cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Race and Class Categories and Subcategories in Educational Thought and Research.

Educational thought and research often operates with whole-race (‘Black’, ‘White’, and ‘Asian’) and whole-class (‘low-income’) categories. For both explaining disparities and assessing them normati...
An improved gate breakdown model for studying high efficiency MESFET operation

A gate breakdown model for MESFETs is presented. The model is based on quantum tunneling initiated avalanche ionization. The breakdown model is incorporated into a physics based MESFET model. Forward and reverse gate conduction an shown to be the main factors in determining the power and efficiency of MESFET amplifiers. >
Observation Operators for the Assimilation of Occultation Data Into Atmospheric Models: A Review

During the past decade, researchers have been working to develop methods for the assimilation of Global Positioning System (GPS) radio occultation data into numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. Until recently, two strategies have received the most attention: 1) assimilation of the retrieved bending angle profiles, and 2) assimilation of the retrieved refractivity profiles. The assimilation of retrieved bending angle profiles, e.g., via a ray tracing model, has the advantage that horizontal refractivity gradients, affecting the observations, can be accounted for. However, accurate computation of ray paths through a NWP model is very time consuming in an operational system, and approximations to the ray tracing have to be made. In contrast, the assimilation of retrieved refractivity profiles, interpreted as being representative of the local vertical structure in the atmosphere (also known as assimilation of local refractivity), is simple and fast, but this approach does not account for the influence of the horizontal gradients. Recently, some new observation operators have been developed which are both fast and, to a large degree, capable of taking into account the influence of the horizontal gradients. These new observation operators rely on predefined ray trajectories, and could also become useful for future assimilation of other kinds of occultation data, e.g., ionospheric GPS occultation data, absorption data from low earth orbit constellations, or data from solar/stellar occultation experiments. In this review, a brief account of past and present efforts to develop efficient observation operators for the assimilation of GPS occultation data into atmospheric models will be given, ranging from early suggestions to the recently developed observation operators.
Family Aided Community Treatment for the Treatment of Early Psychosis: A Proof of Concept Study

Major psychotic disorders are one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. If these conditions are identified early and treatment promptly implemented, the prognosis is improved. This study examined the impact of a yearlong family aided community treatment (FACT) intervention upon psychiatric symptoms. Psychiatric symptom scores improved with the FACT intervention. Improved training on early recognition for mental health clinicians, implementation of a specific treatment model in community settings and policy around treatment funding allocation are implications of this study.
Integrated layout based Monte-Carlo simulation for design arc optimization

Design rules are created considering a wafer fail mechanism with the relevant design levels under various design cases, and the values are set to cover the worst scenario. Because of the simplification and generalization, design rule hinders, rather than helps, dense device scaling. As an example, SRAM designs always need extensive ground rule waivers. Furthermore, dense design also often involves "design arc", a collection of design rules, the sum of which equals critical pitch defined by technology. In design arc, a single rule change can lead to chain reaction of other rule violations. In this talk we present a methodology using Layout Based Monte-Carlo Simulation (LBMCS) with integrated multiple ground rule checks. We apply this methodology on SRAM word line contact, and the result is a layout that has balanced wafer fail risks based on Process Assumptions (PAs). This work was performed at the IBM Microelectronics Div, Semiconductor Research and Development Center, Hopewell Junction, NY 12533
Accelerator Radiocarbon Measurements of Artistic Artifacts

The use of a particle accelerator to measure the 14C content of carbon-containing materials is briefly described. The application of the method to the determination of the age of some artistic artifacts is discussed.
Tests for Screening Product Designs Prior to User Testing by People with Functional Limitations

A set of inexpensive to implement usability ‘screening tests’ are proposed which would be administered by designers on their colleagues or acquaintances. Test subjects, who have no prior knowledge ...
Control of Separation from the Flap of a High-Lift Airfoil with DBD Plasma Actuation

The efficacy of a single dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma actuator for controlling separation from the deflected flap of a high-lift airfoil is investigated between Reynolds numbers of 240,000 (15 m/s) and 750,000 (45 m/s). Calculated momentum coefficients for the DBD plasma actuator are approximately an order of magnitude lower than those usually employed for such studies yet control authority is still realized through amplification of natural vortex shedding from the flap shoulder that promotes momentum transfer between the freestream and separated region. The corresponding lift enhancement is found to be primarily due to increased circulation around the entire model rather than full reattachment to the deflected flap surface. As a whole, these findings compare favorably to studies on a similar high-lift platform using piezoelectric driven zero net mass flux actuation.
Research progress in pharmacological effects and clinical application of total glucosides from Paeoniae Radix Alba for kidney diseases

Paeoniae Radix Alba is the dried roots of Paeonia lactiflora in Ranunculaceae,which contains a variety of chemical composition with physiological effects.Total glucoside from Paeoniae Radix Alba(TGP) is a general term for a group of glycosides substances which is extracted from Paeoniae Radix Alba.The TGP includes paeoniflorin,peony flower glucoside,hydroxy paeoniflorin,benzoyl paeoniflorin,peony lactone glycosides,and so on.The main compositions are paeoniflorin and peony lactone glycosides.Pharmacological and clinical researches find that TGP has anti-inflammatory,immunomodulatory,and analgesic functions.It has been widely applied in a variety of clinical treatment of kidney disease in recent years.This article makes a summary on the the research progress in pharmacological effects and clinical application of TGP in the treatment of kidney diseases.
Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of In Situ Streptococcus mutans Biofilms

Insight into live microbial biofilm microstructure and mechanical properties and their interactions with the underlying substrate can lead to the development of new remedial strategies and/or materials. Here we report mechanical properties of dental pathogenic Streptococcus mutans biofilms, grown on a polystyrene-coated plate of a shear rheometer in physiologically relevant conditions, precisely controlled in a custom built bioreactor. In situ measurements demonstrated the importance of microstructure and composition of extracellular polymeric substances on the biofilm modulus. The biofilms behave like a weak gel with storage moduli higher than loss moduli. The simple but robust experimental technique presented here can easily be extended to other biofilm-material systems.
Protection from ischemic cardiac arrest by coronary perfusion with cold Ringer’s lactate solution

Cardiac output, peak systolic pressure, and heart rate were reduced and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was increased in 10 animals following 1 hour of normothermic aortic cross-clamping. Although no cardiotonic drugs were required for resuscitation, the central venous pressure had to be doubled to achieve preoperative levels of cardiac output and peak systolic pressure. Histologic and hislochemical studies revealed irregular, diffuse damage of 50 per cent of the myocardium. While it is usually assumed that the dog tolerates ischemic cardiac arrest very poorly, this study would indicate that the canine and human hearts do not differ significantly in their tolerance to ischemia, with over 90 per cent of either species surviving 1 hour of normothermic ischemic arrest in spite of serious myocardial damage. On the other hand, in 10 animals whose hearts were cooled by a single aortic root infusion of 4° C. Ringer’s lactate, there was no drop in cardiac output, peak systolic pressure, and heart rate following recovery from 1 hour of ischemic arrest. Histologic and histochemical studies revealed only minimal changes. Profound myocardial hypothermia is easy to achieve by perfusion and protects the myocardium from ischemic damage while providing operating conditions equally as good as with normothermic arrest. To extend the period of ischemic arrest during which no diminution of cardiac function occurs and to reduce myocardial irritability, studies of metabolic inhibitors and hypothermic perfusion solutions without lactate are now in progress.
Reflection and transmission of a Gaussian beam from a dielectric window at the Brewster angle

A parallel-polarized Gaussian beam incident on a dielectric slab exactly at the Brewster angle is not entirely transmitted. In this paper the reflected and transmitted field patterns of a diamond Brewster window are simulated by employing theory based on the plane-wave spectrum. A two-peak profile of the reflected beam field along the window surface is obtained and discussed. The computation results for a polyethylene slab are also presented and compared with the measurements.
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria in respiratory samples of children with severe neurological problems

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance is a major health problem worldwide. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) in the respiratory tract of children with severe neurological problems have not been studied. Aims: To examine how frequently ARB are found in respiratory samples of children with both neurological and respiratory problems. Methods: From a local database of 157 children with neurological and respiratory problems, we identified those with ARB found on respiratory samples over a five-year period. Results: Of 55 children with respiratory samples, 41 (75%) had at least one ARB (Table 1); 36 (65%) had multi-resistant ARB Conclusions: ARB are prevalent in respiratory samples of children with severe neurological problems. Prospective cohort studies would determine emerging resistance patterns, and the clinical significance of these findings.
Implications of Cognitive Psychology for Authentic Assessment and Instruction

A historical-narrative flow characterizes this chapter, partly because a story is easier to remember than an exposition, partly because that is the way my thinking has evolved. This summary highlights trends and may neglect some significant details.
Comparison of GPU and FPGA based hardware platforms for ultrasonic flaw detection using support vector machines

This study investigates the performance of different hardware platforms and development frameworks for efficient realization of an ultrasonic flaw detection algorithm based on the Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier. The proposed algorithm is based on subband decomposition of ultrasonic signals followed by classification with a trained SVM model that uses subband filter outputs as feature inputs. Target host platforms include an FPGA-based Xilinx ZedBoard, a GPU-based Tegra System-on-Chip (SoC) and a high-performance computing (HPC) server with GPU accelerators. GPU development is done with CUDA library functions provided by NVIDIA and TensorFlow by Google. TensorFlow is a numerical computation library used primarily for building machine learning algorithms. RTL code for FPGA implementation is generated by System Generator tool by Xilinx. Implementation results show that while all platforms can achieve real-time operation with small data sets, scalability is a difficult challenge for embedded hardware. TensorFlow provides the shortest development time and enables code migration from servers to embedded systems.
Preoperative and Postoperative Chemotherapy for Rectal Cancer

No cancer represents the successes of multidisciplinary management as well as rectal cancer. Over the past decades, technical advances have clarified the optimal surgical approaches and have refined the delivery of radiation therapy. Well-conducted trials have rearranged the sequence of successive therapies. Most remarkably, ongoing trials are now looking to subtract, rather than to add, elements to the treatment algorithm. While the use of perioperative radiation therapy continues to evolve, the role for chemotherapy has remained essentially constant. Fluoropyrimidines remain at the center of treatment strategies, both as radiosensitizers and for systemic disease control.
Subperiosteal abscess of the orbit. Age as a factor in the bacteriology and response to treatment.

Background: Earlier studies of subperiosteal abscess secondary to sinusitis showed considerable variation in the clinical course and bacteriology. At one extreme, patients recovered with intravenous antibiotics alone; at the other extreme, complex pathogens persisted despite early surgical drainage and appropriate antibiotics, and visual or intracranial complications occurred. To better direct management of individual patients, this study evaluates the role of patient age in the complexity and responsiveness of subperiosteal abscess. Methods: The records of 37 patients with a computed tomography diagnosis of subperiosteal abscess were reviewed. Initial and follow-up culture results were evaluated in the context of prior treatment of individual patients. Responses to therapy and pathogens were compared among three age groups. Results: Among patients younger than 9 years, 83% either cleared without drainage (25%) or had negative cultures at the time of drainage (58%). In the culture-positive cases, single aerobes were found, and anaerobes were not isolated. Patients 9 to 14 years old showed a transition toward more complex infections. Patients 15 years of age or older all had positive cultures after more than 3 days of antibiotics, which were frequently effective in vitro. Polymicrobial infections were the rule, including anaerobes in every case. Conclusion: Variations in the complexity and responsiveness of subperiosteal abscesses appear to be age-associated. Treatment protocols should consider visual compromise, pain, location of the abscess, which sinuses are involved, intracranial complications, and the age of the patient.
Die Mikrobiologie der menschlichen Umwelt

A. Quantitative Analyse: Bakterien konnen nur dann in direkter mikroskopischer Untersuchung gezahlt werden, wenn ihre Konzentration in der untersuchten Probe wenigstens 100 Millionen (108) Keime pro ml betragt. Naturliche Wasserkorper enthalten jedoch selten uber 105 Keime pro ml. Man verwendet deshalb ein Plattenzahlverfahren: ein abgemessenes Volumen Wasser wird stufenweise verdunnt (siehe unten), je 1 ml jeder Verdunnung wird auf Nahragar gebracht (siehe Seite 61). Die neugebildeten Kolonien werden gezahlt. Da auf diese Weise nur solche Zellen gezahlt werden, die zur Koloniebildung fahig sind, ist die Methode auch bekannt unter der Bezeichnung: „Lebendkeimzahlbestimmung“ („viable count“).
A Novel Computation-to-core Mapping Scheme for Robust Facet Image Modeling on GPUs.

Though the GPGPU concept is well-known in image processing, much more work remains to be done to fully exploit GPUs as an alternative computation engine. The difficulty is not reformulating the algorithm and writing the code so that the program can run in parallel. The bigger challenge is achieving good GPU utilization, which requires a careful implementation armed with in-depth knowledge of the performance characteristics of the underlying architecture. This paper shows how to optimize the computational parallelism in robust facet image modeling to GPU architecture, using finegrained block level parallelism achieved by assigning more GPU cores/threads to process one pixel, rather than pixel level parallelism. The mapping strategy dependence on the computational profile is characterized.
Low-phytic acid corn improves nutrient utilization for growing pigs.

Thirty-five crossbred barrows averaging 14.5 kg initial BW were used in a 5-wk experiment to compare the P availability and nutritional value of a low-phytate hybrid corn (LPC, 0.26% total P, 0.08% phytic acid P) homozygous for the lpa 1-1 allele with a nearly isogenic normal hybrid corn (NC, 0.25% total P, 0.20% phytic acid P). The pigs were fed individually twice daily in metabolism pens. Three semipurified diets were created in which corn was the only source of phytate. Diet 1 contained 72% NC, 0.15% estimated available P (aP) and 0.55% Ca. Diet 2 contained 72% LPC, 0.24% aP, and 0.55% Ca. The only differences between Diets 1 and 2 were the source of corn and the levels of aP. No inorganic P (iP) was added to these diets in order to measure the animal response to the different levels of aP in the corn hybrids. Diet 3 was NC Diet 1 supplemented with iP to equal the level of aP in LPC Diet 2. Diets 4 and 5 were practical corn-soybean meal diets formulated with each corn to meet all minimum nutrient requirements and contained 0.30% aP and 0.65% Ca. For the semipurified diets, pigs fed LPC Diet 2 had higher (P or = 0.2), indicating an equal nutritional value for both corn hybrids after adjusting for phytate level. The only treatment difference, other than P excretion, between the practical corn diets supplemented with soybean meal was a higher (P < 0.05) bone breaking strength for pigs fed LPC Diet 5 compared with NC Diet 4. The use of LPC in pig diets reduced P excretion in swine waste by 50 and 18.4% in the semipurified and practical diets, respectively, compared with NC. Using our in vitro procedure designed to simulate the digestive system of the pig, the availability of P for pigs was estimated at 56% for LPC and 11% for NC.
Intersections of Soundscapes and Conservation: Ecologies of Sound in Naturecultures

An ecosystem is a reflection of coupled human and natural systems. A key, and less understood, interaction is with sound. Paralleling development in landscape ecology, soundscape ecology provides a diversity of measures of spatial and temporal variation in sound. Here we bridge disciplines to describe variation in soundscape measures across a gradient of novel to natural landscapes. Soundscape measures studied varied as a function of forest area but not matrix type, and season but not time. Results suggest future directions and allow practitioners to better identify management options that mitigate the impacts of noise on natural and human systems.
Flight Environments Demonstrator: Part III—Sensitivity of Expansion to Model Accuracy

The ability to extrapolate response data to unmeasured locations has obvious benefits for a range of lab and field experiments. This is typically done using an expansion process utilizing some type of transformation matrix, which typically comes from mode shapes of a finite element model. While methods exist to perform expansion, it is still not commonplace, perhaps due to a lack of experience using expansion tools or a lack of understanding of the sensitivities of the problem setup on results. To assess the applicability of expansion in a variety of real-world test scenarios, it is necessary to determine the level of perturbation or error the finite element model can sustain while maintaining accuracy in the expanded results. To this end, the structure model’s boundary conditions, joint stiffness, and material properties were altered to determine the range of discrepancies allowable before the expanded results differed significantly from the measurements. The effect of improper implementations of the expansion procedure on accuracy is also explored. This study allows for better insights on prospective use cases and possible pitfalls when implementing the expansion procedure.
Examining the impact of frequent versus infrequent screenings for breast cancer on employer costs.

e16550 Background: Studies have shown an effective way to reduce breast cancer mortality is through early detection with periodic mammographic screening. Screening can increase the likelihood that ...
UCHL1 regulates muscle fibers and mTORC1 activity in skeletal muscle.

Abstract Aims Skeletal muscle wasting is associated with many chronic diseases. Effective prevention and treatment of muscle wasting remain as a challenging task due to incomplete understanding of mechanisms by which muscle mass is maintained and regulated. This study investigated the functional role of Ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCHL1) in skeletal muscle. Main methods Mice with skeletal muscle specific gene knockout of UCHL1 and C2C12 myoblast cells with UCHL1 knockdown were used. Muscle fiber types and size were measured using tissue or cell staining. The mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTORC2 activities were assessed with the phosphorylation of their downstream targets. Key findings In mouse skeletal muscle, UCHL1 was primarily expressed in slow twitch muscle fibers. Mice with skeletal muscle specific knockout (skmKO) of UCHL1 exhibited enlarged muscle fiber sizes in slow twitch soleus but not fast twitch extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle. Meanwhile, UCHL1 skmKO enhanced mTORC1 activity and reduced mTORC2 activity in soleus but not in EDL. Consistently, in C2C12 cells, UCHL1 knockdown increased the myotube size, enhanced mTORC1 activity, and reduced mTORC2 activities as compared with control cells. UCHL1 knockdown did not change the major proteins of mTOR complex but decreased the protein turnover of PRAS40, an inhibitory factor of mTORC1. Significance These data revealed a novel function of UCHL1 in regulation of mTORC1 activity and skeletal muscle growth in slow twitch skeletal muscle. Given the upregulation of UCHL1 in denervation and spinal muscle atrophy, our finding advances understanding of regulators that are involved in muscle wasting.
Hardware-in-the-Loop Testbed Development for Validating Novel Photovoltaic Battery Energy Storage System Concepts

This paper presents a real-time hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) setup capable of experimentally emulating the coupling between lithium-ion batteries and photovoltaic (PV) cells. The paper is motivated by earlier research showing that certain “hybrid” battery-PV integration topologies are inherently self-balancing, in the sense that differences in state of charge between battery cells diminish with time without the need for active balancing circuitry. The literature shows this self-balancing property using both theoretical analyses and simulation studies, but there is still a need for experimental demonstrations. Our goal in this paper is to validate this self-balancing property in a hybrid string experimentally. Towards this goal, we construct a HIL setup that physically emulates the voltage-current characteristics of three PV arrays and exposes three series-connected battery cells to these characteristics in real time. The setup uses an ARM microcontroller, together with three DC-DC converters and isolated serial communications, to achieve this emulation. Experiments conducted using this setup show that certain topologies for integrating PV cells with lithium-ion batteries are indeed self-balancing. Moreover, the setup provides the flexibility for exploring and testing other potential integration topologies and operating conditions.
Soluble ST2 (sST2) Is a Novel Valuable Prognostic Marker Among Patients With Immunoglobulin Light Chain (AL) Amyloidosis

The use of soluble cardiac biomarkers such as NT-proBNP and troponin has revolutionized prognostication for patients with AL amyloidosis and led to their use in the Mayo 2004 and 2012 staging systems. Novel soluble markers with different phenotypic targets may further improve this approach. Soluble ST2 (sST2), which is the circulating form of the IL-33 receptor, has been shown to be a marker of cardiac remodelling and fibrosis, is predictive of mortality in patients with congestive heart failure, and is predictive of risk of GVHD and GVHD mortality. Samples of blood of patients with AL amyloidosis collected and frozen at -20C under a biobank IRB protocol were retrieved and sST2 measured. Patients were eligible for present study if they had a research sample collected within 90 days of their AL amyloidosis diagnosis. We have validated that values do not change significantly with storage at -20C over a 90 day period. Concentrations of sST2 were determined using a novel high-sensitivity sandwich immunoassay (Presagew ST2; Critical Diagnostics, San Diego, CA, USA). The sST2 assay had within-run and total coefficients of variation of <7.5% and 13.0% across its measurement range. Samples from 273 consecutive patients meeting diagnostic criteria for AL amyloidosis seen at our institution from 1/9/2010 to 12/22/2011 were evaluated. Median age was 63. 58% were male. One hundred and thirty have died over 33.9 months. Correlation between sST2 and the other biomarkers was modest with correlation coefficients of 0.48 and 0.20 for NT-proBNP and Troponin T, respectively. Patients with sST2 above and below the median of 27.2 ng/mL (6.3-596) had significant differences in 2 year overall survival: 71.2% to 39% ([figure][1]). In multivariate modeling sST2’s prognostic value was independent of the Mayo 2004 and the Mayo 2012 cardiac biomarker staging systems, the latter of which also includes prognostic information relating to plasma cell burden. In these multivariate models, sST2 median had a RR of 2.4, (95%CI 1.6, 3.6 p<0.001) with the Mayo 2004 Staging system (RR of 2.9, 95%CI 2.1, 4.1p<0.001); and sST2 median had a RR of 2.2 (95%CI 1.5, 3.4, p<0.001) with the Mayo 2012 staging system (RR 1.9, 95%CI 1.6, 2.3, p<0.001). ![Figure][2] A larger cohort including patients with longer follow up will be presented at the meeting as will gender specific cut off values and a comparison of our values with those previously used to prognosticate in patients with heart failure. sST2 appears to be a novel powerful prognostic factor for patients with AL amyloidosis. Because sST2 functions as a decoy receptor, which neutralizes the benefits of IL-33, it may play a role in the deleterious phenotype seen in patients with AL, i.e. myocardial hypertrophy and reduction of contractility. Disclosures: Saenger: Critical Diagnostics : Research Funding; Roche: Research Funding. Jaffe: Critical Diagnostics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Roche: Consultancy. [1]: #F1 [2]: pending:yes
Improving Stability in Upper Limb Rehabilitation Using Variable Stiffness

In a robotic rehabilitation setup, patient’s safety and interaction stability are critical throughout the therapy. This paper addresses the stability aspect by proposing a method to vary the endpoint stiffness using a variable impedance mechanism. The proposed device consists of permanent magnets in an antagonistic configuration that acts as springs and the variation in stiffness is achieved by modifying the separation between those magnets. This device is mounted on the end-effector of an admittance controlled robotic arm and tested with the help of healthy humans on a virtual maze traversal experiment consisting of both fine and gross motor regions. Moreover, the subjects are tested both in normal and simulated tremor conditions to verify the effectiveness of the device. The experimental results show that the VSM can not only suppress the high-frequency forces but can also reduce the interference of human endpoint stiffness in the stability of the robot.
A national study of gender and racial differences in colorectal cancer screening among foreign-born older adults living in the US.

This study examined within group heterogeneity in colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) among foreign-born individuals. Data were from the 2010, 2013 and 2015 National Health Interview Survey data on older adults (N = 5529). In 2018, multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine whether gender and race/ethnicity were associated with CRCS after controlling for sociodemographic, health access, and acculturation related factors. Overall, Asians were significantly less likely to report CRCS compared with Whites (aOR 0.63, CI 0.52–0.76). Hispanic race/ethnicity was negatively associated with CRCS among men (aOR 0.68, CI 0.50–0.91), but not women compared to white men/women, respectively. Additionally, factors associated with CRCS include having fair/poor health, usual source of care, insurance, ≥ 10 years of US residency and citizenship. Screening disparities experienced by these immigrants may be addressed by improving healthcare access, especially for noncitizens and those with limited healthcare access.
On the Gravity-Driven Sliding Motion of a Planar Board on a Tilted Soft Porous Layer

In this paper, we report a novel experimental study to investigate the gravity-driven sliding motion of a planar board over a tilted soft porous layer. A laser displacement sensor was used to measure the motion of the board, while a high-speed camera was adopted to capture the detailed compression of the porous layer when the board glided over it. The pore pressure generation, as a result of the compression, was recorded by pressure sensors mounted on the bottom surface of the porous layer. One finds that, the pressure distribution agrees well with the theory developed by Wu and Sun (Med Sci Sports Exerc 43:1955–1963, 2011). Extensive parametric study was performed by varying the center of gravity of the planar board, the tilted angle and the porous material. Consistent agreement between the theoretical predictions and experimental results was obtained. It shows that, the effect of soft porous lubrication is enhanced when the center of gravity moves toward to the trailing edge of the planar board, or the tilted angle of the porous layer is increased, or a smoother fibrous surface is used.
Recognition of and response to energy poverty in the United States

A household is energy poor when they cannot meet energy needs. Despite its prevalence, the US has not formally recognized energy poverty as a problem distinct from general poverty at the federal level, which limits effective responses. In this Review, we examine the measurement and evaluative metrics used by the two federally-funded energy programs focused on reducing high energy bills to understand how program eligibility requirements and congressional funding appropriations have shaped the national understanding and implementation of energy poverty assistance. We find that current measurement and evaluative metrics hinge on the distribution of government resources and the number of vulnerable households assisted, rather than improving household well-being and reducing overall energy poverty. We suggest that comparisons to formal food insecurity and fuel poverty recognition and national responses in the US and UK, respectively, can help inform the development of more comprehensive US responses to energy poverty going forward. Despite its prevalence, energy poverty is not formally recognized in the US as a problem distinct from general poverty. This Review of two federally-funded programs focused on reducing high energy bills highlights the limitations of this approach for effectively responding to energy poverty.
Next-Step Treatment Considerations for Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression That Responds to Low-Dose Intravenous Ketamine

Numerous short-term randomized trials support the acute-phase efficacy of low-dose intravenous (IV) ketamine for patients with treatment-resistant unipolar or bipolar depression. Ketamine's antidepressive effects generally have limited duration, highlighting the need for maintenance treatment after an acute-phase response. It is increasingly likely that psychiatrists will be called upon to manage the care of patients with treatment-resistant unipolar or bipolar depression who have responded acutely to ketamine and to recommend or initiate next-step treatments. However, there is a paucity of controlled evidence to guide best practices for managing treatment of patients with treatment-resistant unipolar or bipolar depression who have had a positive initial response to ketamine. This article reviews the available evidence supporting specific strategies for extending and maintaining acute antidepressive responses to low-dose IV ketamine in patients with treatment-resistant unipolar or bipolar depression and provides some preliminary considerations for clinical practice.
Workshop 67 – Secretory Immunoglobulins

Publisher Summary This chapter examines results of a workshop held to discuss experiments conducted to study secretary immunoglobulins. The secretory workshop focused mainly on two general aspects of the secretory immune system: (1) the structure and immunology of IgA, both serum and secretory; and (2) the biological properties of IgA. The first part of the workshop discussed the structure of the IgA molecule. Much of the discussion centered about the discovery in secretory IgA molecules of a fourth type of polypeptide chain. It was shown that the secretory component has now been identified in several other species including the cow, sheep, goat, horse, and dog. Free secretory component, either human or bovine, binds in vitro to polymeric IgA or IgG. The observation that secretory component binds in vitro only to polymeric molecules such as IgA and IgM, raised considerable discussion concerning the possibility that J chain might play a role in binding.
Peri-implant Disease

For decades, dental implants have provided a seemingly perfect solution for the replacement of diseased or failing human teeth. However, in recent years, reports of peri-implant disease have been increasing and the once-glorified concept of osteointegration as the perfect interface between an inert metal and human bone has crumbled in light of recent findings about reactions of the body against the titanium implant. Smoking and periodontal disease are the most prevalent risk factors for developing peri-implantitis. Other factors contributing to peri-implant disease include diabetes mellitus, antiresorptive therapy, antiangiogenic therapy, and radiation therapy. To this date, there is no generally accepted understanding of the etiology of peri-implant disease, and it is likely that several causes contribute together. In the present chapter, we discuss evidence for the involvement of a number of etiological factors in the pathogenesis of peri-implant disease, including bacterial plaque and contamination, occlusion, surgical technique, cement debris from crown placement, titanium allergies, and foreign body reactions, as well as reactions against titanium particles. Together, these insights shed light on the delicate nature of the titanium/bone interface and question the once-heralded unity of bone and metal as a stable replacement for healthy teeth.
Let's Talk About Racism: Strategies for Building Structural Competency in Nursing

A major goal of Healthy People 2020 is healthy equity, or the attainment of the highest level of health for all groups of people. Yet, disparities based on race remain the most persistent and difficult to address. Getting at the root causes of disparities, inequities, and injustices is essential for health equity to become a reality. The authors elucidate the urgent need for the nursing profession (and all health care professions) to push beyond cultural humility to structural competency and shift the focus from individuals to institutions, systems, practices, and policies to address racism, bias, and discrimination as root causes of disparities and inequities in health, health care delivery, and health care outcomes.Through a case study approach, the authors demonstrate the need for faculty to contextualize learning to help integrate the necessary historic and contemporary drivers of racism, bias, and discrimination into health care. They discuss strategies for faculty to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to teach about the importance of addressing structural racism and discrimination in health care. Through a "no shame, no blame" approach, the authors encourage faculty to develop the courage to engage with students, colleagues, other health care professionals, and communities in conversations about racism, bias, and discrimination.
El cuerpo y la nación enfermos: discursos somáticos transoceánicos en el pensamiento finisecular hispano

En los ultimos decenios del siglo XIX, el debil imperio espanol es testigo de la transicion a una mercantilizacion de la vida (el consumo), de las practicas culturales (el ocio) y de los sujetos (la prostitucion). Como consecuencia, la mujer prostituida se convirtio en capital humano. En este contexto, la regulacion y control de la prostitucion desperto una suerte de ansiedad que fue instrumentalizada por proyectos nacionales no hegemonicos. En Espana, escritoras como Rosario de Acuna articularon en torno al cuerpo de la prostituta un discurso liberal y feminista que resistia el proyecto liberal oficial. El medico e intelectual Benjamin Cespedes, elaboro desde Cuba un discurso autonomista que personificaba en la prostituta todos los males de la patria. Discursos como los de Acuna y Cespedes permiten ver no solo el estado patologico y moribundo del imperio espanol a finales del siglo XIX, sino la construccion de proyectos nacionales que se imaginaron a partir de un mismo Otro: la prostituta.
Microstructure of Electrodeposited Nickel: Role of Additives

Micro–nanoscale surface microstructure of electrodeposited nickel on AISI 430 substrate from sulfamate bath with ionic and nonionic additives was investigated. 0.69 × 10−4-2.08 × 10−4 M sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and 0.5-4.0 M sodium chloride (NaCl) were used as ionic additives. 0.5-4.0 M ethanol and 1-propanol were used as nonionic additives. Ethanol, propanol, and NaCl promote evolution of nickel micro–nanocones/pyramids. Concentration of these additives, especially NaCl, plays a significant role to modify nickel microstructure. Adhesion of deposited nickel with the substrate, determined by crosscut tape test, is excellent for SDS, ethanol, and propanol additive regardless of their concentration. NaCl degrades the adhesion resulting 100% removal of deposited nickel for 4.0M additive in sulfamate bath. Nickel coating without additive and 1.39 × 10−4 M SDS additive corrode at the same rate (1.08 × 10−2 mm/year), while the other additives increase the corrosion rate.
Reconfigurable Dataflow Optimization for Spatiotemporal Spiking Neural Computation on Systolic Array Accelerators

Spiking neural networks (SNNs) offer a promising biologically-plausible computing model and lend themselves to ultra-low-power event-driven processing on neuromorphic processors. Compared with the conventional artificial neural networks, SNNs are well-suited for processing complex spatiotemporal data. Despite its significance, dataflow optimization of spiking neural accelerator architectures has not been extensively studied. Recognizing the need for efficient processing of complex spatiotemporal data while considering the all-or-none nature of spiking activities, we propose holistic reconfigurable dataflow optimization for systolic array acceleration of spiking convolutional networks (S-CNNs). A novel scheme is introduced for parallel acceleration of computation across multiple time points, which further allows for systemic optimization of variable tiling for a large performance and efficiency gains. We show how variable tiling, in particular, the positioning of the temporal dimension, can be targeted to optimize data movement, throughput, and energy efficiency. Furthermore, we explore joint layer-dependent dataflow and accelerator hardware optimization to further boost performance and energy efficiency. To support systemic design space exploration, we develop an SNN dataflow simulator capable of analyzing the throughput and energy dissipation of systolic array accelerators for any targeted S-CNN while considering the inherent spatiotemporal characteristics of spiking neural computation. The proposed techniques deliver orders of magnitude of improvements on throughput, energy efficiency, and delay-energy product for accelerating deep Alexnet and VGG-16 SNNs.
Engaging People in Tobacco Prevention and Cessation: Reflecting Back Over 20 Years Since the Master Settlement Agreement

Over the past 20 years, tobacco prevention and cessation efforts have evolved to keep pace with the changing tobacco product landscape and the widespread adoption of digital technologies. In 2019, Truth Initiative was awarded the Society of Behavioral Medicine's Jessie Gruman Award for Health Engagement in recognition of the major role it has played on both fronts since its inception in 1999. This manuscript reviews the challenges and opportunities that have emerged over the past two decades, the evolving tactics deployed by Truth Initiative to engage people in tobacco prevention and cessation efforts, the approaches used to evaluate those efforts, and key achievements. It concludes with a summary of lessons learned and considerations for tobacco control researchers and practitioners to accelerate their impact on public health.
Single-shot 4-phase shifting optical coherence microscopy

One limitation of phase shifting optical coherence microscopy (OCM) is that any changes in imaging conditions, caused by either system-level instability or movement of dynamic samples, will inevitably lead to reduction in image quality. Here we present a novel implementation of OCM which permits accurate measurements of phase and intensity, by simultaneously capturing four phase-shifted images on a single camera sensor. Uniquely, our approach enables probing the sample with unpolarized light, producing four phase-shifted interferograms, separated by π2 in two orthogonally polarized detection channel pairs. The proposed set-up is compatible with spatially incoherent illumination sources, enabling high resolution imaging due to its inherently reduced susceptibility to speckle noise. By simultaneously capturing the four phase-shifted images on a single CCD camera chip we demonstrate the capacity to acquire stable phase recordings with a phase sensitivity of 0.1 nm rms error at 500 Hz frame rates, a field-of-view of 250x250 μm, and 1μm lateral resolution. Instantaneous, coherence-gated, phase-sensitive imaging at high frame rates enables observations of the dynamics in cells and tissues, providing instant feedback on metabolic activity and tissue states. We present the novel design and methodology that enables ultrasensitive label-free coherence-gated measurements of intracellular dynamics in cells and cellular networks.
Structural Stigma and LGBTQ PoC Health

Throughout history, the United States has enacted numerous federal and state policies that have greatly impacted the health and well-being of LGBTQ individuals by perpetuating structural stigma. This chapter starts by highlighting the inequities of structural stigma for LGBTQ people, arguing that there are limited data available about LGBTQ PoC. Next, the insidious impact of structural stigma on health is explored in this study, with findings highlighted for LGBTQ PoC, across a variety of diseases and social contexts. The chapter ends with key future directions, particularly state initiatives, that can positively impact LGBTQ PoC health.
Exploration of patient and caregiver cancer education using electronic health records.

Abstract The objective of this short report was to describe types of education provided to older, hospitalized patients with cancer and their caregivers using electronic health record data. A total of 437 patients, representing 512 inpatient stays (admissions), met the inclusion criteria. The sample were predominately male (58%) and White (95%). The average patient age at first admission was 74 years (SD 6.21 years) and the average length of admission was 5 days (SD 3.41 days). Out of all admissions, 89% included at least one documented education session with a provider. Three important results emerged from this study 1) education on medications is commonly conveyed to cancer patients (77%), 2) nurses are primarily responsible for providing education (65%), and 3) caregivers are infrequently involved (41%) in patient education. Additional educational topics tailored to the long-term needs of older adults with cancer are warranted. These topics should be delivered by an array of interprofessional care providers with demonstrated competency. Lastly, patient education should ensure inclusion of caregivers as part of the interprofessional cancer care team to promote successful management of cancer-related concerns.
Trends in Insulin Prescribing for Patients With Diabetes During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the US.

This cross-sectional study compares the number of insulin prescriptions filled before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fitting thermodynamic-based models: Incorporating parameter sensitivity improves the performance of an evolutionary algorithm.

Abstract A detailed comprehension of transcriptional regulation is critical to understanding the genetic control of development and disease across many different organisms. To more fully investigate the complex molecular interactions controlling the precise expression of genes, many groups have constructed mathematical models to complement their experimental approaches. A critical step in such studies is choosing the most appropriate parameter estimation algorithm to enable detailed analysis of the parameters that contribute to the models. In this study, we develop a novel set of evolutionary algorithms that use a pseudo-random Sobol Set to construct the initial population and incorporate parameter sensitivities into the adaptation of mutation rates in the model, using local, global, and hybrid strategies. Comparison of the performance of these new algorithms to a number of current state-of-the-art global parameter estimation algorithms on a range of continuous test functions, as well as synthetic biological data representing models of gene regulatory systems, reveals improved performance of the new algorithms in terms of runtime, error and reproducibility. In addition, by analyzing the ability of these algorithms to fit datasets of varying quality, we provide the experimentalist with a guide to how the algorithms perform across a range of noisy data. These results demonstrate the improved performance of the new set of parameter estimation algorithms and facilitate meaningful integration of model parameters and predictions in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of gene regulation.
Structural Properties of Extended Normed Spaces

We study some structural properties of real linear spaces equipped with norms that may take the value infinity but that otherwise satisfy the properties of conventional norms. A description is given of the finest locally convex topology weaker than the extended norm topology for which addition and scalar multiplication are jointly continuous. We also study bornologies and provide a characterization of relatively weakly compact sets in these spaces. It is shown that complemented and projection complemented closed subspaces can be different in extended Banach spaces. Particular attention is given to extended normed spaces whose subspace of vectors of finite norm has finite codimension.