cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thou and I: Exploring Expressive Digital Interaction with Interactive Characteristic Wigs

My project involves the construction of a series of experimental wearable digital technologies as expressive wigs. These wigs are designed to explore the interactions of the wearers and the spectators as the wig moves in elaborate ways to highlight the realms of aesthetic value and sensory experience. The participants are provoked, they are engaged, they are compelled into a state of awareness and curiosity while the digital object constitutes novel experiences that coincide with anthropomorphic interactivity. Furthermore, the expressive value of a digital object is turned inwards as it becomes an extension of the self and a source of multi-sensory communication. Ultimately, the digital object seeks to open a social dialogue on the aesthetic purpose of technology by encouraging people to extend their imagination through bodily interaction. Here the digital object enables the wearers to create engaging narratives and provocative expressions.
Inkjet-printed MEM relays for active solar cell routing

We have developed a low resistance, high power printed relay for active solar bypass and switching applications. These relays exhibit the lowest on-state resistance for a printed MEMS switch (lowest 2.7Ω, with 3–5Ω typical) and have high current carrying capabilities (>100mA per contact). These characteristics make them particularly attractive for applications necessitating the ability to pass high currents. We have exploited these characteristics to demonstrate adaptive bypassing of shaded silicon solar cells in a string, thus preventing shaded cells from limiting string efficiency. The ability to print these relays makes them particularly attractive for direct module level integration with solar cells.
Song recognition and heterospecific associations between 2 fairy-wren species (Maluridae)

Interactions between species can be beneficial to one or both species and such interactions may be facilitated by recognition of group members. Splendid and variegated fairy-wrens often share overlapping, co-defended territories. We show for the first time that these species discriminate among heterospecific individuals. Long-term heterospecific associations are likely more widespread than previously appreciated, and recognition may play a significant role in the maintenance and coordination of mixed-species assemblages.
Anesthesiologists’ Preferences regarding Visitor Presence during Placement of Neuraxial Labor Analgesia

Introduction. Neuraxial labor analgesia has become an integral part of modern obstetric anesthetic practice. Presence of a familiar person during its placement may be beneficial to the patient. A survey was sent to anesthesiologists practicing obstetric anesthesia in the USA to determine their views. Methods. The survey queried the following: existence of a written policy; would they allow a visitor; visitor’s view, sitting or standing; reasons to allow or not allow a visitor; and influence by other staff on the decision. The responses were analyzed using multiple chi-square analyses. Results. Most practitioners supported allowing a visitor during placement. Reduction of patient anxiety and fulfillment of patient request were the major reasons for allowing a visitor. Sitting position and no view of the workspace were preferred. Visitor interference and safety were cited as the major reasons for precluding a visitor. Nonanesthesia providers rarely influenced the decision. Epidural analgesia was the preferred technique. Essentially no bias was found in the responses; there was statistical uniformity regardless of procedures done per week, years in practice, professional certification, geographic region (rural, urban, or suburban), or academic, private, or government responders. Conclusion. The practice of visitor presence during the placement of neuraxial labor analgesia is gaining acceptance.
Chemistry, Biochemistry of Nanoparticles, and Their Role in Antioxidant Defense System in Plants

As time passes, engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) are more frequently found in medical and consumer products, as well as in industrial and agricultural applications. The intensive production, use, and disposal of ENPs-containing wastes increase the likelihood of emission of such products to the environment. During the last two decades, a body of scientific literature has shown that ENPs interact with living components of ecosystems in different ways. The literature indicates that ENPs impact on plant growth, cell structure, and physiological and biochemical functions. In this chapter we discuss the stress induced by ENPs on higher plants. Although some references about carbon-based ENPs are included, most of the references are related to metal-based ENPs. The discussion is mainly focused on the effects of ENPs on photosystems and the mechanisms of generation/scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Effects on the enzymes catalase (CAT), guaiacol peroxidase (GPOX), ascorbate peroxidase (APOX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) are discussed. Information about low molecular weight antioxidant thiols (GSSG or GSH) and ascorbate is also included.
Three Mile Island and Fukushima

This article draws comparisons between the Three Mile Island accident in 1979 and the far more severe accident at Fukushima. It cites lessons that were learned from Three Mile Island and suggests how they improved the performance of the nuclear power industry in the United States. The article also draws other, perhaps less apparent, lessons from the history of nuclear power.
Interpersonal Negotiation Strategies in a Sample of Older Women

Suppressed anger resulting from poorly resolved interpersonal conflicts can increase morbidity. The current generation of older women may be particularly susceptible to morbidity caused by anger inhibition due to socialization to be submissive in interpersonal conflicts. For purposes of disease prevention, we asked 35 older women to describe an interpersonal conflict experienced recently, and how they responded to it. Data coding was based on Selman's model of interpersonal negotiation strategies, which has been used to assess the conflicts of children, adolescents, and young adults, but not older adults. We found that many participants used strategies in which they expressed their point of view in order to persuade the other person. Of those who were expressive, however, many ended up submitting to the other person's demands nonetheless. Thus, overall, most participants used submissive strategies. Conflicts with strangers and acquaintances were frequently reported, and reports included comments about feeling vulnerable. Stereotypic beliefs about age and health also emerged in reports, and seemed related to submissive responses. Our findings suggest that older women would benefit from training in constructive strategies for resolving interpersonal conflicts. Training efforts should reflect the ways in which stereotypic beliefs about age, health, and vulnerability may interfere with constructive strategy choice, and should emphasize the health benefits of constructively dealing with conflict.
Ultraviolet Laser Microbeam for Dissection of Drosophila Embryos

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the use of ultraviolet (UV) laser microbeam interrogation strategies, combined with confocal microscopy, to investigate the developmental process of dorsal closure. Drosophila embryos that carry GFP-fusion transgenes are mounted to allow high spatial and temporal resolution imaging under conditions that allow development to proceed unimpeded. With the help of QuickTime videos of the time-lapsed image stacks, changes in specimen morphology that result from laser surgical interrogation are therefore described both qualitatively and quantitatively. Drosophila embryos that carry GFP-fusion transgenes are mounted to allow high spatial and temporal resolution imaging under conditions that allow development to proceed unimpeded. For each confocal microscope system, modifications to the optical path of the microscope are necessary to allow simultaneous imaging and laser surgery. The advent of spectral variants of GFP mentioned earlier, the proliferation of other unrelated fluorescent proteins, each with different excitation and emission characteristics. Once the mirrors are aligned properly to guide the unmodified beam through the objective, the polarizer, the individual lenses that comprise the beam expander and the telescope are added, in that order.
Improving the Labor Market Outcomes of US Veterans: The Long-Run Effect of the Transition Assistance Program

The success of military recruiting depends largely on the potential consequences of military services. This study examines how military service affects labor market outcomes of veterans. Specifical...
Parallel multiple-chain DRAM MCMC for large-scale geosteering inversion and uncertainty quantification

Abstract Geosteering is the proactive control of a wellbore placement based on the downhole measurements, aiming at maximizing economic production from the well. The recent development of azimuthal resistivity logging-while-drilling (LWD) tools have a much larger depth of detection, thus sets higher demands for geosteering inversion as more unknown parameters need to be taken into account in the earth model to be inverted. For complicated non-linear problems, traditional deterministic inversion methods are more likely to be trapped near local optima. In general, Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) inversion methods are more capable of finding the global optimal solution and providing additional uncertainty analyses by sampling from the target distribution. However, MCMC methods usually have the problem of slow convergence. Even though optimization methods like delayed rejection (DR) and adaptive Metropolis (AM) were proposed to speed up the convergence, using MCMC methods to solve geosteering inversion problems may still incur unacceptable time cost. To reduce the sampling cost of MCMC methods, we use parallel multiple-chain DRAM MCMC methods to solve geosteering inverse problems and estimate the corresponding uncertainty. A clustering method, density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN), is applied to select the best solution among many results. The simulation results show that running many relatively short MCMC chains for one problem can obtain a similar result as running a long single chain. Besides, avoiding communications between multiple Markov chains during the sampling process yields almost linear scalability.
InP Quantum Dot Intermediate Band Solar Cell Grown via MOCVD

Growth of type-II InP quantum dots in wide bandgap InGaP $(\mathrm{E}_{G}=\mathrm{1.85} \ \mathrm{eV})$ for intermediate band solar cell applications is studied, grown via Aixtron close-coupled showerhead metal-organic chemical vapor deposition system. Theoretical calculation and optical characterizations verify type-II band alignment, showing approximately 300 meV electron confinement in the conduction band and around 5 meV potential barrier for holes in the valence band. AFM measurements predominantly show type-II dots (dot height greater than 15 nm), which is further verified by a single QD peak with narrow full width at half maximum obtained by photoluminescence measurements. Dot density of $0.7 \ \mathrm{x}10^{10}\ \mathrm{cm}^{-2}$ is measured with diameter and height of $-56\pm 10 \ \mathrm{nm}$ and $18 \ \pm \ 2.8 \ \mathrm{nm}$, respectively. This quantum dot system promises a more ideal band alignment for intermediate band assisted photon absorption and higher two-step photon absorption (TSPA) temperatures. Here, we observe TSPA response up to 200 K for a solar cell with 5x layers of InP QDs in the intrinsic region.
A critical outlook on recent developments and applications of matrix compatible coatings for solid phase microextraction

Abstract The introduction of matrix compatible solid phase microextraction (SPME) coatings in recent years has enabled analysis of complex matrices by direct immersion, and thus has overcome some of the challenges and limitations related to headspace SPME. The advantages associated with direct immersion solid phase microextraction through the use of matrix compatible coatings has led to the advancement of research studies in food, environmental and biological matrices. This review provides an overview of the most recent developments and application of matrix compatible coatings to food, environmental and bioanalytical studies. Emphasis is given to the applications of commonly used matrix compatible materials such as polyacrylonitrile, polydimethylsiloxane, polymeric ionic liquids, polyaniline and polytetrafluoroethylene polymers. The suitability and advantages of these coatings in direct immersion microextractions are mentioned for some specific applications. In addition, the potential to directly couple matrix compatible microextraction devices to mass spectrometry is described together with applications in various complex matrices. Finally, the relevance of these matrix compatible coatings in facilitating in vivo and ex vivo bioanalytical studies, which in turn offer opportunities for metabolomics, lipidomics and exposome studies, is also discussed.
Why and when Do Venture Capital Firms Reciprocate Past Syndication Offers

This paper explores whether reciprocating relationships provide benefits to participating firms by examining venture capital syndication networks. Actively engaging in mutual, reciprocating relatio...
Nonsurgical and surgical management of metacarpo/metatarsophalangeal joint dorsal chip fracture in the Thoroughbred racehorse

Background Arthroscopy is considered the treatment of choice for dorsal osteochondral chip fractures of the metacarpo/metatarsophalangeal (MCP/MTP) joints in the racehorse; however, there is no published research on non-surgical management of this injury. Objectives To compare clinical features, intra-articular medication use and return to racing in Thoroughbred racehorses with non-surgically (non-SX) or surgically (SX) managed MCP/MTP dorsal chip fracture. Study design Retrospective observational study conducted between 2006 and 2014. Methods Radiographs of Thoroughbred racehorses were reviewed to identify MCP/MTP dorsal osteochondral chip fractures. Clinical and intra-articular medication data were obtained from veterinary records, and return to racing data from a public online resource. Results A total of 98 MCP/MTP horses with dorsal chip fractures were identified (70 non-SX, 28 SX). Median age was 2 years (range 2-7 years). Osteochondral chip fractures predominantly involved the forelimbs (n = 92, 93.9%) and the majority were considered by the treating clinician to be clinically active (n = 85, 86.7%). Significantly more SX horses had a reported ongoing problem associated with the affected joint than non-SX horses (P = 0.002), however there was no significant difference between non-SX and SX horses in the number of intra-articular medications of affected joint per month of follow-up (P = 0.22). The proportion of horses racing post-diagnosis was not significantly different between non-SX (55/70; 78.6%, 95% CI 69.0, 88.2%) and SX horses (24/28; 85.7%, 95% CI 72.8, 98.73%) (P = 0.57). Median time to first start following diagnosis for non-SX (106 days, range 1-326) was significantly shorter than for SX horses (203 days, range 9-559) (P = 0.002). Main limitations Management technique was not randomised or blinded, with few surgically managed horses. Conclusions The results contribute to the current evidence base used to guide management of osteochondral chip fractures of the MCP/MTP joints in the racehorse, and indicate that non-surgical management may be a valid treatment option for some injuries.
Sharing Your Message: Every Student Counts!:

“People listen to stories, but they act on data.” This comment from a 2008 NASN Conference attendee sums up the importance of strong messages. School nurses collect data every day on their student ...
Race and nation in the age of emancipations

Borne out of a 2012 symposium at Rice University, Race and Nation in the Age of Emancipations questions how enslaved people and free blacks fought for citizenship around the Atlantic basin between ...
An empirical analysis of Airbnb listings in forty American cities

Abstract In the past ten years, Airbnb has rapidly grown from a small, online bed and breakfast product to a leading peer-to-peer hospitality magnate which operates in eighty thousand cities globally. It now offers rooms-for-rent, entire houses for rent, and even allows people to book ‘experiences’ through the platform. Consequently, cities, researchers, and the concerned public are focusing more on its impacts and exploring viable ways to regulate and facilitate the business while minimizing its potentially negative effects. To better understand Airbnb's operation in US cities, this paper explored how demographics, socioeconomics, and transportation might affect Airbnb listings in forty US cities. The results showed that Airbnb rentals were more likely to locate in neighborhoods with good transit service, short distances to the city center, and high median house value and household income. This study indicated the possible social inequality risk in the shared economy.
Celebrating the Twentieth Anniversary of the Voice and Speech Review

This year the Voice and Speech Review (VSR) celebrates its twentieth anniversary. The VSR stands as a significant contribution to the field of voice and voice pedagogy. To date, the VSR remains the...
ZVS Analysis of a GaN-Based Series-Parallel Dual Transformer LLC Resonant Converter

Data center energy usage is expected to grow in the coming years with the proliferation of cloud services on daily life. The increasing energy demands that data centers will place upon the power grid necessitate the development high efficiency, high power density power supplies. The LLC resonant converter has long been utilized for data center power supplies as the dc-dc transformer to step down the voltage rectified from the ac transmission system to the rack level. As more is demanded of the data center and more information must be processed, space becomes more valuable. The use of wide bandgap materials such as Gallium Nitride (GaN) allows for much faster switching which can lead to higher power density by reducing the size of passive components. However, a higher frequency can lead to much greater switching loss. Zero-voltage switching (ZVS) can be utilized in primary side devices to greatly reduce losses. The achievement of ZVS is dependent on the magnetic design of the LLC transformer. By considering the effects of device capacitance and transformer parasitic capacitance and inductance, ZVS can be achieved to negate the turn-on losses and ensure high efficiency. This paper details the analysis of ZVS for a GaN-based LLC resonant converter with two series-parallel connected transformers.
Single-cyst transcriptome analysis of Drosophila male germline stem cell lineage

The Drosophila male germline stem cell (GSC) lineage provides a great model to understand stem cell maintenance, proliferation, differentiation and dedifferentiation. Here, we use the Drosophila GSC lineage to systematically analyze the transcriptome of discrete but continuously differentiating germline cysts. We first isolated single cysts at each recognizable stage from wild-type testes, which were subsequently applied for RNA-seq analyses. Our data delineate a high-resolution transcriptome atlas in the entire male GSC lineage: the most dramatic switch occurs from early to late spermatocyte, followed by the change from the mitotic spermatogonia to early meiotic spermatocyte. By contrast, the transit-amplifying spermatogonia cysts display similar transcriptomes, suggesting common molecular features among these stages, which may underlie their similar behavior during both differentiation and dedifferentiation processes. Finally, distinct differentiating germ cell cyst samples do not exhibit obvious dosage compensation of X-chromosomal genes, even considering the paucity of X-chromosomal gene expression during meiosis, which is different from somatic cells. Together, our single cyst-resolution, genome-wide transcriptional profile analyses provide an unprecedented resource to understand many questions in both germ cell biology and stem cell biology fields.
CHAPTER 5 – SYSTEM SECURITY

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses system security. The systems security environment represents a potential area of exposure in the DP security game. Terminal system security and database protection are the two basic elements of the systems security program. Each terminal system must have a security administrator assigned. The basic responsibilities of this position should be subscription control and system security violation investigation. A secure operating system should contain the security functions that control “access to” and “use of” datasets, control datasets based on their security classification, and monitor and record all system access activity and exits. This system should also include a security reporting mechanism. In the absence of the required characteristics, the dataset protection mechanism stands exposed and, in the case of an incident, the ability to trace and prosecute an adversary is almost non-existent.
Chapter 6 – Firewalls

The purpose of the firewall and its location is to have network connections traverse the firewall, which can then stop any unauthorized packets. A simple firewall will filter packets based on IP addresses and ports. A useful analogy is filtering your postal mail based only on the information on the envelope. You typically accept any letter addressed to you and return any letter addressed to someone else. This act of filtering is essentially the same for firewalls. This chapter refers to the secure network as the internal network; the insecure network is the external network. The remainder of this chapter provides an overview of firewall policies, designs, features, and configurations. Of course, technology is always changing, and network firewalls are no exception. However, the intent of this chapter is to describe aspects of network firewalls that tend to endure over time.
Rejuvenation of three germ layers tissues by exchanging old blood plasma with saline-albumin

Heterochronic blood sharing rejuvenates old tissues, and most of the studies on how this works focus on young plasma, its fractions, and a few youthful systemic candidates. However, it was not formally established that young blood is necessary for this multi-tissue rejuvenation. Here, using our recently developed small animal blood exchange process, we replaced half of the plasma in mice with saline containing 5% albumin (terming it a "neutral" age blood exchange, NBE) thus diluting the plasma factors and replenishing the albumin that would be diminished if only saline was used. Our data demonstrate that a single NBE suffices to meet or exceed the rejuvenative effects of enhancing muscle repair, reducing liver adiposity and fibrosis, and increasing hippocampal neurogenesis in old mice, all the key outcomes seen after blood heterochronicity. Comparative proteomic analysis on serum from NBE, and from a similar human clinical procedure of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE), revealed a molecular re-setting of the systemic signaling milieu, interestingly, elevating the levels of some proteins, which broadly coordinate tissue maintenance and repair and promote immune responses. Moreover, a single TPE yielded functional blood rejuvenation, abrogating the typical old serum inhibition of progenitor cell proliferation. Ectopically added albumin does not seem to be the sole determinant of such rejuvenation, and levels of albumin do not decrease with age nor are increased by NBE/TPE. A model of action (supported by a large body of published data) is that significant dilution of autoregulatory proteins that crosstalk to multiple signaling pathways (with their own feedback loops) would, through changes in gene expression, have long-lasting molecular and functional effects that are consistent with our observations. This work improves our understanding of the systemic paradigms of multi-tissue rejuvenation and suggest a novel and immediate use of the FDA approved TPE for improving the health and resilience of older people.
Prevalence of Falls, Physical Performance, and Dual-Task Cost While Walking in Older Adults at High Risk of Falling with and Without Cognitive Impairment

Purpose To compare the prevalence of falls, physical performance, and dual-task cost during walking between cognitively healthy and impaired older adults at high risk of falling. Methods A cross-sectional analysis of 670 community-dwelling older adults who were considered at high risk of falling, operationalized as 1) having fallen at least once in the preceding 12 months and having a health-care practitioner's referral indicating that the participant was at risk of falls or 2) having impaired mobility as evidenced by a Timed Up and Go (TUG) result ≥13.5 s. Participants (mean age = 77.7 years, SD = 5.6) were divided into cognitively healthy (n = 461) or cognitively impaired (n = 209) groups using a cutoff score of <23 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment test. Assessment included self-reported number of falls over the previous 12 months, functional reach, TUG, Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), and single- and dual-task walk performance. Data were analyzed using Poisson regression to estimate the prevalence ratios of falls and analysis of variance to examine between-group differences on physical performance and dual-task cost during walking performance. Results In the analysis, 82.3% of older adults with cognitive impairment and 69.4% of unimpaired older adults reported 1 or more falls in the previous 12 months. Compared with cognitively healthy participants, those with cognitive impairment were 2.57 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.17 to 3.05) times more likely to have any fall and 2.33 (95% CI = 1.95 to 2.78) times more likely to have multiple falls. Older adults with cognitive impairment performed worse on functional reach (mean difference [MD] = -2.33 cm, 95% CI = -3.21 to -1.46), TUG (MD = 3.05 s, 95% CI = 2.22 to 3.88), and SPPB (MD = -1.24 points, 95% CI = -1.55 to -0.92) and showed increase in dual-task costs (MD = 6.59%, 95% CI = 4.19 to 9.03) compared to those without cognitive impairment. Conclusion Older adults at high risk for falls and who have cognitive impairment are associated with a greater risk for falls and decrements in physical and dual-task performance.
Turning the Partition Crank

After reviewing the history of the crank of an integer partition, involving work of Freeman Dyson from 1944 and Frank Garvan and George Andrews in 1988, we connect this concept with more recent wor...
Remdesivir treatment for severe COVID-19 in third-trimester pregnancy: Case report and management discussion

We report a case of COVID-19 in third-trimester pregnancy, who required support in an intensive care unit and received remdesivir. After discharge, she had an uncomplicated vaginal delivery at term. COVID-19 in pregnancy may be managed without emergent delivery; a multispecialty team is critical in caring for these patients.
Morphology and neurovascular anatomy of a titanosaur (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) osteoderm from the Upper Cretaceous of Big Bend National Park, Texas

Abstract Osteoderms (ossified dermal elements) are among the most distinctive features of Titanosauria, a speciose clade of Cretaceous sauropods. Though osteoderms are often described as armor, hollow osteoderms have also been interpreted as mineral storage sites. A new specimen (TMM 45888-1) from the Upper Cretaceous Javelina Formation, Big Bend National Park, Texas, provides insights into osteoderm structure and function. It is oval with a cusp at one end and grooved marginal ornamentation, resembling certain specimens from Argentina but without a keel. It is not divided into bulb and root regions. TMM 45888-1 is the first titanosaur osteoderm from Texas. It cannot be referred to a species but is similar to the osteoderms of Alamosaurus, the only known titanosaur from North America. X-ray CT scans reveal that the interior of TMM 45888-1 is not hollow. Large neurovascular channels connect foramina on the deep, superficial, and marginal faces. The channels are concentrated along the deep face, at the ends, and passing through the center from deep to superficial. The osteoderm was potentially capable of providing mineral storage, localized defense, and display functions based on its vasculature, material properties, and shape. Whole-body defense, vertebral stabilization, and thermoregulation are rejected as functions based on apparent osteoderm scarcity, lack of articulations, and limited superficial vasculature. Osteoderms vary in gross and interior morphology among lithostrotians, necessitating caution when generalizing functions across the clade.
The Supreme Court, the Media, and Public Opinion: Comparing Experimental andObservational Methods

Can Supreme Court rulings change Americans’ policy views? Prior experimental and observational studies come to conflicting conclusions because of methodological limitations. We argue that existing studies overlook the media’s critical role in communicating Court decisions and theorize that major decisions change Americans’ opinions most when the media offer one-sided coverage supportive of the Court majority. We fielded nationally representative surveys shortly before and after two major Supreme Court decisions on health care and immigration and connected our public opinion data with six major television networks’ coverage of each decision. We find that Court decisions can influence national opinion and increase support for policies the Court upholds as constitutional. These effects were largest among people who received one-sided information. To address selection concerns, we combined this observational study with an experiment and find that people who first heard about the Court decisions through the media and through the experiment responded in similar ways.
Smooth Crustal Velocity Models Cause a Depletion of High-Frequency Ground Motions on Soil in 2D Dynamic Rupture Simulations

A depletion of high-frequency ground motions on soil sites has been observed in recent large earthquakes and is often attributed to the nonlinear soil response. Here we show that the reduced amplitudes of high-frequency horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios on soil can also be caused by a smooth crustal velocity model with low shear wave velocities underneath soil sites. We calculate near-fault ground motions using both 2-D dynamic rupture simulations and point-source models for both rock and soil sites. The 1-D velocity models used in the simulations are derived from empirical relationships between seismic wave velocities and depths in northern California. The simulations for soil sites feature lower shear wave velocities and thus larger Poisson’s ratios at shallow depths than those for rock sites. The lower shear wave velocities cause slower shallow rupture and smaller shallow slip, but both soil and rock simulations have similar rupture speeds and slip for the rest of the fault. However, the simulated near-fault ground motions on soil and rock sites have distinct features. Compared to ground motions on rock, horizontal ground acceleration on soil is only amplified at low frequencies, whereas vertical ground acceleration is deamplified for the whole frequency range. Thus, the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios on soil exhibit a depletion of high-frequency energy. The comparison between smooth and layered velocity models demonstrates that the smoothness of the velocity model plays a critical role in the contrasting behaviors of horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios on soil and rock for different rupture styles and velocity profiles. Our results reveal the significant role of shallow crustal velocity structure in the generation of high-frequency ground motions on soil sites.
Precarious work during precarious times: Addressing the compounding effects of race, gender, and immigration status

[...]while some immigrant workers can access benefits such as unemployment insurance, most noncitizens cannot access federal benefits that other workers rely on in times of need, despite many holding essential roles that contribute to these benefits (Singh & Koran, 2020). [...]well-documented disparities in education, work opportunities, and access to health care associated with race, gender, and social class present additional concerns for these workers during the present crisis (Flores etal., 2019). [...]these workers may feel increased pressure to work even when they are sick or feel unsafe. [...]these employees are experiencing higher rates of unemployment and job displacement than White employees, which only exacerbates historical trends for these groups (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019a).
Sensing as a Service for Internet of Things: A Roadmap

Few years back, I wrote about the Sensing as a Service (S2aaS) in two scholarly publications. Since then, these publications have been well cited and discussed by different research communities. After receiving number of inquires from interested readers, I decided to write this book to explain the topic of S2aaS in detail, specially without being restricted into number of pages allowed by conferences and journals. This book aims to expand on previous ideas and to present a much detailed vision that would be useful to both general (non-scientific) and advance (scientific) readers. This book is written in a easy to understand non-technical language to help general readers to grasp the content quickly. However, I also wanted to make sure that this book useful for advance readers who are interested in additional reading material on the topic. In order to facilitate them, throughout this book, I have presented additional material using different types of notes.
National Trends and Disparities in Hospitalization for Acute Hypertension Among Medicare Beneficiaries (1999-2019).

Background: In the past 2 decades, hypertension control in the US population has not improved and there are widening disparities. Little is known about progress in reducing hospitalizations for acu...
The Festival of World Sacred Music: Creating a Destination for Tourism, Spirituality, and the Other

Festivals of world sacred music (WSM) carve out a unique space in the sacred landscape. They afford participants the chance to experience a variety of self-identities and spiritualties within the tolerantly ambiguous pluralism of a postmodern, post-touristic sacred geography. Festivals present a culture/religion for mass consumption. When we speak of featured acts as “presentations of” a culture or religion, this language reveals an awareness of the performative elements and acknowledges the intensification of cultural and spiritual awareness that occurs within this temporally and physically demarcated sphere. The geography of WSM poses questions of authenticity. How does the festival present itself? Do producers construe the costumes, attention to “authentic” performance details, and sense of communitas? Does the heightened attention in providing “authenticity” become a contrived display for outsiders? Categorizing an event as “overly religious and proselytizing,” “too pluralistic” or an “incoherent conglomeration of spirituality” says as much about the commentator’s preconceived frame as the content of the festival. The goals of religious festivals are in promoting arts, ethnic minorities, proselytizing, worship, and increasingly tourism. The element of sacred performance further complicates issues of authenticity. What are the implications when a large international festival, such as the Fes Festival, advertises itself as a forum for spiritual discovery? What is the impact of encouraging religious specificity along with spiritual pluralism? I use the Fes Festival to show how sacred music festivals create poignant points of entree into an ecumenical spiritual experience. I analyze how festivals problematize ethnographic musical objects as created through processes of detachment and contextualization in which they situate music and cultures in a time out of time, in a space out of space. I close with a discussion how WSM festivals navigate a post-touristic geography of the world’s sacred landscapes and demonstrates how the created festival product offers a condensed form of experience that the average tourist would not likely encounter.
Non-Equilibrium Effects Seen in Molecular Dynamics Calculations of Shock Waves in Solids

In a number of experiments1–3 carried out to study the effects of shock waves in condensed materials (particularly in chemical explosives), we found evidence for the mechanical fracture of covalent bonds in or very near the shock fronts which produced free atoms and free radicals, as well as other thermally-activated atomic and molecular species. Scrutiny of the streak and framing camera records obtained in these experiments led us, with other analysis, to the formulation of a new concept of the shock initiation of explosives.4,5 To obtain some corroboration of this concept and to elucidate the microscopic processes occurring in the shock, we completed computer modeling and molecular dynamics analysis of the experiments.
Pyrophosphate:d-Fructose 6-Phosphate 1-Phosphotransferase: A NEW ENZYME WITH THE GLYCOLYTIC FUNCTION OF 6-PHOSPHOFRUCTOKINASE

Abstract The major enzyme of Entamoeba histolytica which produces fructose 1,6-diphosphate from fructose 6-phosphate utilizes inorganic pyrophosphate as phosphate donor. In its reverse reaction the enzyme utilizes orthophosphate and fructose diphosphate to yield inorganic pyrophosphate and fructose 6-phosphate. The enzyme has been purified 100-fold from an amebal homogenate. At pH 7 with 2.5 mm MgCl the following Km values were observed: pyrophosphate, 14 µm; fructose 6-phosphate, 38 µm; fructose 1,6-diphosphate, 18 µm; and orthophosphate, 800 µm. At this pH and magnesium ion concentration the maximum velocity of the reaction was approximately the same in each direction. The average intracellular concentration of pyrophosphate in the ameba is 0.18 mm, a value 13-fold greater than the pyrophosphate Km for the new enzyme. This enzyme raises to three the number of known enzymes in the glycolytic pathway of E. histolytica which utilize or produce pyrophosphate. The trivial name proposed for the new enzyme is 6-phosphofructokinase (PPi).
Hormonal Factors Concerned with Liver Regeneration

Hepatic regeneration in partially hepatectomized, eviscerated rats, and survival in mice infected with lethal doses of murine hepatitis virus, are both strikingly promoted by combined administration of insulin and glucagon. These two hormones, although potent promotors, fail as initiators of hepatocyte proliferation in animals with intact liver, which suggests a requirement for additional factors, probably derived from non-portal-splanchnic organs. We now find that continous intraperitoneal infusion of epidermal growth factor (EGF) initiates DNA synthesis, as determined by incorporation of [3H] thymidine, in livers of adult rats in vivo. The rise in DNA labelling, which is small with EGF alone, is augmented by addition to the infusion of either glucagon or insulin. This is in agreement with reports on adult hepatocytes in culture. Whether EGF has a physiological role in regulating liver growth under normal conditions in vivo remains to be determined.
Adsorption of aromatics on the (111) surface of PtM and PtM3 (M = Fe, Ni) alloys

The adsorption of benzene and phenol was studied on PtM and PtM3 (111) surfaces, with M being either Ni or Fe. Under vacuum, the most favorable near surface structures showed an enrichment in Pt over the M species. An analysis of the electronic structure of the metal species in the clean surfaces with different near surface structures was done with the d-band model and showed that the Pt's d-states are significantly shifted away from the Fermi level due to the Pt–M interactions while the M species' d-states were less affected, with Ni's d-band shifting closer to the Fermi level and Fe's d-band shifting away from the Fermi level. The adsorption of aromatics, benzene and phenol, on several near surface structures for the PtM and PtM3 (111) surfaces showed that higher surface M concentrations resulted in a stronger adsorption due to the larger amount of charge transferred between the adsorbate and surface. However, compared to the adsorption of benzene and phenol on monometallic surfaces, the adsorption of these species on the PtM and PtM3 (111) surfaces was significantly weakened. Overall, our results show that the observed behavior of these Pt/Fe and Pt/Ni alloys is similar to that seen for the previously studied Pd/Fe surfaces. Furthermore, balancing the weakly adsorbing Pt surface species with the more strongly interacting Fe or Ni species can lead to the tailored adsorption of aromatics with applications in both hydrodeoxygenation and hydrogenation reactions by increasing the desorption rate of wanted aromatic products.
Careful patient selection and dialysis prescription are required for effective nightly intermittent peritoneal dialysis

ObjectiveTo evaluate the adequacy of dialysis in patients on nighttime intermittent peritoneal dialysis (NIPD).DesignRetrospective review of prospectively collected data.PatientsSeven patients on N...
Co-stimulation and counter-stimulation: lipid raft clustering controls TCR signaling and functional outcomes.

T cell receptor (TCR) antigen recognition induces the formation of a specialized 'immunological synapse' at the T cell : antigen presenting cell (APC) junction. This junction is generated by the recruitment and exclusion of particular proteins from the contact area and is required for T cell activation. We and others have hypothesized that lipid raft/non-raft partitioning provides a molecular basis for protein sorting which organizes the TCR, co-stimulators, signal transducers and the actin cytoskeleton at the T cell : APC interface. Here we discuss the emerging paradigm that co-stimulators induce the directional transport and clustering of lipid rafts at the T cell : APC interface, thus generating platform(s) specialized for processive and sustained TCR signal transduction and T cell activation. We also discuss recent data implicating the involvement of 'counter-stimulators' and other negative regulators which prevent optimal raft clustering at the TCR contact site and, thus, facilitate T cell inactivation and tolerance induction.
Electronic charge distribution and the degree of ionicity in crystalline NaF, NaCl, SrF2, and SrCl2as found by the local-orbitals Hartree-Fock method

We present the local orbitals for NaF, Sr${\mathrm{F}}_{2}$, and Sr${\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$. We use these results, along with previously reported local orbitals for NaCl, to calculate the electron density. We find that NaF has 65% more electron density at the density minimum located along the nearest-neighbor axis than NaCl. In addition, Sr${\mathrm{F}}_{2}$ has 79% more density at the minimum than Sr${\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$. The latter result is in agreement with recently reported experimental evidence indicating more dynamical charge overlap in Sr${\mathrm{F}}_{2}$ than Sr${\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$. We find the NaCl electron density agrees extremely well with experimental results obtained from x-ray scattering measurements. The implications of the above result are discussed in terms of relative ionicity. Dividing the charge density into ions along the surfaces of density minima (i.e., along the ionic radii) yields a net charge per ion which is inconsistent with the actual Coulomb potential in the solids. The reasons for this are discussed.
Imaging sonar tracking of salmon for size and tail beat frequency

In order to set sustainable harvest limits on anadro-mous fish, fishery managers require a method for estimating return numbers of individual species. As seasonal migration times of several returning species may overlap, simple fish counts are insufficient. This paper presents an algorithm for tracking fish crossing an insonified area using an extended Gaussian mixture probability hypothesis density filter as well as analyzing both their lengths and the frequency of their tail beats. The combination of the two provides a useful estimate of the return size of a given fish species when combined with seasonal return timing. The algorithm is tested against data collected using a dual frequency imaging sonar on the Kenai River in Alaska and compares favorably to estimates made by manual inspection and sub-sampling.
Dietary supplementation with cranberry concentrate tablets may increase the risk of nephrolithiasis.

Objectives Cranberry juice has been recommended for patients with recurrent urinary tract infections. However, cranberry juice has a moderately high concentration of oxalate, a common component of kidney stones, and should be limited in patients with a history of nephrolithiasis. Cranberry concentrate tablets are currently available at nutrition stores and are sold as promoters of urinary tract health. After one of our patients with a distant history of calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis developed recurrent stones following self-administration of cranberry concentrate tablets, we sought to investigate the potential lithogenic properties of cranberry supplements. Methods Five healthy volunteers on a normal diet provided 24-hour urine collection for pH, volume, creatinine, oxalate, calcium, phosphate, uric acid, sodium, citrate, magnesium, and potassium. Cranberry tablets were administered to these volunteers at the manufacturer's recommended dosage for 7 days. On the seventh day, a second 24-hour urine collection was obtained. Results The urinary oxalate levels in the volunteers significantly increased (P = 0.01) by an average of 43.4% while receiving cranberry tablets. The excretion of potential lithogenic ions calcium, phosphate, and sodium also increased. However, inhibitors of stone formation, magnesium and potassium, rose as well. Conclusions Cranberry concentrate tablets are marketed for urinary tract ailments. Physicians and manufacturers of cranberry products should make an effort to educate patients at risk for nephrolithiasis against ingestion of these dietary supplements.
Segmental Spinal Myoclonus and Metastatic Cervical Ganglioglioma: An Unusual Association

Segmental spinal myoclonus rarely occurs in association with spinal cord tumor. Only 3 cases have been reported in children so far, mainly concerning astrocytomas of the thoracic spinal cord. We report on a 2-year-old boy suffering from segmental spinal myoclonus involving the upper limbs and harboring a cervical tumor. The clinical and electrophysiological features ruled out a myoclonus of different origin (cortical, subcortical, propriospinal) other than other types of movement disorders. Neuroimaging and histological examinations showed the exceptional presence of a ganglioglioma as the cause of the segmental spinal myoclonus. The clinical and electrophysiological characteristics as well as the possible etiopathogenesis and differential diagnosis are discussed on the basis of the pertinent literature to add some more information about the unusual association between spinal cord tumors and spinal myoclonus.
Wind modulation of dissolved oxygen in Chesapeake Bay.

A numerical circulation model with a simplified dissolved oxygen module is used to examine the importance of wind-driven ventilation of hypoxic waters in Chesapeake Bay. The model demonstrates that the interaction between wind-driven lateral circulation and enhanced vertical mixing over shoal regions is the dominant mechanism for providing oxygen to hypoxic sub-pycnocline waters. The effectiveness of this mechanism is strongly influenced by the direction of the wind forcing. Winds from the south are most effective at supplying oxygen to hypoxic regions, and winds from the west are shown to be least effective. Simple numerical simulations demonstrate that the volume of hypoxia in the bay is nearly 2.5 times bigger when the mean wind is from the southwest as compared to the southeast. These results provide support for a recent analysis that suggests much of the long-term variability of hypoxia in Chesapeake Bay can be explained by variations in the summertime wind direction.