cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Asthma Predicts Cardiovascular Disease Events The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Objectives— To identify and characterize an association between persistent asthma and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Approach and Results— MESA is a longitudinal prospective study of an ethnically diverse cohort of individuals free of known CVD at its inception. The presence and severity of asthma were assessed in the MESA at examination 1. Persistent asthma was defined as asthmatics using controller medications (inhaled corticosteroids, leukotriene inhibitors, and oral corticosteroids) and intermittent asthma as asthmatics not using controller medications. Participants were followed up for a mean (SD) of 9.1 (2.8) years for development of incident CVD (coronary death, myocardial infarction, angina, stroke, and CVD death). Multivariable Cox regression models were used to assess associations of asthma and CVD. The 6792 participants were 62.2 (SD, 10.2) years old: 47% men (28% black, 22% Hispanic, and 12% Chinese). Persistent asthmatics (n=156), compared with intermittent (n=511) and nonasthmatics (n=6125), respectively, had higher C-reactive protein (1.2 [1.2] versus 0.9 [1.2] versus 0.6 [1.2] mg/L) and fibrinogen (379 [88] versus 356 [80] versus 345 [73] mg/dL) levels. Persistent asthmatics had the lowest unadjusted CVD-free survival rate of 84.1%, 95% confidence interval (78.9%–90.3%) compared with intermittent asthmatics 91.1% (88.5%–93.8%) and nonasthmatics 90.2% (89.4%–91%). Persistent asthmatics had greater risk of CVD events than nonasthmatics (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval], 1.6 [1.01–2.5]; P =0.040]), even after adjustment for age, sex, race, CVD risk factors, and antihypertensive and lipid medication use. Conclusions— In this large multiethnic cohort, persistent asthmatics had a higher CVD event rate than nonasthmatics.
Vanadyl(IV) EPR Spin Probes Inorganic and Biochemical Aspects

Many proteins have metal ions as an integral part of their structure or require them as cofactors in enzyme catalysis. In many cases, these metal ions serve as useful spectrochemical probes of molecular structure, electron transfer, and enzyme kinetics (Vallee and Williams, 1968; Vallee and Wacker, 1970; Ochiai, 1977; Hughes, 1972; Eichhorn and Marzilli, 1979). Often the native metal (frequently zinc) can be removed and another metal ion substituted which has different and sometimes more desirable spectroscopic properties. By judicious choice of substitute metal ion to match particular technique, e.g., nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Mossbauer, optical absorption, or electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, much can be learned about the metal binding site and its role in the function of the protein.
Robust linear state estimation for large multi-area power grids

This paper focuses on state estimation in very large systems with several control areas where there are sufficient phasor measurement unit (PMU) measurements to allow implementation of a linear state estimator. The paper exploits the natural partitioning of the grid by control areas and develops an estimation framework based on the well-known Dantzig-Wolfe decomposition principle for linear programming problems. The objective of this approach is to fully utilize PMU measurements, achieve robustness against bad data irrespective of their locations and develop a solution algorithm whose computational performance will remain insensitive to the number of control areas in a large multi-area power grid. Problem formulation, derivation of the solution algorithm and sample results illustrating its performance are presented.
Effects of N-acetyl-seryl-asparyl-lysyl-proline on blood pressure, renal damage, and mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with a high prevalence of hypertension. NZBWF1 (SLE-Hyp) mice develop hypertension that can be prevented by modulating T cells. The peptide N-acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (Ac-SDKP) decreases renal damage and improves renal function in a model of SLE without hypertension (MRL/lpr). However, it is not known whether Ac-SDKP prevents hypertension in NZBWF1 mice. We hypothesized that in SLE-Hyp, Ac-SDKP prevents hypertension and renal damage by modulating T cells. Animals were divided into four groups: (1) control + vehicle, (2) control + Ac-SDKP, (3) SLE + vehicle, and (4) SLE + Ac-SDKP. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), albuminuria, renal fibrosis, and T-cell phenotype were analyzed. SBP was higher in SLE compared to control mice and was not decreased by Ac-SDKP treatment. Half of SLE mice developed an acute and severe form of hypertension accompanied by albuminuria followed by death. Ac-SDKP delayed development of severe hypertension, albuminuria, and early mortality, but this delay did not reach statistical significance. Ac-SDKP prevented glomerulosclerosis, but not interstitial fibrosis in SLE-Hyp mice. SLE-Hyp mice showed a decrease in helper and cytotoxic T cells as well as an increase in double negative lymphocytes and T helper 17 cells, but these cells were unaffected by Ac-SDKP. In conclusion, Ac-SDKP prevents kidney damage, without affecting blood pressure in an SLE animal model. However, during the acute relapse of SLE, Ac-SDKP might also delay the manifestation of an acute and severe form of hypertension leading to early mortality. Ac-SDKP is a potential tool to treat renal damage in SLE-Hyp mice.
Quantitative photoacoustic elastography of Young’s modulus in humans

Elastography can noninvasively map the elasticity distribution of biological tissue, which is often altered in pathological states. In this work, we report quantitative photoacoustic elastography (QPAE), capable of measuring Young’s modulus of human tissue in vivo. By combining photoacoustic elastography with a stress sensor having known stress-strain behavior, QPAE can simultaneously measure strain and stress, from which Young’s modulus is calculated. We first applied QPAE to quantify the Young’s modulus of tissue-mimicking agar phantoms with different concentrations. The measured values fitted well with both the empirical expectations based on the agar concentrations and those measured in independent standard compression tests. We then demonstrated the feasibility of QPAE by measuring the Young’s modulus of human skeletal muscle in vivo. The data showed a linear relationship between muscle stiffness and loading. The results proved that QPAE can noninvasively quantify the absolute elasticity of biological tissue, thus enabling longitudinal imaging of tissue elasticity. QPAE can be exploited for both preclinical biomechanics studies and clinical applications.
Outcomes of Modular Dual Mobility Acetabular Components in Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background There is a high rate of dislocation after revision total hip arthroplasty. This study evaluated the outcomes of 1 modular dual mobility component in revision total hip arthroplasty in patients at high risk of dislocation. Methods We reviewed 64 revisions performed in 27 (42%) patients for recurrent dislocation, 16 (25%) for adverse local tissue reaction, 11 (17%) for reimplantation infection, and 10 (16%) for aseptic loosening, malposition, or fracture. Complications, reoperations, and survivorship were evaluated. Results Three-year survival was 98% with failure defined as aseptic loosening and 91% with failure as cup removal for any reason. With mean follow-up time of 38 months, there were 14 complications, including 2 dislocations treated with closed reduction, 9 infections, and 12 reoperations. All complications occurred in patients revised for instability, adverse local tissue reaction, or infection. Conclusion The early results of this component are promising, with good overall survival and low rate of dislocation.
Rechargeable Zinc Alkaline Anodes for Long-Cycle Energy Storage

Zinc alkaline anodes command significant share of consumer battery markets and are a key technology for the emerging grid-scale battery market. Improved understanding of this electrode is required for long-cycle deployments at kWh and MWh scale due to strict requirements on performance, cost, and safety. Here we give a modern literature survey of zinc alkaline anodes with levelized performance metrics and also present an experimental assessment of leading formulations. Long-cycle materials characterization, performance metrics, and failure analysis are reported for over 25 unique anode formulations with up to 1500 cycles and ∼1.5 years of shelf life per test. Statistical repeatability of these measurements is made for a baseline design (fewest additives) via 15 duplicates. Baseline design capacity density is 38 mAh per mL of anode volume, and lifetime throughput is 72 Ah per mL of anode volume. We then report identical measurements for anodes with improved material properties via additives and other pertu...
The Application of Automatic Control for Energy Saving in Heating Furnaces

Abstract The fuel consumption in heating furnaces can be reduced, in some cases substantially, by the optimization of process control. A system for the control of energy utilization must become the part of a conventional furnace equipment. Reasonable physical assumptions about the process of heating enables us to construct simple control algorithms. These algorithms make it practical the extensive use ot microprocessors tor optimal control of energy utilization in furnaces. The development of such algorithms is studied in this paper. The optimization of heating of a lumped batch is discussed. The technological requirements and maximum permissible temperature of the refractory lining furnish the process constraints. The problem is solved by the use of maximum principle. The optimal firing rate and variation of the furnace temperature are determined by the problem solution. The optimal control algorithms for the batch furnace are given. The thermodynamic minimum of the energy consumption for given conditions is obtained and employed as the criterion for the estimation of efficiency of a control system. Simplified algorithms are constructed for the control of furnaces when heat losses are comparatively high and comparatively small. The optimal control of heating of massive bodies is discussed. The conditions of the process linearization are considered. The minimization of fuel consumption is posed as the problem of linear programming. Dynamic programming provides the most general technique for the optimization of the heating process. The paper depicts the procedure of the use of dynamic programing for the minimization of fuel consumption in furnaces. The application of linear and dynamic programming for optimal control of continuous furnaces is discussed. The information necessary for the optimal control of fuel utilization is determined.
A stable adaptive attitude estimator on SO(3) for true-North seeking gyrocompass systems: Theory and preliminary simulation evaluation

This paper reports a novel stable adaptive attitude estimator and preliminary simulation results of a true-North gyrocompass system employing the attitude adaptive identifier and a commercially available low-cost inertial measurement unit (IMU) comprising a 3-axis fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) with a 3-axis micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) accelerometer. Optical North-seeking gyrocompass systems typically employ a microprocessor system to sample the low-level raw sensor values for angular-rate and linear-acceleration at a high sampling rate and estimate true-North heading, pitch, and roll. This paper reports the first adaptive attitude estimator on SO (3) which utilizes 3-axis angular-rate sensor data and 3-axis linear acceleration sensor data to estimate the instrument's 3-degrees of freedom (DOF) attitude (roll, pitch, and heading) without using magnetometry of the Earth's magnetic field. A stability proof and preliminary numerical simulation results are reported. The simulation results for a rotating IMU configuration are promising, and further experimental evaluation and extension of the algorithm for the case of a translating IMU configuration typically found on moving robotic vehicles are needed.
A data remanence based approach to generate 100% stable keys from an SRAM physical unclonable function

The start-up value of an SRAM cell is unique, random, and unclonable as it is determined by the inherent process mismatch between transistors. These properties make SRAM an attractive circuit for generating encryption keys. The primary challenge for SRAM based key generation, however, is the poor stability when the circuit is subject to random noise, temperature and voltage changes, and device aging. Temporal majority voting (TMV) and bit masking were used in previous works to identify and store the location of unstable or marginally stable SRAM cells. However, TMV requires a long test time and significant hardware resources. In addition, the number of repetitive power-ups required to find the most stable cells is prohibitively high. To overcome the shortcomings of TMV, we propose a novel data remanence based technique to detect SRAM cells with the highest stability for reliable key generation. This approach requires only two remanence tests: writing ‘1’ (or ‘0’) to the entire array and momentarily shutting down the power until a few cells flip. We exploit the fact that the cells that are easily flipped are the most robust cells when written with the opposite data. The proposed method is more effective in finding the most stable cells in a large SRAM array than a TMV scheme with 1,000 power-up tests. Experimental studies show that the 256-bit key generated from a 512 kbit SRAM using the proposed data remanence method is 100% stable under different temperatures, power ramp up times, and device aging.
Nuclear Forensics Methodology for Reactor-Type Attribution of Chemically Separated Plutonium

AbstractA nuclear forensics methodology has been developed that is capable of source attribution of separated weapons-grade plutonium in case of an interdiction. The methodology utilizes plutonium and contaminant fission product isotopes within the separated plutonium sample to determine the characteristics (reactor parameters) of the interdicted material. The reactor parameters of interest include source reactor type, fuel irradiation burnup, and time since irradiation. The MCNPX-2.7 radiation transport code was used to model reactor cores and perform neutronics simulations to estimate the resulting isotopes of irradiated UO2 fuel. The simulation results were used to create a reactor-dependent library of irradiated fuel isotope ratio values as a function of fuel burnup and time since irradiation. Ratios of intra-element isotopes (fission product or actinide) are used as characteristics to determine a combination of reactor parameters of interest that could have produced the interdicted sample. The isotop...
A Data-Driven Mobile Application for Efficient, Engaging, and Accurate Screening of ASD in Toddlers

Early detection of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) followed by targeted intervention has been shown to yield meaningful improvements in outcomes for individuals with ASD. However, despite the potential to curtail developmental delays, constrained clinical resources and barriers to access for some populations prevent many families from obtaining these services. In response, we have developed a tablet-based ASD screening tool called Autoscreen that uses machine learning methods and a data-driven design with the ultimate goal of efficiently triaging toddlers with ASD concerns based on an engaging and non-technical administration procedure. The current paper describes the design of Autoscreen as well as a pilot evaluation to assess the feasibility of the novel approach. Preliminary results suggest the potential for robust risk classification (i.e., F1 score = 0.94), adequate levels of usability based on the System Usability Scale (M = 87.19, 100 point scale), and adequate levels of acceptability based on a novel instrument called ALFA-Q (M = 85.94, 100 point scale). These results, combined with participant feedback, will be used to improve Autoscreen prior to evaluation with the target population of toddlers with concerns for ASD.
Die Feinstruktur des Kerns während der Spermiogenese

Die unendliche Vielfalt in Form und Funktion, die wir in der gesamten lebenden Welt antreffen, scheint eine Grundeigenschaft des Lebens zu sein. In dieser Fulle herrscht jedoch Ordnung, und das Interessanteste vielleicht ist nicht die Mannigfaltigkeit, sondern die Konstanz und Gleichformigkeit, mit der sich die Organismen durch unzahlige Generationen fortpflanzen. Wir wissen heute, das diese Konstanz der lebenden Wesen sich auf eine Art Code (Programm) grundet, der in den Chromosomen jeder Zelle enthalten ist und der alle Informationen besitzt, um einen bestimmten Organismus hervorzubringen; sei es ein so einfacher wie die Amobe oder ein so komplexer wie der Mensch. Wann immer eine Zelle sich teilt, wird dieser Code exakt vervielfaltigt und auf die Tochterzellen ubertragen. Nur selten wird er verandert, und dann kann es Krankheit oder Tod fur die Nachkommenschaft bedeuten oder aber auch eine Befreiung von der Gleichformigkeit, die zu entwicklungsgeschichtlichen Anderungen fuhren kann. Was ist dieser Code, und wie wird er mit solch erstaunlicher Regelmasigkeit dupliziert ? Konnten wir das verstehen, so wurden wir einen besseren Einblick in das Wesen des Lebens gewinnen. Die Chromosomentheorie der Vererbung hat die Grundlagen geliefert. Sie stellte die Lokalisierung des Codes in der Zelle fest und die Gesetze, nach denen er in den Chromosomen weitergegeben wird. Der Code enthalt viele Tausend Informationen, und diese sind nach einem bestimmten Plan auf dem Chromosomenfaden angeordnet.
Roles of AP Endonucleases in Repair and Genetic Stability

Abasic sites arise in DNA by many routes, including the excision of modified bases and direct attack by free radicals. The key enzymes in repair of these sites are AP endonucleases, which can incise abasic residues or remove abasic deoxyribose fragments from oxidative strand breaks. We have examined the role of AP endonucleases in repair of oxidative damage caused by exogenous agents, and in limiting the spontaneous mutation rate that arises from endogenously produced AP sites. The AP endonuclease proteins comprise two structural families with overlapping but distinct substrate specificity. Endonuclease IV of E. coli has a critical role in repairing oxidative lesions produced by nitric oxide or bleomycin; for the latter, the enzyme is required for repair of 4’-oxidized abasic residues. The yeast Apnl protein, an endonuclease IV homolog, is key for maintaining normal genetic stability in that organism. The main AP endonuclease of human cells, Apel protein, is a homolog of E. coli exonuclease III. Apel is a robust enzyme for cleaving abasic sites, and it can replace Apnl to control mutagenesis in yeast. We have studied Apel protein in its interaction with DNA and cleavage of abasic sites. These studies show how the enzyme engages its substrate, and point to specific interactions that coordinate steps of the base excision repair pathway. We have shown that Apel protein acts effectively in the incision of oxidized abasic residues produced by bleomycin. Apel protein also stimulates human DNA polymerase β in the excision of 5′-terminal abasic residues produced by Apel cleavage in vitro.
Crystal Chemistry of Piezoelectric Materials

where σ jk is the applied stress, Pi is the induced polarization, and di jk is the piezoelectric charge coefficient. Einstein notation is used, where repeated indices are summed. Because piezoelectricity is a third-rank tensor property, a good starting point to understanding the crystal chemistry of piezoelectric materials is to consider the impact of symmetry on such a property. Neumann’s law states that the geometrical representation of any physical property contains the symmetry of the point group of the material. As shown in Fig. 3.1, of the 32 crystallographic point groups, only 21 are noncentrosymmetric. Odd-rank tensor properties are symmetry forbidden in centrosymmetric structures, making piezoelectricity a null property for such materials. In the same way, in point group 432, the combination of symmetry elements eliminates piezoelectricity. The remaining 20 point groups are potentially piezoelectric. Of these 20 point groups, ten are polar, that is, they have a vector direction in the material that is not symmetry-related to other directions. Such materials can have a spontaneous polarization, which is typically a function of temperature. Thus, these materials are pyroelectric. Ferroelectric materials are a subset of pyroelectric materials in which the spontaneous polarization can be reoriented between crystallographically-defined directions by a realizable electric field. Thus, all ferroelectric materials are both piezoelectric and pyroelectric. While symmetry considerations can describe whether a material is potentially piezoelectric, they provide no information on the magnitude of the piezoelectric
The Use of Stress to Enrich the Simulated Environment

Simulation is an inherently stressful educational modality. However, this may not be a negative attribute of simulation-based education. Stress and memory are closely tied to one another with stress in many cases enhancing the memory and, therefore, improving learning. Cortisol is an important mediator in this process, peaking roughly 30 min after an initial stressor and priming the brain for learning that uses amygdalar pathways and is therefore relatively prone to extinction. Given this neurobiological basis of stress and its effects on learning, the stress experienced during simulation or deliberately added to a simulation scenario may improve subsequent learning. This seems especially likely considering the rise in cortisol generally coincides to the time frame for debriefing. Stress inoculation is also another benefit of stress in the simulated environment wherein participants experience stress during a simulated clinical scenario that closely mimics the actual scenario. In theory, they then become inoculated to this stress and are more able to cope with it if and when they experience similar stress in the clinical setting.
Aluminum enhances photochemical charge separation in strontium titanate nanocrystal photocatalysts for overall water splitting

Strontium titanate (SrTiO3) is a well-known photocatalyst for overall water splitting (OWS) under ultra-violet irradiation. Recently, it was shown that Al-doped SrTiO3 microparticles prepared by flux-mediated solid-state reaction catalyze OWS with an apparent quantum efficiency of 30% at 360 nm, the highest value reported so far for strontium titanate. However, the roles of Al3+ and of the particle morphology in controlling the activity are not clear. Here we report a new synthetic route to well defined nanocrystals of Al:SrTiO3 with controllable Al-concentration (3–8 atom%) using TiO2, Sr(OH)2 and Al(NO3)3 as starting materials. X-Ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy confirm the presence of perovskite-type cubic nanoparticles with size of 60 nm. After loading with a Rh2−yCryO3 cocatalyst, nano-Al:SrTiO3 catalyzes OWS under UV/vis illumination from a Xe lamp. The activity shows a volcano-like dependence on Al concentration, confirming that Al3+ content is a key factor for the activity. Nanocrystals doped with 7.2 atom% Al show the activity of 53 μmol H2 per hour under 240 mW cm−2 UV illumination and an AQE of 0.06% at 375 nm. Based on surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPS), aluminum enhances photochemical charge separation in the Al:SrTiO3 nanocrystals and reduces electron and hole trapping. However, under UV/vis illumination, the Al:SrTiO3 nanocrystals are found to be 40 times less active than Al:SrTiO3 microparticles made by flux reaction in SrCl2. The lower activity of the nanoparticles is due to optical shielding from the Rh2−yCryO3 co-catalyst.
Digesting New Developments in Biosensors

Biosensing Internal Bleeding A recent proof-of-concept study of a tripartite biosensor, based on a porcine model, shows that gastrointestinal bleeding can be detected in real time.
Justice in the Laws, a Restatement: Why Plato Endorses Public Reason

In the Laws, Plato argues that the legislator should attempt to persuade people to obey the laws voluntarily. This persuasion is accomplished through use of legislative preludes. In this essay, I argue that Plato's use of persuasive preludes shows that he endorses the core features of a public reason theory of political justification.
Post Kidney Transplant: Bone Mineral Disease

Bone disease is a major cause of morbidity after kidney transplantation. Post-transplant bone disease results from a combination of renal osteodystrophy related to preexisting chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) and the development or progression of osteoporosis. Early studies after kidney transplant revealed a rapid decrease in bone mineral density (BMD) of 4–10% in the first 6 months after transplant. The incidence of fractures in kidney transplant recipients is four times higher than that of the general population. Measurements of BMD and fracture risk assessment with the online Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) are useful tools in identifying and monitoring bone disease. A bone biopsy is the gold standard for the diagnosis of bone disease, however, they are rarely performed. Lifestyle modifications such as weight-bearing exercises, smoking cessation, increased sun exposure, and optimization of diet, along with reducing glucocorticoid exposure can help to minimize bone loss. Pharmacologic agents include calcium, vitamin D, calcimimetics, antiresorptive agents, and hormone therapy. Supplementation with calcium and vitamin D should be part of standard management to prevent bone loss after a kidney transplant, however are generally not sufficient in patients taking high-dose glucocorticoids and additional pharmacologic therapy is often required.
ASPECTS OF RELIABILITY UNDER CONDITIONS OF ELEVATED TEMPERATURE CREEP AND FATIGUE

Abstract : Guidelines for developing techniques for the prediction of fatigue and creep failure of supersonic aircraft structures. The solution of the problem of attaining adequate safety and reliability in supersonic aircraft structures operating under conditions under which the damaging effects of cycle sensitivity (fatigue) and time-sensitivity (creep) of the structural material combine in gradually reducing the resistance of the structure requires the de development of simplified procedures for the evaluation of the combined damage accumulation, which embody both the physical and probabilistic as aspects of design. The present report attempts to develop the basis for an approach to the solution of this problem, for which no adequate experimental mental information exists at present. One of its purposes is to provide the guidelines for the planning of tests and experiments, the results of which would be relevant for structural design.
A longitudinal analysis of tobacco use in younger and older U.S. veterans.

Abstract United States (U.S.) veterans are prone to higher rates of smoking and smoking-related disease. We describe the prevalence of cigarette and non-cigarette product use and determine longitudinal predictors of tobacco use transitions in this vulnerable population. Data are from Waves 1 (2013–2014) and 2 (2014–2015) of the adult cohort in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health. Wave 1 prevalence was calculated for past 30-day use of all queried tobacco products, and compared by veteran status. Weighted multinomial logistic regression was used to determine predictors—demographics, substance use, and physical and psychological comorbidities—of tobacco use transitions (continued use, initiation, and cessation) among veterans. Compared to non-veterans, use of nearly all tobacco products was significantly higher among veterans and was highest among younger veterans. Compared to continued nonusers, continued users were more likely to: be of younger age (OR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.95–0.96), have poorer physical health (OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.22–2.06) and mental health (OR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.18–1.85), report substance use (OR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.21–2.64), and report problematic alcohol use (OR = 4.23, 95% CI: 2.38–7.52) and were less likely to be female (OR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.35–0.93). Compared to continued nonusers, initiators were more likely to report problematic alcohol use (OR = 8.63, 95% CI: 3.79–19.63), and those in the cessation category were more likely to be of younger age (OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.95–0.99). Cigarette and non-cigarette use is especially prevalent among young veterans, so prevention should begin during military service. Tobacco cessation programs should be tailored for this population, incorporating aspects related to concomitant health conditions.
Enhancement of a Process Flowsheet for Recovering and Concentrating Critical Materials from Bituminous Coal Sources

Recovery of rare earth elements (REE) from coal-related resources has recently received significant interest due to supply concerns and their key roles in critical industries and defense-related technologies. An integrated flowsheet consisting of sorting, crushing/grinding, physical separation, acid leaching, solvent extraction, and selective precipitation was designed to achieve continuous production of rare earth products from various coal-related resources such as coarse refuse and acid mine drainage. A pilot plant was constructed that enabled continuous testing of the circuitry on a range of different coal-based feedstocks. Despite achieving significant success in producing high-grade rare earth oxide products, low REE recovery values and high operational costs necessitated a re-evaluation of the process flowsheet. This article describes the circuitry improvements that were based on both laboratory and pilot plant test results. Roasting as a pre-leach treatment was found to significantly improve the leaching rate and overall REE recovery values. After roasting West Kentucky No. 13 and Fire Clay coal refuse materials at 600 °C, REE recovery increased by 60 and 40 absolute percentage points, respectively. Rare earth concentration in the pregnant leachate solution (PLS) was increased to around 700 ppm prior to solvent extraction using a staged precipitation method. REEs in the precipitate were re-dissolved, purified, and extracted from the PLS using solvent extraction and selective precipitation to values of around 80%. As a result of the improvements, chemical consumption in the acid leaching and solvent extraction processes was significantly reduced. A techno-economical assessment of the improved flowsheet indicated significant commercialization potential.
Longitudinal Associations of 12th-Grade Binge Drinking With Risky Driving and High-Risk Drinking

OBJECTIVE: To study the longitudinal associations of 12th-grade binge drinking with driving while impaired (DWI), riding with an impaired driver (RWI), blackouts, extreme binge drinking, and risky driving (self-reported Checkpoints Risky Driving Scale) among emerging adults up to 4 years after leaving high school. METHODS: The data were all 7 waves (W 1 to W 7 of the NEXT Generation Health Study; a US nationally representative study (N = 2785) with a probability cohort of 10th-graders (mean age = 16.2 years; SE = 0.03) starting in the 2009–2010 year. Binary and ordinal logistic regressions were used for the analysis. RESULTS: Binge drinking prevalence in W1 to W3 was 27.2%, 23.8%, and 26.8%, respectively. Twelfth-grade binge drinking was associated with a higher likelihood of DWI, RWI, blackouts, and risky driving in W4 to W7 and extreme binge drinking in W7. Adolescents who binged ≥3 times in high school were more likely to DWI, RWI, blackout (W4 to W7), be involved in extreme binge drinking (W7), and report riskier driving several years after high school. In some waves, parental practices appeared to have enduring effects in protecting against DWI, RWI, and blackouts. CONCLUSIONS: Twelfth-grade binge drinking is a robust predictor of early adulthood DWI, RWI, blackout, extreme binge drinking, and risky driving. Our study suggests that ongoing parental practices could be protective against DWI, RWI, and blackouts once adolescents transition from high school into early adulthood. Prevention programs that incorporate binge drinking–focused screening and bolster parental practices may reduce the likelihood of later major alcohol-related health-risk behaviors and consequences in emerging adults.
Does decreased visual attention to faces underlie difficulties interpreting eye gaze cues in autism

Shifts in eye gaze communicate social information that allows people to respond to another’s behavior, interpret motivations driving behavior, and anticipate subsequent behavior. Understanding the social communicative nature of gaze shifts requires the ability to link eye movements and mental state information about objects in the world. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by atypical sensitivity to eye gaze cues, which impacts social communication and relationships. We evaluated whether reduced visual attention to faces explains this difficulty in ASD. We employed eye-tracking technology to measure visual attention to faces and gazed-at objects in a 4-alternative forced choice paradigm in adolescents with ASD and typically developing (TD) adolescents. Participants determined the target object that an actor was looking at in ecologically rich scenes. We controlled for group differences in task engagement and data quality. In the Gaze Following task, adolescents with ASD were relatively impaired (Cohen’s d = 0.63) in the ability to identify the target object. In contrast to predictions, both groups exhibited comparable fixation durations to faces and target objects. Among both groups, individuals who looked longer at the target objects, but not faces, performed better in the task. Finally, among the ASD group, parent SSIS-Social Skills ratings were positively associated with performance on the Gaze Following task. In the Gaze Perception task, there was a similar pattern of results, which provides internal replication of the findings that visual attention to faces is not related to difficulty interpreting eye gaze cues. Together, these findings indicate that adolescents with ASD are capable of following gaze, but have difficulty linking gaze shifts with mental state information. Additional work is necessary to determine whether these findings generalize to individuals across the full autism spectrum. New paradigms that manipulate component processes of eye gaze processing need to be tested to confirm these interpretations. Reduced visual attention to faces does not appear to contribute to atypical processing of eye gaze cues among adolescents with ASD. Instead, the difficulty for individuals with ASD is related to understanding the social communicative aspects of eye gaze information, which may not be extracted from visual cues alone.
Applying a flexible spline model to estimate functional maturity and spatio-temporal variability in aurora rockfish ( Sebastes aurora)

We outline a new flexible method for estimating maturity that incorporates skip spawning, which can lead to non-asymptotic behavior in the population maturity schedule. This new approach aids fisheries managers who seek to understand marine species’ responses to changing oceans. In an effort to assess shifts in maturity and spawning behavior of west coast groundfish, we used this new method to evaluate spatio-temporal trends in length at maturity, the annual reproductive cycle, and spawning behavior of aurora rockfish (Sebastes aurora). We estimated biological (presence of physiological maturity markers) and functional (potential spawners in a given year) maturity using a standard logistic and the new flexible spline model. The range in lengths at 50% maturity (biological and functional) slightly varied between the two methods (23.66–23.93 and 25.34–25.57 cm). We also investigated spatial trends in maturity and found ~ 2 cm difference in functional maturity between fish sampled north and south of Cape Mendocino, CA (26.22–26.48 and 24.38–24.74 cm). We demonstrate model sensitivity by updating the maturity estimates in the 2013 aurora rockfish stock assessment. Absolute, but not relative, spawning output, was sensitive to model choice, spatial resolution, and the updated data. This new flexible spline model can account for skip spawning, capturing potential spawners in a given year, and thus provides accurate measurements for spawning output models.
Impact damage characterization for varying areal-weight unidirectional carbon fiber-reinforced polymer circuit-analog absorbers

Abstract This paper numerically characterizes the effects of normal, blunt impact damage on unidirectional carbon-fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) circuit analog absorbers (CAA). Single-layer CFRP CAAs are fabricated using a wet-layup technique and are then subjected to controlled impact scenarios. A free-space measurement system is implemented to track and quantify changes to the complex permittivity and sheet impedance of the CFRP and absorption capabilities of the CAA. Accuracy and repeatability analysis for both the damaging apparatus and the material characterization interface are presented. Alternative simulation methods and damage quantification techniques for impact damage in CFRP CAAs are developed.
When Offense and Mutual Forgiveness Collide Yearly in Indonesia: A Qualitative Study During Eid al-Fitr

One custom of Indonesian Muslims during Eid al-Fitr is to celebrate Ramadhan's end by requesting and giving forgiveness amongst Muslims. This celebration is the symbol of the triumph of the Muslims after a month of fasting and going back to being sinless like a newborn child. While mutual forgiveness has become an adhering religious practice, there is still limited analysis of how individuals deal with themselves about the observed offensive event with other people, and the spiritual practice of forgiving each other. Ten participants who participated in this research to address this issue. To evaluate the gathered data, the researcher conducted a content analysis. Results indicate that pardoning criminals during the Eid al-Fitr can be attainable. Not all the participants could forgive, however, simply because it was during a religious practice. Other causal factors to forgive are the degree of damage, anger, and recognition of the traumatic encounter. Keywords: Offense, Forgiveness, Eid al-Fitr, Resentment, Indonesia
Nitrogen and argon doping of niobium for superconducting radio frequency cavities: a pathway to highly efficient accelerating structures

We report a surface treatment that systematically improves the quality factor of niobium radio frequency cavities beyond the expected limit for niobium. A combination of annealing in a partial pressure of nitrogen or argon gas and subsequent electropolishing of the niobium cavity surface leads to unprecedented low values of the microwave surface resistance, and an improvement in the efficiency of the accelerating structures up to a factor of 3, reducing the cryogenic load of superconducting cavities for both pulsed and continuous duty cycles. The field dependence of the surface resistance is reversed compared to standardly treated niobium.
SynthQA - Hierarchical Machine Learning-based Protein Quality Assessment

MotivationIt has been a challenge for biologists to determine 3D shapes of proteins from a linear chain of amino acids and understand how proteins carry out lifes tasks. Experimental techniques, such as X-ray crystallography or Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, are time-consuming. This highlights the importance of computational methods for protein structure predictions. In the field of protein structure prediction, ranking the predicted protein decoys and selecting the one closest to the native structure is known as protein model quality assessment (QA), or accuracy estimation problem. Traditional QA methods dont consider different types of features from the protein decoy, lack various features for training machine learning models, and dont consider the relationship between features. In this research, we used multi-scale features from energy score to topology of the protein structure, and proposed a hierarchical architecture for training machine learning models to tackle the QA problem. ResultsWe introduce a new single-model QA method that incorporates multi-scale features from protein structures, utilizes the hierarchical architecture of training machine learning models, and predicts the quality of any protein decoy. Based on our experiment, the new hierarchical architecture is more accurate compared to traditional machine learning-based methods. It also considers the relationship between features and generates additional features so machine learning models can be trained more accurately. We trained our new tool, SynthQA, on the CASP dataset (CASP10 to CASP12), and validated our method on 33 targets from the latest CASP 14 dataset. The result shows that our method is comparable to other state-of-the-art single-model QA methods, and consistently outperforms each of the 14 used features. Availabilityhttps://github.com/Cao-Labs/SynthQA.git Contactcaora@plu.edu
Diagnosis and Management of Leukoplakia and Premalignant Lesions

Summary The risk for malignant transformation in oral leukoplakia is always present. Because leukoplakia and carcinoma can occur simultaneously and an established prognostic clinical guide is lacking, all-white lesions characterized as leukoplakia must be diagnosed microscopically and either removed or monitored with care. Biopsy is the only definitive way to establish the exact nature of oral leukoplakias. When seeking dysplastic or malignant areas in leukoplakic lesions, it is important to remember that erythematous and speckled regions are more likely to be dysplastic or cancerous than thick and homogeneous white regions. It also must be remembered that the diagnosis of a previously biopsied benign white patch must be reaffirmed periodically because a leukoplakia may transform unpredictably into malignancy. Moreover, although a leukoplakic lesion may regress and disappear when an irritant is reduced or removed, it can recur and subsequently may become cancerous. In determining the aggressiveness of treatment, consideration of potential risk factors is essential. These factors are (1) an erythematous component or red lesion, (2) microscopic dysplasia, (3) a clinical appearance of PVL, (4) associated candidiasis observed microscopically, (5) a nonsmoking patient, and (6) pain or irritation (leukoplakia is usually asymptomatic).
Cervical Necrotizing Fasciitis, Diagnosis and Treatment of a Rare Life-Threatening Infection.

Importance:Necrotizing fasciitis is a relatively uncommon and potentially life-threatening soft tissue infection, with morbidity and mortality approaching 25% to 35%, even with optimal treatment. T...
SHAPE America and physical literacy : an event horizon

In this paper, we reflect on SHAPE America’s K-12 National Standards and its connection to physical literacy. We argue physical educators in the United States have primarily engaged with the term p...
Abstract PO-028: RB loss mitigates CDK4/6 inhibitor-mediated radiosensitization of estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancers

Purpose: Fractionated radiation (RT) is used in the adjuvant setting for locoregional control and to prevent the development of metastatic lesions in estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancers. We previously demonstrated that inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) along with RT leads to the radiosensitization of ER+ breast cancers, but the exact mechanism by which this occurs is unknown. We hypothesized that the presence of RB is necessary for effective double strand repair of radiation-induced DNA damage mediated through homologous recombination (HR), and that this is prevented using CDK4/6 inhibition. Methods: Pharmacological CDK4/6 inhibition was achieved using three FDA approved CKD4/6 inhibitors: palbociclib, ribociclib, and abemaciclib. Genetic knockdown of RB1 was performed using siRNA and knockout was achieved using a CRISPR-Cas9 system. Parental and RB1 knockdown/CRISPR MCF-7 and T47D cells were treated for 72 hours to assess drug sensitivity. Cells were pretreated with a CDK4/6 inhibitor one hour prior to RT and colony formation was quantified to assess changes in radiosensitivity. MCF-7 cells expressing an HR-specific GFP reporter were used to assess HR competency. RB, yH2AX, and RAD51 cellular localization following RT and CDK4/6 inhibition was assessed using immunofluorescence assays. Flow cytometry with propidium iodide staining was used to assess cell cycle distribution. Protein expression was assessed by immunoblotting. Results: CDK4/6 inhibition with palbociclib, ribociclib, and abemaciclib + RT radiosensitizes ER+ breast cancer cells at sub-IC50 concentrations in vitro (rER: 1.21 – 2.05) through impaired HR, which we confirmed using MCF-7 cells that express a stable HR-GFP reporter system (p 0.05). Genetic knockdown of RB1 led to a decrease in the ability of breast cancer cells to perform HR-directed DNA repair (p 0.05). Furthermore, RB protein is necessary for CDK4/6i mediated radiosensitization as evidenced by the abrogation of radiosensitization in RB null isogenic models of ER+ breast cancer (MCF-7 rER: 0.97 ± 0.13). Conclusions: Our data suggests that CDK4/6 inhibitor-mediated radiosensitization and HR suppression is dependent on RB expression. Thus, RB might serve as an effective biomarker for patient selection in future clinical trials that seek to combine CDK4/6 inhibition + RT. Citation Format: Andrea M. Pesch, Nicole Hirsh, Anna R. Michmerhuizen, Benjamin C. Chandler, Kari Wilder-Romans, Meilan Liu, Erin Cobain, Lori J. Pierce, James M. Rae, Corey Speers. RB loss mitigates CDK4/6 inhibitor-mediated radiosensitization of estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Special Conference on Radiation Science and Medicine; 2021 Mar 2-3. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2021;27(8_Suppl):Abstract nr PO-028.
A dark and dusty night: Razorback and the development of an environmentalist Australian Gothic cinema

This article argues that Razorback’s self-aware play with cinematic Australian Gothic tropes infuses the aesthetic with an environmentalist sensibility that resonates in the Anthropocene. The limit...
The Aes Corporation

The power generation and distribution company AES operated throughout the world. Its business was capital intensive and required a commitment to long-term investments under difficult-to-navigate regulatory hurdles. The case highlights various financial disclosures related to some of the company's important investment and obligation accounts along with interesting descriptions of various causes of asset impairments that occurred during 2011. AES engaged in a modest amount of lease transactions that are highlighted as well. Finally, environmental and litigation contingency disclosures play a role in understanding the firm's long-term risk exposure. Excerpt UVA-C-2347 Rev. Mar. 13, 2014 THE AES CORPORATION Improving lives by providing safe, reliable and sustainable energy solutions in every market we serve. —AES Corporation mission statement For the AES Corporation accomplishing its mission was not a simple task. AES was a global power company that owned and operated electricity-generation and -distribution businesses. The company operated in 27 countries and, accordingly, had to navigate a wide array of international regulations and cultures; however, energy had fast become a basic societal need, essential to economic growth and public well-being. Any company that delivered a reliable and affordable supply of electricity ultimately succeeded, and AES chose a path of international, operational, and product diversification. Its power plants used a broad range of technologies and fuel types, including coal, oil, diesel, hydropower, gas, and wind. Its markets spanned the globe from Brazil to Sri Lanka to Texas (Exhibit 1). It conducted business in both power generation (primarily making the product) and power distribution (primarily transporting the product). . . .