cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epizootiology of Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis Virus in Upstate New York, USA VI. Antibody prevalence in wild birds during an interepizootic period

Wild birds in and near Toad Harbor Swamp, Oswego Co., New York, USA, were screened for antibodies to EEE virus during 1978–1980 by hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) tests. Netted birds were banded and released, allowing long-term surveillance of individuals through multiple sampling. A total of 4273 sera from 3639 birds was tested. Prevalence of HI antibodies in birds hatched prior to the year of capture (AHY) decreased annually from 34.4 to 9.8 to 5.2%. Prevalence in birds hatched during the year of capture (HY) was ca. 1.0% all 3 years, indicating little on-site virus circulation during the study. EEE prevalence rates in AHYs of breeding species were compared by sex, nest heights, bird size, bird taxa, and nesting habitats. Prevalence was lower in smaller birds, in the taxa Parulinae and Tyrannidae, and in birds breeding in open-field habitats. Based on antibody prevalence, the virus was widespread during the previous epizootics (1976–1977) and birds at all heights in all habitats near the swamp were exposed. Serial bleedings of individual birds yielded no on-site seroconversions. Birds recaptured in more than 1 year showed a significantly higher antibody prevalence than that of the general population. HI antibody titers in individual birds decreased with time, some to undetectable levels. It is believed that the virus is enzootic, overwintering on site or in locally breeding birds, and that the role of migrating birds in its annual reappearance is minimal.
Brother, Can You Paradigm?

Political science, if you haven't noticed, is a highly disjointed discipline. The staggering outpouring of articles and books produced each year testify to the prodigious energy of political scientists, but as we have been reminded over and over again in protest manifestos and addresses by presidents of the APSA, the discipline suffers from a chronic case of theoretical underdevelopment. Research methods have improved, to be sure, or at least more of us are "into" statistics
Genomic Access to Monarch Migration Using TALEN and CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Targeted Mutagenesis

The eastern North American monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus, is an emerging model system to study the neural, molecular, and genetic basis of animal long-distance migration and animal clockwork mechanisms. While genomic studies have provided new insight into migration-associated and circadian clock genes, the general lack of simple and versatile reverse-genetic methods has limited in vivo functional analysis of candidate genes in this species. Here, we report the establishment of highly efficient and heritable gene mutagenesis methods in the monarch butterfly using transcriptional activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) and CRISPR-associated RNA-guided nuclease Cas9 (CRISPR/Cas9). Using two clock gene loci, cryptochrome 2 and clock (clk), as candidates, we show that both TALENs and CRISPR/Cas9 generate high-frequency nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ)-mediated mutations at targeted sites (up to 100%), and that injecting fewer than 100 eggs is sufficient to recover mutant progeny and generate monarch knockout lines in about 3 months. Our study also genetically defines monarch CLK as an essential component of the transcriptional activation complex of the circadian clock. The methods presented should not only greatly accelerate functional analyses of many aspects of monarch biology, but are also anticipated to facilitate the development of these tools in other nontraditional insect species as well as the development of homology-directed knock-ins.
Effects of temperature, relative humidity, and desiccation of germination of Nectria galligena conidia.

Conidia of Nectria galligena Bres. are the important infective propagules in the epidemiology of European apple canker in California. However, little is known about the effects of temperature and relative humidity on conidial germination and survival. Various authors (2, 3, 5) indicate that conidia are strictly water-dispersed and that several hours of free (liquid phase) water are needed for infection (6), therefore, any periods in the orchard below 100% relative humidity may have deleterious effects on the survival of conidia and on the inoculum potential. The studies herein report the effects of temperature, relative humidity, and desiccation on germination of conidia.
Barriers to applying advanced high-temperature materials

During the past 25 years, aerospace engineers and material scientists have made significant technical progress toward developing next-generation aircraft. However, while advanced high-temperature materials continue to be developed, the outlook for their future application is uncertain and will depend on the ability of these materials to satisfy a more diverse market.
Effects of a Strategic Intervention With iPad Practice on the Multiplication Fact Performance of Fifth-Grade Students With Learning Disabilities

This study investigated the effects of explicit, strategic intervention with iPad application practice on the multiplication fact performance and strategy use of elementary students with learning d...
The Role of Percutaneous Surgery in Renal and Ureteral Stone Removal

AbstractPercutaneous procedures are appropriate for a wide variety of renal and ureteral stones. In the era of shock wave lithotripsy percutaneous procedures usually are indicated in stones for which extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is not appropriate. Many of these situations occur in patients with large stones, and stones associated with obstruction and other problems. Indications for percutaneous stone removal and indications for open surgery are discussed.
A reconfigurable continuous-flow fluidic routing fabric using a modular, scalable primitive

Microfluidic devices, by definition, are required to move liquids from one physical location to another. Given a finite and frequently fixed set of physical channels to route fluids, a primitive design element that allows reconfigurable routing of that fluid from any of n input ports to any n output ports will dramatically change the paradigms by which these chips are designed and applied. Furthermore, if these elements are “regular” regarding their design, the programming and fabrication of these elements becomes scalable. This paper presents such a design element called a transposer. We illustrate the design, fabrication and operation of a single transposer. We then scale this design to create a programmable fabric towards a general-purpose, reconfigurable microfluidic platform analogous to the Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) found in digital electronics.
A three-dimensional vortex instability in rotating fluids

There is a class discovered by Kelvin (1880) of internal standing oscillations in a uniform inviscid fluid that is made possible by the inertial stability associated with a general rotation. These oscillations were rediscovered and called elastoid-inertia oscillations by Bjerknes and Solberg (1929) in connection with the discussion of the possible motions of a rotating atmosphere. We will consider the axisymmetric subclass of small oscillations, initially for the case of a right circular cylinder of fluid having a basic rigid rotation Ω about its axis of figure. The velocities and Stokes stream-function in the rotating frame then have Bessel-function solutions with the instantaneous stream-surfaces occupying toroidal surfaces separated by nodal cylinders and nodal planes perpendicular to the rotation axis.
Travel to High Altitude Following Solid Organ Transplantation

Abstract Luks, Andrew M. Clinician's corner: travel to high altitude following solid organ transplantation. High Alt Med Biol. 17:147–156, 2016.—As they regain active lifestyles following successful organ transplantation, transplant recipients may travel to high altitude for a variety of activities, including skiing, climbing, and trekking. This review is intended to provide information for medical providers who may encounter transplant patients seeking advice before planned high altitude travel or care for medical issues that develop during the actual sojourn. There is currently limited information in the literature about outcomes during high-altitude travel following solid organ transplantation, but the available evidence suggests that the physiologic responses to hypobaric hypoxia are comparable to those seen in nontransplanted individuals and well-selected transplant recipients with no evidence of organ rejection can tolerate ascents as high as 6200 m. All transplant recipients planning high-altitude ...
A History of Behavioral Healthcare: A Perspective From a Lifetime of Involvement

This chapter outlines the history of development of behavioral healthcare as a science. It was in early 1930s when capitated healthcare, embodying both the management of care and the acceptance of risk, was born in a big way and for all time. Eventually, the idea of capitation was expanded to include wellness as an integral part of the most successful capitated programs today. The 1930s also marked the development of the Robin Hood model in American healthcare systems, which reversed the effects of the great depression to curb hunger, high unemployment, and economic stagnation. Consequently, of the Robin Hood model, the new breed of physician was altruistic, dedicated, and proud of the calling. Subsequently, in the mid-1960s, the Titles 18 and 19 of the Social Security Act and known as “Medicare and Medicaid,” were enacted into law and the emergence of the Blue Cross. In defense, the physicians organized into a parallel organization named “Blue Shield” in which prepaid physicians' services, in contrast to Blue Cross, was essentially outpatient care. The year 1963 saw the health system prompting the federal government to conceptualize the HMO as the solution to the spiraling health costs that followed the enactment of Medicare in Medicaid, and eventually, behavioral health was included in the health system.
Quantum Physics Principles and Communication in the Acute Healthcare Setting: A Pilot Study.

Objective This pilot study explores whether clinician awareness of quantum physics principles could facilitate open communication between patients and providers. Design In the spirit of action research, this study was conceptualized with a holistic view of human health, using a mixed method design of grounded theory as an emergent method. Sampling Instrumentation includes surveys and a focus group discussion with twelve registered nurses working in an acute care hospital setting. Results Findings document that the preliminary core phenomenon, energy as information, influences communication in the healthcare environment. Key emergent themes include awareness, language, validation, open communication, strategies, coherence, incoherence and power. Conclusion Research participants indicate that quantum physics principles provide a language and conceptual framework for improving their awareness of communication and interactions in the healthcare environment. Implications of this pilot study support the feasibility of future research and education on awareness of quantum physics principles in other clinical settings.
Essential oils enhance the toxicity of permethrin against Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae.

Insecticide resistance and growing public concern over the safety and environmental impacts of some conventional insecticides have resulted in the need to discover alternative control tools. Naturally occurring botanically-based compounds are of increased interest to aid in the management of mosquitoes. Susceptible strains of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) (Diptera: Culicidae) and Anopheles gambiae (Meigen) (Diptera: Culicidae) were treated with permethrin, a common type-I synthetic pyrethroid, using a discriminate dose that resulted in less than 50% mortality. Piperonyl butoxide (PBO) and 35 essential oils were co-delivered with permethrin at two doses (2 and 10 µg) to determine if they could enhance the 1-h knockdown and the 24-h mortality of permethrin. Several of the tested essential oils enhanced the efficacy of permethrin equally and more effectively than piperonyl butoxide PBO, which is the commercial standard to synergize chemical insecticide like pyrethroids. PBO had a strikingly negative effect on the 1-h knockdown of permethrin against Ae. aegypti, which was not observed in An. gambiae. Botanical essential oils have the capability of increasing the efficacy of permethrin allowing for a natural alternative to classic chemical synergists, like PBO.
Case 39-2016. A 74-Year-Old Man with Rectal Bleeding and a History of Prostate Cancer.

A 74-year-old man with a history of prostate cancer presented with rectal bleeding of 6 months' duration. Examination revealed a rectal mass. A diagnostic procedure was performed, and management decisions were made.
Beyond D'Arcy Thompson: Future challenges for quantitative biology.

Abstract The centennial of “On Growth and Form” is a good opportunity to reflect on the progress of the quantitative study of living systems and where we would like to see it heading. The era of the physical sciences being a mere vehicle for tool building for biological investigations is over. The approaches taken nowadays are analogous to those that physical scientists have taken within their respective fields for centuries, only that now they ask them about biological phenomena and function. Here I give a brief reflection on where we are and where we should direct our focus next, both from the perspective of the research endeavor as a whole, but also with respect to teaching the next generation of scientists joining the field.
Bridging the divide: building infrastructure to support community-academic partnerships and improve capacity to conduct patient-centered outcomes research

For research to be useful, trustworthy, and ultimately lead to greater dissemination of findings to patients and communities, it is important to train and mentor academic researchers to meaningfully engage community members in patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR). Thus, it is necessary for research institutions to strengthen their underlying infrastructure to support PCOR. PATIENTS-PATient-centered Involvement in Evaluating effectiveNess of TreatmentS-at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, focuses on improving PCOR methods and addressing health disparities. It relies on evidence-based engagement methods to sustain and leverage innovative partnerships so patients, health care providers, and academic partners are motivated to participate in the conduct and dissemination of PCOR. Program components address training needs, bi-directional engagement, cultural competency, and dissemination and implementation. Activities (guided by community representatives, leadership from university schools, patient advocates, and PCOR experts) include providing resources, conducting PCOR projects, engaging community members, and disseminating PCOR findings. With its emphasis on the broad range of PCOR topics and methods, and through fostering sustainable relationships with community members and researchers, PATIENTS has successfully cultivated bi-directional partnerships and provided operational and scientific support for a new generation of skilled PCOR researchers. Early evidence of effectiveness includes progress in training and mentoring students and investigators, an increase in submission of PCOR proposals, and community-informed strategies for dissemination. Programs such as PATIENTS reinforce the value of bridging the traditional divide between academia and communities to support patient- and community-engaged dissemination and implementation research and foster sustainable PCOR infrastructure.
Mixing and electronic entropy contributions to thermal energy storage in low melting point alloys

Melting of crystalline solids is associated with an increase in entropy due to an increase in configurational, rotational, and other degrees of freedom of a system. However, the magnitude of chemical mixing and electronic degrees of freedom, two significant contributions to the entropy of fusion, remain poorly constrained, even in simple 2 and 3 component systems. Here, we present experimentally measured entropies of fusion in the Sn-Pb-Bi and In-Sn-Bi ternary systems, and decouple mixing and electronic contributions. We demonstrate that electronic effects remain the dominant contribution to the entropy of fusion in multi-component post-transition metal and metalloid systems, and that excess entropy of mixing terms can be equal in magnitude to ideal mixing terms, causing regular solution approximations to be inadequate in the general case. Finally, we explore binary eutectic systems using mature thermodynamic databases, identifying eutectics containing at least one semiconducting intermetallic phase as promising candidates to exceed the entropy of fusion of monatomic endmembers, while simultaneously maintaining low melting points. These results have significant implications for engineering high-thermal conductivity metallic phase change materials to store thermal energy.
Spontaneous breaking of rotational symmetry in copper oxide superconductors

The origin of high-temperature superconductivity in copper oxides and the nature of the 'normal' state above the critical temperature are widely debated. In underdoped copper oxides, this normal state hosts a pseudogap and other anomalous features; and in the overdoped materials, the standard Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer description fails, challenging the idea that the normal state is a simple Fermi liquid. To investigate these questions, we have studied the behaviour of single-crystal La2-xSrxCuO4 films through which an electrical current is being passed. Here we report that a spontaneous voltage develops across the sample, transverse (orthogonal) to the electrical current. The dependence of this voltage on probe current, temperature, in-plane device orientation and doping shows that this behaviour is intrinsic, substantial, robust and present over a broad range of temperature and doping. If the current direction is rotated in-plane by an angle ϕ, the transverse voltage oscillates as sin(2ϕ), breaking the four-fold rotational symmetry of the crystal. The amplitude of the oscillations is strongly peaked near the critical temperature for superconductivity and decreases with increasing doping. We find that these phenomena are manifestations of unexpected in-plane anisotropy in the electronic transport. The films are very thin and epitaxially constrained to be tetragonal (that is, with four-fold symmetry), so one expects a constant resistivity and zero transverse voltage, for every ϕ. The origin of this anisotropy is purely electronic-the so-called electronic nematicity. Unusually, the nematic director is not aligned with the crystal axes, unless a substantial orthorhombic distortion is imposed. The fact that this anisotropy occurs in a material that exhibits high-temperature superconductivity may not be a coincidence.
Deflections from adolescent trajectories of antisocial behavior: contextual and neural moderators of antisocial behavior stability into emerging adulthood

Background Early adulthood is a critical period when young men involved in antisocial behavior (AB) may desist. Factors including marriage and employment have been shown to predict desistance, but little work has examined whether biological factors (e.g. neural reactivity) predict deflections from lifelong AB trajectories. Methods We examined the continuity of, or desistance from, AB in early adulthood using group-based trajectories of AB across adolescence in a sample of 242 men from low-income, urban families. We examined contextual factors (romantic relationship quality, employment, neighborhood danger) and neural factors (amygdala reactivity to fearful faces, ventral striatum reactivity to reward) as moderators of the continuity of AB from adolescence (age 10-17) into early adulthood (age 22-23), and whether these pathways differed by race. Results High relationship satisfaction and employment at age 20 predicted decreased AB at age 22-23, but only among men with adolescent-onset/moderate AB trajectories. Ventral striatum reactivity predicted continued AB, but only among African-American men with early-starting AB. Amygdala reactivity to fearful faces was related to later AB for those in the early-starting group, but in divergent directions depending on race: amygdala reactivity to fearful faces was positively related to AB in European-Americans and negatively related to AB among African-Americans. Conclusions Contextual factors only predicted deflections of AB in those engaged in late-starting, moderate levels of AB, whereas neural factors predicted continued AB only in those with early-starting, severe AB, and in divergent ways based on participant race. Though there is limited power to infer causality from this observational design, research on desistance broadly can contribute to informing personalized interventions for those engaged in serious adolescence AB.
The effects of locomotor training in children with spinal cord injury: a systematic review.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Discuss the effectiveness of locomotor training (LT) in children following spinal cord injury (SCI). This intervention was assessed following an exhaustive search of the literature...
Endoparasites in Limnonectes magnus (Anura, Dicroglossidae) from Samar Island, Philippines with description of a new species of Aplectana (Nematoda, Cosmocercidae)

Aplectana samarensis sp. nov. (Ascaridida, Cosmocercidae) from the intestines of Limnonectes magnus (Anura, Dicroglossidae) is described and illustrated. Aplectana samarensis sp. nov. represents the 53rd species assigned to the genus and the 6th species reported from the Oriental region. It is easily separated from the 5 species previously reported from the region by the presence of a gubernaculum and the distribution pattern of male caudal papillae: A. macintoshii has an irregular pattern, no precloacal papillae in rows; both A. akhrami and A. dubrajpuri lack a gubernaculum; A. duttaphryni has 3 pairs of precloacal papillae forming 2 rows; A. ranae has 7 pairs of precloacal papillae forming 2 rows; A. samarensis sp. nov. has 4 pairs of precloacal papillae in 2 rows. In addition to the new species, individuals of Falcaustra dubia and Pseudoacanthocephalus bufonis as well as cestode plerocercoids were also found.
Estrogenic Chemicals and Cardiovascular Disease

There is a growing body of evidence establishing exposure to environmental agents as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In this review, the interaction between gene and estrogenic environmental chemicals has been described. Since estrogenic environmental compounds such as arsenic, constituents in tobacco smoke, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are widespread and persistent environmental contaminants known to induce oxidative stress in human vascular cells, research defining the mechanism of how estrogenic environmental chemicals may promote vascular lesions is highly relevant to cardiovascular public health.
Outcomes and Durability of Endovascular Aneurysm Repair in Octogenarians.

Background Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) accounts for the majority of all abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repairs in the United States. EVAR utilization in the aging population is increasing due to the minimally invasive nature of the procedure, the low associated perioperative morbidity, and early survival benefit over open repair. The objective of this study is to compare the outcomes of octogenarians after elective EVAR to their younger counterparts, a question that can be answered by a long-term, institutional data set. Methods This was a retrospective series of 255 patients, who underwent elective EVAR within our institution from 2008 to 2015. A comparative analysis of patients aged 80 years and older and less than 80 years was performed. Outcomes measured included perioperative death and myocardial infarction (MI), length of stay, and readmission within 30 days. Aneurysm reintervention, long-term surveillance imaging, and aneurysm-related deaths were also evaluated. In addition, subset analyses of octogenarians were compared for survival at 24 months. Results Overall, 255 patients were included in our analysis. Fifty-nine patients were octogenarians, and 196 patients were nonoctogenarians. The mean age difference between the two groups was significant (84.5 years [SD, ±3.44] vs. 69.6 years [SD, ±6.13] in the ≥80 and Octogenarians had higher rates of perioperative MI (5% vs. 1%, P In the evaluated long-term outcomes, the two groups were similar with regard to aneurysm reintervention (10% vs. 9%, P The overall aortic related cause of death was different between the groups (8% vs. 1%, P Finally, a subset analysis of the octogenarian group was performed comparing patients based on survival status at 24 months. Higher preoperative creatinine (1.73 mg/dL [SD, ±1.54] vs. 1.15 mg/dL [SD, ±0.46]) and lower preoperative hematocrit (33.9% [SD, ±3.43] vs. 37.2% [SD, ±4.9]) along with number of perioperative complications (1.2 incidence per patient [SD, ±1.74] vs. 0.45 [SD, ±0.73]) were associated with death at 24 months after the index operation. Conclusions Elective endovascular repair of AAA in octogenarians carries a higher risk of perioperative mortality but acceptable long-term outcomes. Appropriateness of elective EVAR in octogenarians should be answered based on this potential short-lived survival benefit, taking into account that advanced age should not be the sole basis of exclusion for otherwise suitable candidates for elective EVAR.
Assessment of a three step process using tungsten catalyzed hydrogen peroxide-based oxidative desulfurization for commercial diesel fuels

A three-step oxidative desulfurization (ODS) process comprising of oxidation, liquid–liquid extraction, and adsorption was applied to two compositionally very different commercial diesel samples, namely a straight run middle distillate and a blend of primary and secondary refining streams, to assess the ODS process feasibility. The oxidation of sulfur compounds was achieved using hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant in the presence of tungstic acid catalyst. The diesel feedstocks, intermediate and final products were characterized in detail using standard analytical methods along with state-of-the-art speciation techniques. Under mild conditions (ambient pressure and 80 °C), ODS was found to target sulfur species that are refractory to low-severity hydrodesulfurization (HDS), specifically dibenzothiophenes. The ODS process removed 85.3% and 33.5% of the sulfur compounds in the blend and straight run diesel samples, respectively. A comprehensive material balance for the overall process and each process step was also established, revealing that approximately 80% of the initial diesel could be recovered after desulfurization, when accounting for the removed sulfur compounds. However, any extraction based desulfurization approach has an inherent limit for the achievable overall diesel recovery because of the potentially high mass fraction of organosulfur compounds that is removed in the process. Consequently, ODS should be preceded by an HDS process to target the main bulk of sulfur compounds while the ODS process then removes the remaining HDS refractory compounds. Removal of nitrogen species, which are also undesirable in the final product, was a positive side effect of the studied ODS process.
Direct shape programming of liquid crystal elastomers

Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are shape morphing materials promising for many applications including soft robotics, actuators, and biomedical devices, but current LCE synthesis techniques lack a simple method to program new and arbitrary shape changes. Here, we demonstrate a straightforward method to directly program complex, reversible, non-planar shape changes in nematic LCEs. We utilize a double network synthesis process that results in a competitive double network LCE. By optimizing the crosslink densities of the first and second network we can mechanically program non-planar shapes with strains between 4-100%. This enables us to directly program LCEs using mechanical deformations that impart low or high strains in the LCE including stamping, curling, stretching and embossing methods. The resulting LCEs reversibly shape-shift between the initial and programmed shape. This work widens the potential application of LCEs in biomedical devices, soft-robotics and micro-fluidics where arbitrary and easily programmed shapes are needed.
X-ray radioluminescent hydrogel stabilized crystalline colloidal arrays

The current effort utilizes methacrylate based hydrogels derived from polystyrene-co-poly(propargyl)acrylate (PS-pPA) colloidal particles with encapsulated stilbene, an organic scintillator, as an x-ray activated imaging agent. These nanoparticles self-assemble into electrostatically stabilized crystalline colloidal arrays (CCAs). Upon photo-polymerization into the hydrogel, the material remains ordered where the crystal is stabilized and more mechanically robust. Upon x-ray stimulation, stilbene/PS-pPA hydrogels emit blue light. While stilbene is an x-ray active material, it remains a poor emitter under x-ray irradiation. However, the color and amount of light emitted from stilbene/PS-pPA could be manipulated through judicious choice in fluorophores that form FRET pairs to span the visible spectrum. To this end, a copper(I) catalyzed azide/alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction was employed to covalently attach an azide modified naphthalimide (AzNap) derivative to the particles all while being in hydrogel form. Stilbene and AzNap are FRET pairs with one another, which resulted in an increase of the total luminescence of the system; these hydrogels now emit green light. In addition, the original stilbene/PS-pPA hydrogels could be functionalized with both AzNap and an azide modified rhodamine B derivative (AzRhod), which are FRET pairs with each other, through CuAAC reactions in the hydrogel. These hydrogels emit orange light and the overall luminescence is similar to that of the AzNap functionalized hydrogels even through two energy transfers. These fully organic hydrogels may be suitable alternatives to toxic inorganic materials in x-ray based imaging techniques.
Reflective Fiducials for Localization With 3D Light Detection and Ranging Scanners

Fiducial markers are commonly used to localize robots. Most existing systems use standard cameras to detect simple patterns on flat tags. Since depth is not directly sensed, the pose must be inferred from the tag geometry. These systems are low-cost and easy to implement on robotic systems, but their performances suffer in low-light conditions and on computationally constrained processors. We propose using 3D light detection and ranging (LiDAR) scanners to mitigate these issues. The reflectivity measurement provided by most LiDAR sensors provides a simple way to discern geometric differences on surfaces. We utilize this fact to create a custom “beacon” with reflective fiducials. Next, we design a high-performance segmentation and localization algorithm to find the 2D pose of a mobile robot. Our experiments proved that our system achieves an average euclidean error of less than 0.063 m at ranges of over 10 m while maintaining a runtime of under 3 ms on a basic single board computer. Additionally, our system is highly occlusion resistant. These results are confirmed with multiple field tests of the system.
The hidden curriculum of reading intervention: a critical content analysis of Fountas & Pinnell’s leveled literacy intervention

In an age of increased accountability and high-stakes testing, educators continuously seek to locate quality reading intervention curricula intended to improve students’ reading performances. Yet, ...
Lateral head flexion as a noncoplanar solution for ring gantry stereotactic radiosurgery

Purpose Ring gantry radiotherapy devices are often limited to deliver beams in the axial plane, severely limiting beam entrance angles and rendering noncoplanar beam delivery impossible. However, a ring gantry geometry greatly simplifies delivery machines and increases the efficiency of treatment with the potential to decrease the overall costs of radiotherapy. This study explores the use of lateral head flexion in order to increase beam entrance angles and extend the available solid angle space for a ring gantry stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) application. Materials and methods A 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging scanner was used to scan seven healthy volunteers at three different head positions: a neutral position, a left lateral flexion position and a right lateral flexion position. The lateral flexion scans were co-registered to the neutral head position scan using rigid registration and extracting the rotational transformation. The head pitch, roll, and yaw were computed for each registration to evaluate the natural range of motion for all volunteers. A ring gantry plan geometry was used to generate two sets of single fraction SRS plans (21 Gy): one coplanar set for head neutral scans, and a three-arc plan set using the head neutral and lateral head flexion scans. The conformity index (CI), intermediate dose fall-off (R50), low dose spillage (R10), and gradient measure (GM) were used to evaluate both sets of plans. The treatment plans were generated for a ring-gantry linear accelerator (linac) (Varian Halcyon 2.0) as well as radiosurgery linac (Varian Edge) for comparison. Results The average pitch, yaw, and roll for the lateral head flexion scans were 4.1° ± 4.7°, 16.9° ± 3.7°, and 2.5° ± 4.9° for the right flexion and 4.9° ± 4.3°, 14.0° ± 3.7° and 2.8° ± 5.4° for left flexion. When comparing the head flexion technique with a fully coplanar geometry, the ring gantry plans showed an average improvement in CI of 7.3% (1.46 ± 0.25 vs 1.36 ± 0.28), a decrease of 13% in R50 (5.46 ± 1.14 vs 4.78 ± 1.12), a decrease of 32% in R10 (85.7 ± 20.3 vs 58.2 ± 15.1), and a decrease of 7.8% in GM (0.53 ± 0.05 vs 0.49 ± 0.04). The Edge plans showed an average improvement in CI of 3.0% (1.49 ± 0.26 vs 1.45 ± 0.25), a decrease of 6.8% in R50 (5.19 ± 1.03 vs 4.82 ± 0.83), a decrease of 29% in R10 (84.1 ± 16.3 vs 59.9 ± 12.5), and a decrease of 5.0% in GM (0.50 ± 0.04 vs 0.47 ± 0.03). Conclusion Lateral head flexion was shown to increase beam entrance angles considerably improving plan conformity and normal tissue sparing in this pilot study of seven sets of plans. Rigid registrations demonstrated each lateral flexion to be analogous to a 15° couch kick. The head flexion technique outlined here was shown to be a feasible solution for SRS treatments being delivered on ring gantry devices.
Posterior circulation strokes in children: Fearsome or not?

Posterior circulation strokes often strike fear in the hearts of neurologists. We think of them as high risk for poor outcome and death because the posterior circulation supplies blood flow to the brainstem and there is high risk for stroke recurrence. The literature on posterior circulation stroke in children is limited and highly variable because most studies have been single-center with small numbers of patients.1–3
Modified Technique for CAD/CAM Guided Implant Planning in the Presence of Existing Hopeless Teeth

Immediate placement of dental implants presents many challenges, especially when partial or complete fixed restorations are the intended prosthetic outcome. With modern advancements in CAD/CAM technology, the ease and predictability of such complex cases is vastly improved. However, certain clinical situations remain that preclude the traditional implementation of this controlled approach to implant planning/placement and the current solutions to these problems each impose some level of compromise. This article describes a technique permitting both prosthetically-driven implant planning and increased surgical guide accuracy in situations where existing hopeless teeth would otherwise impede optimal treatment.
Instrumented stone chipping of automotive paint systems

Abstract The chipping damage to automotive paint systems due to impact from projectiles launched with a custom-built single impactor instrument was quantified. The effect of impact velocity, angle, and projectile geometry was investigated and quantified via the volume of paint material removed under each impact condition. Damage morphology was shown to agree with that observed during vehicle service life and also after testing at an automotive proving ground. The basecoat color (pigment amount/type and layer thickness) was observed to be significant factor, as was the process by which the substrate was painted. Implications for modeling and further characterization are discussed.
Interactive Holograms for Construction Coordination and Quantification

AbstractAdvancements in information technology in the architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AECO) industry have led to the deployment of building information modeling (BIM) throu...
Convolutional Correlation Analysis for Enhancing the Performance of SSVEP-Based Brain-Computer Interface

Currently, most of the high-performance models for frequency recognition of steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) are linear. However, SSVEPs collected from different channels can have non-linear relationship among each other. Linearly combining electroencephalogram (EEG) from multiple channels is not the most accurate solution in SSVEPs classification. To further improve the performance of SSVEP-based brain-computer interface (BCI), we propose a convolutional neural network-based non-linear model, i.e. convolutional correlation analysis (Conv-CA). Different from pure deep learning models, Conv-CA use convolutional neural networks (CNNs) at the top of a self-defined correlation layer. The CNNs function on how to transform multiple channel EEGs into a single EEG signal. The correlation layer calculates the correlation coefficients between the transformed single EEG signal and reference signals. The CNNs provide non-linear operations to combine EEGs in different channels and different time. And the correlation layer constrains the fitting space of the deep learning model. A comparison study between the proposed Conv-CA method and the task-related component analysis (TRCA) based methods is conducted. Both methods are validated on a 40-class SSVEP benchmark dataset recorded from 35 subjects. The study verifies that the Conv-CA method significantly outperforms the TRCA-based methods. Moreover, Conv-CA has good explainability since its inputs of the correlation layer can be analyzed for visualizing what the model learnt from the data. Conv-CA is a non-linear extension of spatial filters. Its CNN structures can be further explored and tuned for reaching a better performance. The structure of combining neural networks and unsupervised features has the potential to be applied to the classification of other signals.
Surface-Etched Laterally Structured Semiconductor Laser Diodes for Mode Engineering

Various surface-etched, laterally structured waveguide designs were simulated to achieve improved modal dis-crimination, selection, and direct mode engineering in broad-area diode lasers. These designs have been fabricated in InP/InGaAsP edge-emitting lasers.
A Communicative Theory of the Firm: Developing an Alternative Perspective onIntra-Organizational Power and Stakeholder Relationships

Existing theories of the firm exhibit significant shortcomings when questions turn to intra-organizational power and extra-organizational relationships - two issues central to understanding firm operations. Here I advance an alternative view, founded on the Montreal School of organizational communication’s conception of conversation-text relations, yet extending it in several ways. In developing a communicative theory of the firm, I highlight the functions of, and relations between, ‘concrete’ and ‘figurative’ texts, paying particular attention to their participation in the construction of an authoritative (yet never monolithic) system for cooriented and distributedaction. Using examples drawn from struggles over power, strategy, and organizational form at GM, I show that seeing the firm in textual terms presents a very different view of its operations. Doing so, portrays individuals and collectives as engaging in sophisticated games where firms marshal consent and attract capital through textually mediated practice. Moreover, through game playing, the firm’s trajectory is authored. Building on these arguments, I present two novel and testable propositions about the nature of organizational change in interfirm and stakeholder relationships.
Case study for analyzing nutrient-management technologies at three scales within a sewershed

Centralized wastewater treatment plants remove nutrients prior to discharge. Recently, technologies have become available to manage nutrients at different scales (individual buildings, neighborhood...
Plain film x-rays in the diagnosis of sickle cell limb pain in children: A 10-year retrospective audit in a tertiary sickle cell centre

Background and aims: Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) frequently present with limb pain. Differentials include vaso-occlusive episode (VOE) and osteomyelitis (OM). X-rays expose to radiation but rarely aid in diagnosis. We audited the use of x-ray in investigating children with SCD presenting with limb pain to a South London hospital and analysed whether x-rays aid in diagnosis. Methods: Patients aged 0-18 with SCD were identified using the hospital’s SCD database. Admissions from January 2010 to September 2019 in which limb pain was a documented symptom were included. Results: Of 342 patients investigated, there were 188 admissions with limb pain. Diagnoses at discharge were: 174 VOE, 4 OM, and 7 others. 44 (25%) of those with VOE had limb x-rays, compared with 3 (75%) of those with OM. Of those x-rayed, 11 with VOE and all with OM had a subsequent MRI. None of the x-rays assisted in confirming the diagnosis or change management. Of the VOE patients, more of those that were x-rayed had swelling (48% vs 8%, p=<0.0001), and fevers (57% vs 37%, p=0.021), and peak CRP was higher (109 vs 75, p=0.044). Conclusions: X-rays were frequently used to investigate children with SCD. Limb swelling, fevers and higher CRP, features potentially suggestive of OM, were more common in those that were x-rayed. X-rays did not aid in distinguishing VOE and OM or change management.
Light chain subunit of a poorly soluble human IgG2λ crystallizes in physiological pH environment both in cellulo and in vitro.

Abstract Prominent inclusion bodies can develop in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) when overexpressed antibodies possess intrinsically high condensation propensities. These observations suggest that antibodies deemed to show notable solubility problems may reveal such characteristics preemptively in the form of ER-associated inclusion bodies during antibody overexpression. To define the relationships between solubility problems and inclusion body phenotypes, we investigated the biosynthesis of a model human IgG2λ that shows severe opalescence in an acidic formulation buffer yet retains high solubility at physiological pH. Consistent with the pH-dependent solubility characteristics, the model antibody did not induce notable inclusion body in the physiological pH environment of the ER lumen. However, when individual subunit chains of the antibody were expressed separately, the light chain (LC) spontaneously induced notable crystal-like inclusion bodies in the ER. The LC crystallization event was readily reproducible in vitro by simply concentrating the purified LC protein at physiological pH. Two independent structural determinants for the LC crystallization were identified through rational mutagenesis approach by monitoring the effect of amino acid substitutions on intracellular LC crystallogenesis. The effect of mutations on crystallization was also recapitulated in vitro using purified LC proteins. Importantly, when introduced directly into the model antibody, a mutation that prevents the LC crystallization remediated the antibody's solubility problem without compromising the secretory output or antigen binding. These results illustrate that the ER can serve as a “physiological test tube” that not only reports secretory cargo's high condensation propensity at physiological pH, but also provides an orthogonal method that guides antibody engineering strategy.
Use of telemedicine for opioid use disorder treatment - Perceptions and experiences of opioid use disorder clinicians.

Abstract Objective To understand clinician use of and opinions about telemedicine for opioid use disorder (tele-OUD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods An electronic national survey was administered in fall 2020 to 602 OUD clinicians recruited from WebMD/Medscape’s online panel. The survey completion rate was 97.3 %. Results On average, clinicians reported that 56.9 % of their visits in the last month were via telemedicine (20.3 % via audio-only and 36.6 % via video). Most respondents (N = 376, 62.5 %) agreed that telemedicine has been as effective as in-person care. The majority (N = 535, 88.9 %) were comfortable using video for clinically stable patients, while half (N = 297, 49.3 %) were comfortable using video for patients who are not clinically stable. After the pandemic, most respondents (N = 422, 70.1 %) preferred to return to in-person care for the majority of visits; however, 95.3 % thought telemedicine should be offered in some form. Most (N = 481, 79.9 %) would continue to offer telemedicine if reimbursement were the same as in-person, while 242 (40.2 %) would continue if reimbursement were 25 % lower. Clinicians with more OUD patients used more telemedicine and reported higher comfort levels treating clinically unstable patients, and clinicians with more Medicaid/uninsured patients used more audio-only and preferred to continue using telemedicine post-pandemic. Conclusions Telemedicine made up the majority of OUD visits provided by surveyed clinicians, and the vast majority of clinicians would like the option to offer telemedicine to at least some of their patients in the future if there is adequate reimbursement. These findings can help inform telemedicine’s future role in the treatment of OUD.
Impact of coupled heat transfer and water flow on soil borehole thermal energy storage (SBTES) systems; experimental and modeling investigation

A promising energy storage option is to inject and store heat generated from renewable energy sources in geothermal borehole arrays to form soil-borehole thermal energy storage (SBTES) systems. Although it is widely recognized that the movement of water in liquid and vapor forms through unsaturated soils is closely coupled to heat transfer, these coupled processes have not been considered in modeling of SBTES systems located in the vadose zone. Instead, previous analyses have assumed that the soil is a purely conductive medium with constant hydraulic and thermal properties. Numerical modeling tools that are available to consider these coupled processes have not been applied to SBTES systems partly due to the scarcity of field or laboratory data needed for validation. The goal of this work is to test different conceptual and mathematical formulations that are used in heat and mass transfer theories and determine their importance in modeling SBTES systems. First, a non-isothermal numerical model that simulates coupled heat, water vapor and liquid water flux through soil and considers non-equilibrium liquid/gas phase change was adopted to simulate SBTES systems. Next, this model was used to investigate different coupled heat transfer and water flow using nonisothermal hydraulic and thermal constitutive models. Data collected from laboratory-scale tank tests involving heating of an unsaturated sand layer were used to validate the numerical simulations. Results demonstrate the need to include thermally induced water flow in modeling efforts as well as convective heat transfer, especially when modeling unsaturated flow systems. For the boundary conditions and soil types considered, convective heat flux arising from thermally induced water flow was greater than heat transfer due to conductive heat flux alone. Although this analysis needs to be applied to the geometry and site conditions for SBTES systems in the vadose zone, this observation indicates that thermally induced water flow can have significant effects on the efficiency of heat injection and extraction.