cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing the impact of airborne outreach to build clinical capacity in rural Botswana

There is a paucity of research demonstrating how best to address inequalities in health and access to specialist care faced by rural disadvantaged populations in high HIV-prevalent settings in Sub Saharan Africa. Delivering equitable and cost-effective specialist clinical services in many parts of Africa is challenging, given human resource shortages, poor transport infrastructure and competing health priorities. In this report we describe how an airborne outreach program to provide HIV services to high HIV burden health facilities in rural Botswana has been an important catalyst for improving specialist service delivery across the spectrum of clinical care. The success of Botswana’s airborne program is a consequence of many country-specific determinants as well as external funding support. We argue that lessons learned from the experience in Botswana are normative for other African settings. Specialist medical airborne outreach to rural hospitals can improve access to and quality of care, when part of a multifaceted, multidisciplinary intervention. Furthermore, we demonstrate how an HIV funded program can be a vehicle for enhanced access to essential sub-specialist clinicians in rural Botswana.
Comprehensive Modeling of Single Frequency Fiber Amplifiers for Mitigating Stimulated Brillouin Scattering

A universal model capable of handling various operating conditions has been developed for designing of high power single frequency fiber amplifiers. The model analyzes the impacts of pump configurations, fiber lengths, and fiber temperatures on amplifier performance. It shows that counter-pumped amplifiers are capable of generating several times more output than co-pumped amplifiers. To fully take their advantages and deliver the laser output, a delivery fiber should be properly designed to avoid unwanted SBS which can significantly undermine the amplifier performance. On the other hand, for applications requiring delivery fiber at relative low power, the co-pumped amplifier can be an alternative since it can use the gain fiber as the delivery fiber and thus eliminate requiring an additional delivery fiber. The model also analyzes possible approaches for suppressing SBS, such as applying additional heating, the use of SBS suppressing fiber, and increasing core diameter. It shows that applying additional heating to a co-pumped amplifier can increase the output by a factor of 1.7. Finally, the model concludes that a single frequency amplifier can achieve multiple kilowatts output by carefully choosing amplifier design and utilizing SBS suppression technique.
Room at the top? Minority mobility and the transition to demographic diversity in the USA

ABSTRACTWe examine the ramifications of the demographic transition to diversity in the USA through an analysis of changes at the top of the occupational hierarchy, as glimpsed in recent census data. We find evidence that, among the incumbents of better-paid occupations, the percentage of non-Hispanic whites, the historically dominant majority, is sharply declining, while the proportion of immigrant-origin minorities, Asians, both foreign and US born, and US-born Hispanics, is growing. African Americans, or US-born blacks, are not so far sharing much in this growth. However, whites still retain important advantages in terms of occupational placement net of education and in terms of earnings net of occupational placement. We conclude overall that demographic shifts are highly likely to drive further diversification at the top of the US workforce; the question of whether whites can hold on to their advantages in the face of these changes cannot be answered yet.
Uneven Cooling: The influence of atmospheric dynamics on the thermal evolution of gas giants

Planets cool and contract as they age, with a cooling rate that depends on the efficiency with which they can transport heat out to space, first through the convective interior and then radiatively out through the atmosphere. The bottleneck for this cooling is the radiative-convective boundary (RCB), where the heat transport is the least efficient. Due to differential heating and atmospheric dynamics, the depth of the RCB can vary with latitude and longitude, meaning that the actual global cooling rate may differ from what would be calculated assuming a spherically symmetric RCB, as in 1D evolutionary models. Here we present models of the deep atmosphere of a generic hot Jupiter, calculate inhomogeneity in the RCB, and determine the resulting effect on the global thermal evolution. Although this issue can apply to any differentially heated gas giant, we focus on the hot Jupiter class of planet because: 1) the thick radiative zones above their deep RCBs can have a stronger influence on deforming the surface of the RCB than would generally be the case for a less-irradiated planet, and 2) an uneven RCB should increase the cooling rate, potentially exacerbating the mismatch between the large radii measured for some hot Jupiters and the smaller radii expected from evolutionary models.
Human Modeling and Simulation: Establishing Parameters for an Adjustable Notebook Computer Display

A human simulation model was created that estimates potential locations of a notebook computer display and keyboard. The simulation model effectively addresses human anthropometric, postural, and visual preference variability. Simulation output yielded ranges of movement for a display adjustment mechanism that accommodates a potential user population while allowing for acceptable working postures. Human-subject work established postural regressions for the simulation model, validated methodology used to create the model, and determined the simulation accuracy. Simulation output of display adjustment ranges was compared against real adjustability distributions established during the human subject work. A notebook display design mechanism that implements such horizontal, vertical, and tilt adjustments should help to reduce ergonomic stressors associated with notebook computing. The research promotes the effectiveness of utilizing human simulation modeling during product development.
A Characterization of the Convergence of Successive Approximations

(1976). A Characterization of the Convergence of Successive Approximations. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 83, No. 4, pp. 273-273.
Notes on Araiospora Streptandra

1. A new variety of Araiospora streptandra Kevorkian is described as var. echinulosphaera collected on Cherry Birch twigs that had fallen into Harbison Lake, Highlands, North Carolina. This is the ...
THE CRYSTAL STRUCTURE AND GENESIS OF KRENNERITE, Au3AgTe8

The crystal structure of a natural krennerite (Au 3 AgTe 8 ) from Cripple Creek, Colorado, USA has been refined in space group Pma 2 using 3,151 observed unique (acentric) reflections. The final R value for observed reflections was 0.022. Unit cell parameters are a 16.590(3) A, b 8.867(2) A, c 4.4886(8) A, V 660.29(13) A 3 , and Z = 2. The precision of the atom position parameters is improved by up to a factor of ten over previous studies. The three Au–Ag sites in the structure are ordered, with Ag = 43% occupancy at the Au1 (2 a ) position (point symmetry 2) and 59% at the Au2 (2 c ) position (point symmetry m ); the Au3 (4 d ) position (point symmetry 1) is 100% Au. The observed ordering in the structure appears to be due to avoidance of Ag–Te–Ag bonding. Ordering of Au and Ag in the structure may thus limit the composition range to being between those of calaverite and sylvanite. Detailed petrographic study of the sample in thin section, accompanied by electron microprobe data, demonstrates the paragenesis of the ore that provided the crystal for refinement. The petrographic study provides evidence for sylvanite exsolution from krennerite in natural systems, consistent with the narrow compositional range inferred from the crystallographic study.
Intravenous Lacosamide in Pediatric Status Epilepticus: An Open-Label Efficacy and Safety Study.

Abstract Introduction Lacosamide is an antiepilepsy drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for patients aged 17 years and older for partial-onset seizures as monotherapy or adjunctive therapy. We reviewed the use of intravenous lacosamide in children aged less than 17 years with status epilepticus. Methods Children who received at least one dose of intravenous lacosamide for status epilepticus at our tertiary care children's hospital from December 2011 to March 2014 were studied. Status epilepticus was defined as continuous seizure activity for longer than 20 minutes or two or more recurrent seizures without regaining baseline level of awareness. Efficacy was defined as seizure freedom or more than 50% reduction of seizures within 24 hours of administering lacosamide. Results Nine children with a mean age of 5.7 years (range: three months to 16 years) were included. The mean initial or loading dose was 8.7 mg/kg, with seven of nine patients receiving a dose of 10 mg/kg. The average total amount of intravenous lacosamide administered within the initial 24 hours was 13.8 mg/kg. Lacosamide was found to be efficacious in seven of nine (77.8%) patients. Four patients (44.4%) became seizure free. Two patients continued to have status epilepticus within 24 hours of lacosamide administration. Bradycardia was observed in one patient. Conclusion In children with status epilepticus, intravenous lacosamide was efficacious in 78% of the patients and 44% become seizure free. In addition, no significant adverse reactions were observed. An appropriate safe, effective initial, or loading dose may be 10 mg/kg.
Research on Acquisition of Decision Rules in Fuzzy Set-valued Information Systems

Based on the rough set theory,the set-valued information system was deeply investigated.In such information system,a new reflective relation based on the parameter’s controlling of similarity between two objects was proposed. Furthermore,the set-valued information system was generalized to be a fuzzy one,and the direct method for rules’ acquisition was investigated. Finally,an illustrative example was analyzed.
Basal follicle-stimulating hormone level and age affect the chance for and outcome of pre-embryo cryopreservation *

All IVF cycles in which subsequent transfers of thawed pre-embryos occurred were studied. Both age and basal (cycle day 3) FSH level are important determinants of the chance for cryopreservation and the performance of cryopreserved pre-embryos. Although there was no age or FSH level above which pregnancy with frozen pre-embryos was not possible, the chances clearly decline. Thus, consideration to transferring larger numbers of pre-embryos fresh should be given to women in the fifth decade and those with basal FSH > 15 IU/L.
Correspondence between constrained transport and vector potential methods for magnetohydrodynamics

We show that one can formulate second-order field- and flux-interpolated constrained transport/central difference (CT/CD) type methods as cell-centered magnetic vector potential schemes. We introduce four vector potential CTA/CDA schemes - three of which correspond to CT/CD methods of Toth (2000) 1 and one of which is a new simple flux-CT-like scheme - where the centroidal vector potential is the primal update variable. These algorithms conserve a discretization of the ź ź B = 0 condition to machine precision and may be combined with shock-capturing Godunov type base schemes for magnetohydrodynamics. Recasting CT in terms of a centroidal vector potential allows for some simple generalizations of divergence-preserving methods to unstructured meshes, and potentially new directions to generalize CT schemes to higher-order.
High Magnification and Long Distance Face Recognition: Database Acquisition, Evaluation, and Enhancement

In this paper, we describe a face video database obtained from Long Distances and with High Magnifications, IRIS- LDHM. Both indoor and outdoor sequences are collected under uncontrolled surveillance conditions. The significance of this database lies in the fact that it is the first database to provide face images from long distances (indoor: 10 m~20 m and outdoor: 50 m~300 m). The corresponding system magnification is elevated from less than 3times to 20times for indoor and up to 375times for outdoor. The database has applications in experimentations with human identification and authentication in long range surveillance and wide area monitoring. The database will be made public to the research community for perusal towards long range face related research. Deteriorations unique to high magnification and long range face images are investigated in terms of face recognition rates. Magnification blur is proved to be an additional major degradation source, which can be alleviated via blur assessment and deblurring algorithms. Experimental results validate a relative improvement of up to 25% in recognition rates after assessment and enhancement of degradations.
Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist (IL-1Ra) Targets the Proliferative Component in Early Stage Myeloma.

Background: It has been hypothesized that multiple myeloma (MM) remains incurable due to a stemcell/proliferative component that responds only partially to standard treatment regimens. We have shown that abnormal production of IL-1beta in the myeloma microenvironment stimulates the generation of paracrine IL-6, the central myeloma growth factor, and that IL-1Ra will inhibit paracrine IL-6 production in vitro. Based on these preclinical studies, we have developed a Phase II trial using IL-1Ra. Purpose: To determine the biologic and clinical activity of IL-1Ra (Anakinra) in a subgroup of smoldering MM (SMM) patients that present with an elevated plasma cell labeling index (PCLI; a measure of myeloma cell proliferation). Methods: Patients that had ≥ 10% bone marrow plasma cells and/or an IgG or IgA M-spike ≥ 3 g/dL and did not require immediate chemotherapy were eligible. Patients received 100 mg of Anakinra (IL-1Ra) SQ qd for a total duration of 6 months. Results: Eleven of 29 patients enrolled on the protocol had an on-study PCLI > 0 and have completed six months of therapy with IL-1Ra. Seven of the 11 patients had a decrease in the PCLI of 75–100% (see Table), three had only modest changes (≤ 50%), and one had an increase. The decrease in the PCLI paralleled a decrease in the high sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) in all cases (43–90% decrease). The above results suggested that IL-1Ra inhibited IL-6 production in the myeloma microenvironment, as evidenced by a reduction in the CRP, resulting in suppression of myeloma cell growth. However, there was little effect on the M-protein. To investigate these clinical observations, we co-cultured IL-1beta transduced +/− myeloma cells with stromal cells +/− dexamethasone (DEX), IL-1Ra, or both for 48 hours and quantitated the percent apoptotic cells by flow cytometry and IL-6 production by ELISA. The results showed: 1) IL-1Ra was superior at inhibition of IL-6 but caused no increase in apoptosis; 2) the DEX apoptotic effect was eliminated by IL-6 3) DEX and IL-1Ra combined induced maximal IL-6 inhibition and apoptosis of myeloma cells. Based on these in vitro results, 5 of the 11 patients have been advanced to IL-1Ra + low dose DEX (20 mg/week) resulting in 4/5 minor responses (25–50% decrease M-spike) and 1/5 with stable disease. Conclusion: The use of IL-1Ra is a novel targeted therapeutic strategy that interferes with myeloma cell growth. By inhibiting IL-1beta induced IL-6 production, IL-1Ra specifically targets the proliferative myeloma fraction and also complements DEX induced apoptosis. Preliminary studies on the use of IL-1 inhibitors in SMM patients to delay/prevent progression to active MM and to minimize toxicity appear encouraging, however, more patients need to be studied.
Measurements of Oleic Acid among Individual Kernels Harvested from Test Plots of Purified Runner and Spanish High Oleic Seed

ABSTRACT Normal oleic peanuts are often found within commercial lots of high oleic peanuts when sampling among individual kernels. Kernels not meeting high oleic threshold could be true contamination with normal oleic peanuts introduced via poor handling, or kernels not meeting threshold could be immature and not fully expressing the trait. Beyond unintentional mixing, factors contributing to variation in oleic acid concentration in peanut kernels include market type, environment, maturity and/or kernel size; however, the relative influence of these factors, and their interactions, is not quantitatively well understood on the single kernel level. To better understand these factors while simultaneously excluding variation from unintentional mixing, seed from a high oleic spanish cultivar and seed from a high oleic runner cultivar were carefully purified via NIR technology. The purified seed were planted in environmentally controlled test plots to analyze the progeny for oleic acid chemistry. Post flowering...
Subterranean Termites Feeding on CSI Baits for a Short Duration Still Results in Colony Elimination

Termite baits using chitin synthesis inhibitors can protect structures from subterranean termite damage by eliminating colonies. One of the potential shortcomings of baits is that termites may have to feed extensively on a bait station for the colony to be eliminated. If disturbances occur during this critical feeding time, termites may abandon the site, which could prevent colony elimination. We exposed whole laboratory colonies of Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann) containing an average of 59,000 termites to 0.5% noviflumuron baits, from 1 to 10 d, to simulate a temporary access to the bait as a result of disturbances. Our results show that colonies which fed for a single day and consumed as little as 1.1 g of bait matrix (=5.5 mg noviflumuron) were eliminated within 90 d. This study indicates that only a fraction of the bait matrix is necessary for elimination of large laboratory colonies, and that hypothetical disturbance reducing the access to a bait station would likely have little impact on the effect of the bait. Within 1 d, colonies had already acquired a lethal dose, which is shared by trophallaxis to all individuals of the colony, and colonies inevitably died despite short exposure to noviflumuron. It is estimated that if a field mature colony of 1 million individuals consumes more than 18.6 g of bait (=93 mg noviflumuron) in a relatively short period, it would already have acquired a colony-wide lethal dose and reached a point of no-return for colony elimination.
An Analysis of Ratings Assigned to String Musicians’ Performances at Solo and Ensemble Music Performance Assessment Events:

The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of event type (solo and ensemble), school level (middle and high school), and event level (district and state) on overall performance ratings...
Life-cycle assessment of forest harvesting and transportation operations in Tennessee

Abstract A life-cycle assessment study of roundwood supply chain activities occurring within the state of Tennessee was performed, in an effort to quantify the environmental impacts associated with wood harvest and transport operations. Statewide data from a survey given to Tennessee forest industry operators was used to construct representative primary life cycle input datasets that are unique to the industry profile within the state. This data was combined with inputs and assumptions from other relevant reports and publications to fully characterize the supply chain. Results of the life cycle assessment study indicated that greenhouse gas emissions and fossil energy demand per green tonne of wood were lower for chainsaw-based harvesting systems compared to feller buncher-based harvesting, because the relatively low harvest productivity of the chainsaw systems was more than made up for by the low inputs of fuels, lubricants, and machinery for this system. Transport of roundwood by truck resulted in transport impacts that were nearly as large as harvesting impacts, assuming a 150-km roundtrip based on Tennessee survey data. Results of this supply chain study can help the state of Tennessee understand the environmental impacts associated with traditional forest products industry operations, and guide development of new bio-based products, where environmental performance will be a key driver of successful development and implementation.
Abstract 16664: Cyclophilin D Binds to Tufm and Suppresses Mitochondrial Translation

Objectives: Cyclophilin D (CypD) has been considered a pivotal regulator of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) and also affects protein structure through its peptidyl prolyl isomerase activity. Despite its importance, the CypD protein interactome has not been well characterized. The purpose of this study is to find unequivocal CypD interaction partners and explore the biological implications of the interactions. Methods: Mitochondrial lysate from WT and CypD KO mice was separated on blue native PAGE (BNP). CyPD-specific and cyclosporin A (CsA)-sensitive complexes on BNP were then sequenced on LC-MS. The identified candidates were overexpressed with tag in HEK cells and co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) was used for cross confirmation. Results: The majority of the CyPD-specific, cyclosporin A (CsA)-sensitive complexes migrated near 400kD on BNP. LC-MS identified Tufm, HSP60, and stress 70 as the main partners in the CypD Complex. Co-IP employing tagged CypD overexpression in HEK cells successfully pulled down all three partners; however, only the Tufm interaction was sensitive to CsA treatment in isolated mitochondria. Immunoblots showed that CypD overexpression significantly suppressed the translation of mitochondrial proteins, as indicated by a decreased abundance of mitochondrially-encoded proteins such as ND6, COXI, COXII and ATP8. This suppression could be reversed by CypD inhibitor, CsA (200 nM) treatment. Tufm was associated with a very large complex on BNP after in vitro treatment of isolated mitochondria with Ca2+. Conclusions: CypD binds to Tufm and suppresses mitochondrial translation. CypD is actively involved in the regulation of mitochondria respiratory chain function.
Generating wind power scenarios for probabilistic ramp event prediction using multivariate statistical post-processing

Abstract. Wind power forecasting is gaining international significance as more regions promote policies to increase the use of renewable energy. Wind ramps, large variations in wind power production during a period of minutes to hours, challenge utilities and electrical balancing authorities. A sudden decrease in wind-energy production must be balanced by other power generators to meet energy demands, while a sharp increase in unexpected production results in excess power that may not be used in the power grid, leading to a loss of potential profits. In this study, we compare different methods to generate probabilistic ramp forecasts from the High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) numerical weather prediction model with up to 12 h of lead time at two tall-tower locations in the United States. We validate model performance using 21 months of 80 m wind speed observations from towers in Boulder, Colorado, and near the Columbia River gorge in eastern Oregon. We employ four statistical post-processing methods, three of which are not currently used in the literature for wind forecasting. These procedures correct biases in the model and generate short-term wind speed scenarios which are then converted to power scenarios. This probabilistic enhancement of HRRR point forecasts provides valuable uncertainty information of ramp events and improves the skill of predicting ramp events over the raw forecasts. We compute Brier skill scores for each method with regard to predicting up- and down-ramps to determine which method provides the best prediction. We find that the Standard Schaake shuffle method yields the highest skill at predicting ramp events for these datasets, especially for up-ramp events at the Oregon site. Increased skill for ramp prediction is limited at the Boulder, CO, site using any of the multivariate methods because of the poor initial forecasts in this area of complex terrain. These statistical methods can be implemented by wind farm operators to generate a range of possible wind speed and power scenarios to aid and optimize decisions before ramp events occur.
Parenting and Gender

This chapter explores the sociological literature on the many ways in which parenting is both gendered and gendering. That exploration attends to the intersections of gender with other dimensions of inequality and the interconnections among gendered and gendering patterns at the individual, interactional, and institutional levels. Specific topics include definitions of parenthood, paths into parenthood, parenting labor, links between parenting and paid employment, social policy, and parenting as it shapes and is shaped by children’s gender. Along with a review of key themes and patterns in the literature related to these specific topics, the chapter offers a discussion and suggestions for future directions. The literature has become more attentive, over time, to intersectionality, queer and trans issues, men and masculinities, and challenges to the gender binary. Future work should continue to deepen these more recent directions, and continue to emphasize power as a central organizing element of intersecting structures of inequality. Ongoing consideration of neoliberalism as a context in which family and household patterns are constructed is also suggested, as is a commitment to feminist public engagement and social change.
Adolescent Peer Social Competence

An important social task for all individuals, but especially for adolescents, is the development and maintenance of positive peer relations. Friendships play an increasingly important role in socialization during adolescence with family ties typically becoming less important as relationships with peers assume greater significance (Bell, 1981; Berndt, 1982). Researchers (e.g., Bell, 1981; Douvan & Adelson, 1966; Kon & Losenkov, 1978) have found that adolescents consistently rate their friends as being more important than parents and other family members in terms of understanding, emotional support, companionship, and approval. Furthermore, researchers suggest that positive peer relations in adolescence are essential to the development of skills, foster a sense of belonging, and are important precursors to behavioral and emotional adjustment (e.g., Csikszentmihalyi & Larson, 1984; Kelly & Hansen, 1987).
Nitric oxide in pancreatic secretion and hormone-induced pancreatitis in rats

The aim of the present study was to determine the role of endogenous nitric oxide (NO) in pancreatic secretion in vivo and amylase release from pancreatic acini in vitro and in caerulein-induced acute pancreatitis in rats. Blockade of NO synthase byN G-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) (2.5 mg/kg iv) significantly reduced basal pancreatic protein secretion and that induced by the infusion of CCK (0.5 μg/kg-h), feeding, and the diversion of pancreatic juice in rats with pancreatic fistula. This inhibitory effect was partially reversed when L-arginine (50 mg/kg-h iv) was added to L-NNA. L-Arginine alone (50 mg/kg iv) did not affect basal or caerulein-induced pancreatic secretion. L-NNA, L-arginine, or their combination added in various concentrations to the incubation medium of dispersed acini failed to affect basal or secretagogue (caerulein or urecholine) stimulated amylase release. Infusion of caerulein (5 μg/kg-h) for 5 h produced histological changes of acute edematous pancreatitis accompanied by a marked increase in pancreatic protein content and about 50% reduction in tissue blood flow. L-NNA alone also reduced the pancreatic blood flow and caused a significant increase in pancreatic weight and protein content. L-NNA significantly potentiated the inflammatory changes in the pancreas caused by caerulein. Addition of L-arginine enhanced the pancreatic blood flow and ameliorated the pancreatitis induced by caerulein alone or that combined with L-NNA. We conclude that NO is involved in the stimulation of pancreatic secretion in vivo and exhibits a beneficial effect on pancreatitis, probably by improving the pancreatic blood flow.
User Interface Evaluation: A Structured Approach

Contains cross references to the companion book User Interface Design, 1994. It begins with a discussion of the background and design before evaluation, then covers the prerequisite knowledge areas of tools and techniques, interface structures, and basic measures. Part three discusses evaluation te
Morphometric Pattern and Feeding Mode in Emperor Fishes (Lethrinidae, Perciformes)

The relationship between body shape and tooth type is examined for the 28 species of emperor fishes in the genus Lethrinus by means of shape coordinates and thin-plate splines. Both methods delineate two major groups within the genus. One group consists of low-bodied species with conically shaped lateral teeth. The other group consists of high-bodied species with both molariform, conical and intermediate lateral tooth types. Uniform shape components appear to account for much of the inferred evolutionary shape changes in these fishes. The primary nonuniform component of shape difference among fishes describes an arching of the body upwards and downwards, which may reflect a preservation artifact.
Hand-in-Hand Combat: Affectionate Touch Promotes Relational Well-Being and Buffers Stress During Conflict:

Relational conflict has a considerable impact on relational and personal well-being, but whether that impact is positive or negative depends on how the conflict is managed. Individuals struggle to ...
Design and field implementation of an impact detection system using committees of neural networks

Abstract Many critical societal functions depend on uninterrupted service of civil engineering infrastructure. Railroads represent important infrastructure components of the transportation sector and provide both passenger and freight services. Railroad bridges over roadways are susceptible to impacts from overheight vehicles and equipment, which may damage bridge girders or supports and must be investigated after each event. One method of monitoring for vehicle-bridge collisions utilizes accelerometers to monitor for abnormal bridge vibrations corresponding to abnormal activity. Passing trains under normal operating conditions frequently produce significant bridge responses that have similar response characteristics to bridge strikes, but do not need to be investigated. This paper presents an expert system which comprises committees of artificial neural networks trained to interrogate data collected from accelerometers mounted on the bridge, assess the nature of the acceleration signal, and classify the event as either a passing train or a potentially damaging impact. This system is trained using acceleration time histories from accelerometers installed on 8 low-clearance rail bridges; no finite element model simulations were used for network training or data stream creation. The presented system accurately detects and classifies impacts with average impact detection performance ranging from 91–100% with average false positive rates limited to 0.00–0.75%.
Electrostatic Discharges From Conductive Thermal Coatings

Selecting the correct thermal control coating for a spacecraft can be a significant challenge. From the start, the process includes balancing conflicting needs. Thermal control paints must have the ability to either absorb or emit heat as desired and this property cannot change beyond a set point over the life of the mission. When the mission involves operating in a heavy charging environment, the control coating must be static dissipative enough to bleed away absorbed energetic electrons to minimize induced electric fields and the risk of electrostatic discharges (ESDs). Finding the right balance of thermal performance and electrical performance can be difficult for spacecraft designers. In an effort to aid in spacecraft design, a number of white and black thermal control coatings were tested at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory using a two-part test campaign. These tests involved an initial screening test to determine the bulk resistivity of the material using a traditional parallel-plate test, but placed in a vacuum chamber immersed in a bath of liquid nitrogen to obtain data over a range of temperatures. The most promising materials were then exposed to a stream of energetic electrons and monitored for the production of ESDs. Results from these tests indicated that only a few of the common thermal control coatings have a resistivity below $10^{\mathbf {9}} \Omega $ cm as suggested in NASA-HDBK-4002A. Of those that meet this criterion, most will still produce ESDs when exposed to electrons with energies from 20 to 60 keV while held at cryogenic temperatures. Additional testing is required to characterize additional coatings to create a database that designers may use when selecting an appropriate coating for their application.
Patiromer for Treatment of Hyperkalemia in the Emergency Department: A Pilot Study.

Background Hyperkalemia is common and potentially life threatening. Patiromer is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-cleared oral potassium binder effective in the chronic treatment of hyperkalemia. Objective The objective was to investigate the potential efficacy and safety of oral patiromer in treating acute hyperkalemia in the emergency department (ED). Methods This is a single-center, randomized, open-label convenience sample pilot study in an inner-city ED. Adult patients with end-stage renal disease and a serum potassium level of ≥ 6.0 mEq/L were randomized to standard of care (SOC) or one dose of 25.2 g oral patiromer plus SOC (PAT). Blood samples and electrocardiograms were collected at enrollment and at 1, 2, 4, and 6 hours thereafter. The primary outcome was the difference in potassium between groups at 6 hours. Secondary outcomes were the amount and number of times insulin and albuterol were given. Results Thirty patients were included in the final analysis, 15 in each group. There were no differences in age, sex, or baseline serum potassium. There was no difference in mean serum potassium between SOC and PAT groups at 6 hours (6.32 mEq/L, confidence interval [CI] = 6.0 to 6.63 mEq/L vs. 5.81 mEq/L, CI = 5.48 to 6.14 mEq/L). However, 2 hours posttreatment the serum potassium of the PAT group was lower than SOC group (5.90 mEq/L, CI = 5.63 to 6.17 mEq/L vs. 6.51 mEq/L, CI = 6.25 to 6.78 mEq/L) and also 0.61 mEq/L lower than baseline. There were no differences in the amount or number of administrations of insulin or albuterol between groups, although the amount of albuterol used in the PAT group at 6 hours was lower but not significant (median, 0 mg vs. 12.5 mg; p = 0.097). There were no differences in adverse events between groups. Conclusion In this open-label pilot study of severe hyperkalemia, a single dose of 25.2 g of oral patiromer reduced serum potassium within 2 hours but did not show a difference at 6 hours. This is the first study showing that patiromer may have a role in the acute management of hyperkalemia; however, more rigorous studies are needed.
Joyful Solipsism: Implied Multiple Narratives in the Contemporary Novel

While many contemporary novels tell multiple versions of their stories, many more hint that they cannot tell the true or full version of the story and, instead, indicate that the truth lies beyond their ability to convey what they mean in words. This chapter builds on the previous chapters to show that the implied arguments made by “Reflexive Double Narratives” are applicable to a wide variety of texts that do not explicitly contain multiple versions but hint that they have not been able to tell the true version.
Digital-PASS: A Simulation-based Approach to Privacy Education

With the increased proliferation of social media in the modern age, education on the potential dangers facing consumers in social media has not kept commensurate pace. Conventional education methods and standards have not proved to be effective in privacy education and increasing user awareness, and newer methods to bring safety knowledge to the public need to be introduced. In this paper, we propose that education on usable security and privacy in a social media context utilizing a simulation-based framework would bring promising results, as it has in other fields. We then describe the challenges in building such a system for educating people about privacy on social media and propose our own system named Digital-PASS, a simulation-based educational model for raising awareness. Our simulation model utilizes gamification as a principle means of user motivation. We then examine and discuss the effectiveness of our model through a detailed analysis of four case studies.
CAR T cells: continuation in a revolution of immunotherapy

The recent clinical successes of immunotherapy, as a result of a broader and more profound understanding of cancer immunobiology, and the leverage of this knowledge to effectively eradicate malignant cells, has revolutionised the field of cancer therapeutics. Immunotherapy is now considered the fifth pillar of cancer care, alongside surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapy. Recently, the success of genetically modified T cells that express chimeric antigen receptors (CAR T cells) has generated considerable excitement. CAR T-cell therapy research and development has built on experience generated by laboratory research and clinical investigation of lymphokine-activated killer cells, tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes, and allogeneic haemopoietic stem-cell transplantation for cancer treatment. This Review aims to provide a background on the field of adoptive T-cell therapy and the development of genetically modified T cells, most notably CAR T-cell therapy. Many challenges exist to optimise efficacy, minimise toxicity, and broaden the application of immunotherapies based on T cells.
JAK Inhibitors for Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis

Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors represent a growing class of medications for the targeted treatment of psoriatic disease that can be administered orally or formulated into topical preparations. This article reviews the utility and clinical significance of JAK inhibitors for the treatment of psoriatic disease—both psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis—as demonstrated in clinical trials. Tofacitinib, the most widely studied of the JAK inhibitors in psoriatic disease, has demonstrated significant efficacy for the treatment of both psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis. However, while it received approval from the US Food and Drug Association for the former indication, it was denied for the latter. This has not deterred the development of newer JAK inhibitors which hope to provide a balance of efficacy and safety that would allow for their approval. Topical ruxolitinib has also demonstrated efficacy for the treatment of plaque psoriasis. JAK inhibitors function by blocking the JAK-STAT pathway, which is crucial to the signaling of the numerous cytokines implicated in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. While oral tofacitinib and topical ruxolitinib are the most well-studied medications for this indication, newer JAK inhibitors—filgotinib and upadacitinib, in particular—are proving promising in more recent clinical trials.
Intraoperative FLIP distensibility during POEM varies according to achalasia subtype

The functional luminal imaging probe (FLIP) can be used to measure the esophagogastric junction distensibility index (DI) during myotomy for achalasia and increased DI has been shown to predict superior clinical outcomes. The objective of this study was to determine if the intraoperative DI and the changes produced by per oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) differed between achalasia subtypes. FLIP measurements were performed during POEM for achalasia at a single institution. DI (defined as the minimum cross-sectional area (CSA) at the EGJ divided by distensive pressure) was measured at three time points: after induction of anesthesia, after submucosal tunneling, and after myotomy. Measurements were reported at the 40 mL fill volume for the 8 cm FLIP (EF-325) and at the 60 mL fill volume for the 16 cm FLIP (EF-322). Measurements were compared using chi-square and Kruskal–Wallis tests. 142 patients had intraoperative FLIP performed during POEM for achalasia between 2012 and 2019 (30 type I, 68 type II, 27 type III, and 17 variant). Patients with type I achalasia had a significantly higher induction DI (median 1.7 mm2/mmHg) than type II (0.8 mm2/mmHg), type III (0.9 mm2/mmHg), and variants (1.1 mm2/mmHg; p < 0.001). These differences persisted after submucosal tunneling and final DI after myotomy was also significantly higher in type I patients (median 8.0 mm2/mmHg) compared to type II (5.8 mm2/mmHg), type III (3.9 mm2/mmHg), and variants (5.4 mm2/mmHg; p < 0.001). Achalasia subtypes were found to have similar CSA at all time points, whereas pressure differed with type I having the lowest pressure and type III the highest. The DI at each operative step during POEM was found to differ significantly between achalasia subtypes. These differences in DI were due to pressure, as CSA was similar between subtypes. Achalasia subtype should be accounted for when using FLIP as an intraoperative calibration tool and in future studies examining the relationship between DI and clinical outcomes.
Preoperative Analgesia, Complications, and Resource Utilization After Total Hip Arthroplasty: Tramadol Is Associated With Less Risk Than Other Preoperative Opioid Medications.

Abstract Background Preoperative opioid use is known to be detrimental to outcomes after total hip arthroplasty (THA). This is concerning as multiple societies recommend tramadol for the management of arthritis. The purpose of this study was to determine if tramadol is associated with postoperative complications, increased resource utilization, and revision when compared with patients receiving nontramadol opioids (NTOs) and those who are opioid naive (ON). Methods This is a retrospective cohort study using the Truven MarketScan databases (Truven Health, Ann Arbor, MI). Adult patients undergoing primary THA were identified and divided into 4 cohorts based on preoperative opioid medications (ie, ON, tramadol-only [TO], or NTOs; ±tramadol). Demographics, comorbidities, and 90-day complications were collected and compared between cohorts. Revision rates were compared at 3 years. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Finally, preoperative prescription patterns were trended during the study period. Results About 198,357 patients, including 18,694 TO and 106,768 ON, were identified. Compared with ON, TO patients had similar rates of complications and revision surgery (P > .05) but had slightly higher emergency department visits (odds ratio [OR], 1.06; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.01-1.12; P = .027), readmissions (OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.09-1.22; P Conclusion Preoperative TO is associated with less postoperative risk than NTO use and is similar to opioid naivety. Fortunately, the number of patients receiving preoperative NTOs appears to be decreasing. Our results support tramadol as an appropriate pre-THA analgesic.
Need for Tweet: How Open Source Developers Talk About Their GitHub Work on Twitter

Social media, especially Twitter, has always been a part of the professional lives of software developers, with prior work reporting on a diversity of usage scenarios, including sharing information, staying current, and promoting one's work. However, previous studies of Twitter use by software developers typically lack information about activities of the study subjects (and their outcomes) on other platforms. To enable such future research, in this paper we propose a computational approach to cross-link users across Twitter and GitHub, revealing (at least) 70,427 users active on both. As a preliminary analysis of this dataset, we report on a case study of 786 tweets by open-source developers about GitHub work, combining automatic characterization of tweet authors in terms of their relationship to the GitHub items linked in their tweets with qualitative analysis of the tweet contents. We find that different developer roles tend to have different tweeting behaviors, with repository owners being perhaps the most distinctive group compared to other project contributors and followers. We also note a sizeable group of people who follow others on GitHub and tweet about these people's work, but do not otherwise contribute to those open-source projects. Our results and public dataset open up multiple future research directions.
Articulating and Utilizing Communication Student Learning Outcomes in Community Colleges

ABSTRACTAcademia in the United States stands face-to-face with the constant call for greater levels of assessment and accountability. Academics question whether our students are learning what they’re taught? Are they able to secure employment upon completing their education? Are they prepared to be active, productive citizens in society? Community colleges provide education to those who may typically not have the opportunity to attend an institution of higher education. A foundation of any assessment process is the articulation of the core learning outcomes. It is from this foundation, then, that community college faculty can start assessing the effectiveness of teaching and curricular design. The present investigation details a project that focused on creating discipline-specific student learning outcomes and how these outcomes can be utilized to aligning learning outcomes and mapping to curriculum. Communication studies faculty can utilize the learning outcomes to strengthen and clarify curriculum, demo...
Effects of Renal Impairment on the Pharmacokinetics of the Dual GIP and GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Tirzepatide.

The pharmacokinetics (PK) and single-dose tolerability of tirzepatide, a dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist being developed for once-weekly treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D), weight management, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, was evaluated in subjects with renal impairment versus healthy subjects with normal renal function. Forty-five subjects, categorized by baseline renal status, i.e. mild (n = 8, estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] 60–89 mL/min/1.73m2), moderate (n = 8, eGFR 30–59 mL/min/1.73m2), severe renal impairment (n = 7, eGFR < 30 mL/min/1.73m2), end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis (n = 8), and normal renal function (n = 14, eGFR ≥ 90 mL/min/1.73m2), received a single subcutaneous dose of tirzepatide 5 mg. Tirzepatide plasma concentrations up to 648 h postdose were measured to compute PK parameters. The primary analysis evaluated the ratios of area under the plasma concentration–time curves (AUCs) and maximum plasma drug concentration (Cmax) of renal impairment versus the normal renal function group (90% confidence interval [CI]). In addition, the relationship between PK parameters and continuous variables of renal function was assessed by linear regression. Tirzepatide exposure was similar across renal impairment groups and healthy subjects. The 90% CI of ratios of AUCs and Cmax comparing each renal impairment group versus normal renal function spanned unity, except for a 25–29% increase in AUCs in the moderate renal impairment group. There was no significant relationship between tirzepatide exposure and eGFR. Few adverse events were reported across the renal impairment and normal renal function groups. The majority were mild in severity and of a gastrointestinal nature in the renal impairment groups. There were no clinically relevant effects of renal impairment on tirzepatide PK. Dose adjustment may not be required for patients with renal impairment. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03482024.