cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Associations with high-risk sexual behavior: a survey of young men of color attending urban youth centers.

Background Sexually transmitted diseases and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) represent growing health care concerns that affect subgroups of the population in disproportionately high numbers. We researched associations with high-risk sexual behavior in young men of color living in an economically depressed area of a mid-size city. Our results are used to discuss the possibility of more effective interventions. Methods We analyzed the responses of 95 men (aged 12 to 29 years) to a self-administered questionnaire. We then examined variables hypothesized to be associated with high-risk sexual behavior and used bivariate and multivariate analyses to report associations found for this group. Results Improved perception of one's general health (odds ratio [OR] 0.95) and believing that peers approved of condoms (OR 0.51) were inversely associated with high-risk sexual behavior, whereas use of illegal drugs (OR 6.0), history of being arrested (OR 3.92), and age older than 18 years (OR 1.4) were directly associated. Knowledge about HIV was not significantly different in men who participated in high-risk sexual behavior and those who did not. Seventy-eight percent of HIV knowledge questions were answered correctly by both groups. Conclusions Our findings support the need to develop interventions that focus on more than knowledge dissemination. Interventions using modeling and education by peers have the potential to reach at-risk adolescents and young adults more effectively. Such interventions should address broader societal problems, such as health perceptions, drug abuse, and crime.
Jim and José Crow: Conversations on the Black/Brown Dialogue

This paper explores the parallel experiences of Black and Brown Americans which are often regarded as mutually exclusive. In discussing the divergent but similar histories of Chicanos and Afro-Amer...
333 GLASGOW VARIANT OF THANATOPHORIC DYSPLASIA: EXPANDING THE PHENOTYPE.

Thanatophoric dysplasia (TD) is a lethal short-limbed skeletal dysplasia with characteristic findings of micromelia, bowed femurs, narrow thorax, and short ribs. The Glasgow variant of TD has overlapping radiographic and histopathologic findings and is also considered to be lethal in the neonatal period. We report on a patient with radiographic findings consistent with the Glasgow variant of TD who survived beyond infancy and who has features of an ectodermal dysplasia. Our proband was born at 37 weeks9 gestation with birth weight at the 10th%ile, length
Assessing Recent Determinants of Borrowing Costs in Sub‐Saharan Africa

This study explores macroeconomic implications of the sovereign bond rush that has been taking place in sub-Saharan Africa since 2006. The focus is on the sub-Saharan sovereign bond yields as proxies for the region's ability to raise new funds on international markets. Despite the subcontinent's tour-de-force entrance to the international bond market, this paper reveals that recent (since early 2000s) borrowing in foreign currency is not without macroeconomic risk. Empirically this paper finds that sovereign bond yields are significantly influenced by global volatility, commodity prices and global liquidity—all factors that are out of the control of the sub-Saharan economies in question. These findings suggest that portfolio repositioning by institutional investors prompted by improved growth prospects and implicit monetary policy tightening in the advanced economies or heightened risk perceptions, are likely to result in increased borrowing costs for the sub-Saharan bond issuers and affect their ability to raise funds in international markets. Furthermore, a change in borrowing costs might lead to higher debt-service costs and policy uncertainty, which in turn could lead to suboptimal investment levels and, ultimately, hinder economic development.
Differentiation of self, interpersonal conflict, and depression: The mediating role of anger expression.

The current study investigated how differentiation of self (Bowen in Family therapy in clinical practice. Jason Aronson, New York, 1978; Kerr and Bowen in Family evaluation. W. W. Norton and Company, New York, 1988) was related to interpersonal conflict and depression, and tested mediation hypotheses involving anger expression. The results revealed that anger expressed outwardly partially mediated the relationship between emotional reactivity and interpersonal conflict, and that anger expressed inwardly fully mediated the relationship between emotional cutoff and depression among 260 college students attending an urban university located in Midwestern United States.
Patients' preferences for family medicine physicians' video biographies.

ABSTRACTNo studies have assessed prospective patients’ opinions regarding physician introductory videos despite their increasing prevalence. Therefore, a within-subjects experiment randomly exposed participants to five physician video biographies featuring primarily either personal or professional information. Participants’ attitudes were measured. They also selected the physician they would want to visit. Participants chose physicians with whom they perceived the greatest similarity, and indicated greater ease choosing physicians when exposed to biographies containing personal information. Future videos should be between 60 and 90 seconds. Participants appreciated videos’ abilities to show physicians’ personalities. Participants also stated what else they would like to see included in future videos.
Interest in an Ebola vaccine among a U.S. national sample during the height of the 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa

To better understand the association between Ebola-related attitudes and interest in receiving an Ebola virus vaccine, a survey was administered to a U.S. national sample using GfK's KnowledgePanel®. Among participants (N=1417), 34.1% expressed interest in an Ebola vaccine for themselves. In the subset of participants with children aged 0-17 (N=410), 38.1% expressed interest in an Ebola vaccine for their child. In multivariable analyses, vaccine interest for oneself was associated with perceived susceptibility to Ebola (p=0.009), beliefs that the U.S. government should spend money to control Ebola (p=0.002), and beliefs Ebola posed a national threat (p=0.007). Vaccine interest for one's child was associated with perceived severity of Ebola (p=0.018) and beliefs that the U.S. government should spend money to control Ebola (p=0.003). Findings highlight the influence of personal and national threat beliefs on vaccine interest. Understanding the impact of threat beliefs may benefit vaccine campaign development during future pandemic threats.
Technological Improvement and the Decentralizatiton Penalty in a Simple Principal/Agent Model

We consider the organizer of a firm who compares a decentralized arrangement where divisions are granted total autonomy with an arrangement where perfect monitoring and policing guarantee that all divisions make the choices the organizer wants them to make. We ask: when does improvement in the divisions' technology strengthen the case for decentralization and when does it weaken it? We study this question, for the case of a single division, in a complete-information linear-contract setup. It turns out that there are no simple conditions under which the welfare loss due to decentralization grows (shrinks) when technology improves. Instead, we obtain a variety of results about relations between technology, surplus, the Principal's "generosity" (i.e. the Principal's optimal share of the contract), and "effectiveness" (the effect of a small rise in the share on the Agent's effort).
Demo of MagnifiSense: inferring device interaction using wrist-worn passive magneto-inductive sensors

The different electronic devices we use on a daily basis produce distinct electromagnetic radiation due to the differences in their underlying electrical components. We present MagnifiSense, a low-power wearable system that uses three passive magneto-inductive sensors and a minimal ADC setup to identify the device a person is operating. MagnifiSense achieves this by analyzing the near-field electromagnetic radiation from common components such as motors, rectifiers, and modulators. MagnifiSense achieves a classification accuracy of 82.6% using a model-agnostic classifier and 94.0% using a model-specific classifier. The purpose of this demo is to both illustrate the real-time waveform the system uses and also demonstrate the classification capability to attendees.
The Other Thirty Percent: An Economic Assessment of Duplication in PTAB Proceedings and Patent Infringement Litigation

Congress “repeatedly stated [that] its paramount goal” in having inter partes review (IPR) before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB or the Board) was to “serve as a cheaper, faster alternative to be used instead of – rather than in addition to – litigation in district court.” More than five years after IPR trials were established, however, it is unclear whether Congress will achieve its goal. Some argue that “rather than an absolute alternative to civil litigation, the AIA’s new proceedings increase the likelihood of duplicative concurrent inter partes administrative and judicial adjudication of a patent’s validity.” Duplicative patent challenges within and across IPRs and district court litigation is the focus of this article.
Model Validation: A Novel Approach to Fault Detection

Abstract This work addresses a fault detection application of model validation. The l1 formulation is utilised in which deterministic bounds are assumed on model uncertainty. The plant is assumed FIR with structured perturbations. The minimum disturbance and perturbation consistent with observed data are determined by the solution of a non-convex optimisation problem which is cast as an MILP. The model is invalidated if these quantities exceed assumed bounds. To facilitate an on-line process monitoring application, the MILP is solved in a model-predictive control (MPC) style receding-horizon calculation, yielding continuous estimates of the minimum uncertainty over a finite horizon. It is shown that consecutive solutions are similar and there is a potential for developing a recursive solution procedure.
Session 8 — Biomedical circuits and systems

This session presents circuits-to-systems design techniques to enable the next generation biomedical systems.
Meta-analysis of Microbial Fuel Cells Using Waste Substrates.

Microbial fuel cell experimentation using waste streams is an increasingly popular field of study. One obstacle to comparing studies has been the lack of consistent conventions for reporting results such that meta-analysis can be used for large groups of experiments. Here, 134 unique microbial fuel cell experiments using waste substrates were compiled for analysis. Findings include that coulombic efficiency correlates positively with volumetric power density (p < 0.001), negatively with working volume (p < 0.05), and positively with percentage removal of chemical oxygen demand (p < 0.005). Power density in mW/m2 correlates positively with chemical oxygen demand loading (p < 0.005), and positively with maximum open-circuit voltage (p < 0.05). Finally, single-chamber versus double-chamber reactor configurations differ significantly in maximum open-circuit voltage (p < 0.005). Multiple linear regression to predict either power density or maximum open-circuit voltage produced no significant models due to the amount of multicollinearity between predictor variables. Results indicate that statistically relevant conclusions can be drawn from large microbial fuel cell datasets. Recommendations for future consistency in reporting results following a MIAMFCE convention (Minimum Information About a Microbial Fuel Cell Experiment) are included.
Pulsed-laser transient testing with tunable wavelength and high resolution for high mobility MOSFETs

A tunable wavelength laser system and high resolution transient capture system are introduced to characterize transients in high mobility MOSFETs. The new setup enables resolution of fast transient signals and understanding of charge collection mechanisms.
A data mining approach to estimating rooftop photovoltaic potential in the US

This paper aims to quantify the amount of suitable rooftop area for photovoltaic (PV) energy generation in the continental United States (US). The approach is data-driven, combining Geographic Info...
Outline of Epigenetics

Epigenetics refers to changes in the genome due to processes other than changes in the nucleotide sequence. Epigenetic modifications may be heritable like genetic inheritance, and they have a major role as a regulator of genes. Epigenetics influences gene expression through a number of processes, such as DNA methylation, histone modification, chromatin remodeling, and non-coding RNA. Moreover, epigenetic processes play an important role in disease pathogenesis, and abnormalities in epigenetic processes can cause a variety of diseases, such as cancer, neurological disease, autoimmune disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and reproductive disorders, to name a few. Environmental factors such as diet and exposure to certain chemicals contribute significantly to epigenetic changes. Recently, epigenetics has been found to play interesting roles in disease prevention and cure. Termed epigenetic therapy, it involves inhibitors of DNA methyltransferases and histone deacetylases, enzymes that modulate epigenetic processes, and novel epigenetic-based strategies that hold tremendous potential for future preventive and therapeutic approaches.
Uniformity or diversity: Chinese netizens' reactions to language policy through the lenses of critical discourse analysis and systemic functional linguistics

The authors examine how the Mandarin-Cantonese relationship has been ideologically and discursively perceived and constructed in China’s language policy and planning, and Chinese people’s reaction ...
Impact of body mass index on the incidence and severity of post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis.

Background Pancreatitis is a potential major complication after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (post-ERCP pancreatitis; PEP). Obesity has been associated with increased severity of acute pancreatitis. However, the correlation between obesity and PEP is controversial. Therefore, our study aimed to clarify the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and the incidence and severity of PEP. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted to elucidate the relationship between BMI and PEP in all patients who underwent ERCP in a tertiary referral center between January 2009 and October 2016. Patient characteristics and procedure details were collected. PEP was defined by consensus criteria. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the association between BMI and PEP. Results The analysis included 2236 patients whose BMI was recorded and had adequate follow up (921 with BMI≥30 kg/m2, 1315 with BMI<30 kg/m2). PEP was diagnosed in 107 (4.8%) patients. PEP was seen in 49 obese patients (5.3%) and 58 non-obese patients (4.4%). In the univariate and multivariate analysis BMI≥30 kg/m2 was not associated with PEP (odds ratio 1.2, 95%CI 0.8-1.8; P=0.32). A subgroup analysis of different BMI subcategories found that BMI was not associated with the incidence or severity of PEP. Conclusion In the largest study to date, neither obesity nor low body weight increased the incidence or severity of PEP.
The Challenge of Skull Base Closure: Methods for Reducing Postoperative Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak

Background With recent advances in endoscopic skull base surgery, larger and more complex skull base defects are encountered and many possible reconstructive methods and materials are available. The purpose of this review is to summarize the possible causes of skull base defects, to describe the challenges associated with skull base reconstruction, and to detail the techniques and materials that may be used. Methods Literature review. Results Although skull base defects may be caused by traumatic or nontraumatic causes, this review focuses on the endoscopic reconstruction of defects. Many materials are available for endoscopic reconstruction and several techniques have been described for repair of skull base defects. With these advances, the outcomes of endoscopic skull base reconstruction have improved greatly over the past 20 years. Conclusions Given the complexity of skull base defects and the multiple materials and techniques available for endoscopic reconstruction, a thorough understanding of the challenges associated with skull base repair is crucial for the endoscopic skull base surgeon.
Multiple Regional Listing Increases Liver Transplant Rates for Those With Model for End-stage Liver Disease Score <15.

BACKGROUND Multiple listing (ML) at >1 transplant center is one mechanism to combat the geographic disparities in liver transplantation (LT) rates. The objective of our study was to determine the impact of multiple listing on LT rates. METHODS We examined the United Network of Organ Sharing database from 2002 to 2016 after excluding those listed for multiple organs, hepatocellular carcinoma, or living donor LT. The waitlist mortality and LT rates for the ML groups and the single listed (SL) group were compared after stratifying patients by the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) with a cutoff at 15 ( 1 center (ML group). Of the ML groups, 2028 (2.4%) were listed at multiple donor service areas but within the same region (ML-SR) and 1556 (1.9%) listed in different regions (ML-DR). The median MELD at LT was 20, 21, and 24 for ML-DR, ML-SR, and SL groups, respectively (P = 0.001). Although the probability of receiving LT was significantly higher for the ML groups relative to the SL group for both MELD groups (<15 and ≥15), the impact was the highest for ML-DR group. At MELD score <15, the probability of LT was 72% for ML-DR, 38% for ML-SR, and 32% for SL groups. At MELD score ≥15, the probability of LT was 79% for ML-DR, 67% for ML-SR, and 61% for SL groups. CONCLUSIONS Multiple listing appeared to considerably improve a patient's chance of receiving LT and survival with the highest benefit for those with low MELD scores (<15) listed at multiple regions.
The Effect of Metacognitive Scaffolding for Learning by Teaching a Teachable Agent

The effect of metacognitive scaffolding for learning by teaching was investigated and compared against learning by being tutored. Three versions of an online learning environment for learning algebra equations were created: (1) APLUS that allows students to interactively teach a synthetic peer with a goal to have the synthetic peer pass the quiz while the system provides students with metacognitive scaffolding on how to teach. (2) AplusTutor that provides cognitive tutoring (i.e., immediate feedback and just-in-time hint) and metacognitive scaffolding on how to learn. And, (3) CogTutor+ that provides traditional cognitive tutoring on mastery learning. Two school studies were conducted with a total of 444 6th through 8th grade students. 208 students completed the study and were included in the analysis. The results show that (i) students’ proficiency in solving equations increased after using our interventions for 4 days, but there was no difference in the effectiveness across three interventions, and (ii) learning by teaching with metacognitive scaffolding facilitated learning equally across various levels of students’ prior competency.
Development of High RAP–High Performance Thin-Lift Overlay Mix Design Using a Soybean Oil-Derived Rejuvenator

AbstractA laboratory study was conducted to develop a thin-lift overlay (Thinlay) mix design containing a polymer-modified PG58-34E+ binder with a 3.5% add to the mix, and 40% fine reclaimed asphal...
A cooperative driving framework for urban arterials in mixed traffic conditions

Abstract Enabling technologies of connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) bring new opportunities to signalized intersection control. CAVs not only provide a new source of data for traffic management but also can be controlled as actuators to improve traffic flow. This study proposes a hierarchical and implementation-ready cooperative driving framework with a mixed traffic composition of CAVs, connected vehicles (CVs), and regular vehicles (RVs) for urban arterials. The proposed framework combines centralized and distributed control concepts, where the infrastructure generates optimal signal timing plans and provides high-level trajectory guidance to the CAVs while detailed trajectories are generated by each vehicle. The system consists of three levels of models. At the vehicle level, a state transition diagram is designed for different modes of operations of CAVs including eco-trajectory planning, cooperative adaptive cruise control (CACC) and collision avoidance. At the intersection level, a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) problem is formulated to optimize the signal timing plan and arrival time of CAVs, with consideration of CACC platooning behaviors. At the corridor level, link performance functions are applied to calculate the total delay of the coordinated phases of each intersection, and a linear programming (LP) problem is formulated to optimize the offsets for every cycle, which are then passed to the intersection level. Simulation results from a calibrated real-world arterial corridor show that both mobility and fuel economy benefits from the cooperative driving framework. The total delay is reduced by 2.2%−33.0% and fuel consumption by 3.9%−7.4%, with different mixture of vehicle compositions and CAV penetration rates (e.g., 0%−100%). Sensitivity analysis on volume fluctuation is performed, which confirms the benefits of the dynamic offset optimization.
BACK ON CIRCE'S ISLAND

The reception of Circe's island in and through Classical Antiquity has largely focused on the enigmatic sorceress herself. The long literary chain of interpretive topoi—Circe the witch, the whore, the temptress—stretches from Apollonius, Virgil, Ovid, and Dio Chrysostom to Spenser, Calderon, Joyce, Margaret Atwood, and Madeline Miller. Her role as Odysseus’ benefactor, so unmistakable in Homer, is soon forgotten; to Virgil, she is above all dea saeva, (‘the savage goddess’, Aen. 7.19). One distinguishing feature of Circe and her reception is the focus on representation: the enchantment of Circe, as Greta Hawes puts it, is above all a study in allegory. From the moment Circe put a spell on Odysseus’ companions, transforming them into animals in Book 10 of the Odyssey, Circe has invited analogical reasoning, centered on what the transformation from one being into another represents. More often than not, this transformation is interpreted according to a dualist thinking about humans and animals: subjects are transformed from one being into another being, thus representing some moral or physical degradation. This article, by contrast, concentrates on Circe's island through the lens of becoming-animal, the concept developed by Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari in the tenth plateau of A Thousand Plateaus, ‘1730: Becoming-Intense, Becoming-Animal, Becoming-Imperceptible…’. I explicate the concept of becoming-animal by applying it to a Deleuzian encounter with Circe's island, both in its ancient articulations and in its various receptions, including H.G. Wells's science fiction novel The Island of Dr. Moreau.
Headfirst descent behaviors in a comparative sample of strepsirrhine primates.

The ability to safely ascend and descend is critical to the success of arboreal animals. Nonprimate mammals typically descend supports headfirst aided by their claws, but primates must rely on grasping, and use a variety of behaviors to move down within an arboreal environment, including headfirst and tailfirst descending. This study assesses hypothesized body mass limits on vertical headfirst descent and identifies approximate support orientations and diameters at which headfirst descent is ceased in a sample of nine strepsirrhines species ranging in mass from 0.06 to 4.5 kg. Species under 1 kg, arboreal quadrupeds Cheirogaleus medius and Microcebus murinus, and slow climber Nycticebus pygmaeus, always descended supports headfirst regardless of orientation and diameter as long as a grasp could be established. Arboreal quadrupedal species above 1 kg, Daubetonia madagascariensis, Eulemur coronatus, Eulemur mongoz, Lemur catta, and Varecia variegata differed in the orientation at which they ceased using headfirst descent and the types of alternative descending behaviors they employed. Lemur catta, a highly terrestrial species, started to employ tailfirst descents at 45° and completely stopped using headfirst descent on steeper and thicker supports. Other arboreal quadrupeds, D. madagascariensis, E. coronatus, E. mongoz, and V. variegata, began using tailfirst descent at 60°. The vertical clinging and leaping species Propithecus coquereli rarely engaged in above branch quadrupedalism, and individuals were observed using tailfirst descents on supports as shallow as 15°. This study shows the ways in which mass and anatomy may constrain use of headfirst descent through arboreal environments, and the alternate strategies strepsirrhine primates employ to descend.
Geometric remapping of particle distributions in the Discrete Element Model for Sea Ice (DEMSI v0.0)

Abstract. A new sea ice dynamical core, the Discrete Element Model for Sea Ice (DEMSI), is under development for use in coupled Earth system models. DEMSI is based on the discrete element method, which models collections of ice floes as interacting Lagrangian particles. In basin-scale sea ice simulations the Lagrangian motion results in significant convergence and ridging, which requires periodic remapping of sea ice variables from a deformed particle configuration back to an undeformed initial distribution. At the resolution required for Earth system models we cannot resolve individual sea ice floes, so we adopt the sub-gridscale thickness distribution used in continuum sea ice models. This choice leads to a series of hierarchical tracers depending on ice fractional area or concentration that must be remapped consistently. The circular discrete elements employed in DEMSI help improve the computational efficiency at the cost of increased complexity in the effective element area definitions for sea ice cover that are required for the accurate enforcement of conservation. An additional challenge is the accurate remapping of element values along the ice edge, the location of which varies due to the Lagrangian motion of the particles. In this paper we describe a particle-to-particle remapping approach based on well-established geometric remapping ideas that enforces conservation, bounds-preservation, and compatibility between associated tracer quantities, while also robustly managing remapping at the ice edge. One element of the remapping algorithm is a novel optimization-based flux correction that enforces concentration bounds in the case of non-uniform motion. We demonstrate the accuracy and utility of the algorithm in a series of numerical test cases.
pH activated colloidal Nanospheres: A viable sensing platform for the Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of the anticancer Drug 6-Mercaptopurine

Abstract A SERS colloidal solution of gold nanoparticles is proposed as a sensing platform potentially suitable for the Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of the anticancer drug 6-mercaptopurine. The as-synthesized nanospheres were fully characterized in terms of morphological features, plasmonic properties and SERS activity. Modifying the pH of the colloidal solution toward acidic values allowed us to improve considerably the platform sensitivity. A kinetic analysis performed at different analyte concentrations revealed the occurrence of adsorption/aggregation processes which induced a time-dependent SERS response. This dependence, causing unreliable quantitative analysis, was accounted for by a normalizing procedure based on the enhanced elastic scattering signal. After normalization for hot-spot concentration, a 1 – 15 μM linearity range was identified, within which the quantitative analysis is accurate and reproducible. The working range of the present assaying platform is suitable for clinical applications.
Parents’ perspectives about discussing climate change during well-child visits

Abstract Objectives The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends discussing climate change with parents, particularly at well-child visits; however, parental opinions about receiving climate change information at their child's checkup are largely unknown. This exploratory study examines: (1) parents’ perspectives on frequency of climate change discussions during well-child visits and if climate change should be incorporated into well-child visits; and (2) associations between parents’ perspectives about climate change and if climate change should be incorporated into well-child visits. Methods We conducted cross-sectional surveys with parents of children 0–17; parents were recruited from the waiting rooms of two clinics and an online recruitment repository. The survey included investigator-developed questions about guidance around climate change during well-child visits and questions from the Climate Change in the American Mind survey. Descriptive statistics were used to examine frequencies, means, and standard deviations. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between perspectives about climate change and how climate change should be incorporated into well-child visits. Results A total of 371 parents (71% of those approached) completed the survey. Four percent of parents reported that global warming was discussed during their child's well visits over the past year. Eighty percent strongly agreed or agreed that the impact of global warming on their child's health should be discussed during their well visits. Fewer thought preparing for global warming (57%), reducing global warming (55%), or talking to decision makers about global warming (38%) should be covered. There were significant positive associations between parents’ perceptions about global warming and their agreement that global warming should be incorporated into well-child visits. Conclusion Results of this exploratory study suggest parental interest in incorporating climate change into well-child visits. Further research should be conducted with a larger, more diverse population, consider perspectives of providers and children, and develop best practices for inclusion of climate change into the pediatric medical home.
Re-vision, Re-tool, Re-spawn: Gameful Design for Whole-Person, Transformational Learning

Gameful design challenges instructors to rethink course design for today’s tech-saturated, pandemic-sequestered situation now that virtual is a crucial mode. We share two recent examples of gamification—curricular and co-curricular—demonstrating how gameful design yields whole-person, transformational learning. First, we describe our co-taught Bible and Classical Literature course, where hero-students journey into the dark, accomplish heroic tasks, earn badges, and engage desire-driven, side-quest learning. Second, we describe “Human Salvo: An Experiment with the Antidote to Zombification,” a virtual, Covid-inspired alternative to weekly in-person chapel offerings. Chapel-as-game responded to our shared experience of Fall 2020, fraught with four anxieties: pandemic/contagion, political tribes, economy, and racial (in)justice (the primary anxieties that characterize zombie genre as well). Examples offer assessable evidence of learning toward specified outcomes. Our aim is to spark creativity among librarians-as-teachers for re-visioning, re-tooling, and (perhaps) re-spawning as game-oriented instructors.
Abstract 12314: The Long-Term Effect of Coronary Atherosclerosis and Apnea Hypopnea Index During Rapid Eye Movement on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Introduction: Posttraumatic-stress-disorder(PTSD) is associated with subclinical-atherosclerosis as well as rapid-eye-movement(REM) apnea-hypopnea-index(AHI). This study investigated the relation of coronary-atherosclerosis measured by coronary-artery-calcium(CAC), REM-AHI with cardiovascular(CV)-mortality in PTSD. Hypothesis: There is a direct relation between CAC and REM-AHI with increased CV-mortality in PTSD. Methods: This study is consist of 634 veterans without-known-CAD(age:58±11years,86%men) underwent CAC-scanning and overnight poly-somnography for clinical-indications. Psychological-health-status(PTSD vs. non-PTSD)was measured and they were followed for median of 36-months. Multivariable-Cox-regression-analyses were employed to assess the relation of REM-AHI and CAC, with CV-mortality in PTSD. Results: At follow-up (figure 1), the death-rate was higher in the PTSD(17%) than non-PTSD(10.4%)(p=0.001). Regression-analyses revealed a significant-linkage between PTSD and CAC as well as PTSD and REM-AHI with CV-mortality. The relative-risk of CV-mortality was 5.72(95%CI:2.46-13.34,p=0.0001) in PTSD and CAC>0 as compared to non-PTSD with CAC=0. Similarly, the relative risk of CV-mortality was 3.22 (95%CI:1.17-8.85, p=0.02) in PTSD and REM AHI≥30 as compared to non-PTSD with REM AHI0 which was more prominent in PTSD(p=0.001). A significant linkage of CAC and REM-AHI with increased CV-mortality in PTSD was noted in which the relative-risk of CV-mortality in PTSD was 6.44 (95%CI:3.64-11.37,p=0.001) in combined CAC>0 and REM AHI≥30 as compared to non-PTSD. Conclusions: 1)PTSD is associated with the coronary-atherosclerosis and increased CV-mortality, 2)PTSD is associated with REM obstructive-sleep-apnea and predicts CV-mortality and 3) There is an independent significant linkage of PTSD with REM obstructive-sleep-apnea as well as coronary-atherosclerosis, and increased risk of CV-mortality.
Strength and Failure Criteria

The application of the rigorous methods of analysis embodied in the theory of elasticity is naturally of interest to engineers. Within this largely theoretical subject, it is of interest to introduce the fundamental basis of such applications, namely, the comparison of the analytical results obtained from an elasticity solution to the expected capacity of the resisting material.
From domain specific languages to DEVS components: application to cognitive M&S

Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) research efforts to transition cognitive modeling from the laboratory to operational environments are finding that available architectures and tools are difficult to extend, lack support for interoperability standards, and struggle to scale. This paper describes a component-based modeling and simulation framework that exploits the Discrete Event System Specification (DEVS) formalism to eliminate these impediments. It extends the earlier DEVS Modeling Language (DEVSML) architecture and integrates Domain specific languages (DSLs). The paper discusses the framework and the transformation processes with a DSL tailored to the needs of cognitive modeling.
Mixed Model Assembly Line Sequencing by Minimizing Utility Work and Using Genetic Algorithm

Owing to the recent developments in the field of industrial automation, assembly lines have played an integral role in the economic uplift of the industrial units. Mixed Model Assembly Lines are the answer to a variety of scenarios which involve customized production following a particular ‘product mix’, i.e., several models of a product are jointly processed on a line, in an increased quantity, quality and productive environment. Hence, to determine the optimal operating schedule/sequence of the operations along with other impacting factors such as total utility work, setup cost, part consumption rates, etc., still remains a widely researched topic today. Moreover, sequencing problems are termed as NP-hard and a variety of sequencing heuristics have been applied in literature to solve them. The heuristic, Genetic Algorithm, was formulated based on binary encoding/decoding, two point cross over and uniform mutation, and applied in this paper to optimize two objectives; one, to minimize total utility work and two, to generate sequence of the models as per the first goal. A methodology was hence, developed to test and analyze the impact of factors such as number of stations, length of stations, conveyor speed, time of operations, number of primary models, and Minimum Part Set on the concerned objectives. An attempt was also made to model the entire process with IDEF0 modeling technique. Industry-oriented problems were then presented to test the algorithm in real world conditions. Finally, the results were critically examined and respective improvement measures were stated.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
The making of a cardiothoracic surgeon: An Appolonian quest

he intent of this address is to present to you some of my thoughts about education, in the broadest sense, and also about the training of cardiothoracic surgeons. I shall briefly discuss views concerning (1) the virtues of an organized humanistic background, (2) related ethical concerns, (3) high school, college, and medical school education, (4) cardiothoracic residency training, and (5) an alternative option of governance for a combined cardiothoracic training environment.
Dodging the cost of unavoidable memory copies in message logging protocols

With the number of computing elements spiraling to hundred of thousands in modern HPC systems, failures are common events. Few applications are nevertheless fault tolerant; most are in need for a seamless recovery framework. Among the automatic fault tolerant techniques proposed for MPI, message logging is preferable for its scalable recovery. The major challenge for message logging protocols is the performance penalty on communications during failure-free periods, mostly coming from the payload copy introduced for each message. In this paper, we investigate different approaches for logging payload and compare their impact on network performance.
Description of the parasite Wucheria bancrofti microfilariae identified in follicular fluid following transvaginal oocyte retrieval.

Introduction This case study presents an unusual finding of filarial infection within follicular fluid obtained during an in vitro fertilization (IVF) oocyte retrieval procedure.
Design of Nateglinide Controlled Release Tablet Containing Erosion Matrix Tablet and Multiple Administration Study in Normal Beagle Dogs

We designed a single unit type tablet formulation containing nateglinide to decrease both postprandial blood glucose level (PBG) and fasting blood glucose level (FBG) in normal beagle dogs. The tablet was a dry coated tablet comprising both a core tablet (an erosion matrix tablet: a controlled release portion(nateglinide: 90 mg)) and an outer shell (an immediate release portion (nateglinide: 60 mg)). The weight, the diameter and the hardness of the obtained tablet were 416.1 mg, 10 mmpsi, about 60 N, respectively. The dissolution study of the obtained tablet in pH 1.2 or 6.8 showed that the nateglinide in the immediate release portion dissolved in almost 30 min., and that 30 min after the dissolution test started, the nateglinide in the controlled release portion had dissolved slowly. An in vivo single oral administration study using normal beagle dogs showed the bioavailability value of the obtained nateglinide dry coated tablets against nateglinide immediate release tablets was 73.6%, although the value of nateglinide controlled release tablets containing enteric coated granules was 57.2-60.8%. An in vivo multiple oral administration study (b.i.d. (interval: 12 h), 8 d) using normal beagle dogs showed the reproducibility of nateglinide absorption. In addition, decreases in both PBG and FBG were observed. The ability to decrease the blood glucose level did not weaken during a multiple administration. On the basis of the above results, a controlled release formulation containing a short-acting type oral blood glucose regulator, not only nateglinide but meglitinides (repaglinide, mitiglinide, etc.) was suggested to enable control of both PBG and FBG for moderate and severe diabetes patients.
Recording Synthesis History for Sequential Verification

Performing synthesis and verification in isolation has two undesirable consequences: (1) verification runs the risk of becoming intractable, and (2) strong sequential optimizations are not applied because they are hard to verify. This paper proposes a format for recording synthesis information and a methodology for sequential equivalence checking using this feedback from synthesis. An implementation is described and experimentally compared against an efficient general-purpose sequential equivalence checker that does not use synthesis information. Experimental results confirm expected substantial savings in runtime and reliability of equivalence checking for large designs.
The cycling concept of exchange in bone

An hypothesis has been developed to explain in a semi-quantitative fashion the wide variations in time required for the equilibration in the skeleton of various radioactive substances when they are introduced into the circulation. The basis for the hypothesis rests on the assumption that three variables define the rate-limiting step in bone exchange: a) the rate of perfusion of bone, b) the concentration of the ion plasma, and c) the concentration of the ion in bone. Using this idea and data from the literature, “cycling times” were calculated for Cl−, Na+, K+, and Ca++. They were found to vary by four orders of magnitude (from 10 min for Cl− to 64 days for Ca++ in the rat).
EXTRACTION OF CESIUM AND STRONTIUM INTO HYDROCARBON SOLVENTS USING TETRA-C-ALKYL COBALT DICARBOLLIDE

ABSTRACT ABSTRACT Tetra-C-alkyl derivatives of cobalt dicarbollide, CO(C2R2B9H9)2- (CoB2-R4 -R; = CH3, C6H13) are examined as potential cesium and strontium extractants for acidic and alkaline solutions. The mechanism of cobalt dicarbollide extraction is characterized, and extended into new non-toxic solvent systems. Extractions using 0.01 M H+CoB2-hexyl4 - in mesitylene and iethylbenzene are compared to 0.01 M H+CoB2 - in nitrobenzene. H+CoB2-hexyl4 - in diethylbenzene shows improved selectivity (104) forCs over Na in acidic solution. In dilute alkaline solution (0.01 M NaOH), H+CoB2 -hexyl4 - extracts Cs less efficiently, but more effectively removes Sr at higher base concentrations (1.0 M NaOH). Other aspects of the H+CoB2-hexyl4 -/hydrocarbon performace are comparable to the previously known H+CoB2 -/nitrobenzene extractant.
Using evaluation indicators to track the performance of education programs

The nature of performance criteria and the timing of evaluation are crucial determinants of the relevance and accuracy of findings for education and training systems. The author proposes specific indicators adapted to different evaluation situations and stresses the importance of conducting ex ante and impact rather than just input evaluations.
Presidential Coattails in Senate Elections

Despite the diminished importance of partisanship, greater split-ticket voting, and a growth in Senate campaign spending, a party's presidential vote in the states remains positively related to its Senate vote in recent elections. We investigate to what extent presidential coattails are responsible for this association. State election returns for Senate and presidential contests are examined in presidential election years from 1972 to 1988. The analysis indicates that (1) presidential coattails exert a modest but significant influence on the Senate vote, probably affecting the election outcomes in twelve cases, and (2) partisanship remains a significant linkage between presidential and Senate elections.
Frictional Wear of a Thermoelastic Beam

We present two versions of a mathematical model for the evolution of wear in a thermoelastic beam resulting from frictional contact with a rigid moving surface. One version is quasistatic and the other dynamic. We show that the quasistatic problem allows for the decoupling of the mechanical and thermal aspects of the process. The problem reduces to that of the heat equation with nonlinear and history-dependent boundary conditions. Then the displacements, shear stresses, and wear can be obtained by quadrature. We establish the existence of a local weak solution for the problem and a partial uniqueness result and obtain conditions for the solution's further regularity. The dynamic problem consists of the heat equation coupled with the equation of motion and the Archard wear equation. We prove the existence and uniqueness of the local weak solution of this problem too.
Geographic Information Systems An Instructional Tool for Earth Science Educators

(1988). Geographic Information Systems An Instructional Tool for Earth Science Educators. Journal of Geography: Vol. 87, No. 1, pp. 17-25.
Evaluation of the GenoType Mycobacteria Direct Assay for Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex and Four Atypical Mycobacterial Species in Clinical Samples

We evaluated GenoType Mycobacteria Direct (GTMD), a novel commercial assay based on nucleic acid sequence-based amplification technology, for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, M. avium, M. intracellulare, M. kansasii, and M. malmoense directly from clinical specimens. A total of 134 respiratory and extrapulmonary samples from 65 patients were processed. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive, and negative predictive values for GTMD were 92, 100, 100, and 77%, respectively. The GMTD technique is useful, reliable, and rapid when used during the normal routine of a clinical laboratory.
Repression of tumor necrosis factor-β expression by the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 tat protein in central nervous system-derived glial cells

Abstract HIV-1 Tat is a potent transactivator that stimulates expression from the HIV-1 LTR, from certain cellular gene promoters and from several heterologous viral promoters. Previous reports show that HIV-1 Tat transactivates tumor necrosis factor- β (TNF- β ) promoter-directed gene expression in lymphocytic and monocytic cell lines and further demonstrate that a `TAR-like structure' downstream of the TNF- β promoter is essential for Tat activity. The ability of Tat to activate TNF- β may have profound effects as TNF has been shown to be a potent activator of HIV-1 gene expression and an important immunomodulatory and growth regulatory factor. The studies presented herein demonstrate a novel finding where HIV-1 Tat specifically represses (>10-fold) TNF- β promoter-directed gene expression in central nervous system-derived glial cells. Amino acid residues 2 to 36 of HIV-1 Tat are required for TNF- β repression. Tat repression of TNF- β , a factor which upregulates HIV-1 gene expression, suggests a novel mechanism whereby HIV-1 is able to establish latent infection of glial cells that present no detectable virions and/or viral antigens.
IMPASSES TO THE RESOLUTION OF CUSTODY AND VISITATION DISPUTES

This paper presents a typology of divorce situations that are highly vulnerable to intense and prolonged disputes over the custody and care of the children. The impasses to settling the conflicts are described and counseling/mediation implications outlined. The approach is based on a preliminary study of 80 divorcing and disputing families of multiethnic and mixed socioeconomic class that, despite mediation in the courts, were still entrenched in disputes.