cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anterior Dysfunction of the Sacroiliac Joint as a Major Factor in the Etiology of Idiopathic Low Back Pain Syndrome

The purpose of this article is to describe the author's theories as to how anterior dysfunction of the sacroiliac joints (SIJs) is a major factor in the etiology of idiopathic low back pain syndrome (ILBPS). Most research and treatment have been directed toward the intervertebral disk; however, it is unlikely that disk dysfunction is always the primary etiology. A review of the literature is used to outline and describe the characteristics of ILBPS and to make a case that these characteristics are consistent with those of a specific dysfunction of the SIJs. Functions of the intervertebral disks and the SIJs are described and related to SIJ dysfunction and to some of its common consequences. Treatment is discussed as it relates to the pathomechanics and their correction.
The relative importance of protozoans, rotifers, and crustaceans in a freshwater zooplankton community1

A complete analysis of the macro- and microzooplankton of a warm monomictic lake indicates that Protozoa dominate the community numerically. During winter mixis, ciliates are found at densities of l-8 x 103*liter-’ and constitute up to 32% of the zooplankton community biomass, With summer stratification crustaceans decline, while both the relative and absolute abundance of protozoans and rotifers increase. Densities of protozoans are highest (l-2 x 105* liter-l) in the metalimnion where scuticociliates bloom in zones of intense bacterial activity. During the period of these blooms (July-October), Protozoa account for 15-62% of the zooplankton biomass. This suggests that Protozoa make a significant contribution to rates of grazing, nutrient regeneration, and secondary productivity and should not be overlooked in
Exploring potential sources of differential vulnerability and susceptibility in risk from environmental hazards to expand the scope of risk assessment.

Genetic factors, other exposures, individual disease states and allostatic load, psychosocial stress, and socioeconomic position all have the potential to modify the response to environmental exposures. Moreover, many of these modifiers covary with the exposure, leading to much higher risks in some subgroups.These are not theoretical concerns; rather, all these patterns have already been demonstrated in studies of the effects of lead and air pollution. However, recent regulatory impact assessments for these exposures have generally not incorporated these findings.Therefore, differential risk and vulnerability is a critically important but neglected area within risk assessment, and should be incorporated in the future.
Preparation of Botox

Botox is an extremely labile lyophilized albumin and neurotoxin cryoprecipitate that should be reconstituted without agitation in order to prevent inactivation. Preserved (bacteriostatic) saline may be used for its mild anesthetic properties.
Public Administration as The Carrier of the new Social Bond

The U.S constitutional tradition finessed the question of the social bond. The decline of the modernist era makes it important to address the matter of the social bond and to reorient the field to this generic issue. A psychoanalytic perspective, specifically the one developed by Jacques Lacan, is helpful in providing a framework for such a reorientation. This analysis demonstrates that the failed bond of modernism is being replaced by the one implicit in the market economy. Since this bond is unstable and necessarily temporary, public administrators now and in the future must establish a new kind of social bond with others in the process of carrying out the work of public agencies. In order to accomplish this, public administrators must develop a different, psychoanalytically informed relationship to themselves.
Teaching British Women Playwrights of the Restoration and Eighteenth Century. Eds. Bonnie Nelson and Catherine Burroughs

This substantial collection of critical essays leads us to confront a central question in women's studies: “To what extent should authorial gender guide or preface our interpretation of text?” (299...
A secure communication framework for wireless sensor networks

Today, wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are no longer a nascent technology and future networks, especially Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) [5] will integrate more sensor-based systems into a variety of application scenarios. Typical application areas include medical, environmental, military, and commercial enterprises. Providing security to this diverse set of sensor-based applications is necessary for the healthy operations of the overall system because untrusted entities may target the proper functioning of applications and disturb the critical decision-making processes by injecting false information into the network. One way to address this issue is to employ en-route-filtering -based solutions utilizing keys generated by either static or dynamic key management schemes in the WSN literature. However, current schemes are complicated for resource-constrained sensors as they utilize many keys and more importantly as they transmit many keying messages in the network, which increases the energy consumption of WSNs that are already severely limited in the technical capabilities and resources (i.e., power, computational capacities, and memory) available to them [6]. Nonetheless, further improvements without too much overhead are still possible by sharing a dynamically created cryptic credential. Building upon this idea, the purpose of this thesis is to introduce an efficient and secure communication framework for WSNs. Specifically, three protocols are suggested as contributions using virtual energies and local times onboard the sensors as dynamic cryptic credentials: (1) Virtual Energy-Based Encryption and Keying (VEBEK) [4]; (2) Time-Based DynamiC Keying and En-Route Filtering (TICK) [7]; (3) Secure Source-Based Loose Time Synchronization (SOBAS) for WSNs [8].
Public) Health and Human Rights in Practice.

Public health's reliance on law to define and carry out public activities makes it impossible to define a set of ethical principles unique to public health. Public health ethics must be encompassed within--and consistent with--a broader set of principles that define the power and limits of governmental institutions. These include human rights, health law, and even medical ethics. The human right to health requires governments not only to respect individual human rights and personal freedoms, but also, importantly, to protect people from harm from external sources and third parties, and to fulfill the health needs of the population. Even if human rights are the natural language for public health, not all public health professionals are comfortable with the language of human rights. Some argue that individual human rights--such as autonomy and privacy--unfairly limit the permissible means to achieve the goal of health protection. We argue that public health should welcome and promote the human rights framework. In almost every instance, this will make public health more effective in the long run, because the goals of public health and human rights are the same: to promote human flourishing.
The Lost World of Old Europe: The Danube Valley, 5000–2500 BC

Edited by David W. Anthony, with Jennifer Y. Chi (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2010), 254 pp. $49.95/£34.95 cloth. “Lost World” in the title of this handsome publication was apt to dr...
Conditioning Semantic Response Classes

In an attempt to investigate the question of whether words occupying the same general area of "semantic space" (see Osgood, et al., 1957) function as response classes in verbal operant conditioning (VOC), a VOC procedure was applied to words falling at opposite ends of the good-bad, hard-soft, and activepassive scales of the semantic differential. The three scales chosen were chose with the greatest loadings on the E~alziative, Potency, and Oriented Activiiy factors, respectively. Three sets of 36 cards were used, one for each of the three scales. Each card contained two words, one with a mean rating value of 3 or less, the other with a mean rating value of 5 or more on that scale. The words and mean rating values were taken from Jenkins, Russell, and Suci (1958). S's task was to choose one of the two. words on each card and say it aloud. Three groups were used for each scale: one reinforced (by E's saying "good") for choice of words at the lower end of the scale, one reinforced for words at the high end, and an unreinforced control group. Ss were given an awareness questionnaire modified from Spielberger (1962) afterward. The results of the analyses of variance indicated that the reinforcement significantly affecred the number of choices of words with lower scale values for the good-bad (p < .01) and hard-soft scales (p < .01), but not for the active-passive scale. The multiplerange tests showed that the "good" (p < .05) and "hard" (p < ,055) groups differed from their respective control groups, but that the "bad" and "soft" groups did not. Comparison of the choices of reinforced vs control groups indicated no differences with respect to the scale values of the words chosen on the two "irrelevant" dimensions. It was concluded that the extremes ot the good-bad and hard-soft scales do function as response classes in VOC, that "good" and "hard" words conditioned better than "bad" and "soft" words, respectively, and that S's "awareness" as indicated by the questionnaire data was not related to amount of conditioning.
Effect of Cryogenic Temperature Deposition of Various Metal Contacts to Bulk, Single-Crystal n-type ZnO

The effect of cryogenic temperatures during metal deposition on the contact properties of Pd, Pt, Ti, and Ni on bulk single-crystal n-type ZnO has been investigated. Deposition at both room and low temperature produced contacts with Ohmic characteristics for Ti and Ni metallizations. By sharp contrast, both Pd and Pt contacts showed rectifying characteristics after deposition with barrier heights between 0.37 eV and 0.69 eV. Changes in contact behavior were measured on Pd to anneal temperatures of ∼300 °C, showing an increase in barrier height along with a decrease in ideality factor with increasing annealing temperature. This difference with annealing temperature is in sharp contrast to previous results for Au contacts to ZnO. There were no differences in near-surface stoichiometry for the different deposition temperatures; however, low temperature contacts demonstrated some peeling/cracking for Pt and Pd.
Developmental well-being among low and normal birth weight U.S. Puerto Rican children.

Low birth weight is a more common occurrence among Puerto Rican children than among children from most other racial and ethnic groups in the United States, and they are more likely to experience the added risk of living in poverty. This study addresses what is protective for the development 602 normal birth weight and 554 low birth weight children from the Puerto Rican Maternal and Infant Health Study. The results presented in the current analysis identify several protective influences for development (particularly maternal social support, medical insurance, and paternal employment) among low birth weight children (who are at a high risk for developmental problems), and almost none for normal birth weight children. The results largely support the contention that protective factors emerge, or increase in strength, only in the presence of risk, indicating the use of targeted child health programs based on birth weight are an effective and efficient way to improve the developmental well-being of young Puerto Rican children in the United States.
A Man for All Seasons: Monroe Sweetland and the Liberal Paradox . By William G. Robbins.

A Man for All Seasons: Monroe Sweetland and the Liberal Paradox . By William G. Robbins. (Corvallis: Oregon State University Press, 2015. xii + 300 pp. Illustrations, notes, index. $24.95, paper.) Professor William G. Robbins has written a well-documented biography of Monroe Sweetland, whose public life illustrates how a gadfly with a commitment to social justice navigated the tumultuous mid-twentieth century. Born in 1910 in Salem, Oregon, where his father was both a young medical doctor and a football coach at Willamette University, Sweetland grew up in small-town locales in Oregon and Michigan. Family connections led him to law school at Cornell University in the depression-ravaged 1930s, where he was drawn to the activism of Norman Thomas and the League for Industrial Democracy (LID), whose focus on racial justice permanently affected him. Robbins draws on Sweetland’s private papers … bill_toll{at}yahoo.com
Valence parity to distinguish c' and z• ions from electron capture dissociation/electron transfer dissociation of peptides: effects of isomers, isobars, and proteolysis specificity.

Valence parity provides a way to distinguish between N-terminal and C-terminal electron capture dissociation/electron transfer dissociation (ECD/ETD) product ions based on their number of hydrogen ...
Solid Reaction, Densification and Microwave Properties of Low Temperature Sintered Li Ferrites Prepared by Oxide Method

The Li0.5-0.5xZnxMnaFe2.5-0.5x-aO4 (0.1x0.6) and (LiFe)(1-x+y)/2ZnxTiyFe2.5-x/2-3y/2MnaO4(0.1≤x≤ 0.25, 0≤y≤0.4) ferrites were prepared by conventional ceramic technology combining fine milling. The XRD spectra show that the beginning of forming spinel phase is about 500-600℃ and the reaction ends at 700℃. The curve of reduced saturation magnetization for the samples pre-sintered at various temperatures shows that the temperature forming magnetic spinel is about 550-700℃. The shrinkage curve indicates that the expanding occurs first and then shrinking, and the densification occurs mainly at 800-850℃ after the solid reaction. The drawings of the density and shrinkage, also the ferromagnetic resonance linewidth ?H and spin wave linewidth ?Hk, the saturation magnetization Ms and coercivity Hc, versus sintering temperature from 850 to 910℃ for the Li0.365Zn0.27 MnaFe2.365-aO4 ferrite, were illustrated, which indicate that good low-temperature-sintering behavior, as well as microwave properties, were obtained at sintering temperature of 880±10℃. Especially, the values of ?Hk are 3-4 times higher than that of the common LiZn ferrite samples. From the temperature dependences of Ms for LiZn(Ti) ferrites with Ms=400, 358 and 255±5% kA/m, the Curie temperatures can be determined as 475, 540 and 430℃, respectively.
Efficient High-Power 8.62 μm Infrared Radiation Source for Uranium Isotope Separation in UF6

This paper examines various aspects of the generation of infrared radiation at 8.62 μm by noncollinear phase-matched four photon mixing of CO2 laser beams in germanium at room temperature, as a potential infrared source for the uranium laser isotope separation in UF6
Array syntax compilation and performance tuning

Array syntax adds expressive power to a language by providing operations on and assignments to array sections. Thus it allows programmers to write clear and concise code. However, state-of-the-art vendor compilers fail to efficiently map array statements to underlying architectures for high performance. The inefficiency is caused by ineffectively solving the following three technical problems: (1) reducing the size of allocated temporary array; (2) extending solutions to the evolving architectures; (3) applying loop fusion to multiple array statements. Finding solutions to these problems is important because otherwise array syntax, though a high-level language feature, may not be widely used by application developers. To address the above problems, this research first develops a novel strategy that minimizes the allocated temporary arrays using loop alignment and loop skewing on scalar processors, thereby reducing memory traffic and improving cache utilization. It then extends the minimization strategy to exploit the increasing on-chip parallelism on evolving architectures that offer vector (e.g., SSE and AltiVec) and multi-core (e.g., CELL) capabilities. In addition, new techniques boost performance by improving data alignment and managing data movement, both of which are important on these new architectures. Last, this dissertation parameterizes loop fusion for performance tuning and explores the properties of the space of all possible loop fusion configurations, to expedite performance tuning of loop fusion for increasing data reuse across multiple array statements. These transformations and optimizations are implemented in a source-to-source research compiler with extensions to target short vector processors and CELL processor. Experiments show that array statements compiled with our strategy run as much as two times faster than those compiled directly by vendor compilers. Our exploration of loop fusion parameter space identifies good candidates for heuristic searching and space pruning, which are essential to make the performance tuning process practical. In summary, this dissertation demonstrates that advanced compilation techniques can significantly improve the performance of programs written in array syntax upon current state-of-the-art implementation across a variety of architectures, including the latest multi-core processors with vector capabilities.
Choosing Raspberry Pi Hardware

Now that you’ve planned your Raspberry Pi deployment, your next move is to choose Raspberry Pi computers and the hardware to go with them.
OpenLoop Analysis of the ReninAngiotensin System in the Dog

The loop gain and time response of the renin-angiotensin system was determined in dogs in which the cardiovascular control loops of the central nervous system were eliminated by spinal cord destruction and decapitation. Step decreases in renal artery perfusion pressure were introduced for a 30-minute period, and changes were measured in systemic arterial blood pressure, cardiac output, and renin activity. The calculated loop gain of both kidneys was −1.59 ± 0.11 (SE) and for a single kidney was −0.92±0.02 between renal perfusion pressures of 65 to 100 mm Hg. This indicates nearly a 65% and 50% compensation in pressure, respectively. Below renal perfusion pressures of 65 mm Hg, the gain decreased. The system exhibits a relatively rapid time course with maximum steady-state systemic pressure elevations occurring in an average of 20 minutes, and returning to control levels in an average of 17.8 minutes for bilateral constrictions and 31.9 minutes for single artery constrictions with contralateral nephrectomy. Cardiac outputs were not significantly changed during the constriction period. The arterial renin activity and renal renin secretion rates were consistently elevated during the constrictions. Systemic pressure changes were inhibited by infusion of angiotensin II before constriction and by the injection of angiotensin II antiserum. These results demonstrate that the systemic pressure changes were the result of the renin-angiotensin vasoconstrictor system. The results indicate that the renin-angiotensin system possesses sufficient time response and gain characteristics to participate significantly in the normal regulation of arterial pressure.
The Hamilton-Jacobi theory

The principal object of classical dynamics is to find where everything is at time t; that is, to find a set of q n (t). The principal object of quantum mechanics is to find a wave function ψ(q, t). From this you cannot calculate where everything is in the sense of classical physics, but you can calculate all there is to know. Lagrangian and Hamiltonian dynamics find q(t) and q(t) or p(t) by means of ordinary differential equations. In ψ(q, t), q is in no sense a function of t, since ψ has a value for every q and every t. The equation it solves is a partial differential equation. The differences between the two mathematical descriptions are so wide that they seem to belong to different universes of ideas, but in Ehrenfest’s theorems (Sect. 1.3), for example, familiar ordinary differential equations came out of the partial differential equation for ψ(q, t) that are the same as the equations of Newtonian dynamics. It is now our task to show that out of the dynamics of Lagrange and Hamilton comes a partial differential equation that is the same as the eikonal equation (1.31), which was derived from wave optics. In Chap. 7 we will see how to reconstruct quantum mechanics, under suitable assumptions, if the eikonal equation is known. These arguments will help to explain the mathematical relation between the two theories, and a study of the necessary assumptions will do much to illuminate the subtler question of their physical relation.
Self as political possibility: subversive neighbor love and transcendental agency amidst collective blindness*

The author investigates a notion of self as political possibility from a multi-displinary perspective that engages the psychoanalytic and philosophical thought of Jung, Žižek, Badiou and Heidegger....
Molecular Structures of Bacteria Elucidated by Monoclonal Antibodies with Special Reference to Antigenic Determinants of the Methanogens' Envelopes

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the data on antigenic mosaics of methanogens and on their components obtained with monoclonal antibodies. For methanogens, as for other bacterial groups, research with monoclonal antibodies is at a stage of development that involves mostly preparation and characterization of probes and exploratory surveys of reference strains or of molecules characterized by biochemical means. Six determinants have been identified in Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum strain ΔH, six in Methanobrevibacter smithii strain PS, six in Methanococcus vannielii strain SB, three in Methanosarcina barken strain 227, two in Methanogenium cariaci strain JRlc, one in Methanospirillum hungatei strain JF1, and one in Methanobrevibacter arboriphilus strain DH1. Structures that are immunodominant epitopes have been identified for several of the determinants. The chapter focuses on determinants that are accessible to antibody on the surface of whole bacterial cells, whether the immunogen or a cross-reactive methanogen.
Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis of Outcomes of Patients With Subsegmental Pulmonary Embolism With and Without Anticoagulation Treatment

BACKGROUND This systematic review addresses the controversy over the decision to anticoagulate patients with subsegmental pulmonary embolism (SSPE). METHODS We searched Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, Google Scholar, and bibliographies in March 2017. Two authors reviewed and retained papers with symptomatic patients who underwent computerized tomographic pulmonary angiography and had sufficient information to determine SSPE; decision to treat (or not) with systemic anticoagulation; and outcomes of bleeding, venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence, and death. Papers were assessed for selection and publication bias and heterogeneity, with Eggers and the inconsistency indexes (I2 ). RESULTS From 1,512 papers screened, we included 14 studies comprising 15,563 patients for full-length review and analysis. Pooled data demonstrated I2 = 99% with an Eggers p < 0.001, suggesting significant publication bias. The pooled prevalence of SSPE was 4.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.8%-8.5%). The frequency of bleeding in SSPE patients treated with anticoagulation (n = 589) was 8.1% (95% CI = 2.8%-15.8%), with no available bleeding data in untreated patients (n = 126). The frequency of VTE recurrence within 90 days was 5.3% (95% CI = 1.6%-10.9%) for treated versus 3.9% (95% CI = 4.8%-13.4%) for untreated, while the frequency of death was 2.1% (95% CI = 3.4%-5.2%) for treated versus 3.0% (95% CI = 2.8%-8.6%) for untreated. CONCLUSION This systematic review highlights the lack of any clinical trial to make a clear inference about harm or benefit of anticoagulation for SSPE. Comparison of pooled data from uncontrolled outcome studies shows no increase in VTE recurrence or death rates for patients who were not anticoagulated. These data suggest clinical equipoise for decision to anticoagulate or not anticoagulate patients with SSPE. However, this inference is limited by small numbers, imprecision, and the lack of a controlled clinical trial.
Making the Right Connections: Multi-AP Association and Flow Control in 60GHz Band

Emerging network architectures in 60GHz millimeter wave bands will likely use dense deployment of access points (APs) given the high attenuation and frequent line-of-sight related outages. We show in this paper that naively connecting to any available AP, or even multiple APs, may not fully realize the promise of efficiently utilizing the extremely large bandwidths available in this band. This paper holistically addresses these problems through the Multi-AP Association Protocol (MAP) that: (i) indicates ideal durations for beam-searching at the physical/link layers of the protocol stack that will result in minimal interruptions to user-traffic, (ii) devises a Multi-AP association framework based on multipath TCP, which increases the network robustness by allowing immediate redirection of traffic to alternative APs whenever an existing connection is interrupted, and (iii) designs an exploration-exploitation aware flow scheduling algorithm that dynamically activates the sub-flows to optimize transport layer performance. MAP is a lightweight, client side system that needs zero modifications to existing protocol stack, though it interacts with the latter to opportunistically trigger standards-defined functions. The paper also presents convergence analysis of throughput, experimental validation on a 60GHz network testbed, and trace-driven simulation studies that shows MAP achieving 5-7x reduction in re-buffering rate in HD video streaming, rapid convergence to the best possible AP, and fair allocation of resources among clients.
Leading to well-being: the 5 key elements of healthy leadership.

My hypothesis is that the qualities that produce well-being among physicians in today's health care environment are synonymous with the qualities that produce effective leaders in health care and other parts of our society. In fact, a more radical restatement of this proposition is that the absence of these qualities in an individual physician leads to dis-ease and dysfunction. This belief is borne out of my observation that the leadership task confronting physicians is a large and psychologically rooted undertaking.
Introduction to Canonical Models

Theoretical studies of the human brain require mathematical models. Unfortunately, mathematical analysis of brain models is of limited value, since the results can depend on particulars of an underlying model; that is, various models of the same brain structure could produce different results. This could discourage biologists from using mathematics and/or mathematicians. A reasonable way to circumvent this problem is to derive results that are largely independent of the model and that can be observed in a broad class of models. For example, if one modifies a model by adding more parameters and variables, similar results should hold.
Immunosuppressed adult zebrafish model of mucormycosis

Mucormycosis is a life threatening, rapidly progressing infection associated with high mortality.…
Solution-Processed Nickel-Alloyed Iron Pyrite Thin Film as Hole Transport Layer in Cadmium Telluride Solar Cells

Here, we report the test of solution-processed nickel (Ni)-alloyed iron disulfide (FeS2) pyrite nanocrystals (NCs) as back contact interface layer in cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar cells. The alloyed NCs were synthesized using the hot-injection colloidal method, and the thin films were fabricated using layerby-layer drop-cast method as the back contacts to the CdTe solar cells. Based on this study, the average increase in device performance observed was 6% with Ni0.05Fe0.95S2 and Ni0.1Fe0.9S2 NCs compared to standard copper/gold (Cu/Au) back contacts while the device performance was sharply reduced with ≥ 20% Ni-alloyed iron pyrite NCs.
Quantitative Assessment of Thermodynamic Theory in Elucidating the Behavior of Water under Hydrophobic Confinement

A macroscopic thermodynamics-based theory that can quantitatively describe the behavior of water confined between hydrophobic solutes has so far remained elusive. In this work, we progress toward t...
Development of Benefit Cost Analysis Tools for Evaluating Transportation Research Projects

Transportation research projects are a vital element for transportation agencies to accumulate new technology and knowledge to improve the efficiency and safety of transportation infrastructure. Th...
Selected Disorders of the Blood and Hematopoietic System

Hemophilia A is an autosomal recessive X-linked deficiency of factor VIII. Because of the mode of transmission and gene expression, males have hemophilia A, and females are usually asymptomatic carriers of the hemophilia A gene. All daughters of a hemophiliac father are carriers of the hemophilia A gene; all his sons are normal. The children of a female hemophilia A carrier have a 50% chance of being affected by the gene. Hemophilia A affects approximately 1 in 10,000 to 20,000 males in the United States.1
How Can Stoic Philosophy Inspire Psychosocial Genetic Counseling Practice? An Introduction and Exploration

Stoicism is an ancient philosophical tradition with the goal of teaching individuals how to live virtuously and attain tranquility. Stoicism was built upon the concept of fate and the limits of an individual’s power to change their fate (i.e. external circumstances). Many Stoic practices aim to remind oneself of the limits of their power and to shift one’s attention and concern to phenomena in which they have control. The goal is to cultivate a rational, healthy internal locus of control. There is minimal exploration of philosophical traditions in the genetic counseling literature, and Stoic practices may lend themselves to psychosocial genetic counseling work. Themes and applications of Stoic philosophy are explored here, and these practices may aid patients in developing an internal locus of control. The theme of reorienting one’s perception of control over their diagnosis, health, or situation may have benefit in patient psychosocial adaptation. This work serves to introduce genetic counselors to therapeutic applications of Stoic philosophy which may aid advanced counseling practice. We hope to stimulate future exploration and discussion regarding this and similar approaches in clinical genetic counseling.
3D Printed Flexible Triboelectric Energy Harvesters via Conformal Coating of Parylene AF4

For the first time, a 3D-printed flexible and wearable triboelectric energy harvester (TEH) is presented based on the 3D printing of polyurethane (PU) and a conformal coating process using Parylene AF 4 . The key advancements of this work include: (1) the usage of the stereolithographic (SL) 3D printing process for the prototype of a multiple-layer energy harvester to increase the active surface areas; (2) the deposition of the high surface charge density material of Parylene AF 4 with a conformal coating process to act as the active layer. The experimental results for a prototype triple-layer device show a peak short circuit current (SCC) of 390nA and a peak power density of $5.5\mu \mathrm{W}/\text{cm}^{2}$ . As such, this work can potentially open up a new class of energy harvesters based on 3D printing technologies for arbitrary geometries for applications such as shoe soles.
Oral and Gut Microbial Diversity and Immune Regulation in Patients with HIV on Antiretroviral Therapy

ABSTRACT Despite evidence of a chronic inflammatory phenotype in people living with HIV (PLWH) on antiretroviral therapy (ART), the role of oral microbiota in chronic immune activation has not been fully explored. We aimed to determine the relationship between oral and gut microbiome diversity and chronic systemic inflammation in ART-treated PLWH with prevalent severe periodontitis, an inflammatory condition commonly associated with HIV infection. We assessed bacterial and fungal communities at oral and gastrointestinal sites in a cohort (n = 52) of primarily postmenopausal women on ART using 16S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing and measured cellular and soluble markers of inflammation and immune dysfunction. Linear mixed-effect regression and differential abundance analyses were used to associate clinical characteristics and immunological markers with bacterial and fungal diversity and community composition. Bacterial α-diversity in plaque, saliva, and gut was associated with different immunological markers, while mycobial diversity was not associated with soluble or cellular biomarkers of immune stimulation or T cell dysfunction. Furthermore, lipopolysaccharide-positive (LPS+) bacteria previously linked to inflammatory outcomes were enriched at oral sites in patients with severe periodontitis. Fungal α-diversity was reduced in plaque from teeth with higher clinical attachment loss, a marker of periodontitis, and in saliva and plaque from patients with a history of AIDS. Our results show that both bacterial and fungal oral microbiome communities likely play a role in chronic systemic immune activation in PLWH. Thus, interventions targeting both inflammation and the microbiome, particularly in the oral cavity, may be necessary to reduce chronic immune dysregulation in patients with HIV. IMPORTANCE A feedback loop between dysbiotic gut microbiota, increased translocation of microbial products such as lipopolysaccharide, and inflammation has been hypothesized to cause immune system dysfunction in early HIV infection. However, despite evidence of a chronic inflammatory phenotype in patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART), the role of oral microbiota in systemic immune activation and the relationship between oral and gut bacterial and fungal diversity have not been explored. Our study suggests a crucial role for oral bacterial and fungal communities in long-term systemic immune activation in patients on ART, expanding the current paradigm focused on gut bacteria. Our results indicate that interventions targeting both inflammation and microbial diversity are needed to mitigate oral inflammation-related comorbidities, particularly in HIV-positive patients. More broadly, these findings can bolster general models of microbiome-mediated chronic systemic immune activation and aid the development of precise microbiota-targeted interventions to reverse chronic inflammation.
Flash Memory Based Physical Unclonable Function

In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate that the commercial off the shelf flash memory chip can be used for Physical Unclonable Function (PUF), which provides important security primitive for device authentication. Since flash memory chips have high bit density, so random process variation is expected even with the identical manufacturing process. In order to exploit this inherent process variation, we used “program-disturb” characteristics, which is a fundamental property of NAND flash memory. The experimental evaluation shows that the flash cells behave differently with applied program stress which results in unique, unclonable, and unpredictable signatures. We propose an algorithm to exploit this inherent variability to generate secret keys. The proposed method of PUF generation is fast, reliable and unique to a particular chip. We have experimentally evaluated the generated 32K-bit long key for uniqueness, randomness, and robustness. Since flash memory is ubiquitous in all electronic devices, our proposal is suitable for authentication, identification and counterfeit detection scheme for a wide range of electronic applications.
Wet-Side Breath-Enhanced Jet Nebulization: Controlling Drug Delivery During Mechanical Ventilation

BACKGROUND: The present study tested a novel nebulizer and circuit that use breath enhancement and breath actuation to minimize ventilator influences. The unique circuit design incorporates “wet-side” jet nebulization (the nebulizer connected to the humidifier outlet port) to prevent unpredictable aerosol losses with active humidification. The system was studied using several ventilator brands over a wide range of settings, with and without humidification. METHODS: During treatment, a 2-position valve directed all ventilator flow to the nebulizer, providing breath enhancement during inspiration. Aerosol was generated by air 50 psi 3.5 L/m triggered during inspiration by a pressure-sensitive circuit. Particles were captured on an inhaled mass filter. Testing was performed by using active humidification or bypassable valved heat and moisture exchanger (HME) over a range of breathing patterns, ventilator modes, and bias flows (0.5-5.0 L/m). The nebulizer was charged with 6 mL of radiolabeled saline solution. Mass balance was performed by using a gamma camera. Tidal volume was monitored by ventilator volume (exhaled VT) and test lung volume. The Mann-Whitney test was used. RESULTS: A total of 6 mL was nebulized within 1 h. Inhaled mass (% neb charge): mean ± SD (all data) 31.1% ± 6.45; no. = 83. Small significant differences were seen with humidification for all modes (humidified 36.1% ± 5.60, no. = 26; bypassable valved HME 28.8% ± 5.51, no. = 57 [P CONCLUSIONS: Breath enhancement with breath actuation provided a predictable dose at any ventilator setting or type of humidification. Preservation of drug delivery during active humidification is a new finding, compared with previous studies. The use of wall gases and stand alone breath actuation standardizes conditions that drive the nebulizer independent of ventilator design. Wet-side nebulizer placement at the humidifier outlet allows delivery without introducing aerosol into the humidification chamber.
Improving viability of leukemia cells by tailoring shell fluid rheology in constricted microcapillary

Encapsulated cell therapy has shown great potential in the treatment of several forms of cancer. Microencapsulation of these cancer cells can protect the core from the harmful effects of the neighboring cellular environment and can supply nutrients and oxygen. Such an encapsulation technique ensures cell viability and enables targeted drug delivery in cancer therapy. The cells immobilized with a biocompatible shell material can be isolated from the ambient and can move in constricted microcapillary. However, transportation of these cells through the narrow microcapillary may squeeze and mechanically damage the cells which threaten the cell viability. The cell type, conditions and the viscoelastic properties of the shell can dictate cell viability. A front-tracking numerical simulation shows that the engineered shell material with higher viscoelasticity improves the cell viability. It is also shown that low cortical tension of cells can contribute to lower cell viability.
Evaluation of a Commercial Activity Monitor for Determining Step Counts in Horses

Abstract Monitoring activity level has become popular in people and animals. In the horse, these monitors may be helpful for the detection of disease, monitor limb loading after surgery, and assist in rehabilitation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of a commercial activity monitor (AM) (FitBit Zip) in horses. In Part 1, four stalled horses had five AMs placed (head, chest, withers, and left forelimb and hindlimbs) with stride length setting of 60.96 cm and were monitored for 24 hours with AM and video. In Part 2, four stalled horses had two AMs placed (left forelimb and hindlimbs) with stride length setting of 30.48 cm and were monitored for 24 hours with AM and video. In Part 3, three horses with two AMs (left forelimb and hindlimbs) had step data collected at the walk and trot in hand by AM and video. AM and video data were compared using Pearson’s correlation coefficients and by calculating AM to video step count ratios. In Part 1, there was considerable movement of AMs at the chest and withers, but head and limb mounted AMs were more secure. In Part 2, video and AM activity counts were moderate to high for forelimb and hindlimbs with R2 values of 0.82 and 0.74, respectively. From Part 3, AMs mounted on either forelimb or hindlimbs approximately doubled the step counts compared to the video. While this AM did not accurately count steps, it may be able to provide general information on activity level in the stalled horses.
Constraints on Quasar Lifetimes and Beaming from the HeII Lyman-alpha Forest

We show that comparisons of HeII Lyman-alpha forest lines of sight to nearby quasar populations can strongly constrain the lifetimes and emission geometry of quasars. By comparing the HeII and HI Lyman-alpha forests along a particular line of sight, one can trace fluctuations in the hardness of the radiation field (which are driven by fluctuations in the HeII ionization rate). Because this high-energy background is highly variable - thanks to the rarity of the bright quasars that dominate it and the relatively short attenuation lengths of these photons - it is straightforward to associate features in the radiation field with their source quasars. Here we quantify how finite lifetimes and beamed emission geometries affect these expectations. Finite lifetimes induce a time delay that displaces the observed radiation peak relative to the quasar. For beamed emission, geometry dictates that sources invisible to the observer can still create a peak in the radiation field. We show that both these models produce substantial populations of "bare" peaks (without an associated quasar) for reasonable parameter values (lifetimes ~10^6-10^8 yr and beaming angles <90 degrees). A comparison to existing quasar surveys along two HeII Lyman-alpha forest lines of sight rules out isotropic emission and infinite lifetime at high confidence; they can be accommodated either by moderate beaming or lifetimes ~10^7-10^8 yr. We also show that the distribution of radial displacements between peaks and their quasars can unambiguously distinguish these two models, although larger statistical samples are needed.
Monte-Carlo simulations of multimode speckle noise in photonic summation devices

Monte-Carlo simulations of optical speckle noise are performed to predict the range of gain fluctuations for photonic devices which multiplex many single-moded inputs into single multimode waveguides. Here, two waveguides are simulated which bound the cases of interest: a few mode fiber and a standard multimode fiber. When fully-excited and after spatial-filtering by a 10µm photodiode, the former’s gain variations can range up to the mean value of the gain itself, ΔG ≈ 〈G〉, whereas for the latter, ΔG ≈ 3.4〈G〉. In certain cases, ΔG can be reduced by offsetting the photodiode relative to the waveguide, results which cannot be predicted using standard analytical speckle noise theories.
A Mighty Oak Forest from a Single, Well-Planted Acorn (perspective on “Radiolabeled Adrenergic Neuron-Blocking Agents: Adrenomedullary Imaging with [131I] Iodobenzylguanidine” J Nucl Med. 1980;21:349–353)

As medical researchers, we hope that our scholarship will have lasting and positive effects on patient care. Perhaps in the night we dream of dramatic impacts that could result from our work. It is hard to imagine, however, that Don Wieland and colleagues could have foreseen the enduring benefits
Transitioning Traditions in the Time of COVID.

Author(s): Romeo, Michelle E.; Branzetti, Jeremy | Abstract: With COVID-19 causing a rift in schedules and long-standing educational activities while restricting in person sessions that typically foster a sense of community, residencies were left to devise new ways to come together and continue on with education. The deeply engrained tradition of a morning case-based report led by senior residents was adapted to a virtual report in the evenings. While the format for presenting cases was similar, participation increased while helping build a further reaching community. This not only allowed for a 40-year-old tradition to continue to carry on through a pandemic, it gave a space for residents, alumni, and attendings to come together and rebuild a sense of normalcy and community to help bear through life altering events.
Uncovering metabolic reservoir cycles in MYC-transformed lymphoma B cells using stable isotope resolved metabolomics.

Abstract The use of metabolomics technologies and stable isotope labeling recently enabled us to discover an unexpected role of N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate (NAAG): NAAG is a glutamate reservoir for cancer cells. In the current study, we first found that glucose carbon contributes to the formation of NAAG and its precursors via glycolysis, demonstrating the existence of a glucose-NAAG-glutamate cycle in cancer cells. Second, we found that glucose carbon and, unexpectedly, glutamine carbon contribute to the formation of lactate via glutaminolysis. Importantly, lactate carbon can be incorporated into glucose via gluconeogenesis, demonstrating the existence of a glutamine-lactate-glucose cycle. While a glucose-lactate-glucose cycle was expected, the finding of a glutamine-lactate-glucose cycle was unforeseen. And third, we discovered that glutamine carbon is incorporated into γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), revealing a glutamate-GABA-succinate cycle. Thus, NAAG, lactate, and GABA can play important roles as storage molecules for glutamate, glucose, and succinate carbon in oncogenic MYC-transformed P493 lymphoma B cells (MYC-ON cells) but not in non-oncogenic MYC-OFF cells. Altogether, examining the isotopic labeling patterns of metabolites derived from labeled 13C6-glucose or 13C515N2-glutamine helped reveal the presence of what we have named “metabolic reservoir cycles” in oncogenic cells.
Vaping identity in adolescent e-cigarette users: A comparison of norms, attitudes, and behaviors.

Abstract Introduction Using the tenets underlying social identity theory and the theory of planned behavior, the current study compared the perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors of e-cigarette users that reported vaping as self-defining (“vapers”) compared to users that denied vaping was central to their identity ("non-vapers"). Method Secondary analyses of data from the 2017–2018 California Student Tobacco Survey were utilized. A weighted, multivariable regression model (N = 82,217) compared the demographic characteristics, beliefs, and behaviors of vapers and non-vapers. A path analytic model examined whether norms and attitudes mediated the relationship between vaper identity and use behavior. Results Self-identified sexual and/or gender minority youth were more likely to identify as vapers compared to heterosexual and cisgender respondents. Youth that identified as vapers viewed e-cigarette use as more normative, held more favorable attitudes (i.e., lower harm beliefs), used e-cigarettes more frequently and in greater quantities, were more likely to use fruit and mint flavored e-cigarettes, and were more likely to acquire e-cigarettes from commercial sellers (i.e., vape/tobacco shops; all p Conclusions Differences in e-cigarette beliefs and behaviors were found for youth e-cigarette users that perceived vaping as self-defining versus those that did not view vaping as part of their self-concept. Future studies are needed to examine causal directionality between identity, norms, attitudes, and behavior. Tobacco control efforts might use these findings to further denormalize vaping using evidence-based media campaigns and policy implementation.
Effect Analysis of Customer JIT Implementation on a Supply Die Casting Manufacturer

The present paper is a case-based analysis that examines the impact on a die casting manufacturer when the customer implements Just-in-Time (JIT) by examining the data collected from a primary die casting manufacturing organization. The data is collected through a Likert survey and analyzed using Cronbach’s alpha, pie charts, normal probability plot, and one-way ANOVA. The study investigates and examines the effects of JIT implementation by customers on two dimensions of manufacturing performance: setup in hours (when not meeting the required demand within a given time) and On Time Delivery (OTD) (late shipments). The study also examines and analyzes the effects of JIT implementation by customers on three constructs—production practices, efficiency and delivery—and their interrelationship. The results show JIT production practices are implemented in various ways across the die casting industry, and those who communicate on a higher level have a more efficient and better outcome than those who do not.