cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Displacement of the medial rectus pulley in superior oblique palsy

PURPOSE. The rectus extraocular muscles pass through fibromuscular connective tissue pulleys that stabilize muscle paths and control the direction of muscle pull. The authors investigated whether abnormal forces associated with superior oblique palsy can cause displacement of pulleys and muscle paths. METHODS. Coronal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showing significantly reduced superior oblique cross-sectional areas and lack of contractile changes with vertical gaze confirms that seven subjects had superior oblique palsies. Binocular misalignment was quantified using the Hess test. In those seven subjects with palsies and in 18 normal orbits, coronal MRI scans corrected to standardized head position were analyzed digitally to determine muscle paths in primary gaze. Horizontal and vertical coordinates of the pulleys, known histologically to lie just posterior to the equator in primary gaze, were inferred from these muscle paths. RESULTS. Normal pulley coordinates were highly uniform. Compared with both normal orbits and fellow orbits, orbits with superior oblique palsies showed a statistically significant 1.1 mm superior displacement of the medial rectus pulley. No other pulley was displaced significantly from normal. Computer simulation using a biomechanical model of ocular statics showed that, in each case, the pulley position shifts alone were insufficient to reproduce the clinical pattern of strabismus. CONCLUSIONS. The excyclotorsion of the globe that accompanies superior oblique palsy does not systematically displace the pulleys of all the rectus muscles. The only significant rectus muscle path change is for the medial rectus muscle, and it may arise as a mechanical consequence of the atrophy of the adjacent superior oblique muscle belly. Biomechanical modeling suggests that this displacement of the medial rectus pulley alone does not account for the pattern of strabismus observed in superior oblique palsy.
Effect of Ahemeral Light-Dark Cycles on Production and Egg Quality of Laying Hens

Abstract To compare the effects of a long but decreasing light-dark cycle (LDLDC) on egg weight and shell quality and a short light-dark cycle (SLDC) on egg production, 264 University of Missouri-Columbia (UMC) Single Comb White Leghorn (SCWL) pullets and 96 SCWL pullets from a leading commercial (C) strain were individually caged in light-controlled rooms. Treatments were: 1) 26-hr light-dark cycle (LDC) reduced to 23 hr, 2) 24-hr LDC (controls), and 3) 23-hr LDC applied at 22 weeks of age with photoperiods of 14 hr gradually increased to 18 hr. Data were obtained on hen-day egg production (HDP), egg weight, egg mass, egg specific gravity, and yolk weight. The LDC effect was significant (P .05) on initial egg specific gravity for the C strain.
Content, Credibility, and Readership: Putting Your Institutional Repository on the Map

In the past decade, as open-access archiving has gained wider acceptance across the United States and around the world, institutional repositories have become a reliable and stable medium for shari...
An Essay Challenging the Racially Biased Selection of Arbitrators for Employment Discrimination Claims

Since 1991, employers have increasingly decided to require that employees agree to arbitrate statutory employment discrimination claims as a condition of employment. This Essay seeks to expose some of the potential discriminatory components that may arise in the arbitrator selection process while highlighting the lack of legal remedy for those who believe that employers, in conjunction with neutral service provders, have stacked the pool in favor of having arbitrators who tend to be older, white and male. The Essay suggests the use of 42 U.S.C. Section 1981 as a potential remedy and challenge to the dearth of arbitrators of color being chosen to handle statutory employment discrimination claims. By bringing to light the paucity of arbitrators of color who are chosen to be in the pool of those who hear statutory employment discrimination claims, it focuses the inquiry on the overall integrity of arbitration as a fair dispute resolution system if claimants of color have virtually little chance of ever selecting an arbitrator of color to decide their employment discrimination dispute.
Big data analytics: Understanding its capabilities and potential benefits for healthcare organizations

Abstract To date, health care industry has not fully grasped the potential benefits to be gained from big data analytics. While the constantly growing body of academic research on big data analytics is mostly technology oriented, a better understanding of the strategic implications of big data is urgently needed. To address this lack, this study examines the historical development, architectural design and component functionalities of big data analytics. From content analysis of 26 big data implementation cases in healthcare, we were able to identify five big data analytics capabilities: analytical capability for patterns of care, unstructured data analytical capability, decision support capability, predictive capability, and traceability. We also mapped the benefits driven by big data analytics in terms of information technology (IT) infrastructure, operational, organizational, managerial and strategic areas. In addition, we recommend five strategies for healthcare organizations that are considering to adopt big data analytics technologies. Our findings will help healthcare organizations understand the big data analytics capabilities and potential benefits and support them seeking to formulate more effective data-driven analytics strategies.
Rousseau on War and Peace

For many reasons Rousseau's writings on international relations should interest students both of Rousseau and of world politics. The former have been celebrating the 200th anniversary of Emile and of The Social Contract. Those works, and the Discourse on Inequality have been analyzed incessantly and well. But Rousseau's ideas on war and peace, dispersed in various books and fragments, some of which are lost, have had only occasional attention, and some of that is of the hit-and-miss variety. Incomplete as his own treatment of the relations between states remains, the frequency and intensity of his references indicate the depth of his concern.
Altered Salivary Protein Profiles among Individuals Diagnosed with Cervical Dysplasia and Cervical Carcinoma in Situ

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine if protein-by-products secondary to cervical cancer oncogenes appear in the saliva. Methods: Four pooled (n=10 subjects/pool) stimulated whole saliva specimens from women were analyzed. One pooled specimen was from healthy women, while other pooled specimens were from women diagnosed with CIN 2 moderate cervical dysplasia (n=10), CIN 3 severe cervical dysplasia (n=10) and the other pooled group from women diagnosed with cervical carcinoma in situ (n=10). Differential expression of proteins was measured by isotopically tagging proteins in each groups and comparing them to the healthy control group. Saliva from each of the pooled samples was trypsinized and the peptide digests labeled with the appropriate iTRAQ reagent. Labeled peptides from each of the digests were combined and analyzed by reverse phase (C18) capillary chromatography on an Applied Biosystems QStar LC-MS/MS mass spectrometer equipped with an LC-Packings HPLC. Results: The results of the salivary analyses yielded approximately 133 proteins in the saliva specimens. Forty eight proteins were differentially expressed between the healthy control pool, precancerous and cancerous conditions. Conclusions: The study suggests that saliva is a fluid suffused with solubilized by-products of oncogenic expression and that these proteins may be modulated secondary to precancerous and cancerous conditions and that these proteins may be useful in the study of cervical cancer progression, treatment efficacy and the tailoring of individualized patient care.
Fission Yields and Other Diagnostics for Nuclear Performance

Abstract I summarize advances in our understanding of basic nuclear physics cross sections and decay properties that are needed to characterize the magnitude and energy-dependence of a neutron flux, and to determine the amount of fission burnup in plutonium fuel. The number of fissions that have occurred in a neutron environment can be deduced from measurements of the fission products created, providing that the fission product yields are known accurately. I describe how our understanding of plutonium fission product yields has improved in recent years through a meta-analysis of various measured data, and through identification of fission product yield incident-energy dependencies over the 0.2-2 MeV fast energy region. This led to the resolution of a previous discrepancy between the Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories in their plutonium yield assessments in the fast energy region, although more experimental work is still needed to resolve discrepancies at 14 MeV. Work is also described that has improved our understanding of (n,2n) cross sections that are used as diagnostics of the high-energy neutron spectrum – both on plutonium and americium, and on the radiochemical detectors yttrium, iridium, and thulium. Finally, some observations are made on the importance of continuing to develop our Evaluated Nuclear Data Files (ENDF) database using physics insights from differential cross section and integral laboratory experiments and from nuclear theory advances.
Observations on Vesical Diverticulum in Childhood

AbstractAn operation was required in 78 children with vesical diverticula in the absence of bladder outlet obstruction. Virtually all diverticula were located in juxtaposition to the ureteral orifice and were associatedwith vesicoureteral reflux in all but 6 of 89 diverticulum-ureteral units. Upper tract changes were seen on excretory urography in 78 per cent of the refluxing units. The surgical procedure of choice was diverticulectomy and ureteroneocystostomy, which yielded a high degree of success. Diverticulectomy alone and vesical neck revision were rarely indicated.
Modeling and Analysis of a Variable Speed Heat Pump for Frequency Regulation Through Direct Load Control

This paper presents a dynamic model of a variable speed heat pump (VSHP) in a commercial building that responds to direct load control (DLC) signals, updated every 4 s, for the improvement of grid frequency regulation (GFR). The model is simplified for real-time simulation studies with the time horizon ranging from seconds to hours, but still sufficiently comprehensive to analyze the operational characteristics such as the heat rate and coefficient of performance. A variable speed drive-controlled induction motor model is also established for the adjustment of the VSHP input power. A dynamic model of an experimental room is then developed to estimate the effect of the DLC application to the VSHP on its indoor air temperature for two different cooling systems. Furthermore, small signal analysis is performed to evaluate both the transient response of the DLC-enabled VSHP and its contribution to GFR. Finally, with an isolated microgrid implemented with Matlab/Simulink, simulation studies demonstrate that the VSHP can be effectively exploited as the DLC-enabled load while still ensuring building occupant comfort and long-term device performance.
Reciprocal interactions in the turtle hindlimb enlargement contribute to scratch rhythmogenesis.

Reciprocal interactions in the turtle hindlimb enlargement contribute to scratch rhythmogenesis. We examined interactions between the spinal networks that generate right and left rostral scratch mo...
Maintenance requirements of beef cattle as affected by season on different planes of nutrition.

Eight Hereford steers with an initial weight of 344 kg and a final weight of 476 kg were allotted randomly to two groups that were alternated between low (120 x maintenance) and high (2.27 x maintenance) intakes during five consecutive seasons in order to measure effects of season (cold stress) and intake on thermoneutral energy requirements. The steers were housed outdoors with neither shelter nor bedding and adapted to the specified intake levels for 21 to 31 d before each season's measurement of maintenance. Maintenance energy requirements were estimated as fasting heat production (FHP) and maintenance metabolized energy (MEm) by respiration calorimetry at thermoneutral temperatures. The high plane of nutrition caused a consistent increase of about 7% in FHP and 14% in MEm averaged across seasons (P less than .05). Within plane of nutrition, season had no effect on FHP or MEm, with the exception that values recorded in fall were lower than those recorded during the first summer (P less than .05). Nevertheless, daily gain during the winter acclimatization period was lower (P less than .05). We conclude that season had no effect on thermoneutral maintenance energy requirements (FHP, MEm) even though cold increased requirements for weight maintenance or gain. No interactions were found between season and plane of nutrition for the parameters measured. Acute cold stress, rather than chronically elevated metabolic rate, likely was responsible for poorer feedlot performance during the cold months of the year.
Laser Safety : Tools and Training

Lasers perform many unique functions in a plethora of applications, but there are many inherent risks with this continually burgeoning technology. Laser Safety: Tools and Training presents simple, effective ways for users in a variety of facilities to evaluate the hazards of any laser procedure and ensure they are following documented laser safety
The Tropospheric Energy Budgets of two Heat Source Regions within the Southwest-East Asian Summer Monsoon System: the Arabian Desert Empty Quarter and the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau

One of the fascinating aspects of the Southwest-East Asian Summer Monsoon is its multiplicity of component parts and scales of motion. Earlier papers by Krishnamurti and his co-workers have carefully highlighted this aspect of monsoon dynamics; see e.g., Krishnamurti et al. (1973, 1977, 1981), Krishnamurti and Bhalme (1976), and Krishnamurti and Ardanuy (1980). In recent years, due in large part to the new data sets resulting from the 1979 First GARP Global Experiment (FGGE) and its embedded Summer Monsoon Experiment (SMONEX), it has been possible to examine in detail the various atmospheric phenomena making up the individual parts of the monsoon. An important focus of the 1979 Summer Monsoon Experiment, and of principal concern here, is the heat sources and sinks sub-programme. This sub-programme was designed to identify, quantify, and examine the development, maintenance, and role of the important heat source and sink regions within or in the proximity of the overall monsoon system.
Combining Molecular Visualization with Bench Methods in a Hypothesis-Driven Undergraduate Biochemistry Lab Course

We are developing an undergraduate biochemistry lab curriculum based on authentic inquiry. Students on six campuses are combining computational (in silico) and wet lab (in vitro) techniques as they characterize enzymes whose three dimensional structures are known but to which functions have not been previously ascribed. The in silico modules include protein visualization with PyMOL, structural alignment using Dali and ProMOL, sequence exploration with BLAST and Pfam, and ligand docking with PyRX and Autodock Vina. The goal is to predict the function of the enzymes and to identify promising substrates for the active sites. In the wet lab, students express and purify the target enzymes and perform kinetic assays with substrates selected from their docking studies. Their learning as students and their growth as scientists is being assessed in terms of research methods, visualization, biological context, and mechanism of protein function. The lab course is an extension of successful undergraduate research efforts at RIT and Dowling College. The modules that are developed have been disseminated to the scientific community via a web site (promol.org), including both protocols and captioned video instructions for the techniques involved. Over the course of the project, we have followed changes in faculty and teaching assistant competence in two areas: effective teaching with both in silico and in vitro tools and the development of skills in the area of measuring learning gains by students. We are also analyzing the flexibility of the curriculum for adoption as a whole in a single course or in parts across multiple courses. As we conduct the lab on the different campuses, we are focusing on advantages of our approach and barriers to implementation that exist on each campus., from the level of student acceptance and faculty training, to resources that are needed, to changes in the culture at the departmental and institutional levels. We are now optimizing the curriculum for wider dissemination, and we seek input from additional potential adopters about their level of interest and the barriers that they anticipate on their campuses. This project is supported in part by NSF IUSE 1503699.
The Maintenance of Iron Homeostasis Among Prokaryotic Phototrophs

Like all prokaryotes, photosynthetic bacteria have had to solve the difficulty of acquiring poorly available iron in oxic environments and, at the same time, have had to manage the potential deleterious Fenton chemistry effects caused by this metal. In addition, photosynthesis requires a lot of iron for both the synthesis of the photosystem and the photosynthetic process itself. As a result of this iron need, phototrophs are good model organisms to study bacterial iron homeostasis. This review focuses on transcriptomic changes induced by iron limitation centering on major functional features of iron homeostasis such as the acquisition, storage, and regulation. We review evidence that iron limitation induces significant stress that triggers global transcriptional changes resulting in upregulation of iron import and storage while decreasing photosynthesis. Studies on transcription factors that regulate genes involved in iron homeostasis will also be covered, with the Ferric Uptake Regulator being the most understood. Finally, we will discuss the interference between iron and copper homeostasis, especially since iron transport systems make up a primary defense against copper poisoning.
Video Conferencing for Mindfulness Programs: Benefits, Experiences, and Recommendations

Online learning has grown tremendously with the advent of increasingly sophisticated digital technologies. Used well, the online experience is a positive one rivalling and perhaps exceeding the efficacy of in-person programming. The use of video conferencing uniquely promotes several factors foundational to mindfulness programs, including participant engagement and the nuanced challenge of the creation of a safe space for open sharing and inquiry.
Application of next generation sequencing toward sensitive detection of enteric viruses isolated from celery samples as an example of produce

Next generation sequencing (NGS) holds promise as a single application for both detection and sequence identification of foodborne viruses; however, technical challenges remain due to anticipated low quantities of virus in contaminated food. In this study, with a focus on data analysis using several bioinformatics tools, we applied NGS toward amplification-independent detection and identification of norovirus at low copy (<103 copies) or within multiple strains from produce. Celery samples were inoculated with human norovirus (stool suspension) either as a single norovirus strain, a mixture of strains (GII.4 and GII.6), or a mixture of different species (hepatitis A virus and norovirus). Viral RNA isolation and recovery was confirmed by RT-qPCR, and optimized for library generation and sequencing without amplification using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Extracts containing either a single virus or a two-virus mixture were analyzed using two different analytic approaches to achieve virus detection and identification. First an overall assessment of viral genome coverage for samples varying in copy numbers (1.1×103 to 1.7×107) and genomic content (single or multiple strains in various ratios) was completed by reference-guided mapping. Not unexpectedly, this targeted approach to identification was successful in correctly mapping reads, thus identifying each virus contained in the inoculums even at low copy (estimated at 12 copies). For the second (metagenomic) approach, samples were treated as "unknowns" for data analyses using (i) a sequence-based alignment with a local database, (ii) an "in-house" k-mer tool, (iii) a commercially available metagenomics bioinformatic analysis platform cosmosID, and (iv) an open-source program Kraken. Of the four metagenomics tools applied in this study, only the local database alignment and in-house k-mer tool were successful in detecting norovirus (as well as HAV) at low copy (down to <103 copies) and within a mixture of virus strains or species. The results of this investigation provide support for continued investigation into the development and integration of these analytical tools for identification and detection of foodborne viruses.
Case Study in Imputation and Data Reduction

The following case study illustrates these techniques: 1. missing data imputation using mean substitution, recursive partitioning, and customized regressions; 2. variable clustering; 3. data reduction using principal components analysis and pretransformations; 4. restricted cubic spline fitting using ordinary least squares, in the context of scaling; and 5. scaling/variable transformations using canonical variates and nonparametric additive regression.
Is Akrasia Necessary for Culpability? On Douglas Husak’s Ignorance of Law

This paper discusses Douglas Husak’s view that ignorance of the law always reduces culpability since the only fully culpable agents are those who are akratic—who act, that is, in a way that they judge to be wrongful, all things considered. The paper argues that this position is in tension with Husak’s avowed commitment to a reasons-responsiveness theory of culpability, given a plausible way of understanding what that means, and what a reason is.
Fatigue in Parkinson’s Disease (P5.003)

Objective: Todetermine fatigue severity, strongest predictors of fatigue, and the effect ofamantadine on fatigue in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. Background: Fatigueis one of the most commonly reported non-motor symptoms in PD. Although fatigueresults in reduced quality of life, it is often under-recognized. Amantadinehas been reported to reduce fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis. This study assessedthe severity of fatigue in PD as well as the effectiveness of amantadine inreducing fatigue. Design/Methods: Datawere collected from 416 PD patients seen from 2002–2012. There were 208 PDpatients on amantadine with a mean dose of approximately 200mg/day, and 208 noton amantadine. Each patient completed a Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). This is a9 item scale, scored from 1 to 7, with the greater number suggesting more severefatigue. The FSS scores were examined for the whole group as well as theamantadine and no amantadine groups separately. These two groups were matchedaccording to age, gender, disease duration, and disease severity based onUnified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale motor scores (UPDRS). Results: Themean age of the group was 63 years (SD=9.5, range 38–85 years), diseaseduration was 10 years (SD=5.8, ranging from Conclusions: Fatigueis increased in PD patients (FSS=4.5) compared to historical healthy controls(FSS=2.3). Reduced quality of life anddepression were the best predictors of fatigue. Amantadine had no effect onfatigue severity in patients with PD as measured by the FSS. Disclosure: Dr. Patel has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pahwa has received personal compensation for activities with AbbVie, ACADIA, Acorda, Adamas, Cynapses, Global Kinetics, Lundbeck, Neurocrine, Pfizer, Sage, Teva Neuroscience and US World Meds as a consultant. Dr. Pahwa has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for the International Journal of Neuroscience. Dr. Pahwa has received research support from AbbVie, Adamas, Avid, Biotie, Boston Scientific, Civitas, Cynapses, Kyowa, National Parkinson Foundation, NIH/NINDS, Parkinson Study Group, and Pfizer. Dr. Lyons has received personal compensation for activities with Acorda, Adamas, Sage and US WorldMeds as a consultant.
Rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydroboration of γ,δ-unsaturated amide derivatives: δ-borylated amides

γ,δ-Unsaturated amides in which the alkene moiety bears an aryl or heteroaryl substituent undergo regioselective rhodium-catalyzed δ-borylation by pinacolborane to afford chiral secondary benzylic boronic esters. The results contrast the γ-borylation of γ,δ-unsaturated amides in which the disubstituted alkene moiety bears only alkyl substituents; the reversal in regiochemistry is coupled with a reversal in the sense of π-facial selectivity.
Accounting for Childhood Lead Exposure: New Directives Around an Old Problem

This chapter reviews the effects of low-level lead exposure framed by the case of a 6-year-old with lead exposure via drinking water in the context of multiple neurodevelopmental and psychosocial considerations. Despite primary prevention efforts, lead exposure remains an important pediatric environmental health problem. Lead effects brain development and function through multiple mechanisms, primarily involving displacement of calcium and zinc in several cellular processes involved in neuronal growth, differentiation, development, and communication. Outcomes at low levels are idiosyncratic and span a variety of neurocognitive domains. Consequently, a tailored approach to evaluation and intervention are essential to maximizing outcomes for affected youth. Ongoing efforts to improve secondary and tertiary prevention while working toward primary prevention of newly recognized lead sources such as water are also imperative. This case highlights the capacity for lead exposure to complicate potentially underlying neurodevelopmental disabilities, cloud diagnostic clarity, and contribute to exacerbation of neuropsychiatric symptoms in addition to causing new-onset symptomatology.
Strategies for Developing and Sustaining Patient and Community Advisory Groups: Lessons from the State Networks of Colorado Ambulatory Practices and Partners (SNOCAP) Consortium of Practice-Based Research Networks.

Background: Patient and community engagement is essential to maintain the relevance of practice-based research. Empowered engagement requires going beyond the check box, with advisory groups involved in every aspect of a project. Here, 4 Colorado practice-based research networks (PBRNs) share their advisory group origins, as well as methods for continued engagement and the work that has resulted. Methods: PBRNs, like communities and practices, vary in form and function. In a 4-part case series, we describe commonalities and differences among advisory groups within the State Networks of Colorado Ambulatory Practices and Partners (SNOCAP), a consortium of PBRNs in Colorado. Three SNOCAP advisory groups are well established, while a fourth is under development. Results: Each case shares ways in which advisory groups have been structured within SNOCAP, including meeting frequency, compensation, and member activities to ensure the design, conduct, analysis, and dissemination of research are grounded in the needs of patients and communities. We share 6 lessons learned regarding membership, relationships, relevance, care and feeding, listening, and showing up. Conclusions: SNOCAP believes advisory groups are the backbone and guidepost of PBRN work. Patient advisors are an essential and invaluable complement to traditional research when engaged beyond “basic” participation. Best structures for advisory groups depend upon stakeholder needs.
Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Police Reporting for Partner Violence in the National Crime Victimization Survey and Survivor-Led Interpretation.

Despite compromising women’s health and safety, intimate partner violence (IPV) is among the most underreported crimes, and our understanding of factors that drive police reporting by race/ethnicity is underdeveloped. The purpose of this study is to examine racial/ethnic differences in self-reporting IPV to police. Race/ethnicity-stratified models identified predictors of reporting IPV to police among recent, female survivors (n = 898) in the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS; 2011-15). Focus groups (n = 3) with recent survivors (n = 19) in Baltimore, MD (2018), contextualized results. Black women in the NCVS were twice as likely to report IPV to police relative to White women (AOR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.01–4.15). In race/ethnicity-stratified models, police reporting significantly increased with increasing age between 18 and < 35 years (AOR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.05–1.33) for Black women, and with IPV-related injury for Black (AOR = 2.51, 95% CI: 1.10–5.71) and Hispanic women (AOR = 2.87, 95% CI: 1.22–6.71); Hispanics with less than a high school education were least likely to report (AOR = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.07–0.91). Focus groups explained racial/ethnic influences on reporting including a culture of silence and discrimination, socioeconomic status, and social desirability. We identified influences on reporting IPV to police that vary by race/ethnicity using national data in context to an urban environment. Results demonstrate the need to enhance equity in survivors’ health and public safety through training and organizational change.
Barriers to Implementing Evidence-Based Treatments for Anxiety Disorders in Community Settings

This chapter focuses on the multilevel barriers faced by community organizations when implementing evidence-based treatments (EBTs) for anxiety disorders in community settings. We start the chapter by discussing the science-practice gap that exists in the treatment of mental health and briefly summarize implementation science as an emerging field to systematically address this gap. The multilevel nature of the challenges (e.g., organizational, provider, treatment, and patient level) faced when implementing EBTs for anxiety disorders is highlighted. Several strategies that have been shown to effectively address these barriers to facilitate the uptake and long-term sustainability of EBTs in community settings are proposed and discussed.
Liquid metals for functional polymers and soft devices (Conference Presentation)

This talk will discuss recent progress in utilizing liquid metals as conductors for stretchable, soft, and reconfigurable components for electroactive polymeric devices. Alloys of gallium are noted for their low viscosity, low toxicity, and near-zero vapor pressure. Despite the large surface tension of the metal, it can be patterned into non-spherical 2D and 3D shapes due to the presence of an ultra-thin oxide skin that forms on its surface. Because it is a liquid, the metal is extremely soft and flows in response to stress to retain electrical continuity under extreme deformation. By embedding the metal into elastomeric or gel substrates, it is possible to form soft, flexible, and conformal electrical components, stretchable antennas, and ultra-stretchable wires that maintain metallic conductivity up to ~800% strain. Thus, these materials are well-suited for soft robotics, stretchable electronics, and actuators because they can maintain metallic properties during deformation. In addition to introducing the advantages of these materials for such applications (e.g. conductive and self-healing electrodes in electroactive polymers), this talk will focus on recent work to utilize liquid metal for (2) tough energy absorbing materials1, stretchable embedded sensors and antennas[2], and soft materials logic3. This latter work is exciting because it suggests a way for materials to perform logic without the need of a centralized processor. Here, the deformation of a material (by touch or actuation) can be used as a logic input, which in turn ‘calculates’ a response. These advances have implications for soft machines and robots that have ultra-soft mechanical properties. References 1. Cooper, C. B. et al. Toughening stretchable fibers via serial fracturing of a metallic core. Sci. Adv. 5, eaat4600 (2019). 2. Dickey, M. D. Stretchable and Soft Electronics using Liquid Metals. Adv. Mater. 29, 1606425 (2017). 3. Jin, Y. et al. Materials Tactile Logic via Innervated Soft Thermochromic Elastomers. Nat. Commun. 10, 4187 (2019).
Correction to: Imaging Guidance for Therapeutic Delivery: the Dawn of Neuroenergetics.

This article was updated to correct figs. 3, 4 and 5 that were interchanged in the HTML version of the article during the production process.
Distance Perception in Modern Mobile Augmented Reality

Augmented reality (AR) is commonly experienced through a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet. Accuracy in locating virtual targets in real environments can be important for tasks such as navigation and training. In this paper, we tested users’ perception of distances (10-40m) to virtual objects presented in both indoor and outdoor environments through an AR platform for a mobile device. In addition, we tested users’ perception of distances to real objects through the mobile device as a baseline comparison. Although the 40m distance was underestimated similarly for both real and virtual targets, the virtual target was judged to be farther than the real target at the closer distances. There was no effect of environmental context on either viewing condition or distance estimation. We discuss the implications of our findings for mobile augmented reality applications that require precise distance perception.
Design and Fabrication of a 128-Channel Array of Quantum Memories in Hybrid Photonic Circuits

We show the design, fabrication, and integration of a 128-channel aluminum nitride photonic chip with tunable diamond quantum micro-chiplets containing silicon vacancy and germanium vacancy color centers, enabling a chip-integrated architecture towards multiplexed photon-mediated entanglement.
Experimental comparison of blade pitch and speed control strategies for horizontal-axis current turbines

The majority of utility-scale horizontal-axis current turbines use either speed or pitch control to maintain a constant power output once the currents exceed a certain threshold: the turbine-specific “rated speed”. In this study, we experimentally characterized power performance and turbine loading over a range of blade pitch settings and tip-speed ratios for a three-bladed horizontal-axis turbine. We then implemented a control strategy to maintain power output in time-varying currents using blade pitch control and compare the turbine performance under this control strategy to “overspeed” and “underspeed” control strategies for a fixed pitch turbine. The experiments were conducted with a laboratory-scale 0.45-m diameter turbine in an open channel flume with a 35% blockage ratio. During pitch characterization experiments, inflow velocity was maintained at 0.8 m/s with 4% turbulence intensity. During time-varying inflow experiments, currents varied from 0.7 to 0.8 m/s over a 20-min period, while a proportional controller regulated either blade pitch or rotor speed, and we recorded turbine power output and turbine loads. In this velocity range, where turbine performance is independent of Reynolds number, we demonstrated that pitch control substantially reduced torque requirements relative to underspeed control and turbine loads relative to overspeed control. Additional tests were conducted for underspeed control and pitch control in a Reynolds-dependent regime with time-varying inflow between 0.4–0.5 and 0.5–0.6 m/s. These cases suggest that blade pitch control could provide even greater benefits relative to speed control in small-scale applications.
Ortner syndrome secondary to saccular thoracic aneurysm.

Abstract Mechanical stretching of the left laryngeal nerve secondary to an enlarged left atrium was first described by Dr Norbert Ortner in 1987. An extensive literature search revealed only 76 reported cases of Ortner syndrome, with the more recent reports describing other causes of the syndrome such as pulmonary hypertension, aortic dissection, and a thoracic aneurysm. We recently encountered this rare pathologic entity in an elderly man who had presented with severe hoarseness, presumed to be due to one of the aforementioned vascular anomalies. In the present report, we have highlighted the pathology and hybrid repair of this challenging entity.
Debugging Network Reachability with Blocked Paths.

In this industrial case study we describe a new network troubleshooting analysis used by VPC Reachability Analyzer, an SMT-based network reachability analysis and debugging tool. Our troubleshooting analysis uses a formal model of AWS Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) semantics to identify whether a destination is reachable from a source in a given VPC configuration. In the case where there is no feasible path, our analysis derives a blocked path: an infeasible but otherwise complete path that would be feasible if a corresponding set of VPC configuration settings were adjusted.
Enhancement of optical nonlinearity and spontaneous emission in nano-engineered epsilon-near-zero materials

This talk will review our recent studies on the nonlinear and emission properties of conducting oxide and metallic nitride epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) materials. I will present a method to engineer the field intensity enhancement of the Al-doped zinc oxide (AZO) ENZ thin films synthesized by atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. I will then discuss the observation of abnormal nonlinear temporal dynamic of hot electrons and enhanced optical nonlinearity in AZO and ITO ENZ thin films under different pump fluences and excitation angles using a degenerate pump-probe spectroscopy technique. Finally, I will present the first comprehensive study of photoluminescence from a 2D material placed near ENZ films and its dependence on the losses of materials, as well as the spectral response of such emitters with excitation wavelengths across the ENZ regime. This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation (grant number: 1752295) and AFOSR-AOARD (FA2386-18-1-4099)
Railroad Ballast Movements Pattern Recognition by Using “SmartRock”

Ballast is an important part of railroad infrastructure. It is used as a support base for bearing the track load and facilitating drainage of water from the track. Unfavorable ballast performances (e.g., ballast fouling, loss of lateral confinement) can contribute to damage and deterioration of rail structures such as the rail, tie and fastening components. Therefore, accurate and timely monitoring of ballast condition is critical for rail safety operation and effective maintenance. This paper presents a series of ballast box tests to investigate the ballast particle movement pattern inside railway ballast under different ballast, loading, moisture and shoulder confinement conditions. Eight wireless devices, SmartRocks, were embedded in different locations in the ballast box to monitor individual ballast particle movements. The results indicate that (1) load magnitude and frequency have apparent effect on ballast particle movements. (2) The difference of particle movements in fouled ballast under dry versus wet condition is more dramatic than the difference in clean ballast. (3) Lack of shoulder confinement would cause failure of interaction between the shoulder ballast with tie and surrounded particles, which could generate more space for ballast particles away from the shoulder translation and rolling above other particles. (4) This study also demonstrates that SmartRock is capable of recording the particle translational accelerations and particle angular rotations information under different ballast and load conditions.
Stability Comparisons between Natural versus Engineered Archaeal Heat Shock Proteins

Crenarchaeal group II chaperonins (a.k.a., "heat shock" proteins, HSPs) are abundantly expressed in species of the family Sulfolobaceae. HSP and HSP{beta} expression is upregulated during thermal shock. HSPs are subunits of larger octadecameric complexes that function to protect intracellular proteins during thermal stress. Engineered HSPs have been constructed with the idea of protecting enzymes in industrial reactions. HSP{beta}-coh, a fusion protein comprised of HSP{beta} and type 1 cohesin from Clostridium thermocellum was used for proof-of-concept. Dockerin-endowed cellulolytic enzymes bind to the complex via cohesin-dockerin interactions. Enzymatic activity (i.e., hydrolysis of lignocellulose) is retained when the platform is used at high temperatures (e.g., 85-88{degrees}C). Moreover, enhancement persists on acid-pretreated substrates prompting the question: Are HSPs acid tolerant? In this study, HSP structural integrity is examined at different temperatures and pH. Far-UV circular dichroism and intrinsic fluorescence indicate HSP and HSP{beta} retain structural integrity at neutral pH over a range of temperatures (25-90{degrees}C) while HSP{beta}-coh is less tolerant to thermal stress. Structural integrity is compromised for all subunits at ultra-low pH (i.e., pH 2) with HSP showing the most susceptibility. Secondary structures of all HSPs are resilient under mildly acidic conditions (pH 4). ANS binding assays indicate a shift in tertiary structure for all subunits at ultra-low pH. Limited trypsin digestion reveals that the backbone of HSP{beta}-coh is the most flexible and HSP{beta} is the most resistant. Results suggest that HSP and HSP{beta} are more resilient than HSP{beta}-coh under thermal challenge and that there are limits to the acid tolerance of all HSPs.
DOONIES: A process-based ecogeomorphological functional community model for coastal dune vegetation and landscape dynamics

Abstract In ecogeomorphic systems, such as beach-dune habitats, complex couplings exist between geomorphology and ecology. Abiotic conditions influence vegetation growth and distribution while vegetation imposes a geomorphic feedback, impacting topography. Communities affect storm response by impacting pre-storm state, post-storm recovery, and landscape evolution. Despite their importance, beach-dune and other ecogeomorphic land-sea systems are deteriorating with increased anthropogenic modification and amplified natural disaster impact linked to climate change. A structured approach is needed to develop a more comprehensive understanding of coastal vegetation community interactions with the environment as these interactions underpin topographic change, strom response, and restoration and management efforts. Toward this goal, a spatially explicit process-based grid model, the DOONIES Model, encompassing biological, physiological, and geomorphological drivers of landscape change is presented. DOONIES simulates critical biotic and abiotic processes of vegetation growth, abundance, and spatial distribution dynamics impacting topography and storm response. Biological processes and ecogeomorphic responses are tailored to generalizable dune functional-communities with species-specific representatives. Estimates of the balance between photosynthesis and respiration dictate plant growth and morphology spatiotemporally which in turn impact sediment erosion and deposition. Relative sensitivity analyses indicate that the model is fundamentally driven by the photosynthesis formulation, where parameters such as maximum daily photosynthesis (grams of carbohydrate per day) and light intensity impact vegetation growth. These in turn, indirectly impact topographic change in modeled ecogeomorphic links. DOONIES is standalone and with a biological focus making it unique compared to more physical morphodynamic and hydrodynamic models with which this model is designed to couple. The model was evaluated by comparing simulation topography to actual across 6 years at Island Beach State Park, NJ while modeling Hurricane Sandy and daily wind conditions driving sediment input and output events. The predicted results were within the measurement error for the elevation datasets that the simulations were based on. This new model affords dynamic predictions of the response of naturally occurring and planted dune vegetation communities to typical abiotic conditions, as a tool for supporting and exploring restoration decisions.
Gene-by-Environment Interactions in Pancreatic Cancer: Implications for Prevention.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) has been estimated to have higher incidence and correspondingly higher mortality rates in more developed regions worldwide. Overall, the age-adjusted incidence rate is 4.9/105 and age-adjusted mortality rate is at 4.8/105. We review here our current knowledge of modifiable risk factors (cigarette smoking, obesity, diet, and alcohol) for PC, genetic variants implicated by genome-wide association studies, possible genetic interactions with risk factors, and prevention strategies to provide future research directions that may further our understanding of this complex disease. Cigarette smoking is consistently associated with a two-fold increased PC risk. PC associations with dietary intake have been largely inconsistent, with the potential exception of certain unsaturated fatty acids decreasing risk and well-done red meat or meat mutagens increasing risk. There is strong evidence to support that obesity (and related measures) increase risk of PC. Only the heaviest alcohol drinkers seem to be at an increased risk of PC. Currently, key prevention strategies include avoiding tobacco and excessive alcohol consumption and adopting a healthy lifestyle. Screening technologies and PC chemoprevention are likely to become more sophisticated, but may only apply to those at high risk. Risk stratification may be improved by taking into account gene environment interactions. Research on these modifiable risk factors is key to reducing the incidence of PC and understanding who in the population can be considered high risk.
IFN-γ-Producing γδ T Cells Help Control Murine West Nile Virus Infection

West Nile (WN) virus causes fatal meningoencephalitis in laboratory mice, thereby partially mimicking human disease. Using this model, we have demonstrated that mice deficient in gammadelta T cells are more susceptible to WN virus infection. TCRdelta(-/-) mice have elevated viral loads and greater dissemination of the pathogen to the CNS. In wild-type mice, gammadelta T cells expanded significantly during WN virus infection, produced IFN-gamma in ex vivo assays, and enhanced perforin expression by splenic T cells. Adoptive transfer of gammadelta T cells to TCRdelta(-/-) mice reduced the susceptibility of these mice to WN virus, and this effect was primarily due to IFN-gamma-producing gammadelta T cells. These data demonstrate a distinct role for gammadelta T cells in the control of and prevention of mortality from murine WN virus infection.
Structure and Bonding in Crystalline Materials

One of the motivating questions in materials research today is, how can elements be combined to produce a solid with specified properties? This book is intended to acquaint the reader with established principles of crystallography and cohesive forces that are needed to address the fundamental relationship between the composition, structure and bonding. Starting with an introduction to periodic trends, the book discusses crystal structures and the various primary and secondary bonding types, and finishes by describing a number of models for predicting phase stability and structure. Containing a large number of worked examples, exercises, and detailed descriptions of numerous crystal structures, this book is primarily intended as an advanced undergraduate or graduate level textbook for students of materials science. It will also be useful to scientists and engineers who work with solid materials.