cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Flammability limits of alternative aviation fuels

Abstract Alternative fuels are being certified to be used in aircraft. However, the fire-safety properties of these fuels are unknown. The present work focused on measurements of the lean flammability limits (LFLs) of three alternative aviation fuels including Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA), Synthesized Iso-Paraffins (SIP), and Fischer-Tropsch Iso-Paraffinic Kerosene (FT-IPK). The results were compared to that of conventional petroleum-based Jet A. The results showed that only FT-IPK had higher LFLs than that of Jet A. Additionally, the LFLs of four pure hydrocarbons including n-heptane, iso-octane, n-decane, and n-dodecane were measured since they are the major components of transportation fuels. The LFLs were within the range of 0.032–0.040 in terms of the fuel-air mass ratio for all four aviation fuels in the temperature range of 350–420 K. Unlike temperature, pressure had a minor influence on the lean flammability limit. For all measured samples (pure hydrocarbons and fuels), the lean limit decreases with increasing molecular weight.
Fast Disintegrating Tablets of Olmesartan Medoxomil Using Solid Dispersion Technique

Aim: Olmesartan medoxomil (OLM) is a poorly soluble drug and its low aqueous solubility leads to poor dissolution and bioavailability. The aim of this work was to improve the solubility of poorly aqueous soluble drug OLM by solid dispersion (SD) technique. Materials and Methods: A phase solubility study was performed to determine the effect of various polymers on aqueous solubility of drug. The binary SD of OLM was prepared by using poloxamer 407. The SDs were prepared by kneading, melting and solvent evaporation (SE) method by varying drug to carrier ratio. The optimized SD formulations were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). Fast disintegrating tablets (FDTs) of OLM were formulated using optimized SD. The in vitro evaluation of FDTs was done including stability studies. Results: Phase solubility study indicated 5.3 fold increase in solubility of OLM by Poloxamer 407. The results of FTIR, DSC, SEM, and XRD study showed the conversion of crystalline form of OLM to amorphous form. The results revealed that SD prepared by SE method showed rapid dissolution as compared to other methods. The FDTs of optimized SD containing croscarmellose sodium showed faster and complete in vitro drug release within 20 min. Formulation M6 was found to be optimized formulation owing to its 84.09 dissolution efficiency, 4.82 min mean dissolution time and 100% drug release. Optimized formulation was found to be stable for 3-month period. Conclusion: The results conclusively confirmed successful improvement in dissolution of poorly water-soluble drug OLM.
Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and other metabolic liver diseases

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (α-1 ATD) is the most common metabolic liver disease in childhood, often presenting in the newborn period as cholestatic jaundice. The disease should be considered in adults and children with chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis of unknown origin. Diagnosis is made by serum α-1 AT level and phenotyping or genotyping. Hereditary tyrosinemia is caused by a deficiency of fumarylacetoacetate (FAH), the terminal enzyme in phenylalanine and tyrosine degradation. The presentation is characterized by progressive cholestasis and liver failure, renal tubular dysfunction, and hypophosphatemic rickets. The diagnosis is made by the detection of elevated levels of succinylacetone in the urine or by genotyping. Gaucher disease is the most common lysosomal storage disease resulting in accumulation of lysosomes throughout the body. There are three main types, with type 1 (nonneuropathic) accounting for 95% of cases. Glycogen storage disease results in excess hepatic glycogen accumulation. Liver disease is seen in types I, III, IV, VI, and IX. Cystic fibrosis is the most common inherited disease in the white population and involves a mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. From 20% to 50% of patients develop clinical manifestations of liver disease (neoenatal cholestasis, hepatomegaly, hepatic steatosis, gallstones, portal hypertension, and cirrhosis). Finally, porphyria is a heterogeneous group of genetic and acquired disorders of heme biosynthetic pathway that typically present after puberty. The diagnosis should be considered in patients with abdominal pain and other gastrointestinal, renal, and neurologic complaints without an identified cause.
A Preliminary Study of a Spanish Graphic Novella Targeting Hearing Loss Prevention

Purpose This preliminary study developed a digital graphic novella targeting hearing protection beliefs of Spanish-speaking agricultural workers. Researchers used pretest–posttest interview surveys...
Industry networks and IPO waves

Abstract We offer a new perspective on why initial public offerings (IPOs) occur in waves and propose that the customer-supplier relationships among industries help propagate IPO waves. Our empirical tests provide evidence that demand shocks increase the number of IPOs in an industry. The shocks then spread upstream through customer relationships leading to an increase in the number of IPOs in more central and connected industries. These findings contribute to the IPO literature by demonstrating the channel through which IPO waves propagate.
Polymorphisms in the Wilms tumor gene are associated with interindividual variations in rubella virus-specific cellular immunity after measles-mumps-rubella II vaccination.

Rubella vaccination induces widely variable immune responses in vaccine recipients. While rubella vaccination is effective at inducing immunity to rubella infection in most subjects, up to 5% of individuals do not achieve or maintain long-term protective immunity. To expand upon our previous work identifying genetic polymorphisms that are associated with these interindividual differences in humoral immunity to rubella virus, we performed a genome-wide association study in a large cohort of 1843 subjects to discover single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with rubella virus-specific cellular immune responses. We identified SNPs in the Wilms tumor protein gene (WT1) that were significantly associated (P < 5 × 10-8) with interindividual variations in rubella-specific interleukin 6 secretion from subjects' peripheral blood mononuclear cells postvaccination. No SNPs were found to be significantly associated with variations in rubella-specific interferon-γ secretion. Our findings demonstrate that genetic polymorphisms in the WT1 gene in subjects of European ancestry are associated with interindividual differences in rubella virus-specific cellular immunity after measles-mumps-rubella II vaccination.
Characterizing the field of Atomic Layer Deposition: Authors, topics, and collaborations

This paper describes how Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) has evolved over time using a combination of bibliometric, social network, and text analysis. We examined the rate of knowledge production as well as changes in authors, journals, and collaborators, showing a steady growth of ALD research. The study of the collaboration network of ALD scientists over time points out that the ALD research community is becoming larger and more interconnected, with a largest connected component that spans 90% of the authors in 2015. In addition, the evolution of network centrality measures (degree and betweenness centrality) and author productivity revealed the central figures in ALD over time, including new “stars” appearing in the last decade. Finally, the study of the title words in our dataset is consistent with a shift in focus on research topics towards energy applications and nanotechnology.
Learning Styles Research: Understanding how Teaching Should be Impacted by the Way Learners Learn Part II: Understanding how Learners Prefer to Receive Information

Over the years, educators have asked questions about how people learn. This article is the second in a series of three that provide updated information on the impact of learning styles on learners....
Refining light-based positioning for indoor smart spaces

Visible light positioning, or VLP, has emerged as a low-cost approach to enabling a variety of indoor location-based services for indoor smart spaces. However, a survey of existing approaches to VLP reveals some challenges in comparing one system to another.Advances in key areas are expected to enable new levels of performance at low cost. These include innovations at the source (LEDs, Laser Diodes/LIDAR, and ToF sensors), at the receiver (diversity receivers and AoA sensors), and in the design of the overall end-to-end VLP system. Again, comparing these improvements from one system to the another is difficult due to varying assumptions and operating conditions.In this paper we classify VLP techniques in an attempt to reconcile the wide range of characteristics. We also propose a new concept called an active zone in recognition that best performance is needed primarily in a subset of the volume of an indoor space. Finally, we show the performance of a baseline VLP system under the new metric and conclude with how our Visible Light Communication (VLC) testbed can be used to verify and quantify the region we call the active zone.
Banking and Insurance: A Banking Industry Perspective

Banks have designs on the insurance industry -- that’s the perspective of many in the financial service industry. The evidence seems clear. Money center institutions have been pushing for insurance powers at the national level. They have convinced state banking authorities, such as those in Delaware, to permit bank holding companies to have the right to market insurance nationwide. And in Europe, there is a full-scale conglomeration of universal banking and the insurance industry.1
Preparing Primary Mathematics Teachers to Learn to Work with Students from Diverse Backgrounds

This study investigates how teacher education prepares primary teachers to teach mathematics to students from diverse backgrounds. Hierarchical linear modeling is used to investigate the relationship between opportunities to learn to teach students from diverse backgrounds during teacher preparation and teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching using the TEDS-M international dataset. In general, primary mathematics specialist teachers with more opportunities to learn to teach students from diverse backgrounds had lower levels of mathematical knowledge for teaching. Primary generalist teachers do not consistently show the same results across all countries, with some showing higher and other showing lower levels of mathematical knowledge for teaching. These results suggest that teachers who are better prepared for the mathematical aspects of teaching tend to be less prepared for addressing the needs of diverse learners.
Neuro-surgical considerations for treating IgG4-related disease with rare spinal epidural compression

Background Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a group of distinct autoimmune disorders affecting nearly every organ system in the body. Although central nervous system involvement is quite rare, it may present as hypertrophic pachymeningitis more frequently affecting the brain than the spine. In this study, we provide a case of spinal IgG4-RD pseudotumor resulting in cord compression, and a comprehensive review of the literature. Case description A patient presented with an extradural mass causing spinal cord compression at the L2-L3 level. Pathologically this proved to be an IgG4-RD pseudotumor. The patient was treated with thecal sac decompression and post-operative steroids that resulted in complete resolution of his symptoms. Conclusion IgG4-RD is typically under-recognized and under-reported in the spinal literature. The clinical spinal presentation and non-surgical vs. surgical treatment are relatively straightforward. Although most cases can be managed with a course of steroids, surgical decompression may be required in patients presenting with spinal cord and/or nerve root compression. The differential diagnoses for these spinal tumors or pseudotumors should include IgG4-RD. Early detection and appropriate treatment can lead to satisfactory outcomes.
Can larvae of a marine fish adapt to ocean acidification? Evaluating the evolutionary potential of California Grunion (Leuresthes tenuis).

Ocean acidification can reduce the growth and survival of marine species during their larval stages. However, if populations have the genetic capacity to adapt and increase their tolerance of low pH and high pCO2 levels, this may offset the harmful effects of ocean acidification. By combining controlled breeding experiments with laboratory manipulations of seawater chemistry, we evaluated genetic variation in tolerance of ocean acidification conditions for a nearshore marine fish, the California Grunion (Leuresthes tenuis). Our results indicated that acidification conditions increased overall mortality rates of grunion larvae, but did not have a significant effect on growth. Groups of larvae varied widely with respect to mortality and growth rates in both ambient and acidified conditions. We demonstrate that the potential to evolve in response to ocean acidification is best described by considering additive genetic variation in fitness-related traits under both ambient and acidified conditions and by evaluating the genetic correlation between traits expressed in these environments. We used a multivariate animal model to estimate additive genetic (co)variance in larval growth and mortality rates under both ambient and acidified conditions (low pH/high pCO2). Our results suggest appreciable genetic variation in larval mortality rates (h 2 Ambient = 0.120; h 2 Acidified = 0.183; rG = 0.460), but less genetic variation in growth (h 2 Ambient = 0.092; h 2 Acidified = 0.101; rG = 0.135). Maternal effects on larval mortality rates accounted for 26%-36% of the variation in phenotypes, but maternal effects accounted for only 8% of the variation in growth. Collectively, our estimates of genetic variation and covariation suggest that populations of California Grunion have the capacity to adapt relatively quickly to long-term changes in ocean chemistry.
The effects of EMG feedback training during problem solving: a case study.

The present case study investigated the effects of competing task demands on biofeedback training to reduce frontalis muscle tension. Baseline levels of frontalis muscle tension were recorded for relaxation and problem solving. The subject was trained to decrease muscle tension with biofeedback for the problem-solving task alone. The results indicated that EMG training during problem solving was successfully accomplished. Frontalis muscle tension during relaxation baseline did not change as a result of reductions in muscle tension during problem-solving feedback training. This suggests that the decrease of muscle tension cannot be attributed to reductions in overall muscle tension levels. Instead, training was specific to the problem-solving feedback phases. Additionally, it was found that accuracy in problem-solving did not decline as a result of simultaneous feedback training. Thus EMG biofeedback training can be accomplished and exercised without disruption of ongoing mental activity.
On the Kinematic Model of Continuum Robots with Spatially Varying Nonlinear Stiffness

In this paper, we propose a laser-patterned monolithic tube with varying structural properties along the length as a core for building compact, customizable continuum devices with an inner working channel. The backbone of these robots can achieve the commonly desired distally increasing curvature through two means: varying pattern shape and varying pattern distribution. To characterize this nonlinear variation of structural properties like bending rigidity along the length and with change in strain, we use the Cosserat rod theory to estimate bending stiffness from the (computer vision based) measured shape of the robot under various simple known loading conditions. The dependence of bending stiffness on arc-length and strain is conveniently depicted as a 3D surface plot.
Bond Strength of Eco-Friendly Class C Fly Ash-Based Thermally Cured Alkali-Activated Concrete to Portland Cement Concrete

Abstract Sixty percent of existing USA bridges were constructed using conventional concrete (CC), i.e., ordinary Portland cement (OPC)-based concrete. Due to aging and changes in standards, many of these bridges require structural repair. To develop engineering-sound repairs, the bond strength between the repair material and existing structure needs to be investigated. This study investigated the bond strength between CC and alkali-activated concrete (AAC) as a repair material using slant shear and pull-off tests. The AACs were synthesized using five different class C fly ashes with different chemical compositions and physical properties. The AAC was cured at an elevated temperature of 158 °F for 24 h. The bond interface surface is subjected to different types of stresses during the service life of the repaired structure. Therefore, slant shear and pull-off tests were performed to assess the bond strength between CC and AAC bond surfaces subjected to compression-shear and direct tension, respectively. For the slant shear, three inclination interface angles of 45°, 33.75, and 22.5° were investigated. For the pull-off test, a bonding agent and sandblasting were investigated. The slant shear results displayed that the adhesion coefficient and the internal friction angle of the AAC repair ranged from 4.96 to 6.94 psi and 24° to 35°, respectively. Furthermore, while the sandblasting surface treatment improved the bond strength, the bonding agent did not.
Automotive Display Market Outlook

Displays have become a key HMI element in automotive interior design. The article is meant to give an overview of market size changes, specification development trends, technology roadmaps, and suppliers’ competition analysis.
Confronting Scale: A Strategy of Solidarity in Urban Social Movements, New York City and Beyond:

AbstractEmerging attention to the spatial dynamics of political contention points to the spatially situated nature of mobilization, and, in turn, how space is socially produced through collective a...
Measuring the multiple domains of medication nonadherence: findings from a Delphi survey of adherence experts

Consensus on a gold-standard measure of patient medication nonadherence has been elusive, in part because medication nonadherence involves multiple, distinct behaviors across three phases (initiation, implementation, and persistence). To assess these behaviors, multiple measurement approaches may be needed. The purpose of this study was to identify expert-recommended approaches to measuring nonadherence behaviors. Thirty medication nonadherence experts were e-mailed two consecutive surveys. In both, respondents rated their agreement with definitions of nonadherence behaviors and measurement approaches. In the second survey, respondents rated the suitability of each measurement approach for assessing each behavior and identified the optimal measurement approach for each behavior. Consensus was achieved for eight patient medication nonadherence behaviors: not filling initial prescription and not taking first dose (noninitiation); refilling prescription late, missing doses, taking extra doses, taking doses at wrong time, and improperly administering medication (incorrect implementation); and discontinuing medication early (nonpersistence). Consensus was achieved for seven measurement approaches: self-report, prescription fill data, pill count, drug levels, electronic drug monitoring (EDM), smart technology, and direct observation. Self-report questionnaires were most commonly rated "at least somewhat suitable" for measuring behaviors. EDM was rated as optimal for measuring missing doses, taking extra doses, and taking doses at the wrong time. Prescription fill data were rated as optimal for not filling initial prescription, refilling late, and discontinuing. Direct observation was rated as optimal for measuring improper administration. Suitable and optimal measurement approaches varied across nonadherence behaviors. Researchers should select the measurement approach best suited to assessing the behavior(s) targeted in their research.
Charge constraints of macroscopic dark matter

Macroscopic dark matter (macros) refers to a broad class of alternative candidates to particle dark matter with still unprobed regions of parameter space. Prior work on macros has considered elastic scattering to be the dominant energy transfer mechanism in deriving constraints on the abundance of macros for some range of masses ${M}_{x}$ and (geometric) cross sections ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{x}$ However, macros with a significant amount of electric charge would, through Coulomb interactions, interact strongly enough to have produced observable signals on terrestrial, galactic and cosmological scales. We determine the expected phenomenological signals and constrain the corresponding regions of parameter space, based on the lack of these signals in observations.
Gender Disparities in Bladder Cancer Specific Survival in High Poverty Areas Utilizing Ohio Cancer Incidence Surveillance System (OCISS)

Abstract Objective To better understand the interplay of socioeconomic and demographic traits on bladder cancer outcomes utilizing the Ohio state cancer registry, Ohio Cancer Incidence Surveillance System (OCISS). Methods We obtained demographic, clinical and outcome data on 47,182 bladder cancer cases diagnosed from 1996 to 2016 from OCISS. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the association between sex, race and poverty and survival, adjusting age, stage, and primary treatment. Results Within the OCISS database, there were 47,182 patients with a diagnosis of bladder cancer identified, with females representing 12,056 (26%) of the population. There were a total of 9255(35.2%) deaths due to bladder cancer, with median follow-up time of 4.4 years. After adjusting for confounding variables, women were statistically significantly less likely to die from any cause (HR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.91-0.96), compared with men, but more likely to die from bladder cancer (HR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.15-1.27). We also found that after adjusting for confounding variables, including sex and poverty, black race was statistically significantly associated with a higher risk of overall (HR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.06-1.18) and bladder cancer-specific mortality (HR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.15-1.36). Conclusion Using the OCISS database, female gender, self-reported black race, and neighborhood poverty level were associated with worse bladder cancer-specific survival. By recognizing these disparities, we can prospectively address risk factors in efforts to improve survival among these patient populations.
Rate of change in investigational treatment options: An analysis of reports from a large precision oncology decision support effort.

Abstract Purpose Genomic analysis of individual patients is now affordable, and therapies targeting specific molecular aberrations are being tested in clinical trials. Genomically-informed therapy is relevant to many clinical domains, but is particularly applicable to cancer treatment. However, even specialized clinicians need help to interpret genomic data, to navigate the complicated space of clinical trials, and to keep up with the rapidly expanding biomedical literature. To quantitate the cognitive load on treating clinicians, we attempt to quantitate the rate of change in potential treatment options for patients considering genomically-relevant and genomically-selected therapy for cancer. Materials and methods To this end, we analyzed patient-specific reports generated by a precision oncology decision support team (PODS) at a large academic cancer center. Two types of potential treatment options were analyzed: FDA-approved genomically-relevant and genomically-selected therapies and therapies available via clinical trials. We focused on two clinically-actionable alterations: ERBB2 (Her2/neu; amplified vs. non-amplified) and BRAF mutation (V600 vs. non-V600). To determine changes in available treatment options, we grouped patients into similar groups by disease site (ERBB2: breast, gastric and “other”; BRAF: melanoma, non-melanoma). Results A total of 2927 reports for 2366 unique patients were generated 8/2016-12/2018. Reports included 9902 gene variants and 150 disease classifications. BRAF mutation and ERBB2 amplification were annotated with therapeutic options in 270 reports (225 unique patients). The median survival time of a therapeutic option was nine months. Conclusion When compared to “traditional” clinical practice guideline recommendations, treatment options for personalized cancer therapy change seven times more rapidly; partly due to change in knowledge and partly due to logistics such as clinical trial availability.
Clinical and Molecular Characterization of Microphthalmia-associated Transcription Factor (MITF)-related Renal Cell Carcinoma.

ABSTRACT Objectives To characterize the clinical presentation, genomic alterations, pathologic phenotype and clinical management of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) familial renal cell carcinoma (RCC), caused by a member of the TFE3, TFEB, and MITF family of transcription factor genes. Methods The clinical presentation, family history, tumor histopathology, and surgical management were evaluated and reported herein. DNA sequencing was performed on blood DNA, tumor DNA and DNA extracted from adjacent normal kidney tissue. Copy number and gene expression analyses on tumor and normal tissues were performed by Real-Time Polymerase chain reaction. TCGA gene expression data were used for comparative analysis. Protein expression and subcellular localization were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Results Germline genomic analysis identified the MITF p.E318K variant in a patient with bilateral, multifocal type 1 papillary RCC and a family history of RCC. All tumors displayed the MITF variant and were characterized by amplification of chromosomes 7 and 17, hallmarks of type 1 papillary RCC. We demonstrated that MITF p.E318K variant results in altered transcriptional activity and that downstream targets of MiT family members, such as GPNMB, are dysregulated in the tumors. Conclusion Association of the pathogenic MITF variant with bilateral and multifocal type 1 papillary RCC in this family supports its role as a risk allele for the development of RCC and emphasizes the importance of screening for MITF variants irrelevant of the RCC histologic subtype. This study identifies potential biomarkers for the disease, such as GPNMB expression, that may facilitate the development of targeted therapies for patients affected with MITF-associated RCC.
Development of a large venous collateral after post-operative Ostial pulmonary vein atresia: An unusual clinical course

Abstract Pulmonary vein obstruction after surgical repair of total anomalous pulmonary venous return is a known complication with particularly poor prognosis. A female infant developed left pulmonary vein atresia after obstructed supracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous return repair. Over the first decade of life, a large venous collateral vessel draining the left pulmonary veins to the paraspinal venous plexus developed, enabling growth of the left pulmonary vasculature to low normal size and resulting in mild right heart dilatation from left-to-right shunting. Multimodality diagnostic imaging, including echocardiography, cardiac catheterization, cardiac CT, and 3D cardiac modeling aided in diagnosis and planning surgical correction of the left pulmonary venous drainage back to the left atrium. Unexpected right heart enlargement and growth of a branch pulmonary artery in the presence of ipsilateral pulmonary vein atresia following total anomalous pulmonary venous return repair should prompt further diagnostic investigation. In this case, the evaluation ultimately enabled surgical repair of this unique venous connection.
Review of The Anti-Capitalist Chronicles by David Harvey (Pluto Press)

The Anti-Capitalist Chronicles is a collection of accessible, loosely connected essays by influential Marxist geographer David Harvey. Based on episodes of Harvey's podcast of the same name, the book tackles topics related to the contemporary and historical crises of global capitalism. In nineteen brief, topical chapters, Harvey appropriates and reimagines Marxian categories and anti-capitalist frameworks of various kinds in order to report on the changing shape of global capitalism considered as a historically distinct social formation, the internal logics and contradictions which govern capital's movements in the world, and the obstacles to be overcome by socialist politics.
Addressing ethnic disparities in imaging utilization and clinical outcomes for COVID-19.

PURPOSE: Racial and ethnic disparities have exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic as the healthcare system is overwhelmed. While Hispanics are disproportionately affected by COVID-19, little is known about ethnic disparities in the hospital settings. This study investigates imaging utilization and clinical outcomes between Hispanic and non-Hispanic COVID-19 patients in the Emergency Department (ED) and during hospitalization. METHODS: Through retrospective chart review, we included 331 symptomatic COVID-19 patients (mean age 53.2 years) at a metropolitan healthcare system from March to June 2020. Poisson regression was used to compare diagnostic imaging utilization and clinical outcomes between Hispanic and non-Hispanic patients. RESULTS: After adjusting for confounders, no statistically significant difference was found between Hispanic and non-Hispanic patients for the number of weekly chest X-rays. Results were categorized into four clinical outcomes: ED management (0.16 ± 0.05 vs. 0.14 ± 0.8, p:0.79); requiring inpatient management (1.31 ± 0.11 vs. 1.46 ± 0.16, p:0.43); ICU admission without invasive ventilation (1.4 ± 0.17 vs. 1.35 ± 0.26, p:0.86); and ICU admission and ventilator support (3.29 ± 0.22 vs. 3.59 ± 0.37, p:0.38). There were no statistically significant relative differences in adjusted prevalence rate between ethnic groups for all clinical outcomes (p > 0.05). There was a statistically significant longer adjusted length of stay (days) in non-Hispanics for two subcohorts: inpatient management (8.16 ± 0.31 vs. 9.72 ± 0.5, p < 0.01) and ICU admission without invasive ventilation (10.39 ± 0.57 vs. 13.45 ± 1.13, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: For Hispanic and non-Hispanic COVID-19 patients in the ED or hospitalized, there were no statistically significant differences in imaging utilization and clinical outcomes.
Cannabis as an Anticancer Agent: A Review of Clinical Data and Assessment of Case Reports.

Background: Pre-clinical studies have demonstrated the potential anticancer activity of cannabinoids, yet little clinical data exist to support this. Nearly 40% of patients with cancer using cannab...
An adaptive sensor selection framework for multisensor prognostics

Recent advances in sensor technology have made it possible to monitor the degradation of a system using multiple sensors simultaneously. Accordingly, many neural network-based prognostic models hav...
Everyday Practice of Race in America: Ambiguous Privilege

1. Representation: Class Ambiguity and Racial Subjectivity 2. The Everyday and Ordinary: Developing a Theory of Race 3. Cody's, Foucault, and Race 4. Working Together: Conditional Subjectivity 5. Walking the Streets 6. Passing and Mixing: Challenging the Racial Subject
Bleached resistance: The politics of grunge

(1995). Bleached resistance: The politics of grunge. Popular Music and Society: Vol. 19, Grunge, Youth, and Communities of Alienation, pp. 23-48.
The Cosmic-Ray Radioactive Nuclide 36Cl and Its Propagation in the Galaxy

Radioactive 36Cl has been resolved from 35Cl and 37Cl for the first time in the cosmic radiation with measurements obtained from the high-resolution High-Energy Telescope (HET) carried on the NASA-ESA Ulysses spacecraft. Within the framework of a homogeneous propagation model wherein all 36Cl is of spallation origin, the average density of the interstellar gas ρ, through which all cosmic-ray nuclei propagate, was determined. Heliospheric modulation was included in the analysis. The abundance ratio 36Cl/Cl=5.2 ± 1.8% at an average energy of 238 MeV u-1 yields ρ=0.28+ 0.12−0.10 atoms cm-3. Although 36Cl has a relatively short half-life (τ½=3.01 × 105 yr) compared with the approximately 20 Myr confinement or escape time Tesc for cosmic rays in the Galaxy derived from 10Be or 26Al analysis, it is shown that the confinement time based on 36Cl analysis is 18+ 10−6 Myr. Radioactive 10Be,26Al, and 36Cl are all produced by nuclear interactions during propagation from Galactic sources to the observer. However,10Be,26Al, and 36Cl are each predominantly products of different primary cosmic-ray nuclei.54Mn is the fourth radioactive isotope measured by the Ulysses HET. Unfortunately, its decay half-life to 54Fe is difficult to determine. Recent measurements yielded τ½=6.3 × 105 yr, leading to ρ=0.40+ 0.23−0.15 atoms cm-3 with a confinement time Tesc=11 Myr.
Extended synthetic aperture focusing technique for ultrasonic imaging of concrete

Abstract Quantitative nondestructive characterization of defects and inclusions in portland cement concrete structures are realized in this paper via extended reconstructions for linear array ultrasound systems. This is accomplished through generalization of traditional Kirchhoff-based synthetic aperture focusing technique migration to mitigate the effects of limited aperture and handle multiple scans as a single virtual array with increased effective aperture. Pearson’s correlation is utilized to account for uncertainty in relative position of individual measurement and mitigate the need for robotic precision when placing adjacent scans. The robustness of the method is demonstrated on artificially generated data as well as in-situ measurements for assessment of internal portland cement concrete characteristics such as inclusions and cracks.
A consolidated concept of joint lubrication.

Animal joints contain two systems which require lubrication: a soft-tissue system, involving the sliding of synovial membrane on itself or on other tissues, and a cartilage-on-cartilage system. The resistance to motion caused by soft-tissue stretching and friction is far greater than that due to cartilage rubbing on cartilage; in fact, soft-tissue resistance may be primarily responsible for clinical joint stiffness. Lubrication of the softtissue system depends on molecules of hyaluronate in the synovial fluid which stick to the synovium in a layer and keep moving surfaces apart. Cartilage-on-cartilage lubrication, by contrast, is independent of hyaluronic acid. A hyaluronate-free glycoprotein fraction which has been isolated from synovial fluid confers on a buffer solution a lubricating advantage equal to that of whole synovial fluid. Removal of this fraction from synovial fluid deprives the fluid of any lubricating advantage over buffer. The action of this glycoprotein on cartilage is a boundary phenomenon similar to that of hyaluronate on synovium. In addition to this boundary effect, cartilage surfaces are kept apart by a fluid squeeze film made up of joint fluid and interstitial fluid which weeps from the articular cartilage itself. The squeeze-film effect is probably potentiated by the undulations of the surface and the elasticity of the cartilage, which may lower frictional resistance by elastohydrodynamic effects.
Effect of intravenous lipid on human pancreatic secretion.

Parenteral alimentation, including intravenous fat, is sometimes used in the treatment of patients with pancreatitis, although the effect of intravenous fat on human pancreatic secretion has not been systematically studied. Intravenous fat, however, has been shown to stimulate pancreatic protein secretion in the dog. The purpose of these studies was to clarify the effect of intravenous fat on human pancreatic secretion. Pancreatic secretion was assessed by measurement of enzymes and bicarbonate in duodenal aspirate collected via a double-lumen tube from 6 healthy volunteers. Four studies were randomly conducted on different days. On day 1, graded concentrations of Intralipid (5%, 10%, and 20%) were given intravenously for 1 h each, while secretin (8.2 pmol ± kg−1 ± h−1) was given as a background. On day 2, the same doses of Intralipid were infused intravenously without secretin. On day 3, the same doses of Intralipid were perfused into the intestine, and, finally, on day 4, 20% Intralipid was given by intestinal infusion for 2 h while 10% Intralipid was infused intravenously during the second hour. Significant stimulation of enzyme secretion was observed only during the infusion of fat into the intestine, not after intravenous infusion at any concentration. Pancreatic enzyme secretion, stimulated by intraintestinal fat, was not significantly modified by simultaneous intravenous lipid infusion. We conclude that since intravenous fat does not stimulate pancreatic secretion, its use in conditions where pancreatic stimulation is undesirable appears safe.
Correlation of Type 11 Turbulent Shock Interaction Heating Data on a Hemisphere

Nomenclature b = shear layer thickness h = convective coefficient M = Mach number Mc convective Mach number, [Af4Vs(l-r)]/(l+VSF) m surface distance from centerline peak heating point along shear layer attachment line P = pressure R = radius r = velocity ratio, u2/u4 5 = scaling parameter, 2b s = density ratio, P2/P* T = temperature u = velocity x = surface distance from peak heating point along centerline y = shear layer mixing length ot = angle from freestream stagnation point of hemisphere 6 = impinging shock wedge angle 6si = shear layer impingement angle p = density <JQ = mixing parameter, o0 11
Essential prime divisors and projectively equivalent ideals

Let Z be an ideal in a Noetherian ring R. We concern ourselves with the essential prime divisors of Z, an interesting subset of Ass R/P, for all large n. We first take Z = bR with b a regular element of R. We show that there is a ring T, with R c TE R,, such that T is a finite R-module and the essential primes of bT are exactly the prime divisors of bT. We next consider an arbitrary ideal Z, and apply our principal arguments to the element u in the Kees ring of Z. We thereby deduce that there is an idcal J projectively equivalent to Z, such that the set of essential primes of Z equals the set U Ass R/J”, over II = 1, 2, 3 ,.... Notation. Let Z be an ideal in a Noetherian ring R. We will use W (or
The synthesis of a pyrido[3,4-d]pyrimidine analog of pteroic acid†

A multistep synthesis of ethyl 5-amino-2-methyIpyridine-4-carboxylate (5a) starting from ethyl acetopyruvate and nitroacetamide is described. The condensation of 5a with benzoylcyanamide gave 2-amino-3-benzoyl-6-methylpyrido[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4(3H) one (10), which could be hydrolyzed in alkali to give 2-amino-4-hydroxy-6-methylpyrido[3,4-d]pyrimidine (9). Free radical bromination of 10 in bromotrichloromethane gave a mixture of the bromo- and chloromethyl- derivatives (11). Fusion of 11 with ethyl p-aminobenzoate, followed by alkaline hydrolysis gave the corresponding pteroic acid analog (12).
Systemic lupus erythematosus and increased risk to develop B cell malignancies: Role of the p200-family proteins

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an autoimmune disease, develops at a female-to-male ratio of 10:1. Increased serum levels of type I interferons (IFN-alpha/beta) and induction of "IFN-signature" genes are associated with an active SLE disease in patients. Moreover, SLE patients exhibit three- to four-fold increase in the risk of developing malignancies involving B cells, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). Interestingly, homozygous mice expressing a deletion mutant (the proline-rich domain deleted) of the p53 develop various types of spontaneous tumors, particularly of B cell origin upon aging. The deletion is associated with defects in transcriptional activation of genes by p53 and inhibition of DNA damage-induced apoptosis. Notably, increased levels of the p202 protein, which is encoded by the p53-repressible interferon-inducible Ifi202 gene, in B cells of female mice are associated with defects in B cell apoptosis, inhibition of the p53-mediated transcription of pro-apoptotic genes, and increased lupus susceptibility. In this review we discuss how increased levels of the p202 protein (and its human functional homologue IFI16 protein) in B cells increase lupus susceptibility and are likely to increase the risk of developing certain B cell malignancies. A complete understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate B cell homeostasis is necessary to identify SLE patients with an increased risk to develop B cell malignancies.
Ramp response signatures for dielectric targets

The scattered field from a ramp driving function traces out the transverse cross sectional area profile of a metallic target as a function of time or depth of the target. This concept has been used in the past to generate 'low frequency' images of simple conducting shapes. This concept is currently being examined for dielectric scatterers such as land mines. It has been applied to theoretically computed scattered fields of dielectric spheres and to experimentally measured scattered fields from dielectric targets in free space. There are some advantages to applying this technique to identify land mines. First, the ramp response yields information about target size, orientation and geometrical shape. Second, the early time component of the scattered fields used in this imaging concept is relatively strong as contrasted to the late time response used for resonant target identification. Third, it is a low frequency concept since the ramp response frequency spectrum is proportional to the impulse response spectrum weighted by the inverse of the frequency squared. This is significant since the attenuation in most earth at a given depth increases as frequency increases for the frequency bandwidth used to detect land mines. However, for dielectric targets, the critical angle and internal scattering mechanisms can change the ramp response from their transverse cross sectional areas versus distance. Physical Optics solutions for the ramp response of dielectric spheres have been obtained and have been compared with their corresponding eigen function solutions. For a dielectric target, a way to improve the ramp response in the presence of the internal specular scattering mechanisms has been discussed. Also the ramp response signatures of some dielectric targets including a land mine kept in free space have been extracted from measured data for broadside and endfire excitations.
Ultraviolet-B irradiation of leukapheresis. Products: dose-response relationship with the mixed lymphocyte reaction.

Ultraviolet-B (UVB) irradiation of blood constituents intensifies their anti-rejection effect in pretransplant donor-specific transfusions. UVB-induced inhibition of the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) between UVB-irradiated donor cells and prospective recipient cells is a predicator of this anti-rejection effect. In order to define the dose-response relationship between the incident UVB irradiation on leukocyte concentrates and subsequent inhibition of their MLR responses, we collected 4 ± 2 X 10 9 leukocytes (93 ± 7% lymphocytes) in 200 ml plasma from each of three volunteers by leukapheresis and exposed them to rapid, serial doses of UVB irradiation which was delivered by a blood product irradiator (4R4440 UVB Irradiator, Baxter. Inc) with aliquots removed between doses. Lymphocytes from each aliquot were placed in MLR with panel donors and studied in three groups: 1) the panel donor cells were γ-irradiated (1,500 rads) (i.e., only the UVB-irradiated cells could proliferate), 2) the UVB-irradiated cells were γ-irradiated (i.e., only the panel lymphocytes could proliferate), and 3) no γ-irradiation (i.e., both cell populations could proliferate). Each group had a similar UVB dose-related diminution in the MLR (p =.79, ANOVA). A single dose of 6 J/cm 2 extinguished the MLR to baseline in all groups. This dose should theoretically prevent transfused cells from producing either graft-versus-host disease or allosensitization, and might heighten their tolerogenic effect. This dose will be employed in our study of donor-specific leukocyte transfusion in clinical renal transplantation.
De novo intraepidermal epithelioid melanocytic dysplasia: an emerging entity

De novo intraepidermal epithelioid melanocytic dysplasia represents a distinctive form of intraepidermal melanocytic dysplasia. Although these lesions are atypical, they are not diagnostic of melanoma. They are considered a part of the atypical mole phenotype and may define a point in the natural course of melanomagenesis.
Neonatal Neurobehavioral Organization After Exposure to Maternal Epidural Analgesia in Labor

ABSTRACT Objective To explore relationships between maternal epidural analgesia and two measures of neurobehavioral organization in infants at the initial feeding 1 hour after birth. Design Prospective comparative design. Setting Inner-city community hospital, Chicago, Illinois. Participants Convenience sample of 52 low-risk, mainly Black and Latino, mother/infant dyads. Methods Mothers self-selected to labor with epidural or no labor pain medication. Neonatal neurobehavioral organization was measured in term infants at the initial feeding 1 hour after birth. A nutritive sucking apparatus generated data on total number of sucks and sucking pressure. Video recordings of infants (before and after the initial feeding) were coded for behavioral states, with analysis on frequency of alertness. Results Total number of sucks and sucking pressure were not related to epidural exposure, although an epidural drug dosage effect on total number of sucks was evident when gender was a factor. Unmedicated girls demonstrated more sucks than girls in the high-dosage epidural group ( p =.027). Overall, girls exhibited stronger sucking pressure than boys ( p =.042). Frequency of alertness was not related to epidural exposure, although longer labor was related to greater alertness ( p =.003), and Latino infants were more alert than Black infants ( p =.002). Conclusions Results suggest attenuated neonatal nutritive sucking organization in girls after exposure to high maternal epidural dosages. In comparison to boys, girls may have enhanced neurobehavioral organization at birth. Race/ethnicity and alertness may have spurious associations in which hidden factors drive the relationship.