cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Remote Operation Of Telescopes: Long-Distance Observing

Communication technology makes it possible to extend the link between the telescope and control room from tens of feet to thousands of miles. Reasons for doing so include: 1) avoiding the health risks and observing inefficiencies caused by hypoxia at high-altitude sites; 2) facilitation of new telescope scheduling schemes; 3) saving travel time and money; and 4) providing troubleshooting backup by the headquarters' engineers and astronomers. The required data rate is estimated by assuming that: 1) the data from a mosaic of nine 1000 x 1000 CCDs will be transmitted every ten (10) minutes; 2) troubleshooting will be supported by transmitting television pictures at a few frames per second. With these assumptions a 500-Kbs data rate is needed to accommodate peak data rates and to have adequate catch-up capability. A two-step implementation of remote observing at Mauna Kea is considered in detail. The first step is installation of a microwave link or glass fiber land line between Mauna Kea's summit and Waimea. The second step is to connect the island headquarters at Waimea to a mainland headquarters, or each U.C. campus, with a satellite link. Cost estimates are given for each step.
A three-dimensional generalised finite element analysis for the near-surface cracking problem in flexible pavements

Near-surface cracking is one of the major distress types which results in reducing pavement service life. Heavy traffic loads, construction deficiencies, and surface mixture characteristics are among the predominant factors contributing to near-surface cracking. In addition, non-uniform tire-pavement contact stresses have a potential to generate extremely complex stress states near the surface. Prediction of crack initiation under these conditions requires high accuracy in the computation of state variables in pavement structure such as stresses, strains and displacements in the pavement. The generalised finite element method (GFEM) provides a computational framework in which arbitrary orientation of cracks in a finite element mesh is possible when using an enrichment strategy. The enrichment strategy in the GFEM can also increase the accuracy of the solution using higher-order polynomial approximations. A 3D analysis of near-surface cracking is performed using the GFEM. A 3D large-scale model of a long-l...
Feedback stabilization of control policy selection in data/knowledge based systems

Knowledge and/or data-based decision support systems can be viewed as complex control systems designed to optimize a desired criterion. As such, they aid users in transforming objects with an initial state vector to some desired outcome state by application of a suitable control policy. System effectiveness can be measured by the number of decision errors. Completeness and validity of the knowledge base can be facilitated by coupling a database of instances of system use with the implementation of the knowledge base. Instances of system use are viewed as traces which should be consistent with the knowledge base. The database contains records characterizing each instance of system use (a trace) and includes the state vector of the object being controlled, the selected control strategy, and the resultant outcome state vector. Stability of control policies is improved within the decision process by incorporating a feedback data path that is derived from actual outcomes resulting from application of a control policy.
Multiway partitioning with pairwise movement

It is well known that the recursive bipartitioning approach outperforms the direct non-recursive approach in solving the multiway partitioning problem. However, little progress has been made to identify and overcome the weakness of the direct (alternatively called flat) approach. We make the first observation that the performance of iterative improvement based flat multiway partitioner K-FM (L.A. Sanchis, 1989; 1993) is not suitable for today's large scale circuits. Then, we propose a simple yet effective hill climbing method called PM (Pairwise cell Movement) that overcomes the limitation of K-FM and provides partitioners the capability to explore wider range of solution space effectively while ensuring convergence to satisfying suboptimal solutions. The main idea is to reduce the multiway partitioning problem to sets of concurrent bipartitioning problems. Starting with an initial multiway partition of the netlist, we apply 2-way FM (C. Fiduccia and R. Mattheyses, 1982) to pairs of blocks so as to improve the quality of overall multiway partitioning solution. The pairing of blocks is based on the gain of the last pass, and the Pairwise cell Movement (PM) passes continue until no further gain can be obtained. We observe that PM passes are effective in distributing clusters evenly into multiple blocks to minimize the connections across the multiway cutlines. Our iterative improvement based flat multiway partitioner K-PM/LR improves K-FM by a surprising average margin of up to 86.2% and outperforms its counterpart recursive FIM by up to 17.3% when tested on MCNC and large scale ISPD98 benchmark circuits (C.J. Alpert, 1998).
Theophylline-induced recovery in a hemidiaphragm paralyzed by hemisection in rats: Contribution of adenosine receptors

Previously, we demonstrated that a single intravenous injection of theophylline can induce recovery in a hemidiaphragm paralyzed by cervical (C2) spinal cord hemisection for up to 3 h. The present study contrasts the actions of enprofylline and theophylline on inducing hemidiaphragmatic recovery after cervical spinal cord hemisection. Both drugs are methylxanthines; however, theophylline is an adenosine receptor antagonist while enprofylline is not. To further test the involvement of adenosine receptors, N6 (L-2-phenylisopropyl) adenosine (L-PIA), an analogue of adenosine was used in conjunction with theophylline. Following a left C2 spinal cord hemisection, animals were injected with either enprofylline (2.5-20 mg/kg) or theophylline (15 mg/kg) alone or in combination. Theophylline-injected animals demonstrated robust respiratory-related activity in the previously quiescent left phrenic nerve and hemidiaphragm. No recovery was observed in any of the enprofylline-injected rats. When enprofylline injection was followed later with theophylline, recovery occurred. Prior L-PIA administration blocked theophylline-induced recovery. When given after theophylline, L-PIA attenuated and then blocked the induced activity in both the nerve and hemidiaphragm ipsilateral to spinal cord hemisection. We conclude that adenosine receptor antagonism is implicated in hemidiaphragmatic recovery after hemisection and theophylline may be useful in the treatment of spinal cord injured patients with respiratory deficits.
Is age at the time of surgery a predictor of biochemical failure following radical prostatectomy

e22110 Background: Preoperative PSA level, Gleason score, and tumor stage have all been shown to influence risk of recurrence after radical prostatectomy. Increasing age has been associated with mo...
Slowing the increase in the collective dose resulting from CT scans

There has been a rapid increase in the collective dose from medical radiation within the last 20 years, mostly due to CT. Diagnostic radiation exposure should always operate under the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle and opportunities do exist in the CT field for collective dose reduction through reducing the numbers of CT scans performed, or at least by slowing the rate of increase. It is argued that clinical decision rules for CT usage represent a potentially powerful tool for slowing down the increase in CT usage, because they have the potential to overcome some of the major factors that result in some CT scans being undertaken when they unlikely to be clinically helpful.
The Struggle Continues: Addressing Concerns About Eating and Weight for Older Women’s Well-Being

Eating disorders and concern about weight are generally associated with younger women. This article first reviews the limited literature addressing the prevalence of disordered eating concerns in older women, both related to and independent of weight issues. Excessive concern about weight, body image and restricted eating/fasting appears to continue into the 60s and even 70s. Although bulimia nervosa and anorexia drop markedly in prevalence among older women, binge eating disorder continues to be evident. The article then provides an overview of Kristeller’s Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness Training (MB-EAT) with particular focus on how the program appears well-matched to the concerns of many older women, including those with binge eating disorder. MB-EAT is a non-dieting approach that emphasizes heightened engagement with mind–body awareness, including hunger and satiety cues, and non-judgmental approaches to food choices and weight management. Evidence from an NIH-funded clinical trial shows that wome...
Magnetic resonance imaging of the chest: Initial experience

Initial experience using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the chest is reported for 10 normal controls and 90 patients with a variety of thoracic pathologic conditions. MR is capable of imaging thoracic disease in the mediastinum and hili with greater inherent contrast than computed tomography because of the lowintensity signal produced by rapidly flowing blood and the tracheobronchial tree versus the high-intensity signal produced by mediastinal fat on images with short TE/TR times. Mediastinal and hilar adenopathy is readily apparent in MR images in the transverse, sagittal, or coronal planes. The mediastinal vasculature especially lends itself to MR imaging. The pulmonary parenchyma is difficult to image because of the effects of respiratory motion and long scan times (5-20 minutes). Cardiac and respiratory gating improve image quality, but at the expense of lengthening scan times. The final role that MR will have in thoracic imaging remains to be determined.
“Where Is the Money Coming From?” The Reconstruction of Social Security Finance, 1939–1950

Social Security has achieved a privileged status in American politics. As a result of the Social Security tax, supporters claim, recipients have not received unearned benefits, nor has Congress felt as if it were building a massive welfare state. Indeed, the Social Security tax system has legitimated the program in the minds of policy experts, politicians, and recipients. Through Social Security, the American state has forged a strong alliance with the elderly and their descendants, both with retirees who received cash payments and with working families who did not have to finance their parents' retirement years.
CONTINUING STUDIES ON THE SOUTH AMHERST DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER NATURAL POPULATION DURING THE 1970'S AND 1980'S.

Continuing investigations on the South Amherst Drosophila melanogaster natural population following the significant decline and recovery of lethal (le) and semilethal (sle) frequencies in the late 1960's (Ives, 1970) show that the population has been remarkably stable although it contains MR (male recombination) and/or P DNA elements (Kidwell et al., 1977a; Green, 1980). A 13-year study affirms that the lethals present are nonrandomly distributed along the second chromosome and deficient on the right; they differ significantly in distribution from spontaneous (Ives, 1973) and δ-induced lethals (Minamori and Ito, 1971). Between 1970 and 1977, a total of 4,083 second chromosomes from the Markert subpopulation were analyzed; 28.9% of the chromosomes were lethal and 7.25% were semilethal in homozygous condition. Frequencies are similar for early summer and late fall collections although the rate of allelism among lethals is significantly higher in early summer than in late fall. For the large fall (1970-1979) Porch site population, 2,519 second chromosomes were analyzed; 29.5% were lethal and 8.0% were sublethal as homozygotes; the rate of allelism among lethals was 1.50%. At Hockanum, 1977-1983, lethal and semilethal frequencies were lower; the rate of allelism among lethals was 1.43%. The chromosome map distribution of lethals does not change between summer and late fall at Markert. The overall distributions of lethals at the Markert and Hockanum sites are similar. In tests for male recombination (MR) activity in the population over a 6-year period, a total of 0.47% recombinants were observed; these were uniformly distributed along the second chromosome. Comparisons are made with other long studied D. melanogaster populations.
Visual compromise in the diabetic patient.

The importance of an aggressive approach to diagnosis, management, and follow-up of diabetic retinopathy cannot be overstated.
Chronic cystic mastitis and cancer of the breast.

Chronic cystic mastitis forms various lumps in the breast and should not be considered a true neoplasm. It represents an involutional change due to hormone imbalance of estrogen and progesterone. Its highest incidence is in the fourth decade of life and it occurs as a nonproliferative or a proliferative lesion or as both types in the same breast. Chronic cystic mastitis is best treated by surgical excision. Occasionally the proliferative lesion is suggestive of cancer and a radical mastectomy is then indicated.
Supporting a Pathway Scholars Program: How a Librarian Can Add Information Literacy to Premedical Education

The Pathway Scholars Program (PSP) at The University of Arizona College of Medicine–Phoenix is intended for students who may have had fewer resources available to them because of socioeconomic stat...
The relationship of tinnitus, hyperacusis, and hearing loss.

The triad of tinnitus, hyperacusis, and hearing loss remains an often-underdiagnosed combination of symptoms that causes physical, mental, and emotional distress for millions of patients. To the be...
Lens-integrated fan-in/fan-out device for multi-core fiber

We design and fabricate a multi-core fiber fan-in/fan-out using lenses. The structure allows it to be assembled with only one active alignment process. IL less than 0.87dB and RL more than 47dB were achieved.
Classical Gassers: Pop Gems Inspired by the Great Composers

Operas, symphonic productions, and other classical music presentations are commonly performed throughout the United States and Europe. Music penned centuries ago by white men from the Old World sti...
WAPs in Commercial and Industrial Contexts

Smart is the new black for marketing technology applications: It goes with everything, including built space that is not intended for private, residential use, but for industrial and commercial uses. Improved cost efficiency and convenience are touted as benefits of making these spaces smarter for controlling environmental settings, surveillance, access, machinery, and automated processes. When the point-to-point connectivity between devices and controllers (even the human controller) is interrupted by deploying insufficiently robust wireless solutions, a gap is created between signal transmitter and signal receiver that can—and in some cases has—become the playground for enterprising hackers. Vulnerable automated systems are found throughout critical infrastructure sectors, many of which in the United States are under private (not government) control, for example, utility companies, water treatment plants, and prisons. NIST has compiled a solid list of guidelines for addressing security in automated systems including those interconnected through WAPs.
Support Multiple Auxiliary TCP/UDP Connections in SDN Simulations Based on ns-3

As software-defined networking (SDN) grows beyond its original aim to simply separate the control and data network planes, it becomes useful both financially and analytically to provide adequate mechanisms for simulating this new paradigm. A number of simulation/emulation tools for modeling SDN, such as Mininet and ns-3, are already available. However, none of them supports multiple auxiliary connections in SDN simulation/emulation, which is one of the key features added in OpenFlow 1.3. In this paper, we extended the existing OFSWITCH13 framework to support multiple auxiliary connections in SDN simulations based on ns-3. This work allows multiple TCP/UDP connections to be built between a switch and a controller in the simulation. Furthermore, we performed case studies to investigate the impact of auxiliary connections on SDN performance, which is valuable for designing a scalable SDN network.
First-principles thermodynamic theory of Seebeck coefficients

Thermoelectric effects, measured by the Seebeck coefficients, refer to the phenomena in which a temperature difference or gradient imposed across a thermoelectric material induces an electrical potential difference or gradient, and vice versa, enabling the direct conversion of thermal and electric energies. All existing first-principles calculations of Seebeck coefficients have been based on the Boltzmann kinetic transport theory. In this work, we present a fundamentally different method for the first-principles calculations of Seebeck coefficients without using any assumptions of the electron-scattering mechanism, being in contrast to the traditional theory by Cutler and Mott that shows the dependence of the Seebeck coefficient on the scattering mechanisms. It is shown that the Seebeck coefficient is a well-defined thermodynamic quantity that can be determined from the change in the chemical potential of electrons induced by the temperature change and thus can be computed solely based on the electronic density of states through first-principles calculations at different temperatures. The proposed approach is demonstrated using the prototype PbTe and SnSe thermoelectric materials.
What are the Important Perioperative Risk Factors for Morbidly Obese Patients

Obesity, even in its severe form, has become a common feature among patients presenting for surgery. From experience with bariatric surgical and obstetrical patients, clinicians have developed some expertise in the perioperative care of these obese patients. However, clear and evidence-based guidelines for comprehensive pre-, intra- and postoperative approaches are still lacking. Extrapolation of recommendations created for the general surgical patient population irrespective of body weight considerations currently serve as a guide to the management of obese patients. However, additional unique concerns apply for patients who are extremely or morbidly obese (MO). This chapter highlights three distinct, yet interconnected conditions often associated with severe obesity, and draws the clinician’s attention to their perioperative implications. For the MO patient, the anesthesiologist’s high index of suspicion during the preoperative evaluation should focus on the presence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS), sleep disordered breathing, and cardiovascular co-morbidities. Each of these entities may have silent or non-specific symptoms, yet they may affect the entire perioperative care process.
Show and Tell: The Steps to Keeping the End in Mind

How do you design an interactive online career exploration program keeping the end in mind? One step at a time. First step, begin with a clear vision of the desired direction. The next step is to provide a clear destination the student wants to achieve at the end. For the student to reach a personal destination includes constructing knowledge out of their own experiences within the online career exploration program. The program will demonstrate not only how showing and telling students the steps to take in career exploration confirms the end result but also the challenges career advisors and teachers have in connecting students early in a college degree program. Instructional designers will learn how they can assist in the development of showing and telling stories by identifying applications to create an active online program. Online requires more than just telling of the material in text but showing and exploring to promote active engagement, responsibility, and independence. Research has shown that using an online self-guided discovery model utilizing a digital storytelling framework provides students with a tailored learning experience anytime and anywhere. According to Frank van Gils, “Six out of the eight students (two secondary school students and six college students) that were interviewed reacted enthusiastically about the idea of using digital storytelling in education.” Students’ attention is increased when information is shared with excitement or enthusiasm regardless of the modality of instruction. In the end, storytelling offers a powerful constructivist approach to educating the student.
Chest Pain as a Complication of Maxillofacial Surgery

Chest pain is a common occurrence in the perioperative patient. Although chest pain has many potential etiologies, a worrisome syndrome is cardiac angina, which may herald acute myocardial infarction. Angina occurs commonly in perioperative patients, even those who have not previously experienced angina in everyday life, due to increased stress on the heart in the perioperative period. In patients who do have a history of angina and myocardial infarction, cessation of chronic medications to minimize postoperative bleeding risk can also play a role in precipitating angina and cardiac complications. A familiarity with the initial steps in diagnosis and management of myocardial infarction is the responsibility of the oral and maxillofacial surgeon; consultation with a cardiologist should also be pursued for aid with management of acute coronary syndromes. The definitive management of myocardial infarction requires anticoagulation and often revascularization, but in the perioperative population, the risks and benefits of these therapies must be weighed carefully.
Family Functioning and Childhood Obesity Treatment: A Family Systems Theory-Informed Approach

Childhood obesity recommendations advise providers to use family-based care for the treatment of youth and adolescent obesity. Family-based care, defined as the inclusion of a caregiver and a youth, is commonly conducted through behavioral interventions that target the dietary and physical activity behaviors of the attending parent-youth dyads. However, focusing on behaviors isolated to the parent and youth neglects the rest of the family members, and the larger rules, routines, communication, and dynamics in the family. Family-based interventions grounded in family systems theory (FST) target family dynamics to influence weight-related behaviors through higher-level changes in the family. The utility of using FST in childhood obesity treatment has not been extensively conceptualized or applied. Few outcome studies have reported on variables representative of FST, and even fewer FST interventions have been conducted. Because of the lack of detail on the application of FST to childhood obesity treatment, providers are left with little clarity on how to use FST in clinical encounters. We provide the background and evidence for use of FST, detail how families organize around weight-related behaviors that contribute to obesity, and on the basis of their organization, what type of treatment might be beneficial, FST-informed or family-based behavioral interventions. Finally, a suggested family-based clinical algorithm is provided detailing the use of FST through assessment, intervention, and follow-up that can be refined over time by providers and researchers committed to viewing obesity in the context of the family and family dynamics.
Acid‐regulated gene expression of Helicobacter pylori: Insight into acid protection and gastric colonization

Background The pathogen Helicobacter pylori encounters many stressors as it transits to and infects the gastric epithelium. Gastric acidity is the predominate stressor encountered by the bacterium during initial infection and establishment of persistent infection. H. pylori initiates a rapid response to acid to maintain intracellular pH and proton motive force appropriate for a neutralophile. However, acid sensing by H. pylori may also serve as a transcriptional trigger to increase the levels of other pathogenic factors needed to subvert host defenses such as acid acclimation, antioxidants, flagellar synthesis and assembly, and CagA secretion. Materials and methods Helicobacter pylori were acid challenged at pH 3.0, 4.5, 6.0 vs nonacidic pH for 4 hours in the presence of urea, followed by RNA-seq analysis and qPCR. Cytoplasmic pH was monitored under the same conditions. Results About 250 genes were induced, and an equal number were repressed at acidic pHs. Genes encoding for antioxidant proteins, flagellar structural proteins, particularly class 2 genes, T4SS/Cag-PAI, Fo F1 -ATPase, and proteins involved in acid acclimation were highly expressed at acidic pH. Cytoplasmic pH decreased from 7.8 at pHout of 8.0 to 6.0 at pHout of 3.0. Conclusions These results suggest that increasing extracellular or intracellular acidity or both are detected by the bacterium and serve as a signal to initiate increased production of protective and pathogenic factors needed to counter host defenses for persistent infection. These changes are dependent on degree of acidity and time of acid exposure, triggering a coordinated response to the environment required for colonization.
Experimental study of quartz inclusions in garnet at pressures up to 3.0 GPa: evaluating validity of the quartz-in-garnet inclusion elastic thermobarometer

Garnet crystals with quartz inclusions were hydrothermally crystallized from oxide starting materials in piston–cylinder apparatuses at pressures from 0.5 to 3 GPa and temperatures ranging from 700 to 800 °C to study how entrapment conditions affect remnant pressures of quartz inclusions used for quartz-in-garnet (QuiG) elastic thermobarometry. Systematic changes of the 128, 206 and 464 cm−1 Raman band frequencies of quartz were used to determine pressures of quartz inclusions in garnet using Raman spectroscopy calibrations that describe the P–T dependencies of Raman band shifts for quartz under hydrostatic pressure. Within analytical uncertainties, inclusion pressures calculated for each of the three Raman band frequencies are equivalent, which suggests that non-hydrostatic stress effects caused by elastic anisotropy in quartz are smaller than measurement errors. The experimental quartz inclusions have pressures ranging from − 0.351 to 1.247 GPa that span the range of values observed for quartz inclusions in garnets from natural rocks. Quartz inclusion pressures were used to model P–T conditions at which the inclusions could have been trapped. The accuracy of QuiG thermobarometry was evaluated by considering the differences between pressures measured during experiments and pressures calculated using published equation of state parameters for quartz and garnet. Our experimental results demonstrate that Raman measurements performed at room temperature can be used without corrections to estimate garnet crystallization pressures. Calculated entrapment pressures for quartz inclusions in garnet are less than ~ 10% different from pressures measured during the experiments. Because the method is simple to apply with reasonable accuracy, we expect widespread usage of QuiG thermobarometry to estimate crystallization conditions for garnet-bearing silicic rocks.
Supporting Long-term Reproducible Software Execution

A recent widespread realization that software experiments are not as easily replicated as once believed brought software execution preservation to the science spotlight. As a result, scientists, institutions, and funding agencies have recently been pushing for the development of methodologies and tools that preserve software artifacts. Despite current efforts, long term reproducibility still eludes us.In this paper, we present the requirements for software execution preservation and discuss how to improve long-term reproducibility in science. In particular, we discuss the reasons why preserving binaries and pre-built execution environments is not enough and why preserving the ability to replicate results is not the same as preserving software for reproducible science. Finally, we show how these requirements are supported by Occam, an open curation framework that fully preserves software and its dependencies from source to execution, promoting transparency, longevity, and re-use. Specifically, Occam provides the ability to automatically deploy workflows in a fully-functional environment that is able to not only run them, but make them easily replicable.
Occupational Safety and Health in the 1990s

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) continues to be justifiably maligned as one of the least effective federal regulatory agencies. Congress initiated this agency with the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. The impetus for the establishment of this new branch of the U.S. Department of Labor was based in part on a misleading rise in some measures of industry risk levels. In spite of these ominous trends, most measures of risks to occupational safety and health continued to display a downward trend. Specifically, the total injury frequency rate for manufacturing rose 2.4 percent annually from 1958 to 1970, but several measures of disabling injuries and death rates were either constant or exhibited a steady decline (Viscusi, 1983). This pattern is consistent with a possible reporting bias due to the problem of defining what constitutes a job-related injury. The advocates of the establishment of OSHA did not assess the mixed statistical signals, but focused on the one rising injury trend as an indication of an alarming escalation in workplace risks.Congress saw the establishment of OSHA as a mechanism for reversing what was in fact an illusory upsurge in injuries. In addition,. Congress envisioned that OSHA would have sweeping effects on the control of risks in the workplace.
Joint pain in children: an algorithmic approach.

Musculoskeletal and joint diseases appear to have increased in the last decade. Confusion over terminology and a lack of awareness of these conditions have probably contributed to their underrecognition. In a survey of primary care pediatricians in upstate New York, about 5% of all patient visits were attributed to arthralgias and injuries. These patients frequently pose a diagnostic dilemma because of the extremely broad differential diagnoses that must be considered. Typical of the many presentations might be a child with knee pain, no fever, and a questionable history of trauma. The pain may begin slowly; the child may limp but deny any pain. Moving the joint produces pain, and normal motion may be limited because of it. Early in the examination it is important to determine that the pain is in the joint itself rather than the soft tissue around the joint or the muscle close to it. It is also important to distinguish between pain in the joint itself and referred pain. If there is actual swelling of the joint or pain on motion with tenderness and with limitation of motion, we can safely assume that particular joint is involved. Presented here is a semi-algorithmic approach to the diagnosis of joint pain in pediatric practice. The first step in initial screening is to establish whether a single joint or multiple joints are involved. The second important step is to determine whether or not there is associated fever. For practical purposes, this initial screening should lead to the following four possible groups of diagnoses: a) single-joint involvement with associated fever, b) single-joint involvement without fever, c) multiple-joint involvement with associated fever, and d) multiple-joint involvement without fever. (Figure 1)
Experimental determination of tribological properties of ultra-thin solid films

Thin films have been widely used to improve the tribological properties of contacting surfaces. Various sophisticated thin film deposition techniques, e.g., sputtering, vapor deposition and ion implantation, have been developed in response to demands for better materials for high technological applications. As these surface modification techniques have progressed, the film thickness has been reduced to a few tens of nanometers.
Feasibility of Self-Powering and Energy Harvesting Using Cardiac Valvular Perturbations

In this paper, we investigate the feasibility of harvesting energy from cardiac valvular perturbations to self-power a wireless sonomicrometry sensor. Compared to the previous studies involving piezoelectric patches or encasings attached to the cardiac or aortic surface, the proposed study explores the use of piezoelectric sutures that can be implanted in proximity to the valvular regions, where non-linear valvular perturbations could be exploited for self-powering. Using an ovine animal model, the magnitude of valvular perturbations are first measured using an array of sonomicrometry crystals implanted around the tricuspid valve. These measurements were then used to estimate the levels of electrical energy that could be harvested using a simplified piezoelectric suture model. These results were revalidated across seven different animals, before and after valvular regurgitation was induced. Our study shows that power harvested from different annular planes of the tricuspid valve (before and after regurgitation) could range from nano-watts to milli-watts, with the maximum power harvested from the leaflet plane. We believe that these results could be useful for determining optimal surgical placement of wireless and self-powered sonomicrometry sensor, which in turn could be used for investigating the pathophysiology of ischemic regurgitation.
The Effect of Grain Boundary Ferrite on Fatigue Crack Propagation in Pearlitic Rail Steels

Fatigue crack growth has been examined in pearlitic rail steels to determine the effect of grain boundary ferrite and nonmetallic inclusions on the rates of crack propagation under Mode I loading at ambient temperature. The influence of alternating and maximum stress intensity on fatigue crack propagation in these materials has also been evaluated. The data were obtained using single-edge notch specimens machined from the head of rails and the web of wheels. Cyclic loading was performed on a hydraulic test machine at various R ratios. As the maximum stress intensity, K m a x , approaches the fracture toughness, K 1 c , increasing amounts of cleavage bursts occur and the crack growth rates increase. In steels containing ferrite at the prior austenite grain boundary, the amount of cleavage is reduced at a given K level and the growth rates are reduced by an order of magnitude. The results show that traces of grain boundary ferrite (∼2 to 4 percent by volume) can reduce crack growth rates by a factor of two at intermediate and low growth rates (<5 × 10 - 4 mm/cycle). Increasing R ratio is shown to increase significantly the fatigue crack growth rate near K 1 c , due to the increase in percent cleavage, while little effect of R ratio is observed at intermediate growth rates. Stable fatigue growth is observed above K 1 c and is explained in terms of a pop-in model. Inclusions were observed occasionally at the initiation site of a stable cleavage burst that occurred during fatigue. However, nonmetallic inclusions do not significantly affect the fatigue crack growth rates in rail steels within the range of inclusion content from 0.097 to 0.318 percent by area.
Examination of Clear Speech in Parkinson Disease Using Measures of Working Vowel Space

Purpose The purpose of the current study was to characterize clear speech production for speakers with and without Parkinson disease (PD) using several measures of working vowel space computed from...
Proposed European Union Constitution -- will it eliminate the EU's democratic defict?

In 2003 the European Convention released a draft of the Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe, a document intended to replace the primary European Union treaties. This article examines the draft Constitution to determine whether, if it were ratified, it would affect the EU’s perceived “democratic deficit.” In broad terms the democratic deficit is the label for the Union's lack of transparent and democratic processes in its institutions and law-making procedures. The article first addresses the lack of popular appreciation for the EU, arising from its complexity, lack of transparency and other factors. Then the article describes concerns over the EU’s structure, including balance of power among EU institutions and the role of actors other than the principal institutions. The author’s conclusion is that while the Constitution does propose some improvements to the EU system, it does not offer enough changes to significantly reduce the EU's democratic deficit.
CHARACTERIZATION OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII ISOLATES IN FREE-RANGE CHICKENS FROM ARGENTINA

The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in free-ranging chickens is a good indicator of the prevalence of T. gondii oocysts in the soil because chickens feed from the ground. The prevalence of T. gondii in 61 free-range chickens (Gallus domesticus) from provinces of Santiago del Estero and Entre Rios, Argentina was determined. Antibodies to T. gondii were assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT) and were found in 25 chickens; titers were 1:5 in 6 chickens, 1:10 in 1 chicken, 1:20 in 2 chickens, 1:40 in 1 chicken, 1:80 in 2 chickens, 1:60 in 4 chickens, 1:120 in 2 chickens, 1:640 in 3 chickens, and 1: 1,280 or higher in 4 chickens. Hearts, pectoral muscles, and brains of 22 seropositive (MAT 1:10 or higher) chickens were bioassayed individually in mice. Tissue from 39 chickens with titers of 1:5 or less were pooled and fed to 3 T. gondii-free cats. Feces of cats were examined for oocysts, but none was found. Toxoplasma gondii was isolated from 17 of 22 chickens with MAT titers of 1:10 or higher. Genoty...
Reframing Assistive Robots to Promote Successful Aging

We are living in an exciting time, as people are living longer, more active lives. This is reshaping how we think about aging. Rather than viewing aging as a problem to be fixed (i.e., a deficit model of aging), many aging researchers are viewing aging as a developmental stage of life to be celebrated and supported, that is, “successful aging.” In this article, we embrace this approach and consider it in the context of assistive robot design in an aim to steer the conversation away from deficit models that have limited robot design possibilities. To explore an alternative design approach to the study of aging in human-robot interaction (HRI), we invited five aging researchers (three geriatricians, one gerontologist, and one epidemiologist) and nine older adults to participate in our research. In the study, participants illustrated their interpretations of aging and suggested potential assistive robots. We found that while all participants perceived the importance of potential disabilities due to aging, they considered potential disabilities as only one aspect of the experience of aging. They highlighted other key themes to consider in designing robots to support successful aging, such as older adults’ autonomy and resilience. We discuss these findings for the HRI community and call for “robots for successful aging.”
Advances in the Molecular Catalysis of Dioxygen Reduction

The reduction of dioxygen (O2) is of vital importance to energy-related reactions. In biology, respiration uses O2 reduction as a thermodynamic sink, whereas fuel cells pair the oxygen reduction re...
Underlying physics and basic approaches to thermal transport in solids

Abstract Thermal conductivity is of growing importance in material applications ranging from high power density transistors in computers to the demand for lighter, cheaper heat transfer materials in aviation. This chapter reviews the fundamental theoretical concepts in heat and heat transfer focusing primarily on those issues relevant to carbon-based materials. It covers the fundamental mechanisms of heat transfer in solids and the levels at which it is modeled, from the microscopic to more coarse-grained composite systems.
Probing Fault Frictional Properties During Afterslip Updip and Downdip of the 2017 Mw 7.3 Sarpol-e Zahab Earthquake With Space Geodesy

We use Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data collected by the Sentinel-1 mission to study the co- and postseismic deformation due to the 2017 Mw 7.3 Sarpol-e Zahab earthquake occurr...
Outcomes of corneal neurotisation using processed nerve allografts: a multicentre case series

Background Corneal neurotisation is a rapidly evolving procedure treating neurotrophic keratopathy. The variety of surgical techniques used and corresponding outcomes after corneal neurotisation are not well understood. This study describes the techniques and outcomes in the largest case series of corneal neurotisation using processed nerve allografts to date. Methods This is a retrospective case series of patients who underwent corneal neurotisation with human cadaveric processed nerve allografts. All patients had preoperative and postoperative description of best corrected visual acuity and measurement of corneal sensation. Comparative studies after stratification of techniques were performed. Results A total of 17 patients were identified. The cause of corneal anaesthesia was prior infection in eight cases, trigeminal nerve palsy in eight cases and ocular trauma in one case. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. Following neurotisation surgery, the time to first gain of corneal sensation and maximal gain of sensation occurred at a mean of 3.7 months (range 1–8 months) and 6.6 months (range 3–15 months), respectively. The mean preoperative and postoperative corneal sensation as measured by Cochet-Bonnet aesthesiometry was 0.36 cm (range 0–3.2 cm) and 4.42 cm (range 0–6 cm), respectively (p Conclusion Corneal neurotisation with processed nerve allografts is a safe and effective procedure. This study provides further evidence for the use of processed nerve allografts for corneal neurotisation.
A Study of One State’s School District Physical Restraint and Seclusion Policies:

This descriptive analysis of policy content examined local school district policies on physical restraint and seclusion in one Midwestern state that did not have state legislation on these topics t...
Q-Learning-Based Impact Assessment of Propagating Extreme Weather on Distribution Grids

The increasing number of power outage events due to extreme weather conditions is hampering us socioeconomically. Preparing in advance for the extreme weather event is critical. It can help utility operators to reduce grid damages, restore grid service quickly, allocate energy resources and repair crews strategically, and hence dramatically increase grid resilience. In this paper, we propose a method to identify the sequence of worst impact zones in the power grid caused by extreme weather events based on Q-learning (a reinforcement learning algorithm). To quantity the weather severity and its effect on the grid, we model the impact of extreme weather on the grid as a function of intensity, vulnerability, and exposure. A modified IEEE 123-node distribution feeder is presented in a mesh grid and experimented for sequences of zones identification. Finally, simulation results present the identified sequences and their associated impacts on the grid caused by extreme weather events.
Sleep Apnea in Pregnancy

Snoring occurs in about one-third of women by third trimester of pregnancy and prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in pregnancy is estimated between 10% and 20%. The prevalence of sleep apnea among pregnant women in the USA may be increasing, paralleling higher rates of obesity and older maternal age. Changes in respiratory physiology, anatomy, and endocrine physiology have both predisposing and protective effects on sleep-disordered breathing in pregnancy. Diagnosing OSA in pregnancy can be challenging; respiratory physiology is different during pregnancy, and home sleep testing can underestimate sleep apnea due to sleep disturbances that frequently occur in pregnant women. Furthermore, common sleep apnea screening questionnaires are not valid in perinatal women. Sleep apnea in pregnancy poses a risk of developing gestational hypertensive disorders and gestational diabetes, as well as more severe outcomes including cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, need for postpartum hysterectomy, and even death. Infants of women with sleep apnea have a higher risk of low birthweight, preterm delivery, and small for gestational age. Positive airway pressure therapy (e.g., CPAP) is the gold standard treatment for OSA in pregnancy, though more research is needed to improve access to and compliance with CPAP in the perinatal period and to determine whether CPAP mitigates the risks of sleep apnea in expectant and new mothers and their offspring.
Synthetic Control of Mitochondrial Dynamics: Developing Three-Coordinate Au(I) Probes for Perturbation of Mitochondria Structure and Function.

Mitochondrial structure and organization is integral to maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis and an emerging biological target in aging, inflammation, neurodegeneration, and cancer. The study of m...
Clinical implementation of deep learning contour autosegmentation for prostate radiotherapy

Abstract Background and purpose Artificial intelligence advances have stimulated a new generation of autosegmentation, however clinical evaluations of these algorithms are lacking. This study assesses the clinical utility of deep learning-based autosegmentation for MR-based prostate radiotherapy planning. Materials and methods Data was collected prospectively for patients undergoing prostate-only radiation at our institution from June to December 2019. Geometric indices (volumetric Dice-Sorensen Coefficient, VDSC; surface Dice-Sorensen Coefficient, SDSC; added path length, APL) compared automated to final contours. Physicians reported contouring time and rated autocontours on 3-point protocol deviation scales. Descriptive statistics and univariable analyses evaluated relationships between the aforementioned metrics. Results Among 173 patients, 85% received SBRT. The CTV was available for 167 (97%) with median VDSC, SDSC, and APL for CTV (prostate and SV) 0.89 (IQR 0.83–0.95), 0.91 (IQR 0.75–0.96), and 1801 mm (IQR 1140–2703), respectively. Physicians completed surveys for 43/55 patients (RR 78%). 33% of autocontours (14/43) required major “clinically significant” edits. Physicians spent a median of 28 min contouring (IQR 20–30), representing a 12-minute (30%) time savings compared to historic controls (median 40, IQR 25–68, n = 21, p Conclusion Deep learning-based autosegmentation was implemented successfully and improved efficiency. Major “clinically significant” edits are uncommon and do not correlate with geometric indices. APL was supported as a clinically meaningful quantitative metric. Efforts are needed to educate and generate consensus among physicians, and develop mechanisms to flag cases for quality assurance.