphology becomes more dominating and nanocubes (mainly bound by {100} surface facets) are more efficient than nanospheres (mainly bound by {111} surface facets) towards decomposition of MB molecules. The results provide an unprecedented insight into the rational design and synthesis of efficient photocatalysts.
Alcohol-Derived Acetaldehyde Exposure in the Oral Cavity

Alcohol is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a human carcinogen and its consumption has been associated to an increased risk of liver, breast, colorectum, and upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) cancers. Its mechanisms of carcinogenicity remain unclear and various hypotheses have been formulated depending on the target organ considered. In the case of UADT cancers, alcohol’s major metabolite acetaldehyde seems to play a crucial role. Acetaldehyde reacts with DNA inducing modifications, which, if not repaired, can result in mutations and lead to cancer development. Despite alcohol being mainly metabolized in the liver, several studies performed in humans found higher levels of acetaldehyde in saliva compared to those found in blood immediately after alcohol consumption. These results suggest that alcohol-derived acetaldehyde exposure may occur in the oral cavity independently from liver metabolism. This hypothesis is supported by our recent results showing the presence of acetaldehyde-related DNA modifications in oral cells of monkeys and humans exposed to alcohol, overall suggesting that the alcohol metabolism in the oral cavity is an independent cancer risk factor. This review article will focus on illustrating the factors modulating alcohol-derived acetaldehyde exposure and effects in the oral cavity.
Successful CyberInfrastructures for E-Health

The health-care sector has stringent needs for CyberInfrastructures (CIs) to improve both its patient-care capabilities and its potential for advanced clinical research. Large-scale projects reveal that economics, technology, science, and people need a careful balance to be successful. In this chapter, we detail our value-based methodology for architecting and implementing CIs for multiple projects in this field. We highlight the requirements and challenges presented by this field, the process for value-cost analysis, proper stakeholder involvement, and architecture evaluation to match a system’s timeline and budget. We also discuss lessons learned and typical CI aspects, including data ingestion and sharing, privacy and security, life-cycle management, rapid prototyping and user adoption, performance, and scalability, and their impact on project economics. We conclude with strategic factors for overall project success.
The Magic of X-ray Vision.

An exploration of the power of images using Thomas Mann's Magic Mountain. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Simultaneous Photodegradation and Hydrogen Production with TiO2/Pt/CdS Using UV–Visible Light in the Presence of a Sacrificial Agent and a Pollutant

We present preliminary insights into the application of a composite consisting of a noble metal, CdS, and an in-house developed TiO2 (IH-TiO2) as a photocatalyst for hydrogen generation from waste. The IH-TiO2 shows more than twice the active surface area of commercial Degussa P25® TiO2, and photoelectrochemical responses (charge separation and potential) that are superior to the Degussa P25. This indicates that the composite is a favorable backbone for deposition of visible light absorbers such as CdS. The composites have been used for photocatalytic hydrogen production in the presence of sacrificial agents and UV–visible light. The role of a traditional sacrificial agent—polysulfide—in aiding photocatalytic hydrogen production is examined. Further, the effects of replacing the polysulfide with a representative dye pollutant—methyl orange (MO)—also demonstrate hydrogen production. The MO undergoes photo conversion and preliminary kinetic analysis indicates that it follows a first-order power law degradation model. The study provides a cost-effective synthesis strategy for the development of similar oxide-chalcogenide-metal nanocomposites.
Conformational Analysis and Modeling Studies of Synthetic 4-Dialkylaminopyridine-Siloxane Oligomers with Selective Esterase Activity

The conformational flexibility of hybrid organo-disiloxane oligomers, which have enzyme-like properties as synthetic acyltransferases and contain aminopyridine groups in various states of protonation, was investigated. Six molecules were studied using the Low Mode:Monte Carlo conformational search method with the MM2* force field and the Generalized Born/Surface Area continuum solvent model for water. An ensemble of low energy structures was generated and used to investigate the dependence of molecular shape and flexibility on protonation. The results, as measured by the number of unique conformations, the end-to-end or longest intramolecular distance and the radius of gyration of the conformational point cloud, indicate that the number of protonated pyridines plays a significant role in the overall molecular shape; i.e., molecules with multiple pyridinium ions are, on average, significantly larger, less flexible and more extended than molecules without charge.
Near-Peer Teaching Outreach Programs to Increase Minority Physician Recruitment

Problem Health disparities among racial and ethnic groups exist in the United States despite improvements in health status and access to care. These inequalities may be reduced by increasing minority physician recruitment; however, how best to recruit these physicians remains unclear. Approach Near-peer teachers are not professionally trained, but have recently learned material that they themselves teach. Near-peer teaching in minority student outreach programs may be effective in increasing minority physician recruitment. The authors used a near-peer teaching model to promote interest in medicine, specifically ophthalmology, as a potential career path for both volunteer near-peer teachers and minority high school students participating in an educational outreach program. Twenty-one college and graduate-school near-peer teachers of various racial and ethnic backgrounds participated to teach 31 inner-city high school students. The program was evaluated using pre- and posttest surveys assessing students' knowledge about and interest in science, medicine, and ophthalmology; analysis used pairwise t -test comparisons. Qualitative responses and an end-of-training survey also assessed students' and near-peer teachers' satisfaction with the program and perceptions about medicine as a career. Outcomes Students' knowledge about and interest in medicine and ophthalmology increased significantly after participation. Near-peer teachers agreed that teaching in the program was beneficial to their careers and made it more likely that they would enter medicine and ophthalmology. Next Steps The authors will track the near-peer teachers' career paths and, in the next iteration, will increase the number of program days. This intervention may serve as a model for outreach for other specialties beyond ophthalmology.
Nine Modes of Listening to Music

Listening has become a major issue of musical composition from the middle of last century on, since Pierre Schaeffer inaugurated with concrete music one of the trends of what would be established under the name of electroacoustic music. The classification of the modes of listening to music that will be presented in this paper is not concerned with the chronological study of listening by means of musical examples from historical periods and their respective social context. As my classification aims at the processes of reception and in a broad sense, I found its foundation in the different interpretative levels formulated by Peirce in his classification of the interpretants.
Generic Parameter Extraction of Inkjet-Printed OTFTs via Optimisation Using LTspice and MATLAB

Parameter extraction for organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) is often performed using the MOSFET square-law to model current-voltage (IV) characteristics. Usually the IV characteristics at a single drain voltage bias is used for fitting the mobility and extrapolating the threshold voltage. Described herein is a method of parameter extraction which fits a family of curves to any given model, and is not limited only to the square-law. Using LTspice, a freely available circuit simulation tool, coupled with MATLAB, a routine has been prepared which performs parameter extraction for OTFT measurement results across a family of curves via optimisation. The use of a circuit simulator allows a wide array of models to be used, and modified, to achieve more accurate circuit simulation performance and possibly provide insight into device behaviour.
Aortic Insufficiency is Associated with Hemocompatibility-Related Adverse Events in LVAD Patients

Purpose Hemocompatibility-related clinical adverse events (HRAEs) are major causes of readmission and reduce quality of life in LVAD patients. The impact of aortic insufficiency (AI) on HRAEs remains uncertain. This study assessed the impact of AI, which was graded by using novel Doppler echocardiographic parameters obtained at the LVAD outflow cannula , on HRAEs. Methods LVAD patients with varying degrees of AI underwent Doppler echocardiography of the LVAD outflow cannula. AI regurgitation fraction (RF) was calculated from the systolic/diastolic velocity ratio and the rate of diastolic flow acceleration of the LVAD outflow cannula (Figure 1A). RF >30% defined as significant AI. Freedom from any HRAEs and the net burden of HRAEs, which was calculated by using a hemocompatibility score (with 4 escalating tiers of hierarchal severity), were compared between those with/without significant AI during a 1-year observational period. Results Among 105 patients (median age 56 years, 76% male), 36 patients (34%) had significant AI. Baseline characteristics were comparable between two groups (p >0.05 for all). One-year survival free from HRAEs was 44% in the significant AI group compared with 67% in the non-significant AI group (p = 0.018; Figure 1B). The average hemocompatibility score in the significant AI group was higher compared with the non-significant AI group (1.72 vs. 0.64; p = 0.009; Figure 1C), due to higher tier I (gastrointestinal bleedings or medically managed pump thrombosis ; p = 0.034) and tier IIIB scores (HRAE-related death; p = 0.011). Conclusion Significant AI, which was assessed by using novel Doppler echocardiographic parameters, was associated with an increased rate of HRAEs in LVAD patients.
Retail Display Properties and Consumer Perception of Extended Aged Beef Topically Treated with Ascorbic Acid and Rosemary Extract

Extended aging increases browning and decreases redness in fresh beef. The goal of this study was to test an already proven combination of antioxidants (0.05% ascorbic acid + 0.1% rosemary extract) using a method that could be applied at the retail level to simply and effectively extend the shelf-life of extended aged beef. The specific objective was to analyze the effect of topical application of ascorbic acid and rosemary extract on color, lipid oxidation, microbial growth, and sensory perception of beef longissimus lumborum (LL; n = 12) and semimembranosus (SM; n = 12) muscles wet aged at 0°C for 14, 28, and 42 (extended aging period) days. After aging, steaks were cut, sprayed with 2 mL of a 0.05% ascorbic acid + 0.1% rosemary extract solution (treated) or untreated (control), and subjected to retail display. Antioxidant treated LL steaks had greater (P < 0.05) L* (lightness) values, but lower (P < 0.05) a* (redness) and b* (yellowness) values than control steaks. Furthermore, antioxidant treatment decreased (P < 0.05) browning on d 4 of retail display compared to control steaks. Consumers scored antioxidant treated SM steaks as less tender on d 28, more juicy on d 14 but less juicy on d 18 and 42. Antioxidant treatment did not affect lipid oxidation, microbial growth, or sensory flavor scores. As expected, longer aging periods resulted in less color stability of LL and SM steaks. Although the antioxidant treatment resulted in measurable subjective color improvements, these improvements are likely not detectable by the consumer.
Linking community resources in diabetes care: a role for technology?

Designing and implementing effective lifestyle modification strategies remains one of the great challenges in diabetes care. Historically, programs have focused on individual behavior change with little or no attempt to integrate change within the broader social framework or community context. However, these contextual factors have been shown to be associated with poor diabetes outcomes, particularly in low-income minority populations. Recent evidence suggests that one way to address these disparities is to match patient needs to existing community resources. Not only does this position patients to more quickly adapt behavior in a practical way, but this also refers patients back to their local communities where a support mechanism is in place to sustain healthy behavior. Technology offers a new and promising platform for connecting patients to meaningful resources (also referred to as “assets”). This paper summarizes several noteworthy innovations that use technology as a practical bridge between healthcare and community-based resources that promote diabetes self-care.
NEYMAN’S C(α) TEST FOR UNOBSERVED HETEROGENEITY

A unified framework is proposed for tests of unobserved heterogeneity in parametric statistic models based on Neyman’s C(α) approach. Such tests are irregular in the sense that the first order derivative of the log likelihood with respect to the heterogeneity parameter is identically zero, and consequently the conventional Fisher information about the parameter is zero. Nevertheless, local asymptotic optimality of the C(α) tests can be established via LeCam’s differentiability in quadratic mean and the limit experiment approach. This leads to local alternatives of order n −1/4 . The scalar case result is already familiar from existing literature and we extend it to the multidimensional case. The new framework reveals that certain regularity conditions commonly employed in earlier developments are unnecessary, i.e. the symmetry or third moment condition imposed on the heterogeneity distribution. Additionally, the limit experiment for the multidimensional case suggests modifications on existing tests for slope heterogeneity in cross sectional and panel data models that lead to power improvement. Since the C(α) framework is not restricted to the parametric model and the test statistics do not depend on the particular choice of the heterogeneity distribution, it is useful for a broad range of applications for testing parametric heterogeneity.
The Multiple Roads to VW’s Audi Brussels in Forest

This chapter examines the winding road that helped create Volkswagen’s (VW’s) present-day Audi Brussels factory in Forest, Belgium. It begins with a review of Citroen Belgium, the Town of Forest’s first car plant, which in 1980 was annexed by an encroaching VW Bruxelles factory. It then reviews the origins of Audi Brussels, from its launch as a D’Ieteren Brothers-Studebaker Plant, to VW’s partnership with D’Ieteren and takeover of the factory in 1971, to its near closure and transfer to VW’s Audi division in 2007. The final sections discuss the plant’s post-2007 highlights and speculate on its near future.
Outcomes of transversus abdominis release (TAR) with permanent synthetic retromuscular reinforcement for bridged repairs in massive ventral hernias: a retrospective review.

In a subset of patients with massive and multiply recurrent hernias, despite performing a transversus abdominis release (TAR), anterior fascial re-approximation is not feasible and a bridged repair is required. We aim to report on the outcomes of this patient population at our institution. Patients that underwent a TAR-bridged repair at the Cleveland Clinic were identified retrospectively within the Americas Hernia Society Quality Collaborative (AHSQC) database. Outcomes of interest were quality-of-life metrics measured through HerQLes and PROMIS pain intensity 3a and composite recurrence measured by patient-reported outcomes, physical examination, or CT imaging. Ninety-six patients met inclusion criteria. The mean hernia width was 26 ± 8 cm. The majority (93%) were incisional hernias and 71% were recurrent with 21% having five prior hernia repairs. Of those eligible for recurrence and QoL analysis, 54 (70%) had data points available. HerQLes scores showed a steady improvement throughout postoperative recovery (26 ± 21 at baseline, 44 ± 26 at 30-day follow-up, and 60 ± 33 at 6 months–3 years; P < 0.001), as did the PROMIS Pain Intensity 3a scores (46 ± 11 at baseline, 45 ± 11 at 30-day follow-up, and 39 ± 11 at 6 months–3 years; P = 0.001). At a mean follow-up of 20 ± 10 months, a composite recurrence of 46% was reported, primarily from patients reporting a “bulge” at the site. Performing a bridged TAR repair with synthetic mesh in patients with complex hernias is associated with high rates of patient-reported bulge perception. Despite this, there was a significant improvement in quality-of-life metrics. When counseling these patients during preoperative evaluation, the results of our study should be shared in candor to aid in informed decision-making.
Investigation of the electroactive phase content and dielectric behaviour of mechanically stretched PVDF-GO and PVDF-rGO composites

Abstract Piezoelectric and dielectric performance of polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) based composites are greatly influenced by the presence of electroactive polar s-phase structure, which can be induced into PVDF matrix through mechanical stretching. Irrespective of numerous studies reported earlier, no literature has revealed the effect of mechanical stretching on the piezoelectric and dielectric behaviour of PVDF-Carbon-based fillers (Graphene Oxide-GO) and reduced Graphene Oxide-rGO)) reinforced composites. In this work, we have investigated the combined effect of chemical addition and mechanical deformation, on the improvement of electroactive s-phase structure and dielectric behaviour of PVDF-GO/rGO composites. Maximum s-phase content (86 % for PVDF-GO and 84 % for PVDF-rGO) with improved dielectric properties (Dielectric constant: 28.5 for PVDF-GO and 27.5 for PVDF-rGO, Dielectric loss: 0.025 for PVDF-GO and 0.015 for PVDF-rGO) have been achieved in such composites for stretch ratio 2. This behaviour is attributed to the strong interaction between PVDF and GO/rGO where maximum stress was distributed through uniform stretching force.
The impact of SARS-CoV-2 on sleep.

Citation:Javaheri S, Javaheri S. The impact of SARS-CoV-2 on sleep. J Clin Sleep Med. 2020;16(8):1413.
Integrated Medical Image Registration, Patient Positioning, and Patient Monitoring for Cranial BNCT

Ideal treatment planning for irradiation of brain tumors using BNCT involves a combination of temporal and spatial targeting. Spatial targeting, or target volume selection, is accomplished by CT and MR imaging during treatment planning. CT offers the highest quality geometric accuracy and serves as the geometric model for Monte Carlo simulations in our treatment planning system.1 Contrast enhanced MR offers the best description of the tumor and surrounding areas of edema. In addition, in the future, PET scanning may be employed to aid in identifying the target temporally.
The relationship between chronic arsenic exposure and body measures among US adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009-2016

Abstract Background Current research on the relationship between arsenic and body measures is inconclusive. We explored the relationship between arsenic and body measures in a large cohort representative of the United States population. Methods Data were analyzed from the 2009–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). We examined the relationship between quartiles of urinary arsenic metabolites and BMI as a continuous variable, BMI by obesity category, and waist circumference, using linear regression models without and with adjustment for gender, age, diabetes, hypertension, race, smoking, and alcohol use. A piecewise linear spline model with a knot at 4.26 μg/L/day, the urinary-flow-rate-adjusted dimethylarsinic acid median, modeled a non-linear relationship between dimethylarsinic acid and BMI. Results The 6,848 participants were 51.4 % female, 13.6 % diabetic, 37.7 % hypertensive, 40.3 % white, 38 % obese, 20.3 % non-drinkers, and 56.0 % never-smokers. Compared to the lowest quartile, the highest quartile of daily excretion of all urinary arsenic metabolites was associated with lower BMI, waist circumference, and obesity except for dimethylarsinic acid in unadjusted and adjusted analyses. The same relationship was found with analysis of BMI and waist circumference as continuous variables. Urinary-flow-rate-adjusted dimethylarsinic acid was found to have a non-linear relationship with BMI with increasing excretion up to the median (4.78, 95 %CI = 0.30, 9.27; p = 0.04), and decreasing excretion beyond (-0.69, 95 %CI=-1.23, -0.16; p = 0.01). Conclusion We found a strong inverse relationship between body measures and daily excretion of all urinary arsenic metabolites except dimethylarsinic acid, which had a positive relationship with BMI up to 4.26 μg/L/day, and an inverse relationship beyond it.
Data: Reduced-Order Modeling and the Physics Governing Flapping Wing Fluid-Structure Interaction

Flapping, flexible insect wings deform during flight from aerodynamic and inertial forces. This deformation is believed to enhance aerodynamic and energetic performance. However, the predictive models used to describe flapping wing fluid-structure interaction (FSI) often rely on high fidelity computational solvers such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and finite element analysis (FEA). Such models require lengthy solution times and may obscure the physical insights available to analytical models. In this work, we develop a reduced order model (ROM) of a wing experiencing single-degree-of-freedom flapping. The ROM is based on deformable blade element theory and the assumed mode method. We compare the ROM to a high-fidelity CFD/FEA model and a simple experiment comprised of a mechanical flapper actuating a paper wing. Across a range of flapping-to-natural frequency ratios relevant to flying insects, the ROM predicts wingtip deflection five orders of magnitude faster than the CFD/FEA model. Both models are resolved to predict wingtip deflection within 30% of experimentally measured values. The ROM is then used to identify how the physical forces acting on the wing scale relative to one another. We show that, in addition to inertial and aerodynamic forces, added mass and aerodynamic damping influence wing deformation nontrivially.