cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studying the language and structure in non-programmers' solutions to programming problems

Programming may be more difficult than necessary because it requires solutions to be expressed in ways that are not familiar or natural for beginners. To identify what is natural, this article examines the ways that non-programmers express solutions to problems that were chosen to be representative of common programming tasks. The vocabulary and structure in these solutions is compared with the vocabulary and structure in modern programming languages, to identify the features and paradigms that seem to match these natural tendencies as well as those that do not. This information can be used by the designers of future programming languages to guide the selection and generation of language features. This design technique can result in languages that are easier to learn and use, because the languages will better match beginners' existing problem-solving abilities.
Electric fields deduced from plasmapause motion in IMAGE EUV images

[1] The IMAGE extreme ultraviolet (EUV) imager obtained global images of the plasmasphere erosion of 10 July 2000, in which the nightside plasmapause moved inward by about 2 RE during 5–8 UT. We use plasmapause motion to infer the electric (E) field component tangent to the moving plasmapause; in general we lack knowledge of the perpendicular E-field component. In the midnight-to-dawn quadrant where the plasmapause shape is very nearly circular, the tangential E-field component is equal to the azimuthal electric field Eφ. Peak westward E-fields of 0.6–1.3 mV/m were found at the plasmapause between L ≈ 4–6, an inner magnetospheric E-field that was 25% of the solar wind E-field. The MLT-concentration of the inferred E-field suggests that convective flows may produce partial indentation of the nightside plasmapause (especially in the midnight-to-dawn sector) that widens as the edges of the indentation propagate azimuthally.
Miniature, tunable, and power efficient ferrite phase shifter devices

Ferrite phase shifter devices having drastically reduced bias field requirements are demonstrated at C and Ku band utilizing polycrystalline YIG and single crystal hexagonal Y-type ferrite materials. Phase shifts on the order of 100 degrees with bias fields below 100 Oe are achieved. A novel numerical analysis method for modeling anisotropic ferrites is presented and a good agreement between calculation results and experimental data achieved. Methods of generating tuning magnetic fields with small current drives are presented. The possibility of realizing voltage tuning of ferrite devices via the magnetoelectric effect and preliminary experimental results are discussed. Numerical modeling of meander line phase shifter designs with figures of merit in excess of 200 degrees per dB of insertion loss are presented.
Nihilism After Nietzsche

This essay provides an account of nihilism after Nietzsche, beginning with pre-WW I nihilism, which was associated with decadence and gave rise to an investigation of the primitive, the mythical, and the unconscious. Then I turn to an examination of the nihilistic despair and apocalypticism of the period from the beginning of WW I to the end of WW II. This leads to an examination of nihilism and absurdity in the 1950s and 1960s, before concluding with an examination of nihilism and irony in critical theory and postmodernism. I argue throughout that Nietzsche remains decisive for the later understanding of nihilism and conclude that all attempts to come to terms with nihilism are necessarily inadequate but bring us closer to understanding the uncanny question at its heart.
Discrimination using spectral slopes at frequencies up to 50 hz

Abstract The spectral characteristics of regional Pn waves recorded at the High Frequency Seismic Element (HFSE) at the NORESS array in southern Norway are investigated to determine if spectral slope can be used to discriminate between earthquakes and chemical explosions. Displacement spectra are calculated for 134 events in southern Norway that include 36 known earthquakes and 36 known chemical explosions. Events range in distance from 230 to 620 km, and most have signal above the noise at frequencies over 30 Hz. The average frequency at the peak signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is 15.5 Hz. Spectral slopes are measured on a displacement spectrum calculated with a 2-sec window. The slopes range between ω −1.8 and ω −5.1 , and there is no strong evidence that the slope steepens with distance for this data set. According to one theory, earthquakes should have steeper slopes than explosions, but when this data set is separated into earthquakes and explosions we do not see separation between sources with respect to the slope of the spectrum. Both source types have events with the same range of spectral slopes, and the mean slopes and standard deviations are similar. Spectra of events at the same locations are often similar. However, explosions from the Blasjo Mine in western Norway show variability in the spectral slope. Since the path and distance to HFSE are the same for these events, the variability must be due to differences in the source mechanism. For a set of small earthquakes, however, the observed variability in spectral slopes appears to be more related to distance and path effects. Therefore, we observe as much variation in spectral slope for one source type as there is between source types. The time window over which the spectrum is calculated is varied from 1 to 8 sec to determine if a time window consisting of a pure Pn wave was required to discriminate between source types. Spectral slope usually decreases as the window extends deeper into the coda and the energy content of the signal changes. The slopes also become more stable and more reliable as longer windows are used. However, source discrimination is not possible with any time window.
Breastfeeding Duration and Primary Reasons for Breastfeeding Cessation among Women with Postpartum Depressive Symptoms

Background Although postpartum depression is associated with lower breastfeeding initiation rates and shorter breastfeeding duration, the potential mechanisms through which this relationship functions are not well understood. Objective This study examined the breastfeeding behaviors of women with postpartum depressive symptoms (PDS) to identify potential motivations for early breastfeeding cessation. Methods An analysis of quantitative data from the Infant Feeding Practices Study II examined the relationship between PDS and breastfeeding behaviors, including breastfeeding duration and primary reasons for early breastfeeding cessation. Results Of the women in the sample, 30.9% met criteria for mild PDS. Women with PDS had shorter overall (18.4 vs 21.8 weeks, P = .001) and exclusive breastfeeding duration (3.6 vs 4.7 weeks, P = .012) than women without PDS. A larger proportion of women with PDS stopped breastfeeding before 6 months (68.7% vs 57.2%, P Conclusion There is a high prevalence of depressive symptoms among new mothers, and most do not breastfeed for recommended time periods. Increased PDS screening during prenatal and postpartum visits and promotion of lactation support services may better address the high rates of PDS and suboptimal breastfeeding behavior.
Attractiveness of Gyplure Masked by Impurities

After the laboratory synthesis of gyplure (Jacobson 1960, Jacobson and Jones 1962), a sex attraclant for the male gypsy moth, Porthetria dispar (L.), and its establishment as a valuable survey tool for delineating areas of infestation of this destructive insect (Jacobson 1962a, 1962b), the possibility of using gyplure to control the gypsy moth was investigated. In 1961, high concentrations of both liquid and granular formulations of commercially piepared gyplure were applied by aircraft over an infested 400-acre island in Lake Winnepesaukee, New Hampshire, in an effort to prevent male moths from locating and successfully mating with females (Burgess 1964). Field observations revealed that this particular lot of gyplure had no effect on male mating behavior. Subsequent investigations showed that its ineffectiveness was due to a masking effect of the inactive trans form of gyplure, and possibly related byproducts, on the activity of the cis form (Jacobson 1963). Accordingly, we developed chromatographic methods (Jones and Jacobson 1964) for determining the content of cis -gyplure in samples of gyplure prepared in the laboratory and the pilot plant, as well as for separating the cis isomer from its contaminants on a small scale.
Energetic and Dynamic Effects of Operating Fluid on Fluidic Artificial Muscle Actuators

Pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) are a relatively common type of lightweight, fluid power actuation. Some disadvantages of PAMs include the compressibility of the working fluid and low damping. These characteristics result in low efficiencies, poor dynamic response, as well as undesired oscillations of the actuators. This paper presents utilizing hydraulic liquid as the working fluid instead of compressed air. Hydraulic operation resulted in almost triple the efficiency of pneumatic operation. The artificial muscles are experimentally characterized both quasi-statically and dynamically. The quasi-static experiments include the tension-strain relationship as a function of pressure, and an actuator net work efficiency analysis. The dynamic tests consist of a free vibration experiment to determine the change in effective spring constant and damping terms. These experiments are conducted for both PAMs and HAMs (hydraulic artificial muscles), and the results are presented herein.© 2013 ASME
Battlegrounds and Budgets: State-level Evidence of Budget Manipulation in Competitive Presidential Election States

Based on prior research on political business cycles, we investigate the manipulation of state budgets in battleground states. The state-based winner-take-all Electoral College system in the United...
Use of Solution-Phase Vibrational Frequencies in Continuum Models for the Free Energy of Solvation

We find that vibrational contributions to a solute’s free energy are in general insensitive to whether the solute vibrational frequencies are computed in the gas phase or in solution. In most cases, the difference is smaller than the intrinsic error in solvation free energies associated with the continuum approximation to solvation modeling, although care must be taken to avoid spurious results associated with limitations in the quantum-mechanical harmonic-oscillator approximation for very low-frequency molecular vibrations. We compute solute vibrational partition functions in aqueous and carbon tetrachloride solution and compare them to gas-phase molecular partition functions computed with the same level of theory and the same quasiharmonic approximation for the diverse and extensive set of molecules and ions included in the training set of the SMD continuum solvation model, and we find mean unsigned differences in vibrational contributions to the solute free energy of only about 0.2 kcal/mol. On the bas...
Health-Care Finance and the Pathology Practice

Many pathologists are drawn to medicine and hopefully pathology by the wonderful complexity of the human body, its range of maladies, and the variety of responses to disease. The pathology practice environment is similarly complex in that no two practice settings are identical, and no two practice environments present the same range of opportunities, threats, and financial milieu. When just looking from the outside of a practice opportunity (such as when evaluating a potential new job), one cannot immediately determine how successful a particular practice might be nor what the future trajectory of that group might be. But with an understanding of the environment, the internal structure and culture of the organization, and the skills and resources of the individuals within the organization, one might be able to reasonably forecast the future in that setting.
Community Interagency Connections for Immigrant Worker Health Interventions, King County, Washington State, 2012-2013.

INTRODUCTION Cross-sector community partnerships are a potentially powerful strategy to address population health problems, including health disparities. US immigrants - commonly employed in low-wage jobs that pose high risks to their health - experience such disparities because of hazardous exposures in the workplace. Hazardous exposures contribute to chronic health problems and complicate disease management. Moreover, prevention strategies such as worksite wellness programs are not effective for low-wage immigrant groups. The purpose of this article was to describe an innovative application of social network analysis to characterize interagency connections and knowledge needed to design and deliver a comprehensive community-based chronic disease prevention program for immigrant workers. METHODS Using iterative sample expansion, we identified 42 agencies representing diverse community sectors (service agencies, faith-based organizations, unions, nonprofits, government agencies) pertinent to the health of Chinese immigrant workers. To capture data on shared information, resources, and services as well as organizational characteristics, we jointly interviewed 2 representatives from each agency. We used social network analysis to describe interagency network structure and the positions of agencies within the networks. RESULTS Agency interconnections were established primarily for information sharing. In the overall interagency network, a few service-oriented agencies held central or gatekeeper positions. Strong interconnectedness occurred predominately across service, public, and nonprofit sectors. The Chinese and Pan-Asian service sectors showed the strongest interconnectedness. CONCLUSION Network analysis yields critical understanding of community structural links and assets needed to inform decisions about actual and potential community collaborations. Alternative intervention strategies may be needed to address health disparities among immigrant workers.
Neuromotor disorders of the esophagus.

SUMMARY Esophageal motility studies are helpful in diagnosing hypertensive and hypotensive disorders of the esophagus and its sphincters, including the exact measurement of the strength of contraction, temporal sequence and duration of the pathophysiology involved. In addition, the assessment of the extent of neuromotor involvement may be of great help to the surgeon in planning a myotomy. PH metering is probably the most accurate way to assess reflux in hypotonic states.
Antibiotic dialogues: induction of silent biosynthetic gene clusters by exogenous small molecules.

Natural products have traditionally served as a dominant source of therapeutic agents. They are produced by dedicated biosynthetic gene clusters that assemble complex, bioactive molecules from simple precursors. Recent genome sequencing efforts coupled with advances in bioinformatics indicate that the majority of biosynthetic gene clusters are not expressed under normal laboratory conditions. Termed ‘silent’ or ‘cryptic’, these gene clusters represent a treasure trove for discovery of novel small molecules, their regulatory circuits and their biosynthetic pathways. In this review, we assess the capacity of exogenous small molecules in activating silent secondary metabolite gene clusters. Several approaches that have been developed are presented, including coculture techniques, ribosome engineering, chromatin remodeling and high-throughput elicitor screens. The rationale, applications and mechanisms attendant to each are discussed. Some general conclusions can be drawn from our analysis: exogenous small molecules comprise a productive avenue for the discovery of cryptic metabolites. Specifically, growth-inhibitory molecules, in some cases clinically used antibiotics, serve as effective inducers of silent biosynthetic gene clusters, suggesting that old antibiotics may be used to find new ones. The involvement of natural antibiotics in modulating secondary metabolism at subinhibitory concentrations suggests that they represent part of the microbial vocabulary through which inter- and intraspecies interactions are mediated.
Development of a Classification Scheme for Examining Adverse Events Associated with Medical Devices, Specifically the DaVinci Surgical System as Reported in the FDA MAUDE Database

Abstract Objective: To examine the Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience Database (MAUDE) database to capture adverse events experienced with the Da Vinci Surgical System. In addition, to design a standardized classification system to categorize the complications and machine failures associated with the device. Summary Background Data: Overall, 1,057,000 DaVinci procedures were performed in the United States between 2009 and 2012. Currently, no system exists for classifying and comparing device-related errors and complications with which to evaluate adverse events associated with the Da Vinci Surgical System. Methods: The MAUDE database was queried for events reports related to the DaVinci Surgical System between the years 2009 and 2012. A classification system was developed and tested among 14 robotic surgeons to associate a level of severity with each event and its relationship to the DaVinci Surgical System. Events were then classified according to this system and examined by using Chi-squar...
Improving the Convergence and Computational Efficiency of Deformable Image Registration Calculation by Incorporating Prior Knowledge

Purpose/Objective(s): Conventional deformable registration treats all image volume equally and the calculations are “brute-force” in nature. In reality, some regions can be mapped between the moving and fixed images with higher confidence than others. In this work we investigate a strategy of using a priori knowledge of the system to reduce the dimensionality of the deformable image registration problem and to speed up the registration calculation.
Neuroinvasive St. Louis Encephalitis Virus Infection in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients.

In summer 2015, three unrelated solid organ transplant recipients in Phoenix, Arizona, had meningoencephalitis suggestive of West Nile virus (WNV) infection. Testing was inconclusive but was later confirmed as St. Louis encephalitis (SLE). We retrospectively reviewed clinical manifestations, treatment, and outcomes of these transplant recipients. Common symptoms were fever, rigors, diarrhea, headache, and confusion. One patient died 3 days after hospitalization. Therapy for the other two patients was initiated with interferon α-2b (IFN) and intravenous IgG (IVIG; IFN plus IVIG in combination). Both patients tested positive for WNV by serologic assay, but SLE virus (SLEV) infection was later confirmed by plaque reduction neutralization test at a reference laboratory. Clinical improvement was observed within 72 h after initiation of IFN plus IVIG. SLEV has been an uncommon cause of neuroinvasive disease in the United States. Accurate, timely diagnosis is hindered because of clinical presentation similar to neuroinvasive WNV and SLE, serologic cross-reactivity, and lack of a commercially available serologic assay for SLEV. There is currently no approved therapy for flaviviral neuroinvasive disease. Anecdotal reports indicate varying success with IFN, IVIG, or IFN plus IVIG in WNV neuroinvasive disease. The same regimen might be of value for immunocompromised persons with neuroinvasive SLEV infection.
Making Space for Place: Mapping Tools and Practices to Teach for Spatial Justice

This article presents a set of spatial tools for classroom learning about spatial justice. As part of a larger team, we designed a curriculum that engaged 10 learners with 3 spatial tools: (a) an oversized floor map, (b) interactive geographic information systems (GIS) maps, and (c) participatory mapping. We analyze how these tools supported learning using notions of politicization. The floor map fed conceptual understandings of the map as a representational text and served as the terrain for an embodied activity to support proportional reasoning about inequitable distributions of resources. The data-rich GIS maps and their zoomability allowed for coordinating across multiple variables to connect patterns in inequities to other social processes. The participatory mapping enabled learners to make discoveries about, connect, and share beyond the individual classroom counterstories from people in the lived streets of their neighborhood. In aggregate, this set of spatial tools produced a complex, hybrid view ...
Reconstruction of a Free Boundary

In some inverse Stefan problem the free boundary has to be reconstructed from measurement of temperature and heat flux on the fixed boundary, without information of the initial temperature distribution. Reformulation of the problem yields a nonlinear Chebyshev approximation problem, which satisfies the global and local Haar condition.
Conceptualizations of Catalogers' Judgment through Content Analysis: A Preliminary Investigation

ABSTRACTCatalogers' judgment has been frequently mentioned, but rarely has been researched in formal studies. The purpose of this article is to investigate catalogers' judgment through an exploration of the texts collected in the database of Library and Information Science Source. Verbs, adjectives, and nouns intimately associated with catalogers' judgment were extracted, analyzed, and grouped into 16 categories, which lead to 5 conceptual descriptions. The results of this study provide cataloging professionals with an overall picture on aspects of catalogers' judgment, which may help library school students and graduates and novice catalogers to become independent and confident decision makers relating to cataloging work.
Profile of dupilumab and its potential in the treatment of inadequately controlled moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disorder that manifests as eczematous lesions, often associated with allergic rhinitis and asthma. Historically, moderate-to-severe disease has been managed with systemic immunosuppression, such as oral corticosteroids, which result in relapse and limiting side effects. Due to recent advancements in the identification of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 as key mediators in AD, new biological agents have been developed for treatment. Dupilumab is a recently approved monoclonal antibody that targets the alpha subunit of the IL-4 receptor and, thus, downregulates activity of IL-4 and IL-13. This review discusses the profile of dupilumab and its potential for efficacy and safety in treating moderate-to-severe AD by reviewing data from Phase I-III clinical trials. Results suggest that dupilumab shows great therapeutic promise for AD. Further studies investigating extended use of dupilumab and dupilumab in comparison to other agents are needed to establish long-term efficacy and safety.
Involutions of Hilbert cubes that are hyperspaces of Peano continua

Abstract Let α be an involution of a Peano continuum X with nowhere dense fixed point set. Let α ⁎ be the induced involution on the hyperspace 2 X of nonempty closed subsets of X topologized by a Hausdorff metric. Let E ⊆ 2 X be a non-degenerate, α ⁎ -invariant hyperspace of X that is an inclusion or growth hyperspace in the sense of Curtis and Schori, and assume that the complement of { X } in E is contractible. Let S ( E ) be its fixed point set. If E is an inclusion hyperspace, then the restriction α ˆ ⁎ of α ⁎ to E is conjugate with the involution i d × τ of the Hilbert cube S ( E ) × Π i ≥ 1 I i , where τ is the involution of Π i ≥ 1 I i that reflects each coordinate across its mid-point. If E is a growth hyperspace of X and X contains no open subset homeomorphic to an arc, then the same result holds. In either case, if the complement of { X } in S ( E ) is contractible, then α ˆ ⁎ is conjugate with the involution σ of Π i ≥ 1 I i that reflects each even coordinate across its mid-point.
Tannins as biological antioxidants.

The consumption of fruits and vegetables is correlated with reduced risk for cancer and cardiovascular disease.1,2 Diets rich in fruits and vegetables contain several known nutritive factors that have been linked to diminished risk of disease such as ascorbic acid, tocopherols, and carotenoids.3,4,5 However, it is clear that known nutritive factors are not entirely responsible for the beneficial properties of fruit- and vegetable-containing diets. It is widely believed that non-nutritive components of the diets are in part responsible for these benefits. That theory is supported by studies in which more cancers are produced by chemical carcinogens if animals are fed a complete synthetic diet than if animals are fed a diet based on plant foods.6
Developing a Technology Supported Collaborative Strategic Planning Process for Higher Education

The process of strategic planning generally requires a large group of individuals work together to diverge and converge on a vision, mission, and core values. Research suggests these activities are critical for the advancement of a group task. However, this type of group work is time consuming and it has been shown to be a slow and painful process. The goal of this research is to develop and test a repeatable collaborative process for strategic planning in an Information Systems department with a College of Business at a medium-sized U.S. public university. The repeatable collaborative process in this research uses group support system technology and facilitation. Survey results and qualitative comments from the IS department participants show that satisfaction related to the strategic planning experience was high and that that the process was a success both from an individual and group perspective.
Restricted spatiotemporal expression of lactoferrin during murine embryogenesis.

Lactoferrin is a member of the transferrin family of iron-binding proteins to which several physiological functions have been ascribed. While there is a wealth of evidence about the distribution and function of this protein in the adult, the expression and function, if any, of lactoferrin during embryogenesis has not been investigated. In the current study, the spatiotemporal distribution of lactoferrin was analyzed during normal murine embryonic development. This analysis demonstrated that lactoferrin is expressed in three distinct patterns during embryogenesis. First, lactoferrin is expressed at the 2-cell stage in the preimplantation embryo where it continues to be expressed until the blastocyst stage when expression ceases. The second phase of lactoferrin expression is not detected until the latter half of gestation when the protein is detected in the myeloid cells, beginning in the fetal liver at embryonic day l l and later in the spleen and bone marrow coinciding with the onset and diversification of myelopoiesis in these organs during embryogenesis. Finally, lactoferrin is detected in a variety of glandular epithelial cells and/or their secretions, including respiratory and oral epithelia which is consistent with the expression pattern observed for this protein in the adult where it plays an important role in host defense at the mucosal surface. Taken together, these analyses indicate that the role of lactoferrin in the developing embryo is restricted to the preimplantation stage and development of first and second line host defense systems.
Evaluativity and structural competition

In this paper, I develop an account of evaluativity in comparative constructions that improves upon Jessica Rettâ€™s theory of evaluativity (2007, 2008). Rett proposes that evaluative interpretations result from the presence of a freely-occurring EVAL morpheme which introduces the reference to a contextual standard. According to Rett, whenever a degree construction is obligatorily evaluative, it is because its non-evaluative parse is blocked by a markedness competition. A limit of this proposal is that markedness comes as a stipulation. In this paper, I propose a principled way for generating competing candidates based on the structural complexity of aPs. I introduce the LF-principle Minimize aPs! that penalizes structurally complex degree expressions whenever they have semantically equivalent, yet structurally simpler counterparts. In addition, a PF-filter, Myers' Generalization, is argued to impose a wellformedness condition on morphologically complex expressions, thereby restricting further the set of competitors for semantic competition. The resulting picture regards the solution to the evaluativity puzzle as being at the crossroads of the different modules of the grammar.
QbD Considerations for Excipient Manufacturing

Abstract Excipients are necessary and invaluable components of pharmaceutical formulations. While being biologically inert, excipients often determine the functionality and performance of a drug product. Excipients as a class belong to a wide variety of physically and chemically diverse materials. The source, processing, and manufacturing methods of excipients are equally diverse. Moreover, often excipients are multifunctional, with their functionality depending on a plethora of factors such as the drug, the dosage form, the route of administration, the incorporation level, and a particular grade of the excipient incorporated. Thus, inclusion/use of excipients in pharmaceutical drug products entails a rigorous regulatory scrutiny with regards to their identity, purity, quality, and functionality. Quality by Design (QbD), along with process analytical technology (PAT), and design space is a holistic, science-based, risk-averting approach geared to thoroughly understand the critical quality attributes (CQAs) of materials and processes during drug product development. This United States Food and Drug Association's (USFDA’s) 21st-century initiative, along with the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) Q8 guidelines, encourages drug product manufacturers to apply QbD principles to formulations and processes to ensure development and manufacture robust drug products. Variability in the quality of excipients can significantly influence the robustness of a drug product. Thus, it is imperative that excipient manufacturing also embraces the principles and concepts of QbD. This chapter is aimed to provide a general overview on the current philosophy regarding applications of QbD principles in excipient manufacturing. After a brief introduction, the chapter discusses these aspects in various sections, that is, excipient manufacture, excipient functionality and performance, excipient variability, QbD principles in excipient manufacturing, and excipient safety assessment requirements.
A general stirred-flow model for time-dependent adsorption and desorption of heavy metal in soils

Abstract Quantitative understanding of kinetics and mechanisms heavy metal adsorption-desorption and transport processes, batch and stirred-flow experiments were carried out with vanadium (V) and molybdenum (Mo) on soils at different reaction conditions and time scale. Batch experiments indicated that adsorption of V and Mo on soils was highly nonlinear and time-dependent, where V and Mo retention showed typical biphasic reaction kinetics. The stirred-flow experiments showed that both V and Mo adsorption consisted of a fast initial reaction, as indicated by the fact that effluent solute concentration was close to zero for the first few minutes. A stirred-flow multi-reaction model (MRM) which accounts for slow as well as fast reactions of the reversible and irreversible type was developed to describe V and Mo adsorption and desorption processes on soils. Based on model simulations and experimental tracer breakthrough curves (BTCs) results, we concluded that the proposed model is valid for stirred-flow conditions. The strong retardation and slow release behaviors of V and Mo from stirred-flow experiments were successfully described using the proposed stirred-flow MRM where retardation and irreversible reactions were necessary. Our work provides a general stirred-flow model which is capable of describing reactive and non-reactive solutes.
Suicidality and Sport in 41 Metropolitan areas, 2006–2007 and 2009–2010

Issues related to professional sport transcend far beyond the world of sport itself. Previous research on the topic of sport and suicide has found that a significant association exists between the ...
Pharmacotherapy of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Results from the Randomized BAART Clinical Trial.

The objective of this trial, Biomarkers in Autism of Aripiprazole and Risperidone Treatment (BAART), was to provide support and guidance for an evidence-based approach for the selection and monitoring of initial pharmacotherapy in patients with autism by assessing predictors of efficacy, tolerability, and safety. This randomized double-blind parallel-group study was conducted in three academic medical centers and a single private pediatric practice. Eighty children or adolescents (aged 6-17 yrs) with autistic disorder were enrolled, and 61 patients were randomized to the study drug. Of those patients, 51 completed the 10-week trial, and 31 completed an optional 12-week blinded extension phase. All patients were treated with 2 weeks of placebo before random assignment to receive aripiprazole (31 patients) or risperidone (30 patients) for 10 weeks. Sixteen placebo responders (20%) were excluded from further analysis. Drug dosing followed U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labeling, and weekly dosage adjustments were allowed until week 4; patients were then maintained on a fixed dose for 6 additional weeks. Safety, physical, and psychological assessments were recorded weekly or every 2 weeks. No significant differences in severity of illness between the aripiprazole and risperidone groups were noted at baseline. All patients significantly improved on the Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Irritability subscale after 1 week and continued for the remaining 9 weeks and the extension phase. Improvement was greatest in the risperidone group at every assessment period and was statistically significantly better than that in the aripiprazole group at weeks 3 and 6 (p<0.05). No dose-limiting adverse events occurred during the dose-titration period. Mean weight gain in the aripiprazole group was significantly less than that in the risperidone group at week 4 (0.62 vs 1.38 kg, p=0.033) and week 10 (1.61 vs 3.31 kg, p<0.001), but the difference became nonsignificant for the 31 patients completing the 3-month extension phase (4.36 vs 5.55 kg, p=0.26). Pharmacotherapy of patients with autism spectrum disorder resulted in behavioral improvement within 1 week and lasted at least 22 weeks. Weight gain occurred to a greater degree with risperidone than aripiprazole initially, but the differences became nonsignificant by the end of the trial. Our trial supports previous results of drug efficacy and safety in patients with autism spectrum disorder from other trials and extends the evidence-based support for choosing an FDA-approved drug for initial pharmacotherapy for autism spectrum disorder.
Medicaid Expansion, HIV Testing, and HIV-Related Risk Behaviors in the United States, 2010-2017.

Objectives. To examine the relationship between Medicaid expansion under the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and both HIV testing and risk behavior among nonelderly adults in the Un...
Book Review: The Leader’s Guide to Emotional Agility: How to Use Soft Skills to Get Hard Results

Technology education is often discussed as a dying profession. According to Volk in his 1997 article reviewing technology education teacher preparation programs, “the demise of the technology teacher preparation programs will occur around the year 2005” (p. 69). The number of technology education teacher preparation programs across the United States, programs that train educators to teach critical thinking about technology tools, are disappearing at an astonishing rate. Without teachers for the programs, tool-based instruction will cease, and our society will not be educated to look at tools in a critical manner. The number of technology education teacher graduates has decreased by 68.35% between the years of 1995 and 2008 (Moye, Jones, & Dugger, 2015). Currently, only 24 undergraduate technology and engineering teacher preparation programs with an enrollment of 20 students or more exist in the United States (Litowitz, 2014). The steady decline of programs that prepare technology and engineering education teachers has been a consistent issue for over 40 years (Moye et al., 2015). In the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is currently only one program that trains students in undergraduate technology education, which is housed in the STEM Education and Professional Studies Department (STEMPS) at Old Dominion University (ODU). Virginia was instrumental in the creation of the Standards for Technological Literacy and has been a leader in technology education since the name change from industrial arts in 1978. However, the undergraduate technology education programs at Virginia Tech, James Madison University, Norfolk State, and Virginia State University have all become inactive, making the technology education program at ODU the last remaining program in the Commonwealth.
Superior laryngeal nerve transection for neuropathic cough: A pilot study.

Abstract Objective To describe a novel surgical therapy for the treatment of medically refractory neuropathic cough, in which carefully selected subjects undergo surgical transection of the internal branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (iSLN). Methods Subjects with a diagnosis of neuropathic cough, who were not improved after two medication trials, underwent iSLN block with local anesthetic in the office. While anesthetized, they underwent provocative testing to determine whether the nerve block improved their symptoms; if so, a modified barium swallow study (MBSS) was performed to determine whether they still swallowed safely without supraglottic sensation. Those who passed this screening were offered operative iSLN transection. We retrospectively reviewed our results to date. Results Six subjects (5 females, ages 46–71), with neuropathic cough symptoms for 2–15 years, passed the screening and underwent iSLN transection procedures. At a mean follow-up of 8.2 months, significant symptomatic relief was experienced by 5/6 subjects, with Cough Severity Index (CSI) scores averaging 34.83 ± 6.94 pre-op (range 36–40) and 15.5 ± 11.81 post-op (range 0–29) (p = 0.043). Operative time averaged 49 min (range 30–64). There were no major complications. No subjects experienced post-op aspiration problems. Conclusion This preliminary data supports iSLN transection as a viable option for subjects with refractory neuropathic cough. Our screening algorithm identifies subjects that would be expected to improve with this procedure and confirms a safe swallow.
Inhibition of astrocyte glutamate uptake by reactive oxygen species: role of antioxidant enzymes.

The recent literature suggests that free radicals and reactive oxygen species may account for many pathologies, including those of the nervous system. The influence of various reactive oxygen species on the rate of glutamate uptake by astrocytes was investigated on monolayers of primary cultures of mouse cortical astrocytes. Hydrogen peroxide and peroxynitrite inhibited glutamate uptake in a concentration-dependent manner. Addition of copper ions and ascorbate increased the potency and the efficacy of the hydrogen peroxide effect, supporting the potential neurotoxicity of the hydroxyl radical. The free radical scavenger dimethylthiourea effectively eliminated the inhibitory potential of a mixture containing hydrogen peroxide, copper sulphate, and ascorbate on the rate of glutamate transport into astrocytes The inhibitory effect of hydrogen peroxide on glutamate uptake was not altered by the inhibition of glutathione peroxidase, whereas the inhibition of catalase by sodium azide clearly potentiated this effect. Superoxide and nitric oxide had no effect by themselves on the rate of glutamate uptake by astrocytes. The absence of an effect of nitric oxide is not due to an inability of astrocytes to respond to this substance, since the same cultures did respond to nitric oxide with a sustained increase in cytoplasmic free calcium. These results confirm that reactive oxygen species have a potential neurotoxicity by means of impairing glutamate transport into astrocytes, and they suggest that preventing the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide in the extracellular space of the brain, especially during conditions that favor hydroxyl radical formation, could be therapeutic.
Surface treatment of titanium by anodization and iron deposition: mechanical and biological properties

Surface modification of titanium and titanium alloys is a common method to improve anchoring of bone tissue and implants in hard tissue engineering applications. In the current work, a combination of chemical and physical methods (anodization and physical vapor deposition) was used to roughen the titanium surface and deposit iron (Fe) on the surface of titanium at different thicknesses. The optimized thickness of 100 A was selected for mechanical and biological characterization. We found that anodization increases the surface roughness of Ti from 21 ± 0 to 229 ± 9 nm, whereas Fe deposition does not change it significantly. Our results also showed that surface modification of Ti by anodization increases the proliferation of osteosarcoma cells at both time points, whereas Fe-deposited samples showed the lowest cellular activity. These results suggest that Fe-deposited Ti implants may be suitable candidates for patients with osteosarcoma, as the proliferation of malignant cells decreases in the presence of Fe.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Vulnerable Older Adults in the United States.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office in China at the end of 2019 (World Health Organization [WHO], 2020a). As ...
Tribarium dicitrate penta-hydrate, [Ba3(C6H5O7)2(H2O)4]·H2O.

The crystal structure of tribarium dicitrate penta­hydrate, [Ba3(C6H5O7)2(H2O)4]·H2O, has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data, and optimized using density functional techniques. The BaO9 and BaO10 coordination polyhedra share edges and corners to form a three-dimensional network. All of the active hydrogen atoms act as donors in O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. Most of the acceptors are carboxyl­ate oxygen atoms, but there are also water⋯water hydrogen bonds. Both of the citrate hydroxyl groups form intra­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds to terminal carboxyl groups.
‘Help Save The Planet One Bidi Stick At A Time!’: greenwashing disposable vapes

Bidi Stick is a single use electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) launched in 2020 by Bidi Vapor.1 Distributed and sold online and in retail stores in the USA,2 the brand’s popularity is growing, with Bidi Stick sales comprising 28% of the disposable e-cigarette market in the fourth quarter of 2020.1 3 In their recent campaign ‘Bidi Cares,’ Bidi Vapor presents their company as the industry leader in environmental consciousness, protection, and care. Central to their marketing is greenwashing , a technique in which products or brands are portrayed as eco-friendly or natural.4–6 Cigarette7–10 and e-cigarette advertising11–14 have both leveraged greenwashing tactics, including cigarette advertisements (predominantly Natural American Spirit) describing their products as ‘natural,’ ‘additive-free,’ ‘organic;’15 16 using nature-related imagery;7–9 17 and highlighting pro-environment corporate social responsibility activities (eg, anti-litter campaigns)7–10 and e-cigarette advertisements touting their products as better for the environment than cigarettes14 and organic or natural.13 Although greenwashing tactics do not make explicit claims about a product’s health benefits or risk profile, they have nonetheless been linked to reduced harm perceptions18–26 and youth appeal.27 28 While analysing media surveillance for an …
The Selected Letters of John Kenneth Galbraith: edited by Richard P. F. Holt, New York, Cambridge University Press, 2017, 701 pp., $34.99 (hardcover), ISBN 978-1-10-701988-1

John Kenneth Galbraith was the most widely read economist of the 20th century, and certainly one of the most interesting. Besides his long career teaching economics at Harvard, Galbraith held impor...
Uranium corrosion characterization by handheld laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Abstract A commercial-off-the-shelf handheld laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy system was modified, calibrated and tested for discrimination between uranium oxide and uranium hydride when assessing uranium corrosion products. Operating parameters, system modifications, and onboard data analysis were developed to accomplish the analytical task. This work represents the first laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy analysis of bulk uranium hydride, a pyrophoric material, within an inert glovebox. Finally, the work shown here illustrates a rapid identification technique for uranium corrosion types from pure UO2 or U3O8 to pure UH3.
Harvesting microalgae using the temperature-activated phase transition of thermoresponsive polymers

Abstract Microalga is a promising feedstock for biofuel, chemical, food, and animal feed; however, harvesting is a critical barrier for its commercial application. This communication demonstrates a new harvesting technology by utilizing the phase separation of thermoresponsive polymers and charged copolymers of N-isopropylacrylamide and allylamine. Chlorella protothecoides cells are separated from solution when the mixture of algae and polymers is heated above the lower critical solution temperature of polymers (~ 32 °C), where the polymer phase separates from the aqueous media and aggregates into a solid–gel phase. It was found that copolymer concentration, allylamine content (mol%) and charge (based on initial solution pH) affect the extent of polymer phase separation and alga separation efficiency. The copolymer containing allylamine with lower than 2.6 mol% displayed nearly complete algal cell separation at polymer concentrations of 25–50 mg/mL and pH 7. The results indicated that thermoresponsive polymers provide a promising technology for alga harvesting using recyclable and reusable materials.
Vertical and radial plasma position control for BPX

Several issues not addressed in previous work on plasma vertical position control are examined, as a radial position control for the Burning Plasma Experiment (BPX). The growth times for vertical motion are found to vary significantly for different current distributions. Preferred locations of flux-loops for use in feedback control are determined using asymmetric flux contours. In addition to the standard step response for vertical position control, ramp and random perturbation responses are examined to represent more typical control requirements. The radial position response is examined for a minor disruption and for outboard plasma boundary control for the ICH antenna coupling. Inner control coils are used for fast time scale control and the outer poloidal field coils are used for the slower time scale control. >
Commercial Membrane Types

This chapter describes several commercially available products helping in selecting a suitable membrane for a given application and in understanding its function. Unreinforced perfluorinated sulfonic acid films are available in a variety of thicknesses and are typically made of either 1000 or 1100 EW polymer. Reinforced perfluorinated membranes are used for most industrial electrolysis applications; these are used to improve the mechanical strength, particularly the resistance to tear propagation. Sulfonic acid membranes are used to reduce the overall thickness—Nafion 324 is a general purpose industrial membrane particularly for applications requiring better anion rejection than Nafion 424. Sulfonic/carboxylic membranes are used exclusively for the electrolysis of sodium chloride. They represent by far the largest volume and value of all fluorinated ionomer products.