cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fabrication and probabilistic fracture strength prediction of high-aspect-ratio single crystal silicon carbide microspecimens with stress concentration

Single crystal silicon carbide micro-sized tensile specimens were fabricated with deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) in order to investigate the effect of stress concentration on the room-temperature fracture strength. The fracture strength was defined as the level of stress at the highest stressed location in the structure at the instant of specimen rupture. Specimens with an elliptical hole, a circular hole, and without a hole (and hence with no stress concentration) were made. The average fracture strength of specimens with a higher stress concentration was larger than the average fracture strength of specimens with a lower stress concentration. Average strength of elliptical-hole, circular-hole, and without-hole specimens was 1.53, 1.26, and 0.66 GPa, respectively. Significant scatter in strength was observed with the Weibull modulus ranging between 2 and 6. No fractographic examination was performed but it was assumed that the strength controlling flaws originated from etching grooves along the specimen side-walls. The increase of observed fracture strength with increasing stress concentration was compared to predictions made with the Weibull stress-integral formulation by using the NASA CARES/Life code. In the analysis isotropic material and fracture behavior was assumed - hence it was not a completely rigorous analysis. However, even with these assumptions good correlation was achieved for the circular-hole specimen data when using the specimen data without stress concentration as a baseline. Strength was over predicted for the elliptical-hole specimen data. Significant specimen-to-specimen dimensional variation existed in the elliptical-hole specimens due to variations in the nickel mask used in the etching. To simulate the additional effect of the dimensional variability on the probabilistic strength response for the single crystal specimens the ANSYS Probabilistic Design System (PDS) was used with CARES/Life.
Fuzzy scene matching in LADAR imagery

This paper examines object pair matching within LADAR (laser radar) imagery. By manipulating the three-dimensional data contained within a LADAR range image, it is possible to create a version of the scene as seen from above. In the transformed view, a fuzzy region represents each object, and the spatial relationship between two objects is represented by a force histogram. Matching two scenes then comes down to comparing force histograms. Each comparison gives a degree of similarity between the two object pairs considered, as well as an assessment of the pose parameters. These values can finally be combined to find a correct scene matching. Experiments on synthetic data as well as on real data demonstrate the applicability of our approach.
Interfacial Defects and Flux-Pinning Effects in Nanostructured ${\rm YBa}_{2}{\rm Cu}_{3}{\rm O}_{7-\delta}$ Thin Films

In this work, we conducted a detailed microstructural study on several selected nanostructured YBa2Cu3O7-delta (YBCO) thin films processed using sectioned targets. All samples were deposited by a pulsed laser deposition technique. The doping materials include CeO2, BaZrO3, and Y2O3. The interfacial defects, including misfit dislocations and secondary phases in different systems were studied and compared using cross-section transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high resolution TEM. We also conducted detailed superconducting property measurements to correlate these interfacial defects for different systems with their flux-pinning properties.
Ion channels allow atomic control of macroscopic transport

Ion channels are proteins with a hole down their middle that control an enormous range of biological function. Thousands of biologists and clinicians study ion channels every day because of their crucial involvement in disease. Ion channels have a definite structure once open and ions move through them by electrodiffusion. Theories that describe the movement of charged spheres through definite structure are able to account for the experimental behavior of channels in a wide range of conditions with just a few parameters with fixed values. Selectivity is produced by the balance of electrostatic attraction and hard sphere repulsion in at least three types of channels. More ‘chemical’ forces are not involved. The free energy landscapes of these systems are variables. Preformed binding sites are not involved. Indeed, in some cases selectivity is produced by depletion zones, not binding sites. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
SDRPHY - XML description for SDR physical layer

Software defined radio hardware has matured to a point where wide deployment is called for. Unfortunately, the standardization efforts have not yet achieved maturity. Military users are not reaping the benefits of SDR due to excessively complex software development and tight coupling between hardware and software. This paper proposes a standard for describing the physical layer – the waveforms. The SDRPHY standard provides a hardware-agnostic approach to describing the desired waveform and for querying the capabilities of an SDR. It is complementary and can build upon existing standards such as JTRS/SCA and STRS. All functionality is based on XML, with XML schemas used to specify capabilities. A hardware-specific interpreter provides an interface between the XML and SDR implementation. The core of the standard has now been defined, covering hundreds of waveform parameters from modulation to coding and framing. An interactive website has been created to facilitate collaboration with industry and academia. This paper describes the philosophy behind the standard, introduces the XML notation and paradigms for both configuring a radio and querying its status and capabilities. We also present a design demonstrating the use of the proposed standard to interface SDRs implemented using GNURadio, SCA, and a custom FPGA. A key goal of the paper is to solicit input from interested parties and to foster the acceptance of this open and free standard.
On Prandtl's formulas for supersonic jet cell length

In 1904 Prandtl developed a pioneering small perturbation theory to obtain the well-known "Prandtl Formula" λ = 1.306d√((wm/c)2- 1) for the wavelength (cell length) of an almost perfectly expanded circular supersonic jet, uniform everywhere and notably so on the bounding streamlines, where d = jet diameter, wm /c = mean (unperturbed) speed (Mach number) of the jet. To relate to experiment and possibly provide a means of estimating jet speed from cell length measurements, he very tersely made a comparison of the results of his formula with those of Emden's formula, λ = 0.88d√(R - Rc). This was based on extensive experiments with choked jets, with R = pressure ratio (critical value Rc), He rewrote his formula as λ = 1.306dw√((w/c)2 - 1), called herein "Prandtl's Formula II, where now dw = minimum diameter of the nozzle duct, i.e. exit diameter for Emden's choked jets, but the throat diameter of the convergent-divergent nozzle of uniform supersonic jets. He rewrote the foregoing equation, "my relationship,""...
Gaining Advanced Manufacturing Technologies' Benefits: The Roles of Organization Design and Culture

The literature on advanced manufacturing technologies (AMTs) shows that a wide range of outcomes have been experienced by organizations that have adopted these technologies, ranging from implementation failure to increased productivity and enhanced organizational flexibility. This article examines the roles that organization design and culture play in the varying levels of success experienced by AMT-adopting organizations. Several hypotheses are presented on the relationships among culture, structure, and implementation outcomes based on the competing values model of organizational culture.
Poor positive predictive value of influenza-like illness criteria in adult transplant patients: a case for multiplex respiratory virus PCR testing

Background Respiratory viral infections (RVIs) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among transplant patients. The CDC's influenza-like illness (ILI) criteria (fever ≥100°F with cough and/or sore throat) are a screening tool for influenza with unknown applicability to the transplant population. Methods We reviewed all respiratory virus PCR tests performed on adult patients with a history of solid organ (SOT) or stem cell transplantation (HSCT) during the 2012–2013 influenza season. The positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) of ILI criteria were calculated. Results Of 126 transplant patients (66 HSCT, 60 SOT), 54 (42.8%) tested positive for an RVI by PCR: 24 influenza and 30 non-influenza. Of 30 patients who met ILI criteria, 12 (40%) were positive for influenza. The PPV and NPV of ILI for influenza were 50% and 82.4%, respectively. Mortality was low (3.7%), but morbidity was high (14.8% required ICU stay) among transplant patients diagnosed with RVI. Conclusions Influenza and non-influenza RVIs are associated with significant morbidity among transplant patients. CDC ILI criteria correlate poorly with PCR-positive cases of influenza in transplant patients, but may be useful in excluding the diagnosis. Routine RVI PCR testing is recommended for better diagnosis and improved antiviral use in transplant patients with suspected RVI.
Syringe Exchange as a Social Movement: A Case Study of Harm Reduction in Oakland, California

The federal ban on funding for syringe exchange programs (SEPs) has greatly hampered attempts to prevent the spread of HIV among injection drug users in the United States. State laws prohibiting the possession and/or distribution of syringes have made SEPs illegal. These factors have lent a unique social movement quality to harm reduction efforts in the United States. Using a social movement perspective, this paper explores dynamics of the implementation and defense of the syringe exchange program in Oakland, California. The advantages and disadvantages of the social movement aspects of harm reduction are discussed.
Stress-Induced Changes in Executive Control Are Associated With Depression Symptoms: Examining the Role of Rumination

Deficits in executive control may underlie an inability to effectively respond to stressors, which has been linked to depression symptoms. Previous studies, however, have almost exclusively focused...
Corrosion Enhanced Capacitive Strain Gauge at 370°C

In this paper a silicon carbide passivated capacitive strain sensor is proposed which continuously and accurately measures strain in corrosive ambient and operates up to 370degC in air. The analytical model of this low-mechanical noise, high-resolution and high-gain capacitive SiC coated sensor predicts 45 aF/muepsiv sensitivity, which is in a good agreement with finite element analysis (within 12%) over the intended full-scale range of 1-1000 muepsiv. The gauge is fabricated using silicon-on-insulator and coated with a thin (~60 nm) pinhole-free 3C-SiC layer. The integrity of the passivation layer is tested using a hot KOH bath followed by SEM inspection which shows no defects or damage. A localized-heating, high-temperature testing setup has been built using an infra-red lamp to heat the gauge up to 370degC while maintaining the electronics at significantly reduced temperatures. Experimental results show the strain gauge successfully continues to operate at 370degC.
Spatially independent VCSEL models for the simulation of diffusive turn-off transients

Carrier diffusion and spatial hole burning can have a severe impact on vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) performance. In particular, these phenomena can produce secondary pulses, bumps, and optical tails in the VCSEL turn-off transient which limit both the system bit rate and the bit error rate (BER). To study these effects, laser rate equation models that include both spatial and temporal dependence are often employed; however, simulations which require discretization of both space and time, while accurate, typically consume vast amounts of computational power. In this paper, we demonstrate that models based on well-accepted spatially independent rate equations can be used to simulate these effects. These models exhibit the advantages of the full spatio-temporal approach but execute much more quickly. We also integrate these models into electronic computer-aided design (CAD) tools which will enable circuit and system designers to simultaneously simulate electrical and optical performance.
Cortical power spectral analysis of acute pathophysiological pain

In the past decade, advances in quantitative EEG methods, such as the analysis of cortical power spectrum, have proven a useful tool for observing changes in brain activity as a function of physiological and behavioral states. The cortical power spectrum (CPS) is a computer-derived analysis of brain electrical activity using mathematical principles of Fast Fourier Transform function. The total energy output of specific cortical areas can be estimated over time, as a function of EEG spectral frequencies. This report describes the study of CPS in pathophysiological pain patients, using acute dental pain as a model. Seven "walk-in" acute pain patients in an emergency dental clinic were recorded during 10 min of pain, before treatment. Approximately one week later, 10 min recordings during nonpain states were obtained as control. Subjective pain scales and other psychological measures were administered to all subjects before and after recording on each visit. Each 10 min stage of continuous CPS recording consisted of 10 spectra per stage, 6 epochs/spectrum, and 10.24 sec/epoch; each spectrum was stored, averaged, transformed, displayed, printed, and plotted by the Pain Microcomputer System. Results show significant cortical power reduction along all frequency bands (0.5-50 Hz) when pain-states are compared to nonpain states. The magnitude of reduction also appears to correspond to subjective pain report. Analysis for rank order may be inversely related to subjective painfulness, indicating that pain and alpha-desynchronization are closely associated. This study demonstrates that the brain activity of clinical pain patients can be measured. The feasibility of developing a pathophysiological objective pain measuring system is discussed.
Optical potentials for the elastic scattering of Li 6 + C 12 , Li 6 + O 16 , and Li 7 + C 12

New elastic scattering angular distributions extending over the large angular range 10\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}---170\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} c.m. are reported for $^{6}\mathrm{Li}$+$^{12}\mathrm{C}$ at 24 and 30 MeV, $^{6}\mathrm{Li}$+$^{16}\mathrm{O}$ at 25.7 MeV, and $^{7}\mathrm{Li}$+$^{12}\mathrm{C}$ at 34 MeV. These data have been analyzed and are well described by the optical model using Woods-Saxon potentials, or by potentials with a double-folded real part. Using these and previously published data, average energy-dependent potentials have been obtained. Improved descriptions of the elastic scattering of $^{6}\mathrm{Li}$+$^{12}\mathrm{C}$, $^{6}\mathrm{Li}$+$^{16}\mathrm{O}$, and $^{7}\mathrm{Li}$+$^{12}\mathrm{C}$ for energies from the Coulomb barrier up to 26 MeV/nucleon are obtained with these new average potentials compared with existing ones.
Dominant role of cAMP in regulation of microvessel permeability.

We reported previously that increasing cAMP levels in endothelial cells attenuated ATP-induced increases in hydraulic conductivity (L p), and that the activation of cGMP-dependent pathways was a ne...
Synthesis and Dehydration Activity of Novel Lewis Acidic Ordered Mesoporous Silicate: Zr-KIT-6

A zirconium-incorporated Ia3d cubic three-dimensional (3-D) mesoporous silicate, KIT-6, with different zirconium loadings, was synthesized via a one-step direct hydrothermal synthesis procedure emp...
Bilateral locked facets of the lumbosacral spine: treatment with open reduction and transpedicular fixation.

AbstractBackground:A 23-year-old man was involved in a motor vehicle crash and found to have bilateral locked facets at L5–S1. Hisneurologic examination, radiographic workup, surgical management, postoperative care, and the relevant Iiterature are discussed.Design: Case report and Iiterature review.Results: This patient underwent solid fusion with anatomic alignment following open reduction and internal fixation. He made a good neurologic recovery.Conclusion: Early surgery, consisting of open reduction, fixation , and fusion , provides the best results in patients with lumbosacralfracture-dislocations.
Ozone concentrations in air flowing into New York State

Ozone (O3) concentrations measured at Pinnacle State Park (PSPNY), very close to the southern border of New York State, are used to estimate concentrations in air flowing into New York. On 20% of the ozone season (April–September) afternoons from 2004 to 2015, mid-afternoon 500-m back trajectories calculated from PSPNY cross New York border from the south and spend less than three hours in New York State, in this area of negligible local pollution emissions. One-hour (2p.m.–3p.m.) O3 concentrations during these inflowing conditions were 46 ± 13 ppb, and ranged from a minimum of 15 ppb to a maximum of 84 ppb. On average during 2004–2015, each year experienced 11.8 days with inflowing 1-hr O3 concentrations exceeding 50 ppb, 4.3 days with O3 > 60 ppb, and 1.5 days had O3 > 70 ppb. During the same period, 8-hr average concentrations (10a.m. to 6p.m.) exceeded 50 ppb on 10.0 days per season, while 3.9 days exceeded 60 ppb, and 70 ppb was exceeded 1.2 days per season. Two afternoons of minimal in-state emission influences with high ozone concentrations were analyzed in more detail. Synoptic and back trajectory analysis, including comparison with upwind ozone concentrations, indicated that the two periods were characterized as photo-chemically aged air containing high inflowing O3 concentrations most likely heavily influenced by pollution emissions from states upwind of New York including Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Ohio. These results suggest that New York state-level attempts to comply with National Ambient Air Quality Standards by regulating in-state O3 precursor NOx and organic emissions would be very difficult, since air frequently enters New York State very close to or in excess of Federal Air Quality Standards.
HapLogic: A Predictive Human Leukocyte Antigen–Matching Algorithm to Enhance Rapid Identification of the Optimal Unrelated Hematopoietic Stem Cell Sources for Transplantation

Abstract The search for a suitable human leukocyte antigen (HLA)–matched unrelated adult stem cell donor (URD) or umbilical cord blood unit (UCB) is a complex process. The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) developed a search algorithm known as HapLogic, which is currently provided within the NMDP Traxis application. The HapLogic algorithm has been in use since 2006 and has advanced URD/UCB HLA-matching technology. The algorithm has been shown to have high predictive accuracy, which can streamline URD/UCB selection and drive efficiencies in the search process to the benefit of the stem cell transplantation community. Here, we describe the fundamental components of the NMDP matching algorithm, output, validation, and future directions.
Blood product transfusion in emergency department patients: a case-control study of practice patterns and impact on outcome.

Blood product transfusion occurs in a significant percentage of intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Pulmonary complications, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), occurring in the setting of transfusion, are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Contrary to the ICU setting, there is little evidence describing the epidemiology of transfusion in the emergency department (ED) or its potential impact on outcome. The objectives of this study were to: (1) characterize transfusion practices in the ED with respect to patient characteristics and pre-transfusion laboratory values; and (2) investigate the effect of ED blood product transfusion on the incidence of pulmonary complications after admission. We hypothesized that blood product transfusion would increase the event rate for pulmonary complications, and have a negative impact on other clinically significant outcomes. This was a retrospective case-control study with one-one matching of 204 transfused ED patients to 204 non-transfused controls. The primary outcome was a composite pulmonary outcome that included: acute respiratory failure, new need for ICU admission, and ARDS. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the primary outcome as a function of transfusion. One-hundred twenty four (60.8%) patients were transfused packed red blood cells (PRBC) in the ED. The mean pre-transfusion hemoglobin level was 8.5 g/dl. There were 73 patients with a hemoglobin value ≥10 g/dl; 19 (26.0%) received a PRBC transfusion. A total of 54 (26.5%) patients were transfused platelets. The main indications were thrombocytopenia (27.8%) and neurologic injury (24.1%). Ten patients had a platelet level <10,000 (guideline recommended threshold for transfusion to prevent spontaneous hemorrhage). The mean platelet count for neurologic injury patients was 197,000 prior to transfusion. The primary outcome occurred in 26 control patients (12.7%), as compared with 28 cases (13.7%). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, ED transfusion was not associated with an increased odds of primary outcome [adjusted OR 0.91 (0.48–1.72), P = 0.77]. The mortality rate was 10.8% in the cases and 8.8% in the controls, P = 0.51. A significant percentage of ED blood product transfusions are discordant with guideline recommendations. However, there was no association with ED transfusion and worse clinical outcome.
Living Kidney Donor Phenotype and Likelihood of Postdonation Follow-up.

BACKGROUND The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network requires that United States transplant centers maintain follow-up with living donors for 2 years postdonation, but lack of donor follow-up is pervasive. Donor characteristics, including younger age, minority race, and lower education, have been associated with incomplete follow-up, but it is unknown whether altruistic donors, having no previous connection to their recipient, differ from traditional donors in their likelihood of follow-up. METHODS Using the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients data, we examined all adult living kidney donors from 2005 to 2015 (n = 63 592) classified as altruistic or traditional, and compared likelihood of 6-month medical follow-up using modified Poisson regression. RESULTS Altruistic donors did not differ from traditional donors in likelihood of follow-up (adjusted relative risk [aRR], 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.99-1.06). Among previously identified at-risk subgroups, however, altruistic donors were more likely to have follow-up than their traditional counterparts, including those who were younger (aRR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00-1.09), had less than college education (aRR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.00-1.11), and were unmarried (aRR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.04-1.12). Having medical follow-up at 6 months was significantly associated with having follow-up at 1 year (aRR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.75-1.93) and 2 years (aRR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.56-1.70) postdonation. CONCLUSIONS These data provide additional granularity on living donor phenotypes associated with short-term (6 month) postdonation follow-up, which is important given its association with future likelihood of follow-up. These findings offer the opportunity to tailor and direct educational efforts to increase living donor follow-up, particularly among groups at higher risk of loss to follow-up.
Directing Stem Cell Fate: The Synthetic Natural Product Connection.

Stem cells possess remarkable potential for the treatment of a broad array of diseases including many that lack therapeutic options. However, the use of cell-based products derived from stem cells as therapeutics has limitations including rejection, sufficient availability, and lack of appropriate engraftment. Chemical control of stem cells provides potential solutions for overcoming many of the current limitations in cell-based therapeutics. The development of exogenous molecules to control stem cell self-renewal or differentiation has arrived at natural product-based agents as an important class of modulators. The ex vivo production of cryopreserved cellular products for use in tissue repair is a relatively new area of medicine in which the conventional hurdles to implementing chemicals to effect human health are changed. Translational challenges centered on chemistry, such as pharmacokinetics, are reduced. Importantly, in many cases the desired human tissues can be evaluated against new chemicals, and ...
The Flint Water Crisis, the Karegnondi Water Authority and Strategic–Structural Racism:

Everyone knows that what happened in Flint is connected to race, but we lack the necessary frameworks to fully understand the multiple ways that race and racism contributed to the Flint Water Crisis. This article introduces the notion of Strategic–Structural racism, the manipulation of the forces of intentional racism, structural racism and unconscious bias for economic or political gain. This construct is applied to critical aspects of the Flint Water Crisis: the imposition of emergency management, the approval of the Karegnondi Water Authority (KWA) pipeline, the decision to use the Flint River as an interim source of drinking water and how municipal finance rules were manipulated to obtain financing for the KWA pipeline but not to fund necessary upgrades to the Flint Water Treatment Plant (WTP). Tragically, the strategic racism embedded in the KWA approval process created an environment of denial, cover-up and complicity as aspects of the public health crisis began to emerge.
NoCDN: scalable content delivery without a middleman

Today's websites achieve scalability by either deploying their own platforms with sufficient spare capacity or signing up for services from a content delivery network (CDN). This paper investigates another alternative, where a website directly recruits Internet users to contribute their resources to help deliver the site's content. We show that this alternative, which we call NoCDN, can be implemented securely, transparently to the users accessing the site, and without changes to the content itself.
Body Shape Classifications of Males 26 to 35 Using Size USA Three-Dimensional Scan Data

The purpose of this research was to provide a method for using 3D scan data to determine shape categories for the male population in the United States between the ages of 26 and 35. Specific research questions included: (1) Can SizeUSA data (http://www.sizeusa.com/) collected for men be used to identify the predominant shapes of male bodies in the US for men ages 26 to 35? (2) Based on literature review and the visual properties of the bodies within each shape, can a descriptive label be identified that would aid in an understanding of the shape differentiators? (3) Does the current ASTM sizing system developed for mature males meet the measurement needs of the male subjects with the 26 to 35 age range from the SizeUSA sizing survey? This research is of value to the apparel industry because it demonstrates that a large percentage of the US male population’s measurement needs are not being met. This information will assist in establishing a baseline for further studies in the area of body shape categories for males. The findings in this research study can aid apparel industry professionals in achieving and communicating better fitting apparel for US males in the 26 to 35 age range and has the potential to help with other age ranges.
Bacterial Chitinases and their Role in the Mineralization Processes

The production of large amounts of chitinous materials in varying environments has a definite impact on the associated microbial population. The deposition of chitin containing exuviae from insect or crustacean activity provides a highly concentrated source of nutrients that finds its way into the food chain if proper enzymatic mechanisms are present. Microbial assemblages usually provide this mechanism. The aquatic environment in particular has been studied because of the large volumes of chitin deposited therein (Seki and Taga, 1963; Hood and Meyers, 1977; Warnes and Rux, 1982). Such studies focused on rates of degradation in marine, estuarine and fresh water, respectively and factors effecting this natural process. Others have identified numerous chitinolytic bacteria often without indicating differential potentials (Campbell and Williams, 1951; Chan, 1970). Carroad and Tcm (1978) however, did quantitate potentials of various isolates showing Serratia spp. as highly active in conversion of chitinous shellfish wastes.
Experimental Cell Transplantation and Gene Therapy Techniques in the Treatment of Liver Disease

Whole organ transplantation remains the only clinically effective method of treating acute and chronic liver failure due to specific genetic and other defects of liver function. However, there are several factors which limit the application of liver transplantation in the treatment of liver insufficiency: high cost, relatively high morbidity and limited organ donor availability. As a result, investigators have attempted to develop alternative methods to treat liver insufficiency due to genetic defects of liver function by using either isolated normal hepatocyte transplantation and/or in vitro and in vivo gene therapy techniques.
Testing for Admissions

In many Schools, Colleges, and Departments of Education (SCDE), admissions testing is yet another administrative burden that appears to be of minimal use. In others, admissions testing has proven to be a valuable tool that has raised the quality of teacher education candidates and has made teacher education more rewarding and more satisfying. The proper use of well-constructed and validated tests can lead to the admission of students who are clearly qualified for instruction. This chapter addresses a range of issues surrounding admissions testing. More specifically, this chapter describes: some of the pressures on SCDE concerning admissions testing and some of the issues regarding admissions test selection and use.
Developments In Stem Educators’ Preparedness For English Language Learners In The United States

In the United States, the population of students classified as English Language Learners (ELLs) in K-12 education has increased in recent decades. As a result, teachers outside of specialized linguistic courses have needed to adapt their instruction to better meet the needs of these students. This exploratory study investigates potential indicators of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) teachers’ preparedness to work with ELLs, in comparison with the rates of ELLs in STEM courses. Data for this study were obtained from the national restricted-access datasets of the 2007-2008 and 2011-2012 School and Staffing Survey (SASS) Teacher Questionnaire (TQ). STEM teachers’ participation in ELL-focused professional development activities, credentialing related to ELLs, and ELL populations in STEM teachers’ courses were analyzed to quantify changes in these measures over time and among the STEM disciplines. Regional analysis of STEM teacher populations and ELL populations in STEM classes was also conducted to examine how these factors differed across the United States. Analyses of these data indicated increases in the percentage of STEM teachers who have ELLs in their service loads and in the average number of ELLs in teacher service loads; these trends were present in all U.S. regions and in all STEM disciplines. However, the total number of STEM teachers who participated in ELL-focused professional development activities increased only slightly over the four-year span. To effectively teach the growing ELL student population, STEM teachers must develop the skills and approaches necessary to educate and engage these students.
Working Harder but Lying More? How Managers' Effort Influences Their Reporting

Many firms decentralize their operational and accounting functions, such that managers are responsible for both making operational decisions that affect firm performance and reporting the privately observed performance outcomes of those operational decisions to higher-level managers. Importantly, in such settings, the operational decision is “sunk” at the time of the reporting decision. We investigate how managers’ previous operational effort (hereafter, simply “effort”) affects their subsequent reporting decision. We predict that providing greater effort increases a manager’s sense of deservingness and that when managers privately observe an unfavorable performance outcome, those with a greater sense of deservingness are more likely to misreport. We find support for these predictions in an experiment that includes both a between-participant component and a within-participant component. In addition, consistent with our theory, we find evidence that deservingness mediates the effect of effort on misreporting. Collectively, our findings highlight a potential cost of decentralizing operational and accounting functions.
Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (AlloSCT) for patients (pts) with acute leukemia following venetoclax-based therapy.

7047Background: BCL-2 inhibitor Ven has shown a promising benefit in pts with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). There is paucity of information about the safety a...
Parallel Computation using Event-Triggered Communication

Numerical simulations of physical phenomena governed by partial differential equations using parallel computing requires communication of data between processing elements. Time spent for this communication is a major part of overall simulation time on large scale systems and often becomes a bottleneck. In this paper, we propose an event-triggered communication scheme to alleviate this bottleneck. We model the system as a switched dynamical system and establish its stability. Experiments on a parallel cluster show that the method has potential to reduce simulation time while guaranteeing convergence to the correct solution.
A Forced-Choice Procedure to Assess the Acute Relative Reinforcing Effects of Nicotine Dose per se in Humans.

INTRODUCTION A method to assess acute reinforcement due to nicotine may aid identification of doses needed to maintain dependence. After describing development of a forced-choice procedure, results are presented from two studies using it to determine the relative reinforcing effects of nicotine dose per se. AIMS AND METHODS Choice between a higher versus a very low or no nicotine option, via smoking (Study 1, n = 59) and via nasal spray (Study 2, n = 42), was assessed in nontreatment-seeking dependent smokers abstinent overnight. Using a within-subject design, different nicotine levels for each product were administered under blind conditions, initially to assess their discriminability (Study 1: 1.3-17 mg/g each vs. 0.4 mg/g nicotine Spectrum cigarettes; Study 2: 2.5 µg/kg vs. 0 µg/kg nicotine per spray). At the end of sessions for each study, participants engaged in forced-choice trials to assess preference, requiring a fixed number of puffs/sprays for one and/or the other. RESULTS Confirming the procedure's validity, the choice of the higher nicotine option was significantly greater than that for the very low or no nicotine option in both studies. In Study 1, choice relative to 0.4 mg/g was greater for cigarettes 5.3 mg/g or more but not 2.3 mg/g or less (p = .003 for the interaction of higher content vs. 0.4 mg/g comparison). In Study 2, choice was greater for the nicotine versus placebo spray (p < .005), as nicotine was preferred nearly twice as much as the placebo. CONCLUSION This forced-choice procedure may efficiently determine the relative reinforcing value of a nicotine dose per se. IMPLICATIONS The forced-choice procedure described here may identify nicotine doses that are acutely reinforcing in dependent smokers. A priori research of choice comparisons between small versus zero nicotine doses could inform clinical research in larger and more diverse samples to determine nicotine contents in cigarettes, and perhaps in other commercial products, that are not reinforcing and, thus, likely to reduce the risk of their addictiveness. This procedure may also be applicable to assessing changes in acute nicotine reinforcement due to different product formulations, novel drugs, or other manipulations, perhaps helping inform development of new interventions for cessation or harm reduction.
The role of support seeker expectations in supportive communication

This project examined the influence of social support seekers’ expectations on their perceptions, behaviors, and the outcomes of supportive conversations. An experiment was conducted in which parti...
Seriously Ill Patients' Willingness to Trade Survival Time to Avoid High Treatment Intensity at the End of Life.

This cohort study quantifies trade-offs between survival time and avoidance of intensive care near the end of life among seriously ill hospitalized patients.
High dietary sodium augments vascular tone and attenuates low-flow mediated constriction in salt-resistant adults

Low-flow mediated constriction (L-FMC) has emerged as a valuable and complementary measure of flow-mediated dilation (FMD) for assessing endothelial function non-invasively. High dietary sodium has been shown to impair FMD independent of changes in blood pressure (BP), but its effects on L-FMC are unknown. To test the hypothesis that high dietary sodium would attenuate brachial artery L-FMC in salt-resistant adults. Fifteen healthy, normotensive adults (29 ± 6 years) participated in a controlled feeding study. Following a run-in diet, participants completed a 7-day low sodium (LS; 20 mmol sodium/day) and 7-day high sodium (HS; 300 mmol sodium/day) diet in randomized order. On the last day of each diet, 24 h urine was collected and assessments of 24 h ambulatory BP and L-FMC were performed. Salt-resistance was defined as a change in 24 h ambulatory mean arterial pressure (MAP) between the LS and HS diets of ≤ 5 mmHg. Resting vascular tone and L-FMC were calculated from ultrasound-derived arterial diameters. High dietary sodium increased serum sodium and urinary sodium excretion (p < 0.001 for both), but 24 h MAP was unchanged (p = 0.16) by design. High dietary sodium augmented vascular tone (LS: 91 ± 23%, HS: 125 ± 56%, p = 0.01) and attenuated L-FMC (LS: − 0.58 ± 0.99%, HS: 0.17 ± 1.23%, p = 0.008). These findings in salt-resistant adults provide additional evidence that dietary sodium has adverse vascular effects independent of changes in BP.
A Convenient Generalization of Schlick's Bias and Gain Functions.

We present a generalization of Schlick's bias and gain functions -- simple parametric curve-shaped functions for inputs in [0, 1]. Our single function includes both bias and gain as special cases, and is able to describe other smooth and monotonic curves with variable degrees of asymmetry.
Dead litter of resident species first facilitates and then inhibits sequential life stages of range-expanding species

Resident species can facilitate invading species (biotic assistance) or inhibit their expansion (biotic resistance). Species interactions are often context‐dependent and the relative importance of biotic assistance versus resistance could vary with abiotic conditions or the life stage of the invading species, as invader stress tolerances and resource requirements change with ontogeny. In northeast Florida salt marshes, the abundant dead litter (wrack) of the native marsh cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora, could influence the expansion success of the black mangrove, Avicennia germinans, a tropical species that is expanding its range northward. We used two field experiments to examine how S. alterniflora wrack affects A. germinans success during (a) propagule establishment and (b) subsequent seedling survival. We also conducted laboratory feeding assays to identify propagule consumers and assess how wrack presence influences herbivory on mangrove propagules. Spartina alterniflora wrack facilitated A. germinans establishment by promoting propagule recruitment, retention and rooting; the tidal regime influenced the magnitude of these effects. However, over time S. alterniflora wrack inhibited A. germinans seedling success by smothering seedlings and attracting herbivore consumers. Feeding assays identified rodents—which seek refuge in wrack—as consumers of A. germinans propagules. Synthesis. Our results suggest that the deleterious effects of S. alterniflora wrack on A. germinans seedling survival counterbalance the initial beneficial effects of wrack on A. germinans seed establishment. Such seed‐seedling conflicts can arise when species stress tolerances and resource requirements change throughout development and vary with abiotic conditions. In concert with the tidal conditions, the relative importance of positive and negative interactions with wrack at each life stage can influence the rate of local and regional mangrove expansion. Because interaction strengths can change in direction and magnitude with ontogeny, it is essential to examine resident–invader interactions at multiple life stages and across environmental gradients to uncover the mechanisms of biotic assistance and resistance during invasion.
What Makes Growth Sustained

We identify structural breaks in economic growth in 140 countries and use these to define growth spells: periods of high growth preceded by an upbreak and ending either with a down break or with the end of the sample. Growth spells tend to be shorter in African and Latin American countries than elsewhere. We find that growth duration is positively related to: the degree of equality of the income distribution; democratic institutions; export orientation (with higher propensities to export manufactures, greater openness to FDI, and avoidance of exchange rate overvaluation favorable for duration); and macroeconomic stability (with even moderate instability curtailing growth duration).
Staying Connected: Transcriptomics in the Search for Novel Diabetic Kidney Disease Treatments.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the most common cause of end-stage renal disease in the U.S. Nephrologists and primary care providers are quite familiar with this diagnosis and the standard of care for slowing its long-term progression. Current treatment is highly reliant on nonspecific measures such as strict blood pressure and glycemic control. Until recent promising data showing benefits of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (1), it had been more than two decades since specific pharmacological therapy with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or AT1 receptor blockers had been shown to be effective (2,3) in slowing progression of this disease. Morbidity and mortality remain high, and despite recent successes in the field, our current therapeutic armamentarium remains vastly inadequate to combat a disease of this magnitude. There remains a great need for discovery of further novel treatments. In this issue of Diabetes , Zhang et al. (4) use an innovative approach to identify new therapeutics for DKD. Rather than initiating their study with a targeted hypothesis focused on the role of a single signaling pathway, they used data from several publicly available gene expression data sets to perform an in silico screen of potential therapeutic agents. They conducted a transcriptome-wide search to define DKD “gene signatures” based …
Lagrangian homology spheres in $(A_{m})$ Milnor fibres via $\mathbb{C}^{*}$–equivariant $A_{\infty}$–modules

We establish restrictions on Lagrangian embeddings of spheres, and more generally rational homology spheres, into certain open symplectic manifolds, namely the (Am) Milnor fibres of odd complex dimension. This relies on general considerations about equivariant objects in module categories (which may be applicable in other situations as well), as well as results of Ishii–Ueda–Uehara concerning the derived categories of coherent sheaves on the resolutions of (Am) surface singularities.
Automated optimization of double heater convective polymerase chain reaction devices based on CFD simulation database and artificial neural network model

This paper presents a framework for automated optimization of double-heater convective PCR (DH-cPCR) devices by developing a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation database and artificial neural network (ANN) model. The optimization parameter space that includes the capillary tube geometries and the heater sizes of DH-cPCR is established, and a database consisting of nearly 10,000 CFD simulations is constructed. The database is then used to train a two-stage ANN models that select practically relevant data for modeling and predict PCR device performance. The trained ANN model is then combined with the gradient-based and the heuristics optimization approaches to search for optimal device configuration that possesses the shortest DNA doubling time. The entire design process including model meshing and configuration, parallel CFD computation, database organization, and ANN training and utilization is fully automated. Case studies confirm that the proposed framework can successfully find the optimal device configuration with an error of less than 0.3 s, and hence, representing a cost-effective and rapid solution of DH-cPCR device design.
The impact of item parceling on structural parameter invariance in multi-group structural equation modeling

Item parcels are the indicators of a factor which are created by summing or averaging scores of individual items. Item parceling has been widely applied in structural equation modeling (SEM) but ha...
From Creativity to Conflict: Semantic Innovation in the Bosnian Serb National Movement of the 1990s

Semantic innovations were an important element in the Bosnian Serb political cultural efflorescence in the 1990s. They reveal activists' unrelenting commitment to forge a new nationalist discourse to replace the class-oriented lexicon of communism. The innovations are vivid evidence of the Serb narod's ever-expanding ambitions. National activists employed many different variants of semantic innovation. They mutated, conflated, and elided signifiers. They revived long-forgotten signifiers as slurs to vilify adversaries and adopted new referents as adversaries change.
Keeping the clock running: The microbiome as a pivotal timekeeper

Research of animal microbiomes is demonstrating that these host-microbe partnerships are on a profound circadian rhythm. Recently in Cell, Brooks et al. (2021) report that host rhythms drive behaviors of specific microbiome members, which orchestrate a coordination of the innate immune system with the circadian clock.
Examination of the Moderating Effect of Race on the Relationship between Vitamin D Status and COVID-19 Test Positivity Using Propensity Score Methods.

With a well-established role in inflammation and immune function, vitamin D status has emerged as a potential factor for coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).The purpose of this study was to evaluat...