cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of perceived workload when using a PDA for mobile robot teleoperation

A Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) based interface has been developed to provide teleoperation of a mobile robot. The interface provides three different screen designs, all of which employ touch (finger) based interaction rather than stylus based interaction. The interface provides general interaction capabilities for driving the robot based upon the information display. The Vision-only screen provides the forward facing camera image, the Sensory-only screen provides the on-board ultrasonic sensors and laser range finder information, while the Vision with sensory overlay screen integrates all three data sets. A user evaluation was conducted to evaluate the usability and perceived workload required for each screen. Thirty participants completed the quantitative evaluation. The focus of this paper is the obtained perceived workload results.
Survey of Analysis, Simulation and Modeling for Large Scale Logic Circuits

The purpose of this paper is to introduce recent developments in the time analysis, simulation and modeling of logic circuits. These advances which have taken place in the circuit and systems area augment the recent advances in logic time simulators. The latest trend has been to combine the approaches into a single system, a so called mixed simulation-analysis program. In this paper we review some of the circuit oriented techniques at a level understandable to the non circuit-theorist.
Population Genetics of the Pecan Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Inferred from Mitochondrial Nucleotide Data

The pecan weevil, Curculio caryae (Horn) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is an obligate nut feeder of all hickory (Carya spp.) and a key pest of the pecan, Carya illinoinensis Koch. This study investigates population genetic structure of the pecan weevil. Gene sow and genetic variation was estimated for 90 pecan weevil specimens sampled within the range Carya occurring in the United States. Cladistic and nested clade analyses, as well as an analysis of molecular variance of mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase I were performed. Six-hundred and forty equally parsimonious trees of 31 haplotypes demonstrated high genetic diversity across all pecan weevil samples, and signiÞcant regional subdivision. Three clades recovered in the parsimony and nested clade analyses were strongly associated with western, central, and eastern localities sampled within the range of C. caryae. The current distribution of C. caryae and population structure were explained by past glaciation events. The data indicate C. caryae diverged from its sister species, Curculio nasicus (Say), 4.3 million years before present (mybp). Lineage divergence between the western and eastern populations occurred during the Pleistocene (1.1 million mybp), and a more recent divergence occurred between C. caryae populations east and west of the Appalachian mountain range (870,000 yr ago). Haplotypes were segregated by region, but further sampling is necessary to test for gene sow among these regions.
Deficiency of the leukotriene B4 receptor, BLT-1, protects against systemic insulin resistance in diet-induced obesity

Chronic inflammation is an underlying factor linking obesity with insulin resistance. Diet-induced obesity promotes an increase in circulating levels of inflammatory monocytes and their infiltration into expanding adipose tissue. Nevertheless, the endogenous pathways that trigger and sustain chronic low-grade inflammation in obesity are incompletely understood. In this study, we report that a high-fat diet selectively increases the circulating levels of CD11b(+) monocytes in wild-type mice that express leukotriene B(4) receptor, BLT-1, and that this increase is abolished in BLT-1-null mice. The accumulation of classically activated (M1) adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) and the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines (i.e., IL-6 and Ccl2) was largely blunted in adipose tissue of obese BLT-1(-/-) mice, whereas the ratio of alternatively activated (M2) ATMs to M1 ATMs was increased. Obese BLT-1(-/-) mice were protected from systemic glucose and insulin intolerance and this was associated with a decrease in inflammation in adipose tissue and liver and a decrease in hepatic triglyceride accumulation. Deletion of BLT-1 prevented high fat-induced loss of insulin signaling in liver and skeletal muscle. These observations elucidate a novel role of chemoattractant receptor, BLT-1, in promoting monocyte trafficking to adipose tissue and promoting chronic inflammation in obesity and could lead to the identification of new therapeutic targets for treating insulin resistance in obesity.
Clinical Microbiology Reviews: Genesis of a Journal

In 1986 planning for a new ASM review journal, Clinical Microbiology Reviews (CMR), began. CMR would publish articles primarily of interest to persons concerned with pathogenesis, laboratory diagnosis, epidemiology, and control of human and veterinary pathogens. The first issue was published in January 1988, with quarterly publication since then. The journal quickly became successful in terms of subscribers and impact on the field, earning a strong national and international reputation. The achievements of CMR are owed to many persons, including the editorial board, the production team, and especially the contributing authors.
NEIL1 Binding to DNA Containing 2′-Fluorothymidine Glycol Stereoisomers and the Effect of Editing

Thymine glycol (Tg), one of the oxidized bases formed in DNA by reactive oxygen species, is repaired by the DNA glycosylases such as NEIL1, NTH1 and Endo III. In our recent studies, we showed that NEIL1’s catalytic efficiency and lesion specificity are regulated by an RNA editing adenosine deamination reaction. In this study, we synthesized oligodeoxynucleotides containing 2′-fluorothymidine glycol with either ribo or arabino configuration and investigated the binding of these modified DNAs with the unedited and edited forms of human NEIL1 along with E. coli Endo III. For the two forms of hNEIL1, binding affinities to FTg-containing DNA were similar indicating the editing effect is more subtle than to simply alter substrate affinity. While the NEIL1 binding to FTg-containing DNAs was largely insensitive to C5 and 2′ stereochemistry, a preference was observed for the FTg-G pair over the FTg-A pair. In addition, we found that optimal binding is observed with Endo III and duplex DNA with riboFTg (5S) paired with dG. The modified DNAs reported here will provide useful tools for further characterizing the interaction between DNA repair glycosylases and thymine glycol containing DNA.
Using real-time adaptive noise masking to mitigate ambient interferences

A real-time adaptive noise masking method for ambient interference mitigation is proposed. The noise masker is implemented below the auditory masking surface of concurrent music and is thus inaudible. The noise masking parameters are also adapted to ambient interferences and room acoustics to improve masking efficiency.
Modern Symbolic Interaction Theory and Health

As sociologists we know that people are connected both to and through society. Individuals share much in the way of values and understandings of the world and their actions generally appear to be coordinated—yet human actors are more than well-socialized cogs in a machine. The symbolic interactionist perspective helps us understand relationships between the individual and the larger society as dynamic. This theoretical perspective views concepts of self, social situations, and society as accomplished through people’s actions and interactions. Through its concepts and guiding assumptions, symbolic interactionism fosters theoretically-driven research with implications for medical sociology, which we address here.
The FDA's sentinel initiative—A comprehensive approach to medical product surveillance

In May 2008, the Department of Health and Human Services announced the launch of the Sentinel Initiative by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to create the Sentinel System, a national electronic system for medical product safety surveillance. This system complements existing FDA surveillance capabilities that track adverse events reported after the use of FDA regulated products by allowing the FDA to proactively assess the safety of these products.
Epinephrine's effect on metabolic rate is independent of changes in plasma insulin or glucagon.

Epinephrine's effect to increase metabolic rate is accompanied by changes in the plasma concentrations of insulin, glucagon, and metabolic substrates. Because both glucagon and insulin have been re...
Application of new Fiber and Malleable Materials for Agile Development of Augmented Instruments and Controllers

The paper introduces new fiber and malleable materials, including piezoresistive fabric and conductive heat-shrink tubing, and shows techniques and examples of how they may be used for rapid prototyping and agile development of musical instrument controllers. New implementations of well-known designs are covered as well as enhancements of existing controllers. Finally, two new controllers are introduced that are made possible by these recently available materials and construction techniques.
Driver Choice of Headway with Auditory Warnings

Two major causes of rear-end collisions are driver distraction and the tendency for some drivers to maintain insufficient headways with other vehicles. Previous research into in-vehicle collision avoidance systems has focused on warning drivers in near-collision situations with short headways (e.g., less than 1 second). The current study focused on mid-range headways and on warning distracted drivers to maintain safe following distances. Subjects performed a simulated car-following task in which the lead vehicle periodically decelerated. The lead vehicle was otherwise programmed to maintain a minimum following distance of 2 seconds—although the subjects could drive more slowly to leave a longer headway. On trips with an auditory headway warning, the subjects tended to leave larger headways, particularly on trips in which they performed a secondary task as well.
Effect of Stimulation Frequency Modulation on Cross-Bridge Cycling Rate of Explanted Human Myocardium with Non-Ischemic and Ischemic Cardiomyopathy

The rate of cross-bridge cycling represents the speed at which actin and myosin attach and detach in cardiac myofilaments. This rate is thought to be decreased in dilated cardiomyopathy, but little is known about how it changes at different stimulation frequencies. This may be important in heart failure because the patients typically exhibit symptoms due to physical exertion as the heart cannot appropriately respond to the increased heart rate to increase contractility. We hypothesized that failing hearts will have slower cross-bridge cycling rates compared to non-failing hearts as stimulation frequency is increased. We isolated intact human left ventricular trabeculae from failing hearts and measured the rate of tension redevelopment (ktr), an often-used index of rate of cross-bridge cycling. Etiologies of heart failure can be categorized into two types: ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM). Here, we present our preliminary data that suggest that failing hearts with ICM and NICM may have different kinetic parameters, especially at high stimulation frequencies. When normalized to the baseline ktr at 0.5 Hz, ktr in failing left ventricular trabeculae with NICM collected at maximal calcium activation are slower at high stimulation frequencies (2 and 3 Hz) compared to non-failing samples. In addition, preliminary data suggest failing left ventricular trabeculae with ICM do not have significantly different ktr across the in vivo range of frequencies (0.5 Hz to 3 Hz) compared to non-failing samples. Due to the small sample size and individual variability of human myocardium, we currently cannot make any definitive conclusions regarding the differences in the ktr of NICM and ICM left ventricular trabeculae. However, we will continue to collect more human myocardium data to better understand the kinetics of cross-bridge cycling.
CD4(+) T-Cell-Independent Secondary Immune Responses to Pneumocystis Pneumonia.

Pneumocystis pneumonia is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among immunocompromised patients, especially in the context of HIV/AIDS. In the murine model of Pneumocystis pneumonia, CD4+ T-cells are required for clearance of a primary infection of Pneumocystis but not the memory recall response. We hypothesized that the memory recall response in the absence of CD4+ T-cells is mediated by a robust memory humoral response, CD8+ T-cells, and IgG mediated phagocytosis by alveolar macrophages. To investigate the role of CD8+ T-cells and alveolar macrophages in the immune memory response to Pneumocystis, mice previously challenged with Pneumocystis were depleted of CD8+ T-cells or alveolar macrophages prior to re-infection. Mice depleted of CD4+ T-cells prior to secondary challenge cleared Pneumocystis infection within 48 hours identical to immunocompetent mice during a secondary memory recall response. However, loss of CD8+ T-cells or macrophages prior to the memory recall response significantly impaired Pneumocystis clearance. Specifically, mice depleted of CD8+ T-cells or alveolar macrophages had significantly higher fungal burden in the lungs. Furthermore, loss of alveolar macrophages significantly skewed the lung CD8+ T-cell response towards a terminally differentiated effector memory population and increased the percentage of IFN-γ+ CD8+ T-cells. Finally, Pneumocystis infected animals produced significantly more bone marrow plasma cells and Pneumocystis-specific IgG significantly increased macrophage-mediated killing of Pneumocystis in vitro. These data suggest that secondary immune memory responses to Pneumocystis are mediated, in part, by CD8+ T-cells, alveolar macrophages, and the production of Pneumocystis-specific IgG.
Determination of ethanol in blood by automated headspace gas chromatography

Objective:To establish a method for determination of ethanol in blood by automated headspace gas chromatography.Methods: The blood sample together with tert-butanol as the internal standard was placed into headspace vials.The detection was performed by a gas chromatograph with flame ionization detector(FID) coupled to a headspace autosampler.Ethanol was characterized qualitatively by the retention time and quantitatively by the peak area ratio.Internal standard method was used for quantitation.Results: The results showed a good linearity in the range of 0.10 mg/ml～3.00 mg/ml(r=0.9999).The detection limit of ethanol was 0.01 mg/ml.The recoveries for the spiked samples ranged from 97.8% to 104.3% and the relative standard deviations(RSD) were less than 2.0%.Conclusion: The method is simple,rapid and accurate,which can be applied to the determination of ethanol in blood.
Mortality risk of long-term amiodarone therapy for atrial fibrillation patients without structural heart disease.

Background: Amiodarone is often prescribed in the management of atrial fibrillation (AF) but is known to cause significant end-organ toxicities. In this study, we examined the impact of amiodarone on all-cause mortality in AF patients with structurally normal hearts. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of all AF patients with structurally normal hearts who were prescribed antiarrhythmic drugs (AAD) for rhythm control of AF at our institution from 2006 to 2013 (n = 2,077). Baseline differences between the amiodarone (AMIO: n = 403) and other AADs (NON-AMIO: n = 1,674) groups were corrected for using propensity score matching. Results: Amiodarone use as first-line therapy decreased significantly with a higher degree of prescriber specialization in arrhythmia management (31%, 22%, and 9% for primary care physicians, general cardiologists and cardiac electrophysiologists, respectively, p < 0.001). After propensity score matching, baseline comorbidities were balanced between the AMIO and NON-AMIO groups. Over a median follow-up of 28.2 months (range 6.0–100.9 months), amiodarone was associated with increased all-cause (HR 2.41, p = 0.012) and non-cardiac (HR 3.55, p = 0.008) mortality, but not cardiac mortality. AF recurrence and cardiac hospi­talizations were similar between the two study groups. Conclusions: Amiodarone treatment of AF is associated with increased mortality in patients without structural heart disease and therefore should be avoided or only used as a second-line therapy, when other AF therapies fail. Adherence to guideline recommendations in the management of AF patients impacts clinical outcome.
Treisman workshops for computer science

Treisman workshops are collaborative problem solving sessions led by a skilled undergraduate or graduate student. These workshops are linked to a regular course (such as discrete math). They are a low-pressure forum for students to learn problem solving skills within the context of the course material. This tutorial explains how to adapt the workshop idea, originally implemented for first-year calculus, to computer science. Participants of this tutorial will (1) learn about the pedagogical basis for the Treisman model through a brief tour of the literature and (2) learn the principles of workshop implementation to adapt it to their institutions.
The Impact of Super PACs on the 2010 and 2012 Congressional Elections

The rise of independent expenditures by outside groups in congressional elections following the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United leads to the questions about whether and to what extent outside spending actually affects the outcome of congressional elections. After an overview of outside group activity during the 2010 and 2012 elections, this paper develops several statistical models to address the question of whether outside spending has an impact on elections in the House of Representatives. We find that outside spending has a statistically significant impact, although in different ways for the 2010 and 2012 elections, but in each case the effect is seen still at the margins.
Reproducing Fear: Islamophobia in the United States

Islamophobia in the twenty-first-century United States is of recent vintage, and yet hearkens back to debates predating the emergence of the United States herself. Contemporary discourses that express and encourage anti-Muslim sentiments echo and reproduce aspects of a far older discursive tradition about Islam. This chapter examines ways in which contemporary discourses draw from, and depend upon, historical precedents. It explores how America’s Founding Fathers invoked Islam as they sought to define the institutional character of their fledging nation. Islam served as a multivalent trope that could be invoked in favour of both the permitting and prohibiting of religious tests, and for establishing or disestablishing religion. It also appeared in the emergence of Oriental spy literature produced as part of a desire to galvanise citizens in support of a common vision of both America’s national identity and its projected global mission. Understanding how Islam functioned in the nation’s early debates provides insight not only into the rhetorical precedents of current anti-Muslim stereotypes, but also the mechanisms through which anti-Islamic narratives are perpetuated. This chapter adopts a historical approach in order to develop a deeper understanding of how, and in what forms, the fear of Muslims has manifested itself within the United States.
Algorithmic Transparency via Quantitative Input Influence: Theory and Experiments with Learning Systems

Algorithmic systems that employ machine learning play an increasing role in making substantive decisions in modern society, ranging from online personalization to insurance and credit decisions to predictive policing. But their decision-making processes are often opaque -- it is difficult to explain why a certain decision was made. We develop a formal foundation to improve the transparency of such decision-making systems. Specifically, we introduce a family of Quantitative Input Influence (QII) measures that capture the degree of influence of inputs on outputs of systems. These measures provide a foundation for the design of transparency reports that accompany system decisions (e.g., explaining a specific credit decision) and for testing tools useful for internal and external oversight (e.g., to detect algorithmic discrimination). Distinctively, our causal QII measures carefully account for correlated inputs while measuring influence. They support a general class of transparency queries and can, in particular, explain decisions about individuals (e.g., a loan decision) and groups (e.g., disparate impact based on gender). Finally, since single inputs may not always have high influence, the QII measures also quantify the joint influence of a set of inputs (e.g., age and income) on outcomes (e.g. loan decisions) and the marginal influence of individual inputs within such a set (e.g., income). Since a single input may be part of multiple influential sets, the average marginal influence of the input is computed using principled aggregation measures, such as the Shapley value, previously applied to measure influence in voting. Further, since transparency reports could compromise privacy, we explore the transparency-privacy tradeoff and prove that a number of useful transparency reports can be made differentially private with very little addition of noise. Our empirical validation with standard machine learning algorithms demonstrates that QII measures are a useful transparency mechanism when black box access to the learning system is available. In particular, they provide better explanations than standard associative measures for a host of scenarios that we consider. Further, we show that in the situations we consider, QII is efficiently approximable and can be made differentially private while preserving accuracy.
A Switch in Thermal Preference in Drosophila Larvae Depends on Multiple Rhodopsins

Summary Drosophila third-instar larvae exhibit changes in their behavioral responses to gravity and food as they transition from feeding to wandering stages. Using a thermal gradient encompassing the comfortable range (18°C to 28°C), we found that third-instar larvae exhibit a dramatic shift in thermal preference. Early third-instar larvae prefer 24°C, which switches to increasingly stronger biases for 18°C–19°C in mid- and late-third-instar larvae. Mutations eliminating either of two rhodopsins, Rh5 and Rh6, wiped out these age-dependent changes in thermal preference. In larvae, Rh5 and Rh6 are thought to function exclusively in the light-sensing Bolwig organ. However, the Bolwig organ was dispensable for the thermal preference. Rather, Rh5 and Rh6 were required in trpA1 -expressing neurons in the brain, ventral nerve cord, and body wall. Because Rh1 contributes to thermal selection in the comfortable range during the early to mid-third-instar stage, fine thermal discrimination depends on multiple rhodopsins.
Narcolepsy without Cataplexy Mimicking Psychiatric Illness

Hallucinations can be seen in pediatric population with various kinds of illnesses including psychiatric disorders and sleep disorders. As psychiatry disorders and sleep disorders share common symptoms, it is difficult to differentiate. We report a case of narcolepsy without cataplexy in a 12-year-old girl who was initially diagnosed with psychiatric illnesses from excessive sleepiness and visual and auditory hallucinations. She did not improve with antipsychotic medication but responded well to stimulant medication. We emphasize the importance of having narcolepsy in differential diagnoses for hallucinations in pediatric population.
On the “How” of Social Experiments: Analytic Strategies for Getting Inside the Black Box

Analysis of postrandom assignment (endogenous) events or experiences in experimental evaluation data is becoming increasingly widespread. This chapter highlights some analytic strategies for revealing mediators of program impacts. In particular, it considers the kinds of research questions that instrumental variables (IV) estimation is suited to answer and how using IV in conjunction with a randomized experiment can advance what we know about the mediational effects of policies or programs. It also explains how the Analysis of Symmetrically Predicted Endogenous Subgroups (ASPES) can assist in answering other, related kinds of evaluation questions. It illustrates how these approaches have been used in practice with an example from the Moving to Opportunity (MTO) Demonstration.
Text Messaging in the Patient-Centered Medical Home to Improve Glucose Control and Retinopathy Screening

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of a text messaging program (TMP) to improve glucose control, retinopathy screening (RS) rates, and self-care behaviors in patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. Methods: A single-group design with a quasi-systematic random sample (n=20) received educational/exhortational text messages on their cellular phones for 3 months. Subjects, 12 of whom identified as a minority ethnicity, were mostly male, aged 27–73 years. Results: Glucose control and RS rates improved significantly. Subjects (>70%) reported changes in self-care behaviors. Conclusion: Leveraging ubiquitous technology, a TMP for patients with limited access to healthcare education, holds promise.
Effects of Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) on Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), a Parasitoid of Nezara viridula (L.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

The effects of neem (Azadirachtin indica A. Juss) on Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston), an egg parasitoid of Nezara viridula (L.), were assessed in the laboratory and in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walpers). Treatment of N. viridula eggs with 0.5% (225 ppm azadirachtin) aqueous solution of neem had no effect on parasitization by T. basalis, using both choice and no-choice tests. Parasitoid development and emergence from host eggs treated before or after parasitization also were not affected by neem compared with controls. Additionally, neem did not affect longevity of adult parasitoids from treated eggs or the reproductive activity of females compared with controls. In a field choice test using treated and control eggs, parasitism levels were similar. Also, parasitism of eggs was similar in treated and control cowpea plots. These results suggest that neem may be safe to parasitoids of N. viridula and could be an important component of an integrated pest management program in cowpea.
Pedagogies of Empire

The biggest issues that challenge our global contemporary world are religious and ethnic tensions, the changing nature of global governance, political crises, social injustice, economic inequality, environmental issues, poverty, and hunger, among others. Globalization and global governance are hindered by multiculturalism. For example, the acknowledged failure of multiculturalism to achieve true tolerance and integration has created politicized forms of Islam, which in turn pose an obstacle to global security.
Correlated Failures in Multi-Version Software 1

Abstract N-version programming has been proposed as a method of incorporating fault tolerance into software by independently preparing multiple versions of a program and voting on the results. This method depends for its reliability improvement on the assumption that programs that have been developed independently will fail independently. In this paper an experiment is described in which the fundamental axiom is tested. A total of twenty seven versions of a program were prepared independently from the same specification at two universities and then subjected to one million input test cases. The results of the tests revealed that the programs were individually extremely reliable but that the number of tests in which more than one program failed was substantially more than expected. The conclusion from this experiment is that independence of failure patterns in separate produced software versions cannot in general be assumed to be true and that analysis of the reliability of n-version programming must include the effect of dependent errors.
Die ersten Versuche über die osmotische Entwicklungserregung des unbefruchteten Seeigeleies (Arbacia)

Wie schon erwahnt, begann ich meine Versuche mit der Erwartung, das es gelingen musse, die unbefruchteten Eier durch Behandlung mit Basen oder Sauren zur Entwicklung anzuregen.
Examining the role of cynicism in the relationships between burnout and employee behavior

Abstract The purpose of the study was to examine the relation of burnout components (i.e., exhaustion, cynicism, and professional inefficacy) with employees’ self-rated job performance and prosocial behavior and test a conceptual model that incorporates the direct and indirect relationships of the burnout components with job performance and prosocial behavior. A paper-and-pencil survey battery was completed by 262 working adults in a university setting. The independent and dependent variables were collected one month apart to reduce the likelihood of common method variance bias. Emotional exhaustion and professional inefficacy were associated with lower task and contextual performance, and prosocial behavior. Cynicism was a significant partial mediator of the emotional exhaustion and professional inefficacy relations with three outcome variables, linking to increased task performance, contextual performance, and prosocial behavior. This is one of the few studies that use the burnout process model to examine the links between burnout and performance and prosocial behavior.
Mass Vaccination for Annual and Pandemic Influenza

Influenza virus causes annual epidemics and occasional pandemics. Frequent mutations in circulating influenza strains (“antigenic drift”) result in the need for annual vaccination. More than two-thirds of persons in the U.S. are recommended for annual vaccination. Because influenza vaccine is available seasonally, mass vaccination strategies are well suited to its delivery. Although doctors offices are the most frequent setting for influenza vaccination overall, workplaces, clinics, and community sites (retail stores and pharmacies) also are common vaccination settings. Influenza vaccination also is delivered in mass vaccination clinics to health care workers and military personnel. Universal influenza vaccination, which has been recommended as a strategy to improve prevention by increasing vaccination coverage and providing indirect protection of adults by decreasing infection and transmission among children, would require expanded use of mass vaccination, for example in schools, as well as in the community. Influenza pandemics occur when a new influenza A subtype is introduced into the population (“antigenic shift”). Most or all of the population is susceptible to the pandemic virus and two doses of vaccine may be needed for protection. U.S. pandemic preparedness and response plans indicate that the entire population should be vaccinated beginning with defined priority groups including those who provide essential services including healthcare and those at highest risk of severe illness and death. Pandemic influenza vaccination will occur primarily through the public sector in mass clinic settings. Vaccination program planning must consider issues including coordination, staffing, clinic location and lay-out, security, record keeping, and communications. Exercising vaccination clinics is important for preparedness and can be done in the context of annual influenza vaccination.
An integrated gas-liquid droplet microfluidic platform for digital sampling and detection of airborne targets

Abstract The use of microfluidic droplets has become ubiquitous in many Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC) applications ranging from material synthesis to novel biochemical sensing. In this paper, we introduce a new droplet-based approach that incorporates a gas phase for generating liquid droplet microreactors in a microfluidic flow-focusing format. We demonstrate the subsequent on-chip transition, collection and handling of the droplets in a secondary liquid carrier inside a multilayer PDMS structure. The presented technique has potential applications in capturing and probing airborne particles and gaseous vapors using high surface-to-volume picoliter droplets. The discrete microfluidic gas-liquid interfaces created in this approach, greatly facilitate absorption and up-concentration of a gaseous target analyte into the droplet volume. The chip-based format of the units also allows for different microfluidic modules and analytical techniques to be integrated in this platform for droplet probing, providing highly-sensitive LOC detection systems. Here, we demonstrate the basic principles of sample partitioning with gas-liquid droplets by capturing and detection of vaporized ammonia at different gaseous concentrations using Nessler’s reaction inside the droplets. The results of this work provide a simple and robust quantification approach for determining gaseous ammonia which can be further expanded to other gas-phase analytes in next generation of airborne target detectors for human breath analysis and environmental monitoring.
Solution and gas-phase modifiers effect on heme proteins environment and conformational space

The molecular environment is known to impact the secondary and tertiary structure of biomolecules, shifting the equilibrium between different conformational and oligomerization states. In the present study, the effect of solution additives and gas-phase modifiers on the molecular environment of two common heme proteins, bovine cytochrome c and equine myoglobin, is investigated as a function of the time after desolvation (e.g., 100 - 500 ms) using trapped ion mobility spectrometry - mass spectrometry. Changes in the mobility profiles are observed depending on the starting solution composition (i.e., in aqueous solution at neutral pH or in the presence of organic content: methanol, acetone, or acetonitrile) depending on the protein. In the presence of gas-phase modifiers (i.e., N2 containing methanol, acetone, or acetonitrile), a shift in the mobility profiles driven by the gas-modifier mass and size and changes in the relative abundances and number of IMS bands are observed. We attribute these changes in the mobility profiles in the presence of gas-phase modifiers to a clustering/declustering mechanism by which organic molecules adsorb to the protein ion surface and lower energetic barriers for interconversion between conformational states, thus redefining the free energy landscape and equilibria between conformers. These structural biology experiments open new avenues for manipulation and interrogation of biomolecules in the gas-phase with the potential to emulate a large suite of solution conditions, ultimately including conditions that more accurately reflect a variety of intracellular environments.
Promoting Coherence in Athletic Training Education Programs

Objective: To present athletic training educators with guidelines for developing coherent athletic training education programs. Background: Coherent athletic training education programs are marked by a clear relationship between program goals and learning activities. These learning activities follow a logical progression that facilitates knowledge and skill development and enhances professional preparation. Coherent programs also work to socialize athletic training students in purposeful and positive ways. We have identified fourteen indicators of coherence in teacher education programs that are applicable to athletic training education. Both teacher certification and athletic training programs are similar in that they serve as professional preparation for their respective fields and have practical application (i.e., clinical education or student teaching practicum) components. Description: Coherence begins with a clearly defined mission statement. The academic faculty and clinical staff/instructors striv...
New Activated PEG Derivatives for Affinity Partitioning

If affinity partitioning is to be applied industrially, it is likely that the chemistry of polymer-ligand coupling will be critical to commercial viability. Factors to be considered include reagent cost, ease of handling, loss of ligand activity, reactivity of intermediates, and linkage stability. Consequently, a great deal of effort has been invested in PEG chemistry [1,2]. This same chemistry is pertinent to other areas such as catalysis, biosensors, and coatings for control of wetting, electroosmosis, and protein adsorption [3,4]. In this article we describe recent work in three areas: (1) effects of known methods for PEG-protein coupling on protein activity and stability, (2) synthesis of heterofunctional PEG derivatives, and (3) preparation and utility of PEG aldehyde.
PhD Forum: Monitoring and Detecting Flood by Fusing the Sensor and Social Media Data Streams

In this work, we explore the use of different data sources for flood detection and monitoring: physical reading from distributed sensor network and social media through Twitter data. For better flood disaster management these independent data sources have been utilized, followed by exploring and discovering efficient ways to fuse these distributed data sources in order to get the best possible results which complement each other advantages. Both the above-mentioned models have their merits and pitfalls autonomously and fusing them would provide us the opportunity to leverage the advantages associated with both type of models and come up with the better methods to monitor and detect the real-time floods in smart cities.
Trauma-associated anterior cingulate connectivity during reward learning predicts affective and anxiety states in young adults

Background Trauma exposure is associated with development of depression and anxiety; yet, some individuals are resilient to these trauma-associated effects. Differentiating mechanisms underlying development of negative affect and resilience following trauma is critical for developing effective interventions. One pathway through which trauma could exert its effects on negative affect is reward-learning networks. In this study, we examined relationships among lifetime trauma, reward-learning network function, and emotional states in young adults. Methods One hundred eleven young adults self-reported trauma and emotional states and underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging during a monetary reward task. Trauma-associated neural activation and functional connectivity were analyzed during reward prediction error (RPE). Relationships between trauma-associated neural functioning and affective and anxiety symptoms were examined. Results Number of traumatic events was associated with greater ventral anterior cingulate cortex (vACC) activation, and lower vACC connectivity with the right insula, frontopolar, inferior parietal, and temporoparietal regions, during RPE. Lower trauma-associated vACC connectivity with frontoparietal regions implicated in regulatory and decision-making processes was associated with heightened affective and anxiety symptoms; lower vACC connectivity with insular regions implicated in interoception was associated with lower affective and anxiety symptoms. Conclusions In a young adult sample, two pathways linked the impact of trauma on reward-learning networks with higher v. lower negative affective and anxiety symptoms. The disconnection between vACC and regions implicated in decision-making and self-referential processes may reflect aberrant regulatory but appropriate self-focused mechanisms, respectively, conferring risk for v. resilience against negative affective and anxiety symptoms.
Grading Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors by Ki-67 Index Evaluated on Fine-Needle Aspiration Cell Block Material.

Objectives This study aimed to determine whether Ki-67 index evaluated on cytologic material could reliably grade pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs). Methods Cases with adequate cell block and available surgical specimens were included. Ki-67 index was calculated using "eyeballing," "hot spot," and "complete" counting methods. Results The overall concordance rates between cytology and surgical specimens were 71%, 73%, and 59%, respectively, by using eyeballing, hot spot, and complete counting approaches. All grade 1 tumors were correctly graded on cytology, but in grade 2 tumors concordance rates were only 36%, 41%, and 9%, respectively. All grade 2 tumors were undergraded when cell blocks contained fewer than 1,000 cells, while concordance rate increased to 57%, 64%, and 14%, respectively, in cases with 1,000 cells or more. Conclusions Grade 2 PanNETs can be significantly undergraded when Ki-67 index is evaluated on cell block material. In cases with 1,000 or more cells, the hot spot counting method has better correlation with surgical specimens.
Airborne Snow Measurements Over Alaska Mountains and Glaciers With A Compact FMCW Radar

Snow in mountainous areas provides freshwater resources for lower basins and coastal areas. Snow layering at mountain summits contains information about local seasonal snow accumulation and climate history. Knowledge of snow depths is required to estimate the snow water equivalent. However, monitoring spatial distribution and temporal changes in snow depth and accumulation over remote mountains and glaciers in wide areas is challenging because of limited accessibility for in-situ measurements. As a part of NASA Operation IceBridge missions, we took airborne radar measurements of snow over Alaskan mountains, icefields and glaciers in late May of 2018, with a compact frequency-modulated continuous wave radar system, operating from 2 GHz to 8 GHz and installed on a Single Otter aircraft. In this paper, we describe the radar instrument, its installation onto the platform, the data collection and processing activities, and report the major results from these surveys. We observed seasonal snow depth between ~0.3 m to ~15 m for elevations above sea level from ~1726 m to ~3624 m. We successfully mapped snow accumulation layers to depths exceeding ~85 m below the surface at high-elevation summits of Mount Wrangell and Bona. The traced snow depth profiles over glaciers and accumulation layers at mountain summits point to the utility of these data to the study of water resource management, hydrology modelling, and regional climate change.
Frequency of Seizures and Epilepsy in Familial Dysautonomia (P3.6-061)

Objective: To determine the frequency of epilepsy and seizures in patients with familial dysautonomia (FD, hereditary sensory autonomic neuropathy III). Background: Patients with FD have frequent paroxysmal episodes concerning for seizure. The differential diagnosis of these episodes is ample and includes autonomic crisis, hypoxia, and hypotension. Our aim was to categorize the EEG results and the frequency of epileptiform activity in a large sample of patients with genetically confirmed FD. Design/Methods: Retrospective chart review of all cases with FD documented in the New York University FD Patient Registry, which includes virtually every patient diagnosed with FD. We used the search terms “EEG”, “epilepsy”, and “seizure.” Results: Out of 676 subjects documented in the NYU FD Patient Registry, we identified 399 adult and pediatric patients that had diagnostic tests (EEG, polysomnography) performed for possible seizure events between 1951 and 2018. Of these, 147 (36.8 %) patients had normal findings and 121 (30.3 %) had epileptiform EEG patterns. Non-epileptiform EEG findings including generalized or focal slowing or generalized or focal cerebral dysfunction, were present in 74 (18.5 %) patients. Forty patients (10%) had nonspecific results and 6 (1%) had beta activity possibly related to benzodiazepines. Conclusions: Approximately 1 in 3 patients with FD and paroxysmal episodes have findings consistent with epileptiform activity on EEG. Epileptiform findings appear to be relatively common in FD and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of paroxysmal episodes. Disclosure: Dr. Balgobin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Palma has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Lundbeck and Biogen. Dr. Palma has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Clinical Autonomic Research. Dr. Perez has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kaufmann has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Lundbeck, Theravance and Biogen. Dr. Kaufmann has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Clinical Autonomic Research. Dr. Kaufmann has received research support from Theravance.
Prognostic value of laboratory values in older patients with cervical spine fractures

Abstract Objectives To understand the prognostic value of laboratory markers at presentation on post-treatment survival of patients 50 and older following cervical spine fracture. Patients and Methods We obtained clinical data on patients 50 and older treated for cervical spine fracture in a single healthcare system (2006–2016). Our primary outcome consisted of 1-year mortality, with mortality within 3-months of presentation considered secondarily. Our primary predictors included serum glucose, serum creatinine, platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) at presentation. We used multivariable logistic regression to adjust for confounding from sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Point estimates and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) from the final model were refined using Bayesian regression techniques. Results We included 1781 patients in this analysis, with an average age of 75.3 (SD 12.0). The mortality rate at 3-months was 12 % and 17 % at 1-year. In multivariable testing, neither elevated PLR or NLR were significant predictors of 1-year mortality. Elevated serum creatinine was associated with increased mortality at 1-year (OR 1.89; 95 % CI 1.30, 2.74), as was hyperglycemia (OR 1.50; 95 % CI 1.06, 2.13). Elevated serum creatinine remained influential (OR 1.64; 95 % CI 1.06, 2.54) on mortality at 3-months. Conclusions This is the first study to evaluate laboratory values at presentation in conjunction with survival following cervical fractures. The results can be used to help forecast natural history and in expectation management. They may also help formulate treatment plans, especially when the need for surgical intervention is not clearly defined.
Deploying Elemental Iodine in a Vapor Form to Disinfect Water and to Clear Biofilms

Traditionally, iodine has been delivered as a solution, tablet or resin to disinfect water. In this study we evaluated the "I2 vapor infusion" (I2VP) technology which passes an airstream through a matrix containing elemental iodine (I2) to produce I2 vapor as an innovative method of iodine delivery for water disinfection. Pressured air was provided either by a compressor or hand pump. Testing was performed with water inoculated with either Gram-negative (Escherichia, Salmonella) or Gram-positive (Enterococcus) bacteria or with pre-formed Acinetobacter or Staphylococcus biofilms. Bacterial colony forming units were used to assess efficacy of the device. In distilled water all bacteria and biofilms were eliminated after brief exposures (<90 s). Culturable bacteria were also eliminated from pond and municipal sewer water, but the technology was mostly ineffective against dairy lagoon water with high turbidity and organic particulate. Longer duration infusion and higher air volumes used to overcome interference from organic matter were also associated with higher concentrations of residual iodine. We conclude that I2 vapor infusion has the potential to be useful for emergency water treatment and potentially for reducing microbiological contamination of some waste streams.